Your locally owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington
Mount Si golfers head to state tournament Page 8
June 5, 2014
North Bend snares popular Newcastle public works director By Christina Corrales-Toy
By Maureen Ivey
Elk have found good grazing land in the Snoqualmie Valley.
Save the elk, then eat them By Sherry Grindeland Jim Gildersleeve knows the Snoqualmie Valley elk herd well. Thanks to Gildersleeve and other volunteers, the Snoqualmie Valley Elk Management Group has been developing critter-friendly habitat for the creatures away from residential and farming areas. The group grew out of community meetings where people expressed a dichotomy of views. Some wanted the elk eradicated, or at least a reduction in the population, because they grazed on gardens and crops. Others wanted to protect the herds that roam the Valley. The management group tries to meet both demands. It collaborates with various interest groups, including state and national agencies, local cities,
Native American tribes and nonprofit outdoor organizations, as well as business and property owners. The two biggest projects it tackles, Gildersleeve said, are putting radio collars on females in the herd and the development of grazing land. “We work on Department of Natural Resources land,” he said. “We clear the brush and blackberry on the sides of the logging roads.” They plant grasses they know will entice the elk. To help cover the costs of the two projects, as well as educational and outreach programs to share the elk story, the Snoqualmie Valley Elk Management Group stages an annual Wild Game Dinner and Auction. This year’s event begins 6 p.m. June 7 at the Sno-Valley
Senior Center, 4610 Stephens Ave., Carnation. It is catered by the Fall City Roadhouse and Inn and features cuisine from Roadhouse Chef Benjamin Riggs. And yes, elk is always on the menu. Gildersleeve chuckles over that and added that the elk are not endangered and the group recognizes the herds’ value to hunters. Indeed, he added, elk is delicious meat. State agencies often call Gildersleeve and others in the group when they have elk meat available. (Usually from poachers — hunters caught with killed elk out of season.) Volunteers within the group know how to butcher fresh elk and age it properly. They then donate the See ELK, Page 3
Newcastle Public Works Director Mark Rigos has only worked with the city for three years, but his impact on the community is so great, when he announced his resignation, at least one resident became emotional at the thought of losing him. “Honestly I teared up a little bit,” said Newcastle Trails representative Peggy Price. “He’s been absolutely fabulous to Newcastle Trails. He’s proactive and he backs us up.” Rigos announced in May that he will leave to become the public works director for the city of North Bend. His last day in Newcastle is June 13. Rigos begins work in North
MacNichols resigns from Snoqualmie City Council
Longtime City Councilman Jeff MacNichols has resigned from the Snoqualmie City Council. He is moving to Redmond this month. The city of Snoqualmie is accepting applications to fill the vacancy on the sevenmember council. The City Council will choose and appoint the replacement to finish MacNichols term which expires in 2015. Residents interested in the position must have resided in the city of Snoqualmie for at least one year prior to council appointment and must be registered to vote in Snoqualmie. Applications are due by 5 p.m. June 17, 2014.
ADS FOR GRADS! Congratulate your grad !
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A personalized message published on June 19.
Bend June 16. It wasn’t an easy decision to leave, Rigos said, especially since he’s certainly grown to love Newcastle and its residents, but North Bend offers some new opportunities that Newcastle didn’t. In North Bend, Rigos will manage the city’s water and sewer district, something he couldn’t do in Newcastle, because that falls under the Coal Creek Utility District’s purview. He’ll also get the chance to manage North Bend’s wastewater treatment facility. “In the private sector, I’ve designed miles and miles of water mains and sewer mains, but I’ve never managed a full See DIRECTOR, Page 5
Applications are posted on the city website at www. cityofsnoqualmie.org in the “Public Participation” box. They may also be obtained at Snoqualmie City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St. Questions may be directed to Jodi Warren, city clerk, at 425-888-1555 x 1118 or jwarren@ci.snoqualmie. wa.us. Snoqualmie operates under a mayor-council form of government. The seven- member city council serves as the city’s legislative body. The council is responsible for setting policy, adopting the annual budget, adopting laws, determining the services the city provides and the funding levels for those services, and confirming the mayor’s appointment of citizens to advisory boards and commissions. Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER