A total of 587 vehicles carrying 56,354 pounds of recyclable material rolled through the city’s annual fall recycling collection event on Oct. 29 in the city hall parking lot.

Materials recycled at the event included:

* 18,880 pounds of appliances, scrap metal and electronics

* 16,720 pounds of confidential paper, shredded onsite

* 8,920 household batteries

* 7,120 pounds of cardboard

* 4,400 pounds of televisions, monitors and computers

Volunteers with the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Foundation also collected food gift cards and donations totaling $4,908 in support of the city’s food pantry.

New thrift shop hours

The Mercer Island Thrift Shop’s new hours are set from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and people can donate items at the store from 8 a.m. to noon during those same days. The shop is located at 7710 SE 34th St.

Donation bins are available 24/7 for non-breakable items at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center (8236 SE 24th St.), south-end QFC (8421 SE 68th St.) and Islander Middle School (7447 84th Ave. SE). The city asks for donators to secure their items in bags before placing them in the bins.

With the shop transformed into a holiday wonderland with copious decorations, staff reported record sales on a recent Sunday of $13,714.

To shop online and for more information on sales, hours and more, visit https://www.mercerislandthrift.org/

Chief Clark retires

Chief Jeff Clark has retired from Eastside Fire & Rescue (EFR) after seven years of service, including the past 22 months as chief of the Mercer Island Fire Department.

EFR Deputy Chief Ben Lane will succeed Clark in leading the Island fire department.

Drug take-back event

The city partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration to collect 148 pounds of unused and expired medications for destruction on Oct. 29 during the semi-annual Drug Take Back Event. The city’s police department and Youth and Family Services teams helped coordinate the event.

City receives loan for chlorination project

The city’s Public Works and finance teams played a key role in the Washington State Public Works Board conditionally awarding the city a $3.28 million low-interest loan for its booster chlorination system project.

The loan — which the city will receive after the 2023 legislative session — will support the Island’s water distribution system and financially boost the plethora of water infrastructure improvements scheduled over the next two to six years.