snovalleystar020713

Your locally-owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington

Sidewalk kerfuffle Who will pay to cut the curbs?

Page 2

New advisors Snoqualmie appoints members to its committees.

Page 3

Police blotter Page 5

Post season bound Boys basketball team is No. 2 seed Page 8

Players Brother and sister are tops on the piano.

Page 10

Reward offered for AK-47 Bandit

By Michele Mihalovich A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the man dubbed “The AK-47 Bandit,” who is suspected of robbing several banks with an assault rifle in the West, including North Bend’s Chase Bank in July, and shot and wounded a Chino, Calif., police officer.

North Bend Police Chief Mark Toner said he attended a January press conference in Chino, along with representatives from all of the other agencies investigating the multistate crimes they suspect the

bandit had a hand in.

He said each was basically comparing notes with other investigators, which included the Chino Police Department, Rexburg Police Department in Idaho, the Vacaville and Sacramento police departments in California, as well as FBI offices in each of those jurisdictions.

Toner said investigators have “played out most of the leads we’ve gotten” and are hoping that a large reward and increased national attention might trigger something to generate more tips.

See BANDIT, Page 2

Contributed

North Bend Police Chief Mark Toner (center) appears at a California press conference with Chino Police Chief Miles Pruitt (left) and the FBI Special Agent in Charge for Los Angeles Bill Lewis. They were trying to generate national publicity to help find ‘The AK-47 Bandit,’ who is suspected of robbing several banks, including North Bend’s Chase Bank, and shooting a California police officer.

Affordable housing group to adjust designs

By Michele Mihalovich Imagine Housing, which is proposing an affordable, rental housing project in Snoqualmie Ridge, went back to the drawing board after hearing concerns from neighbors.

The organization unveiled those changes at a Jan. 23 community meeting, and plans more tweaking and a second meeting this month.

Ann Levine, executive director for Imagine Housing, based in Kirkland, gave a short presen-

tation about the changes, and then invited people to visit the various stations set up around the room for more details.

“We’ve listened to your feedback and tried to incorporate some changes to address the comments we received from the community,” she told the group gathered at Snoqualmie’s Community Center.

A big concern came from neighbors who thought the proposed five buildings, each four See HOUSING, Page 3

Man doesn’t beat dog Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER

By Michele Mihalovich Accusations about Adam Hayes beating his chocolate Lab with a 2-by-2 piece of lumber began appearing on North Bend and Snoqualmie Yahoo groups Jan. 28.

A person going by the name “SnoqualmieJoe” posted something he said he read on his friend’s Facebook wall, and fig-

ured all animal lovers needed to know about this man and his heinous crime, and urged people to boycott Hayes’ business, FaceLIFT Painting LLC. Readers were so incensed, they vowed to boycott the business.

SnoqualmieJoe also posted that he’d learned more about See DOG, Page 2

?

How well do you know your North Bend elected officials?

1. “In 1990 I had lunch with Ted Turner and Jane Fonda.”

2. “I once voted for a Democrat.”

3. “I cut down a cherry tree on Washington’s birthday when I was four.”

4. “I was both a mortgage broker and a real estate agent in past life.”

5. “I was barred from traveling on the Princess Marguerite Ferry from Seatac-B.C.” 6. “Played organ with The Doors.”

7. “Used to speak with Southern accent, including “ya-all.”

8. “Bought first gun at age 11 with my own earned money.”

?

Mayor Ken Hearing

Councilman David Cook

Councilman Alan Gothelf Councilman Ryan Kolodejchuk Councilman Ross Loudenback Councilwoman Jeanne Pettersen Councilman Jonathan Rosen Councilman Dee Williamson

During a “get to know each other better” exercise at the North Bend retreat Jan. 25, elected officials were asked to write some interesting fact about themselves and the others would guess who made the statement.

This is what they wrote.

Answers:

1. Cook, 2. Rosen, 3. Hearing, 4. Gothelf, 5. Loudenback, 6. Williamson, 7. Pettersen, 8. Kolodejchuk

February 7, 2013 VOL. 5, NO. 5

Unbeatable girls Page 8

SnoValley Star

PAGE 2

Dog

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

we’re talking about.”

When he couldn’t find anything, he shrugged it off.

From Page 1 the dog beater, and he urged people to write business reviews about FaceLIFT on Yelp and Angie’s List.

One man wrote that he didn’t think it was right to unfairly jump to conclusions about a person in an unnamed Facebook post, to which Traci wrote, “I appreciate that you don’t want to unfairly jump to conclusions, but let me ask you this? Would you have that same reaction if he was beating his daughter or son with a block of wood? Or his wife?”

Others emailed Rep. Jay Rodne and encouraged others to do the same.

SnoqualmieJoe chimed in again and wrote, “Don’t turn a blind eye to this crap and do nothing. Follow Bill’s lead and email rep Rodne like he did.”

The wrong guy

By Michele Mihalovich

A construction worker pounds down the surface at a railroad crossing in North Bend so asphalt can be poured Jan. 25.

Somebody has to pay for these sidewalks

By Michele Mihalovich A small issue about sidewalks is causing a bit of friction between the North Bend’s street department and the railroad museum’s director – and neither is backing down.

Bandit From Page 1 Anyone with information about the North Bend robbery or the identity or whereabouts of the suspect is urged to contact investigators at a toll-free number established for the case, 855-9-BANDIT, or send an e-mail to bandit@chinopd.org.

Richard Anderson, executive director of Northwest Railway Museum, helped secure funding for a smooth railroad crossing upgrade on Main Street near the North Bend Train Depot, and See SIDEWALK, Page 5

The suspect is considered heavily armed and dangerous, and individuals who may come into contact with him are advised to contact law enforcement immediately and refrain from taking independent action to apprehend the suspect, an FBI press release said.

Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www. snovalleystar.com.

The problem is that Adam Hayes was not involved in the animal abuse incident.

North Bend Police Chief Mark Toner confirmed that the incident, which happened at about 8:30 a.m. Jan. 25 in an unincorporated area of King County just outside of Snoqualmie, did not involve anyone by the name of Adam Hayes.

The Star contacted Hayes, who lives in Everett, and asked him if he’d received any strange phone calls or emails accusing him of animal abuse.

“Yes!” he said in an astonished voice.

Hayes said that on Jan. 25, a woman called and asked if his name was Adam Hayes, did he own FaceLIFT Painting and did he own a dog?

Yes, yes and yes.

“Then, she asked if my dog was a chocolate Lab,” he said.

“When I told her no, she said she’d read on Facebook that I was beating my dog with a 2-by-4.”

He said what the woman was saying to him was just bizarre.

“I have never hurt my dog,” he said. “I would never touch my dog with a 2-by-4. I have to practically carry her outside to go to the bathroom, she’s so old.”

Hayes said he didn’t really pay attention to what the woman said after that.

“I thought she was trying to pull some sort of scam with Labrador pups. But I was so freaked out that I went home immediately and got on my Facebook account to see if I could find the post she was talking about,” he said. “I mean, this is my livelihood

Trying to discipline dog When the Star told Hayes about the posts, he said he was turning it over and over in his mind about how in the world his name could have come up.

He has done work in North Bend and Snoqualmie, but he hadn’t been there for months.

And he hadn’t received any complaints from unhappy customers.

Then, it dawned on him.

Two months ago, he’d sold one of his work trailers, which still had the business name on it, to a friend of his who lives in Snoqualmie … and owns a chocolate Lab. That friend contacted the Star and told his side of the story. He asked that his name not be used, because he’s “afraid for my wife and kids,” he said.

“I have a wonderful chocolate lab named Coco,” the man said. “I love her. She’s an outdoor dog, but we have a heat lamp out there for her.”

He said Coco, who is 2 years old, had decided that a rubber piece that goes around a tree so the tree doesn’t get chopped up while using a string trimmer was a perfect toy.

He said when he grabs it from her, she thinks it’s a game and that the two of them are playing.

“I decided I had to do something so that she understood that I wasn’t playing,” he said.

“So, I spanked her bottom with a short piece of lattice. When I went to spank her a second time, it just shattered because it’s such a flimsy piece of wood.

It didn’t hurt her at all.”

But he said a woman misinterpreted it and started screaming at him.

He said he and Coco went to the back yard and he could still hear the woman screaming.

He said it was about time for him to walk his daughter to the bus stop, and he didn’t want his daughter to have to hear all the screaming, so he called the police.

What he didn’t know is that the woman had also called the police.

Unverified info, sources The man said a King County Sheriff’s Office deputy came to his house about the incident.

He said he showed him the piece of lattice he used, the deputy made notes, spent some time with the man and Coco, saw that there was no welts on the dog and that the dog “appeared happy, friendly and frisky” and that there was nothing to be concerned about.

The man said a neighbor told him that the woman came back the next day and was taking photos of the FaceLIFT Painting trailer he’d bought from Hayes that was parked in his driveway.

The man said he figures that’s how Adam Hayes got dragged into the mess.

“Adam is completely innocent in this,” he said. “Now, he’s having to fight a battle that wasn’t his to fight in the first place. I guess some people have come to his defense and removed the posts. But once something gets on the Web, sometimes you can’t ever erase that stuff.”

One of the people who came to Hayes’ defense was North Bend Mayor Ken Hearing.

He, too, checked on the story because he said he was bothered that someone named a person and a business from an unverified source.

Hearing said he learned from police that Adam Hayes was innocent, and posted a general notice to the Yahoo group.

It read in part, “According to Chief Toner, most of the rest of the information is inaccurate at best. Please be careful when posting things that may be hurtful to other people and their families.

Naming names can be unnecessarily damaging to reputations. At the very least, post only those things that you verify yourself.”

SnoqualmieJoe’s response was, “Sorry, Ken, but I will respectfully disagree with this statement.”

A woman named Angela Barrus also decided to do her homework, and contacted Hayes.

Her post after that conversation said, “This Yahoo group is a fantastic service to our valley. I invite all participants to use it responsibly. I also invite those who have misrepresented a good man’s name to go above and beyond to do ALL that they can do to attempt to repair damage.”

Hayes is calling Barrus his guardian angel.

“There are people out there willing to say no to evil talk,” he said. “I hope the people of Snoqualmie know now that I am not responsible for this, and I hope it doesn’t affect my business. I love people, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but make sure you have your facts straight.”

Hayes, a married man with three boys, told the Star that the whole experience has been surreal.

“You hear of stories like this, but you just never think it’s going to happen to you.”

Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www. snovalleystar.com.

SnoValley Star

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Snoqualmie council appoints new advisors

Steve Pennington

Sally Rackets

The Snoqualmie City County reappointed many community members to its various boards and committees Jan. 14, but there was one new face.

Steve Pennington, of Steve’s Doughnuts fame, was appointed to the arts commis-

Housing From Page 1 stories high on top of a parking structure, would block their views.

John Woodworth, an SMR architect working on the project, said all of the buildings were lowered by one floor.

The project still had to have 160 units, so to make up for lost space, he added three, two-story townhouses with a partially below-grade parking level, he said.

People told Imagine Housing they were also concerned with there not being enough parking for a 160-unit rental complex, so Woodworth said they widened the streets.

Levine told the group that designers also listened to feedback that suggested the buildings should have a more “Craftsman-style”

sion.

Pennington said he’s worked on several arts projects with Sally Rackets, who was reappointed to Arts Commission at the same meeting, and really enjoyed it.

So, when Rackets asked him to apply to the open commission seat, he said, “Why not?”

Other appointments include: q Planning Commission Reappointments: Trapper Bailey and Darryl Wright q Lodging Tax Advisory Committee: Rod Lapison and Doris Christenson with Salish Lodge and Spa, Dick Kirby with Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum and executive director of Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Richard Anderson with Northwest Railway Museum q Parks Board Reappointments: Danny Evatt, Lee Prewitt and Robert Merikle q Arts Commission also included appointment for the student non-voting members Mileah Smith and Jordy Larsen.

look, so it fit in with the rest of Snoqualmie Ridge.

When Imagine Housing first presented its proposal to the Snoqualmie City Council in June, many people who attended the meeting said they had concerns about only having one access point in and out of the workforce development.

Unfortunately, Woodworth said, their hands were tied on that issue.

Snoqualmie police and fire chiefs were at the January meeting, and said emergency vehicles would have an emergency access route to the proposed development.

People at the original meeting were also calling the project “low-income” housing and said they feared the crime rate would increase if the project were approved.

Police Chief Steve McCulley pointed out that the workforce hosing rent-

Attend Metro transit meetings to offer ideas The Snoqualmie Valley is poised to become the first area in King County to see a package of redesigned transit services tailor made to the needs of Valley residents, according to a press release from the county.

Recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach to transit does not meet every community’s needs, Metro began working with Valley residents last fall to identify transportation options that are more cost effective and better meet the needs of residents and riders.

The Snoqualmie Tribe has also been an important partner, according to the release.

That feedback has now produced proposed options that will be the subject of continued community dis-

PAGE 3

cussion at two upcoming meetings. Those meetings will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Cherry Valley Elementary School, 26701 Cherry Valley Road in Duvall and from 6–7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at Fall City Elementary School, 33314 S.E. 42nd St. in Fall City.

Metro’s proposal includes adjustments that reflect the community’s desire to see all-day service to Snoqualmie Ridge.

Improved connections between Duvall and Redmond, and a more reliable and better connected Valley transit network were also priorities shared by stakeholders.

The proposal will be available at http://metro. kingcounty.gov/have-a-say beginning Feb. 7. Residents can also share their feedback via an online survey.

Contact Ashley DeForest at 206-263-9768 haveasay@ kingcounty.gov.

al units projects have are hardly been conGet involved “low structed, and A second comincome.” he said none munity meeting will be The reported from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 20 at onea spike in Snoqualmie City Hall. bedroom crime.

View the presentation units, McCulley materials from the recent which said he also community meeting at cost $924 heard that http://imaginehousing.org. monthly, a citizen require came to the that the meeting person leasing them makes with statistics that show at least $28,020 annually.

Snoqualmie’s violent “Clearly, these apartcrime would increase 157 ments are for working percent if the project goes families, not an unemforward. ployed, homeless fam“In 2011, Snoqualmie ily,” Levine said during had five cases of violent her presentation. “We crime,” he said. “So, even want to make sure we’re if that percentage were putting people in those correct, that would mean apartments that can afford we’ll see seven instances them.” of violent crime. So, someMcCulley said even if it times, percentages can be were low-income housing, that doesn’t necessarily mean there is going to be an increase in crime.

He said he contacted police departments where other Imagine Housing

Woman swept away while trying to cross river is rescued by EFR A woman attempting to cross the south fork of the Snoqualmie River on foot at about 4:20 p.m. Feb. 1 ended up having to be rescued, said Sgt. Cindi West, of the King County Sheriff’s Office.

