Rally planned in opposition to ESD’s plan to install turf fields at former Woodway HS
A rally in opposition to a turf field development plan is scheduled to take place before the Edmonds School Board meeting at the district office later today, according to ESD Spokesperson Debbie “DJ” Jakala. The rally, scheduled for 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. according to the organizers’ Facebook group, is in response to the Edmonds School District’s plan to install an artificial crumb rubber turf at the former Woodway High School site.
Jakala said she hopes the rally remains a “peaceful opportunity” for citizens to express their concerns.
During several of the latest board meetings, residents of the area surrounding the former Woodway High School have expressed many concerns during the public comments section, with many citing concerns of safety and traffic and noise issues that may result from development of the multi-field complex.
At the last board meeting, the school board voted 4-1 to again use crumb rubber at Edmonds Stadium, a different project that was being considered. Some opponents of the turf plan for the former Woodway High School criticized this decision as well, saying any use of crumb rubber by the district was a step in the wrong direction.
According to several studies conducted in the United States and in Europe, there is no clear health risk resulting from exposure to turf fields.
In a previous board meeting, ESD Executive Director of Business and Operations Stewart Myhre pointed to a Connecticut Department of Health Study, which found, “outdoor artificial turf fields do not represent an elevated health risk.”
Opponents of the plan have created an online petition which can be found here.
Nick Fiorillo is the Editor-in-Chief of the Hawkeye and thehawkeye.org. This is Nick's second year of serving as editor. Last year, he led the Hawkeye in one of the organization's most dramatic transformations in decades, replacing the broadsheet newspaper with a feature based newsmagazine and an emphasis on online content.
Prior to serving as editor-in-chief, Nick was the local news editor during his sophomore year and was a staff reporter during his freshman year.
Nick was named as the 2014 Free Spirit Scholar from Washington state, and traveled to Washington, D.C. as the Washington state delegate to the 2014 Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference. He has received several state and national awards for journalism, including several JEA National Write-off Competition Awards. He was recently awarded the rating of "Superior" for Editorial Writing at the Spring 2014 JEA/NSPA High School Journalism Conference in San Diego, Calif.
His interests include journalism, politics, public policy, law and education. He plans on attending a four-year university and majoring in political science and social policy.
You can view his pressfolio here.
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