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Honkers try to grow their brand in Fall City Page 10
Your locally owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington July 3, 2015
King County Sheriff ’s Office
Items discovered with skeletal remains found by two hikers June 16 near the Haystack on Mount Si near North Bend include (from left) tortoise-shell glasses with athletic strap, a Swiss Army watch with REI thermometer/compass tag and an Ortovox-brand backcountry avalanche shovel.
County detectives look to public to identify human remains By Dylan Chaffin dchaffin@snovalleystar.com A pair of tortoiseshell glasses, a green Jansport backpack, a Swiss Army watch, a shovel and some smaller, personal effects are all that’s left of a man whose
remains were found by two hikers who wandered off a Mount Si trail June 16. And no one has a single idea on how to identify him. The King County Sheriff’s Office is looking to the public for answers — Who was this
Statewide drought emergency affects Snoqualmie water system Gov. Jay Inslee has declared a statewide drought emergency due to a widespread lack of snowfall last winter. Water flow in the Snoqualmie River has dropped drastically, down more than 60 percent of usual flow. At the same time, water use by customers is nearly 6 percent more than this time last year. To reduce potential hardships from water shortages this summer and beyond, conservation is critical. The Snoqualmie Parks & Public Works Department asks citizens to support the city’s efforts for immediate water conservation actions: q Limiting water usage in parks, planting beds and roadside bioswales. q Increasing production of reclaimed water. q Working with Water Management Group to optimize irrigation. q Identifying conservation opportunities with local businesses and organizations. Other actions are being considered to prevent a water emergency in Snoqualmie. Here are ways you can help.
Outside q Water lawns in the morning or evening to reduce water loss from evaporation. q Allow some areas of landscaping to go brown for the summer. q Check sprinkler systems, positioning and timing devices. q Plant native and/or droughttolerant ground covers and shrubs. q Turn off hose between rinses when washing cars. Consider using a commercial car wash that recycles water. Inside q Turn off the water while brushing your teeth, washing your face and shaving. q Wash only full loads in dishwashers and clothes washing machines. q Check for leaks everywhere including showerheads, faucets and toilets. q Compost food waste instead of using the garbage disposal. q Install low-flow showerheads, faucets and toilets. Free efficient showerheads are available through PSE while supplies last.
man? How did he die? Determining a cause of death is going to be difficult without first identifying the deceased, King County Detective Jason Houck said. The remains appear to be from the 1990s.
The Haystack of Mount Si is frequented annually by thousands of hikers, but the body was not visible from the trail, Houck said. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the man was between the
ages of 30 and 60 years old, and likely to be 5 feet 7 inches to 6 feet tall. Anyone who has information about the man should call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311, or email tips to mcutips@kingcounty.gov.
Mayor drafts plan to help Snoqualmie businesses experiencing growing pains By Dylan Chaffin dchaffin@snovalleystar.com Going by the numbers, one thing is clear: Business is not booming for the downtown merchants of Snoqualmie. Backlogged construction projects have long since plagued the town that brings more than 2 million visitors annually to Snoqualmie Falls, and a considerable number of tourists to the Northwest Train Museum for big events such as the Day Out With Thomas tour. But Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson has a plan. It’s one that highlights beauty, literally, as he called on a number of business owners who own businesses in the historic downtown area, Snoqualmie Ridge and even outside city limits to rebrand their stores to increase cash flow, even amidst construction. He presented a four-point plan that focuses on design, economic restructuring, busi-
ness promotion and better organization overall in a town hall meeting June 24. “We don’t need a gimmick,” he said. “We have a site that brings in 2 million people a year. That’s our thing, is the Falls, and we really have to hammer that home.” But he said he also doesn’t want to lose any of the smaller stores that make Snoqualmie unique to tourists. Business owners had different concerns, namely the lack of parking in and around historic downtown that makes customers wary of visiting. “I had one customer call me and ask me what the traffic situation was like downtown,” one business owner said. “I went and looked outside, told her how busy it was and she just said, ‘Forget it.’” People are actively avoiding the area, she added. Neighboring North Bend had over $107 million in sales revenue in 2010. Snoqualmie earned a scant $24 million by
comparison. A lot of that income came from the outlets and big box stores, where customers are more likely to spend their money, Larson said. Bigger industries, such as Snoqualmie’s tech industry, focuses on offering employees a better quality of living than competitors Microsoft or Google, in Bellevue and Seattle or Kirkland, respectively, he said. Larson remains optimistic about future economic growth in the historical downtown area. “We’re at a really exciting threshold,” he said.
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