Beware of the Latest Youth Drug Trend

Beware of the Latest Youth Drug Trend

Spice, K2 or "fake pot" is legal, but dangerous

There's a new drug trend among youth that you should be aware of--an herbal and chemical product which mimics the effects of marijuana. It's best known by the brand names K2 or Spice and some are referring to it as herbal incense or "fake weed." Whatever brand name it goes by, it's proving to be dangerous and I urge you to talk with your teens about the potential side effects.

Click Here to read more about the availability and side effects of Spice.

Read More about "One Family's Struggle" 

Redmond Senior Center is open to "any age adults"

Hank Margeson

At last night's City Council Meeting, Councilmember Hank Margeson noted that the Redmond Senior Center is open to "any age adult"  - including late teens to early 20's.  He said this is not widely known.   

Fifty years and up qualifies one as a Senior with full access to the Center.  However, for late teens there are still many activities.  Some require the presence of a Senior; others don't.  Sign-in at the Front Desk.   

According to Terry Burke, Senior Center Manager, the outside area along the Sammamish Trail is a city park and is open to all.  Volleyball, horse-shoes, and pickle ball, badmitten, and shuffle board are open to the public, as are the picnic tables.  Check into the front desk for balls, rackets and horse shoes.  The Center has four indoor ping pong tables and three billiard tables.

Center hours are M-Th, 8:30 - 9 p.m. and Friday 8:30 - 4:30 p.m.   The Center is interested in attracting more 30-49 year-olds and is expecting most teens will attend the Teen Center.  The Redmond Senior Center is located at 8703 - 160th Ave NE.  Their website is being updated but has contact information and a brief listing of services.

RNB reported on adult teen and low 20's access to the Senior Science Center in August of 2009.  My story and pictures of the "outdoor park play area" are here. 

UPDATED: Redmond City Council Will Vote To Confirm Salary Commission Appointments

UPDATED, 10/5 -  By Consent Agenda, tonight, 10/5, the Council silently voted unanimously "aye" to confirm the Salary Commission appointments.

In the October 5 City Council Meeting, Council will vote to confirm the appointments of seven citizens to an "independent Salary Commission." The Commission is charged with reviewing Council’s $850/month salary and benefits “to determine if an adjustment is needed.”  Council member Richard Cole estimates each council member works significantly more than ~672 hours/year.  2004 was the last time Council’s compensation was reviewed. What initial thoughts do you have?

Fifteen citizens applied for the seven-member Salary Commission, in response to city advertisements this September 2 - 24.  Senior council member Richard Cole wrote:

"We (council) have agreed that each council member will pick one person. The names will go to the Mayor who will make the appointment. The council will still have a confirmation vote just like the other commissions. There will be seven commissioners".

It is not known at this time which council member picked which candidate. According to document AM-No.10 194  the following citizens are appointed by the Mayor:  Mary Bourguignon, Sally Chen, David Chicks, Rand-Scott Coggan, Karin Duval, Marilyn Rice, Sheri Sanders.   It's expected commissioners will begin their work mid-October with a decision by December 1, 2011.

The Mayor’s compensation will be reviewed this year, as well, but not by the Salary Commission.  READ MORE >>

NAMI Mental Health Week has something for everyone!

NAMI MENTAL ILLNESS WEEK IS THIS WEEK - sponsored locally by NAMI-Eastside, with offices in the “Together Center” (formerly the Family Resource Center),  425-885-6264

from the desk of Barbara Thompsen, Office Manager, NAMI-Eastside 

One in five families will have a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year.  More than 54 million Americans have or will have a mental disorder in any given year.

Remaining Events: 

NAMI “BASICS”, a 6 week class for the parents and caregivers of young children with a brain disorder has been postponed. We will continue to take names for our wait list and will be rescheduling the program for this spring. Please contact the NES office at (425) 885-6264 or info@nami-eastside.org  for more information.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR March 3, 2011.

Don’t miss the Broadway Musical “NEXT TO NORMAL” NAMI support night at the 5th Avenue Theatre on Thursday, March 3, 2011. The 5th Avenue will donate $10 of each ticket sold to sustain vital NAMI Statewide and Eastside efforts to support, educate and advocate for those and their families and friends who suffer from a mental illness.

