REPORTER
Mercer Island
Serving the Mercer Island community since 1947
The food bank at Mercer Island Youth and Family Services is very low on food. They need contributions such as peanut butter and jelly, Top Ramen, boxed cereal, canned chicken or tuna, white and brown rice, hearty soups, Rice-a-Roni and mac and cheese products. Items to be donated can be taken to the MIYFS office in Luther Burbank Park, Banner Bank on 78th Avenue S.E., the Community Center, Albertsons and the Mercer Island Thrift Shop.
By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
The 2012 Candidate Forum, hosted by the Mercer Island Reporter and the Bellevue Reporter, will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Bellevue City Hall. The event will feature candidates from the 41st and 48th State Legislative districts, including Maureen Judge, Steve Litzow, Tim Eaves, Marcie Maxwell and Judy Clibborn from the 41st District.
Historical Society meeting is Oct. 15 The Mercer Island Historical Society will host its October meeting on Monday, Oct. 15, at 1 p.m. at the Community and Event Center. The meeting will feature speaker Karl House, of the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, who will discuss the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet on Lake Washington before 1916. To learn more, visit www.mihistory.org.
Statewide earthquake drill is Oct. 18 Both the City of Mercer Island and the Mercer Island School District will participate in the statewide earthquake drill on Thursday, Oct. 18. Learn more on page 8.
Rebecca Mar/Staff Photo
Children participate in the 15th annual Walk to School Day event at West Mercer Elementary on Wednesday morning, Oct. 3, 2012. Island schools observed the international event, which is held every October.
A storm, a football game and a queen Friday is the 50th anniversary of the Columbus Day Storm By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
What does a brawling windstorm, a football game and a shy high school student have in common? On Columbus Day, Oct. 12, 1962, a storm with winds up to 100 mph wreaked havoc on the Puget Sound region in what the National Weather Service later designated as Washington’s worst weather disaster of the 20th century. More than 50 people were killed between Vancouver, B.C., and San Francisco, nine in Washington.
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As the huge storm hit the Seattle area, the Mercer Island football team was suited up at Islander Stadium, ready to take the field to meet archrival Bellevue for the Homecoming game. At the same time, the dangerous storm that began as Typhoon Freda in the South Pacific Ocean was bearing down on Seattle and the Eastside. Hours earlier, the storm had moved onto land in California where high winds halted the sixth game of the World Series at Candlestick Park. Power lines and giant redwood trees were reported to have been toppled from the force of the winds. According to weather service reports, winds at over 100 mph then moved into Oregon. The storm struck Portland, tearing off roofs, toppling trees and destroy-
ing buildings with “the fury of nearly a Category 3 hurricane.” As it blew north, wind gusts were measured up to 92 miles per hour in Vancouver, Wash., and over 100 miles per hour out on the Washington coast. In Longview, the city’s civic center collapsed. A HistoryLink.org essay describes what followed: the center of the storm hit Seattle at around 7 p.m. The power went out at Sea-Tac Airport. On Highway 99, billboards lay broken and trees lay in the road. Ferry runs were cancelled. At the Seattle World’s Fair, fair officials closed the Coliseum at 7:30 p.m., worried that the glass windows might blow out. Communities east of Lake Washington, including Mercer Island, were soon plunged into darkness. In Issaquah, the roof was torn off of the grandstand at the city’s Memorial Stadium. At Islander Stadium, the game had begun. But just two plays after
STORm | Page 4
Budget | Page 2
REPORTER
41st District Voters Forum is tonight
Over the next five City Council meetings, culminating in a final vote on Dec. 3, the Mercer Island City Council will deliberate how to fashion a $25 million balanced city budget for the next two years. Under Washington state law and standard city practice, the city manager is to deliver a balanced budget to the City Council every two years. As in recent years, the real work will be in finding ways to cut expenses in light of declining tax and fee revenues. Preliminary figures indicate that without those cuts, the city will be short by more than $1 million each year. The 2012-2013 budget message, prepared by City Finance Director Chip Corder, states that “much of
Mercer Island
Shelves almost empty at food bank
2012-2013 city budget cycle is underway
Getting to school on kid-power
One year $39, two years just $59
MI | THIS WEEK
Wednesday, October 10, 2012 | 75¢
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