Help plant and water 300 trees and plants on the Island’s newest trail along Island Crest Way, south of S.E. 68th Street. A planting demonstration will be held at 9 a.m. at S.E. 73rd and ICW. Work is expected to continue until 1 p.m. Parking is available by Wildwood Park (7400 86th Avenue S.E.). Neighbors along the trail are asked to make water available for the new plants. Bring gloves and a shovel, wheelbarrows and watering cans. For information, call Amanda Stuckey, (206) 730-1514.
The City Council recalled the five formal demands it sought earlier this month in exchange for fully funding school district counselors. The council decided that a letter of intent from the superintendent to resolve ongoing field access issues would suffice.
The youth vote counts. This platitude rings truer than ever in the 2008 presidential election. According to nationwide surveys, the number of young voters (defined as 18- to 25-year-olds) in this year’s election is twice that of 2004. Youth-geared organizations such as Rock the Vote, League of Young Voters and YouthVote U.S.A. are also showing record popularity among America’s registered teenagers and 20-somethings.
Podcast. Blog. Wiki. Hyperlink. It may sound like gibberish to some, but most Island students are fluent in this Internet language.
To kill or not to kill is the question for many eligible voters of Initiative 1000, the assisted suicide measure. But for the conscientious citizen, the question is to live or not to live.
We are smart, well-read, opinionated, individualistic and very discerning about what we consume or how we spend money.
The bottom line of I-1000 is money: by not prolonging life, insurance expenditures and estate costs are lessened — saving society’s resources for those who are well. What price is human life worth when it becomes recyclable like a plastic bottle? The Washington State Medical Association has taken a consistent position against I-1000.
International Middle School (Collège International) Information Night/Open House: 6:30 p.m., Oct. 22; 2-4 p.m., Nov. 15, French American School. Offers International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. Prior French language experience not necessary. Rob Harrahill: (206) 240-2980.
Dorothy L. Cook, a long-time resident of Mercer Island, died on Oct. 8 at Overlake Hospital.
Why are we providing severance payments to employees, especially to Mr. Sterbank? City Manager Conrad says severance payments “end the issues surrounding an employee.” What does this really mean? It means “hush money.” It forecloses anyone from knowing the cause-and-effect of the severance. Sterbank’s hire was encouraged by former Assistant City Manger Lori Lindell. Once Lindell blew the whistle on City Manager Conrad’s alleged sexual harassment of a city employee, she was “gone with the wind.” If the $137,000 paid to Sterbank, Lindell’s friend, doesn’t reek of payola, then my sniffer dog is on the wrong scent. As is every City Council member who encouraged such an outrageous severance settlement under the guise of “saving” the city money. Look in the mirror, City Councilmembers, and search for ethics. That is, if you know what they are.
I am one of the many volunteers who has worked at the Farmers Market during the past months.
There are many important decisions facing Mercer Island voters this election season. As you carefully make your choices at the national, state and county level, please don’t overlook an important local issue that will impact Islanders for many years to come — our parks bond and levy.
Last week’s front page article on field issues and the reference to the boys lacrosse program and our high school coach was woefully out of date and out of touch. The quote used in the article by Jacob Edel from an e-mail back in September 2007 does not come close to portraying today’s reality.
Our next elected legislator from the 41st District needs to understand complex issues and especially education. Instead, one candidate oversimplifies school problems to make a distorted political point. Clearly, Steve Litzow does not get it.
In the Nov. 4 general election, in addition to national and state candidates and another huge Sound Transit tax proposal, you will have the opportunity to vote on what the city’s finance director has confirmed as the largest tax increase in Mercer Island city history. The city is presenting you with a $12 million bond and a $900,000 levy for parks and recreation. Actually, when one includes the $7.4 million interest on the bonds’ 26-year life, the total cost to Mercer Island taxpayers is $19.4 million. That is on top of the $900,000 levy which increases each year for the next 14 years. If the City Council continues its normal practice of raising property taxes each year, the total cost to Island taxpayers over the life of these bonds and the levy will be in excess of $33 million.
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