West said a fisherman told the woman not to try and cross, but she did anyway and was swept downriver and pinned to a log.

“As you can imagine, the water is very cold, and the fisherman called 911,” West said.

Deputies and an off-duty firefighter with Eastside Fire & Rescue arrived at the scene.

West said the firefighter shimmied across the log the woman was caught on and grabbed her backpack to hold her head above water.

The Snoqualmie Fire Department’s swift water team arrived and got the woman out of the water, West said, adding that the woman, in her 30s, was taken to Swedish/Issaquah and treated for hypothermia.

deceiving.”

Imagine Housing asked the city in June to consider an exemption on the property taxes for the new buildings, which could range from $765,000 to $890,000 in the 12-year period.

Quite a few people showed up at that meeting upset about the exemption, so Imagine Housing went back to the drawing board for that as well.

Eric Evans, the director of Imagine’s housing development, gave a presentation to the City Council and staff at the annual retreat Jan. 30.

Evans said the project was still feasible if the city granted the exemption for eight years

instead of 12, and granted a fee waiver.

He figured that would bring the loss in revenue for the city to $590,000.

Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson, who attended the community meeting and council retreat, said neither he nor his administration has made any recommendation to the City Council about the tax break.

He said he’d heard that if the city elects to waive the property tax, then that decision would also affect other taxing districts, such as King County and the Snoqualmie Valley School District.

But Evans said that if a school district was supposed to get $1 million, it would still get $1 million.

Opinion

PAGE 4

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Editorial

Share your views

Seperating education is not a budget solution

Citizens can make a difference by contacting their elected representatives.

Last Friday, the House of Representatives split along party lines on a proposal to create a separate budget for K-12 education funding. If approved, the education budget would need to have been funded before the state could look at its other obligations.

It’s just not that simple.

The state constitution says that education is to be the paramount duty of the state government, but it never really gets into what paramount means.

However, thinking of it only in terms of school funding is overly simplistic.

While dollars are extremely important, there’s a lot more to education than making sure teachers have adequate resources.

House Republicans said their proposal to split the budget was meant to address the Supreme Court’s 2012 decision that the Legislature wasn’t funding education properly.

That might be more believable if they hadn’t been pushing the measure every year since 2006.

In reality, the plan had little to do with education and more to do with stripping funding from the sorts of social programs the GOP has never liked to begin with.

If education were funded first, there would be less left over for everything else, and “everything else” contains some important programs which also contribute to education.

Rep. Chad Magendanz (R-Issaquah) quoted President Obama saying a world-class education is the solution to poverty.

We couldn’t agree more. But education goes hand-inhand with housing, food to eat and health care.

Students can’t learn without all of those ingredients and more. Whether or not an education budget is separate from the general state operating budget is immaterial. All roads lead to the same tough decisions.

Our legislators need to find necessary budget cuts and new revenue sources to make education the top priority.

Introducing bills destined to be nothing more than team building for the political parties is not the way to nonpartisan solutions.

The voters have made it clear they want their representatives to make education funding the priority above all else. They’ve also made it clear that partisan politics cannot be an excuse for stymying the process.

Last Friday’s vote was just business as usual. We’re disappointed.

Deborah Berto

Publisher

Kathleen R. Merrill

Managing editor

Michele Mihalovich

Editor

Nathan Laursen Advertising manager Sebastian Moraga

Published by

ISSAQUAH PRESS, INC. P.O. Box 1328 Issaquah, WA 98027 Phone: 392-6434 Fax: 392-1695

Ari Cetron Michelle Comeau

Reporter Page designer Advertising rep.

MAIL SUBSCRIPTION

$30 per year Call 392-6434

Federal President Barack Obama (D), The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-1414; president@whitehouse.gov U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D), 511 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-3441; http://cantwell.senate.gov/; 915 Second Ave., Suite 512, Seattle, WA 98174; 206220-6400 U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D), 173 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; 202224-2621; http://murray.senate.gov/; Jackson Federal Building, Room 2988, 915 Second Ave., Seattle, WA 98174; 206-553-5545 U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-8th District), 1730 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; 202-225-7761; 22605 SE 56th St., Ste. 130, Issaquah, WA 98029; 425-677-7414; www. house.gov/reichert State — Governor Gov. Jay Inslee (D), Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 40002, Olympia, WA 98504-0002; 360902-4111; www.governor.wa.gov State — 5th District Sen. Mark Mullet (D), 415 Legislative Building,

P.O. Box 40405, Olympia, WA 98504-0405, 360786-7608; 800-562-6000; mark.mullet@leg.wa.gov Rep. Chad Magendanz (R), 417 JLOB, P.O. Box 40600, Olympia WA 98504-0600; 360-786-7876; 222-7092; chad.magendanz@leg.wa.gov Rep. Jay Rodne (R), 441 JLOB, P.O. Box 40600, Olympia, WA 98504-0600; 360-786-7852; rodne. jay@leg.wa.gov Toll-free Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000.

County King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Chinook Building 401 Fifth Ave., Suite 800, Seattle, WA 98104; 206-296-4040; or kcexec@ kingcounty.gov King County Councilwoman Kathy Lambert, District 3. King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave., Room 1200, Seattle, WA 98104; 206-2961003; 800-325-6165; kathy.lambert@kingcounty. gov Snoqualmie Valley School Board President Dan Popp, District 5, danpopp@ microsoft.com Vice President Scott Hodgins, District 1, gscott. hodgins@comcast.net Carolyn Simpson, District 3, simpsoncgs@ yahoo.com Marci Busby, District 4, mbusby2831@aol.com Geoff Doy, District 2, geoffrey.w.doy@comcast.net Write to the School Board at Snoqualmie Valley School Board, P.O. Box 400, Snoqualmie, WA 98065. Call 831-8000.

Home Country

Winter has its own sort of conversation

By Slim Randles If you didn’t know what time of the year it was, or what the weather was like, you could tell simply by eavesdropping at the philosophy counter of the Mule Barn coffee shop. Let’s give it a try.

“Good to see you here, Doc,” said Herb Collins. “That warm water on the battery trick work for you?”

“Thanks, Herb. Yep. I tried it this morning. What’s that you got there?”

“Travel thingie. You know it’s more than 80 degrees in Guatemala … right now?”

“Saw a deal on TV,” Dud said.

“They’re water skiing in Florida.

You can go fishing down there all year round.”

“You going to Guatemala, Herb?” said Doc. “Maybe. Been thinking about it. I don’t know much Spanish, though.”

“All you need to know,” said Dud, “is ‘Hace mucho calor,’ Herb.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Sure is hot!”

“I was just thinking yesterday,” said Doc, “of the unsung beauty of sweat. You know, we take sweat for granted in summer. Heck, we even dislike it

and go swimming to wash it off.”

“That’s a fact,” Dud said.

“But I think it would be kinda fun to sweat right now. You Slim Randles know, just sit Columnist in a hot sun and bask like an old lizard and sip iced tea…” “… and wear dark glasses,” said Herb. “ … and watch girls in bikinis,” said Dud.

They looked at him.

“Around here?”

“Well, no. I mean, Guatemala or Florida, you know.”

“Yeah,” said Herb.

“Guatemala.”

About that time Loretta came up. “You boys want your coffees topped off, or should I just turn the hose on you?”

They shoved their cups forward and grinned.

“Sale on snow shovels down at the hardware store,” said Doc. “Heard that,” said Dud. Brought to you by Slim’s award-winning book “A Cowboy’s Guide to Growing Up Right.”

Learn more at http://www.nmsantos.com/ Slim/Slim.html.

Write to us Snovalley Star welcomes letters to the editor about any subject, although we reserve the right to edit for space, length, potential libel, clarity or political relevance. Letters addressing local news will receive priority. Please limit letters to 350 words or less and type them, if possible. Email is preferred. Letters must be signed and have a daytime phone number to verify authorship. Send them by Friday of each week to:

snovalley star

P.O. Box 1328 q Issaquah, WA 98027 Fax: 391-1541 q Email: editor@snovalleystar.com

SnoValley Star

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

County seeks proposals for youth sports facilities

Hospital humor

By Michele Mihalovich

Someone at the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital has a pretty good sense of humor. Sitting inside the hospital lobby is a baby grand piano with a songbook opened to the little ditty “Heaven Can Wait.”

Salish Lodge earns AAA Four Diamond Award AAA recognized Snoqualmie’s Salish Lodge and Spa and its dining room with a Four Diamond Rating.

This is the 23th consecutive year the Salish Lodge and Spa has been included on the list, and the 22nd year the dining room made the list, according to a AAA press release.

“To achieve and maintain a high

Police blotter North Bend

Bartering boy A Sure Shot employee called police at 1:40 a.m. Jan. 18 to report that a juvenile boy was hanging outside the bar and trying to trade a bottle of wine for a pack of cigarettes. Police didn’t find the 16-year-old boy immediately, but received another report from QFC that a young male had tried to steal lighters. Police found the boy at North Bend Elementary School with a suspected stolen bike and released him to his parents.

Burglary A woman who had stored her belongings in a North Bend storage unit for the past three years reported to police Jan. 24 that items have been going missing over the years. She said it appears someone is getting into

PAGE 5

Local youth sports organizations can apply for King County grants to build or upgrade recreation facilities.

The county Youth Sports Facilities Grants Program provides matching grant funds from $5,000 to $75,000.

Overall, officials awarded $12 million through the program in the past 20 years.

The fund administrator, the county Parks and Recreation Division, is accepting applications from qualified groups. The applicants must partner with a public agency, such as a school district or city parks department, to develop or renovate sports facilities.

“Youth sports facility grants are a good deal for taxpayers and a great deal for the youth of King County,” King County Councilman Larry Phillips said in a statement. “They draw matching investments from communities for recreation and play areas, create livable neighborhoods, and give kids opportunities to be active.”

Funding for the program is generated through one-quarter of 1 percent of car rental taxes. The program also receives $25,000 annually from the Youth Sports Facilities Grants endowment established after the county sold a government-owned building.

Submit applicants for King County Youth Sports Facilities Grants Program through June 21. The deadline for letters of intent is May 3.

Find the application packet at www.kingcounty. gov/parks and click the YSFG link. Contact Program Manager Butch Lovelace at 206-2636267 or butch.lovelace@kingcounty.gov to learn more.

level of hospitality in today’s competitive marketplace is a significant achievement,” Jennifer Cook, senior manager of corporate communications, AAA Washington, said in the release. “We are proud to recognize top industry leaders and celebrate their long-standing commitment to provide quality service and a memorable experience for guests.”

AAA inspectors conduct on-site

the unit from the rafters. Police did find a footprint on a box in the back of the unit. The list of items stolen includes a Buddha figure, cameras, china, crystal collection, necklaces and a mink coat.

Drunken driving Witnesses reported at 10:05 p.m. Jan. 18 seeing a white Jeep slide on ice and then roll over on Southeast North Bend Way. Robert Christophe Navarro, 48, of North Bend, was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Disturbance Police responded to a disturbance call at 9:16 p.m. Jan. 19 involving a suicidal subject and intoxicated juvenile females in the 100 block of West Fourth Street.

Dumpster diving A Les Schwab employee phoned police at 9:15 p.m. Jan.

evaluations to identify emerging trends in the hospitality industry and observe the use of increasingly personalized approaches to enhance guest comfort and satisfaction.

Lodgings and restaurants can earn one to five AAA Diamonds.

A detailed list, including photos, of AAA Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants can be found on AAA. com/diamonds.

23 to report finding power tools in a trash bin.

Please arrest me Police noticed a 25-year-old man charging his cellphone outside at Scott’s Dairy Freeze, which is owned by Mayor Ken Hearing.

The man asked to be arrested for loitering. Police did find he had a misdemeanor warrant for a DNR rule violation, so arrested him. He was also banned from the Dairy Freeze.

Snoqualmie Where is North Bend again?

Police received a call at 9:09 p.m. Jan. 31 from a witness who reported watching a silver Toyota pickup swerving all over Railroad Avenue Southeast.

Police stopped the vehicle on Mill Pond Road. The driver, whom police did not identify,

Sidewalk From Page 2 Frank Page, the city’s public works director signed off on the work permit.

Anderson said he outlined exactly what contractors were going to do to improve the very bumpy crossing: remove old asphalt, insert concrete panels that would be set under the rails for support and lay new asphalt to smooth everything out.

Nowhere in the paperwork did he say he would “fix” the sidewalks on the corners of the crossing.

But on Jan. 18, just days before construction was set to begin, Page, who’d signed off on the project Dec. 5, 2012, told Anderson that the museum would have to replace two of the four sidewalks to make them Americans with Disabilities Act compliant. The sidewalks weren’t disturbed in any way during the upgrade, which began Jan. 21.

Page told the City Council at its annual retreat on Jan. 25 that he accepts full responsibility for signing off on the project without spelling out what should be done about the sidewalks, but he told the council that the work permit clearly states that the applicant will comply with all city ordinances.

Anderson said railroads don’t have to follow city codes, only the state’s authority that oversees railroads.

And those laws state that the railroad is responsible for maintaining crossings only 12 inches past the rail, said Anderson, and that’s still not touching the sidewalk’s edge.

City administrator Londi Lindell told the city officials and staff gathered at the retreat that she understood Page’s principles for wanting to hold the museum to its implied obligation, but in reality, she said, trying to get money from the museum, a nonprofit with no money, would be very difficult.

But, she said, the city attorney did say the sidewalks must be ADA compliant. Anderson and Page figure it will cost $11,000-$12,000 to upgrade the sidewalks.

Lindell said she would look at different funding scenarios to figure out how the sidewalks should be paid for, and how much if any, should the museum’s share be.

said he’d had a beer and two shots of whiskey in Algona and was trying to find North Bend.

Police found a half bottle of Fireball whiskey in the back seat of the man’s vehicle. After failing field sobriety tests, the man was arrested for driving while intoxicated and taken to the Issaquah Jail.

North Bend fire calls Fifteen fire engines responded to a house fire at 9:13 p.m. Jan. 25 in the 13000 block of 432nd Avenue Southeast.

Three fire engines responded to a chimney fire at 4:54 p.m.

Jan. 29 in the 43000 block of Southeast 76th Street.

One fire engine responded to a vehicle accident with injuries in 5:36 p.m. Jan. 29 on Meadowbrook Way Southeast.

Snoqualmie fire calls Firefighters assisted Eastside Fire & Rescue crews Jan. 25 with

a structure fire in North Bend.

Firefighters responded Jan. 25 to a report of a semi-trailer fire on Highway 18 at the summit. They arrived to find a smoldering brake fire. The brakes were cooled down, and the vehicle was left in the care of Washington State Patrol for towing.

Firefighters were dispatched Jan. 28 to the YMCA for a fire alarm. After investigation, it was determined the alarm was set off by workers.

Firefighters responded Jan. 28 to a fire alarm sounding at the Falls Condo complex. Upon investigation, no fire was found, but a loud noise was coming from a homeowner’s bass speaker. Firefighters unplugged the speaker, and advised the homeowner to seek a technician to track down the cause.

The Star publishes names of those arrested for DUI and those charged with felony crimes.

Information comes directly from local police reports.

PAGE 6

community

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Randy Hansen is keeping the Jimi Hendrix legend alive

By Sebastian Moraga Chasing a ghost? Hardly.

Randy Hansen has spent the past 40 years praising one, one guitar string at a time.

The Seattle-area guitarist has made a career out of his devotion to Jimi Hendrix, performing as a tribute act to the Seattleborn rock legend, who died in 1970, four years before Hansen began playing his songs.

“To this day, there are a lot of things that make me go, ‘How did he do that?’” he said in a phone interview. “When you start examining it, you realize what a genius he was.”

Hansen will bring his show to the fifth annual Finapalooza, as the headliner of the second of three days of rock bands, at 11:45 p.m. Feb. 8.

To Hansen, Hendrix’s genius remaining alive for decades after his death proves his status as a trailblazer.

“I had been playing guitar, and everything I listened to, I thought it was great, but I never thought music was going to go much further,” he said. “He changed the whole ballgame.

You could spend the whole time figuring out how he did what he did.”

He began playing Hendrix in 1967. He belonged to several bands, but none of his bandmates could play anything of

If you go

Randy Hansen 11:45 p.m. Feb. 8 Finaghty’s Irish Pub 7726 Center Blvd. S.E. Suite 110 Snoqualmie www.finaghtys.com

Contributed

Randy Hansen, who has made a career out of paying tribute to Jimi Hendrix, will perform this week at Finaghty’s Irish Pub. For almost four decades, he has played the rock icon’s music on stages across America and Europe.

Hendrix’s beyond “Purple Haze,” he recalled.

“It was hard,” he said of playing Hendrix’s music. “People were afraid of it. It was like if today we tried to form a band that only plays Yes tunes.

Anyone who breaks ground is

going to scare the hell out of everyone at first.”

His Hendrix show has changed over the years. He used to play Hendrix songs note for note.

Now, he said, he embraces his idol’s ability to improvise, in

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital adopts use of electronic health records As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in health care, the national movement toward electronic health record systems is leading to many improvements in the quality of patient care.

Dr. Kim Witkop, vice president of Medical Affairs for the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District, was instrumental in promoting physician adoption of electronic health records at the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital and its clinics.

“We introduced electronic health records in our hospital and clinics in 2006 as a way of bringing in the best practices,” Witkop said. Such records “allow a collaborative care effort in that patient records can be shared, not only within our organization, but across other organizations and with our patients as well.”

Electronic health records contain all of a patient’s health

information, including age, weight, medical history, medication and allergies, immunizations, laboratory test results, radiology images and billing information in digital format.

The records are complete, accurate, up-to-date and remotely accessible to providers.

Digital records make it possible to improve the quality of patient care in numerous ways.

They require less time to update than paper records, allowing providers to spend more time with patients. Patient allergies are prominently displayed, and reminders can be activated when certain tests or procedures are due.

Electronic records are also more secure than paper records.

Plus, transcription errors and handwriting issues are eliminated with digital records.

“Anytime you remove the potential for human error from the process, you increase patient

safety,” Witkop said. “This is due to interfaces with laboratory instruments, imaging equipment, medication dispensing units and other similar devices.”

Perhaps the most significant impact of electronic records is improved quality and safety of medicine administration.

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital uses a barcode medicine system to match patients to their correct medication, reducing the potential for medicine errors.

Future capabilities of the records include a Web-based patient portal that will enable patients to schedule appointments, ask questions of their physicians, view test results and order prescription refills.

“These capabilities will allow patients to become more involved in their personal health care,” Witkop said. “It’s exciting to be part of a system that delivers such high quality patient care.”

songs and during shows.

“I try to go by what I feel the audience will like to hear next,” he said.

A seasoned performer, Hansen has shared the stage with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Miller, Heart, The Kinks and Hendrix

drummer Mitch Mitchell. He has done some un-Hendrix stuff, but crowds like the tributes.

“The reason I dedicated myself to Jimi is, I saw nobody else doing that,” he said. “I was like, ‘Well, I seem to be OK at doing it and people say I remind them of Jimi, and saying that I should never stop doing it.’”

So far, it’s working, 38 years and counting.

“I don’t think people grasped what Jimi was about,” he said.

“His trying to change the world and make it nicer. The common man sees him as a psychedelic guitar player who did a lot of drugs. That’s so false about him.

My aim doing this is that hopefully people will get on YouTube and do some exploring and find things about his life, and realize that this guy was like a prophet.”

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

YMCA starts annual youth campaign as one-year mark approaches for Valley The Snoqualmie Valley YMCA launched the 2013 Partners With Youth Campaign to provide area children and families broader access to programs.

Donors make contributions to the YMCA, which in turn uses the money to bring free and subsidized services to the community. This year, the YMCA’s goal is to raise $47,000, according to a YMCA of Snoqualmie Valley press release.

“The generosity of PWY donors helps us bridge the gap to better health, well-being and educational opportunities for struggling families throughout the Snoqualmie Valley,” the release stated. “By nurturing the potential of youth, promoting healthy living and fostering social responsibility, the Y works to ensure that everyone has the opportunity

How to help

Call the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA at 256-3115 to learn how to make a donation to the Partners With Youth Campaign, or go to www.seattleymca.org.

Click on “Donate.”

to achieve their potential.”

The Partners With Youth Campaign chairman is Father Stephen Sundborg, president of Seattle University. The campaign “brings out the best in our community so we can bring out the best in others,” he said in the release.

Last year, the first for the YMCA in the Snoqualmie Valley, Partners With Youth Campaign donations financed programs such as summer camps, after-school education See YMCA, Page 7

SnoValley Star

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Obituary Dale Levi Penry Dale Levi Penry, a 30-year resident of North Bend, died Jan. 26, 2013.

Dale was born August 28, 1942 in Red Oak, Iowa, to Fred and Mary Penry. He married Helen Smalley on Sept. 21, 1970, in Snoqualmie. Dale had a variety of jobs throughout his career — he was creative and could come up with a solution to fix any problem.

Dale enjoyed yard work, woodworking, and he used to raise and show Morgan horses. He loved spending time with his

YMCA From Page 6 and family-based events.

“At the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, we believe that lasting personal and social change can only come about when we all work together to invest in our kids, our health and our neighbors,” Dave Mayer, the facility’s executive director, said.

The last day for the fundraiser is March 15, said Mayer, who added he sees the fundraiser as a good chance to tell people about the YMCA. “We wish that we could have educated the community more in Year One about the scholarship opportunities that we have to be able to send kids to camp,

grandchildren and family. Dale was a member of the Eagles and Moose Clubs.

Dale is survived by his wife Helen Penry; their children Jason Penry, of North Bend, and Rea Jeana Ross, of Snoqualmie; grandDale Levi Penry children Jordan and Byron Penry, Ashley Fisher and Sarah Ross.

At his request, no services will be held.

Friends are invited to share memories, view photos and sign the guestbook at www.flintofts.com.

before and after-school care programs and membership,” he wrote in an email.

“We look forward to telling our YMCA story more during our 2013 Partners With Youth Campaign.

The event is the first major fundraiser of the second year of the facility. The Snoqualmie Valley YMCA turned a year old on New Year’s Day. “The first year was great,” Mayer said.

“When we first started, we set out to be the community hub of the Valley, and we were a great site for after-school care, for teens and for families wanting to lead healthy lives. We really made an impact in the first year.”

The YMCA will continue to reach out to the rest of the Valley with more programming and partnerships, Mayer added.

Please recycle this newspaper

Every child should be treated the way we’d like our own children treated.

It’s our goal to implement the highest standard of care at every patient encounter whether it’s a child’s first visit, a teenager who’s headed off to college, or a special-needs adult we’ve been treating for decades.

2 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU Now preferred provider for Premera

WE ARE ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS!

PAGE 7

Sports

PAGE 8

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Basketball gets No. 2 seed in KingCo tournament Wildcat junior Jack Nelson held a major role in the Juanita win, tossing Mount Si High School’s 67-60 in 17 points, with three being sunk overtime win against Juanita Jan. 31 from outside the red line. ensured the Wildcats a spot in the Mount Si’s Trent Riley scored 19 KingCo conference tournament, but it points that night. He walked up to was their record against Bellevue that Nelson after the game, patted him on made them the No. 2 seed. the back and said, “You were the hero Bellevue and Mount Si had 11-3 tonight.” conference records, Nelson, whose big“What a great win for but since Mount gest scoring night in the Si beat Bellevue in our team and the school.” season was 18 against two regular season Interlake, said of Riley’s games, that put — Steve Helm accolades, “Trent has the Wildcats in Coach always been my idol, so the No. 2 spot and it’s great hearing that forced Bellevue come from him.” into a loser-out game Feb. 2, Wildcat “What an exciting game,” Helm coach Steve Helm said. said. “We really shot well tonight, Bellevue beat Interlake, 87-49, Feb. especially with free throws in overtime 2, and will faceoff against Mount Si when we hit seven of eight. Juanita at 3 p.m. Feb. 5 at Bellevue College, played very hard tonight, and we while Liberty and Mercer Island play only beat them by four the last time later that same day. we met. But, what a great win for our How those two games play out will team and the school.” determine who plays in the championship bout Feb. 7, and how all four Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@ teams will advance in the regional snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com. playoffs.

By Michele Mihalovich

Calder Productions

Wildcat junior Jack Nelson scored 17 points in their 67-60 win against Juanita Jan. 31.

SMS hoops team finishes second unbeaten season in a row

By Sebastian Moraga They are unique; they’re united; they are unbeaten.

Eight eighth-graders from Snoqualmie Middle School — Emma Smith, Hayden Frederick, Kallin Spiller, Mady Privatsky, Chaija Olssom, Scout Turner, Kelli Keene and Jill Chellis — finished their season with an 8-0 mark this winter. It was the second consecutive year the team won all of its games.

“The key is they have been playing together for years,” coach Brad Hillard said. “That really helps your cohesion and your flow. You can beat teams that have individual stars if you play as a team.”

Privatsky agreed.

“We are all really good, but that really doesn’t matter if you can’t play as a team,” she said.

Hillard has been coaching for almost 20 years, and said this group is the best he has ever had.

“They all shoot, they all can play defense, they can all dribble,” he said.

They all love the sport, too.

“It’s fun,” said Scout Turner, whose dad is also a basketball coach. “It’s fast, not like softball.”

“If you have a bad day, you bring that bad day to the court,” Privatsky said, “and you take out

By Sebastian Moraga

The Snoqualmie Middle School’s eighth-grade basketball team finished a second unbeaten season, with an 8-0 record. From left, Kelli Keene, Chaija Olssom, Scout Turner, Jill Chellis, Mady Privatsky, Emma Smith, Hayden Frederick and Kallin Spiller. all your anger on that ball.”

The team’s stinging defense sets up its fast offense. With no drama to speak of and no player

seeking to score all its points, the team spreads its offense all game long.

“They have no problem pass-

ing to the open man, the open girl,” Hillard said.

Even when playing against the boys, they held their own,

winning half their games against the eighth-grade boys at SMS. They won the first two, and the boys won the next two after the summer.

“We won a couple, but then they all grew like a foot over the summer,” Privatsky said.

Frederick agreed, adding that the boys didn’t take the matches seriously at first, but it all changed after the girls beat them.

“The last game, they came in with a different attitude,” Hillard said. “They were afraid of getting beat.”

The team won all of its season games by at least 20 points, a strong end to their middle school careers. They will all be ninth-graders next year, so it’s unclear whether the team will remain glued in high school.

They will likely keep playing together in their select team.

“We don’t want to split up in high school,” Privatsky said.

Regardless of what happens, they will always have the memory of their two unbeaten seasons.

“The team was so strong, one through eight,” Hillard said, “that I could pick five names out of a hat and start them.”

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

SnoValley Star

PAGE 9

North Bend’s Perkins among world’s top hydroplane racers

By Sebastian Moraga For Brian Perkins, success is all a matter of degrees.

Or rather, Degree.

The deodorant company sponsored a hydroplane racing team this season but pulled out its sponsorship before the world championships in Qatar in January.

The team, which sported the number 88 on its hydroplane tail, could not make it to Doha, nation’s capital and site of the race. So the Snoqualmie Casino team of North Bend racer Brian Perkins got to make the trip instead.

He finished fourth out of 10 racers in the equivalent of the World Championships of the International Union of Motor-Nautics.

The team raced under the sponsorship of Snoqualmie Casino, but with the Degree team’s number.

“We were just honoring the 88 team by carrying their number on the boat,” said Perkins whose team number is 21.

As a team, the 21 squad did not acquire enough points during the season to go to Qatar, and Perkins had planned to stay home. Instead, Perkins, his team and his girlfriend Erin found themselves traveling to the Persian Gulf.

“From the time I left my house to the hotel in Qatar it was about 30 hours,” he said. He left at 10 a.m. and arrived at 6 p.m. the next day.

Work in Qatar started at 4 a.m., setting up the boat. The first day kept them busy testing the boat in the saltwater of the Persian Gulf.

“Our main goal was to protect equipment,” Perkins said. “Saltwater is very difficult to run in.

It corrodes every metal unless it is stainless. The boat takes a beating in the

saltwater.”

The team took an engine built especially for the saltwater, with aluminum parts instead of magnesium.

Magnesium corrodes really fast in saltwater, almost turning to dust, he said.

Aluminum still corrodes, but not as quickly, Perkins added.

Perkins made it through the races without having to change engines.

“We knew it was going to improve our performance, but we didn’t know how much,” he said.

“The boat ran

By Chris Denslow really well.”

Hydroplane racer Brian Perkins celebrates his good performance at Perkins and the World Championships in Qatar in January. his eight-person working crew Proof of that is the fact Still, Perkins said, finished fifth in the first that next month, Perkins most of the time it feels heat, won the second, and is heading back over. The like just another race. finished third in the third first race of the 2013 seaHanging among racers and heat. son is in the oil-wealthy mechanics and friends, Going into the final nation, where the sport nothing feels different. heat, Perkins stood fifth has a sizable fan base.

“You don’t feel like on points, he climbed one “Qatar is very much you’re halfway around the spot in the final race. like the western United world,” he said. “It feels Perkins praised his crew States,” he said. “Their like you’re just down the chief for the result. religion there is Muslim, road.”

“Our crew chief ,Jim but they are not extremErin Stafford, Perkins’ Harvey, he’s brought a lot ists, it’s a lot like here, girlfriend agreed. to the table,” he said. “We with Christians, and “It reminded me of continue to improve with Jewish people and home a little bit,” said his knowledge and experi- Muslims, except that the Stafford, a native of San ence.” majority is Muslim.”

Diego who grew up watchIt was Perkins’ fourth trip to Qatar. The race was sanctioned through the Qatari Marine Sports Federation, which has high hopes for its sport and its home country.

“Their duty is to make Qatar the capital of the world of marine motorsports,” Perkins said. “The king himself is a racer.

They’ll race anything that goes in the water.”

ing races on her hometown’s Mission Bay. “The atmosphere was similar to racing on Mission Bay. People over there were super, super friendly, and it was really cool to watch the little kids going to the pits and meeting the drivers.”

Down the road from the Qatari saltwater stands the Souq Waqif, a standing market and tourist attraction Perkins said was reminiscent of Pike Place Market.

“It’s one of the things we enjoyed,” he said. “All traditional food, traditional knickknacks, traditional culture. It really gives you the flavor of Qatar.”

Down the road from his North Bend home is Lake Sammamish, home of Tastin’ and Racin’ a staple of Eastside summers for 16 years that will not occur in 2013.

“It’s just a bummer,” said Perkins, who competed in Tastin’ and Racin’ for 12 years. “It’s a real bad deal for our sport, but it is what it is.”

Girls’ season ends in a loserout game against Liberty

The Mount Si High School girls basketball had three games this past week, but only one was going to determine its future in the playoffs.

The Wildcats posted a 55-44 win Jan. 29 against Interlake, and then turned around Jan. 31 and lost 53-39 in its bout against Juanita. The team’s overall record stood at 7-12, with a 4-10 conference record, putting them in the sixth KingCo 3A conference spot.

Coach Megan Botulinski said the playoff picture wasn’t completely dead, because the team would play a loser-out game Feb. 2. Unfortunately, the girls lost the bid in a 52-42 loss against Liberty, so it is not advancing to the KingCo conference tournament.

Local news ...

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext.

221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com.

Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

SnoValley Star

Looking for a Dentist?

Choose the best!

Voted Your Favorite Dentists Best of Issaquah 2007 - 2012!

BARRY FEDER, DDS, PS MARK GERMACK, DDS Extended Hours 425.392.7541 450 NW Gilman Blvd.

Medical Center of Issaquah www.doctorfeder.com S TATE

OF THE

A RT C OSMETIC D ENTISTRY • T EETH W HITENING • I NVISALIGN

schools

PAGE 10

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

If you want to play, move

By Sebastian Moraga Final exams are no game. Except in this class.

Students at Mount Si High School’s “Introduction to Computer Science” had to create a game concept using what they had learned in class.

Instead of joysticks, gamepads or keyboards, the game had to use a Kinect sensor as a means of control, which led to a surreal scene at the Wildcat Court Feb. 31.

Students contorted themselves and waved arms and legs to catch the attention of the sensor and make their games work. Which worked fine, until someone — a fellow student, a teacher, a camera-toting visitor — walked behind the students.

Game or not, this was serious business, and the scowls on the students faces said so.

Some worked solo; some worked in groups. They all did their share of waving at the gizmo in front of them.

Students had two weeks to creates game, using sounds, graphics and the sensors.

Over three days, the students showed off and tried out, their work.

They also filled out ballots for their favorite.

Nicholas Townsend, a freshman, created a game called “Mortal Kombatz.”

It received the most votes.

The upcoming STEMFest, featuring the district’s efforts in the teaching of science, technology, engineering and math, will also serve as a

Contributed

Donavan and Angel See along with their piano instructor Bob Pajer. The siblings have completed levels 7 and 6 respectively of a nationally-recognized piano program.

Piano playing siblings make great sound on the ivories

By Sebastian Moraga

By Sebastian Moraga.

Joseph Havas, a student at Mount Si High School’s computer science program works on the game he helped develop as a final exam for his class. Havas and his classmates used Kinect sensors to control games each of them had created. showcase to some of the and Literacy in Schools — games. program.

The Kinect sensors “It’s a grass-roots, came via a donation from employee-driven program the Snoqualmie Valley that provides course curSchools Foundation. riculum and helps place Microsoft offered volhigh-tech professionals unteer teachers Charles passionate about technolParker and Juan Pablo ogy literacy, and brings Jofre, who co-taught the computer science educaclass with MSHS teacher tion into STEM classes,” Kyle Warren. the website stated.

Parker and Jofre vol“I personally care unteered as part of the deeply about this,” Parker Redmond giant’s TEALS See KINECT, Page 11 — Technology Education

See siblings play. See siblings play really well.

Thirteen-year-old Donavan See and 12-yearold Angel See have earned high honors in the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Music Achievement program.

Donavan passed with high honors level 7 and Angel passed with high honors level 6.

“This exam is standardized throughout the country,” piano instructor Bob Pajer wrote in an email.

“A student who takes it here meets the exact same standards in piano performance and music theory as any city in the country.

To achieve the levels these two students achieved is remarkable.”

The siblings have been playing the piano for about eight years, encouraged by their mother Delina.

“I did learn piano when I was young, but I didn’t get very far,” Delina said.

Shop & Save Quality pre-owned

“Thank you Kirby Nelson Orthodontics! I love my new smile!!!”

- Devon Player Devon Player

Call for Your Free Consultation Voted Top Orthodontist 2011, 2012, 2013

fashions NOW TAKING CONSIGNMENTS

• Accessories • Jewelry • Home Decor

www.kirbynelsonorthodontics.com North Bend Office 425-888-1896

Maple Valley Office 425-413-2121

Snoqualmie Ridge Office 425-831-0386

226 E North Bend Way North Bend • 425.888.0032

“I always wanted to learn the piano, and I never got to do it, so I started them both and got them to do it.”

Donavan plays piano.

Angel plays piano and clarinet.

Angel admires her brother’s diligence.

Donavan likes his sister’s gift to be a quick study.

The level 6 exam was Angel’s first.

“I was so freaked out, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t even get the honors part,” she said. “I thought I would just pass and that’s it.”

When she heard the news she had passed with honors, she thought the judges had made a mistake.

Big brother Donavan was nervous, too, but then felt better when he began playing and knew that his old friend the piano was being friendly again.

“Piano is just fun, a great pastime and it makes me feel very accomplished about myself,” he said.

“Piano is a big part of my life. Without it, most of the music in me would not be there.”

Angel feels just as strongly, with one difference: Her instrument is the clarinet.

“I like to know that I can play something other than piano,” she said.

Both played mostly classical pieces during their tests, with Donavan playing some jazz as well.

All pieces had to be played from memory.

In five years, Donavan said he hoped to hit the top level of the program, which is 10. He does not see piano as a future career, but as a hobby.

Angel has different dreams.

“I want to be in one of those really big concerts where a lot of people want to attend,” she said, “just to see me.”

Concert pianist or amateur musician, Delina said she’s very proud of her See PIANO, Page 11

SnoValley Star

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Pint-sized tutors making a difference at Cascade View

By Sebastian Moraga Twice a week, the teachers shrink at Cascade View Elementary.

Oh, the regular educators retain their size, their paychecks and their drivers’ licenses. But they receive help from below.

Fourth and fifth graders tutor second graders before school or during recess two days a week on basic reading skills. Then, another group of students work as peer mediators on the playground.

A crew of students works “being additional eyes, or helping children learn games and generally being out there to help the younger kids on the playground,” said school counselor Sandra Smelser. The peer mediators are there with the kindergartners before school every day, she added.

On top of that, a reading-buddy program pairs up older and younger students inside classrooms to work on reading some more.

The result is a group of fourth and fifth graders who look to enter middle school armed with strong leadership skills, Smelser said.

“We try to give as many kids who would like to do it the chance,” she said.

“They go through a training program and they have to prove reliable.”

Teachers – the grownup kind – keep track of the tutors’ attendance and punctuality.

“We teach them how to work with the younger

Kinect From Page 10 stated in the website, “and enjoy volunteering, so this has been a great way to give back.”

STEMFest is at 6 p.m.

Feb. 11 at Mount Si High School.

People wanting to volunteer in the TEALS program for next year may contact Warren at warren@svsd410.org, or Principal John Belcher at belcherj@svsd410.org, or 831-8102.

kids, how to provide encouragement and skills,” she said. The skills include perseverance, word recognition, vocabulary, and phonics.

Older students and younger students alike relish the chance to work together, Smelser said.

“They love it,” she said. “The younger children look up to the kids who work with them.

One of the things we teach is to make sure it’s pleasant so the younger kids are eager for their tutoring day. It’s a nice combination of hard work and fun.”

This is the seventh year of the program.

With relationships building between younger and older students all across

the school, a climate of respect grows within the walls of Cascade View.

“A culture that represents caring for everyone in our school, regardless of age,” she said.

Ray Wilson, principal at CVES, said the program brings joy to the grownup teachers, too.

“It is a genuine joy to witness the sincere interest and ownership that the fifth graders take in the accomplishments of their little buddies,” he wrote in an email. “What a great opportunity this is for our students to not only improve skills, but role model and build lasting relationships with younger students that they will remember for year to come.”

Piano From Page 10 children. That’s only one of the feelings coursing through her when she sees them tickling the ivories.

“I also feel nervous at the same time,” she said.

“I worry that they make a mistake in front of an audience. When they play at home, I don’t pay much attention, because I’m usually doing my housework.”

The Sees have one piano, so the two children take turns.

There’s hardly any competition, Delina said.

Instead, they play together doing duets and having fun, she said.

“I don’t expect them to make a career out of it,” Delina added. “But it’s something they can use when they want to take a break from the job or give them inspiration when they need it.”

PAGE 11

home services Perkins Roofing Complete Re-roofs, Tear-offs and Repairs Commercial & Residential

360-348-3453 PERKIR*89107

calendar

PAGE 12

Music/ entertainment q The Black Dog presents Neil Simon’s “California Suite” at 8 p.m. Feb. 14-March 2.

Dinner is available every night from 6-7:45 p.m.

Cost is $15. 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie. Get tickets via www.brownpapertickets.com or call 831DOGS (3647). q Finaghty’s Irish Pub presents Finapalooza V, with 10 Northwest bands over three days. 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Feb. 7-9, 7726 Center Blvd. S.E., Suite 110, 888-8833, $5 tickets for Thursday, $12 for Friday and $18 for Saturday and $25 for a three-day pass q Pete Petersen Trio with Donny Osborn, 7 p.m. Feb. 8, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 2929307

q Comedy Night fundraiser for Mount Si Senior Night 2013, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10, North Bend Theater, featuring comedians Andrew Rivers and Kermet Apio. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for high school seniors. For people 17 and older. q Valley Center Stage presents “Pinocchio: A Participation Play for Young Audiences,” by Kathryn Schultz Miller, 7 p.m. Feb. 8 and 15, 2 p.m. Feb. 9 and 16, a show for children 4 and older.

Tickets are $10 for adults, and $7.50 for children.

Purchase tickets at www. valleycenterstage.org.

Events q The Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District will present “Prevention Works: Youth Suicide Prevention

and Intervention,” with speaker Karyn Brownson, a King County trainer for the youth suicide prevention program. Open to the public, 1 p.m. Feb. 7, Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway. Lunch available for attendees. Register at www.snoqualmiehospital. org. q “For the Love of Snoqualmie” Week comes to downtown Snoqualmie Feb. 8-14 with a full slate of events, including Valentine’s Day dinners at The Woodman Lodge, The Black Dog and Gianfranco Ristorante. Also, from noon-6 p.m. Feb. 9, shops downtown will host a variety of activities including an Art Walk, children’s activities and specials at many stores. Contact the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce at info@snovalley.org or

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Fill the bowls

Contributed

Mount Si High School will host the second annual Empty Bowls meal and silent auction fundraiser to benefit the Mount Si Food Bank. A simple meal of soup and bread in bowls handcrafted by Valley students will be followed by the auction. The event runs from 4:30 -6:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at the school commons, 8651 Meadowbrook Way S.E., Snoqualmie. Purchase your $20 ticket online at www.mountsifoodbank. org.

888-6362. q Heart-Saver CPR Class, 6 p.m. Feb. 12, Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway. Class fee $10 per person. Contact Liz Luizzo at 888-1551 or at lluizzo@ ci.snoqualmie.wa.us. to register and pay beforehand.

North Bend Library Unless otherwise noted, all events occur at 115 E. Fourth St. North Bend, 888-0554. q Study Zone, 2 p.m.

Feb. 10. Drop in for free homework help in all

subjects from volunteer tutors. For teens. q Infant and Family Story Time, 11 a.m., Feb. 11, for newborns to 3-year-olds, with adults, siblings and older children welcome. Songs, rhythm instruments, action rhymes and a tiny tale for the very young. q Talk Time, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 11. Improve your speaking and listening skills in this English conversation group. Learn more about American culture and meet people from around the world. q Toddler Story Time, 10 a.m. Feb. 12, for children ages 2-3, with adults and younger children and siblings welcome. Share the world of books with your child and come for stories, songs and surprises. q Preschool Story Time, 10:45 a.m. Feb. 12, ages 3-6, with adults and siblings welcome. q SnoValley Writers Work Group, 6 p.m. Feb. 12, join local writers for writing exercises, critique and lessons on voice, plot and point of view. Email snovalleywrites@gmail. com for assignment prior to coming to class. Adults only please. q AARP Tax Prep assistance, 10 a.m. Feb. 13.

The AARP will have three

trained individuals preparing taxes every Wednesday through April 10. Free to everyone regardless of income or age.

Snoqualmie Library Unless otherwise noted, all events occur at 7824 Center Blvd. S.E., Snoqualmie, 888-1223. q Preschool Story Times, 1:30 p.m. Feb. 11, and 10:45 a.m. Feb. 13, ages 3-6 with adult. Share the world of books with your child and come for songs, stories and surprises. q Young Toddler Story Times, 10 a.m. p.m. Feb. 13, ages 6 months to 24 months with adults, younger children and siblings welcome. Enjoy bouncy rhymes, familiar songs and stories with your little one. q Anime and Manga Club, 3 p.m. Feb. 13.

Watch anime movies, eat popcorn and practice your manga drawing. All levels welcome. q Study Zone, 3 p.m.

Feb. 13. Drop in during scheduled hours for free homework help in all subjects from volunteer tutors.

Send us your calendar item by emailing us at smoraga@snovalleystar.com.

Everyone Needs a Little Help Now and Then...

Stress Patty Groves, M.A., L.M.H.C. Depression Issaquah Creek Counseling Center Life Transitions 545 Rainier Blvd. N., Issaquah Loss and Grief www.issaquahcreekcounseling.com Relationship Problems (425) 898-1700