“NEXT TO NORMAL” is an “emotional powerhouse—a story about the stop/start life of a bipolar mother and the hell her unreality wreaks on her family as she rides the sharp edge between coping and insanity”. Come early for an educational presentation at 7:00 pm by Dr. Delaney Ruston on her film, “Unlisted: A Story of Schizophrenia”.

When ordering tickets, use the promo code “NAMI”. For information about how to order tickets, check out the NAMI Eastside website at http://www.nami-eastside.org/

Please share information about this performance with everyone who should see “NEXT TO NORMAL” and support NAMI.

By Barbara Thompsen, Office Manager,  Nami-Eastside, 425-885-6264

LETTER: Give parents incentives to bus their kids rather than drive

As a regular Metro bus commuter, I can't help but notice the daily commuters entering Redmond Junior High School. There is another traffic "hot spot" just around the corner at Horace Mann Elementary... I am a regular participant of Redmond R-Trip.  R-Trip gives incentives for using alternate forms of commuting.

Thinking "out side the box", what if a similar program could be launched for rewarding parents to put their kids on the school bus?

Here is how it could work. Using Redmond R-Trip as a model, parents would record the daily use of the school bus for their child. After completing 60 round trips, the parent would be rewarded. In my case, I received a $50.00 gift card for Amazon.com

It is ironic that we expect our schools to teach something about "going green." Then, we parents drive our kids over to the school house and completely cancel out any kind of "green" commuting by dismissing the school bus.

By Richard Morris

Education Hill neighbor

"Living Voters Guide" Stokes Debate On State and Local Ballot Measures

Living Voters Guide Stokes Debate On WA Ballot Measures

With a grant from the National Science Foundation, The Living Voters Guide for Washington state has been brought to life. It educates and involves voters in a series of Washington state ballot measures to be decided this fall. Election Day is November 2.

Old-fashioned voters guides have always been useful, but static. Utilizing easy online tools, the Living Voters Guide lives up to its name. You’re able to get a synopsis of each ballot measure, read the full text if desired, and then review brief arguments pro and con, and add your own.

Other than an important requirement to be civil and constructive, there is no gatekeeping, opening up the conversation to a broader group than in letters to the editor, and with a more welcoming bi-partisan approach than many online political sites.

The Living Voters Guide:   http://www.livingvotersguide.org/

Living Voters Guide Facebook Page

By Matt Rosenberg
Social Capital Review

Lake Washington Schools Foundation receives $130,000 Microsoft grant.

LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION NEWS.

The Lake Washington Schools Foundation (LWSF) was established five years ago to promote academic excellence for all students in the District. This summer, our donors made it possible for 33 at-risk students to attend summer school. In conjunction with the Lake Washington School District, we are pleased to announce a $130,000 grant from Microsoft to develop science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs similar to other successful STEM programs in the country. Starting in the spring of 2011, LWSF will fund classroom and school grants that focus on helping each school reach the goals they set for their Continuous Improvement Plan. This fall, each school in the District is eligible to receive up to $1500 worth of grant funds. Please contact us for more specific information about the one-time fall grant application process.

"Mustang Weekly", 9/26/2010

Redmond Man charged with threatening to arrest Kirkland mayor

Redmond Man charged with threatening to arrest Kirkland mayor

"A man who authorities say threatened to arrest Kirkland Mayor Joan McBride and Assistant City Manager Oskar Rey has been charged with two counts of intimidating a public servant.

David Myrland, 52, of Redmond, was arrested by Kirkland police on Sept. 21. He was charged in King County Superior Court on Friday." Read More

By Jennifer Sullivan
Seattle Times Newspaper, 9/29

LETTER: School Zones, Speed Limits and Crosswalks on Education Hill, By Susan Wilkins

Letter from Susan Wilkins, a PTSA volunteer and resident of Redmond.

