Your locally-owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington
March 10, 2011 VOL. 3, NO. 10
Athletes rev up for spring sports Page 16
School bond measure fails after recount By Sebastian Moraga The King County Elections Canvassing Board upheld the result of the Feb. 8 bond vote, certifying a slim defeat for a proposed new middle school on Snoqualmie Ridge. The bond supporters gathered 59.99 percent of the vote, short of the 60 percent needed said Katie Gilliam, communications specialist for King County Elections.
Wicked accident North Bend truck ends up in ditch.
“We’re disappointed,” said Jim Reitz, of the pro-bond group Valley Voters for Education. “It couldn’t possibly be closer. I am sure there are hundreds of people kicking themselves for not getting their ballots in on time and I’m sure that next time they will be very anxious to correct that.” Reitz said the decision now belongs to the school board regarding whether there will be a next time.
The board will likely discuss a second bond vote for 2011 at its March 10 meeting, Reitz said, adding that he did not know if pro-bond supporters would push for a second recount instead. Disappointment aside, Reitz praised the way the recount and canvassing occurred. “I am extremely impressed by how professional and transparent they were,” he said of King County Elections. “It’s a shame
it did not go our way, but I have nothing but high praise for how King County Elections operates.” In a statement, the school district echoed Reitz. “Our heartfelt thanks go to all who volunteered their time and energy during this very close election,” the statement read. “We appreciate the strong majority of citizens in our comSee RECOUNT, Page 18
Page 3
City Council considers infrastructure needs at annual retreat
Homeowners beware Property taxes increase for most Valley residents. Page 3
Money secured Legislature saves flood control district funding. Page 7
Police blotter Page 8
By Dan Catchpole
Scene, not heard Big project is just the beginning for miniaturist. Page 12
Musical emotions Violinist tells children to feel their feelings. Page 14
Jumping for health A child takes heart in his dad’s memory. Page 14
By Dan Catchpole
Meg Graham, a wooden-boat builder, inspects a window frame on Chapel Car 5, Messenger of Peace, at the Northwest Railway Museum’s restoration building.
Chapel railcar’s final destination is restoration for Snoqualmie museum By Dan Catchpole
Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER
America has always been a nation on the move — Boeing and blue skies, Ford motors and freeways, the Model T, prairie schooners and Pullman sleeper cars. The locomotive carried America into the Industrial Age. The locomotive — riding ribbons of steel, carrying people, produce, products and pastors. Pastors?
ON THE WEB
> > www.snovalleystar.com See video of the car online
Alongside being on the move, religion is one of America’s great passions. The two combined in the 19th century on board chapel cars — rail cars designed and commissioned to carry the gospel into the country’s farflung communities. The
American Baptist Church and several other denominations fielded their own cars. In 1917, one of the Baptists’ cars — Chapel Car 5, Messenger of Peace — rolled into North Bend, where it spent a week, while the minister held services. Nearly a century later, the all-wood car is being painstakingly restored to its 1917 condiSee CHAPEL CAR, Page 6
Snoqualmie is approaching a critical stage in its history. In a few years, it will be a developed, rather than expanding city. The process has already begun. Much of Snoqualmie Ridge’s infrastructure is approaching its first maintenance cycle. Roads, sidewalks, gutters and more need to be inspected and patched when necessary. Those were some of the issues that dominated the City Council’s annual retreat, when it spent a day meeting with city employees to look at issues in depth. The retreat was held March 7 at the Salish Lodge & Spa, which donated a meeting room for the purpose. With one-time revenue from development declining, city officials considered the next phase of Snoqualmie’s history. “We still have some development to do,” Councilman Jeff MacNichols said. “We’re not at that point where we can hit cruise control.” A close look at infrastructure The main topic of discussion was paying for infrastructure maintenance. In recent years, the city has put about $12 milSee RETREAT, Page 9
PAGE 2
SnoValley Star
MARCH 10, 2011
Valley legislators to host town hall meeting in Snoqualmie State legislators for the 5th District are hosting a town hall meeting from 3-4 p.m. March 12 to meet with constituents in the training room of the Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway. Sen. Cheryl Pflug, and Reps. Jay Rodne and Glenn Anderson are holding meetings in Snoqualmie, Issaquah and Maple Valley. They will give attendees an update of the 2011 legislative session and answer questions. The state Legislature must close another looming budget shortfall this year, which could require a combination of program cuts, tax increases and higher fees. “Even though the Legislature is struggling with an almost $5 billion deficit, I have hope for this session,” said Pflug, R-Maple Valley, in a news release. “There is more bipartisan work searching for solutions, although it remains a challenge to get legislators to think outside of the historical box.” Legislators are likely to be wary of increasing taxes after November’s election, which saw gains for anti-tax candidates in Washington. Voters also rejected higher taxes in several ballot proposals. “So many important decisions will be made this legislative session and town hall meetings offer a great opportunity for an exchange of ideas and solutions,” Rodne, R-North Bend, said in a news release. No R.S.V.P. is necessary. However, if constituents have specific issues they need assistance with, they are asked to bring pertinent information to the meetings for a one-on-one conversation as time allows. Constituents who are unable to attend can contact the legislators with their questions or comments. Cheryl Pflug ❑ cheryl.pflug@leg.wa.gov ❑ 360-786-7608 Jay Rodne ❑ jay.rodne@leg.wa.gov ❑ 360-786-7852 Glenn Anderson ❑ glenn.anderson@leg.wa.gov ❑ 360-786-7876
SnoValley Star
MARCH 10, 2011
PAGE 3
Property taxes increase for most Snoqualmie Valley homeowners By Dan Catchpole
Where to get help
Snoqualmie Valley homeowners’ tax bills are likely higher this year due to levies passed in 2010. Property tax bills for the first half of 2011 were mailed out in February, and must be paid or postmarked by May 2. Homeowners who handle their tax bills through their mortgage lender will see the increase in the form of higher monthly escrow payments. Average levy rates vary in the Valley. In Snoqualmie, homeowners will pay between $11.86 and $12.67 per $1,000 of assessed value — an increase from the $11 paid by the city’s average homeowner the previous year. That rise came despite a decline in the average home price in Snoqualmie by $200 to $413,300. The average homeowner will pay $359.07 more in taxes. It is a similar story in North Bend, where rates jumped from $10.32 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2010 to $11.46. The increases don’t necessarily mean taxpayers will pay more. A fall in a home’s value means the rate has to rise just to pay the same amount. But with two replacement school levies, a parks district bond and library levy, most homeowners will pay more this
Following a county-wide trend The rate changes in Snoqualmie Valley follow a countywide pattern. The county’s total property tax collection is up 3.33 percent in 2011 com-
Valley group promotes growing your own food
AARP offers free help with tax returns
Want to be more independent? More self-sustaining? Try your hand at growing your own food. A local group wants to help you get started. Transition Snoqualmie Valley, which promotes sustainable living, is holding a workshop about growing your own food. Transition’s gardening groups will have information about growing vegetables, fruits, nuts and berries, no matter how much space you have. Among the topics to be covered are: ❑ start and transplant seedlings ❑ prepare a garden plot or raised beds ❑ make a compost pile ❑ organic disease and pest control methods ❑ raise chickens, goats, lamb or ducks. The workshop is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 19, at the Sno-Valley Senior Center, 4610 Stephens Ave., Carnation.
The AARP Tax-Aide program is offering free help with tax returns at the Mount Si Senior Center. The service is available to everyone, not just seniors. To set up an appointment, call 888-3434. The program is open Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through April 13, at the center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend. When you come, bring a
Property tax relief programs in King County include: ❑ Senior citizens — 206-296-3920 ❑ Disabled persons — 206-2963920 ❑ Current use reduction for farm and agriculture or forest land — 206-296-3969 ❑ Current use reduction for open space or timber — 206-205-5170 ❑ Remodeling/home improvement exemption — 206-205-0656 ❑ Destroyed property reduction — 206-205-5170 ❑ Deferral of taxes — 206-296-3920
year than last year. In February 2010, Snoqualmie Valley voters approved two school levies, and King County voters passed a library bond. They passed the parks bond in August. The jump in levy rates has irked many residents who have called the Assessor’s Office, and even city halls in the Valley, to voice their displeasure.
pared to 2010, mainly due to voter-approved levies. “Taxpayers may be wondering how their property values can go down, but their property taxes go up. I know this seems counterintuitive,” King County Assessor Lloyd Hara said in a news release. Voters across King County approved in 2010 nearly 30 school levies, and levy lid lifts for three cities and the county library system. Washington state operates under a “budget-based” property tax system in which taxing districts, such as fire, library and school districts, submit their annual adopted budgets to the county assessor, who then determines the tax rate necessary to meet the budgets. The rates are based on the value of residential, commercial and personal property. Assessors establish property values based on market indicators from the previous year. “I have directed my staff to take a reasonable and conservative approach to property valuations in recognition of the impact of foreclosures, financial institution sales, and the volatility currently in the market place,” Hara said in the release. Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
copy of your tax return from last year, all W-2 and 1099 forms (including SSA-1099 for Social Security benefits paid). If you are itemizing your return, bring all receipts and cancelled checks. Other records that might be needed are property tax records, Social Security cards for you and dependents, and dependent care provider information including name, employer and Social Security number.
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Washington State Patrol
A North-Bend man’s truck ended nose down in a ditch along state Route 202 after traveling too fast for conditions March 4.
North Bend man is uninjured after losing control of his truck Lynden Watts, of North Bend, lost control of his pickup while driving on state Route 202 just west of Tolt Hill early the morning of March 4. His truck went off the roadway, landing in a ditch. The truck was standing on its grill, leaning against a tree. Incredibly, the 59-year-old driver walked away from the crash and refused aid, according to the Washington State Patrol. Watts had no visible
injuries, said Trooper Julie Startup, a WSP spokeswoman. Watts told a trooper he had not exceeded the road’s 55 mph speed limit. But with a slick roadway, he was probably driving too fast, according to Startup. The trooper who responded put the safe traveling speed at about 35 mph. Not adjusting driving speed for conditions is a major factor in many winter accidents, according to the state patrol.
Snoqualmie continues talks with police union
“There are no major stumbling blocks,” City Administrator Bob Larson said. Nonetheless, more meetings are scheduled. “We’re having very good negotiations,” Larson said. The union represents 14 police officers.
Negotiations continue between Snoqualmie and the union representing the city’s police officers. Police have been working without a contract since Dec. 31.
Opinion
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Editorial
Letters
Legislators need your input more than ever
Sheriff’s office has its priorities backward
State representatives will be more approachable than ever this Saturday, March 12. Constituents from the 5th Legislative District might want to save the date for a faceto-face opportunity to share views with their elected officials about reduced services and possible fees now before the Legislature. Decisions made in Olympia now could affect you and your family for years to come. Your representatives are prepared to hear from you about increased classroom sizes in public schools, benefit changes for state employees, reduced road maintenance, tolling of the two Lake Washington bridges, user fees/permits for state parks, increases in college tuition, a proposed new tax district to pay for ferries, closure of mental health facilities, loss of state sponsored health insurance for children and myriad other issues weighing heavy on your mind. Hearing from the voters is what will help drive the tough decisions legislators are contemplating how to address a $4.6 billion deficit in the 2011-13 state budget. That deficit could grow by several hundred million dollars when the state’s revenue forecast is released this month. The 5th Legislative District delegation, including Sen. Cheryl Pflug, Rep. Jay Rodne and Rep. Glenn Anderson, will host a town hall meeting from 3-4 p.m. at the Snoqualmie Fire Station. The 5th District includes the upper Snoqualmie Valley, Issaquah, Sammamish and other parts of east King County. Spending an hour with your state representative may be your best shot at getting your point across, loud and clear. No need to drive to Olympia or be lost among the e-mail messages. This is the time for up close and personal. Your state representatives will be there. Will you?
WEEKLY POLL Spring training is under way for Major League Baseball. What are your expectations for the Mariners this season? A. Win the World Series. B. Make the playoffs. C. Break .500 winning percentage. D. Last place in the division. E. The Mariners? What sport do they play? Vote online at www.snovalleystar.com.
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MARCH 10, 2011
I have a concern about the article titled “Little League needs lawn moving help after mower is stolen” in the March 3 paper. I feel terrible about the Little League storage shed being broken into. My concern is the information about the King County Sheriff’s Office, particularly the statement “Due to budget cuts, property crimes below $10,000 are a low priority.” Late last fall, a deputy sheriff spent three weeks in the Si View
Rest in peace In loving memory of Mike Busby — Feb. 10, 1946 - March 5, 2010. We miss you and love you so much. The Busby family Snoqualmie Senate Bill 5023, addressing nonlegal immigration-related services, passed the Senate 44-5. It’s scheduled for a public hearing in the House Judiciary Committee.
Roll Call Y = Yes, N = No, E = Excused, X = Not voting Senate Bill 5798, concerning the authority and responsibilities of homeowner associations, passed the Senate 39-9. It’s before the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration. 5 Sen. Cheryl Pflug, (R-Maple Valley)
area ticketing folks that did not come to an absolute complete stop at a three-way stop. As a result to me it is clear that we either have too many deputies or poor leadership about who determines the dispatch priorities. Thomas Som North Bend
Y
5 Sen. Cheryl Pflug, (R-Maple Valley)
From the Web Re: Snoqualmie Valley student’s drive yields a half-ton of dog food Great for you, Natalie! I love you! Thank you for helping out all of the dogs that will benefit from your drive initiative. I hope you will get your dog soon. He will be the love of your life. Thank you again. Herbert Erdmenger Guatemala City, Guatemala
(R-Maple Valley)
Y
House Bill 1071, creating the Complete Street Grants Program, passed the House 56-41. It’s scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Transportation Committee.
Y
Senate Bill 5073, concerning the medical use of cannabis, passed the Senate 29-20. It’s before the House for additional consideration. 5 Sen. Cheryl Pflug,
5 Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) 5 Rep. Jay Rodne, (R-North Bend)
N N
Source: WashingtonVotes.org, a free, nonpartisan website to find plain-English explanations of bills and a record of each legislator’s votes.
Home Country
If you see Old Sally, it’s spring in the valley By Slim Randles Old Sally is our harbinger of spring here in the valley. Some places have groundhogs or robins or some-such, but around here, it’s Old Sally. She’s an antique treeing walker hound of questionable ownership. Several people claim to have owned her at one time or another, and many of her pups have become part of the coon hunting community here. But she hasn’t had pups since the Carter Administration, and her life today does not involve coon hunting, but rather slides more toward comfort hunting. She spends the nights with whichever family she happens to grace with her presence at supper time. During the day, she makes the rounds of the back doors of various cafes in town. If it’s warm, she’ll waddle down to Lewis Creek and keep watch on the children there. She’s basically the neighborhood Mama Dog. We’re all her puppies in one way or the other. She’ll meander up to each of us in the course of a day as if to inspect us as we go forth to seek our fortunes. If we stoop to pet her, chances are terrific that we’ll collect a motherly slurp or two. Old
Sally loves us all, you see. If we pass muster, and our faces are clean, she’ll go on to the next “pup” and let us go our own way. She realizes the job of a Slim Randles mother is to Columnist become increasingly unnecessary and allows us maximum freedom. Her job as harbinger of spring takes place when the sun begins to give off heat once again. It warms the pavement, and Old Sally wan-
ders slowly out to the middle of our main drag and sprawls across the yellow line, soaking up the heat. This happens each day of spring, from “finally warm enough” until “too hot to handle.” Her favorite places are in front of Fran’s Curl Up ‘N Dye beauty salon and a repaired pothole just south of the feed store. Someone bought her a reflective collar that can be seen from passing aircraft, and that helps. We smile, slow down and go around. It’s just Old Sally, and it’s spring. Brought to you by “Sweetgrass Mornings,” a collection of outdoor memories, at www.slimrandles.com.
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. E-mail is preferred. Letters must be signed and have a daytime phone number to verify authorship. Send them by Friday of each week to:
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MARCH 10, 2011
SnoValley Star
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SnoValley Star
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MARCH 10, 2011
Chapel car
Winding road The car arrived in Washington in 1915, stopping in several communities with flagging congregations.
From Page 1 tion by the Northwest Railway Museum. The museum has raised most of the $400,000 that the twoyear project is expected to cost. It has also brought together a skilled team of preservationists for the work. Chapel car coup Getting the car was a coup for the museum. While other parts of the museum’s collection are on the National Register of Historic Places, Chapel Car 5 is the only one that is listed as having “national significance.” The museum’s director, Richard Anderson, first learned of the car in the early 1990s. He knew it was in the Pacific Northwest someplace, but wasn’t sure where. After being decommissioned in 1948, the car was moved to Snohomish County, where it served as a roadside diner until 1970. From there it went to Washington’s Pacific coast, where it was used for 30 years as a beachside cottage. It was used for storage until 2006, when Anderson learned it was potentially available for purchase. It took 15 months to work out the details, and in September 2007, Chapel Car 5, Messenger of Peace arrived in Snoqualmie. Anderson performed emergency repairs to keep the car’s side from collapsing. Its conversion into a diner had compromised the car’s structural integrity. The car sat covered by tarps for protection against the elements for a couple of years, while the museum pulled in money. It got a big boost — $50,000 — last year from Partners in Preservation, a program run by American Express
Contributed
Chapel Car 5, Messenger of Peace visited 11 states, including Washington, during its 50 years spreading the message of the American Baptist Church. In 1917, the car spent one week in North Bend. and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Work finally began in December. “It was bittersweet, because I didn’t get to work on it,” Anderson said, his lip curling into a smile. Return to glory Overseeing Chapel Car 5’s restoration is Clark McAbee, a railway historian and trained preservationist. Anderson calls him “our savior.” McAbee and Anderson have spent countless hours researching Chapel Car 5 in their effort to return it as much as possible to its previous condition. “It looks pretty rough,” McAbee said while walking inside the car. Its frame sags from the ad hoc doors cut in its side when it was a diner. Parts of the interior are in stages of deterioration. “Probably some would look at it and say ‘It’s not worth saving.’ But it’s one-of-a-kind,” McAbee said. It represented the American Baptist Publication Society at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. It came to Washington in 1915. “Our goal is to return it to its days of glory and tell its story,” McAbee said. For him, the car bridges two
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different time periods — today and the early part of the 20th Century. “Objects and buildings and railroad cars — they’re records of time and place,” he said. “They’re a very palpable connection to the past.” McAbee came face to face with that connection while stripping metal siding added to the car late in its life. Underneath he found “The American Baptist Publication Society” in gold lettering. “Nobody had seen that in 85 years,” he said. “That was a pretty cool moment.” The work is following the strict guidelines for restoration set by the Secretary of the Interior. Essentially, they are: If it’s original, keep it or refurbish it. If it’s damaged, repair it. If it’s missing, replace it using similar materials and techniques. To stay true to the guidelines, the restoration team is using carpentry techniques that are rarely used today but were commonplace 100 years ago. The team includes a master carpenter who knows historic techniques and a wooden-boat builder. Putting a wooden boat together requires the same skills needed to put together the wooden chapel car, McAbee said. They are doing it without blueprints. None have been located. And nothing can be taken for granted. “With this car being around
100 years, nothing on it is square or level,” said Meg Graham, the team’s boat builder. While the team uses power tools for some things, they also use period tools, such as a slide hammer, a device for removing tongue-and-groove wooden siding without damaging the joints. While team members had many of the tools already, some were found on eBay and craigslist. The team used slide hammers to carefully remove the car’s hunter-green siding, emblazoned with “Messenger of Peace” in gold lettering. Removing the wood slats revealed extensive rot on their backs. Too damaged to remount on the car, they have been carefully cataloged. Epoxy was applied to the rotten side to stop the deterioration. The original siding will eventually be displayed along with the restored car. For now, it is neatly stacked on a looming metal shelf with other materials taken off the car. Figuring out what materials were used in the car has required detective work. The car is all wood. At least six types of wood were used in its construction. Some of the woods, such as catalpa, were never widely used. It took them a bit of research to figure out that it was catalpa they had uncovered. Today, catalpa still isn’t
❑ 1898: Constructed by Barney and Smith Co., Dayton, Ohio ❑ 1898-1948: Served the American Baptist Church in 11 states as Chapel Car 5, Messenger of Peace ❑ 1948-1970: Roadside diner in Snohomish County ❑ 1971-2000: Backyard cabana and beachside cottage ❑ 2000-2006: Various uses, including storage
On the Web Chapel Car 5, Messenger of Peace: www.MessengerOfPeace.org widely used. “It is not easily found,” McAbee said. He is still hunting for one critical piece: a pew. The pews that lined much of the car’s interior had long been removed when it arrived at the museum. But McAbee will not be deterred. “I don’t think that when the car was decommissioned that 36 of these went in the burn pile,” he said. “You can’t tell me one isn’t out there on someone’s porch.” Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
SnoValley Star
MARCH 10, 2011
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State Legislature saves flood control district funding By Dan Catchpole Flooding is a part of life in the Snoqualmie Valley. It is a question of when, not if, the Snoqualmie River will spill over its banks. That constant dynamic has kept the King County Flood Control District busy since it was created in 2007. But falling house prices threatened the district’s ability to collect taxes this year. A state cap on property taxes for newer taxing districts threatened to cut off its revenue. A last minute deal with eight fire districts saved the district’s 2011 levy. But the flood control district was expected to face the same problem in 2012. The state Legislature has granted the flood control district at least a temporary reprieve. The House and Senate passed legislation March 4 to exempt the district from the stateimposed cap on property levies. Fire districts are also not limited by the cap, which limits the amount of combined property taxes to $5.90 per $1,000 of assessed value. Most taxing districts, which include hospital and park districts, are maintaining their budgets while home values are falling. That means they have to take a bigger share per $1,000, which has pushed some up against that cap. The flood control district will still be subject to a constitutional limit of property taxes of 1 percent — or $10 per $1,000 of assessed value. “The district attends to critical health, safety and welfare needs of citizens,” Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson told the House Ways & Means Committee in February. Flooding has devastated
Snoqualmie time and again, causing economic and social damage. “Incidents of domestic violence, divorce, and job and school struggles measurably increase due to the grinding and unending stress that families experience for days and months following a flood event,” Larson said. “Dissolved chemicals, such as fuel, sewage and fertilizers, contaminate flooded homes threatening the health of the most vulnerable.” The flood control district has spearheaded efforts in the Valley to mitigate the fallout of flooding. Since its inception, it has paid for more than 50 projects on the Snoqualmie, Tolt and Green rivers. It also pays for the Flood Warning Center, which coordinates county response and information dissemination during flooding. House gives less leeway There are differences between the legislation passed in the House and Senate, which will have to be ironed out before the bill is sent to Gov. Chris Gregoire. The Senate bill, which passed 44 to 2, completely exempts the flood control district from the tax cap. The House, where opposition was stronger, gave the flood control district less leeway. The House bill sunsets the exemption after 2017, and an amendment offered by Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, exempts only $0.25 from the $5.90 cap. “We could live certainly with the amendment and if need be with the sunset, because we’re primarily concerned about the next five to six years,” said Kjris Lund, the flood control district’s director.
The district only collects $0.11 per $1,000, so it would not be affected by Orcutt’s amendment. Lund said there are no plans for increasing the amount. In 2010, the district collected $35 million. It has requested $36 million in 2011. The flood control district could look into taking out a bond to pay for projects, Lund said. But “even without prorationing, we have had so many emergencies,” she said. Problems with the Green River’s Hanson Dam have sucked up tens of millions of dollars in recent years. Lund said she will ask the district’s board of directors to consider borrowing from other government entities. Protecting Si View Parks District The Senate’s bill also protects the Si View Metropolitan Parks District from the $5.90 cap.
The parks district and King County Public Hospital District No. 4, which supports Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, could have to split a cut of $0.30 per $1,000. For the parks district, that means a loss of about $250,000, about one-eighth of its operating budget, according to Travis Stombaugh, the district’s director. Without an exemption from the state cap, the parks district “will have to make cuts,” Stombaugh said. State Sen. Cheryl Pflug, RMaple Valley, submitted an amendment that lets the parks district ask voters to protect its levy from the $5.90 cap. Pflug represents Snoqualmie Valley and other parts of east King County. Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
What to know King County Flood Control District’s work list for 2012-2013 Without the ability to collect taxes, the flood control district would have to delay several projects: Upper Snoqualmie Valley ❑ At least 15 home elevations ❑ Improving flow on the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River to protect residents near North Bend Lower Snoqualmie Valley ❑ Acquisition of at-risk homes near Fall City ❑ Levee setback project to protect residents near Northeast 60th Street and Carnation Farm Road ❑ Farm pad construction and barn elevation projects Source: King County Water and Land Resources Division
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Police & Fire Snoqualmie Police Stop driving, already At 9:50 a.m. Feb. 25, police traveling east on Railroad Avenue Southeast observed an expired tab on the rear plate of a 1990 Geo Storm. The driver told police she was buying the car but had no bill of sale, registration or proof of insurance. A status check showed the driver had a suspended license due to 11 unpaid tickets, many of which were suspended-license citations. She was arrested and taken to the Snoqualmie Police Department for fingerprinting. Since the Issaquah Jail was not accepting female inmates, police informed the driver she would receive a citation in the mail.
Lighten up At 10:30 a.m. Feb. 26, police monitoring traffic near the intersection of Southeast Center Boulevard and Snoqualmie Parkway noticed a 1988 Honda Accord with tinted windows that looked darker than the law allows. The registered owner check showed a suspended license for an unpaid ticket. The driver, who turned out to be the registered owner, was cited for driving with a suspended license and received a verbal warning about the windows. Given the snow, dirt and ice on the vehicle, police could not verify the legality of the dark glass.
Don’t turn your back At 10 p.m. March 2, a woman arrived at the Snoqualmie Police Department to report a theft from her vehicle. The woman’s lives in the 9000 block of Silva Avenue Southeast. She said she was unloading groceries from her vehicle at about 9 p.m. when on a return trip from inside the house, she noticed her backpack was missing. It contained her work laptop computer, clothes and makeup. The loss was estimated at $700. The woman said since the computer belongs to her work, she might be able to get a serial number for it.
North Bend police Checked out At about 11 a.m. Feb. 22, police received a tip that a 54year-old man wanted on a warrant was at the North Bend Library. A search yielded an extraditable warrant out of Bonney Lake for driving with a suspended license. Two deputies showed up at the library, and arrested him without incident. He was booked into the King County Jail.
Follow the trail At 2:30 p.m. Feb. 22, police received a call about a child riding a dirt bike on the trail that leads to Opstad Elementary School. Police checked the school and found no tracks. Then, they checked the La Forest development and found dirt bike tracks. Police contacted a 15-year-old
MARCH 10, 2011
boy and asked him if he had been riding a dirt bike on the trail. He said yes and asked police how they knew it was him. Police told him a bike on the snow leaves tracks and they had followed the tracks to his garage. The boy apologized and police told him he needed to find a more appropriate spot to ride.
Take a cab At 10:46 a.m. Feb. 23, a man reported that sometime between the evening of Feb. 22 and the morning of Feb. 23, his aluminum Cab Guard had been stolen from the back of his truck in the 200 block of Main Avenue North. He said he has no idea who did it and did not hear a thing because he was sleeping. It was snowing heavily and the vehicle was wet. No evidence was found.
Go to Lowe’s At about 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25, police went to a hardware store in the 300 block of Main Avenue South. The night crew at the business had requested that a man leave the store, since the manager had told them the man had been banned from the building. The man said that the night manager had told him he could shop there anytime. Police told the man about the store’s right to refuse service to anyone and that employees no longer wanted him there.
Armed, but unlicensed At 11:45 p.m. Feb. 25, a police
officer traveling west on Interstate 90 at about milepost 32 checked a vehicle to learn the owner’s license was suspended and the vehicle had expired tabs. Police approached the driver and asked him to exit the vehicle. Asked if he had any weapons, the driver said he had a gun in his waistband. Police arrested the man for the suspended license and saw that the gun was loaded. The man said he needed the gun because people ripped him off at a motorcycle shop he used to own. He said he had a concealed pistol license in his wallet. Police checked and the license had expired almost seven years ago. The man said he did not know he had to renew it. After searching the vehicle, police found another gun holster with another loaded magazine. Police took the handgun and accessories and delivered them to the North Bend substation as evidence. The man was released at the scene.
Snoqualmie fire ❑ At 1:17 p.m. Feb. 26, Snoqualmie firefighters were called to Silva Avenue Southeast to check on a possible carbon monoxide leak in a residence. Firefighters checked the residence with a gas detector, and no leak was found. ❑ At 3:20 p.m. Feb. 26, EMTs responded to Snoqualmie Casino for a 76-year-old male with a high-blood sugar level. He was evaluated and left at the scene with family. ❑ At 1:23 a.m. Feb. 27, EMTs responded to Snoqualmie Casino for a 40-year-old male with a
possible toe fracture. He was evaluated and left at the scene. ❑ At 11:14 a.m. Feb. 28, firefighters were dispatched to the Snoqualmie Post Office for a smell of gasoline in the area. After investigating, it was determined that a small amount of gasoline had spilled in the parking lot from a vehicle. ❑ At 2:08 p.m. Feb. 28, EMTs responded to the Snoqualmie Police Department for a medical call. A patient was evaluated and then transported to a hospital by a private ambulance. ❑ At 3:33 p.m. Feb. 28, EMTs were dispatched to Snoqualmie Casino for a medical call. A patient was evaluated and then transported to a hospital by a private ambulance. ❑ At 9:40 a.m. March 2, EMTs responded to Mount Si High School for a 17-year-old female who fainted and hit her head. She was evaluated and left at school with the school nurse. ❑ At 2 p.m. March 2, Snoqualmie EMTs responded with Fall City firefighters to Snoqualmie Casino for a 75-year-old male with a medical problem. He was evaluated and transported to a hospital by private ambulance. ❑ At 5:43 p.m. March 2, EMTs responded to Snoqualmie Casino for a 46-year-old female who was dehydrated. She was evaluated and transported to a hospital by Snoqualmie’s aid car. The Star publishes names of those arrested for DUI and those charged with felony crimes. Information comes directly from local police reports. Information regarding North Bend fire calls was unavailable.
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SnoValley Star
MARCH 10, 2011
Retreat From Page 1 lion into large city facilities, including City Hall and the new community center, which is scheduled to begin construction this spring. Now, it is time for the city to focus on maintaining its streets and utilities, Public Works Director Dan Marcinko said. There is a long list of streets and utilities that are due for repairs — or will be soon. But Snoqualmie cannot pay for it
out of pocket without delaying much of the work for several years. “We definitely have a lot more work than we do money,” Marcinko said. The council discussed options for paying for the work. They included taking a $5 million bond or levy-lid lift to the voters, or approving a nonvoted bond. At the same time, some council members said downtown Snoqualmie still needs street improvements. “I want to bring the whole city along together,” Councilman Bryan Holloway
said, walking a middle line in the discussion. Some council members said they were concerned about the city’s ability to get voter support for an infrastructure bond, which would need a supermajority — 60 percent or more — to pass. The city’s last successful voter-approved bond campaign was for its fire station in 2003. Since then, Snoqualmie voters have three times rejected the city’s attempts to raise money for a new community center. No council members objected to going to voters with a bond measure, but the retreat was simply a discussion. Not even
PAGE 9 straw polls were taken. “I think there’s a philosophical change we’re going through,” from pay-as-you-go to debt financed, Councilwoman
Kathi Prewitt said. Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
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PAGE 10
MARCH 10, 2011
SnoValley Star
MARCH 10, 2011
PAGE 11
Mount Si High School Spring 2011 Sports Schedule BASEBALL Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed
Apr 4 Apr 6 Apr 8 Apr 11 Apr 13 Apr 15 Apr 18 Apr 20 Apr 22 Apr 25 Apr 27 Apr 29 May 2 May 4
SOFTBALL 4:30 pm at Mount Si 6:00 pm at Mercer Island 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Interlake 4:30 pm at Bellevue 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Juanita 4:30 pm at Liberty 4:30 pm at Mount Si 7:00 pm at LW 4:30 pm at Mount Si
BOYS SOCCER Sat Wed Fri Tues Fri Tues Fri Tues Tues Fri Tues Fri Tues Fri Tues Fri
Mar 12 Mar 16 Mar 18 Mar 22 Mar 25 Mar 29 Apr 1 Apr 5 Apr 12 Apr 15 Apr 19 Apr 22 Apr 26 Apr 29 May 3 May 6
4:00 pm at Issaquah 7:30 pm at Mount Si 7:30 pm at Mount Si 7:30 pm at Liberty 7:30 pm at Sammamish 7:30 pm at Mount Si 7:30 pm at Mount Si 7:30 pm at Interlake 7:30 pm at Mercer Island 7:30 pm at Mount Si 7:30 pm at Mount Si 7:30 pm at Lake Washington 7:30 pm at Juanita 7:30 pm at Mount Si 7:30 pm at Bellevue 7:30 pm at Mount Si
Tues Wed Thurs Mon Tues Mon Tues Tues Thurs Tues Thurs Tues Thurs Tues Thurs
Mar 22 Mar 23 Mar 24 Mar 28 Mar 29 Apr 4 Apr 5 Apr 12 Apr 14 Apr 19 Apr 21 Apr 26 Apr 28 May 3 May 5
GIRLS TENNIS 4:30 pm at Liberty 4:00 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Interlake 4:30 pm at Sammamish 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Bellevue 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Mount Si 3:45 pm at Lake Washington 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Mercer Island 4:30 pm at Mount Si 4:30 pm at Juanita
GIRLS GOLF Tues Wed Mon Tues Thurs Mon Thurs Mon Wed Mon
Mar 15 Mar 16 Mar 21 Apr 12 Apr 14 Apr 18 Apr 21 Apr 25 Apr 27 May 2
3:30 pm at Lake Washington 3:00 pm at Mount Si 3:30 pm at Interlake 2:56 pm at Liberty 3:00 pm at Mount Si 3:30 pm at Mount Si 3:30 pm at Lake Washington 3:30 pm at Interlake 3:30 pm at Mount Si 3:30 pm at Mount Si
Tues Thurs Wed Thurs Tues Thurs Thurs Tues Thurs Tues
Mar 15 Mar 17 Mar 23 Mar 24 Apr 12 Apr 14 Apr 21 Apr 26 Apr 28 May 3
BOYS LACROSSE 3:45 pm at Mount Si 3:45 pm at Mount Si 3:45 pm at Redmond 3:45 pm at Sammamish 3:45 pm at Mount Si 3:45 pm at Juanita 3:45 pm at Mount Si 3:45 pm at Bellevue 3:45 pm at Mount Si 3:45 pm at Mercer Island
TRACK & FIELD Thurs Thurs Thurs Thurs Thurs Sat Thurs Wed Thurs Fri Wed Fri Fri Sat
Mar 24 Mar 31 Apr 14 Apr 21 Apr 28 Apr 30 May 5 May 11 May 12 May 13 May 18 May 20 May 27 May 28
4:00 pm at Mount Si 4:00 pm at Newport 4:00 pm at Liberty 4:00 pm at Mount Si 4:00 pm at Mount Si 4:00 pm at Lake Washington 4:00 pm at Mercer Island 2:30 pm at Juanita 4:00 pm at Sammamish 2:30 pm at Juanita time and location TBD time and location TBD time and location TBD time and location TBD
Thurs Fri Sat Fri Sat Thurs Tues Sat Thurs Sat Tues Thurs Fri Sat Tues Sat
Mar 17 Mar 18 Mar 19 Mar 25 Mar 26 Mar 31 Apr 12 Apr 16 Apr 21 Apr 23 Apr 26 Apr 28 Apr 29 Apr 30 May 3 May 7
7:00 pm at Sammamish 5:45 pm at Hale 3:00 pm at Mount Si 7:30 pm at Mount Si 7:00 pm at Eastside Catholic 7:30 pm at Liberty 5:30 pm at Mount Si 3:00 pm at North Kitsap 7:30 pm at Redmond 5:00 pm at Mount Si 5:30 pm at Mount Si 8:00 pm at Highline 7:00 pm at Mount Si 5:00 pm at Klahowya 5:30 pm at Mount Si 5:00 pm at Mount Si
Mount Si High School
Adults
Spring 2011 Sports Schedule
Host HS Student with ASB Card
Athletic Director: Greg Hart, 831-8100, hartg@svsd410.org
Visiting HS Student with ASB Card
$4
HS Student without ASB Card
$6
www.snoqualmie.k12.wa.us/schools/mshs/index.html
Grades K-8
$4
2011 Admission prices for Baseball, Soccer, Softball, Golf, Tennis, Track & Field, LaCrosse
Pre-School with Adult
Free
Senior Citizen
Free
(62 yrs and older - must show I.D.)
$6 Free
Community
PAGE 12
MARCH 10, 2011
Orchestra draws from all over the community By Tiffany Shedrick As soon as Sheldon Woodle’s fingers could reach the holes of the clarinet — he was 8 at the time — he started to play music. The North Bend resident has been doing it ever since. He’s moved on to the bassoon and is set to begin his first season with the Sammamish Symphony Orchestra, which will perform its second concert at Benaroya Hall this season on March 27. The concert will be performed with the combined talents of the Kirkland Choral Society, Bellevue Chamb-er Chorus and Cantare Vocal Ensemble, along with soloists Ksenia Popova, If you go Paul Sammamish Karaitis Symphony Orchestra and ‘Carmina Burana’ Glenn Guhr. 2 p.m. March 27 “I was Benaroya Hall, very Seattle lucky Tickets: (presale $25, that at the door $30) at there was the door on the day an openof the concert, online ing,” at www.ticketweb.com Woodle or call 800-965-4827 said. toll free. “They only take two bassoon players in the whole orchestra, so I feel extremely lucky.” Woodle is a retired engineer for Washington State Ferries. He grew up in the suburbs of New York, and then enlisted in the U. S. Navy and lived in San Diego. All the while he continued to play the clarinet. After moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1969 he transitioned his knowledge of the clarinet to his interest in the bassoon — an expensive instrument with a “sexy” sound. “I just like the sound,” he said of the bassoon. “I’ve wanted to play it for years.” Led by music director and conductor R. Joseph Scott, the nonprofit Sammamish Symphony Orchestra is comprised of 80 volunteer musicians, ranging in age and experience. Scott has been an influential musical professional in the See SYMPHONY, Page 13
By Mark Harrison / The Seattle Times
Scenery artist Todd Gamble casts replicas of rock formations from a dozen or more sites and matches the color to the soil collected from that site for a 3,200-square-foot ‘O’ gauge model train layout that is being constructed with detailed scenery and replicas of actual railroad landscapes in the basement of Peter Hambling's Medina home.
Big project in Medina is just the beginning for miniaturist from the Snoqualmie Valley By Sebastian Moraga A tall tree, a high hill — Todd Gamble has towered above them all. He’s even put his face inches above a busy railroad track and lived to tell about it. A California-raised Snoqualmie resident with a passion for history and nature, Gamble makes a living by recreating both in miniature models. “My favorite thing is building miniatures,” said Gamble, who has a degree in art from Chico State University and has dabbled in graphic design and teaching art to children. His love of miniatures dates back to his childhood and his penchant for collecting Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars. “Just because I’m an adult, it doesn’t mean I have to put my toys aside,” he said. “I know plenty of adults who have toys.” For Gamble and his miniatures, the word “toy” is a slight misnomer. Creating accurate miniatures requires an effort greater than a toy would, he said. “When I’m working on it, I’m also daydreaming of histo-
ry, the forces of biology and square-foot model for a private erosion, and the aging of individual in Medina. wood,” he said. “All those The model is a train set that things come in to factor in my uses 4,000 feet of track, 20 head when I’m building miniamiles of wiring, 150 sheets of tures in order to make someplywood and 15 gallons of thing most real.” Elmer’s glue to house 120 train Small as the figures might passenger cars, 350 freight be, the work requires specifcars, 80 locomotives and ic materials 40,000 such as miniature hydrocal gyp- “Just because I’m an adult, it trees. sum or plaster part of doesn’t mean I have to put hisAswork, of Paris, as well as hours my toys aside. I know plenty Gamble has of research. recreated setof adults who have toys.” “I have to tings such as draw a lot of the Kicking — Todd Gamble plans and Horse Loop Minaturist sketches ahead tunnels in of time,” he British said. “So the Columbia. customer “State-ofknows where we’re headed on the-art, it can be operated this project.” from any home,” he said of Nevertheless, Gamble said the project. “Eventually, I can that with the right teacher, throw the switches and someone can become a good increase the speeds and do miniaturist, too. everything from my bed if I “Anybody can do what I’m want, remotely. There will be doing,” he said. “It’s just they webcams on the whole laymay not have the joy inside out.” that I do when I’m creating this Gamble counts the project kind of stuff.” among the most impressive he The latest “toy” is big has ever seen. enough not to be considered a “I was like, ‘I want to be a toy at all. Gamble has helped part of this, somehow,’” he create the landscape on a 3,200- said. “This is a beautiful pro-
ject.” The Puget Sound is home to several lovers of miniatures and models. Railroads, historic figures, ancient wars and even fantasy gaming icons find themselves shrunk to scale in the hands of artists like Gamble, a former cartographer for Wizards of the Coast. Despite his popularity in the Northwest, to Gamble, the holy grail of his hobby is in Hollywood. “I will feel like I have made it if I ever get to do miniatures for films,” he said. For now, however, making a living at something he loves is reward enough. If it lasts the rest of his life, Gamble will be satisfied. When he was younger, people saw his trains and told him he had to grow up. The same people have changed their tune 20 years later. “They say, ‘Oh, good job! I knew you would always make it.’” Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Information from The Seattle Times was used in this story. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
SnoValley Star
MARCH 10, 2011
U.S. Forest Service seeks local volunteers By Sebastian Moraga The U.S. Forest Service wants you. For a little while at least. The government agency seeks volunteers for the summer, with an eye for those willing to give up to 10 days for Smokey The Bear’s gang. The duties are as varied as they are plentiful. “You may be on a multiday backpack trip, or a one-day hike, designing an interpretive program, keeping track of noxious weeds, looking for non-native plans that don’t belong there,” said Bill Sobieralski, wilderness and trails programs coordinator for the Snoqualmie Range District. “It also depends on the skill of the people who volunteer. If someone’s a terrific photographer, we might have him take pictures of people doing things.” Those interested can Google “Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest” and click on the first link. Once on the forest service website, click on “Working Together,” and then on “volunteering.” “Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest,” the website states. Though no set deadline exists, Sobieralski recommended interested people apply before June 1, to give the department time to review applications before a training session in late June. “We’ll be selective,” he said. “We don’t accept absolutely everybody.” Most of the area covered would be the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and the surrounding back country in the Snoqualmie Ranger District, including the trails that lead off the three forks of the Snoqualmie River, Sobieralski said. Previous knowledge of the area is not required, but backpacking know-how is. “We can’t train people in basic backpacking,” he said. “We need people who already have those skills.” Those volunteering to lead snowshoeing trips or to lead an interpretive center might need a
“If one believes in taking good care of our outdoors, it’s rewarding to see you can make a difference.” — Bill Sobieralski Wilderness and trails coordinator
bit more knowledge. A blank stare is not the right answer for a trekker’s, “Where do I go?” Commitment weighs just as much as knowing how to fill a backpack. “We don’t want someone who is just going to come just once,” Sobieralski said. “It’s not worth our time to put them through the training.” Most tasks are physically demanding, but that should not scare away folks in wheelchairs, as they could help at visitor centers. People who volunteer will earn a Northwest Forest parking pass, which pays for parking in several recreation sites in Washington and Oregon for a year. The material benefits may end there, but the others don’t. “You get experience working with a federal agency,” Sobieralski said. “If one believes in taking good care of our outdoors, it’s rewarding to see you can make a difference.”
PAGE 13
Symphony From Page 12 Northwest for more than 40 years, and founded the Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra. “I love the age differences,” Scott said. “It’s interesting to watch [the younger musicians] develop while playing. You see them start off timid, then they open up more as they play. Music helps their personality a lot.” His selection of music challenges not only the musicians, but also the audience as he tries to cover all periods of classical music. “The music has to have audience appeal, but I’m also not afraid to choose something unfamiliar,” Scott said. “That’s a part of the education for the audience.” For Woodle, the level of difficulty has been a rewarding experience. “I just love playing, even in rehearsal,” he said. “I find that because I am reasonably new at the bassoon, playing the clarinet gives me a better understanding of music.” His peer, Marianna Vail, also of North Bend, agrees that the rehearsals keep her violin skills sharp. With an extensive musical education, she teaches orchestra to 170 students at Beaver Lake Middle School and is the assistant concertmaster with the Sammamish Symphony Orchestra. “Rehearsals are fun,” she said of Thursday nights with the symphony. “It’s the one night a week that when we come together, it helps me to play at my level. If you don’t do that your skills go down to the level you teach, so it’s nice to keep up and play a variety
By Tiffany Shedrick
Sheldon Woodle assembles his bassoon before warming up during rehearsal. of music.” Vail began playing the organ at age 8, then added violin and piano to her repertoire in the fifth grade. She has worked with Scott since his time at the Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra and has made a lasting friendship. Vail and Woodle have the same goals for the future: continue playing and enjoying the music they love. “There is such a great reward for playing a concert and having it go well,” Woodle said. “My goal is to play with other musicians and have them appreciate what I m doing.” For Vail, performing at Carnegie Hall with her former orchestra at Skyline High School has been at the peak of her career. However, she’s not slowing down yet. “I hope that I can share my passion for music,” she said. “I
Get involved Learn more about the orchestra at www.sammamishsymphony.org. If you would like to get involved with the symphony as a musician or support it in other ways, call 206-517-7777.
want to be a leader as well as a participant that conveys the little black dots on sheet music to the audience. “As a teacher, I want to inspire everyone to do their best, have fun and never stop playing.” Tiffany Shedrick is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
Brian Woolley, North Bend patient
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Schools
PAGE 14
MARCH 10, 2011
Violinist tells Cascade View children to feel their feelings By Sebastian Moraga The seesawing notes from the theme from the movie “Jaws” can give the hardiest of grownups chills. But when Swil Kanim, a violinist, played it for a group of Cascade View Elementary School kindergartners, it was the one song they kept requesting over and over again. Swil Kanim, the two-word mononym for American Indian musician Richard Marshall, spent a week at the Snoqualmie school as artist in residence, teaching the children about using their gifts to build communities. And teaching them how to play the scariest two notes in music, which they all did with big grins on their faces. The power of music is key in the message Swil Kanim brings with his violin. “Certain songs always make me happy,” he told the kindergartners, “even when I thought there were monsters under my bed.” One of those songs was that old kiddie standard “Pop Goes The Weasel,” which he played in a different of positions, from behind his back to between his legs, or minus the bow. To which children replied,
On the Web Learn more about the artist at www.swilkanimfoundation.org.
By Sebastian Moraga
Swil Kanim performs for children at Cascade View Elementary School. “Can you do that scary song again?” Having children speak their minds is in a way the goal of the presentations, Swil Kanim said. “I hope to inspire self-
expression that honors all,” he said. “If I don’t honor the gifts I’ve been given, I don’t honor those around me. When I honor my creative side like that, the community around
me is honored. That is the real value, besides intellectual property, of art.” A man who describes TV’s Fred Rogers as one of his heroes, Swil Kanim encouraged students
to “feel their feelings.” “A healthy education process involves a reflective process. This reflective process involves an emotional intelligence,” he said. “When they recognize that there are things that they can choose that make them happy, that is the start to a healthy participation in society.” Throughout the week, Swil Kanim spoke to older children as well. With the school’s fifthgraders, he repeated the message of honoring one’s feelings. “Honor is the choice,” he said. “I hope they choose to honor their feelings as opposed to hide them with things like drugs.” The outcome of a community of children who respect their own feelings will in turn make others realize their own feelings are special, too, he said. “As they honor their feelings, they will honor those of others,” he said. Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
A child takes heart in his dad’s memory By Sebastian Moraga Behind the mask, there’s a face. On the face, there’s a smile and behind the smile there’s the memory of a man. “He’s a tough kid,” North Bend Elementary School volunteer Pam Dowling said about Ryan Webb, a 9-year-old student at the school. On March 4, Webb and about 150 other students jumped rope from 9:30 a.m. until lunchtime, to raise heart health awareness. As it has become his trademark, Webb showed up to Jump Rope For Heart with his face covered in a mask made of American Heart Association stickers. “I put one on my face years ago and I said, ‘Hmmm, stickers. That sounds like a good idea,’” Webb said. As also has become his habit, he jumped rope with his dad in mind. Ryan Webb’s dad died two years ago, of a heart attack. He
was 43. The mask comes off, but the smile stays on. And when they ask him about his dad, it only grows bigger. “He would say, ‘This is awesome,’” Webb said of what his father would tell him if he saw Webb jump rope. “He would say, ‘Keep jumping.’” Webb likes jumping rope so much he would have joined the rope-jumping club this year, but he couldn’t because of his schedule. That did not stop him from jumping for hours, face behind a layer of stickers. He assured visitors he could breathe. Grade-schoolers that they are, Webb and his classmates jumped rope with energy that seemed to replenish itself with each hop. Physical education substitute teacher Aaron Duncan predicted a much calmer evening. “They’ll sleep well tonight,” he said. Duncan said the rope jump-
By Sebastian Moraga
Students at North Bend Elementary School jump rope to promote cardiac health during the annual Jump Rope For Heart on March 4. ing taught children fitness can come in many ways. “We’ve been practicing all week,” he said, later adding they look forward to it all week, too. Emceeing the rope jumping was a man sidelined for the first
time in years, longtime P.E. teacher Alan Tepper. He sat in a wheelchair nursing what he said was a ruptured hamstring. Dowling said the success of activities like Jump Rope For
Heart resulted from Tepper’s efforts over the years. “These kids enjoy being active,” she said. “And that comes from Mr. Tepper. Lots of these kids aren’t on the jump rope team and they still show up.”
SnoValley Star
MARCH 10, 2011
The Twinkies that launched an exchange student’s journey
PAGE 15
Cascade View Elementary teams up with Si View for games man By Sebastian Moraga
Contributed
Eun Seong, and his loot. The exchange student from Korea arrived in America in January wanting to eat a Twinkie. He returned home last month with a large supply of the snack.
Just call him “Ref.” His real name, he admits, is a mouthful — Kendall Charles Watson-Tracy, hailing form Minnetonka, Minn. But to the children of Cascade View Elementary School, WatsonTracy is just Kendall, a presence as welcome on the playground as a new set of swings and slides. “Before he came we would fight a lot,” said fourth-grader Lauren Forrest. Classmates Joe Waskon and Christopher Haycock agreed. “There would be a lot of arguments,” Waskon said, while Haycock said the games would be more complicated and disputed. Enter Kendall, an employee with the Si View Metropolitan District, which has teamed up with Cascade View to bring Kendall and some order to break times at the school. Between games of kickball, football, tweener and Frisbee, Kendall also lightens the load for other volunteers. Shawn Clearman, decked in bright orange, said having Kendall there to teach and ref games allows her and other volunteers to focus on the children’s safety. “It gives the duties’ people less work,” said Dillen Fullagar, a
By Sebastian Moraga
Kendall Watson-Tracy oversees a game at the playground of Cascade View Elementary School. 9-year-old special-needs student. Principal Ray Wilson said Kendall’s work has an impact far beyond deciding whether a home run was actually a ground-rule double. “This playground is the outside classroom,” he said. “Here is where we teach social skills. We assume kids know all these things, and the truth is they don’t sometimes. We have to teach these things and having Kendall here is a great help.” Even the disagreeable tasks become fun for the children if
the personable Watson-Tracy asks them. If a ball strays too far, he picks two children and makes it a race to go get it. “He’s not here to replace our people,” Wilson added. Judging by the shoves at the kickball game, there’s still some arguing going on, but not nearly as much as it once was. The arguing has diminished and has been replaced by something much more positive: equality. “Before Kendall came,” fourth-grader Libby Russell said, “the boys wouldn’t let us play.”
Sports
PAGE 16
MARCH 10, 2011
Girls’ tennis squad wants to catch giants unaware By Sebastian Moraga At a glance, you might think these girls don’t take this seriously. Instead of choosing sides using the old-school, twirlingracket method, they rely on catching tigers by the toe. But as it turns out, that’s exactly what girls’ tennis head coach Eric Hanson wants you to think. Just wait and see, he seems to be thinking, as he watches his players. “I tell the team, ‘Start slow, and surprise people at the end,’” he said. The third-year coach said he knows that his program is not as strong as some others on the east side of King County. While players on other teams have played year round since they had baby teeth, most of the Wildcat players picked up a racket for the first time in ninth grade, he said. Altogether, the team looks even, with as many seniors as juniors, (eight) and about as many freshmen as sophomores (10). Just like last year, Hanson
said, the team will probably be stronger at doubles, in part thanks to the Shelby ThomasBailey Barnard duo and to most opponents saving their strongest players for singles matches. Barnard and Thomas surprised a few people last year, making it to the third round of the KingCo Conference championships in doubles. “They played well at the KingCo last year,” Hanson said. “I expect them to have great seasons.” A longer look shows the girls may not look intense, but they want to learn and improve. Nobody looks like they would rather be somewhere else. The enthusiasm was high from the start, with 60 girls turning out for the first practice, a number Hanson calls “huge.” The team had to be trimmed down to 36, and only six of them are returning players: Trina Eck, Natalie Knoetgen, Lindsey Masters, Rachel Sweeney, Barnard and Thomas. All are seniors, except Eck, a junior. Thomas should be the
By Sebastian Moraga
Amanda Gates (left) and Shelby Thomas wait for the duo of Kenzie Parker and Rachel Swami to serve. Wildcats’ No.1-ranked player, Hanson said. He believes in his team’s ability to trip a few favorites down the stretch — the schedule might look daunting, but he has
got the team believing in seven words that reappear time and again in his vernacular. “Start slow,” he said. “Surprise people at the end.” Hey, if they can catch tigers
by the toe, who knows what else they can catch. Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
Mount Si’s track team seeks to maintain its winning traditions By Sebastian Moraga
By Sebastian Moraga
Athletes warm up and stretch their legs Feb. 7 at Mount Si High.
The track and field girls’ squad at Mount Si High School knows the expectations are high this year. With a majority of younger students filling out the ranks, they also know it won’t be easy. “We’re going to be rebuilding this year,” said Dave Clifford, the girls’ head coach. “We have young athletes, but also a lot of talent.” Athletes like Lexie Swanson, Sophie Rockow and Leslie Stevens will return to the team as it seeks a third straight conference crown, and a repeat of its 2010 state performance. The Mount Si girls missed the state crown by six points, finishing in sixth place. The boys’ team also looks green, but that will play in its favor later in the season, boys’ coach Gregg Meyers said. “We’re very young,” he said. “But that’s going to give us more depth, and create more points in dual meets.” The boys look strong in relay and have a promising star at javelin in Zach Storm; exchange student Mason Bragg, from Australia, is fun to watch and
has a lot of natural speed, Meyers said. Distance runners’ coach Sean Sundwall agreed. “We got a good group of boys, five of them on the subfive-minute mile,” he said. With a young squad of both girls and boys, the key word for 2011 is improvement. “If each week you get a little bit better at your event, if a kid shows that, then league district and state placings all take care of themselves,” Clifford said, while Sundwall predicted a bright future for his young charges. Their future could be as bright as the 10 or so Mount Si alumni shining at colleges across the Northwest, including Meyers’ daughter at University of Idaho. “We like to showcase that,” Meyers said. “If they make the team at their college, they can earn a scholarship.” Parents out there seeking a football scholarship could be better served by telling their children to go into college first, and then try out for the track team. “Those track scholarships See TRACK, Page 17
SnoValley Star
MARCH 10, 2011
PAGE 17
Soccer team wants to climb high By Sebastian Moraga A year after finishing fifth in the state, the Mount Si High School boys’ soccer team wants to make history again. The 2010 season ranks among the best in the program’s history: Its first state berth, its first KingCo Conference title, all happened in 2010. So, it’s natural that head coach Darren Brown wants to climb even higher this year. “I’ve been excited for the season to start since October,” he said. Part of that excitement comes from unfulfilled expectations, he said. To Brown, last year’s team looked good enough to make it farther than the state quarterfinals. Having at least sniffed success at the state level will become a good incentive for the 2011 squad, Brown said. “It’s a good carrot to have,”
Track
By Sebastian Moraga
Coach Darren Brown (left) instructs players during one of the season’s first practices. The season begins 4 p.m., March 12, at Issaquah. he said. According to www.mshsboyssoccer.com, the season begins March 12 with a match against Issaquah.
The team that will jump on the pitch that day will look different than the 2010 model. “We’re going to be quicker this year,” he said. “Perhaps not
as physical as last year.” Just like last year, Brown pre-
dicted, the Wildcats will contend for the title: “I see us, Sammamish and Mercer Island as kind of the contenders for the title.” A whopping 74 players turned out for the team this year, the second-most in the last eight years under Brown. More players fighting for a spot makes the team more competitive, he said. About eight seniors, five juniors, four sophomores and one freshman made the team. The team is deepest at midfield, Brown said, which meant moving some players out of their natural position either to attack or defend. Midfielders are a team’s allterrain vehicles, so the transition is not as difficult as it is for a forward or a defender, Brown said. Having a team that’s not all seniors or all underclassmen will help the Wildcats this year and beyond, Brown said. “It’s a good distribution,” he said. “It means I have depth for the rest of the year and the years to come and also that I have some senior leadership.” Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
From Page 16 aren’t just handed out,” Meyers said. “You got to be willing to put in the time.” This group is putting in the time, Sundwall said, surrounded by dozens of students starting a practice, some of them in shorts. “Last week, we had miserable weather, and with a group of young kids you worry about their toughness,” he said. “I’m very impressed with the early signs of dedication and commitment.”
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MARCH 10, 2011
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Recount From Page 1 munity who supported their children and schools in the Feb. 8 election.” The statement praised King County Elections’ efforts. After the initial recount, probond supporters requested that elections staff look at three ballots that had questionable marks. Gilliam said the department found two of the disputed ballots and upheld the county’s decision. One ballot had the oval next to “reject” filled in and then crossed with an X. The second ballot had the oval next to “reject” filled in and then “a stray mark” next to “approve,” Gilliam said. The third ballot, known as “exhibit B,” could not be located. According to a drawing of the exhibit B ballot, it allegedly showed marks on both the “approve” and “reject” ovals. Staffers searched for the ballot for hours March 8, with opponents and supporters of the bond acting as observers. “The recount has been certified, and exhibit B has not been found,” Gilliam said in a phone interview less than an hour after the vote was certified. Earlier in the day, anti-bond activists attacked the request as a whim. Stephen Kangas, a North Bend parent, said it was obvious to the community that any further action besides immediate certification or another full recount would amount to a fishing expedition. “You’re starting to look like the second-guessing board” instead of the canvass board, Kangas said. He later said the “fishing expedition” was spearheaded by the school district and pro-bond activists Valley Voters for Education, to which Reitz belongs. After the certification, Reitz defended the request. “The election was as close as can be and both sides took all the legal means to make sure it was a transparent process,” he said. Before the certification, suggestions of a second recount upset bond supporters and opponents alike. Sean Sundwall, a Valley parent and Mount Si High School coach who supported the bond, said a second recount was unnecessary. David Spring, a parent who opposed the bond, said what the community of the Valley needed most was closure. “We are not opposed if they want to continue searching through a couple of boxes,” Spring said. “But our community needs some resolution. We cannot continue this.” Grace Yuan, legal co-counsel for the Snoqualmie Valley School District, said the district would support a “focused search” for the ballot or a recount. “Either one, as long as we can reach closure,” she said.
Calendar
MARCH 10, 2011
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Public meetings ❑ North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. March 10, 211 Main Ave. N. ❑ Snoqualmie Valley School Board, 7:30 p.m. March 10, 8001 Silva Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie ❑ Snoqualmie City Council, 7 p.m. March 14, 38624 S.E. River St. ❑ North Bend Community and Economic Development Committee, 1:15 p.m. March 15, 126 E. Fourth St. ❑ Snoqualmie Community and Economic Affairs Committee, 5 p.m. March 15, 38624 S.E. River St. ❑ North Bend City Council, 7 p.m. March 15, 411 Main Ave. S. ❑ Snoqualmie Arts Commission, 10 a.m. March 16, 38624 S.E. River St. ❑ North Bend Transportation and Public Works Committee, 4 p.m. March 16, 1155 E. North Bend Way ❑ North Bend Economic Development Commission, 8 a.m. March 17, 126 E. Fourth St. ❑ Snoqualmie Public Safety Committee, 5 p.m. March 17, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway
Events ❑ Reuel Lubag Trio, 7 p.m. March 11, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, with Geoff Harper on bass and Matt Page on drums. ❑ Karen Shivers Quartet, 7 p.m. March 12, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend ❑ Danny Kolke Trio, 7 p.m. March 13, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend. Local jazz outfit offers blues, gospel and straight-ahead jazz. ❑ Belly dance workshops, 6 p.m. March 14 and 21, Chief Kanim Middle School, 32627 S.E. Redmond-Fall City Road, Fall City. Register by filling out the form available at www.fallcityarts.org. Call 222-0070. ❑ Finaghty’s St. Patty’s Day 5k and Kids 1k, 9 a.m. March 12, Southeast Center Street (south of Snoqualmie Parkway), Snoqualmie. Fun for every age and ability. Register online at www.runsnoqualmie.com. ❑ Child and infant CPR training, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 12, Si View Community Center, 410 Orchard Drive, North Bend. Participants will learn how to check an unconscious victim and respond accordingly. Fee includes participant book and American Red Cross certification, valid for two years. Fee: $49. ❑ Healthy Living Fair, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 26, Si View Community Center, 400 Orchard Drive, North Bend. Meet local service providers, get
March
He’s a magic man
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Contributed
Family Night: Magic with Bruce Meyers, 6:30 p.m. March 11, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive, North Bend. Anything is possible with Bruce Meyers on stage. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. Suggested donation: $10 per family.
useful routine testing, and drop in for free health and wellness classes. This event is sponsored by Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, Sno Valley Star, Mount Si Senior Center and Si View Metro Parks. Admission is free. ❑ SnoValley Idol Junior Finals are from 6-8 p.m. April 1. The winner of the contest receives a $50 gift card donated by North Bend Premium Outlets and invitations to perform at the North Bend Block Party and Si View Holiday Bazaar.
Volunteer opportunities ❑ Elk Management Group invites the community to participate in elk collaring, telemetry and habitat improvement projects in the Upper Snoqualmie Valley. Project orientation meetings are at 6 p.m. the third Monday of the month at the North Bend City Hall, 211 Main St. E-mail research@snoqualmievalleyelk.org. ❑ Snoqualmie Valley Hospital is accepting applications for ages 16 or older to volunteer in various departments of the hospital. E-mail volunteer coordinator Carol Waters at carolw@snoqualmiehospital.org to arrange an interview. Spanish Academy invites volunteers fluent in Spanish to participate in summer camps on its three-acre farm-style school. Must love children and nature. Call 888-4999. ❑ Senior Services Transportation Program needs volunteers to drive seniors
around North Bend and Snoqualmie. Choose the times and areas in which you’d like to drive. Car required. Mileage reimbursement and supplemental liability insurance are offered. Call 206-748-7588 or 800-2825815 toll free, or e-mail melissat@seniorservices.org. Apply online at www.seniorservices.org. Click on “Giving Back” and then on “Volunteer Opportunities.” ❑ Mount Si Senior Center needs volunteers for sorting and sales in the thrift store, reception and class instruction. The center is at 411 Main St., North Bend. Call 888-3434. ❑ Hopelink in Snoqualmie Valley seeks volunteers for a variety of tasks. Volunteers must be at least 16. Go to www.hopelink.org/takeaction/volunteer.com or call 869-6000. ❑ Adopt-A-Park is a program for Snoqualmie residents to improve public parks and trails. An application and one-year commitment are required. Call 831-5784. ❑ Study Zone tutors are needed for all grade levels to give students the homework help they need. Two-hour weekly commitment or substitutes wanted. Study Zone is a free service of the King County Library System. Call 369-3312.
Classes ❑ S.A.I.L. (Stay Active and Independent for Life) exercise class meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S.,
North Bend. Led by certified exercise instructor Carla Orellana. Call 888-3434.
Clubs ❑ Mental illness support group, 7-8:30 p.m. Fridays, Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 Snoqualmie Parkway, Snoqualmie. The group is sponsored by NAMI and is free of charge for anyone with a mental illness or a family member with a mental illness. For information, call Yolanda at 829-2417. ❑ Mount Si Artist Guild meeting, 9:15-11 a.m. third Saturday of each month, Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend, www.mtsiartistguild.org. ❑ Sno-Valley Beekeepers meets the second Tuesday of the month at the Meadowbrook ❑ Interpretive Center, Meadowbrook Farm, 1711 Boalch Ave., North Bend. Go to www.snoqualmievalleybeekeepers.org. ❑ Trellis gardening club meets at 10 a.m. the third Saturday of each month, at Valley Christian Assembly, 32725 S.E. 42nd St., Fall City. Trellis is an informal support group for the Snoqualmie Valley’s vegetable gardeners, who have special climactic challenges and rewards. New and experienced gardeners are welcome. ❑ Elk Management Group meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at the U.S. Forest Service conference room at 130 Thrasher Ave., behind the visitors’ center on
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North Bend Way. Interagency committee meetings are at 1:30 p.m. the first Monday of the month at the North Bend City Hall annex, 126 Fourth St. Both meetings are open to the public. Go to snoqualmievalleyelk.org. ❑ Mount Si Fish and Game Club meets at 7:30 p.m. the first Thursday of the month, October through May, at the Snoqualmie Police Department. ❑ Sallal Grange, 12912 432nd Ave. S.E., North Bend, meets the first Friday of each month for a potluck and open mic with local musicians. The potluck starts at 6 p.m. with the music from 7 p.m. to midnight. Open to all people/ages. Go to www.sallalgrange.org. ❑ Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays, North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St. Learn to play chess or get a game going. All ages and skill levels are welcome. ❑ The North Bend Chess Club meets every Thursday from 7-9 p.m. at the North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St. All ages and skill levels are invited. ❑ Snoqualmie Valley Rotary Club meets at 7 a.m. every Thursday at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club Restaurant. All are welcome. Go to www.snoqualmievalleyrotary.org. ❑ American Legion Post 79 and the American Legion Auxiliary meet at 6 p.m. the second Thursday at 38625 S.E. River St., Snoqualmie. Call 8881206. ❑ Snoqualmie Valley Garden Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the second Thursday at the Mount Si Senior Center, North Bend. Call 453-8630 ❑ Snoqualmie Valley Kiwanis Club meets at 7 a.m. every Thursday at the Mount Si Golf Course restaurant in Snoqualmie. E-mail snovalley@member.kiwanis.org. ❑ Snoqualmie Fraternal Order of Eagles Women’s Auxiliary meets the first and third Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Men’s Aerie meets the first and third Wednesday at 7 p.m. at 108 Railroad Ave. Call 888-1129. ❑ A cancer survivor group meets at 9 a.m. the second Saturday at Sawdust Coffee in the North Bend Factory Stores mall. E-mail newellvl@yahoo.com. Submit an item for the community calendar by e-mailing editor@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.
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MARCH 10, 2011