Real Parenting Town Hall Meeting: “Keeping Our Kids on Track and Preparing for the High School Years,” 7-8:30 p.m., April 16, Islander Middle School. Discuss parenting strategies for preventing teen alcohol/drug abuse with a panel of Mercer Island parents. Cynthia Goodwin, cindy.goodwin@mercergov.org.
The City of Mercer Island is currently seeking comments for the 2009-2014 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). The plan covers roadway, pedestrian, bicycle and other transportation projects set for the six-year period beginning in 2009.
A car full of teenagers — one of them an Islander — nearly ran over a police officer while driving recklessly in the 6600 block of S.E. 30th Street around 1:45 a.m. on April 12. Moments later, the driver was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and the three passengers, all under 21, were arrested for being minors in possession. Police also confiscated a fraudulent Arizona driver’s license from one of the teens.
Three Mercer Island students have been recognized in the 2007-2008 Washington State Reflections competition. Islander Middle School eighth-grader Stevie Reiff, seventh-grader Christina Sun, and West Mercer second-grader Zack Gottesman received distinguishing awards. The theme of this year’s PTA-organized art contest was “I Can Make a Difference By…”
The city is holding a drop-in meeting tonight, April 16, at the Community Center at Mercer View between 7 and 9 p.m. about the effectiveness of temporary improvements at the intersection of Island Crest Way and Merrimount Drive. For more information, please visit the project Web page, www.mercergov.org/ICWMerrimount.
About 50 family members, police officers and firefighters honored and recognized the best of the Island’s police department last Wednesday, which named its three Officers of the Year.
For starters, the Mariners have them. That much was apparent during the brief first home stand of the 2008 Seattle Mariners, management of which bet millions that a beefed up starting-pitching corps would be all the team needs to seize the American West Division title from the rival Los Angeles Angels. But for a ninth-inning home run given up by all-star reliever J.J. Putz (now on the disabled list with a minor injury) during the second of three with the Texas Rangers, the 2008 M’s would have left home for a week at 3-0. As is, the 2-1 mark kept up with the pitching-depleted Angels in a race that may proceed well into September.
What is a Passover Seder? It is a service that retells the Passover story. Seder really means “order,” as this service has 14 parts that are performed in a sequence. The Passover book, which tells the Passover story, is called a Haggadah. The Passover Seder is often held in a family member’s home on the same Hebrew calendar date every year, the 14th day of the month of Nisan. The second Passover Seder during the Passover week is often held in synagogues or Jewish community centers.
Safely dispose of old equipment and household items that have been cluttering your basement or garage. Bring your items between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at the Mercer Island Boat Launch at 3600 East Mercer Way. For a complete list of acceptable items to bring, go to www.mercergov.org.