Six Mercer Island School District teachers have earned National Board Certification bringing the total number of nationally certified teachers in Island schools with this distinction to ten. The always-growing number of teachers in the school district who hold advanced degrees and are working to continually improve their skills, is a reflection of to the values held by Island educators and parents alike.

King County Metro Transit set a new record for ridership with a preliminary estimate of 103.2 million passenger boardings in 2006 — a 4.3 percent increase in bus ridership over a year ago. Metro officials point to a combination of factors that contributed to the increase but recent improvements in transit service helped as well. More riders benefit all of us. We need to remember these positive effects as we wade through more construction at the North Mercer Park and Ride.

Our 41st District Legislators, Judy Clibborn and fellow Island lawmakers, Brian Weinstein and Fred Jarrett, are uniquely positioned to make a real difference in future transportation planning and funding. Clibborn, now the chair of the House transportation committee, has pledged to bring people together on such issues as the replacement of SR 520 bridge and the infamous SR 99 viaduct in downtown Seattle, to move ahead on securing funding for badly needed improvements.

Due to the professional and deft repair of a damaged stormwater sewer pipe by King County workers at Luther Burbank Park, the fix was made without any sewage being dumped into Lake Washington.

We applaud the appointment of Islander Elliott Newman, former mayor and long time citizen activist who has joined the Renton Airport Advisory board at the request of the City Council. Mr. Newman will monitor the progress of the implementation of the Renton Airport master plan that is likely to increase air traffic over Mercer Island. We believe he will serve and protect the interests of Islanders well.