Your locally-owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington
Track stars named to Hall of Fame Page 10
Residents are divided on how to keep children safe
June 20, 2013 VOL. 5, NO. 24
Whale’s tale North Bend author pens children’s book. Page 2
By Megg Joosten Student safety at North Bend Elementary School is on the forefront of school officials’ and parents’ minds, but the question of how to keep students safe has many at odds. Parents and school officials are in agreement that fencing the playground at North Bend Elementary School is necessary because of concerns about transients and drug use in North Bend. The question is how much of the playground actually needs to be fenced? A petition put together by concerned parents of North Bend Elementary School asked that the playground be fenced for the safety of the children while in school. The issue was also brought before the Snoqualmie Valley School District school board during
Summer school Local student, teacher to study marine biology. Page 3
Police blotter Page 7
Sewer stasis County’s rates will remain the same.
Page 7
By Michele Mihalovich
Jo Sandy, of Sausalito, Calif., passes a basket made of inner cedar bark to the rest of the participants who attended the Traditional Knowledge Trail guided tour.
Take it outside Students study nature in outdoor classroom. Page 9
Sworn in New cop is on the beat in Snoqualmie. Page 9 Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER
Snoqualmie Tribe unveils two new trails By Michele Mihalovich
After five years in the making, the Snoqualmie Tribe unveiled the Traditional Knowledge Trail and Rain Garden Landscape path June 8. The Star attended the guided tour held at the Knowledge Trail, on the corner of North Bend Way and 372nd Avenue Southeast, near the casino, and was greeted, along with about 15 other attendees, with a table set up at the trailhead of traditional Pacific Northwest Native American fare of fresh and dried berries, hazelnuts, smoked salmon and elderflower tea. Before the tour began, Angela Wymer, Snoqualmie’s tribal language director, who was flanked by former tribal
Council Chairwoman Shelley Burch and habitat monitoring and restoration technician Jason Mullen, said a prayer in the traditional Lushootseed language in a Snoqualmie dialect. A giant 200-year-old Douglas fir is the first plant to welcome visitors on the trail, which is about one-third of a mile long. Plant specialist and cultural adviser Heidi Bohan led the guided tour clutching a large basket filled with items she used to demonstrate how tribes used to utilize flora in forests. The longest stop was at a Western red cedar tree, which she referred to as the Tree of Life. See TRAILS, Page 5
public comments at its June 13 meeting. One proposed plan is to install a fence along the perimeter of the grass field adjacent to the playground, according to a post in the North Bend residents Yahoo group. North Bend resident David Spring, who is running for the District No. 4 seat on the school board, stated at the June 13 school board meeting that fencing the entire area is unnecessary. “That petition specifically asked for the playground, not the park,” he said. “I urge all of you to read the petition and the comments of these 170 North Bend parents. Only one of the 170 parents mentioned fencing in the park.” The total cost of fencing the perimeter is estimated at See SAFE, Page 3
North Bend Farmers Market increases options As if on cue, Sam Nickell and Linda Dean, of North Bend, Everything you expect at walked up to the booth and said opening day of the North Bend they had no idea Snoqualmie Farmers Market was there: aspar- had a winery. agus, Bing cherries, peas, kettle “This is so great,” Nickell corn, wood-fired pizza, dim sum, said. “It’s giving us an opportuHawaiian shaved ice nity to know a local and a band playing vendor. Everybody in the background. thinks you have to If you go There were several go to Walla Walla 4-8 p.m. Thursdays new offerings as for good wine, and Until Sept. 12 well, like wine. it’s not true.” (no market July 4) June 13 marked Sigillo recently Si View Park the first time in the came away with 400 S.E. Orchard Drive farmers market’s a gold and two North Bend 16-year history that bronze awards at wine was sold. the 2013 Seattle Sigillo Cellars, of Wine Awards. Snoqualmie, set up a booth, as Piccola, although based in did Piccola Wine Co., based in Woodinville, has a lot of local Woodinville. connections, co-owner Diana Mike Seal, a founding partner J. Kaspic said. She lives in of Sigillo, said the main reason Carnation; Shawn Lorenz, the they decided to show at the warehouse manager, lives in North Bend market was expoNorth Bend; and his wife Cat sure. Warren is the bar manager at He said about half of the North Bend Bar and Grill. people who stopped by their Piccola wine is sold by the tent belonged to their wine club, keg to many local restaurants but the other 50 percent hadn’t See MARKET, Page 2 heard of the winery before.
By Michele Mihalovich