I have been working on bus transportation for Horace Mann. I got mail from [LWSD Deputy Superintendent] Janene Fogard that said Title 1 funds could not be used on non-AYP transportation so Horace Mann students were not allowed to ride the Einstein or Redmond El buses. I have been reading Title 1, Part A documentation and there is a lot to read to familiarize myself with the details.

I couldn't find any documents that said or could be interpreted to mean that Horace Mann students weren't allowed to ride in surplus seats on AYP buses. I sent email to Ms. Fogard to ask her to clarify what she meant and where this rule is cited. I haven't heard back.

The attached article came about as a response to [neighbor] Paige Norman questioning the varying speed limits and school zones along 166th at the end of one of my letters. I had read so much about traffic and crosswalks while researching the NE 116th Street crosswalk and speed cameras, that I decided to organize my thoughts and explain what I had found.  I hope people find it interesting: 

###

"School Zones, Speed Limits and Crosswalks on Education Hill", By Susan Wilkins

We have a lot of schools on Education Hill – a high school, a junior high, five elementary schools and numerous preschools. We also have a variety of street signs and zones surrounding the schools, but there is a lack of uniformity in how the signs and zones are assigned. While going through official documents pertaining to school safety and crosswalks and making observations in the neighborhood, I have found that the implementation of school zones and speed limit signs appears to be uneven, inconsistent, overused and possibly misused on Education Hill.  Read More >>

Taped Highlights from the September 27 School Board Meeting

September 27, 2010 Regular Board Meeting

Superintendent Chip Kimball announced $42,469 PTSA donations this month, including a $27,299 donation from Wilder PTSA to Wilder El.  Click on the video link for all donations. 

Superintendent Chip Kimball appears to be inviting more staff members more often to present at Board meetings.  Conversation amongst Board Members is more dynamic, engaged, and purposeful.  President Pendergrass is running this meeting efficiently and openly with more attention to protocol. 

Read More>>

Police Results of Prescription Drug "Take-Back" Day in Redmond

Redmond, WA – On Saturday, September 25th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Redmond Police collected controlled, non-controlled, and over the counter medications—no questions asked.

The event was a partnership with Redmond Public Works - Department of Natural Resources and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as part of the first nationwide prescription drug “Take-Back” initiative.

There were 131 participants who dropped off drugs filling three boxes with a gross total weight (containers included) of 149 pounds.

Police personnel who staffed the event reported that the participants all provided positive and encouraging comments about the opportunity to safely dispose of their un-used medications.

By Charles E. Gorman, RPD

National "Take-Back Drug" Event In Redmond A Big Success!

Redmond Police Lobby Take-Back 

You may notice unwanted pharmaceuticals accumulating in your cabinet with "no place to go".   Recently, the State Attorney General said we are not to flush pharmaceuticals.  Yet, throwing them in the trash contaminates ground water; and they are a drug abuser's delight.   So how do we safely dispose of our unwanted pharmaceuticals?  The City of Redmond is working hard on this! 

Last Saturday, City Police participated  in a National "Take Back Drug" program with the Drug Enforcement Agency.  According to the two police officers on duty in the Public Safety Building Lobby the event was a success; over 100 citizens dropped off their unwanted pharmaceuticals.  When I visited a half hour before closing, the police pointed to a large brown box (18 inches X 48 inches) completely filled with drugs - going to the incinerator.

The National Take Back Program is a once a year event.   But, other local organizations will take-back your drugs.   The Sammamish Police Department has a lock-box and accepts controlled drugs.  Group Health - Redmond (425-882-6150) and Bartell Drug - Bridal Trails (425-881-5544) take-back all but controlled drugs.  A Group Health -Redmond pharmacist recommended mixing the controlled drugs with water and coffee grounds. 

Sherry Grindeland, spokesperson for Evergreen (Public) Hospital says Evergreen  won't take-back drugs for the community, writing: 

"Hospitals have to follow certain protocols when they discard outdated drugs. We are required by law to have them destroyed and it is quite expensive. (I didn't ask exact amount.) We give them to a company that specializes in this and they're incinerated at extremely high temperatures.

The pharmacists I talked to said the best way to dispose of drugs was to mix them with kitty litter --- USED kitty litter - and put them in your household trash. Yuk!"  7/23

Read More >>