REPORTER
Mercer Island www.mi-reporter.com
Serving the Mercer Island community since 1947
MI | THIS WEEK
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 | 75¢
Plano to stay with MI schools
Headed to the Dome
Listen to the MI girls state basketball games online and on radio The Mercer Island High School girls basketball games at the 3A state tournament this week will be broadcasted on the radio by KMIH at 88.9 and 94.5 FM. The station will broadcast games on the radio and online at hotjamz.org. The Islanders’ game against Wilson on Thursday is set for 10:30 a.m., and broadcasting will begin at 10:15 a.m.
MISD has had more than a dozen superintendents since the 1960s By Reporter Staff
The Washington Coalition of Open Government will hold a meeting on Saturday, March 9, at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center. Speakers will include the newly elected Washington state attorney general, Bob Ferguson. For registration and information, go to www.washingtoncog.org.
$10 billion to pay for roads, bridges Nothing in that black bag to pay to finish SR-520 By Kylee Zabel WNPA Reporter
The $10 billion dollar transportation package announced by Democrats in Olympia yesterday uses familiar methods to raise money for road projects in the state but adds in a few new ones as well. However, the ambitious plan does not include ways to raise the $1.4 billion needed to finish paying off the rebuild of the SR-520 bridge. State Transportation Committee chair, Rep. Judy Clibborn, spoke to the businesses and the media yes-
car tabs, phased in over 10 years, and even a $25 dollar fee on new bikes. The money would be spent on projects at every corner of the state from the Columbia River bridge at Vancouver, Wash., to more work on Snoqualmie Pass, to the congested length of I-5, south of Tacoma. Also on the list terday about the package, called are ferries, the Washington State Connecting Washington. Patrol and environmental protec“The Connecting Washington tion measures. package will link A press conferthe communities ence organized yesof our state to each terday to announce other and to the rest the package of the world,” said included business The MISD Board of Clibborn. “From owners, workers Directors sent a letter to the child going to and environmenthe Washington State Deschool each day to tal advocates from partment of Transportathe farmer whose across the state. tion last week with their crops travel through They said the new concerns about tolling on our ports to marfees and taxes will I-90. Read the letter on kets abroad, this not only repair the page 11. package is about states highways the infrastructure and roads, but creand jobs that will ate jobs. bring Washingtonians together.” “Improving our transportation Funding sources proposed include an increase of 10 cents for Transportation | Page 2
Letter from MISD to WSDOT
Schools | Page 2
REPORTER
Mercer Island’s Jessica Blakeslee looks for a teammate to pass to during the Islanders’ regional basketball win over Everett on Friday, Feb. 22. The team moves on to play in Tacoma. See page 16 for the full story.
Mercer Island
Coalition of Open Government to hold meeting at MICEC Saturday, March 9
Megan Managan/Staff Photo
www.mi-reporter.com
Celebrate all that is Youth Theatre Northwest during the organization’s annual fundraising event on Saturday, March 2. The event, featuring dinner, an auction and performances, will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 2 at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center. Tickets are $125 and benefit future performances and programs. To learn more, call (206) 2324145 ext. 100.
Green Editions Read the full paper online
Youth Theatre Northwest fundraiser March 2
Mercer Island schools superintendent, Gary Plano, has withdrawn his application for superintendent at the Ashland, Ore., public school district. In a letter sent to school staff, Plano said that he found he did not feel the same synergy and connection that he felt when he joined the Mercer Island School District five years ago. “It wasn’t a good fit,” he said. Plano was one of the three finalists out of 13 applicants. The Ashland School Board had already traveled here to conduct interviews of Island community members and school staff concerning Plano.
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