Statue Of Issaquah City Fathers

On the way to Formula Brewing in Issaquah, this statue depicting what are designated as Issaquah's city fathers, caught our eye.

I looked for information online, but so far, have not found it.

Mudslide Closes Eastbound Lanes Of Highway 18

The long commute from Maple Valley and surrounding communities to Bellevue and Seattle will be tougher this morning due to lane closures on Highway 18, due to a Sunday landslide.  Even drivers who do not regularly use the highway, will feel the pressure on surface streets like Cedar Grove Road, Highway 169, and Issaquah-Hobart Road.

Grand Central Hotel

This sign stands above a bar just off Front Street on Sunset Way in Issaquah.  It gives the town a historical flair.

Fade To Black Returns

We celebrated our friend's at Pogacha Restaurant in Issaquah.  We watched Fade To Black play a great mix of R and B,
Funk and much more.  We had seen the band there last summer.

Antique Radio

The Black Duck in Issaquah has these antique radios in their restrooms.

Dasher Relaxes

Dasher went on a hike with us on the Harvey Manning Trail on Cougar Mountain in Issaquah.  The weather was sunny.  The trail, however, was icy so use caution.

Paragliders Above Issaquah

When the weather starts warming, paragliders dot the skies, south of Issaquah.  They jump off Tiger Mountain and land in a field off Issaquah-Hobart Road. 

2016 5th District Democratic Caucus Locations Announced

Locations for Democratic Precinct caucuses on Saturday March 26th have been announced.  The contest between Secretary Hilary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders is very much still in play. The locations are

Upper            Mt Si High School Freshman Campus
            9200 Railroad Ave
            Snoqualmie, WA  98065-9640

May            Maywood Middle School
            14490 168th Ave SE
            Renton, WA  98059-7951

Maple            Tahoma Jr High School
            25600 SE Summit Landsburg Rd
            Ravensdale, WA  98051-9732

Issaquah        Issaquah Middle School   
            400 1st Ave SE
            Issaquah, WA  98027-4246

Lower            Tolt Middle School
            3740 Tolt Ave
            Carnation, WA  98014-7537

Klahanie        Challenger Elementary School
            25200 SE Klahanie Blvd
            Issaquah WA  98029-5763
For more information click here.  Caucuses will begin at 10:00 am. 

Jennifer Sutton To Take State Department Position

Jennifer Sutton has announced that she will leave her position on the Issaquah City Council to serve in the State Department.  Sutton was elected to the council last November to fill the open seat in position 2.  According to reports, Sutton will leave the council on March 31st. 

Sunday Afternoon On The Issaquah Trail

After Sunday's hair raising Seahawk victory, Deb, Dasher, and I spent a sunny, but chilly afternoon hiking the East Sunset Trail in Issaquah.  Top picture is Dasher posing, bottom picture is the view from near the top. 

Issaquah Flood

Commutes were delayed this morning by overflowing rivers and creeks after two daysof  steady rain and a nasty windstorm. This picture was taken at Newport Way and Front Street in Issaquah.  Also, stretch of Highway 169 from Cedar Grove to Jones Rd was closed due to flooding.

Overpass Damage

A big hole remains in the I 90 overpass over Front Street in Issaquah.   This is from when a large vehicle took a chunk out. After the tragedy in Bonney Lake, one cannot help, but be concerned.

Jennifer Sutton For Issaquah City Council

Jennifer Sutton is running for Position 2 on the Issaquah City Council  I am supporting her not only because she is a friend, but because she is uniquely qualified to serve the city. She has a Masters in Public Policy from Pepperdine.  She also serves on the Issaquah Human Services Commission and is on the board of King County ConservationVoters.  She also has the endorsement of former Issaquah Mayor Ava Frisinger and sitting City Councilman Tola Marts.  
But what I think makes Jennifer the right choice is commitment, she will follow through with any task that she is given.  She also has a gift for motivating people and seeing hidden talents.
Her background includes working for former Senator Tom Dashle of South Dakota.
It's not all hard work and no play for Jennifer, she is a manic Seattle Sounders fan,

Drinking Liberally In Southeast King County

The 5th District Democrats have announced the start of Drinking Liberally, a grassroots gathering of people who meet in public houses to discuss politics.  Chapters of Drinking Liberally have sprung up across the nation.  It does not encourage people to drink and you do not have to be Liberal or a drinker of alcohol to attend.  You need only bring your concerns and curiosity and perhaps a GPS to find the location.  Drinking Liberally meetings will be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at Zeek's Pizza 2525 NE Park Ave in Issaquah at 6:00.  State Senator Mark Mullet owns the Zeeks franchise and may be attending to give us tips on what is happening in the state legislature.

Constantine Speaks In Issaquah On Coal Trains

King County Executive Dow Constantine was the headline speaker Wednesday night as the 5th District Democrats held a discussion on why a proposal to have coal trains passing through the area would be harmful to both the economic climate and the environment.  Constantine, known a strong environmentalist, said that there are three proposed routes to transport coal from mines in Wyoming and Montana to be loaded at ports in Longview and/or Bellingham and shipped to China.  Constantine said that 18 trains a day, approximately a mile and a half long could be running through  downtown Seattle, causing serious traffic snarls.  That could seriously damage the economic health of the region.  The trains could also tie up the rails and ward off needed cargo for Seattle's major industries.
Constantine has said that King County government has made a commitment to clean energy sources and  that Coal is one of the dirtiest sources of energy.  Dust from the coal passing through could severely lower the air quality of the region, raising the human health issue.
Also, speaking was Tiffany McGuyer, from Power Past Coal, a group that opposes the trains on the grounds that cleaner and healthier energy sources are available.
5th District Chair Jim Baum addressed the group to say that more discussions on timely regional issues are now in the works.  The discussion took place at the City Hall in Issaquah, the largest city in Washington's 5th legislative district.

Salmon Days Caps Off Festival Season

Sunny skies and near 80 temperatures made the 2012  Issaquah Salmon Days seem like a summer festival instead of a fall one.  Thousands of people crowded the downtown streets for the annual gathering held during the first weekend of October.  Top picture, I'm posing next to an unlimited hydroplane at the Snoqualmie Casino booth.  Bottom picture is local Beatles tribute band Creme Tangerine, who played at noon at the Main Stage.

Illness Claims Issaquah Leader

Barers Of Maple Valley is sad to learn of the passing of former Issaquah City Council member Maureen McCarry.  McCarry was suffering from ALS and had resigned from the council last year.  The Issaquah Press credits her work in bringing a branch of Swedish Hospital to Issaquah and preserving land in the Squak Mountain for wildlife habitat and trail access, an area now known as McCarry Woods.
She is on the right in the above picture.

Barers Of Maple Valley Going For The Big Dance

That's right, "it's go big or go home" this weekend as I conclude my quest to be a delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.  Delegates from across Washington's 8th Congressional District will convene at Issaquah High School at 1:00 Sunday and pick delegates to the National.  The delegates to the Congressional Caucus were picked at legislative caucuses, which were made up of delegates picked at the precinct caucus's.  Are you following me?  In a nutshell, the selected delegates will travel to Charlotte to nominate Barak Obama for president and Joe Biden for Vice President.  It will be quite an adventure if I can just get enough votes. By the way, your welcome to "like" my "Mike Barer For National Delegate" facebook page, just click here.

Enjoying The Artwalk

First Friday of every month from May until September, nearby Issaquah hosts the "Art Walk" where the city's many galleries open their doors.  There is also musical entertainment in one of the area's most picturesque cities.  My brother Steve and his wife, Dawn where up from Walla Walla and we enjoyed checking out after a dinner at Shanghai Garden on Front Street in Issaquah's downtown.

Mullet Will Challenge Pflug For Senate Seat

In 2009, Mark Mullet was elected to the Issaquah City Council without opposition, now Mullet would like to represent the new drawn 5th Legislative District in the State Senate and will have to face a twice elected incumbant.
The Issaquah Press reports that Mullet, a Democrat, has announced that he will challenge two term Senator Cheryl Pflug.   Pflug is a Republican in what is widely considered a conservative leaning rural district.  It will not be the first time that Pflug a Maple Valley resident and an RN, has faced an elected official.  In 2004, Pflug defeated Sammamish Mayor Kathy Huckabay.  Sammamish will no longer be part of the 5th if the state's new redistricting plan is implemented. 
Mullet is the owner of a Zeek's Pizza Franchise in the Issaquah Highlands, he also owns a Ben And Jerry's. He is  a former manging director for the Bank Of America.  His Father, Steve, was formerly the mayor of Tukwila.