The often muddy and somewhat makeshift off-leash dog park at Luther Burbank will finally get a much needed makeover. The adjacent shoreline overrun by invasive blackberry bushes will also be renovated from Calkins Point down to the docks.
During its summer retreat last week, the Mercer Island School Board designed a new path for the Really Big Idea Committee (RBIC) in preparation for the next phase of achieving its 2020 Vision. The School Board will henceforth relinquish responsibility for the project, passing the reins on to Superintendent Gary Plano, who will continue to define the 2020 Vision with the RBIC.
The current Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 170-296-0830 states that childcare businesses must keep a first-aid kit containing “at least one unexpired bottle of Syrup of Ipecac that must be given only at the direction of a poison control center.” The decreased availability of Syrup of Ipecac, from a lack of raw materials or the manufacturers’ decision to reduce production, has hindered this requirement.
Like many other American cities, Mercer Island has its own proud list of Olympic medalists. There is Mary Wayte — gold medalist swimmer in the 1984 Los Angeles Games — whose name has been eternalized by the Island’s Mary Wayte Pool; figure skater Peter Kennedy, who won silver skating pairs with his sister, Karol, in the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo; and Carl Buchanan, who won gold for sailing in the 1984 Summer Games.
Burglars robbed two neighboring commercial businesses in the Town Center two weekends ago, exploiting the stores that did not have burglar alarms at the time. Both Dooz, a hair salon that caters to children and also sells toys, baby shower gifts and child hair products, and Yogabliss, a private yoga school, were burglarized on the night of Friday, July 25.
It turns out that the city’s recent decision to reduce Island Crest Way to three lanes south of Merrimount Drive may not stick, as members of the City Council want to revisit the project in the coming weeks.
Observant Islanders might notice quite a bit of new technology inside City Hall, now that City Council meetings are televised on channel 21 and equipment has been added to assist city leaders in responding to emergencies.
As the world turns its attention toward the Olympic Games in Beijing this week, it is easy to forget that not all that many years ago, China was essentially forbidden to all outsiders. Since 1913, when the United States first formally recognized the Government of the Republic of China, the relationship between the two nations has been rocky. Armed conflicts, ideological differences, diplomatic breakdowns and cultural differences have made permanent diplomatic relations illusive. Yet it was a seemingly small and personal gesture that brought the nations back to the table in the 1970s. That gesture, in the form of an invitation to a game of ping pong, set in motion the famous visit by former President Richard Nixon to China in 1972. The famous game and its results are credited not to a government agency but to the private, nonprofit National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.
A cell phone was stolen from a glove compartment during a car prowl that occurred in the 8400 block of Benotho Place, the night of July 30.
This month, King County will conduct a Top 2 primary. Voters will not have to pick a party and will be able to choose among all candidates for each office. In each race, the two candidates with the most votes will advance to the November General Election.
This month, King County will conduct a Top 2 primary. Voters will not have to pick a party and will be able to choose among all candidates for each office. In each race, the two candidates with the most votes will advance to the November General Election.
The Youth & Family Services food pantry, located in the Luther Burbank Administration Building at the park, is in need of donations as its usage has increased by 36 percent as compared to last summer. It has no more than a two-week supply on hand, and it serves an average of 10 Mercer Island families on a weekly basis with a user breakdown as follows: unemployed, 30 percent; low-income, 30 percent; disabled persons, 23 percent; senior citizens, 10 percent; homeless, 7 percent.
Erica Breese, of Mercer Island, graduated from Emory College of Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., with a Bachelor of Science in May. She is the daughter of Dr. John Sydney Breese and Emily Seklar Breese. Emory University is ranked as one of the country’s top 20 national universities, according to “U.S. News & World Report.”
