News Roundup -- City website gets revamp/Sakai raises $5k for relief/Pumpkin walk raises $5.5k/It's your turf, so speak up

City website gets revamp

The city has launched a re-design of its website, www.ci.bainbridge-isl.wa.us.

The improved site incorporates several new features, including an interactive, searchable calendar for agendas and meeting minutes, and a listserv which allows individuals to request email announcements on topics of interest.

The primary goals of the re-design were to update the appearance and functionality, and improve navigation. A number of new features have been added in response to a citizen survey which the city conducted last winter.

Several local photographers have contributed to the “Bainbridge life” imagery found throughout the site.

The city worked with local web design company SuperWebgroup on the redesign.

Sakai raises $5k for relief

Hearing about Hurricane Katrina moved some Sakai Intermediate students into immediate action.

At the start of the school year, student mediators told counselor and peer mediator advisor Ronnelle Browning that they wanted to help people affected by the hurricane.

Before the first full week of school ended, Browning met with student mediators, members of Girl Scout Troop 1290 and other Sakai students to plan a course of action. After deciding to raise money for the American Red Cross “Dollars for Disaster” fund, the students publicized their effort via school broadcasts, posters in the hallways and decorated collection jars in the classrooms.

In three weeks’ time, they raised $1,156.06 – exceeding their $1,000 goal – from students and teachers, Browning said. At the same time, the PTO held a marathon fund-raiser to help hurricane victims and received a matching grant from Thriftway.

The total Sakai donation was $5,156 for hurricane relief.

– Rhona Schwartz

Pumpkin walk raises $5.5k

This year’s Pumpkin Walk at Bainbridge Gardens raised about $5,500 for the Boys and Girls Club of Bainbridge Island, an increase of 80 percent over 2004.

Good weather helped bring in record-breaking numbers this year.

Executive Director Jennifer Wood expressed thanks to the volunteers and participants.

“We are grateful for the dedication and hard work of the Harui Family, and the Bainbridge Garden’s staff in creating such a memorable event to benefit kids on Bainbridge Island,” Wood said.

The money raised will support after school programs and scholarships for kids and families in need on Bainbridge.

Forum on teen mental health

ParentNet will meet at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 in the Bainbridge High School library.

In addition to the usual group discussion format, guest speaker Leigh Manheim will host the topic, “Teenage Mental Health.”

The meeting is for parents of high school-age students who wish to discuss the normal ups and downs of the teen years versus real mental illness, and how to stem youth suicide by learning about depression and other mental health disorders, their signs and what action to take.

In addition, the Bainbridge Island School Board will begin running the Columbia TeenScreen program in health classes, organizers said.

For more information visit www.teenscreen.org or call Teri Jellad at 855-8386.

It’s your turf, so speak up

With lights off the table, now it’s onto the question of artificial turf at Battle Point Park’s soccer fields.

The board of commissioners of the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park and Recreation District is soliciting public comment through 5 p.m. Nov. 7 on the proposal to install artificial turf on Battle Point Park’s fields No. four and five.

For the field renovation, the synthetic field surface, FieldTurf, has been recommended by the Bainbridge Island Youth Soccer Club as the preferred alternative.

In particular, the board seeks information on “any comparative studies that have been done contrasting the pros and cons of both grass and synthetic turf for field surfaces.”

The success of the proposal is also dependent on obtaining full funding for the project.

Written comments may be sent to the attention of the parks’ senior planner Perry Barrett at P.O. Box 10010, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 or perry@biparks.org. In-person delivery should be to the park district’s main office at Strawberry Hill Park on High School Road.

Look for publication of future board meetings on this topic in the Review’s Calendar or at www.biparks.org. For more information, call the park district at 842-2306.

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