Your locally-owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington
Reece Karalus strikes out 15 batters Page 12
May 17, 2012 VOL. 4, NO. 20
New management County appoints new boss to work with unincorporated areas. Page 2
New principal Opstad Elementary School gets a new principal. Page 3
New hope Fishing helps cancer survivors cope. Page 6
By Mary Miller
Photographer Mary Miller, of North Bend, organized a heart-shaped community photo May 5 at Centennial Fields in Snoqualmie. She said 200 people from the Snoqualmie Valley showed up for the photo, and brought along their dogs and chickens.
Community photo shows the love for everyone New writer Middle-schooler is recognized as one of the best in the state. Page 8
Police blotter
Page 10
New playoff picture Lacrosse has its first playoff experience. Page 12
By Michele Mihalovich When you put a call out to the Snoqualmie Valley to show up for a community photo, you never know who or what’s going to show up. Such was the case May 5, when several people brought their dogs, and a couple of fami-
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Upper Valley.” “But then I thought it would also be a great way to bring back the celebration of this community in the midst of such tragedies we’ve faced recently,” she said. The tragedies were a plane crashing into Mount Si, a home invasion where a man had to
shoot and kill a man who broke into his home, a Mount Si High School student who killed himself and the killings of Lynnettee and Kaylene Keller. “I personally felt there was a bit of a pall in the Valley,” Miller said. See HEART, Page 2
Hospital construction Crime rate increase gets delayed by red tape doesn’t tell the whole story By Michele Mihalovich
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lies brought their chickens. “I couldn’t believe it — chickens,” said North Bend photographer Mary Miller, who organized the community photo. “But it was great. I loved it.” Miller said the original intent for a community photo was to be a part of a table book she’s creating called “Life in the
Site grading for the new Snoqualmie Valley Hospital is completed, and architects and contractors are waiting in the wings for the go-ahead from the state, but a delay is holding up construction. Hospital administrators had hoped to get an approved Certificate of Need, which costs $34,457, from the state’s Department of Health in April.
But a backlog in applications and appeals is holding up the process, said Mark Thomas, analyst for the Certificate of Need program. State Rep. Jay Rodne, who also serves as attorney for the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital district, said a letter of intent was mailed to the state in October, and the application for the certificate See HOSPITAL, Page 3
By Michele Mihalovich
Overall, the crime rate in Washington is indicating a downward trend when comparing 2010 numbers with 2011. Snoqualmie is following that trend, but the numbers show North Bend with a slight increase. The just released 32nd annual Crime in Washington 2011 statistics show a 5 percent decrease from 2010 in violent crimes statewide, a 3.3 percent decrease
in property crime offenses and a 3.6 percent decrease in domestic assault crimes. Since 2010, the crime rate is up 2.8 percent per 1,000 people from last year in North Bend, compared to Snoqualmie, which is showing a 32.2 percent decrease. North Bend experienced an 87 percent increase in violent crimes, but North Bend Police Chief Mark Toner said the numSee CRIME, Page 3
SnoValley Star
PAGE 2
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MAY 17, 2012
King County executive appoints manager for unincorporated areas By Warren Kagarise and Michele Mihalovich King County Executive Dow Constantine appointed a top adviser April 4 to lead the outreach effort from county government to residents in rural and unincorporated areas, including the Snoqualmie Valley. Alan Painter — Constantine’s former adviser on human services, health and housing policy — will now serve as manager of the community service areas program. Painter told the Star he is working with King County departments to see what they have under way in unincorporated areas. “We’re looking at the full scope of county services: transportation, parks, crime prevention, zoning regulatory issues, community health and disaster management,” he said. Painter’s plan is to collect information about key players, organizations and interests in the area over the summer, and then schedule a meeting with area communities to get feedback. “We’ll be identifying issues for 2013 and beyond,” he said.
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She said 200 people turned out at Centennial Fields in Snoqualmie for the heart-shaped group shot. “Everybody was in a party mood,” she said. “You could just tell they felt great getting out and participating in this as a community.” Miller directed people from
Similar groups exist in unincorporated areas across King County, outside Issaquah and from Vashon Island to urban Highline between Burien and Seattle. Plans call for interdepartmental teams to hold public meetings at least once per year in each community service area. “This reform will harness the work of county employees who already have good connections with residents in the unincorporated areas, so that residents can have a single staff link to specific projects in parks, roads, land use, public health and public safety,” Constantine said in a statement. County Council members approved the community service areas program last year. Unincorporated area councils do not represent all rural and unincorporated residents — one reason why county leaders adopted another option for outreach. Next, Constantine plans to send legislation to the council to set boundaries for community service areas. The boundaries should encompass all of See MANAGER, Page 3 three stories up on an industrial lift while giving direction from a megaphone to helpers Danny Kolke and Rene Schuster. When the shot was done, Miller said several people came up and thanked her, and told her the experience felt like a community hug. “The intent was for us to remember our neighbors and to be there for them,” she said. Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
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SnoValley Star
MAY 17, 2012
Former teacher is new principal at Opstad Elementary School By Sebastian Moraga Although she never really left, Amy Wright is coming home. A resident of Fall City and a principal at Carnation’s Stillwater Elementary School, Wright has accepted the job as principal of North Bend’s Opstad Elementary School. “Opstad has a tradition of great things happening,” she said. “To follow in Mr. Jester’s footsteps, it’s an opportunity I could not pass up.” Longtime Opstad Principal John Jester will retire June 31. Prior to her six-year tenure at Stillwater, Wright spent a year in a principal internship at Snoqualmie’s Cascade View Elementary School and 15 years teaching first and fourth grades at Fall City Elementary School. “The Snoqualmie Valley School District is a place I consider home, both professionally and personally,” she said. “I have two children who attend Mount Si High School. I have lived in the Valley my whole life.” Snoqualmie Valley School Board President Dan Popp praised Wright’s hiring. “My children were students in her class,” he said. “I could not be more pleased.”
Manager From Page 2 unincorporated King County, including areas without any unincorporated area council representation under the existing arrangement, such as Preston and the Snoqualmie Valley. Under the community
Hospital From Page 1 was received by the state in November, with hope that the state would make a decision in early April. But the state has asked for two extensions since that time, he said. “We’ve tried to stress to them that we have a small window of opportunity to build because of a short construction season,” said Rodger McCollum, the hospital administrator. The district sold the current
Wright beat about 40 other candidates for the job, SVSD Superintendent Joel Aune said. Amy Wright “We look forward to the vision, the creativity and passion she will bring,” Aune said. “We know Amy extremely well. We have confidence she is the perfect match for the community, the district and the school.” At Fall City Elementary, Wright worked for three principals, including her last year with current Principal Dan Schlotfeldt and before for 11 years for current SVSD Assistant Superintendent Don McConkey. “I attribute a lot of my success as an administrator to the 11 years I worked with him,” she said. She said she misses the classroom sometimes, but as an elementary school principal she gets daily interaction with children. A graduate of Seattle Pacific University, she earned her superintendent credential in
2006 from Seattle University. “It’s not necessarily my ultimate goal,” she said of being a superintendent. Though she said she liked the classes, she likes being a principal better. Being a superintendent, she added, would be another step away from the students. Wright said she hopes to see student success not just on standardized tests but in dayto-day skills. “We want to make sure we are offering students a wellrounded program with rigorous academics and with other activities that create a whole person,” she said. At Stillwater, third-grade reading scores in the state’s standardized tests went from 72.7 percent her first year of 2006-07 to 75.4 percent in the 2010-11 school year. Fourthgrade scores went from 80.7 percent to 71.4 percent. Fifthgrade scores went from 78.4 percent to 83.8 percent. Third-grade math scores went from 78.4 percent to 69.6 percent. Fourth-grade scores went from 74.7 percent to 61.0 percent. Fifth-grade scores went from 71.6 percent to 83.8 percent. Fourth-grade writing scores
service areas program, community organizations in each area can apply for grants of up to $5,000 to promote the engagement of local residents in community or civic activities. “I look forward to listening to residents, solving problems and help them to play an active role in shaping the future of their communities,” Painter said in a statement. A public open house about
the Vashon-Maury Island community service areas was held April 10 on Vashon Island, and Painter said it was a “good turnout, with about 35 to 40 people showing up.” While a meeting in the Snoqualmie Valley hasn’t been scheduled yet, “We’re taking lessons from the Vashon Island meeting, and will apply it to other area meetings in the future,” he said.
See OPSTAD, Page 10
hospital building and land to the Snoqualmie Tribe in July 2008 for $30 million, and the tribe is allowing the hospital to continue to operate in the building. The tribe is currently paying $100,000 a month and will pay the remaining balance in a balloon payment May 1, 2015, expected to come in at about $29 million. “Under our agreement with the Snoqualmie Tribe, we can occupy the current hospital until our new hospital is completed,” Rodne said. He said hospital administrators had expected an expedited process. Thomas explained that
Washington law allows some applications to get done faster than others. For instance, if two kidney dialysis centers applied for an application in close proximity to each other, both of the applications would be considered at the same time, rather than on a first-come, first-served basis, and an analysis would be determined to see if that area needed two kidney dialysis centers, he said. “With the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, the timeline is shorter because I don’t have to do a need analysis, and the public comment period is 20 days, rather than the standard 30 days,” Thomas said.
PAGE 3
Crime
in 2010, but one was reported in 2011; 2010 saw two robberies, but zero were reported last year; and while there were five aggravated From Page 1 assaults reported in 2010, four bers needed some context. occurred last year. There were 2.3 incidents in Property crimes decreased 2010, compared to 4.3 incidents overall in North Bend. There were last year. seven fewer burglaries in 2011 “Now, if we had 100 incidents compared to 2010 and six fewer in 2010 and we experienced an vehicle thefts. 87 percent increase, then that There were, however, seven number might mean a lot more,” reports of arson in 2011, comToner said. “But taken into perpared to three in 2010, and 11 spective, only having a couple more reports of larceny in 2011 more incidents from the previous compared to 2010. year isn’t indicating a significant In Snoqualmie, property crime increase in violent crime.” decreased 32 percent. The violent crime rate looks at The report shows instances incidents of murder, forcible rape, of arson went from two cases in robbery and aggravated assault. 2010 to one in 2011, and larceny In North Bend, no one was dropped significantly, from 173 murdered in 2010 or 2011; there cases in 2010 to 112 last year. were two robberies in 2010 and However, burglary and vehicle one incident last year; eight cases theft increased. There were 10 of aggravated assaults in 2010 burglary reports in 2010, comcompared to 17 in 2011; and pared to 19 last year; and seven there were three vehicles were stolen forcible rapes in in 2010, compared On the Web 2010, compared to to 13 last year. Read the entire seven last year. Snoqualmie Washington Association Police Capt. Steve Toner said that of Sheriffs and Police if North Bend had McCulley agrees Chiefs report at www. actually had seven with Toner that waspc.org, under the forcible rapes, “then the statistics can be “Crime Statistics” tab. seven would be a somewhat misleadbig number for our ing. area.” Seeing that But he said North Bend didn’t Snoqualmie experienced a 90 have any stranger rape cases. percent increase of burglaries in Toner said there were two 2011 from 2010 sounds like a sigarrested and charged with rape or nificant increase, “but in reality, sexual assault in North Bend last it was only nine more in a year,” year. he said. The other instances involved But he did say Snoqualmie saw women who live in North Bend, a “rash of vehicle break-ins last but the reported rapes happened year.” elsewhere, he said. “Word was getting out to There was one incident where the criminal world that it was a woman reported a rape that easy pickings in Snoqualmie,” happened by a family member “a McCulley said. “But then we did long time ago,” but that woman an education campaign with the stopped communicating with public, that they needed to lock police, so the investigation ended, their car doors and bring their he said. valuables into the house. And The two other reports were now we don’t have as many as we unfounded, Toner said. were seeing before. In Snoqualmie, the violent “We really are lucky because crime rate decreased 35.7 percent North Bend and Snoqualmie are from 2010 to 2011. inherently safe places to live,” Snoqualmie also had no murhe said. “But we do need to take ders during the study period; some precautions, like locking our zero forcible rapes were reported doors.”
While Thomas said he couldn’t discuss the merit of the application, he did say he received several positive comments supporting the new hospital, and two negative comments — one from a community member and one from a Snoqualmie Valley Hospital board member. Commissioner Gene Pollard wrote in his March 1, seven-page letter to the state, that the hospital is not necessary because of duplicated services with nearby Swedish/Issaquah, lack of community support and that the hospital isn’t financially able to take on such debt. Thomas said the hospital was
given 14 days to rebut the negative letters, which it did. The remaining board commissioners — Dick Jones, Kevin Hauglie, David Speikers and Joan Young — responded March 14 with a 12-page letter with supporting documentation that refuted Pollard’s claims. Thomas said he would take all of the comments into consideration when he conducts his analysis. He said backlogs occurring in his department occasionally do happen with the small staff — four analysts and a supervisor, “but we fully expect to have a decision by the end of the month.”
Opinion
PAGE 4
Editorial
MAY 17, 2012
Share your views
Ready to run for political office?
Citizens can make a difference by contacting their elected representatives.
Snoqualmie Valley School Board
If you are interested in politics and want to make a difference at the state level, this is the week to take the next step. The deadline to file to run for the state Legislature is this Friday. From there, it’s full speed ahead to raise campaign funds, seek endorsements, doorbell the voters and recruit volunteers to put up yard signs for the next six months. Snoqualmie and North Bend are part of the large 5th District, with two House and one Senate seat. Of course, there are other state offices up for election next November, everything from governor to insurance commissioner, but the legislative seats are more local-centric. If you come with a law enforcement background, the position of King County Sheriff is seeking candidates. Or if you like real power, go for the 8th Congressional District seat, representing voters from Issaquah to Wenatchee. All of these races need volunteers as much as they do candidates. Pick your favorite and lend a hand. It’s a great way to learn about the democratic process. Prefer a closer-to-home run for City Council, school board or fire commissioner? Start preparing — the 2013 campaign season will be here before you know it, but the filing date is a year away. But if you’re not quite ready to jump into a council or mayoral seat, maybe test the waters of local politics by volunteering for a commission or board seat. In North Bend, you could be a member of commissions that deal with economic development, parks or planning, or work with the transportation benefit district board. In Snoqualmie, you have 10 commissions or boards to choose from, everything from the arts commission to the Meadowbrook Farm preservation board. Inquire about open seats by calling North Bend’s city clerk at 888-7627 or Snoqualmie’s city clerk at 888-1555.
WEEKLY POLL How do you feel about Snoqualmie Valley companies hiring illegal immigrants? A. I don’t mind. They do a job I wouldn’t ever do, and for next to nothing. B. I do mind. The law is the law. C. We’ve got bigger problems than people wanting to make a living. D. It’s a lazy, cheap move. Plenty of legal citizens are unemployed. Hire them. Vote online at www.snovalleystar.com.
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President Caroline Loudenback, District 2, clouden8@ comcast.net Vice President Dan Popp, District 5, danpopp@microsoft.com Craig Husa, District 3, craig@husas.com Marci Busby, District 4, mbusby2831@aol.com Scott Hodgins, District 1, gscott.hodgins@comcast. net Write to the School Board at Snoqualmie Valley School Board, P.O. Box 400, Snoqualmie, WA 98065. Call 831-8000.
North Bend Mayor Ken Hearing, mayor@northbendwa.gov Councilman Dee Williamson, dwilliamson@northbendwa.gov Councilman Jonathan Rosen, jrosen@northbendwa. gov Councilman Ryan Kolodejchuk, rkolodejchuk@northbendwa.gov Councilman Alan Gothelf, agothelf@northbendwa.gov Councilman Ross Loudenback, rloudenback@northbendwa.gov Councilman David Cook, dcook@northbendwa.gov Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Jeanne Pettersen, jpettersen@northbendwa.gov
Public meetings calendar From sidewalk installation projects to snow removal to property tax collection, decisions made by officials at a local level have the potential to impact your daily life. Get involved. Provide feedback. Make a difference. Let leaders know what’s on your mind to shape a better Snoqualmie Valley at these meetings: All city offices in North Bend and Snoqualmie are closed May 28 in observance of Memorial Day. North Bend City Council Work Study 7 p.m. May 22, City Hall, 211 Main Ave. N. North Bend Parks Commission, 6 p.m. May 23, Community and Economic Development office, 126 E. Fourth St. North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. May 24, City Hall Snoqualmie Public Safety Committee meeting scheduled for May 17 has been cancelled. Snoqualmie Public Works Committee, 5 p.m. May 21, City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St. Snoqualmie Planning Commission, 6 p.m. May 21, City Hall Snoqualmie Planning and Parks Committee, 6:30 p.m. May 21, City Hall Snoqualmie Parks Board, 7 p.m. May 21, City Hall Snoqualmie Finance and Administration Committee, 5:30 p.m. May 22, City Hall
Home Country
Time to enjoy peace, quiet and orders? By Slim Randles Steve saddled Old Snort and rode him down to the Mule Barn late in the afternoon, after chores were done. He had a sack with several days’ worth of groceries in it, and wore a smile that transcended the workaday world. He ordered a meal that wasn’t at all what his doctor ordered, and just sat there smiling at the rest of us. “Three days,” Steve said. We nodded and smiled, as if we knew why. “Going to the cabin for three days,” Steve said. We silently said “aah.” Steve’s cabin has been a wonderment to him and to us all. Deep inside each of us is a little voice that says if Steve can build a little cabin in the mountains, complete with a stall outside for Old Snort and a turret for looking down on earthlings, we can, too. We probably won’t, because that’s hard work and most of us have family to consider, but we sure are glad Steve built that little place. “I’ll bet Snort likes it there, too,” said Doc. “He seems to. I think he likes the pine trees and you know it’s cooler there than it is down here. Hard to tell with a horse,
though. Could be he’s just tolerating it.” “You wish you knew, I’ll bet,” said Dewey. “Not really,” Steve said, diving into a platter full of deepfried calories smothered in cholesterol Slim Randles sauce. “If I Columnist knew how Ol’ Snort felt about riding up there, and it turned out he didn’t care for it, I’d feel just awful. Every step along the way I’d know he was going against his will. Every time I turned his
head up the trail, I’d worry that he wasn’t having fun. “Why, he might be thinking I’m a cruel guy to make him go up these mountains on what is supposed to be his day off. He’d figure he hadn’t signed up for this kind of duty and might want to talk the other horses into organizing, once we got back.” “So you’d leave him home and drive up there, I guess.” Steve twinkled behind the owl mustache. “Of course not. An old pardner of mine like that can’t be left home. Besides, I’m the one giving the orders.” Need a good book? Check out what’s new 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. Email 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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MAY 17, 2012
SnoValley Star
PAGE 5
PAGE 6
Community
MAY 17, 2012
Fishing helps breast cancer survivors cope By Sebastian Moraga
By Sebastian Moraga
Judy Graham, left, trains cancer survivor Jane Gutting how to cast a line on the Snoqualmie River. Graham helps run Casting for Recovery, a fishing-based therapy group for breast cancer survivors.
Toss the line into the water. Wait. Pull the line out. Nothing. For a fisherman, that’s a frustrating evening. For the ladies in Casting for Recovery, it’s a step forward. Casting for Recovery uses flyfishing as therapy for women recovering from breast cancer. On April 28, women practiced the casting motion with no hook, but that was almost beside the point for these ladies. “We use casting as a way to cope with the treatment and the recovery,” said Judy Graham, the coordinator of the Washington chapter of the Vermont-based program. “The casting motion is also really beneficial” to breast muscles, she added. On this day, Graham and cancer survivors like Jane
Gutting met in Fall City for a casting clinic as part of a twoand-a-half day retreat. “We talk about how we deal about different aspects of breast cancer,” Graham said. “Mental and emotional” as well as physical, she added. On this bright morning, the women enjoyed hours of casting and 15 minutes of fame, as a TV crew from Seattle interviewed Graham and the women. And while fishing season on rivers was still weeks away, past seasons have turned neophytes into devotees of the activity. “I just started going to retreats this past October,” Gutting said. “I caught two trout and I was hooked.” Graham said that instead of a session where people spill their troubles and struggles, the fishing allows people to relax and See FISHING, Page 7
Snoqualmie Valley residents protest Bank of America policies By Sebastian Moraga This time it was personal for Luz Krieger. With her son’s home risking foreclosure, she said she felt a responsibility to take herself to the street, sign in hand, and protest the corporate policies that hurt her child. “He’s gotten the runaround, he’s gotten a lot of harassment,” she said, later adding, “They just don’t want to work with him.” Her son’s mortgage was with Wells Fargo, but there Krieger stood, outside the North Bend branch of Bank of America with other supporters of MoveOn. org. The difference did not seem to bother Krieger, a resident of Duvall. The two banks’ policies, she said, look a lot alike, and Bank of America’s have hurt a lot of people, too. “I decided it was time to let people know what’s happening to other people and try to affect some change,” Krieger said. The protest (“demonstration,” Bonnie Lawlor, an organizer of the event, corrected), occurred as a show of solidarity with those demonstrating in North Carolina, site of Bank of America’s shareholders’ meeting May 9. Hundreds of people protested in Charlotte. On Bendigo
By Sebastian Moraga
Christopher Chapman, Megan McInnis and Luz Krieger demonstrate outside the North Bend branch of Bank of America. The demonstration, organized by area members of MoveOn.org, sought to protest the corporate policies they see as favoring large companies to the detriment of citizens. Boulevard in North Bend, about 10 showed up. Still, they said, the support was palpable. Drivers honked their horns or waved. Demonstrator Christopher Chapman, from Snoqualmie, said reaction to the demonstration was positive. No middle fingers or downturned
thumbs. “Nothing hostile,” he said. “Normally there’s more hostility.” That shows, Lawlor said, that people feel the way the demonstrators feel: like banks and other corporations have not played fair with the American
public. Demonstrator Nance Myhre, of Fall City, agreed. “That means the 99 percent concept is real,” she said. Chapman said the demonstrators hoped to engineer more interest in the cause, so that more demonstrations happen in
small towns and not just in big cities. Lawlor said some bigger fish need frying, too. “The attempt is to hold Bank of America accountable for many corporate abuses it’s perpetrating,” Lawlor said. “They haven’t paid their taxes for several years, they are raking huge amounts of money and they are responsible for more foreclosures than any other bank in the country.” Bank of America and other corporations, Lawlor said, have shown they do not care. “I can’t grasp how they cannot care,” she said, “and not do whatever they have the power to do to make things better.” Krieger said plenty of sin is there to go around. The Obama administration has reacted slowly to corporate predators, she said. “There’s something deeply immoral about these corporations that caused the meltdown in the first place and then being given bailout money twice,” she said. “Then they turn around, give their CEOs millions of dollars in bonuses, and then they put people on the street. Something is wrong with that.” Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
SnoValley Star
MAY 17, 2012
Obituary Mabel M. Mackey
Mabel Mackey, longtime resident of Carnation, passed away April 5, 2012, at the age of 95. Born to Alfred and Linda Riley in Maytown on March 15, 1917, her family moved to the Snoqualmie Valley in 1927, settling in Stillwater. She graduated in 1934 from Tolt Union High School, where she played girls’ first-team basketball. After working at the Colonial Inn in Fall City, she headed far north to Cordova, Alaska, where she met her future husband Oliver Mackey, who was fishing commercially in Bristol Bay. They were married Oct. 15, 1938, and welcomed daughter Jeanie in July 1939 before moving to Naknek. In 1945, they returned to Carnation and remained in the Valley. Active in community affairs, Mabel was a member of the Carnation Sportsman Club, Tolt Congregational Church
Fishing
and a life member of the SnoValley Senior Center. A charter member of the Tolt Historical Society, she was its secretary for 19 Mabel M. Mackey years. She always attended annual Pioneer Picnics and later Tolt High School reunions. An especially dear circle of friends formed the Sew What Club, to which she belonged until its disbanding. In the mid-1950s, she took a job as a checker at Paar’s IGA Store in Carnation. Traveling was another enjoyment — trips with Oliver to Mexico, Australia, Europe, Hawaii, California and Las Vegas. On their first trip to Finland, they were accompanied by daughter Jeanie, while a second visit in 1988 was to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Their last excursion to Alaska was when Oliver ries that last a long time. “It’s so beautiful out here,”
From Page 6 recharge their batteries, sometimes drained by long sessions of radiation or chemotherapy. “We’re not just talking about it,” Gutting said. “We are fishing. Every once in a while, we stop and say, ‘So, how are you doing?’” The retreats leave the women feeling renewed, surrounded by friends, and filled with memo-
received an award from the Bristol Bay Historical Society. She and Oliver had 67 years of marriage before his death in 2006 and she remained independently in their home until just before her final birthday. Mabel was preceded in death by her parents; husband Oliver; sisters Ruth Ann Anderson, Norma Paar and Joyce Anderson; and brothers Lenvil, Leon, Chet and Jack. She is survived by daughter and son-in-law Jeanie and Fritz Magdlin, of North Bend; grandsons Mark Magdlin (Lynn), of Preston, and Alec Magdlin (Kristy), of Ellensburg; greatgranddaughters Samantha, Sabrina and Nicole; sister Geneva Dodge, of San Mateo, Calif.; brothers Ralph Riley, of Snoqualmie, and Sam Riley, of North Bend; and many nieces and nephews. She has asked that any memorials in her name be directed to the Tolt Historical Society, Box 226, Carnation, WA 98014. The family’s online guest book is at www.fllntofts.com.
PAGE 7
Donations help soldier’s children
Contributed
The American Legion Auxiliary Military ‘Boots and Booties’ baby shower April 22 was a success, as evidenced by this woman trying to make yet another bundle of donations. The quilts, afghans and clothes will go to military families with children at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Catch the Fun at Red Oak
Gutting said. “How can you not be happy?”
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schools
MAY 17, 2012
Valley student Kallin Spiller earns state honors for letter By Sebastian Moraga
Dead for 21 years, Theodor S. Geisel still gets letters. “His books were my favorite when I was little to read with my family,” wrote Snoqualmie Middle School seventh-grader Kallin Spiller, the author of a letter to Geisel, better known by his fictitious medical degree and his middle name, Dr. Seuss. Spiller’s letter to the children’s books author made her a finalist in the statewide Letters About Literature contest, where children write letters to their favorite authors. Spiller’s letter talked about Seuss’ book “There’s a Wocket in my Pocket.” Spiller began working on the letter in November and turned it in in January. In the meantime, she had to brainstorm, do worksheets, analyze past letters, writhe a rough draft, have the letter edited and submit it. “The hardest part of the project was ‘putting my heart on a plate,’” wrote Spiller, whose writing teacher Rene Peterson listed the letter as an assignment this year. “You were supposed to put so much emotion into the letter and that was what I found myself spending tons of time on.” Students were discouraged
Contributed
Seventh-grader Kallin Spiller (center) was honored as a finalist in the state’s Letters About Literature contest May 12. Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed, left, and First Gentleman Mike Gregoire attended the ceremony in Olympia. Spiller wrote a letter to Dr. Seuss about the impact his book, ‘There’s a Wocket in My Pocket,’ had in her life. from writing a fan letter. Instead thought and consideration.” Smith won in Spiller’s seventhof just praising an author, they Secretary of State Sam Reed and eighth-graders’ category, had to connect the author’s and First Gentleman Mike according to a press release from works to their life, Spiller added. Gregoire awarded finalists, the Secretary of State’s office. “Honestly, I do not think runners-up and category chamMore than 5,000 students in there was any easy part of the pions in a May 11 ceremony in grades four through 12 particiactual project,” Spiller wrote. Olympia. pated. “Everything needed deep Port Townsend’s Samantha In Spiller’s category, only 49
Snoqualmie Valley music teachers show their musical chops in district recital
By Sebastian Moraga
See LETTER, Page 9
Valley teacher selected for Harvard course By Sebastian Moraga
The Snoqualmie Valley School District’s music teachers perform “Blue Bossa,” the closing number at the first “Music Faculty Recital” at Mount Si High School auditorium. All but two, Haley Smith and Lorraine Thurston are pictured.
of 1,187 letters made it to the finals. “I believe what made my letter stand out was the idea of family that I put in my letter,” Spiller wrote. “Dr. Seuss really helped me connect with my family when I was younger.” Spiller used to read Dr. Seuss books to her younger brother, Justin, she added. The avid volleyball and basketball player’s U-13 volleyball team finished third out of 34 teams in a regional tournament in April. Then, on Mother’s Day weekend, the same weekend of the ceremony in Olympia, Spiller’s AAU hoop team won the eighth-grade division of the Best in the West Tournament in Yakima. Still, she wrote, she tries to make time to read and write. “I love writing and have always considered writing one of my best skills,” she wrote. “I really enjoy literature and language arts at school and that is when I get my reading and writing in.” With a busy sports schedule, she added, time to write for fun is scarce. The payoff of writing, she wrote, is too big to ignore. “What I like about writing
Memo to Snoqualmie Middle School teacher Connie Logan: As of June 25 and until July 20, she may not drive a car. She has to drive a cah. And has to pahk it in the yahd. Logan has earned a spot in “Golden Compass as Moral Compasses: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Fairy Tales and Fantasy,” a class at Harvard University, in Boston. Logan was one of 15 teachers selected to attend “Hah-vahd” over the summer. Hundreds of people applied for the four-week class. “To be admitted, I had to write an essay and submit a résumé,” Logan wrote in an email. “I got the call over spring break.” Maria Tatar, a renowned Harvard professor of Germanic languages and literatures of folklore and mythology will teach the class, alongside guest lectur-
ers, Logan added. “This class will allow me to interface with experts in the field as well as educators from around the U.S.A.,” said Logan, who will live for a month in Harvard’s Adams House. The National Endowment for the Humanities will fund the class, all out-of-pocket expenses paid. The class, Logan said, will help teachers who want to introduce archetypes as a way to analyze literature in the classroom. In literature, archetypes — the most basic and original example of something — refer to storytelling patterns that repeat from the beginning of recorded literature to this day. “From cave fire to Kindle, the pattern never changes,” she wrote. For instance, Logan wrote, every story’s hero is a wanderer, locked in a journey somewhere. See COURSE, Page 9
SnoValley Star
MAY 17, 2012
Students hold bake sale for Haiti
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Course
Letter
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From Page 8
Every hero is an orphan, separated or different from others in some way. Every hero is a caretaker, having someone for whom they make sacrifices. Every hero is a warrior, locked in conflict with something or someone. “Monsters come in all shapes and sizes,” she wrote. “Mean girls from school, dragons, fear, addiction, brutal authorities and so on.” At the middle school these days, Logan teaches a workshop titled “The Hero’s Journey.” “It is perfect timing,” she wrote.
is how much freedom and creativity you are given,” she wrote. “Whether it be voicing your own opinion or telling a story. Plus, there is always a new aspect of writing to learn, maybe a new form or new words to use. Writing is never completely known.” Students wanting to follow in her footsteps to Olympia need to look inward when writing. “Write from the heart,” she advised. “Writing is more interesting to others when they feel emotions, and if you do this, there is a good chance you will do very well in Letters About Literature.”
Contributed
Fifth-graders at Opstad Elementary School held a bake sale April 19 to help the children in the Haitian community of Furcy, which has no drinking water or indoor plumbing and which was ravaged by a large earthquake in 2010. Between the bake sale, classroom collections and donations the children raised $340.40.
Girl Scout Troop wins second in skills contest
The Valley’s Girl Scout Troop 42403 won second place in the Outdoor Skills Competition in Carnation in late April. Twelve troops competed in skills such as first aid, knot tying, knife safety and outdoor cooking. The girls from the troop, fifth-graders, also built a bench out of ropes and twigs; and cooked a brunch with eggs,
Choose the best!
cheese, onions and peppers, alongside apple sauce, sausages, muffins and coffee. Competition took place at the Girl Scouts of Western Washington’s Camp River Ranch in Carnation.
‘Race To Nowhere’ film is coming to the Valley Mount Si High School will offer a showing of “Race to
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Nowhere,” a documentary describing the pressure to perform and achieve that affects today’s schoolchildren and its consequences, like burnout among educators and depression among children. The school scheduled the show for 6:30 p.m. May 21. Admission is free, but seating at the school’s auditorium is limited. Get tickets at www.racetonowhere.com/epostcard/5971. The movie is rated PG-13.
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SnoValley Star
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Police blotter North Bend Graffiti Someone broke into a vacant building in the east 500 block of North Bend Way and spraypainted graffiti on walls, including a Nazi symbol inside a circle. A neighbor reported seeing an open window on the building April 28, and that’s when the graffiti was discovered.
Popular building A witness called police April 29 to report that she watched two juvenile males crawl into an open window of a vacant building in the east 500 block of North Bend Way, while a third juvenile male watched the area. The three left the building together, and police report they were unable to locate the youths.
and he tried to “high five” her. When she refused, she said he grabbed her arm and forced her to “high five” him, and then he tried to hug her. The girl and another witness saw the man drive off in a Ford Taurus. Police spoke with the owner of the vehicle, a friend of the suspect, who said the two of them had been at the Snoqualmie Casino and came to town to eat pizza and drink a beer. The man called the suspect’s cellphone and handed his phone to the police officer. The officer asked the suspect to come back so he could talk to him. The suspect refused. The officer asked the suspect what his name was. The suspect said his name was John, and that his last name was John. Later, he said his name was JohnJohn, and later, he
On May 1, a 16-year-old girl reported to police that a drunken man approached her at 3:25 p.m. in front of Jay Berry’s Gourmet Pizza & Pasta, 456 S.W. Mount Si Blvd. He told her she smelled good and looked nice,
Opstad From Page 3 went from 75.9 percent to 63.6 percent. Fifth-grade science scores went from 47.3 percent to 85.1 percent Her first day at Opstad is July 1. She returns to a district in its fourth year of budget cuts. Tight budgets have become the new normal for administrators everywhere, she said. “All of us in public education have become really good at delivering quality products to students with fewer and fewer resources,” she said. “Not the optimal way, but keeping the students’ needs at the center, we do what it takes to make it happen.” Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
A police officer heard a revving engine and squealing tires at about 4:40 p.m. May 1 while parked at the 76 gas station. He then saw “a middle-aged couple run away from the side of the road to get away from the vehicle” and watched several vehicles swerve to avoid the speeding 2005 Honda, which was heading eastbound onto Mount Si Boulevard from Bendigo Boulevard. The officer pulled over the car and arrested a 20-year-old Prosser man for reckless driving and transported him to Issaquah Jail.
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Vehicle violence A man reported that he parked his vehicle behind a building in the 400 block of Mount Si Boulevard at 10 a.m. April 29. When he returned to his vehicle at 3 p.m., he found his front, passenger window smashed and his coat on the ground.
changed it to John Littlejohn. Police located the 41-yearold man and arrested him for fourth-degree assault and took him to the Issaquah jail.
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MAY 17, 2012
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A 6-foot, 4-inch tall man, weighing 200 pounds, has been banned from the 76 gas station for repeatedly showing up intoxicated and aggressively panhandling. He was warned again April 29.
Animal abuse Police found a bird in a Torguson Park bathroom that looked like it had been beaten to death with an AriZona iced tea can April 27.
Snoqualmie Napping males At about 11 a.m. May 9, a caller told police there were two males inside a vehicle with the seats lying back. Police determined the
males were there to work with a landscaping company.
Fire calls from Eastside Fire & Rescue in North Bend q At about 6 p.m. May 4, EMS responded to a motor vehicle accident with injuries in the 15000 block of Highway 18. q At 11:20 p.m. May 8, one fire engine responded to a vehicle fire in the 34000 block of westbound Interstate 90. q At about 1:30 p.m. May 9, two fire engines responded to a gas leak in the 42000 block of Southeast 172nd Place. The Star publishes names of those arrested for DUI and those charged with felony crimes. Information comes directly from police reports.
Calendar
MAY 17, 2012
Music/entertainment q Chris Clark and Darin Clendenin, 7 p.m. May 17, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307 q Donny Osborne Trio with Pete Petersen, 7 p.m. May 18, Boxley’s q Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, with opening act Down The Road, 7 p.m. May 18, Sallal Grange, 12912 432nd Ave. S.E., North Bend, $15 q Sundaes on Monday and Jay Pinto and Friends, 8 p.m. May 18, The Black Dog Café, Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-DOGS (3647) q Moon Valley, 7:30 p.m. May 19, The Black Dog q Mike Longo Trio, 7 p.m. May 19, Boxley’s q The Hipsters, 9 p.m. May 19, Finaghty’s Irish Pub, 7726 Center Blvd. S.E., Ste. 110, Snoqualmie q Claude Bourbon, medieval and Spanish blues, 7 p.m. May 20, The Black Dog q Canyon Park Bands, 1:30 p.m. May 20, Boxley’s q Tony Foster Trio, 6 p.m. May 20, Boxley’s q Chief Kanim Middle School Jazz Band, 7 p.m. May 22, Boxley’s q Randy Halberstadt, 7 p.m. May 23, Boxley’s q Chad McCullough and Bram Weijters Quartet, 7 p.m. May 24, Boxley’s q Roy Reinertsen and Benny Sidelinger, 7 p.m. May 24, The Black Dog q Ian Hendrickson-Smith Trio, 7 p.m. May 25, Boxley’s q Janette West Quartet, 7 p.m. May 26, Boxley’s q Danny Kolke Trio, 6 p.m. May 27, Boxley’s q Carolyn Graye’s Singer Soiree, 7 p.m. May 28, Boxley’s
Events q Twin Falls Middle School Drama Club presents “Willy Wonka,” 7 p.m. May 17-19, tickets $8, 46910 S.E. Middle Fork Road q Mother’s Day Tea Party, 7 p.m. May 18 at the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie. Free to YMCA members; $10 per family for nonmembers. Registration beforehand required. q Reptile Man at Si View, 7 p.m. May 18, arts and crafts show and dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Scot Petersen helps children get up close and personal with 15 live reptiles from around the world. A donation of $10 per family is suggested. q Print-making, 10 a.m. May 19, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Fee of $15 for a parent with a child; $7 for each additional child. Participants will gather leaves and use nontoxic inks and a portable press to make prints for
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Hands-on art
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2012
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Churches
Contributed
The ‘Hands-On Nature’ printmaking class will take place at 10 a.m. May 19 at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E., in North Bend. Registration is $15 for one child and one parent. Registration for additional children is $7 each.
notecards or to take home. q Art opening for Jennifer Stewart, 7:30 p.m. May 19, The Black Dog q Fundraising plant sale and raffle, 9 a.m. May 19, Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend. Funds will help Mount Si High School students pursuing careers in botany. q Community Barbecue, 11 a.m. May 19, Snoqualmie Railroad Park, 7971 Railroad Ave. S.E. Residents of Snoqualmie welcome Waste Management as their new service provider for recycling, garbage and composting. q All Comers Fun Meets, 2 p.m. May 20, Mount Si High School. This is a chance for children ages 3-14 to participate in up to five events, including sprints, runs, long jump and javelin. Register online at www. siviewpark.org. Call 831-1900. $5 drop-in fee q SnoValley Indoor Playground, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when school is in session, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive. A donation of $1 per child per visit is appreciated. q Sallal Grange Community Games Night, 7 p.m. last Wednesday of each month. Please consider bringing a small monetary donation to help the Grange keep organizing events like this, www.sallalgrange.org. q Carnation Farmers Market, 3-7 p.m. every Tuesday from May to November, fresh food from family farms and small producers, including ven-
dors from the Upper Valley. Downtown Carnation. q Watercolor exhibit at Mount Si Senior Center through June 9, artists range from high-schoolers to senior citizens, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend
North Bend Library The following events take place at the North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St. q Mount Si Artists Guild exhibit, May 1 to June 15. Themes are “Summer is Coming,” and “Summer in the Valley.” All ages are welcome during library hours. q Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Learn to play chess or get a game going; all ages/skill levels welcome. q Study Zone, 4 p.m., May 17, 24, 31; 3 p.m. May 22, 29; 7 p.m. May 23, 30; free tutoring for grades K-12 q Game On! 3 p.m. May 18, 25; play Xbox 306, PlayStation and Nintendo, “Guitar Hero” and “Dance Dance Revolution;” board games and snacks available q English as a second language classes, 6:30 p.m. May 21 q Merry Monday Story Time, 11 a.m. May 21; newborns to age 3 with adult; siblings and other children are welcome q EReader assistance, 6 p.m. May 21. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer. q Preschool Story Time, 10:30 a.m. May 22; ages 3-6 with adult, siblings welcome
q Toddler Story Time, 9:30 a.m. May, 22; ages 2-3 with adult q One-on-one Computer Assistance, 1 p.m. May 23, 30; for adults q Pajamarama Story Time, 6:30 p.m. May 23; all young children welcome with adult. q SnoValley Writers Work Group, 3 p.m. May 27 q Volunteer with the Peace Corps, 7 p.m. May 29, for adults
Snoqualmie Library The following events take place at the Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E. q Pajama Story Times, 7 p.m. May 17, 31. All young children welcome with adult. Wear your PJs if you like. q EReader Assistance, 11 a.m. May 17, 24, 31. Learn how to download library eBooks to your eReader or computer. q Friends of the Snoqualmie Library book sale, all day May 18-19 q Preschool Story Times, 1:30 p.m., May 21; 10:30 a.m. May 23, 30, ages 3-6 with adult q Study Zone, 3 p.m. May 22, 29; free tutoring for grades K-12 q Young Toddler Story Times, 9:30 a.m. May 23, 30; ages 6-24 months with adult q Anime and Manga Club, 3 p.m. May 23, 30. Watch anime movies, eat popcorn and practice anime drawing. q Cenerentola: The Italian Cinderella Puppet Show, 7 p.m. May 24, ages 4 and older
q River Outreach seeks donations of coats, pants, sweatshirts, long underwear, hats, gloves, socks, and anything that may help homeless people stay warm. Call 830-1654 or 681-7380. q St. Clare Episcopal Church is collecting cereal for the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank. People wanting to donate money instead may write a check to the food bank, P.O. Box 2464, North Bend, WA 98045. q Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church seeks to collect tarps, candles, duct tape, flashlights, toilet paper, toiletries, hats, gloves, ropes and scarves for the homeless. Bring donations to the church’s parish hall. q Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church Book Club, 9:30 a.m. May 19. The book is “The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew — Three Women Search For Understanding,” by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner. q The Snoqualmie United Methodist Church, Saint Clare’s Episcopal Church, the Mount Si Lutheran Church and Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church will host a Car Wash and Bake Sale, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Les Schwab Tire Center in North Bend. Funds raised will benefit the annual CROP Walk. q Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church will be the starting and finish points for this year’s version of the CROP Walk, 12:30 p.m. May 20, with lunch to follow. Twenty-five percent of the funds raised will benefit the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank.
Classes q Butterfly Magic ballet lessons at Si View Community Center, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Wednesdays, through June 6, $42, for ages 3-6 q “Tween Yoga” at Si View Community Center, 4:30 p.m. Thursdays from May 3 to June 7, $50 fee, ages 9-13 q Pickling class, 6:30 p.m. May 17, The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie Submit an item for the community calendar by emailing smoraga@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.
sports
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MAY 17, 2012
First playoff trip ends quickly for Mount Si lacrosse team By Sebastian Moraga It was like watching a baby taking three steps before falling on his rump: The trip was short, the end painful, but you know this amazing journey is just the beginning. The Mount Si Lacrosse team lost, 7-3, to the Three Rivers Coyotes from Richland in the Wildcat squad’s first playoff game in its three-year history. Still, nobody’s head hung low after the game. A playoff game at home in front of a big crowd was the stuff dreams were made of two years ago, when the team closed its first season with no wins. Now it was a reality. “It’s one of the larger crowds we’ve seen anywhere other than football,” Wildcats’ lacrosse head coach Woodroe Kiser said. “This is not just parents, this is everybody.” The team, he added, will return to the playoffs in 2013. “Things are looking great for next year,” Kiser said. “All but three players are returning, and we had a strong J.V. season this year. The players will be fired up next year, ready to roll.” The loss to the Coyotes will serve as a learning experience for the Wildcats, said Kiser, whose team looked “a little flat” at the start of the game. The Coyotes came out strong and sought to take advantage of the hosts’ greenness. The Coyotes scored four
By Calder Productions
Tyler Smith, at left, unloads a shot during the first playoff game in Mount Si lacrosse history. Smith’s shot became Mount Si’s third goal of the contest. Mount Si lost 7-3 to Richland’s Three Rivers Coyotes. unanswered goals in the first quarter before Andrew Bottemiller scored for Mount Si. At the start of the second quarter, Three Rivers scored twice more before the halftime break. Freshman defender Tyler
Big day on the mound
Smith said the team’s youth factored in to its slow start. “It’s the first time in our history,” he said. “We obviously felt a lot of pressure. We’re growing as a team but we probably needed more time to prepare.”
Kiser said he told his troops to make a game of it in the second half. “I told the team at halftime, ‘I need to see your heart. I haven’t seen it yet and I know you have it,’” he said.
The team showed its heart by competing more in the second half. The Coyotes’ physical style of play prevailed, but the game did not turn into the laugher some feared at the start. Blake Moorhead scored the second tally for the Wildcats. The Coyotes scored once more before Mount Si’s Smith added a little suspense with only a handful of minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Smith celebrated his goal by jumping and waving his arms. It looked a little strange with the team still down four goals, but Smith had his reasons. “Last year in middle school, I was scoring a lot with the defensive stick,” he said. “This year is my first goal with a d-stick, and it happened in the playoffs, too. Pretty great feeling.” When the horn signaling the end of the game sounded, nobody smiled. A loss is a loss, after all. This one felt different, though. Like the start of something good rather than a definitive judgment on what this team can and will accomplish. This baby will get back up, and who knows, maybe next time, he will just keep on walking. “We’re still growing, this is our first year” in the playoffs, the Wildcats’ Sal Francisco said. “We’ll take it next year.” Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
Anglers out on opening day
By Calder Productions
Mount Si High School senior Reece Karalus struck out 15 Juanita High School batters April 23. Mount Si High School won the home game, 8-2, and while 15 strikeouts is impressive, it did not beat Karalus’ personal best, which was 17 in a single game last season, according to the Santa Clara University bound pitcher. Head coach Elliot Cribby described Karalus’ pitching during the Juanita game as ‘a great performance.’
By Sebastian Moraga
Fishing aficionados gathered April 28 for a casting clinic in Fall City. Lowland lakes fishing season opened that day, while river fishing season opens in June.