snovalleystar032411

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

March 24, 2011 VOL. 3, NO. 12

Snoqualmie Healthy Living Fair program Inside

Housing market goes from boom to bust

By Dan Catchpole

Cleanup crew Tribe helps restore historic habitat to Fall City Park.

Page 2

It has been a long time since the sun shined on Snoqualmie Ridge’s housing market.

The outlook for 2011 isn’t any better, according to market analysts.

Home prices in King County fell in February to a new low since the real estate boom collapsed in 2008.

Prices have been pulled down by short sales and foreclosures, which are often priced below market value. That is especially true of the Ridge, which has a higher rate of distressed properties — bank-owned homes and short sales listed for less than the owner owes the lender — than the rest of the county.

The number of distressed properties is expected by ana-

lysts to rise in 2011, meaning prices will likely continue declining for the rest of the year.

Experts don’t expect prices to stabilize before 2012.

“This year’s going to be tough for everyone,” said Glenn Crellin, an economist and director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at Washington State University.

Across the county, 37 percent

Bill would allow noneducators to be principals.

Page 3

What now?

Marijuana distribution trial ends in a hung jury.

Page 3

By Laura Geggel

Police blotter Page 7

Missing Woo Cancer survivor mourns death of her feline pal.

Page 10

Best in class

Opstad teacher named educator of the year.

Page 14

By Sebastian Moraga

School board members (from left) Dan Popp, Carol Loudenback and Marci Busby listen to school bond detractor David Spring suggest that the school bond re-vote be postponed. The board disagreed with Spring, voting 5-0 to put the bond back on the ballot in late April.

Mount Si battles for 1-0 win over rival Bellevue.

Page 16

Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER

See MARKET, Page 9

After complaints, Snoqualmie Casino shortens concert season

Who’ll be in charge?

Sweatin’ in soccer

of houses for sale in February were considered distressed, according to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

On Snoqualmie Ridge, that number is 42 percent, and many of those are on the Ridge, said Cary Porter, a Realtor with The Cascade Team, a local real estate agency.

Snoqualmie Valley school bond goes back on the ballot April 26

By Sebastian Moraga The Snoqualmie Valley School Board voted in favor of bouncing back this spring from its closest defeat in recent memory.

The $56 million school bond to build a new middle school will appear in an April 26 ballot, thanks to a unanimous 5-0 board vote. The Feb. 8 vote on

the bond fell two one-thousandths of a percent shy of the 60 percent needed.

“It’s two one-thousandths of a percent: A supermajority of our Valley said yes. I stand with the majority, with the people who believe this is the right thing to do,” said Board President Dan Popp.

The bond proposal will remain the same with the

exception of a 2-cent increase, from 47 to 49 cents, in the amount per $1,000 of property value the bond will cost.

Higher interest rates are the culprit for the increase, Snoqualmie Valley Schools Superintendent Joel Aune said.

Valley residents from both sides of the issue urged board See BOND, Page 9

After receiving dozens of calls complaining about its outdoor concerts last summer, Snoqualmie Casino has implemented several changes to its schedule at Mountain View Plaza.

The season will be shorter; shows will start and end earlier; there will be fewer double billings and the casino will not hold any Friday concerts.

The casino has also started a phone hotline for community members who have questions or comments about the outdoor concerts — 888-HELP (4357).

“Respectful, constructive messages and calls will be addressed in various ways, including callbacks,” Snoqualmie Casino Vice President of Marketing Matt Gallagher said.

In 2010, the casino held 31 concerts from June 17 to Sept. 2, with most concerts ending at 10 p.m., the time in the city of Snoqualmie’s noise ordinance.

The speakers from the venue pointed toward the Snoqualmie Valley, and some residents said they could hear it three miles away, and that it kept them up at night.

Other residents applauded the concerts, calling them free shows for the Valley.

This summer, the casino has shortened the season from July to August.

Gallagher explained the reaSee CASINO, Page 9

SnoValley Star

PAGE 2

MARCH 24, 2011

Tribe helps restore historic habitat to Fall City park

By Dan Catchpole The Snoqualmie Tribe has started work on the second phase of its ecosystem restoration project at Fall City Community Park. Volunteers from the community and the tribe lent a hand for the work.

The park, which sits on the Snoqualmie River, has historic significance to the tribe, according to Cindy Spiry, director of the tribe’s Environmental and Natural Resources Department.

Traditionally, American Indians hunted, fished, congregated and lived along the river.

There were fish, wildlife, berries and other native plants that the Snoqualmies used for food and medicine.

Today, the tribe is attempting to restore the area’s historic habitat by planting native

plants, including species that can be harvested.

“Our goal is to restore the healthy habitat to the park as well as to restore the traditional harvest grounds, so that tribal members will be able to walk the trail at the park and harvest the berries that once were abundant here,” Spiry said.

The project also aims to enhance the river’s habitat, used by chinook salmon while spawning.

Money for the project comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency via the Puget Sound Partnership, which included the project in its action agenda. The EPA is a member of the partnership.

The restoration project is expected to cost about $380,000, which includes planning, planting, maintenance and monitoring.

Volunteers from the Snoqualmie Tribe restore the ecosystem at Fall City Community Park.

By Dan Catchpole

It is expected to take at least four years to complete, although Spiry said her department would apply for money to prolong the monitoring.

About 75 volunteers from the community and tribe came out March 5 for a workday. They planted more than 2,000 native plants.

The day included an environmental fair, and several groups offered classes and demonstrations for participants.

Ethnobotanist and Carnation resident Heidi Bohan showed how to propagate plants.

SnoValley Tilth, the Snoqualmie

Watershed Forum, the King County Noxious Weeds Program and Mountains to Sound Greenway also took part in the fair.

Tribal members demonstrated traditional woodcarving and performed a ceremony.

In 2001, tribal artifacts were uncovered in the park’s meadow.

“Historically, it was the location of a village,” Spiry said.

“There’s a real connection to that area for the Snoqualmie people.”

The park became a point of contention in recent years

between the tribe and Fall City residents. The tribe offered to take over the park for King County in 2009, when the county was facing budget problems.

Fall City residents voted to create a parks district to take over control of the park. At the time, some residents cited concerns that the tribe would limit public access or even swap the park for land located elsewhere.

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

SnoValley Star

MARCH 24, 2011

PAGE 3

House bill would open path for Marijuana distribution noneducators to be principals trial ends with hung jury

By Sebastian Moraga A bill pushing to allow noneducators to work as school principals does not sit well with those now on the job.

Ray Wilson, Kirk Dunckel and Randy Taylor, all principals and all former teachers, said that you can’t be the former if you haven’t been the latter.

“Providing leadership to a school requires being more than just a manager,” said Taylor, principal of Mount Si High School.

To which State Rep. Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City) said, leadership is leadership.

House Bill 1593, which Anderson co-sponsored, passed the House and sits in the Senate this week. If it becomes law, it would allow noneducators to become principals.

“It’s an alternative certification path for individuals who are not certified educators,” Anderson said. “We have an opportunity to find well-qualified people to become principals.”

The program, which school districts would opt into, would be reviewed after one year, Anderson said.

Under the program, a school district must recommend an applicant to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, which would review his or her qualifications.

Candidates would receive intensive mentoring for at least one school year, the bill reads.

“The idea is not to throw someone in and say, ‘Sink or swim,’” Anderson said.

If OSPI considers the appli-

cant satisfactory, he or she receives a provisional principal certificate, good for up to three years.

During that time, the holder may work as a principal in one school district.

Provisional certificates would expire if the holder is fired or is determined to have failed to achieve progress toward completing the program.

After year three, OSPI would decide whether to issue a permanent certificate.

The bill passed the House by a 79-18 vote.

“There’s pretty broad support for it,” said Anderson, who sponsored the bill along with 11 other lawmakers from around Washington.

Wilson, principal at Cascade View Elementary School, said the bill would send a message that legislators see the position as fit for a manager, not an educator.

“I believe most parents, as well as teachers, would want an educator in that role,” he said.

“They understand the ins and outs of the classroom and the value of that to the community.”

Educators, Wilson added, can empathize with teachers and see things from both sides of the desk.

“There’s no better experience than experience,” he said.

Anderson said the bill is not an indictment of the performance of the state’s school prin-

cipals, just a new idea.

“We need as much innovation as we can get, and we have to do it in a responsible manner,” he said. “I think this was responsible.”

Dunckel, principal at Chief Kanim Middle School, said people need more than just one year of training to be the leader of a school.

“If I hadn’t been a teacher before,” said Dunckel, who taught for 15 years, “I don’t think I would have pursued” becoming a principal.

Teachers respond better to a leader who has dealt with students before, he said.

“Educators underneath you look at it as, ‘This is someone who was one of us at one point,’” Dunckel said. “They tend to look up to that.”

Anderson mixed optimism and caution when talking about the bill’s chances in the Senate and beyond.

“We’ll find out what the results are,” he said. “We’ll see how many think this will be a viable alternative.” Every school district is different, he added, which might work in the bill’s favor if it becomes law.

“Some will embrace it, some will see it as a threat,” he said.

“But it’s not a mandate, it’s just an opportunity to innovate.”

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

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Prosecutor’s office given 30 days to refile charges

By Dan Catchpole King County prosecutors’ trial against a former Snoqualmie resident accused of selling marijuana ended March 15 with the jury unable to reach a unanimous decision.

The prosecutor’s office has 30 days from the end of the trial to file charges again.

The prosecution had alleged that Bryan Gabriel had sold four ounces of marijuana to another Snoqualmie resident during a meeting in Covington, which Snoqualmie police officers said they witnessed.

However, only three of the 12 jurors found Gabriel guilty, forcing the trial to end with a hung jury.

“It doesn’t sound like a case that we’re going to jump into retrying,” said Ian Goodhew, a spokesman for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg.

Gabriel’s defense attorney, Kurt Boehl, had argued that Snoqualmie police had been out to get his client for selling medicinal marijuana, which is legal in Washington.

It was the second time King County has filed charges against Gabriel for selling marijuana based on evidence from Snoqualmie

police. The first charges were thrown out in June 2010 after the prosecution’s primary witness died from an injury sustained during an epileptic seizure.

The prosecution could not present conclusive evidence that Gabriel had been at the alleged meeting in Covington, and relied on testimony from Snoqualmie police officers.

“I’ll go to trial as many times as they want to,” Gabriel said. “There was no evidence.”

Despite claiming that Snoqualmie police persecuted him, Gabriel said he doesn’t have any ill will against them.

“There are a lot of good Snoqualmie police officers,” he said. “I just got caught up in a situation where they thought I did something wrong when I didn’t.”

While the prosecutor’s office does get convictions in hundreds of marijuana cases each year, times are changing, Goodhew said.

“Our society’s attitudes toward marijuana are changing, and if they do, our laws should change to reflect that,” he said.

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

Opinion

PAGE 4

Editorial

MARCH 24, 2011

Letters

Plan now if you hope to run for a public office Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. It takes planning and participation.

Now is the time to begin planning your participation.

People considering running for public office should start raising the idea with family and potential supporters. They should also begin engaging fellow residents about the issues facing the Snoqualmie Valley in next fall’s election.

The school bond vote demonstrated that the Valley faces very significant questions as it transitions from a rapidly expanding area to one with more stable population growth. It also showed that voters have very passionate views on some of the issues.

Valley voters deserve robust campaigns that take the issues head on. Local campaigns have too often shied away from raising the tough questions. But Valley voters must consider very serious issues about agenda priorities and revenue sustainability in local government.

Voters will have plenty to consider, as a long list of local offices will be on the ballot.

North Bend residents will be able to vote on the mayor and five of the seven City Council seats. Mayor Ken Hearing has already announced his intention to run for re-election.

In Snoqualmie, three City Council seats will be on the ballot.

Three seats of the Snoqualmie Valley School Board are up for election, including that of current board president Dan Popp.

King County Fire District 38’s board of commissioners has one position up for election, but it is a big one. Board Chairman Ron Pedee is facing re-election.

Also, one position on each of the board of commissioners for Public Hospital District No. 4 and Si View Metropolitan Park District are up for election.

Candidates must file in early June.

But if Valley voters are going to have good campaigns, potential candidates have to start laying the groundwork today.

WEEKLY POLL Are you voting for or against the school bond on the April ballot?

A. Yes! We need a new school.

B. No! There are better ways to spend the money.

C. I’m not voting.

Vote online at www.snovalleystar.com.

Deborah Berto Kathleen R. Merrill Jill Green

Publisher Managing editor Advertising manager

Dan Catchpole

Editor

Sebastian Moraga

Published by

David Hayes Michelle Comeau

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Even retirees should support the school bond There are many reasons to support the April 26 school bond proposal and one of them is purely financial self interest.

We are both retired and our children are grown, but we again support the school bond proposal. We feel we owe the present generation of school children the same educational opportunities that benefited us and our two girls.

Further, the present proposal is a well-reasoned, much-debated response to the school district’s needs and it is simply the right thing to do. Some or all of these reasons apply whether you have no children, grown children, young children or children in private schools.

Even if you are a person who votes only your own pocketbook, there is a valid and littlediscussed reason to vote yes.

Any Realtor will tell you that property values are directly

affected by the reputation of local schools. The present carefully prepared proposal will maintain and improve our district’s reputation and our property values. Please join us in voting yes.

Barry and Patty Johnson Snoqualmie

Don’t taint bond election with endless recounts Has it occurred to anyone, by any stretch of the imagination, that the school bond failed because the voters didn’t want it? Or are we pulling a Christine Gregoire and we’ll have recounts until the powers that be get what they want?

Listen to the people — it’s why we have elections.

Laurel Welling Snoqualmie

Ignite Dance and Yoga helps school fundraiser Have you stopped into Ignite

Dance and Yoga? It is one of my favorite places in North Bend.

Every instructor is top notch.

The dance is fun and lively and the yoga is strengthening and relaxing. Katie Black and her family have done remarkable work to bring us their passion for dance and yoga.

On Saturday night, I attended a North Bend Elementary School fundraiser event at Ignite. Ignite opened its dance floors for 30 children and 20 adults to enjoy a community evening of dance.

We laughed and cheered. It was such fun!

Ignite donated all of the money to our 5th Grade Camp fundraiser. We made $420 that night. Ignite taught and provided comfort and joy for all involved.

What a generous donation, Ignite! We are so lucky to have you in North Bend. Wishing you continued success!

Anne Melgaard North Bend Elementary teacher and parent

Home Country

With Martin, you have to first listen, and then stop and look

By Slim Randles There could be lots of reasons Martin chose to become the “crossing sergeant.”

He’s always kept to himself.

His wife, too. Oh, there have been rumors that she may give Martin a hard time at home, but you know how rumors are.

Martin retired from the Field Ranch a while back after about 40 years. After that, we’d see him out walking or maybe fishing a little along Lewis Creek.

Then one day in September, Martin found his new career as a crossing guard down next to the elementary school. He got a blaze orange vest, a paddle sign with “stop” on one side and “slow” on the other.

And they gave him a whistle.

Oh yes, the whistle. At first, when a child was spotted a block away, Martin would trot out to the middle of the intersection, blow his whistle, hold up his paddle and turn it around so everyone saw “stop,” regardless of where you were. And we’d wait until some third-grader got safely to school.

Then, we were waved on through. And with each wave of Martin’s hand there was a blast on the whistle. Oh yes, that

whistle.

The school sure picked the right guy for the job. If you want someone who can stand out there every Slim Randles morning in Columnist heat and rain and snow and spring winds, just look for an old cowboy. Martin took all his “tough lessons” ages ago.

The problem Martin was having, however, was that he had more time than children, and that led to his current trafficcontrol methods. He watches

carefully, and if a car is coming from a right angle, he steps out and blows the whistle and stops us. And if the car slows, Martin waves him on whether he wants to go that way or not. And that’s when there aren’t any kids around.

But no one complains. He’s there early, he’d stop a train to let kids cross the street and he works for free. So, what’s a few whistle blasts and marching orders among friends?

You have to admire professionalism wherever it is found.

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:

snovalley star P.O. Box 1328 ❑ Issaquah, WA 98027 Fax: 391-1541 ❑ E-mail: editor@snovalleystar.com

MARCH 24, 2011

SnoValley Star

PAGE 5

SnoValley Star

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MARCH 24, 2011

North Bend is going extreme this summer with adventure sports

By Dan Catchpole

ON THE WEB

North Bend is getting extreme this summer.

The city is hosting at least two extreme sports events this summer — the Warrior Dash in July and North Bend Multisport Festival in August.

A third event is in the works but hasn’t been finalized.

The events are the latest step in the city’s efforts to turn North Bend into a destination for outdoor recreation enthusiasts. City officials hope the events — and their marketing campaign — will boost the local economy. Thousands of participants and spectators are expected at each event.

The Warrior Dash has everything for a fun afternoon race — mud, grime, swamp water, fire, wooden barricades, rope nets.

Well, a fun afternoon for some people.

The race resembles a military obstacle course stretched out across three and a half miles. It includes crawling through pipes, swimming through mucky pond water, running, and scrambling up and over various obstacles — a wooden barricade, hay bales, cargo nets. And leaping over fire.

The race is being held in nearly 30 locations this year in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

North Bend is the only location in Washington. The course weaves through Meadowbrook Farm, Meadowbrook Slough and the Snoqualmie Valley Trail.

> > www.warriordash.com Warrior Dash

The second event city officials are excited about is the two-day multisport festival. The first day is an off-road triathlon. The second day is a cyclo-cross race, in which participants use a bike that is a cross between a road bike and mountain bike.

“The intention of creating the events is to drive up the visiting population to the city during the summer to drive up spending in the city,” said Gina Estep, North Bend’s Community and Economic Development director.

North Bend is trying to replicate the success of places such as the Tri-Cities and Spokane. The Tri-Cities has branded itself as a venue for sports tournaments.

Spokane’s Hoopfest and Bloomsday Run draw tens of thousands of visitors to the city.

The vast majority of North Bend’s residents work outside the city. Many local jobs depend on visitors.

Mayor Ken Hearing has pushed the city’s branding campaign as an effort to create more local jobs.

Last year, the city adopted a logo: “Easy to find, hard to leave.”

North Bend already has its Block Party and the Festival at Mount Si. Estep said local merchants have told her both events

Member of Chapel Car 5 restoration team is honored by state historical society The Northwest Railway Museum’s Chapel Car 5, Messenger of Peace, has received plenty of accolades in its lifetime.

It was honored for its display at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, and after the museum acquired it, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

But it has to share the spotlight with one of the people laboring on the railcar’s restoration.

Kevin Palo, the restoration team’s lead carpenter, recently received the David Douglas Award from the Washington State Historical Society. Palo was honored for his work on restoration work at Fort Worden in Port Townsend. The award will be presented in Olympia in June.

Palo has more than 30 years experience preserving woodconstruction structures.

“The intention of creating the events is to drive up the visiting population to the city during the summer to drive up spending in the city.”

— Gina Estep North Bend’s Community and Economic Development director

have helped their business.

City officials expect participants in the Warrior Dash to spend dollars in local stores.

According to the event’s organizers, 63 percent of attendees eat at local restaurants, 32 percent shop at local businesses and 23 percent buy gas locally, Estep said.

It is hard to predict how many people will come to an event in its first year, she said.

The city expects at least 1,000 participants for the multisport festival.

“It’s about getting the word out,” Estep said.

She pointed to a mountain biking event in Leavenworth that draws 5,000 people each year as evidence of the festival’s potential.

But before the race starts, Estep is still getting the event ready.

“Right now, we’re working on the festival part,” she said.

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

The county Parks and Recreation Division is accepting applications from qualified groups for Youth Sports Facilities Grants. Applicants must partner with a public agency, such as a school district or municipal parks department, to develop or renovate sports facilities.

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

City Hall will go dark for global Earth Hour Snoqualmie City Hall will turn off its lights for one hour at 8:30 p.m. March 26, joining in Earth Hour.

During Earth Hour, participants across the world turn off their lights for one hour to pro-

mote energy conservation as part of decreasing fossil fuel consumption, considered by many climate scientists to be a leading contributor to climate change.

The event was started by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007.

Snoqualmie has participated for the past two years.

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The fund has helped organizers build or renovate hundreds of public sports amenities in neighborhoods throughout the county.

“Thanks to robust partnerships with community groups, we are using our limited resources to bring new or improved recreational amenities for King County residents that otherwise wouldn’t be possible,” County Executive Dow Constantine said in a release.

The program provides matching grant funds of up to $75,000. Grant requests range from $5,000 to $75,000.

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 sale of a county building.

Since the program debuted in 1993, the county has awarded more than $10 million in grants and contributed to more than 250 new or renovated athletic facilities throughout the county.

The county Parks and Recreation Division is accepting applications until June 17, and letters of intent until May 4.

To learn more about the Youth Sports Facilities Grants Program, contact Program Manager Butch Lovelace at 206-263-6267 or butch.lovelace@kingcounty.g ov. Find the application and guidelines at the King County Parks and Recreation Division website, www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/partners/ysfg.

organizations in more than 100 countries and territories have registered to participate in 2011.

In previous years, popular landmarks in the U.S. and across the world have joined in, including the Empire State Building, the Las Vegas Strip, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Seattle Space Needle and the Colosseum in Rome.

The event has drawn critics, including conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh, who in 2009 turned the lights in his house on for the hour.

To learn more, go to www.earthhour.org.

SnoValley Star

MARCH 24, 2011

Police blotter North Bend police Just need a smoke At about 10:15 a.m. March 15, an employee at a gas station in the 14500 block of 458th Avenue Southeast noticed all of the Marlboro cigarettes were missing from a display stand.

Later, he noticed a toolkit was missing. Once the manager showed up, he looked at a security video and saw that at about 1:30 a.m., a male in a black jacket with fur on the hood had come from the back of the store, walked to the front counter and filled several plastic bags with cigarettes. The employee said he knew the guy. The video showed that at 3:30 a.m., a second male came in from the back, and stole some cigarettes along with a display case of lighters. The second man was wearing a black shirt and a stocking cap. The employee did not recognize him. The case is under investigation.

Help yourself At 7 a.m. March 9, police were alerted to a theft of gas. A truck driver told police that he parked the company truck along the shoulder area in the 45800 block of Southeast North Bend Way at 6 p.m. the night before.

When he returned the morning of March 9, he noticed that his gas gauge was one-third empty, although he had filled the tank the night before. The truck driver estimated he had lost about 75 gallons of gas. No evidence was found at the scene.

To the dump At 4:39 p.m. March 8, a real

EFR advises homeowners to buy fire insurance In 2010, Eastside Fire & Rescue responded to 110 structure fires that resulted in an estimated $1.7 million in property loss.

To avoid future property loss, EFR advises that homeowners and renters not only buy fire insurance but also take inventory of personal items so insurance providers will have records of the lost items of value. Without

estate agent trying to sell a house in the 300 block of Merritt Place Northeast contacted police about the property across the street. Someone parked a wrecked car and placed a blue tarp over it, the man said, adding that it has become an eyesore. He requested that the wrecked car be removed.

fresh, new piece of gum in his mouth. After failing field sobriety tests and a Breathalyzer test, Knaevelsrud was arrested for driving under the influence. While securing Knaevelsrud’s car, police found marijuana in a baggie and a device for smoking marijuana.

He was cited for possession of the narcotic.

Snoqualmie police

Snoqualmie fire

Get it off me!

❑ At 2 p.m. March 12, firefighters responded to Carmichael Loop for a woman who fainted. ❑ At 5:12 p.m. March 13, EMTs responded to Snoqualmie Casino for an 80-year-old male who was dehydrated. He was transported to a hospital by private ambulance. ❑ At 8:11 a.m. March 14, EMTs were dispatched to Mount Si High School for a medical call. A patient was treated and then transported to a hospital by the EMTs. ❑ At 5:07 p.m. March 14, EMTs responded to the Snoqualmie Ridge area for a medical call. A patient was evaluated and then left in care of a neighbor on scene. ❑ At 1:30 a.m. March 16, EMTs responded to Snoqualmie Casino for a 69-year-old male who was dehydrated. He was evaluated and transported to a hospital by private ambulance. ❑ At 3 a.m. March 16, Snoqualmie EMTs responded with Bellevue paramedics to Southeast Northern Street for an 80-year-old female in respiratory distress. She was transported to a hospital by medics.

At 1:45 p.m. March 14, someone called police about a man leaving a location in the 8000 block of Olmstead Place Southeast, screaming and hitting himself on the arm. The man had a beard and was wearing a blue baseball cap and jeans.

Officers were unable to locate him.

Don’t play with cars At 6:19 p.m. March 14, police showed up at the corner of Snoqualmie Parkway Southeast and Southeast Swenson Drive to talk to an individual who was jumping into traffic at a bus stop. They contacted him and had him quiet down.

DUI, narcotics possession At 12:20 p.m. March 17, police saw a black 1999 BMW going north in the 8700 block of Meadowbrook Way Southeast, and noticed the tabs were expired. A check on the owner showed that Tyson Knaevelsrud, 34, of Redmond, had a warrant for driving with a suspended license. Police stopped the vehicle and while talking to the man, noticed an obvious smell of intoxicants coming from his breath and a

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.

PAGE 7

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SnoValley Star

MARCH 24, 2011

SnoValley Star

MARCH 24, 2011

Schedule announced Snoqualmie Casino unveiled its 2011 summer concert series last week. The lineup features 20 events in July and August.

Performers include Loretta Lynn and the 2010 ACM Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton.

Rumble on the Ridge 19 is expected to draw a big crowd again this year.

Festivals will be in full swing this summer. Snoqualmie Casino and KJAQ will team up July 9 to produce the Vodka Rocks Music Festival, featuring Toad the Wet Sprocket, Seattle’s own Candlebox and The Verve Pipe. On Aug. 6, it’s Hippiefest presented by KZOK, featuring legends of classic rock, including Dave Mason, Grand Funk Railroad’s Mark Farner, Felix Cavalierie’s Rascals, Gary Wright and Rick Derringer.

Summer lineup ❑ 6:30 p.m. July 7: Little River Band ❑ 4 p.m. July 9: Vodka Rocks Music Festival ❑ 7 p.m. July 10: Paul Rodgers ❑ 6 p.m. July 17: Eric Burdon ❑ 6:30 p.m. July 28: Ronnie Dunn ❑ 6 p.m. July 31: Kansas ❑ 6:30 p.m. Aug. 4: The Beach Boys ❑ 5:30 p.m. Aug 6: Hippiefest ❑ 5 p.m. Aug 7: Blues Traveler ❑ 6:30 p.m. Aug 11: Phil Vassar ❑ 6 p.m. Aug 14: Loretta Lynn ❑ 6:30 p.m. Aug 18: Blake Shelton ❑ 6 p.m. Aug 20: Marty Stuart ❑ 6 p.m. Aug 21: Gallagher ❑ 3 p.m. Aug 27: Rumble on the Ridge 19 Tickets to all shows (except Rumble on the Ridge) go on sale at noon March 19 at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Snoqualmie Casino Box Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Bond From Page 1 members to see things their way.

Activist David Spring urged the board to delay returning the bond to a ballot until a clearer financial picture emerged from Olympia.

“We can’t afford another bond failure,” former Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation director Carolyn Simpson said to board members. “What’s the rush? Making a hasty decision would be inappropriate at this time.”

Stephen Kangas, who also opposed the bond, said decisions more important than building a new school loomed.

“What’s more important: Teachers or classrooms?” he

Casino From Page 1 soning behind the changes.

“After several shows in inclement weather last June, we decided to start our season after July 1 to ensure the best experience possible for our guests,” Gallagher said. “Our decision to end the season prior to Labor Day was a direct result of accommodating the local school schedule to ensure there were no issues on potential school nights.”

Shows held Thursday through Sunday will start earlier and end by 9 p.m. “whenever possible to accommodate neighborhood work schedules,” he said.

The speakers will still face toward the Valley, but the casino has a new, higher stage roof that will allow the speakers to point at a more downward angle, Gallagher said. The plaza’s new bleaches, wrapped in a sound absorbing material, could also act as a sound barrier between the stage and the Valley, he said. The new bleachers will seat about 2,200 people.

As they did last year, casino staff will monitor the decibel levels from each concert.

When bands sign a contract with the casino, they agree not to go louder than 95 decibels, a sound about the same intensity as a food blender.

If bands do not comply with the decibel limit, they will not be asked back to perform at the plaza, Gallagher said.

Kit McCormick, an Indian Hill resident who protested against the outdoor shows in 2010, said she was “cautiously pleased” to hear about the changes.

“The casino seems to have asked board members. “Where’s student safety among your priorities? You have the time. Take the time to think this through.”

Supporters of the bond said waiting would be counterproductive.

“In the time we have waited, we have seen the interest rate go up by two cents,” Valley parent Scott Vermeulen said. “If we wait more, everything will cost more.”

Fellow dad Brent Lutz agreed with Vermeulen, saying district administrators should not wait to act until a problem had become an emergency.

Mount Si High School coach Sean Sundwall said the board had a moral obligation to put the bond back on the ballot.

“Regardless of what Olympia does,” he said, “We still have to house our kids. Give voters the same bond in April and we will

PAGE 9

Our decision to end the season prior to Labor Day was a direct result of accommodating the local school schedule to ensure there were no issues on potential school nights.”

— Matt Gallagher Snoqualmie Casino Vice President of Marketing considered the feedback from the local community and made a number of significant changes in response to the concerns,” she said. “We look forward to a summer that is more relaxed and one that offers all residents of the Valley the tranquility that many of us seek.”

Before administering the changes, casino administrators heard feedback from King County and Snoqualmie representatives, including county Regional Relations Director De’Sean Quinn, Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson and Snoqualmie City Administrator Bob Larson.

Matt Larson said his was just one more voice expressing the concerns of Snoqualmie citizens to the Snoqualmie Tribe, which has sovereign status.

“I think it was the tribe primarily wishing to be more responsive to the community,” Matt Larson said.

The casino will learn the community’s response to its changes as soon as its first concert, when the Little River Band plays July 7.

“A number of the changes were in response to our ongoing commitment of being a good neighbor,” Gallagher said.

Laura Geggel: 392-6434, ext. 241, or lgeggel@isspress.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

deliver our children a third middle school.”

Unanimous vote aside, board member Scott Hodgins said he worried about the cost of maintaining the new building, which might range between $600,000 and $1 million.

Nevertheless, he voted yes.

He said he promised when first elected to never vote against a bond.

“I don’t care what we decide to build, this is the time to do it,” Hodgins said. “Even if we don’t need it, is this a good time to build it? Absolutely. We don’t know today what our funding is going to be and what the population projections are going to be in 2013. I don’t have a crystal ball.”

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

By Dan Catchpole

Snoqualmie Ridge’s housing market is still suffering from the real estate bubble collapse, and faces rising rates of foreclosures and short sales. As a result, a planned Eagle Pointe lot still sits empty.

Market From Page 1 “We’re at 42 percent and headed up,” Porter said.

When a house is sold at below-market price, it forces down the value of other houses on the street.

Porter pointed to his own house on Carmichael Loop. He paid $720,000 in 2005, when housing prices were rushing up.

There was recently a short sale on his block for $545,000.

“That means my house is worth maybe $525,000,” he said. “My price is going to go down for another year.”

He expects that if home values recover at a steady 3 percent after 2012, it will take about 16 years for his house to reach its 2005 value.

“Twenty-two years after moving in, I can sell my house for zero profit,” he said.

Fortunately, he likes his neighbors.

Most of the houses on the Ridge were bought when home prices were soaring upward.

“Almost everyone on the Ridge is upside down,” meaning they owe more than on their home than it is worth, Porter said.

Higher-end properties have seen even larger drops in market value. He recently helped sell a home on the Ridge for $500,000. The owner had paid $1,050,000.

“It has just, whew — straight down,” he said while slashing his hand downward.

Prices are also being driven down because the market has too many houses for sale.

Currently, there is a 10-month backlog of homes in Snoqualmie Valley. Porter said he expects it to rise to about 12 months because more houses are typically listed in the spring.

A six-month supply usually means prices will be stable.

With so many houses for sale, buyers can be picky. The average home for sale in Snoqualmie and North Bend spends 169 days on the market. That compares to 45 days four years ago.

Since prices are headed down, the longer a home sits on the market, the less it will probably sell for.

“Do homes sell in one day?

Absolutely, but they have to be priced right,” Porter said.

One of his agents recently sold a house for $585,000, but three years ago, it would have sold for $800,000, he said.

In addition to the inventory of existing homes, sellers also have to compete with new homes from developers. While home construction on the Ridge has slowed dramatically, it still continues.

To lure buyers, developers have had to increase their offerings, upgrading amenities and slashing prices. That is another drag on home prices.

Builders are still putting up new homes because they have already paid for infrastructure improvements, and they can also spread their losses out across a wider area.

Not all news has been bad news for homeowners, though.

There have been signs that buyers’ confidence in the economy is improving, but that could be short lived if rising energy prices and international instability put a brake on the recovery, Crellin said.

Rising gas prices could especially hurt the Valley, where the vast majority of residents commute to work.

“That’s a very expensive commute with current gas prices,” he said.

Still, analysts see 2011 as a year that must be endured.

“We’re still going to drop for the rest of the year. It’s just math,” Porter said.

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

Community

PAGE 10

MARCH 24, 2011

Where’s Woo? Cancer survivor mourns death of her feline pal

By Sebastian Moraga For years after Sally BusbyHill’s son Luke brought him home in 1998, Woo the cat would hide inside closets.

When Busby-Hill and Woo first moved to a house in Sandpoint, Idaho, the cat rushed to the nearest wardrobe.

“I don’t know how appropriate this is,” said Busby-Hill, back in Snoqualmie since 2007, “but my son would make jokes about the cat being in the closet. He would say, ‘Woo, we have to talk about this.’”

Woo never did speak about his “issues,” the same way he never put mice out of their misery.

He brought them and then watched Eddy, the female cat, try to catch them. Sometimes, the rodent would hide under Woo’s tail.

Woo never stopped asking to be let in and out of the house, sometimes for 15 minutes at a time. He never stopped napping on Busby-Hill’s dog Martha and

“But I believe that if there’s something left in me to give, I’m going to give it. If I can show what perseverance is like, then I’m doing my job.”

— Sally Busby-Hill Snoqualmie resident he never stopped making his owner feel loved, not even that day in late January.

“He was so strong,” she said.

“The car hit him and he still walked back to the house.”

Woo collapsed at her feet. At the vet’s office, when Woo’s mouth began to bleed, she decided her friend deserved better.

“I wanted him to die with dignity,” a tearful Busby-Hill said.

She knows about dying with dignity. Diagnosed with cervical cancer, she was given a 2 percent chance of survival in 1996.

Radiation defeated the cancer that time and again in 1998, but

it thrashed her insides.

Since 1998, Busby-Hill lives on what she calls end-of-life care. The cancer may never return, but her organs will never get better.

“Like the doctors told my family,” said Busby-Hill, the patient of 17 gastroenterologists, “‘She may look well on the outside, but the inside is where the problem is.’”

At 55, Sally does look well.

Blonde, slender, with a smile that could distract a Tibetan monk, she exudes joy when talking about her plants.

But then, she talks about the new normal and the Tibetan monk returns to his prayers.

The new normal is what she calls her life now that radiation scar tissue wrapped around nerve endings shoots pain from her toes to her hips.

No hikes, no bikes. No jobs, no strolls. Her stride has a limp and her heart has a cat-shaped hole in it.

See FELINE, Page 11

By Sebastian Moraga

Sally Busby-Hill holds a photo of one of her best friends, the great Woo. A cancer survivor still dealing with the effects of radiation treatment, Busby-Hill is now mourning the passing of her furry pal.

Entrepreneur takes dip in ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’

By Sebastian Moraga

By Sebastian Moraga

James Mitchell and his life’s passion: a food-grade deodorizer called Pure Ayre that will be featured in the April 1 edition of ABC’s ‘Shark Tank.’

James Mitchell sprays his tongue with deodorizer. Twice.

Then, he takes a bigger bottle and he sprays three times. On his eyes.

If you think he should be committed, don’t worry. He already is. To those bottles, that is.

“I have a passion for truth, integrity and honesty,” said Mitchell, whose deodorizer Pure Ayre will appear in the April 1 episode of ABC’s reality show “Shark Tank.”

The industry that regulates deodorizers does not, he said, and as a result most “natural” odor removers carry chemicals.

Pure Ayre does not, and he said that’s why it has so much potential. It’s entirely food grade and works on the foulest domestic odors.

To prove it, he grabs a bottle labeled “NH3,” and sprays a tissue with it. The tissue reeks of ammonia.

Out comes the Pure Ayre and the tissue now smells of peppermint. Five seconds later, the tissue smells of nothing.

Hundreds of demos like these over the past 10 years led Mitchell’s friends to convince him to contact ABC about being on “Shark Tank,” a reality show that lets entrepreneurs pitch ideas to five business moguls.

In August 2009, they finally conSee SHARK, Page 11

Emergency preparedness To help people be better prepared if they find themselves in an emergency situation in a remote area, the Si View Metropolitan Parks District offered a wilderness first aid class during the last weekend of February at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center.

Fourteen people attended.

Instructor Kalli Wilson taught the students to handle a wide array of situations, including hypothermia, broken bones, spinal injuries, heart attacks and altitude sickness.

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Feline From Page 10 She said she needs to find a cheaper place, but she doesn’t want to move. Luke lives in the Valley with his girlfriend and her son, and having family nearby makes life more bearable.

Doctors have told her the end may be near. But Sally refuses to give up.

She already heard something

Shark From Page 10 vinced him. He heard back from the network a year later.

By October 2010, he had pitched his idea to executives.

Then came hours of practicing his “Shark” pitch on the shores of Santa Monica and a tense filming session with the moguls.

By contract, he can’t reveal the outcome, but he said some sharks fed on his self-esteem.

Nevertheless, Mitchell said he will never sell out.

Instead, he said, he hopes to license his product, so he can collect a royalty and maintain control.

That way, if Procter & Gamble ever wants to buy out whoever Mitchell licenses Pure Ayre to, Mitchell can still snag back his bottles from them.

“I won’t sell to P&G,” he said.

similar when Clinton was president, Lindsay Lohan was a grade-schooler and Woo was a runt carrying armies of fleas and using the end of his tail like a pacifier.

“I don’t know if tomorrow I’m going to die or next month or next year,” she said. “But I believe that if there’s something left in me to give, I’m going to give it. If I can show what perseverance is like, then I’m doing my job.”

Some days are as dark as Woo’s coat, with Sally’s stom-

ach holding no food and what she calls “the electric fence” buzzing up and down her leg.

This March day, she saves her biggest smile for when she stretches her leg on a bench, like the outdoorsy person she once was.

“I miss being outside,” she said. “I miss my job.”

A permit technician with the Kirkland Fire Department, she became friends with a restaurateur who liked to bring her Chinese food to work. The man’s name was Mr. Woo, and

He cited P&G elbowing him out of Walgreens as one of the reasons.

Mitchell will host a viewing of the show at the Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church, 8032 Falls Ave. S.E. in Snoqualmie.

The show starts at 9 p.m.

About 4 million people will watch the show on television.

Mitchell said he figures that if 10,000 of them like his product, it’s a huge boost.

Regardless, he has endured worse. Just a year ago, he had to lay off all of his employees, including his wife.

Mitchell has big plans for his little bottles, like delving in real estate.

“If you can smell it, you can’t sell it,” he said.

On March 3, a Seattle-based forensic lab performed a series of tests on Pure Ayre.

“The Pure Ayre enzymatic deodorizer does produce a decrease in the measurable con-

“There’s no end date to this.

There’s no willingness to shut it down. I have invested my life here.”

— James Mitchell Snoqualmie resident

centrations in hydrocarbons, ammonia and formaldehyde in an enclosed space,” a letter signed by chemist Dale C. Mann stated.

Mann later affirmed the veracity of the statement.

Pure Ayre sells to small independent retailers across the U.S. Mitchell said he has only just begun.

“There’s no end date to this,” he said. “There’s no willingness to shut it down. I have invested my life here.”

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

PAGE 11 Sally said he looked a lot like a certain feline that Luke had snuck in the house weeks earlier.

“He was a junior at Mount Si High School,” Sally said, “And he had decided that I needed a cat.”

Scared of everything at first, Woo eventually overcame his need for closet space, switching to under the bed, then to under the covers and then finally, to Sally.

“I’m alone a lot,” she said.

“He was just always there. He

“I’m alone a lot. He was just always there. He was my comfort. He was my buddy.”

— Sally Busby-Hill Snoqualmie resident

was my comfort. He was my buddy.”

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

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PAGE 12

MARCH 24, 2011

Dual Sport Riding Club puts the vrooom in off-road motocross

By Laura Geggel After surviving breast cancer, Anne Wheeler decided to buy a motorcycle.

She had always wanted one, but the dangerous warnings associated with motorcycles had kept her at bay. At age 47, she embraced the culture, took a safety course and hopped on her bike, putting an outstanding 20,000 miles on it her first year, driving to places like San Diego from her home in North Bend.

Now, Wheeler has a dual sport bike — a motorcycle that can go on trails and roads — and has joined the Dual Sport Riding Club.

Steve Justham, of North Bend, founded the club in May when he decided to take up the sport again. He began riding as a child and rode through adulthood, but stopped when he had children.

“It’s just a place for people to find other people to ride with,” Justham said. “The whole reason I started it is to make friends.

Some people you really connect

Photos courtesy meetup.com

Dual Sport Riding Club members take off-road outings be it on dirt (above) or way off road in the river (right). with and some you just ride with.”

Two local companies have sponsored the club, including I-90 Motor Sports in Issaquah and Bellevue Kawasaki.

Since its creation, the club has grown to 250 riders from across the state, with people

Citizens of Snoqualmie, Your local firefighters wish to inform you about a new planning committee researching the possibility of a regionalized fire service for the area. The East County Regional Fire Authority (RFA) Planning Committee meets the second Wednesday of the month at Eastside Fire and Rescue Headquarters in Issaquah at 5:30pm. Currently, the process is very early in the planning phase. At this time, the City of Snoqualmie is not participating in these discussions. The benefit of a Regional Fire Authority is that a regionalized fire service can be more fiscally responsible, can provide more resources, and also can increase service levels to the community.

Agencies that participate in discussions do so without committing to anything. The City of Snoqualmie owes it to the citizens to be a serious partner in investigating a regionalized approach to fire service and to see if it works for the Fire Department as well as the citizens and community that it serves. Tell the City that you, as a Snoqualmie resident, want a voice on the East County Regional Fire Authority (RFA) Planning Committee.

On the Web Go to www.meetup.com and search for the Dual Sport Riding Club in North Bend.

from the Snoqualmie Valley, Ellensburg, Wenatchee and Seattle.

Anyone in the group can organize rides, and sometimes the Dual Sport Riding Club posts rides from other groups on its calendar. The field trips take people on logging roads, singletrack paths or even on stretches of highway to reach a soughtafter destination.

Justham has organized rides on the North and Middle Fork roads, but he said he often rides past exit 38 on Interstate 90.

“From 38 on, it’s really miles and miles and miles of logging roads with mountain views,” he said.

Tony Robertson, of Renton, said he joined the club so he could meet people and discover trails. He said he had ridden motorcycles since age 7, and as a recent transplant to King

County, was still finding hidden tracks to explore on his bike.

“I’ve been looking for more places to ride in the area and it sounded like there’s a lot of people who have lived here their whole lives and knew a lot of places to ride,” Robertson said.

Members who go for rides with the club are sent a safety sheet outlining precautions they should take during each event.

People riding in a group have to be conscious of one another, leaving enough space between themselves and other riders.

“It’s a very dangerous sport,” Justham said. “It’s not only dangerous if you don’t know how to ride, or if you ride over your head — other times, it’s rocks and a tree. Sometimes, there is sand.”

Riders aware of the dangers

The Snoqualmie City Council meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at the following location:

Laura Geggel: 392-6434, ext. 241, or lgeggel@isspress.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

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are invited to ride with the group. Part of the thrill of riding is knowing it takes extreme concentration, Justham said.

“What I love about it is when I’m riding my motorcycle, that’s all I can think about,” he said. “I have to focus on riding. You forget about other stuff in your life — responsibilities and problems — and you just go out and ride.”

Wheeler had a similar take.

“In that way, it’s almost like a meditation if you will,” she said.

“I like riding solo also, because it clears my head and it appeals to my spirit.”

She encouraged both new and experienced riders to join the club.

“People are really willing to help new riders get more comfortable,” she said.

35501 SE Douglas Street Daily 9am - 6pm www.snoqualmieridgestorage.com

Back issues of your hometown newspaper – now online!

SnoValley Star

MARCH 24, 2011

PAGE 13

Auto Repairs

Bicycles

Collision Repair

Automotive Service

Motorcycles

Tires

Schools

PAGE 14

MARCH 24, 2011

Opstad’s Sharon Piper is elementary educator of the year

By Sebastian Moraga Let it be said that Sharon Piper, elementary educator of the year for the Snoqualmie Valley School District, breaks her promises.

Every year, she promises herself she will go home shortly after her students have, and not stay in the classroom correcting, grading, preparing, researching.

Every year, and every day, she proves herself wrong. There’s always something to do.

But what else can be expected from a teaching lifer who decided she wanted to be a teacher in the eighth grade, and who did the proverbial 180 on her first job, teaching third grade in the same school where she was in third grade.

“In the same classroom,” she said. “It was weird.”

What else can be expected of someone so passionate about children that her eyes tear up when talking about what it’s like to partake in the lives of 28 children.

Piper, a Lewis-Clark State College grad, said the award, the first in her career, belongs to the entire corps of third-grade teachers at Opstad Elementary School.

“It’s really nice, but the gal across the hall, Maryann Bradburn, we pretty much teamteach everything together,” she said. “I feel like the whole thirdgrade team should get the award.”

John Jester, principal at Opstad, wrote in the school’s enewsletter that Piper “exemplifies commitment to excellence in education and dedication to her students and her community.”

As a third-grade teacher, Piper introduces concepts such as multiplication, but also life lessons, like not judging others by who they are on the outside. It’s what’s inside that counts.

“Children are better learners when they feel safe, when they feel they are not being judged,” she said.

A mother of three, she said being a mom has made her a better teacher, helping her understand children better.

“The very first year I taught, I had my parents’ meeting and I said, “Have a nice spot for the kids to do their homework in,’ and I would get papers back with spaghetti on it, wrinkled up or coffee stains,” she said.

“That was before I had kids.”

Once the children came, she realized homework time happens wherever it can happen, from the kitchen table to a passenger seat.

The mother of two righties and a lefty has learned that some southpaws have a tougher time with cursive, as their hand wrapped around the pencil blocks what they write.

At the same time, as the school year enters its last

By Sebastian Moraga

Sharon Piper, Opstad Elementary School third-grade teacher, was chosen as Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation Elementary Educator of the Year. trimester, she’s less of a “Mommy-teacher” than she was in September.

“Now, you’re responsible for getting your homework in and getting your work done in

class,” she said. “I’m not going to coddle you.”

College students wanting to be third-grade teachers must know going in how hard it is, she said.

“You have 25 to 30 kids sometimes, and you see kids come in and they haven’t eaten breakfast, their parents have gotten in a fight,” she said. “It’s not just teaching the stuff.”

Elementary students promote clean water involved in this,” Opstad volunteer Shelley Huestis said.

At one point, Kirk Anderson In chemistry, we learned that of Water1st.org came to the water is H2O. At Opstad school with the same kind of Elementary School, we learn containers children have to that it should be “H” to all. carry to and from polluted Students at rivers. the school are Children “Over there, the water is collecting really found an funds to bring really polluted, all the oxen understanding potable water of what it’s like go to the bathroom in it.” to carry the to underdeveloped nations, containers, — Alexis Tachell even if they did like Honduras Student it for only secand Bangladesh. onds.

And they are “These childoing it by way dren in Third of the bake sale.

World countries do it for six Students have learned about hours a day, every day,” Huestis the lack of water in certain areas added. of the world the hard way: By The containers weighed about watching videos of children car25 pounds each, third-grade rying containers of water and teacher Maryann Bradburn said. then doing it themselves.

See WATER, Page 15 “I loved to see children

By Sebastian Moraga

By Sebastian Moraga

Alexis Tachell and Sierra Spring sell baked goods to raise money and awareness of the need for clean water in the Third World.

SnoValley Star

MARCH 24, 2011

PAGE 15

Science goes pop at Opstad

Water From Page 14

By Sebastian Moraga The children asked for a handout, again and again. Nate George and John Day obliged, again and again.

Two seventh-graders with a container of dry ice were just about the biggest hit at the Opstad Elementary School Science Fair March 17.

The dry ice in water created a rush of carbon dioxide that, mixed with soap, made applesized, lightbulb-colored bubbles.

The children put their gloved, and sometimes sleeved, hands out to hold the bubbles.

And when the bubbles popped, the wisp of white vapor fascinated the children even more.

“It’s one of those things that is giving us a big bang for the buck,” said Lori George, Nate’s mom and one of the organizers of the fair.

Although neither Day nor Nate George are students at Opstad, they participated to show how cool science can be, Lori George said.

“We always are searching for people in the community to bring from the real world ways

By Sebastian Moraga

Twin Falls Middle School student John Day lays a bubble made with dry ice, water and soap on the hand of an Opstad Elementary School student. Day and fellow middle schooler Nate George wowed the crowd with their light-bulb shaped bubbles at Opstad’s science fair. to show science is all around us,” she said.

More than half of the school’s students participated with some sort of experiment, Opstad Principal John Jester said.

Students had to conduct an experiment using the scientific method. Experiments ranged from the serious to the silly.

Fifth-grader Katherine Claffey purchased two hermit crabs and predicted they could walk 10 feet in a minute.

Sheldon Thomas made crystals using sugar and food coloring. Grace Luccio and Gwen Burdick conducted experiments on static electricity, using a balloon and each other’s hair.

As long as they used the scientific method, most experiments were fair game, George said. Children could not harm pets nor bring them to the fair.

Claffey said the crabs didn’t count because she just bought them for the experiment.

“I didn’t know what to do

and a friend suggested it,” Claffey said. She named one crab Klutzy because it kept falling over and another one Herbie because it was fast, like the Beetle in the Lindsay Lohan movie.

The more children understand science, Lori George said, the better off communities will be, as they will know how to differentiate fact from fiction.

“We don’t want kids to think science is just for geeks,” she said.

Why Do Smart Kids Struggle?

Students have been empowered by the bake sale, Huestis said, manning booths and handling money.

“Seventy dollars can give a child clean water for life,” said Alexis Tachell, an Opstad student. “Over there, the water is really polluted, all the oxen go to the bathroom in it.”

Sierra Spring agreed regarding the need for clean water.

“Seven thousand children die every day,” she said, “because of diseases of the water. And the children carrying the water can’t go to school, because they have to (carry) it.”

Bradburn called the effort put forth by the children, “a great next step.” Bradburn first spoke to the children last year about the lack of water in the world.

As of March 18, the group had raised $300 just in change, Tachell said. Children have taken a raised consciousness home, bringing about a more conscientious use of water, she added.

It’s not just the students having bake sales feeling the impact of what having no clean water means. Tachell said students in the project had to do presentations for classmates. The information was so moving, some students started crying.

“They were really surprised,” she said. “They thought it was really sad.”

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Sports

PAGE 16

MARCH 24, 2011

Mount Si soccer sweats for win over Bellevue

By Sebastian Moraga The team that stepped onto the field March 18 looked like the fifth-best team in the state.

For about 10 minutes.

The Mount Si Wildcats, opening their 2011 season, started their home match against Bellevue in a way reminiscent of the 2010 squad, which broke all sorts of records and finished fifth at the state tournament.

Five minutes into the match, the Wildcats already had a 1-0 lead, thanks to a goal on a breakaway by forward Kody Clearman in the third minute.

Needing a fast start to their season after enduring a 4-1 loss to Eastlake on the last preseason match, the Wildcats looked like they meant business early on.

“After we played Eastlake, the boys were just ready to get back on the field,” head coach Darren Brown said. “We were kind of pressing them to create more opportunities. We kind of got

away from that, gradually.”

With time, the team began to look like what it is: a team in search of its own identity, while trying to fill the shoes of wildly successful predecessors. The Wildcats would not score again.

“In the second half, we started slow,” said Nate Popp, a midfielder. “Our pace allowed the other team to catch up. In the first half, we started really well.”

Midfielder and captain Eric Baumgardner agreed, saying the team came out with a lot of energy in the first half.

In the second half, Baumgardner said, the team seemed to be defending the 1-0 lead a little bit.

On his team’s website, Brown called the first 10 minutes “electric” and the second half “subpar.”

As the old adage goes, a win is a win and now the Wildcats can if not forget, at least partially erase the memory of that ugly Eastlake beating.

By Calder Productions

Mount Si’s Kody Clearman battles Bellevue defenders during the Wildcats’ 1-0 victory March 18. Clearman scored Mount Si’s only goal.

“You can’t erase that game, but this puts us in the right direction,” Popp said.

Brown said the win counts, but not for a trip to the Dairy Freeze.

Mount Si grad relishes shot at national title

By Sebastian Moraga To Alex Rudd, finishing 170th in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Cross Country Nationals felt a little like mission accomplished.

The Mount Si High School grad ran at Fort Vancouver in southwestern Washington in November with the goal of putting her Southern Oregon University team first.

The Raiders wanted to place at nationals higher than any team from the Cascade Collegiate Conference.

So Rudd, a freshman, beat as many conference opponents as possible.

Rudd’s women’s team finished seventh in team scores.

The men won the title.

Rudd ran the slow course knowing no personal records loomed, except perhaps in muddy shoes. Still, she wanted to run “the race of my life,” she said.

It was the first time anybody in the women’s team had made

it to nationals.

“We heard it would be a huge race, but it was still much more intense than I imagined,” she said.

“There were so many spectators that the course was just lined Contributed with people Alex Rudd, Mount Si High School grad, helped her the entire Southern Oregon University Raiders to a seventh-place way and finish at the cross country national championships. you were constantly running to a roar of noise. That Something that remained was new to us.” unchanged was the Raiders’ runThe Raider women switched ning close to one another. This from pushing late in the race to improves times and yields more racing hard right away, Rudd points, Rudd said. It also said, since the course was more See RUDD, Page 17 crowded.

“We got the win but we still got work to do,” he said. “I don’t think we are 100 percent pleased.”

A tough week lies ahead for the Wildcats with Liberty and

Sammamish matches on the road. Liberty’s match was March 22. Scores weren’t available prior to press time.

The game against the Totems starts at 7:30 p.m. March 25.

Mount Si softball team is young but talented

By Dan Catchpole The Mount Si Wildcats will face a tough league with a young softball team this season.

Coach Larry White said he expects to regularly start six freshmen in a squad that lost five players from last year.

The 3A KingCo Conference will be as good as ever, with Bellevue and Juanita returning experienced and deep squads.

Liberty won’t be a pushover, either.

And Lake Washington could put things together for a solid season.

Anchoring the Wildcat team will be catcher Danielle Massengill, shortstop Maura Murphy, left fielder Kassidy Maddux and center fielder Lauren Smith.

Massengill and Smith were named to the All-KingCo 3A/2A first team last year.

Murphy was named to the second team.

Veteran third baseman Carly Weidnebach is coming off surgery and could be a big offensive contributor depending on her recovery.

The newcomers include one sophomore, second baseman Tamarra Crowe, and six freshmen: Rachel Picchena, Nikki Carroll, Jenny Carroll, Britney Stevens, Lauren Padilla and Celine Fowler.

White is used to fielding inexperienced but talented players. Smith was an everyday player as a freshman last year.

She quickly established herself as the team’s starting center fielder.

Despite adding several new faces, the team has good chemistry, White said.

The new players may lack experience, but bring much talent to the team.

While the team is young, White said he likes its resolve.

“We will play hard. We will continue to learn,” he said.

The Wildcats will have to play hard when going up against its conference competitors. The team finished last season with a 4-5 conference record.

Mount Si has already picked up its first win of the season, getting a win at a Wenatchee tournament.

SnoValley Star

MARCH 24, 2011

Scoreboard Prep baseball March 14 Game Redmond 11, Mount Si 1 March 16 Game Mount Si 8, Bothell 2 MOUNT SI 8, BOTHELL 2 Mount Si 102 032 0 - 8 9 1 Bothell 100 000 1 - 2 5 2 WP: Trevor Lanz, LP: Kevin McShane.

Mount Si highlights: Dustin Bisheirs 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Max Brown 1-3, 2 RBIs, 2B; Reese Karalus 2-3, 2B; Tim Proudfoot 2-4, 1 RBI; Lanz 5IP, 3K, O ER, HR, 3 RBIs.

Prep boys soccer March 16 Game Eastlake 4, Mount Si 1 March 18 Game Mercer Island 2, Liberty 2 Mount Si 1, Bellevue 0 EASTLAKE 4, MOUNT SI 1 Mount Si goal: Eric Stai (Eric Baumgardner assist), 76:00.

MOUNT SI 1, BELLEVUE 0 Bellevue 0 0 - 0 Mount Si 1 0 - 1 First half goal: 1, Kody

Clearman (MS, Aaron Baumgardner assist), 3:00.

Shutout: MS, Dillon Oord.

Prep boys track & field CHUCK RANDALL RELAYS At Arlington Team scores 1, Arlington 99.94; 2, Burlington-Edison 98.94; 3, Glacier Peak 80.43; 4, Stanwood 62.45; 5, Mount Vernon 56.90; 6, Cascade 45.96; 7, Mount Si 44.92; 8, Sedro-Woolley 34.94.

Individual results (Mount Si) 100: 4, Tyler Button 12.11.

1,600: 9, Dominick Canady 5:08.26; 23, Tom Kirby 5:26.40; 26, Ryan Olson 5:28.93; 28, Ben Houldridge 5:30.63. 110 hurdles: 5, Jon Proctor 21.06; 7, Emmitt Rudd 21.69. 4x400 relay: 4, Mount Si (Mason Bragg, Justin McLaughlin, Jimbo Davis, Button) 3:49.42. Sprint medley relay: 5, Mount Si (Button, McLaughlin, Bragg, Kailund Williams) 1:43.22. Distance medley relay: 4, Mount Si (Houldridge, Rudd, Olson, Tim Corrie) 12:29.38; 8, Mount Si (Canady, Spencer Ricks, Landon Storrud, Kirby) 12:48.37.

Shot put: 1, Kolton Auxier 511; 6, Doc Derwin 39-6.50; 11,

Zach Sletton 38-4.50; 15, Brian Ruhland 36-2; 25, Blake Herman 33-7; 40, Josiah Ellsworth 29-2.50.

Discus: 4, Derwin 122-10; 7, Zach Storm 119-1; 8, Auxier 116-10; 12, Ruhland 104-10; 16, A.J. Brevick 91-5. Javelin: 2, Storm 158-8; 4, Derwin 145-4; 10, Rudd 126-3; 20, Brevick 110-11; 32, Williams 87-4.

High jump: 7, Proctor 5-2; 12, Olson 5-0. Pole vault: 4, Davis 100; 21, Keenan McVein 7-6. Long jump: 18, Rudd 16-6; 21, Proctor 15-10; 26, Brevick 14-8. Triple jump: 11, Brevick 34-9-50; 16, Williams 32-10.50.

Prep girls track & field March 19 Meet CHUCK RANDALL RELAYS At Arlington Team scores 1, Arlington 103.92; 2, Burlington-Edison 90.92; 3, Glacier Peak 74.98; 4, Stanwood 65.94; 5, Mount Vernon 52.97; 6, Mount Si 47.93; 7, Sedro-Woolley 44.98; 8, Cascade 36.94.

Individual results (Mount Si) 100: 4, Sophie Rockow 14.0.

1,600: 13, Christina Volken 6:06.07; 18, Erin Rylands 6:19.45; 19, Madelyn Esteb 6:24.41; 28, Delaney Hollis 7:05.77; 29, Madeleine Bezanson

PAGE 17 7:06.75; 30, Bailey Wise 7:32.19.

100 hurdles: 10, Ashley Jackson 18.55; 13, Sydney Leonard 19.71; 16, Jesse Guye 20.03.

4x100 relay: 4, Mount Si (Abbey Bottemiller, Rachel Finnegan, Guyer, Rockow) 1:54.59. 4x400 relay: 7, Mount Si (Madeleine Hutchison, Bailey Scott, Jackson, Bottemiller) 4:37.16. Spring medley relay; 8, Mount Si (Esteb, Guyer, Rockow, Finnegan) 2:05.46. Distance medley relay: 8, Mount Si (Bottemiller, Volken, Scott, Esteb) 14:48.09.

Shot put: 18, Leonard 25-3; 27, Paige Dahlberg 19-0. Discus: 12, Leslie Stevens 71-1; 16, Dahlberg 62-9; 17, Kristen Kasel 62-2. Javelin: 7, Stevens 94-5; 13, Kasel 72-8; 17, Dahlberg 64-1; 19.

Leonard 63-11. Pole vault: 2, Lexi Swanson 8-3; 4, Hannah Richmond 8-0; 6, Danielle Curley 7-6. Long jump: 10, Jackson 14-2; 16, Scott 13-4. Triple jump: 2, Stevens 32-7.50; 6, Rockow 305.50; 19, Guyer 27-4.

Prep boys lacrosse Washington Lacrosse Association Division II March 17 Game Sammamish 18, Mount Si 2 March 18 Game Nathan Hale 13, Mount Si 3

March 19 Game Mount Si 5, Port Angeles 3 SAMMAMISH 18, MOUNT SI 2 Mount Si 1 0 1 0 - 2 Sammamish 6 3 5 4 - 18 Mount Si statistics: Zane Berhold 1 groundball, Will Dodeward 1 groundball, Sal Francisco 3 groundballs, Eli Gogan 1 goal, 3 groundballs; Matt Mahrer 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 groundballs; Cody Oberlander 1 groundball, Alex Pease 1 groundball, Cameron Pike 1 groundball, Jake Smith 1 groundball, Max Williamson 1 groundball, Matthew Yan 12 saves.

NATHAN HALE 13, MOUNT SI 3 Nathan Hale 4 5 2 2 - 13 Mount Si 1 0 0 2 - 3 Mount Si statistics: Beau Bachand 9 groundballs, Andrew Bottemiller 2 groundballs, Nick Crandall 2 groundballs, Tucker Dana 1 groundball, Tom Evans 1 groundball, Eli Gogan 1 goal, Matt Mahrer 1 assist, 1 groundball; Blake Moorhead 3 groundballs, Cody Oberlander 2 groundballs, Henry Owens 2 groundballs, Brendan Pike 1 goal, Cameron Pike 1 goal, 9 groundballs; Jake Smith 2 groundballs, Nate Whited 1 groundball, Matthew Yan 10 saves.

Snoqualmie could be home to extreme race Rudd From Page 16

By Dan Catchpole Snoqualmie could host one of three events in the Global RallyCross Championship at the former Weyerhaeuser mill site.

DirtFish Rally School is in talks with the championship’s organizer, Rally Cross Management, to finalize the deal. The school is also waiting to hear back from King County for approval to hold the event. The mill is on unincorporated county land.

If the agreement is inked, some of the

By Dan Catchpole world’s elite drivers International competitors could be tearing up the track at the DirtFish Rally School in Snoqualmie. will go head to head The rally driving school hopes to land an event in the Global RallyCross championship. at the mill site April 15-16. ESPN has already agreed to Rally cross races are never big specclasses have had a steady demand, broadcast the event May 14. tator draws, Lund said. drawing would-be extreme drivers The event probably won’t cause But the international event and its from across the country and from all any headaches in Snoqualmie, international television coverage walks of life, he said. though, according to Greg Lund, cocould boost DirtFish’s profile.

The school has even had some owner of DirtFish.

That means more customers for the celebrities stop by, including Texas He expects fewer than 30 cars to school that teaches people how to Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson, who compete and about 300 spectators. drive souped-up four-wheel drive cars started a game in the 2010 World The noise from the one-mile course on dirt and gravel tracks.

Series. will be minimal, he said.

Those customers and spectators will Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalIt will likely be a recurring event likely spend money in Snoqualmie, leystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com. and could draw more spectators in the Lund said. future.

Since opening last year, DirtFish’s

improves morale.

“It’s harder to give up on your whole team than just yourself,” she said.

Rudd said having nationals in Washington helped. Family and friends showed up to cheer.

Although only the top seven runners in the men’s and women’s teams ran, the other Raider runners showed up with their bodies painted in the school colors.

“The Southern Oregon fans were definitely the most noticeable out of all the people there,” Rudd said.

Although boisterous fans are a rarity at a cross country meet, they gave the Raiders a big boost.

Now, Rudd prepares for track and field season, setting goals like “surviving” a 10K race on the track and running at track nationals May 27 in Marion, Ind. “At our first track meet last weekend,” she wrote March 15, “I ran my first 5K on the track in 18 minutes and 12 seconds, which was another personal best, so I’m excited to see where I can get in another two months with more training.”

Besides her athletic opponents, Rudd has dealt with homesickness.

“I definitely miss my family at times,” she said. “But running helps with that, I think, because being part of a team gives you a sort of family at college. My closest friends are my teammates and I know I can ask them for help if I need it.”

Being in Ashland, Oregon, helps, too, she said.

“It’s a very friendly place where I ride my bike everywhere,” she said. “There’s also a lot less rain!”

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Calendar

MARCH 24, 2011

Public meetings ❑ North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. March 24, 211 Main Ave. N. ❑ Snoqualmie Valley School Board, 7:30 p.m. March 24, 8001 Silva Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie ❑ Snoqualmie Economic Development, noon March 28, 38624 S.E. River St. ❑ Snoqualmie City Council, 7 p.m. March 28, 38624 S.E. River St. ❑ Snoqualmie Community and Economic Affairs Committee, 5 p.m. March 29, 38624 S.E. River St. ❑ Snoqualmie Shoreline Hearing Board, 5 p.m. March 30, 38624 S.E. River St. ❑ Snoqualmie Public Safety Committee, 5 p.m. March 31, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway

March

Be an idol

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Events ❑ 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 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. ❑ Backyard chickens, 10 a.m. March 26, Issaquah Grange, 145 N.E. Gilman Boulevard, Issaquah. Information on making your chickens the most productive. Hosted by Samantha, of Toad Hollow Design. ❑ Carolyn Graye and Jose Gonzales, 7 p.m. March 26, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend ❑ Danny Kolke Trio, 7 p.m.

March 27, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend.

Local jazz outfit offers blues, gospel and straight-ahead jazz. ❑ Chief Kanim Middle School jazz players, 7 p.m.

March 28, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend ❑ Future Jazz Heads, 7 p.m.

March 29, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend ❑ Reuel Lubag Trio, 7 p.m.

March 30, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, with Geoff Harper on bass and Matt Page on drums. ❑ Young Toddler Story Times, 9:30 a.m. April 6, Snoqualmie Library, 7824 continued from page 18

210-Public Notices to ensure that the new hospital supports its goals of quality patient care and experience, efficiency, infection control, process and quality improvement, and construction with durable, low maintenance materials and techniques.

The District anticipates that

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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.

Center Blvd. S.E. Ages 6-24 months old accompanied by an adult. ❑ Preschool Story Times, 10:30 a.m. April 6, Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E. Ages 3-6 accompanied by an adult. ❑ Teen study zone, 3 p.m.

April 6, North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St. Drop-in during scheduled study zone hours for free homework help in all subjects from volunteer tutors. ❑ Pajamarama Story Times, 6:30 p.m. April 6, North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St. All young children are welcome with an adult. ❑ PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Bellevue Chapter, 7 p.m.

April 6, Tolt United Church of Christ, 4851 Tolt Ave., Carnation ❑ North Bend Theatre presents “Lords of Nature,” 6:30 p.m. April 14, North Bend Theater, 125 Bendigo Boulevard, North Bend. Free admission (donations accepted). The role of large predators such as wolves and cougars is explored in “Lords of Nature.” ❑ The Y’s Healthy Kids Day, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 16,

the selected Developer will work collaboratively with the District to achieve a successful build-to-suit, lease-to-own deal structure and delivery methodology. The District is soliciting as part of this RFQ/C/P alternative financing arrangements proposed by Developers as part of their submittals to this procurement.

The selected Developer will be

Snoqualmie Community Park, Southeast Ridge Street, Snoqualmie. The free event promotes healthy lifestyles, and includes health resources, activities and games. ❑ Snoqualmie Book Group, 6:30 p.m. April 19, Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E. The selection for April is “Her Sister’s Voice,” by Mary Carter.

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. Email volunteer coordinator Carol Waters at carolw@snoqualmiehospital.org to arrange an interview.

invited to enter into a collaborative pre-development process based upon the selected Developer’s RFQ/C/P Submittal. It is anticipated that a successful negotiation will result in: 1. A formal guaranteed maximum price (GMP) development agreement; 2. A long term lease of the Project to the District; and,

3. Any and all additional documents necessary to effectuate this transaction.

G Interested parties may request a detailed RFQ/C/P package by contacting Jim Grafton, Capital Projects Manager, Snoqualmie Valley Hospital at 425-831-3425 or jimg@snoqualmiehospital.org.

Questions should also be directed to Mr. Grafton. Please

Clubs

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❑ 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 800-282-5815 toll free, or email 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.

do not contact other representatives of the District or its consultants.

G A mandatory pre-submittal conference will be conducted on Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 9:00 am at the City of Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 SE Snoqualmie Parkway, Snoqualmie, WA 98065. Space is limited; please RSVP to Jim Grafton at the number above.

❑ Mental illness support group, 7-8:30 p.m. Fridays, Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 Snoqualmie Parkway, Snoqualmie. The group is free of charge for anyone with a mental illness or a family member with a mental illness. Call 829-2417. ❑ Mount Si Artist Guild meeting, 9:15-11 a.m. the third Saturday, Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend, www.mtsiartistguild.org. ❑ Sno-Valley Beekeepers meets the second Tuesday 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, 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 at the U.S. Forest Service conference room at 130 Thrasher Ave., behind the visitors’ center on North Bend Way. Interagency committee meetings are at 1:30 p.m. the first Monday at the North Bend City Hall annex, 126 Fourth St. Both meetings are open to the public. Go to www.snoqualmievalleyelk.org. ❑ Mount Si Fish and Game Club meets at 7:30 p.m. the first Thursday, October through May, at the Snoqualmie Police Department. ❑ Sallal Grange, 12912 432nd Ave. S.E., North Bend, meets the first Friday 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.

Submit an item for the community calendar by e-mailing editor@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.

Written RFQ/C/P statements are due Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

G

Published in SnoValley Star on 3/17/11 & 3/24/11

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SnoValley Star

MARCH 24, 2011