Mount Si disappointed in 1-1 tie vs. Nathan Hale Page 6
Your locally owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington April 23, 2015
Relay for Life holds youth rally An All Valley Rally for youths interested in participating the Snoqualmie Valley Relay for Life will be from 7-9 p.m. April 24 at Cascade Covenant Church, 13225 436th Ave. S.E., North Bend. Youths of all ages are invited to share food, music and games, and learn about the upcoming American Cancer Society Relay scheduled for July 11 in North Bend. Learn more at www.snovalleyrelay.org or by emailing the organizing committee at Snoqualmie.relay@gmail.com.
PARADE OF
HONOR
Tow truck drivers pay tribute to one of their own By Sherry Grindeland
The tow-truck procession honoring the late Dennis Todd on April 18 turns onto North Bend Way near Truck Town off Interstate 90. By Sherry Grindeland There were big trucks, little trucks and new trucks. There were flatbed trucks, trucks designed to tow semi-trucks and even antique tow trucks. They paraded April 18 to honor one of their own — Dennis Todd, who owned and operated Todd’s Towing. He died March 16. They paraded from the truck
scales at Interstate 90 and state Route 18 to Snoqualmie Pass, turned around and drove westbound to I-90 exit 34 by Truck Town. The trucks drove west on North Bend Way, going by Todd’s Towing facility on the east end of town. More than 60 trucks joined the procession, many flying flags and all driving with flashing lights and
occasional horn honks as people waved and cheered. And people did wave and cheer. Dozens of groups of fans and friends set up lawn chairs, blankets and cameras along North Bend Way to watch. The truck procession ended in downtown Snoqualmie, where Todd’s memorial service was held at the SnoValley Eagles Club. Snoqualmie Police Chief Steve
McCulley said Todd was extremely dependable. When McCulley first began his police career as a Washington State Patrol officer, he worked the Snoqualmie Pass area. He said Todd was known for getting to crash sites even when heavy snowstorms impeded other traffic. “He will definitely be missed by Valley residents,” McCulley said.
Black Dog takes a second look at ‘The Laramie Project’ By Sam Kenyon
Contributed
Ryan St. Martin plays Aaron McKinney in ‘The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later.’
A decade after an iconic and horrible crime befalls a community, how does everyone move on? That is the question asked in the Theatre Black Dog’s latest production, “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later.” It is the second play about the infamous murder of Matthew Shepard written by the New York-based theater company, The Tectonic Theater Project. Shepard was beaten to death in 1998 for being gay; the crime received national attention. “The first play, ‘The Laramie Project,’ focused on the crime itself, Matthew’s murder,” direc-
tor Rich Wiltshire said. “This one is how time has affected the idea of the murder.” “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” opens at 8 p.m. April 24 at The Black Dog Arts Café in Snoqualmie. The show runs for six performances, each Friday and Saturday at the same time through May 9. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for seniors and students. A little more than one year ago, Theatre Black Dog performed the first “The Laramie Project.” Everyone involved with the first play returned to produce “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later.” “I was flabbergasted to hear that and really thrilled,”
said Hannah Duff, who plays Matthew Shepard’s mom, Judi Shepard, and several other characters. “I wouldn’t have expected everyone’s schedules to have lined up, but I think that really says a lot about how satisfying it is to work on a piece like this. “Everyone has really meaty roles that they can do some interesting work on and so it’s exciting to me.” The play features eight actors playing more than 50 characters in a series of short scenes. The dialogue is based on interviews conducted by the playwrights in the Wyoming town of Laramie, where Shepard lived and was killed. See PROJECT, Page 2
Tell us your story It has been one year on April 24 since the natural gas explosion in North Bend rocked the downtown area, destroyed a couple buildings and caused damage to nearby apartments and businesses. The good news, of course, was no one was injured. The bad news was the amount of damage sustained in the area and to local businesses. If the explosion affected you, please share your experiences with us. We will compile the best stories in an upcoming edition of the Star. Email us at editor@snovalleystar.com. Please include your contact information in case we have questions. Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER