It was an eventful year in Issaquah and Sammamish, with a wide range of topics reported on this website. Here is a look at what happened in Issaquah and Sammamish in 2013.
JANUARY
A different beat
Jonathan Carollo, 11, of Sammamish, created a washing machine video that went viral, generating more than one million hits on YouTube. Carollo used everything from the lid to the stainless steel inside the drum of his family’s washing machine to create a percussion beat reminiscent of a one-man drum line. He made appearances on both “Good Morning America,” and “The Today Show.”
The video of Sammamish boy, Jonathan Carollo, drumming on the family washing machine went viral in January.
Saving Tigers
Cougar Mountain Zoo’s general curator, Robyn Barfoot, traveled to India to promote the conservation of tigers. Barfoot paid for the trip from her own pocket, visiting several preserves and lecturing students in Bangladesh on what they could do to help.
Ace gets the axe
Ace Hardware in Sammamish is denied a proposal made by development group Kindar Ace to build a new 11,200-square-foot store on a piece of property between Northeast Second and Northeast Fourth Streets. Store owner Tim Koch eventually had to close the popular store.
FEBRUARY
216 acres on Squak Mountain sold to timber company
Residents of Squak Mountain and the May Valley were alarmed to hear that pristine land near the top of Squak Mountain in the Issaquah Alps had been sold to logger Kurt Erickson. The land — five contiguous parcels that had been foreclosed on — if logged could result in further flooding in the May Valley and disturbance to wildlife that inhabit the area.
Sammamish City Council approves community center operating agreement
The Sammamish YMCA and the city agreed that the yet-to-be-built community center will be leased to the YMCA at $1 per year for 25 years. The YMCA will manage the facility, provide programs and cover all operating expenses. The city will serve as the lead on design and construction.
‘Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park’ is born
With state funding for parks decreasing, Issaquah citizens concerned about the ailing park formed “Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park.” The group will advocate and raise money for improvements to the park, which had not seen any major improvements in years.
MARCH
Former NBA player leaves Sammamish home after trashing it
Former Seattle Sonics player Robert Swift finally left a million-dollar Sammamish home he’d been squatting in. He vacated the 6,000 square-foot home in the 21000 block of Southeast 40th Place, leaving behind piles of empty pizza boxes, dog feces, empty beer bottles, holes in walls and what appeared to be a makeshift shooting range in the basement.
Muslim prayer center gets green light
A Sammamish hearing examiner dismissed an appeal by a neighborhood group and allowed the prayer center to have a 44-space parking lot in the 22000 block of Southeast 20th Street. Examiner John Galt ruled there was not enough evidence to back many of the environmental and traffic concerns voiced by “Friends of SE 20th.”
Plot thickens on Squak Mountain
Logger Kurt Erickson withdrew his forest practices permit application after it was determined that one of the streams on the property met the requirement as a potential fish habitat. Foresting consultant Paul Graves said they would start over after applying appropriate fish buffers. Meanwhile, an application for $2 million was submitted to the conservations futures citizens oversight committee to get help for the county to buy the land from Erickson.
APRIL
Heroin use on the rise in Issaquah and Sammamish
As use of prescription opiods is on the rise, one 80 mg. tablet of oxycodone will sell for $80 to $100 on the street. Black tar heroin is cheaper and chemically comparable. New data shows that in 2012 within the area of the Issaquah School District, there were 31 overdoses in the 19-30 age group, compared to 16 in 2009. In the 31-50 age group, there were 25 overdoses in 2012 compared to 15 in 2009.
Issaquah seeks Regional Growth Center designation
Such a designation would put Issaquah in position to compete for priority funding for transportation infrastructure to support further growth. It could be May of 2014 before Issaquah receives the designation, if it does at all, since such designation is very competitive.
Issaquah native, Adrianne Haslet-Davis, loses foot, lower leg in Boston Marathon bombing
A 1998 graduate of Issaquah High School, and a professional ballroom dancer, Adrianne Haslet-Davis, who now lives in Boston and works at Arthur-Murray dance studio, lost her foot and lower leg in the Boston bombing. Her husband, Adam Davis, suffered broken bones and lacerations in his legs from shrapnel. He had just returned from Afghanistan.
Adrianne Haslet-Davis and Adam Davis were both injured in the Boston Marathon bombings. Haslet-Davis is an Issaquah High School graduate.
MAY
Water War
The Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, a private utility, raises concern over plans by the city of Issaquah to inject storm water runoff from the Issaquah Highlands into the Lower Reid Infiltration Gallery (LRIG), a football field size area of land only 600-feet uphill from one of three wells serving 54,000 people in Sammamish, parts of Issaquah and unincorporated King County. The matter still remains unresolved.
Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District general manager Jay Krauss stands near a retention pond in the Issaquah Highlands. Controversy errupted when the city of Issaquah sought a permit to inject stormwater from the Highlands into a infiltration field 600 feet from wells that serve 54,000 residents in Issaquah and Sammamish. The matter is still not resolved.
Trust for Public Land comes to the rescue of Squak Mountain
King County executive, Dow Constantine, and the Trust for Public Land, sign a conditional agreement to purchase the 216-acres owned by Erickson Logging, Inc. on Squak Mountain to save it from logging. King County will work to secure the funding necessary to take ownership of the land in the long term. The plan calls for the TPL to buy the property in Feb. 2014, and convey a portion of it to King County when the county has initial funds for a first phase of the purchase.
Klahanie annexation study shows financial gain for Issaquah
Annexing Klahanie and 12 surrounding neighborhoods would produce about $620,000 in net income for Issaquah before taking into account start-up costs and a sales tax credit from the state that the city would have to apply for, concludes an independent study on the annexation. Issaquah would gain about $6.47 million annually from property tax, some sales tax, state-shared revenues, utility taxes and real estate excise tax.
JUNE
Issaquah mayor says water district using scare tactics
A letter sent out by the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District speaking to the threat posed by untreated storm water being injected into the ground above the aquifer is “simply not true,” said Issaquah Mayor Ava Frisinger. The water district is accused of being motivated by “self-preservation” because it opposes the annexation of the Klahanie PAA to Issaquah. Jay Krauss, the general manager of SPWSD said the board of commissioners for the water district has no position on Klahanie.
Backup suitors
The city of Sammamish made it official that if Issaquah doesn’t want Klahanie, it does. During a city council meeting June 11, the Sammamish City Council voted 6-0 to pursue the annexation of Klahanie and the surrounding neighborhoods if Issaquah didn’t hurry up and submit language to the county, to get the issue on a ballot.
Buzzkill
The City of Sammamish decided to hand out citations to those seen possessing fireworks on the Fourth of July. They would be fined $500, or if they discharge their own device, they would be fined $1,000. Residents were encouraged to attend the city’s Fourth on the Plateau event if they want to watch a pyrotechnics display.
JULY
Environmental critical areas ordinance passes in Sammamish
After more than a year of research, evaluations by the planning commission and debate between homeowners and developers, the Sammamish City Council compromised on a new ECA ordinance. New pilot programs will allow landowners to build in areas previously off limits because of environmental concerns — areas like streams, wetlands, and terrain prone to erosion such as hillsides.
To the ballot
Issaquah City Council votes 6-1 with council member Josh Schaer dissenting, to put the Klahanie PAA annexation on the ballot in February 2014. Annexation of the PAA will give Issaquah the chance to become an entitlement city for federal community block grants if it hits a population of 50,000. Right now Issaquah has a population of about 33,000, and the Klahanie PAA has about 11,000 residents.
Trust for Public Land and Erickson come to agreement
The Trust for Public Land and logger Kurt Erickson agree on a sales price of $5 million for the 216 acres on Squak Mountain. Erickson said TPL worked hard to “get it right.” Funding sources include conservation futures funds which are collected through property taxes for permanent protection of open space land, and the King County Parks levy.
AUGUST
Pit bull attacks, kills toy poodle
Tammy Hessler was walking her four-year-old toy poodle, Jackson, on a leash, when Jackson was attacked and killed by a pit pull owned by Christina Hart. Inflicting one deadly bite into the poodle’s lungs and stomach, the poodle died instantly. The attack took place in the Issaquah Highlands where the covenants, conditions and restrictions (CCRs) restrict certain breeds, including pit bulls. A neighbor said the dog has attacked other dogs twice before.
Bird mess
It was revealed that in an effort to reduce the amount of goose poop left by Canadian geese at Lake Sammamish State Park, geese were euthanized using gas. A spokesperson for the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission said nobody likes doing it, but that they were trying to balance the species. Animal advocate Diane Weinstein said more than 1,000 people signed a petition by Action for Animals to protest the practice.
Issaquah nanny dies in shark attack
A German Au Pair who worked as a nanny in Issaquah died August 21, one week after losing her arm in a shark attack while snorkeling off the Maui coast. Jana Lutteropp, 20, died at Maui Memorial Medical Center. Hawaii officials announced they plan to study tiger shark movements around Maui, amid an unprecedented spike in shark attacks since 2012.
SEPTEMBER
Delay in hatchery project won’t affect Salmon Days
A delay in the construction of the upper intake for the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery wouldn’t delay Issaquah’s largest celebration. With part of the creek diverted around the construction area into a large culvert, some of the fish had to be hauled by a water truck to the upper part of the creek. The project includes replacing the old dam which dates back to 1937.
Issaquah ‘hijacks’ website
As the controversy over Issaquah injecting storm water into the ground over the aquifer increased, it was revealed that people going to the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District’s website were immediately diverted to the city of Issaquah’s website. Known as cybersquatting, someone in the City of Issaquah’s staff approved the action. The city of Issaquah immediately took care of the problem.
Klahanie annexation issue goes before King County Boundary Review Board
Two nights of testimony were heard by the King County BRB, a quasi-judicial body, which makes decisions on incorporations, annexations, mergers and disincorporations by cities. The cities of Issaquah and Sammamish both made their case, as did the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, Eastside Fire and Rescue, Klahanie Choice and a constant flow of concerned citizens.
OCTOBER
Salmon Days thrives under sunny skies
An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 people attended Salmon Days in Issaquah, the first weekend of October. The weather couldn’t have been better, and indeed the fish came home. The festival included many new vendors, as well as ones who have been at the festival since it began.
Klahanie approved by BRB to go to voters
The King County Boundary Review Board approved the Klahanie PAA annexation to go before voters in February, 2014. The board deliberated in public after reviewing mounds of testimony, exhibits and letters which were presented over two nights in September. The city of Sammamish hoped for an “either-or” vote, but BRB board chair Mary Lynne Evans said only the Growth Management Planning Council has the authority to make that decision. The PAA is in Issaquah’s growth management plan.
Funding model for Eastside Fire and Rescue comes under the microscope
The partners in Eastside Fire and Rescue raise questions about how much each should be contributing to EFR. Sammamish, unhappy with the funding model for sometime, feels it is getting the short end of the stick. The partnership agreement expires at the end of 2014, but any agency that wants to leave EFR must give notice by the end of 2013, causing some stress among the partners and Sammamish residents who fear Sammamish might leave the partnership and form its own fire department.
NOVEMBER
Sammamish residents make themselves heard
A grass roots organization called saveourfiredept.org announces that the Eastside Fire Fighters hired an attorney, accusing the City of Sammamish of violating Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act. The attorney, SaNni M-K Lemonidis, wrote “it appears the city council and technical advisory board have openly discussed fire service issues.” EFR deputy chief Greg Tryon said if any of the EFR partners were to go out on their own it would cost them more to operate an independent department.
Fred Butler elected new Mayor of Issaquah
After serving for 16 years, Mayor Ava Frisinger did not seek re-election, making way for city council president Fred Butler to overcome opponent Joe Forkner to become Issaquah’s next mayor. Lisa Callan was successful in winning the only open seat on the Issaquah School Board, beating opponent Alison Meryweather who had been appointed.
Sammamish approves EFR formula
The Sammamish City Council voted unanimously to approve a new funding formula for partners in EFR The formula ended with each partner paying 75 percent based on assessed valuation and 25 percent based on calls for service. Sammamish Mayor Tom Odell said “all of this was bloody avoidable, frankly,” adding the EFR had come to his daughter’s aid more than once, and that his father made his last trip in an EFR aid car.
EFR issues not over
With the funding formula out of the way, the partners still had to agree to any changes on the interlocal agreement. Yet another ad-hoc committee was formed to work out any issues. Tempers flared at the Nov. 14 EFR board meeting, with North Bend’s Alan Gothelf saying “let’s walk our egos out of here and decide what we can and cannot do.”
DECEMBER
Tent City 4 to stay in Sammamish
Tent City 4 which has been behind Mary Queen of Peace in Sammamish since Oct. 19, will stay there at least through the holidays. The community for the homeless has a strict code of conduct, meaning no drugs, weapons or violence along with security. Rev. Kevin Duggan said most of the residents have jobs, but ended up homeless due to other circumstances.
Klahanie Annexation vote scheduled
The Issaquah City Council voted 5-1 with council member Josh Schaer voting no, to hold the Klahanie annexation vote in a special election Feb. 11, 2014. The question to overturn the ban on plastic shopping bags will also be on the ballot, after a grass-roots organization got enough signatures on a petition to revisit the issue.
Meeting of the minds
The partners in Eastside Fire and Rescue come to terms on changes requested to the interlocal agreement. Most of the changes turned out to be nothing more than clarifications, with everyone in attendance at the Dec. 12 EFR board meeting celebrating with cookies and sparkling cider.
Mayor Ava Frisinger says goodbye
At the last Issaquah City Council meeting of the year, outgoing Mayor Ava Frisinger was honored for her 16 years of dedication to the city, again with cookies and sparkling cider. In a rare show of emotion, she said “I get maudlin after half a glass of sparkling cider — probably because I’m part Scottish,” she joked.
Outgoing Issaquah Mayor, Ava Frisinger, enjoys a moment with her daughter, Diane Lindstrand and her granddaughter, Ava Lindstrand. One of the balloons they presented to Frisinger said “Welcome Back,” meaning welcome back to the family after 16 years of dedication to the city.
Student Rebellion
Eastside Catholic students make their feelings loud and clear when they stage sit-ins and demonstrations at the school and the Archdiocese of Seattle, after a much beloved vice-principal is terminated for marrying his gay partner last summer, which goes against the beliefs of the Catholic Church. Mark Zmuda has kept a low profile since the story broke. Sister Mary Tracy, the school’s president and CEO, said “if the teachings of the church change I’d hire him back in a minute. He’s a wonderful educator.” This story has garnered national and international attention.
Students chant “love is love,” “change the church,” “love always wins,” “no more hate,” and “God is love, stop the hate,” at a rally Dec. 20, for vice-principal Mark Zmuda, outside the Archdiocese of Seattle. Zmuda’s employment with Eastside Catholic School was terminated when it was revealed that he married his gay partner in the summer of 2013.
