Sammamish-Issaquah, WA|News|
Celebrating Summer Solstice in Issaquah and Sammamish
The longest day of the year is on Thursday, June 20. What will you do to celebrate?

Email: kendall.watson@patch.com
Phone: 206-455-1331
Hometown: Salem, UT
Age: 37
Bio: From 2006 to 2010, I've worked at newspapers in California and Washington state, including the Mercer Island Reporter in 2009 covering education and sports.
Beliefs
At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for us to inject our beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that our beliefs are on the record will cause editors to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.
Politics
How would you describe your political beliefs?
I'm a mixed bag. I strongly believe in the power of the government to act as a force for good and to improve people's lives. It is, after all, made up of people. But I also believe that our elected representatives should be held accountable and spend money they raise for the state carefully and wisely—they should conserve our resources for when we really need them. It is, after all, our money. And finally, we should always be thinking about how our actions affect others, now and in the future—both those we don't know and our loved ones living with us now, as well as our children and grandchildren not yet born.
Are you registered with a certain party?
I am not currently registered with a political party.
Religion
How religious would you consider yourself?
I consider myself a casual observer of the mystery of life, and enjoy the multitude of expressions in celebration of it. Heck, it's one of the main reasons I sought out a career in writing. I believe in this.
The longest day of the year is on Thursday, June 20. What will you do to celebrate?

The longest day of the year is on Thursday, June 20. What will you do to celebrate?
River closed for a day to allow construction on project to reduce flood risk and protect State Route 169.
Check out the WSDOT time-lapse video of how the new span came together.
Check out the WSDOT time-lapse video of how the new span came together.
Popular with Issaquah and Sammamish high school graduates, the school is one of the closest in the area where local college students can earn a degree.
A White Center woman allegedly scammed at least six Vietnamese-speaking residents in a check-fraud scheme and detectives are looking for additional victims in the case.
A White Center woman allegedly scammed at least six Vietnamese-speaking residents in a check-fraud scheme and detectives are looking for additional victims in the case.
Mercer Island Police Officer Rob Jira offers several sensible safety tips for keeping your children and pets safe during the summer heat.
The Lake Washington School District recently set its calendars for the next four years
Popular with Islanders, the school is located less than five miles from Mercer Island.
The following information from June 10 - June 17 was supplied by the Mercer Island Police Department. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction.
Check out the top 10 rated restaurants on Mercer Island, based on Yelp! reviews. Did your neighbors get it right?
Teachers in years past took extra unpaid professional days and went without annual raises when Washington schools faced serious budget cuts
Issaquah History Museums presents a historical talk on Legg at the Train Depot Museum on July 13.
IHS's video production class put together an ensemble video involving most of the student body for its 2013 Video Yearbook.