DECEMBER
* Following a massive accidental fire on the afternoon of Dec. 7 at Mercer Island’s Tabit Village Square, a pair of affected businesses have received an immense outpouring of support from residents.
Kitchen & Market owner and longtime Island resident Stephanie King said copious Islanders have been shopping at Kitchen & Market’s other stores in Pike Place Market and Medina as she and her team are desperately trying to grow their sales in person and online. King added that small businesses, vendors and customers have been lending a caring and supporting hand and asking how they can do more.
Denise’s Parrot Place’s Rick Woehler, who owns the store with his mother Lori Woehler, thanked staff and “heroic neighbors and helpers” for acting quickly and helping evacuate all of the birds away from the smoke and safely transporting them to a nearby commercial unit. “We want to express a level of gratitude that is hard to put in words to the people who helped run the birds out of the smoke,” Rick said.
King County Sheriff’s Office fire investigator Spencer Baumgartner stated that the blaze was ruled as accidental and involved “some of the electronics, electrical wiring in and around the space above some of the refrigeration units in the retail area.”
A total of 15 fire units from Mercer Island (three), Bellevue (11) and Eastside Fire & Rescue (one) controlled and fully extinguished the fire. All the occupants of the structure evacuated safely and no injuries were reported, noted the city of Mercer Island.
* Mohamad Imran, 22, a Muslim Rohingya, let out a soft cry, then tightly embraced his mother and father and six other family members at the United Airlines baggage carousel on Dec. 8 after they arrived from Houston at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Mohamad, a refugee who has resided on Mercer Island with a foster family since 2016, finally accomplished his goal of bringing his family to safety in the United States thanks to the immense support and kindness of a plethora of Islanders and several politicians.
His parents, siblings and other family members had been housed in a massive refugee camp in Bangladesh since 2017 when they fled Myanmar amid the genocide against the Muslim Rohingya people. Mohamad escaped his violent surroundings of Myanmar by boat at the age of 12 and was held captive for a year in a brutal detention center in Malaysia.
* More than 250 people attended the menorah lighting celebration at Mercerdale Park on Dec. 7, the first of the eight days of Chanukah — the Festival of Lights. Rabbi Nissan Kornfeld of Chabad Mercer Island used a bucket lift to reach the top of the 12-foot menorah and light first the middle flame, then one on the right. About 20% of Mercer Island residents are Jewish, and recent antisemitic incidents on the Island made this year’s event especially important, many participants said.
——————————————————————————
NOVEMBER
* The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently probing two reports involving suspicious packages delivered to Jewish organizations on Mercer Island and the desecration of a local synagogue.
The packages were received over a recent three-day period, according to the Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) in a Nov. 20 press release. Rabbi Nissan Kornfeld, director of Chabad Mercer Island, confirmed with the Reporter that his organization received one of the packages.
Two days later, MIPD reported that the Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation on Mercer Island was vandalized overnight and synagogue members noticed the defacement upon their arrival on the morning of Nov. 22.
* Mercer Island High School’s marching band hit the big time in the Big Apple by performing in the 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The band also appeared on the Today Show on NBC to highlight its performance in the immense event.
Sophomore clarinet player Jackson Denman said it was a memorable, connecting and hard-working experience in NYC: “As soon as the drumline started up, it was almost as if a link had formed between every band member as we all knew the skills that we had to do and how to execute them with accuracy and precision.”
* Mercer Island High School (MIHS) senior Piper Enge notched two more individual 3A state titles and swam on one winning relay at the premier season-ending meet from Nov. 9-11 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Enge also helped lead the Islanders in snagging their second consecutive state team title with 314 points, a 107-point advantage over second-place Bellevue.
Enge took first in the 100-yard breaststroke — a 3A state meet and overall state record — and in the 200-yard individual medley. She also anchored the triumphant 400-yard freestyle relay, which also consisted of sophomore Gracyn Kehoe, sophomore Meg Dahlin and junior Isabel Peng. The MIHS 200-yard freestyle relay also garnered a state crown (Dahlin, Kehoe, Peng and sophomore anchor Hope Enge); and Kehoe grabbed a 200-yard freestyle championship.
——————————————————
OCTOBER
* Kayla Gabay and her family living in central Israel said they have no other choice but to get through the tragedy they have encountered.
Gabay, 28, who graduated from Mercer Island High School in 2013, messaged with the Reporter on Oct. 10 and told of the harrowing experiences that she, husband, Liran, 10-month-old son, Teddy, and a multitude of others have endured over the recent sleep-deprived days.
“My family is continuously trying to get us to fly to Seattle but we feel so torn, ‘cause this is our home. We don’t want to leave our family and friends during a time like this,” Kayla wrote of her parents, who still reside on the Island. “I know we will get through this. I don’t know what it will be like at the end of this, I don’t know where we will be.”
* The Mercer Island School District and Mercer Island Jewish community reached out to their members at the outset of the war between Israel and Hamas. Following the Palestinian militant group’s Oct. 7 launching of deadly air strikes on Israel and invasion of the country, locals issued the following messages:
Mercer Island’s Stroum Jewish Community Center posted on its Facebook page: “At tragic times like this, we want to strongly affirm our support for the State of Israel, its right to exist and to defend itself as a sovereign nation. As we continue processing the news of these terrorist attacks, may everyone in Israel and those of us around the world who feel connected to Israel, feel strength through our global community.”
Over at the Mercer Island School District, Superintendent Fred Rundle released a letter to the school community regarding the conflict. “Our hearts are with our students, staff, and families impacted by the horrific events in Israel and Gaza that began over the weekend. This is a scary and emotional time, especially for our Mercer Island community who is so connected to this part of the world,” the statement reads, in part.
Mercer Island Mayor Salim Nice, who is the first Ismaili mayor in the United States, and Mercer Island Deputy Mayor Dave Rosenbaum, who is an active member of the Island Jewish community, released a joint statement via Nice’s X page on Oct. 10. It reads, in part: “Mercer Island stands in strong and unequivocal support of the Jewish Community and the State of Israel. We are mortified by the heinous terror attacks perpetrated by Hamas against innocent Israelis and pledge to support our local Jewish community throughout these unprecedented and terrifying times.”
————————————————————
SEPTEMBER
* First Lady Jill Biden finished her final Seattle-area stop, a Mercer Island event for the Biden Victory Fund, on the evening of Sept. 22. The reception was held at the Lake Washington waterfront home of hosts Joe and Judy Schocken.
As the motorcade approached the event location, it passed a neighbor waving and holding a big sign that read “We Love Jill Biden.” While making an impromptu stop so that FLOTUS could greet a group of enthusiastic kids from the neighborhood, FLOTUS then posed for a photo with the kids (several of whom were wearing Girl Scout uniforms) prior to getting back into the motorcade.
Earlier in the day, FLOTUS attended an event in Shoreline and visited the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle for a tour of a metastatic cancer laboratory and sit-down conversation with researchers as part of White House Cancer Moonshot efforts.
(Information provided by a pool reporter.)
————————————————————
AUGUST
* A male transient suspect in his 50s, who appeared to have experienced a mental health crisis, was linked to a gunshot-damaged motorhome that was found parked on the Island on the morning of Aug. 8, according to Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) Operations Commander Mike Seifert.
Police had the subject in custody after spotting a firearm at the scene upon their rapid arrival after dispatch received the 6 a.m. call. No injuries were reported during the incident.
A 911 caller reported observing the vehicle positioned at the intersection of East Mercer Way and Southeast 36th Street. Police moved the motorhome to the Mercer Island City Hall parking lot and it had plastic taped to a large portion of a rear window.
——————————————————-
JULY
* The city will begin utilizing a regional fire and emergency medical services model on Jan. 1, 2024, in order to best serve Mercer Island residents, according to a July 14 press release.
Nine days after Mercer Island City Councilmembers passed a resolution to adopt an interlocal agreement with Eastside Fire & Rescue (EF&R), the city received final approval to commence with the pact. Under the 10-year regional arrangement, EF&R will maintain or enhance current service levels while balancing the shared responsibility for long-term, cost-effective fire and emergency medical service delivery.
* On July 13, the Mercer Island Police Department reported that a suspect who robbed an Island resident at gunpoint on May 10, 2023, would face charges of robbery and assault.
During the high-visibility incident, the victim was walking on East Mercer Way when the Islander encountered the suspect. Following the incident, the suspect rapidly fled the Island as officers were dispatched to the scene.
