Your locally-owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington
Mount Si football tops Kennedy Page 12
Local 17-year-old is ‘brain surgeon for a day’
September 6, 2012 VOL. 4, NO. 36
‘Hope’ful House of Hope gives people a chance. Page 2
By Sebastian F. Moraga Days before the start of her 12th year of schooling, 17-yearold Mari Patis learned she might someday need 12 more. Bring it on, she said. A fan of science, the senior from Mount Si High School signed up weeks ago for the Brain Surgeon for a Day promotion at Swedish Hospital in Seattle’s Cherry Hill neighborhood. To her surprise, she was among the 25 people selected out of more than 100. At Swedish, Aug. 24, she met brain surgeon Greg Foltz, who told her and the other participants that completing the training needed to become a brain surgeon takes 12 years. Foltz also showed Patis the tools of the trade, samples of brain tissue, what a brain tumor looks like, and how Swedish pre-
What’s the buzz? New businesses come to the Valley. Page 3
Protect yourself Police offer women’s selfdefense class. Page 3
By Greg Farrar
Mari Patis, 17, a Mount Si High School senior, inserts a stealth navigation pointer into a plastic head model and watches a monitor, where the pointer and a magnetic field emitter combine to show the structure of a brain.
Guided tour Local’s book offers tips for hiking Rainier. Page 6
serves tumors for research. “It was a great opportunity,” Patis said afterward. “I actually volunteer at Snoqualmie Valley Hospital and there isn’t a lot of patient interaction. This wasn’t patient interaction, but there was a lot of hands-on procedures and that was the fun of it.” She would have liked a bit more one-on-one time for the participants, which would allow them to ask more questions, she said. Still, Swedish had never held a Brain Surgeon for a Day before. Patis said the hospital did a good job. As for the 12 years, Foltz told Patis they happen pretty fast, if you dedicate yourself to the work. The day itself went by pretty fast, with Patis and the rest of the group showing up at 10:30 a.m. “I’m pretty sure I was the youngest one there,” she said. “I don’t really know a lot about it, so I wasn’t sure how the doctor would explain surgery.” What followed was easier than she thought. The tour See SURGEON, Page 2
Ready for anything Leave your mark on Snoqualmie ramps up disaster preparedness Dress to impress Learn about Indian weddings and dresses. Page 7
Police blotter
Page 14 Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER
By Michele Mihalovich Emergency personnel in Snoqualmie learned a thing or two during January’s storm, which left much of the area cold and without power for days — the city needs more trained volunteers to help during disasters, and those volunteers need to pass a background check. Snow and strong winds caused major power lines to fall across Snoqualmie, and many chilly citizens got to see the inside of the town’s new YMCA for the first time when they sought warmth at the center. By day two, the community
center was able to stay open throughout the night because one of the city’s generators was hooked up at the center for the emergency. City workers and YMCA personal manned the temporary shelter, but Snoqualmie Fire Chief Bob Rowe said city workers couldn’t be expected to be available 24/7 without a break for such emergencies. “Given our limited resources, we rely on our community to assist when willing and able,” he said. Snoqualmie is in the process of making the YMCA community center the Upper See DISASTER, Page 2
downtown North Bend By Michele Mihalovich
The city of North Bend is holding a community competition for designs of how the downtown plaza should look, and winning could earn you $100 in pocket change. The city received a $350,000 grant, and will match it, for the plaza, which will be on the corner of North Bend Way and Main Avenue. Mike McCarty, North Bend’s senior planner, said the plaza’s centerpiece will be a traffic circle, and people’s design concept of that is unlimited, except a 5-foot minimum height, and the centerpiece must fit within the 20-foot diameter of the circle.
“But during closures of North Bend Way for festivals, such as the Block Party, the plaza will provide a central gathering space and centerpiece for concerts and events,” he said, adding that it’s an opportunity for people to leave their creative signature on the future of North Bend. In addition to the centerpiece, the city is asking designers to come up with details that extend to sidewalks, seating details and landscaping concepts. “The reason for offering the contest to the public is to have a creative way to get the public involved in the project and wind up with a design See PLAZA, Page 2
SnoValley Star
PAGE 2
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
House of Hope: stories of success By Michele Mihalovich
By Michele Mihalovich
Michelle Hirsch and her 13-year-old daughter Cierra Hirsch share a moment.
Disaster From Page 1 Valley’s Emergency Shelter to house people displaced because of a disaster, and it’s looking for trained volunteers to be prepared for
the area’s next emergency. Rowe said the Snoqualmie Tribe paid $50,000 to purchase and install a dedicated generator for the shelter, and that should be completed by the end of this month. Once that’s installed, he said the city will petition
For Michelle Hirsch, the House of Hope was about her last hope in trying to put her life back together. The 45-year-old mother of two started drinking out of control when she and her husband divorced in 2000. She watched things spiral downward and eventually lost custody of her children. By 2009, she did get sober, but had no job, and she was living with another recovering alcoholic in Tenino in a place without running water or heat. She went to North Bend for the holidays to visit her children, but when she returned to Tenino, her friend had been evicted, which left her without a car and homeless. “A friend told me to call House of Hope,” Hirsch said. “It’s been a long road and a slow process. But I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had House of Hope to help me along.” House of Hope, nestled in a quiet, wooded and secluded 15-acre area in rural North Bend, is a three-home shelter
the American Red Cross to have the community center officially designated as an emergency shelter. Because the shelter will house families, all volunteers must pass background checks. The city has hired Preemploy.com, a California
How to help Since House of Hope doesn’t accept government funding that would tie organizers’ hands regarding how they help, it relies on private donations, volunteers and local fundraisers. And there are plenty of ways to help. The shelter can always use gift cards, especially for gas or groceries. It can also use the following goods and services: toiletries, home medical supplies, nonperishable food, cleaning supplies, arts and for women and their children. Some of the women are homeless. Some are escaping domestic violence. Some are homeless after fleeing a domestic violence situation. Marcia Bennett-Reinert, shelter director, said House of Hope is much more than a shelter. “For one, so much more is required of these women than at a normal shelter,” she
corporation, to handle those checks. Rowe said he is trying to get people to first become Community Emergency Response Team trained. “CERT teaches one to become prepared for a disaster, and people train
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crafts supplies, and vehicle maintenance. They have a volunteer piano teacher, but one of the houses doesn’t have a piano. House of Hope also needs volunteer drivers (mostly local trips) and childcare. Contact Marcia BennettReinert at 206-915-2073 or houseofhopewashington@ yahoo.com. Monetary donations can be made online at www. mammashands.org; click on the ‘Contribute’ link in the left column. said. “They get a lot of tools to move onto self sufficiency.” Moms have to see a mental health counselor twice a week. And depending on each woman’s situation, some meet with a professional to discuss domestic abuse, attend family development and parenting workshops, get their GEDs or take college courses online, fill out housing and job applica-
in the basics, like fire suppression, first aid, extrication of patients from collapsed buildings, utility shut off, search and rescue and triage,” Rowe said. “It’s kind of a launching pad into emergency management, and then expands from there to shelter workers or amateur radio,” he said. Snoqualmie’s next CERT class begins Oct. 6, and applications, which you can get at the fire station, are now being accepted. However, the city and Red Cross are offering a free emergency shelter training class to prepare community volunteers.
Plaza From Page 1 that originates in and is unique to our community,” McCarty said. “The idea for a community competition came out of our plaza design team, which includes city staff and members of the city’s Economic Development Commission.” The deadline for the design competition is noon, Sept. 21. Details of the competition can
See HOPE, Page 3
Rowe said the shelter training is more specific than CERT, and teaches how to open a shelter, prepare cots, set up for meals, assist with reunification and help those who left their prescriptions behind. That class will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 12, at the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St. Space is limited and advance registration is required by calling 8885911 or emailing eoc@ ci.snoqualmie.wa.us. Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
be found at http://northbendwa.gov/civicalerts. aspx?AID=57. Submit entries to the Community and Economic Development Department at 126 E. Fourth St., North Bend, WA 98045, or email entries to CED Director Gina Estep at gestep@ northbendwa.gov. Learn more by calling 888-7640. Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
SnoValley Star
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
Valley business buzz By Michele Mihalovich There are new businesses in the Snoqualmie Valley, including a replacement for the North Bend state-owned liquor store, and another business is expanding out of the Valley. Steve’s Doughnuts in Snoqualmie Ridge is expanding his pastry perfections to Issaquah. Owner Steve Pennington said he is opening a second shop in Gilman Village, at 317 N.W. Gilman Blvd., Suite 5, hopefully by the first week in September. “The Grand Opening will most likely be the 8th,” he said. “We have been making and selling great doughnuts from our little storefront in Snoqualmie, and are ready to bring our product to a bigger market. We love Issaquah and Gilman Village, so it is a really natural fit for us.” Liquor Inc. North Bend finally has a liquor store again, after the state got out of the liquor business in June.
Hope From Page 2 tions, and attend a financial fitness boot camp. Everybody is expected to do chores at their shelter house. “They are learning things here that they can use for the rest of their lives,” BennettReinert said. And because House of Hope doesn’t accept government funding, it is not constricted by time limits. The biggest problem of the government system is that it’s based on quantity, rather than quality, Bennett-Reinert said. Most people are allowed to stay 20, 30 or 60 days in a government-funded shelter, and then they have to leave, and they are just bouncing from one
Surgeon From Page 1 started at 11 a.m. and included a video of a brain surgery Foltz had performed just days before, a question-and-answer session with Foltz and a brain tumor survivor, and the handling of
PAGE 3
Human services funding Women’s self-defense available for local groups course offered by city of Snoqualmie The city of Snoqualmie
bring drinking water. Email Snoqualmie Police Officer Nigel Draveling at ndraveling@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us to register.
Human Services Committee has opened the application process to request funds for human services programs to be provided during 2013, according to the press release from the city. Each year the city assigns 1 percent of its general fund to community and human service organizations that serve the greater Snoqualmie Valley, and provide services that benefit children, seniors, individuals and families in need, according to the release. These services are often provided by municipalities, but because the city of Snoqualmie does not maintain staff members with expertise in these areas, it contracts the services through funding to local organizations that provide aid for food, shelter, clothing, counseling and safety throughout the community. Learn more and get an application at www.ci.snoqualmie. wa.us/CityGovernment/ CommissionsBoards/ HumanServicesCommission.aspx. Application deadline is 5 p.m. Sept. 14. Contact Debra Whalawitsa at dwhalawitsa@ci.snoqualmie. wa.us or 888-1555.
The Snoqualmie Police Department, in partnership with the Normandy Park Police Department, is offering a free women’s self-defense course for Snoqualmie residents 18 and older, according to a press release from the city of Snoqualmie. The course is taught by certified instructors using the nationally recognized Rape Aggression Defense System. The RAD system is a detailed and comprehensive course for women, according to the press release. It begins with crime prevention, risk reduction and avoidance, and progresses to the basics of hands-on self-defense. The program is dedicated to teaching defensive concepts and techniques against various types of assault by using easy, effective and proven self-defense tactics. This is a four-week class, and participants must attend all four sessions. The classes are held from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 17, 19, 24 and 26, at the Snoqualmie Fire Department, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway. Athletic attire is recommended, including cross-training shoes that provide lateral support. Participants should also
shelter to another, she said. At House of Hope, the women accepted are asked to stay at least six months to work the program and try and get into transitional housing. But because waiting lists for transitional housing can take anywhere from six months to two years, the women and their families can stay up to 18 months, so long as they are working the program and making forward progress, she said. Hirsch said having structure and stability at a difficult time in her life was instrumental to getting back on her feet. Today, Hirsch works at the Snoqualmie Casino, owns and drives a car, lives in a one-bedroom rental in Snoqualmie and remains sober. Her goal is to get custody of her children and find a threebedroom home so she and the kids can live together again.
“My kids love me today and can trust me today,” Hirsch said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to say that.” Bennett-Reinert said Hirsch is just one of many successes who have come through House of Hope doors. She said less than 7 percent of the successful “exits” from the facility return to homelessness. Some go on with their lives and really don’t check back with House of Hope to share their progress reports. But Bennett-Reinert couldn’t hang up the phone without telling one story that really touched her. One woman came to the shelter after leaving her abusive boyfriend. “Four days later, she delivered a child,” Bennett-Reinert said. “She was very fearful, not trusting and had a big chip on her shoulder.”
And for good reason. Her mother started abusing her with curling irons and boiling water when she was just a child, and it kept escalating the older she got. Today, the mother is in prison for attempting to murder the woman who one day walked through the doors at House of Hope, Bennett-Reinert said. That untrusting young woman with a chip on her shoulder decided it was time to break the cycle of domestic abuse in her family, she said. “She was with us for about a year, and in that time, she took online classes at Bellevue College in medical billing. After moving to transitional housing, she served as an intern at Swedish Medical (Center). That led to part-time work and then a full-time job there,” BennettReinert said. “So many of the women who come here want to break that
cycle. And it’s wonderful when you can actually watch it happen,” she said. People make a lot of assumptions about the homeless, and Bennett-Reinert said a lot of those assumptions are incorrect. “It’s often not in any way the fault of the victim. Sometimes it is because of drugs, alcohol or because they choose that lifestyle,” she said. “But actually, a majority of people in the U.S. today is less than a month away from being homeless. If you get sick and can’t work, you can lose your home. “When people assume they know why people are homeless, and choose not to do anything to help, they are robbing themselves of a blessing.”
surgical tools like drills and the Nico Myriad, a multiuse tool that can cut or vacuum a tumor out. In the video, Foltz removed a golf-sized tumor without damaging the brain. “Amazing,” Patis said. She even poked at a tumor with a pair of tweezers and saw tumors frozen in liquid nitrogen.
Some of the technology was new, some has been around a while. Swedish was among the first hospitals to preserve tumors, Patis said she learned. Not only did she meet a brain surgeon and watch a brain surgeon, but she got to look like one, too. “They gave us a pair of scrubs that we got to keep,” she said.
“They definitely make you feel professional.” She had never worn scrubs before, calling it one of the highlights of the event which lasted about two hours. The tour ended with lunch, and the Q-and-A session. The lunch went down and stayed down, no problem, Patis said. The Q-and-A was an eye-opener, too.
“It was fun,” she said. “Dr. Foltz was talking about how you can save a person’s life. It would definitely be a great career path to go down.”
Liquor Inc., at 456 S.W. Mount Si Blvd., Suite C5, in the old Blockbuster building, opened its doors July 20. Paul Singh, of Kent, is one of several owners. Shannon Jayne, who manages the store, said customers will find a larger variety than found at grocery stores. “And we’ll be featuring micro distilleries and a lot of higher-end items,” she said. “Plus, we’ll special order for our customers.” The store is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Wired Up Electronics Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce members celebrated the grand opening of Wired Up Electronics in North Bend June 19 as part of Bite of the Block, a sampling of local business and restaurants. Wired Up is the Valley’s new source for consumer electronics and hobbies, and is at 131 E. North Bend Way, across from Chaplin’s Chevrolet. Learn more at www.wiredupelectronics.com.
Volunteer this fall at Encompass
Volunteer opportunities abound at Encompass this fall. Sign up for any of them by contacting Michelle McCormick at 888-2777, ext. 1212, or michelle.mccormick@encompassnw.org. Preschool classroom aide, Encompass Main Campus, North Bend: As preschool classes expand to all five weekdays, spend three hours a week with 3- or 4-year-olds. Pediatric therapy office assistant, Encompass Downtown North Bend: For four hours a week, be the first impression for families seeking help, whether by phone or through our front door. Toddler groups assistant, three locations: For two hours a week, assist with toddler groups in North Bend, Issaquah and Carnation. Parenting education assistant, Encompass Main Campus, North Bend: For one or two hours a week, assist parent educators See VOLUNTEER, Page 11
Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
Opinion
PAGE 4
Editorial
Letter
You know if you are seated here
Consider the hungry
Taking the lead from Clint Eastwood having a conversation with an invisible President Obama, we’d like to chat with a row of empty chairs of folks who are chapping our hides. Seated to our left is the guy who passes cars on the right while driving down the interstate. Don’t look at the chair to your left occupied by the leftlane camper. We’ll get to her next. Passing on the right is dangerous and illegal. So stop it! To the left-lane camper, we ask why? Do you not see the line of vehicles behind you? Do you not see how angry people get, causing them to bolt to the other lanes and pass on the right? So stop it! To people who talk on their cellphones while in a bathroom stall — you may be invisible, but we can still hear you. And no one needs to know you have a bladder infection. So stop it! To the city of Snoqualmie IT person who changed a very user-friendly format for retrieving City Council agendas and packets to a colossal mess that even city councilmembers have trouble following: Change it back! We invite North Bend councilmembers who say things in a public meeting that aren’t factually accurate to take a seat. Morale at the Snoqualmie Police Department is not at an all-time low, says Police Guild President Dan Moate. The city of Snoqualmie does not have “elaborate” council retreats, unless you consider the fire department building a resort. And King County deputies were not at the pass dealing with another situation while North Bend citizens dealt with a drunken home intruder, who eventually was shot by the occupant. Public officials, we have a row of chairs waiting for you. Take heed, you have a responsibility to the public to check out statements for accuracy before saying them. If you’re not sure, bite your tongue! Send us a note with your rant to an invisible person.
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Hunger is a year-round concern. But summer presents an even greater challenge to families with school-aged children. Those families often receive free breakfasts and lunches during the school year, but might go without in summer months. In 2011, Mount Si Food Bank started the Summer Cupboard program in an effort to address this nutritional gap. During the summer, families with school-aged children receive additional breakfast, lunch and snack items, along with their regular groceries. This year, we extended an invitation to our community to help support Summer Cupboard. We want to thank the following contributors for their outstanding efforts in making it a success: Snoqualmie Elementary School, Kidz Bounce, Snoqualmie Falls Brewery, Mount Si Lutheran Church and Genie Industries. Collectively, we raised nearly $5,000 and collected more than 200 pounds of kid-friendly food.
It is with this community support we are able to provide the nutritious food that is crucial for healthy child development, growth and learning. If you are interested in learning more about Summer Cupboard, or supporting the Mount Si Food Bank, visit mtsifoodbank.org or call 888-0096. Heidi Dukich, executive director Mount Si Food Bank
Public meetings North Bend Public Health and Safety Committee, 4 p.m. Sept. 11, City Hall, 211 Main Ave. N. Special Budget Workstudy, 7:15 p.m. Sept. 11, City Hall Community and Economic Development Committee, 1:30 p.m. Sept. 18, Community and Economic Development office, 126 E. Fourth St. City Council, 7 p.m. Sept. 18, Mount Si Senior
Home Country
The unknown advantages of getting older By Slim Randles There is a payoff, Doc told us, for getting the aches and pains of old age. Doc should know. We have it on good authority that he is actually older than a flat, brown rock. “A payoff?” Steve asked. Steve’s an old cowpuncher who has collected hurt places for a long time now. He kinda wriggled around, reliving in two seconds’ time two buckoffs in the rocks, one horn wound from a nasty mama cow and a groin kick from a bronc mule. “Sure,” said Doc, in his usual cheerful way. “You get gray hair, or maybe kinda bald like ol’ Steve here, and you develop wisdom, which we all know just means you know not to argue with your wife, right? So then what happens? Your grandchildren think you have all the answers.” “So you have to help them with homework?” Dud asked. “Naw, not a bit. What I mean is, you have your grandchildren all primed for some real Olympic-style embarrassment.” Doc leaned over conspiratorially. “I live to embarrass my grandchildren.” We had a good laugh, but Bert wanted specifics. “With me,” Doc said, “it’s dancing. You see, they are all teenagers now, and therefore they are cool and know everything, and the world couldn’t turn without them. So when their friends come over and they crank that stereo up to where it’s killing the neighbor’s geraniums, I ask them just once to turn it down.”
“Takes me a lot more than once,” Bert said. “I swear those kids are hard of hearing.” “But do you dance for them?” Doc asked. Slim Randles “You see, if they don’t Columnist turn it down, I kinda totter to my feet and start what the kids call the Grandpa Boogie. I mean I shake it like an Egyptian pharaoh. I wiggle and jiggle and stick out my chin like this ... and sort of thrust myself around the floor until one of them dashes over and shuts off the music. Then I go sit down and read the paper again. “The first couple of times I did that, the kids got me to one side and begged me never to do that again. I guess they were just jealous of my moves. Well, I hated to show them up in front of their friends, seeing as I could
dance better than they could, but the music was too loud. I tell them when the music gets more than just kinda regular, I can’t help myself and dance fever hits me like a sledgehammer.” “So,” Steve said, “how did you do it? I mean, show us, OK?” So Doc stood up and went into spasms, twitches and slides that had the whole coffee shop cracking up, and people didn’t know whether to applaud or call the paramedics. “The really great thing,” said Doc, sitting back down, out of breath, with his coffee, “is that these kids think they invented being cool. And I blind-sided them with great mo-o-o-o-ves! I showed them a slink or two. “And you’d be surprised how much quieter it is when they come over these days.” Brought to you by the personally inscribed new book “Home Country,” at www.slimrandles. com.
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SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
SnoValley Star
PAGE 5
Community
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SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
North Bend bar crowns burger queen By Michele Mihalovich
By Michele Mihalovich
It’s good to be the queen. Kerry McQuarrie, of North Bend, won North Bend Bar and Grill’s burger contest Aug. 23.
North Bend Bar and Grill named the winner of its “Best Durn Burger” contest after an Aug. 23 taste test competition. The contest winners were supposed to have been announced at the recent Festival at Mount Si. However, owner Keith Mickle said he had to postpone that game plan. This was the first time Mickle had tried to hold a burger contest, and he bit off more than he could chew during the busy three-day festival. “We blew it,” he said. But NBBG patrons didn’t seem too put out by being tasked with tasting and ranking little triangles of the three burgers selected out of a pool of 10 recipes submitted for the competition. The Mount Thai burger, with hot chili, garlic and Sriracha, topped with a red curry sauce, came out on top in the fierce foodie battle. Mount Thai went head-to-
What to know The Mount Thai burger, with hot chili, garlic and Sriracha, topped with a red curry sauce, came out on top in the fierce foodie battle. head against the Juicy Lucita (a beef and pork burger with onions and poblanos, topped with an egg and dill pickle chips) and the Snoqualmie Smoke Burger (a tasty concoction of paprika, chipotle chilies and adobo sauce, topped with avocado and tomato). Cambajamba, yes, one name, like Cher and Bono, drove from Kirkland to size up the burgers that beat his for the top three spots. He had submitted a recipe that included roasted leeks and a garlic aioli. After tasting the competition, he announced the Snoqualmie Smoke Burger was the clear winner, “hands down.” However, 60 percent of the patrons deemed the spicy and
cleverly-named Mount Thai Burger in fact, the “best durn burger.” Kerry McQuarrie, of North Bend, created the winning burger. By day, she works at Encompass. But she said, given the option, she would watch the Food Network Channel 24 hours a day. She also just enjoys entering food contests to test her culinary skills. A couple of years ago she won the Festival at Mount Si’s blueberry dessert competition with her baked blueberry French toast entry. “Oh my god, it was so good,” she said. For being named NBBG burger queen, McQuarrie, in addition to unlimited bragging rights, receives a $100 gift certificate to the restaurant and her burger will be featured on the fall menu for three months. Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
North Bend hiker creates guide to Mount Rainier adventure By Warren Kagarise Civilization fades far into the distance along the Wonderland Trail, a 93-mile loop around Mount Rainier.
The volcano looms above the landscape, as clouds play peeka-boo around the glacier-capped summit. The meadows below buzz as marmots and other creatures dart among the wildflowers. The scenes along the trail seem cut from a postcard. Even the name is majestic. Tami Asars, a third-generation Washingtonian and lifelong hiker, created a guidebook for the premier trail in Mount Rainier National Park — “Hiking the Wonderland Trail,” a recent
Photo courtesy Tami Asars
Tami Asars hikes the Wonderland Trail.
Photo courtesy Tami Asars
At top, a marmot peeks out and Mount Rainier (above) towers over the Wonderland Trail.
release from The Mountaineers Books. “You get to see almost everything when you go on the Wonderland,” she said in a recent interview. “You get to see so many glaciers. You get to see all of these little great meadows and little nooks and wildflowers. The creatures that live in the park are just everywhere.
You get to see the marmots — they’re in almost every field you come across, whistling and squeaking and playing pattycake.” Asars, a North Bend resident and former employee at REI in Issaquah, led classes about the Wonderland Trail at the sporting goods store. Then, as she amassed more and more infor-
mation for prospective hikers, the idea for a book germinated. “Mount Rainier has always intrigued me,” Asars said. “It’s always sort of been a refuge from the emails and phones and all that kind of stuff.” Hikers gain and lose about 22,000 cumulative feet along the See BOOK, Page 7
SnoValley Star
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
Sights of India are coming to the Ridge
Obituary William R. Rice William R. Rice, of Issaquah, passed away Friday, Aug. 31, 2012. He was 83. William was the loving husband of Nancy and abiding father to Teresa, Mary, Joan, Rafaella and Ken. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m.
Halloween event holds auditions Halloween is less than two months away, so if you can bring the scary, Night on a Dark Trail organizers want to hear from you. Auditions will occur from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 10 and 12 at the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie. Those auditioning will have to sign up, have their photo taken, get measured for a costume and do a
Book From Page 6 Wonderland Trail. “The journey is the destination — walking slow, taking your time, stopping in those meadows, and throwing your pack on a rock and sucking it in,” Asars said. “All of those kinds of things
Thursday, Sept. 6, at Cedar Lawns Cemetery, Redmond. Friends are invited to view photos, get directions and share memories in the family’s online guest book at www.flintofts.com. Flintoft’s Funeral Home and Crematory, 392-6444 simple reading for casting. People interested in auditioning need to contact the event organizers via the contact page on the website, www.nightonadarktrail.weebly.com. You will have the chance to pick a date and time for auditions. Night on a Dark Trail, an evening of family-friendly Halloweenthemed activities on Snoqualmie Ridge is scheduled from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 26 and 27.
about it just make it really a charming place to visit and a great hike to do.” The rugged trail circumnavigates the oldest national park in Washington. “The fact that the only way you can see those places is on foot is also really appealing to people,” Asars said. “There are very few places left like that, except national parks.”
