* A total of 1,234 cars were counted at the city’s fall recycling event on Oct. 17 at the South Luther Burbank Parking Lot, and a total of 112,592 pounds of materials were recycled.

Items included 52,860 pounds of appliances, scrap metal and electronics; 32,560 pounds of confidential paper shredded onsite; 18,750 household batteries; 11,120 pounds of cardboard; 122 used tires; 80 cubic yards of Styrofoam; 41 mattresses; and 23 propane tanks.

* At the recycling event, Youth and Family Services held a fundraiser and collected $11,460 in donations, which will be distributed through the food pantry to help support local families.

* On Oct. 15, Emergency Management volunteers handed out 815 masks to community members.

* It was also reported at the Oct. 20 city council meeting that the city wasn’t able to raise the needed funds to secure the installer for the Mercerdale Park Holiday Lights.

Its new plan is to light the trees in the 78th Avenue Southeast medians from Southeast 27th Street to Mercerdale Park. An installation volunteer event is being planned for Nov. 14-15 and 78th will be periodically closed to traffic during the weekend so that volunteers can remove weeds, place lights on the tree trunks in the medians and install lights in the sculpture park and additional Town Center areas.

Sponsors for the event and volunteers are needed. Email ryan.daly@mercerisland.gov