Island detectives coordinated with Bellevue Police Department, Auburn Police Department, South Sound 911 and Centralia Police Department to identify the suspect, who also faced charges from Bellevue police for similar activities in their city.
———————————————-
JUNE
* Island residents participated in a trio of vital events in June:
the Mercer Island Pride in the Park Celebration on June 17 at Mercerdale Park; the second annual Juneteenth Community Celebration on June 19 at Mercerdale Park; and the Make Us Visible WA gathering to showcase AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander) students’ uplifting voices and talents on June 20 at the Newport Yacht Club in Bellevue.
Having fun with friends, standing up for yourself and supporting others were some of the crucial actions of the day as a throng of people gathered for the city’s second annual Pride event that featured live music, games, art, information and education booths, a LGBTQIA+ book swap and more.
The Pride+ PTSA Affinity Group partnered with the city of Mercer Island, Mercer Island High School’s Queer Straight Alliance and the Islander Middle School’s QUILTBAG club to bring the family-friendly event to the Island.
Freedom, happiness, uniting the community and raising awareness of history. That was the four-pronged purpose of the Juneteenth event, according to Mercer Island High School (MIHS) student Tewodros (Teddy) Sanchez-Alemu.
The MIHS Black Student Union (BSU) partnered with the city of Mercer Island to present the vibrant and educational event. BSU adviser Kelly John-Lewis said the purpose of the MIHS union is to provide students of color a space where they can have identity and culture.
According to Bellevue’s Angelie Chong, director of the Make Us Visible WA chapter: “We believe that education, especially at the K-12 level, is the only long-term solution to combating anti-Asian hate, anti-Asian bullying and racism.”
Angela Bahng, who serves as co-vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion with the Mercer Island High School PTSA, helped arrange the event since she’s part of the Make Us Visible WA steering committee.
——————————————-
MAY
* Mercer Islander Nevin Shetty, 39, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Seattle on May 25 on the indictment of wire fraud and misusing funds and pleaded not guilty, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Shetty was indicted in the Seattle court on May 17 for secretly transferring $35 million from his company’s account to invest in his own cryptocurrency operation. The embezzlement occurred while he served as chief financial officer (CFO) for a private start-up company in 2021 and 2022, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.
Following the submittal of a continuance order on June 7 and agreement by participating parties, Shetty wasn’t scheduled to face a jury trial for another 10 months or so. His trial was set for July 24. According to the news release, wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
——————————————————-
APRIL
* It was a tough week for the city of Mercer Island when it experienced the closure of city hall and a water crisis just a day apart during the middle of the month.
City hall: The city reported on April 17 that Mercer Island City Hall would be closed until further notice after disturbed tiles and materials containing asbestos were discovered in the boiler room.
The temporary closure (see below) was a necessary precaution to ensure the safety of staff and visitors, a social media post read, adding that the boiler room contains air-handling equipment.
At its hybrid meeting on Oct. 3, city council unanimously voted to direct the permanent closure of the city hall building where council formerly gathered for meetings.
Following a robust presentation by City Manager Jessi Bon, in which she delved into asbestos and structural issues within the aging building and the estimated exorbitant costs to mend the facility and more, council approved the resolution that was on the table.
Deputy Mayor Dave Rosenbaum, who made the motion to move the resolution into the voting phase, noted: “I think for the long-term success of our city, this is the right move. It’s certainly not easy. That building, I think, was very useful, even though it certainly had its flaws.”
Water crisis: During the late morning of April 19, the city sent a CodeRed alert through the opt-in system and asked Islanders to begin conserving water (Bon also issued an emergency proclamation on this matter) following a major faulty-valve issue that arose during Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) planned work on the system that provides water to the city.
SPU’s work on the water supply pipeline began at midnight on April 17 and city officials learned of the malfunction on April 18.
After SPU crews completed emergency repairs on a pair of valves on April 20, water began flowing through the pipes of Mercer Island’s supply line for the first time in several days.
On April 22, Mercer Islanders and businesses were informed that they could resume normal water usage after city officials lifted the water emergency as levels rose overnight to surpass 20 feet in the city’s reservoir tanks.
Through massive water conservation efforts by residents and businesses, the city dodged a far worse circumstance than it experienced, according to Bon.
“Truly, you all helped us get through this emergency,” Bon said.
—————————————————-
MARCH
* The Mercer Island Police Department spotlighted six of its women officers — Kristina Lum, Jacqueline Dawson, Anna Ormsby, Olivia Jensen, corporal Samantha Hammer and Jennifer Franklin (officer and emergency manager during her nearly 33 years at the department prior to her June retirement) — during Women’s History Month in March. Improving someone’s day by keeping them safe is a standout feeling for Jensen after she finishes her shift. Jensen, who graduated from the police academy last November, is a self-proclaimed extroverted person who was drawn to a law enforcement career as a child.
* On March 2, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Shoshone Field Office sought public comment at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Lava Ridge Wind Project both on and near the Minidoka Japanese American internment camp site in southern Idaho. The camp was in operation during World War II from 1942-45.
The project could involve the placement of a commercial-scale wind energy facility featuring about 400 mammoth turbines covering approximately 84,000 acres of federal, state and private land, according to a press release.
As a child, Mercer Islander Herbert Tsuchiya, now 90, was a prisoner at Minidoka, where he and family members were incarcerated for three years. The project doesn’t sit well with Tsuchiya and copious others — survivors, descendants and allies — who attended the open house.
“I think the project is going to negatively impact the historical site of the Minidoka concentration camp,” said Tsuchiya.
Heather Tiel-Nelson, BLM Twin Falls District public affairs specialist, said that the nearly 1,000-megawatt proposed project is located 25 miles northeast of Twin Falls and if it is built could power 350,000 homes.
“We heard a lot from the Japanese American community who are keenly interested and the potential impacts to the Minidoka National Historic Site. It became really important for us to bring our public open house to Portland and Seattle to give folks an opportunity to ask questions and talk to our specialist who helped to create the draft environmental impact statement,” said Tiel-Nelson.
———————————————————
FEBRUARY
* There was an abundance of smiles, embraces and chatter from nearly 500 attendees inside the walls of the Mercer Island Community and Event Center gymnasium on the morning of Feb. 8. It was a special day as the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services (MIYFS) Foundation presented its 21st annual “Community, Connection, Compassion” fundraising breakfast that had notched a collection amount of just over $400,000 for MIYFS at press time.
Throughout the hour-long event, MIYFS organization and foundation leaders addressed the crowd about the impact counselors and other key people have made on the Island in caring for and elevating residents in need.
Mercer Island Presbyterian Church received the philanthropy award by raising more than $15,000 for MIYFS during the church’s annual holiday campaign, “Give From the Heart,” and has provided more than $40,000 in financial support to MIYFS over the years.
—————————————————————-
JANUARY
* The Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) lifted lockdowns at several local schools and the Boys & Girls Club on the afternoon of Jan. 11 after officers determined that the 911 call they received from a resident was a false burglary claim with someone allegedly carrying a weapon. At that point, MIPD determined that the public was not in danger, according to a police social media post.
MIPD was notified of the potential burglary in progress at 2:32 p.m. by the resident in the 8600 block of Southeast 40th Street. Earlier in the day, the MIPD received similar false burglary calls from the resident and learned that there was no person with a weapon nearby, said Lindsey Tusing, MIPD records specialist (now public information officer).
* In city news, Mercer Island partnered with Inmar Intelligence by installing a 24/7 consumer drug take-back kiosk in the MIPD lobby at City Hall (since shuttered) on Jan. 6 that will supplement the city’s successful bi-annual Med Take Back Days. In 2022, the city collected 148 pounds of meds in October and 102 pounds in April on the days, which are run in coordination with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The city hosted the latest Med Take Back Day on Oct. 28 in the city hall parking lot, with the MIPD collecting five boxes of unused prescriptions totaling 79 pounds.
First Lady Jill Biden greets a group of kids on Mercer Island prior to arriving at a campaign reception on Sept. 22. Photo courtesy of Andrew Villeneuve/Northwest Progressive Institute
Mercer Island High School Black Student Union member and president Tewodros (Teddy) Sanchez-Alemu and adviser Kelly John-Lewis enjoy the Juneteenth Community Celebration that took place on June 19 at Mercerdale Park. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo
