🌱 Patch AM: How dangerous is Lake Washington for Mercer Island boaters right now?

Greetings Mercer Island! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How dangerous is Lake Washington for Mercer Island boaters right now?
• When will Mercer Island finally ride East Link light rail?
• Where Mercer Island High School ranks among Washington’s top public schools

Also on today's calendar: Parent & Child: Out of This World Stories.

Today's riddle: What did the windowsill say to the glass? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Monday: Occasional afternoon rain, with a high of 49 and low of 38 degrees.
• Tuesday: A few morning showers, temps: high: 46, low: 35.
• Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, a little rain, with a high of 48 and low of 35 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Storm debris cleanup in Lake Washington to last weeks amid flood aftermath (komonews.com) — Mercer Island’s Marine Patrol is spending the coming weeks clearing dangerous storm debris from Lake Washington, and boaters are being urged to use extreme caution near the Island. Residents can report free-floating logs to city numbers, and access to the Mercer Island Boat Launch may be restricted as Public Works processes the recovered wood.
   

• MI light rail opening is projected for later in 2026 (mi-reporter.com) — Mercer Island’s long-awaited East Link light rail station is now projected to open by May 31, 2026, with Sound Transit hoping to start service even sooner if testing goes smoothly. Crews are finishing system integration and preparing for simulated service, while the city has upgraded Town Center crosswalks, sidewalks, lighting, and commuter parking to help residents safely reach the new station.
   

• Pullman High School Takes The Lead In Eastern Washington With A Solid Statewide Ranking (mega993online.com) — Mercer Island High School earned the No. 8 spot in Washington’s 2025 U.S. News high school rankings, placing it among the state’s top performers. The piece explains how rankings are calculated and highlights how schools statewide, including Pullman and several Eastside neighbors, compare on graduation rates and college readiness.
   

📸 Around Mercer Island

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Mercer Island

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Tuesday December 23

• Fitness Class: Boxing Fitness Class
  Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 E Mercer Way, Mercer Island
  6:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday January 17

• Parent & Child: Out of This World Stories
  Youth Theatre Northwest , 4400 86th Ave SE , Mercer Island
  9:30 am

📣 Mercer Island Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Monday December 22

• The Friendship Club
  Skyway Library , 12601 76th Avenue South , Seattle
  12:00 pm
• Garden d'Lights
  Bellevue Botanical Garden , 12001 Main Street , Bellevue
  4:30 pm

Tuesday December 23

• Community Board Games & Puzzles: Exchange & Play
  Newport Way Library , 14250 SE Newport Way , Bellevue
  12:00 pm
• King County Parks and Recreation Office Hours
  Skyway Library , 12601 76th Avenue South , Seattle
  1:00 pm
• Bellevue Community Resource Center
  Bellevue Library , 1111 110th Avenue NE , Bellevue
  1:30 pm
• Winter Jazz Afternoon
  Newport Way Library , 14250 SE Newport Way , Bellevue
  3:30 pm
• Tutors at the Skyway Library (Study Zone)
  Skyway Library , 12601 76th Avenue South , Seattle
  5:00 pm
• STEAM Tuesdays! Salt Painting
  Newcastle Library , 12901 Newcastle Way , Renton
  5:30 pm
• Family Reading Night: Book Bingo
  Skyway Library , 12601 76th Avenue South , Seattle
  6:30 pm

Wednesday December 24

• King County Department of Local Services Office Hours
  Skyway Library , 12601 76th Avenue South , Seattle
  1:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Mercer Island PatchAM possible:

• SD Framing — (425) 628-1326
  @sd.framing Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates!
• Crystal Carpet Cleaning & Restoration, Inc. — (425) 649-0908
  Celebrating 35 years serving our community

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• A collision on I-405 northbound just north of SR 167 is blocking the HOV lane and the two right general purpose lanes, causing a two-mile backup.
  5:20AM on Dec 20: A collision on I-405 northbound just north of SR 167 is blocking the HOV lane and the two right general purpose lanes. (Nextdoor )

• Avenue5 Residential, Inc. posted a job opening for Porter in Bellevue. Apply here.
• American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. posted a job opening for AE - Stock Associate - Evening (Off-Hours) in Bellevue. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Mercer Island here.

🗞 Nearby News

Bellevue

• Evening Brief: US Strikes ISIS in Syria, Russia Hits Odesa, Bellevue OIS (sofrep.com)
• More shrimp recalled for possible radioactivity (foodsafetynews.com)
• 4 light rail stations to close this weekend — briefly (seattletimes.com)

Seattle

• Anaheim Ducks vs Seattle Kraken Prediction & Betting Tips for 12/22/2025 (knupsports.com)
• Growing Up in Washington During the 50s, 60s, and 70s (katsfm.com)

Ok Mercer Island! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I feel your pane.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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