Another Week, Another Seven Days to Review in Sammamish News

The city on the Sammamish Plateau and with homes dotting Lake Sammamish had plenty of events and developments this past week.

So, let's get to the top ones:

Monday: By Monday, news of Councilman Mark Cross' decision to vacate his seat to spend more time at his full-time job and with his family was sinking in. He made his announcement on Sunday. There will be two open seats on the City Council.

Also, a quick video from that weekend's Sammamish Readiness Fair was posted. Emergency responders reminded people that the best time to get ready for an emergency or disaster is when food and supplies are available.

Patch real estate columnist Joan Probala wrote that mortgage interest deductions help homeowners - there is talk in the country about possibly ending this option.

Tuesday: Patch bicycling columnist Bill Thorness reminded readers that May is Bike to Work Month and offered ideas on how to keep your work clothing clean, if you do pedal to the office.

Paul Allen's memoir, "Idea Man," was released and Seattle-area residents talked about his interview on "60 Minutes."

A tally showed that the three high schools in Sammamish - , and - have a total of nine National Merit Finalists. It is a prestigious academic honor for high school students.

Wednesday: It was either Tuesday or Wednesday (busy week) when Robert Baldino's story about the Eastside Catholic School baseball team's volunteer efforts at a regional Special Olympics swim event was posted. Ball players cheered for the competitors and were reminded of why people participate in sports.

Kathleen Miller, Sammamish Patch parenting columnist, offered 22 ways to help the globe for Earth Day, which was Friday, April 22.

Deborah Cossey, a college consultant, made suggestions for college seniors on how to pick the right university or college, especially since institutions expect formal acceptances notices from prospective students soon.

Thursday: Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar spoke a day earlier at a Lake Washington Schools Foundation lunch with one key message: Quality education matters. The event raised $144,500. Her message comes as school administrators in the state are bracing for fewer dollars because of the more than $5 billion state budget shortfall.

In the Sammamish police blotter, a boy received some goldfish and a threatening note.

Friday: The week's "Whiz Kid" was a talented and determined swimmer from Eastside Catholic School - Megan Mills.

Writer Denise Steele Darnell reminded Sammamish residents that there's a great dog area at . Two lacrosse players from Eastside Catholic School and Eastlake High School received state honors for the week.

Sammamish Patch also had a quick primer on Easter eggs, giving fun facts about the tradition.

Saturday: If you thought that game, Quidditch from the Harry Potter series, was fiction, guess again. College students have brought the game to life. Click on the link to see a great video of the game, too (no flying, though).

Gov. Chris Gregoire called a special session for Sunday so state lawmakers can resolve the budget. This special session means that many local city, county and school district officials will have to wait to figure out their own budgets.

Sunday: The eggs were on the grass Saturday at the Sammamish Family YMCA's Eggstravaganza, as about 2,000 people celebrated the sunny day, fun and Easter.

Sammamish Patch also had a table at the community event. The Sammamish Patch crew enjoyed talking with residents about the news and information website and appreciated people stopping by to learn more.

Woodinville Patch Editor Annie Archer wrote about weeds - yes, there are some big ones - that people in King County might find in their yards or on their property. She also reminded people that Baskin-Robbins is having its 31 cents ice cream special on Wednesday evening.

In fact, weeds and ice cream go hand in hand. After you pull enough of them from the ground, it's good to go relax with some cool goodness.

As always, thank you for reading Sammamish Patch and for commenting on stories. Feel free to "like" us on Facebook and follow our short dispatches on Twitter.

If you have any questions, comments or ideas, feel free to contact Brad Wong, Sammamish Patch editor, at 425-440-1796 or brad.wong@patch.com.

Enjoy the coming week.