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By Sebastian F. Moraga With plenty of bright colors and shiny jewelry, Bollywood arrives in the Snoqualmie Valley Sept. 16. A wedding show at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge golf course seeks to take the mystery out of Indian fashion and attending Indian weddings. “Attending a traditional Hindu, Sikh or Muslim, and also Pakistani wedding for the first time can be intimidating,” show organizer Piyusha Pandya wrote in an email. “Familiarizing yourself with the cultural traditions and customs will make you feel at ease.” Pandya, owner of Kesudo Boutique at the Crossroads Mall in Bellevue, said in a subsequent interview that it’s the first time the store has hosted a wedding show in the U.S. It has hosted fashion shows before but not wedding shows. The Sept. 16 event is a mixture of both. “We are showing how the Indian tradition of dress can be used in any kind of wedding,” she said. “It does not have to be an Indian wedding,
q Bollywood Wedding Show q 1-4 p.m. Sept. 16 q TPC Snoqualmie Ridge golf course q Free, but RSVP by emailing dpiyusha@ gmail.com. it could be a wedding with an Indian theme, or a wedding of an Indian person and a person from somewhere else. Bollywood is the name given to styles borne out of Indian movies and TV shows. “It’s a craze,” Pandya said. “It’s very in, very unique and different.” Designer Mital Doshi, who works with Pandya, said the very nature of the Bollywood dress styles make it popular in America. “The richness of the embroidery is one of the reasons why Indian designs are so looked into nowadays,” she said. “It just gives an interesting blend when you combine a Western design with an Indian design. It kind of makes you stand out.” Pandya agreed. “We get so many
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Indian style wedding dresses will soon be on the Ridge. customers who are not Indian but enjoy looking at all the dresses,” she said. “We want them to know, in any kind of function you can have an Indian theme.“ Popularity notwithstanding, certain aspects of it make it tricky for people at first, she said. At weddings, the traditional color is red, not white, Pandya said. Wearing white or black is not appropriate. “Red is a symbol of love,” she said. “It’s a great blessing and it’s a color of happiness. Widows will wear white,
red symbolizes a wedded woman.” Same as in Western culture, people should not wear a dress the color of the bride’s dress. People should not wear black, she added, as it represents a sad event. The closer you are to the person getting married, the more ornate your dress can be. If you’re just a friend, your dress may be a little simpler. “We need to educate people,” Pandya said. “Indian themes have a lot of great themes and great color.”
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SnoValley Star
PAGE 8
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
SnoValley Star
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
PAGE 9
Mount Si High School Fall 2012 Sports Schedule BOYS’ TENNIS
CROSS COUNTRY
FOOTBALL
Sept. 6 Sept. 10 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 19 Sept. 20 Sept. 25 Sept. 27 Oct. 2 Oct. 9
All league meets start at 4 p.m. Invitational times vary. Sept. 5 Jamboree at Lake Sammamish State Park, Issaquah Sept. 8 Tahoma Relays at Lake Wilderness Park, Maple Valley Sept. 12 Bellevue and Lake Washington at Kelsey Creek, Bellevue Sept. 19 Sammamish and Juanita at Saint Edward State Park, Kirkland Sept. 22 Bellevue Invitational, Lake Sammamish State Park Sept. 26 Mercer Island and Sammamish at Robbinswood Park, Bellevue Sept. 29 Twilight Invitational at Cedarcrest Golf Course, Marysville Oct. 3 Interlake at Mount Si High School (site undefined) Oct. 6 Hole in the Wall Invitational, Lakewood High School, Arlington Oct. 10 Liberty and Mercer Island at Mount Si High School (site undefined) Oct. 18 KingCo Conference Championships, Lake Sammamish State Park Oct. 25 Sea-King District Championships, Lower Woodland Park, Seattle Nov. 3 State championships, Pasco
All games start at 7:00 p.m. Aug. 31 Mount Si 30, at Kennedy Catholic 0 Sept. 7 7 p.m., Issaquah Sept. 14 7 p.m., Juanita Sept. 21 7 p.m., at Interlake Sept. 28 7 p.m., at Sammamish Oct. 5 7 p.m., Lake Washington Oct. 12 7 p.m., Bellevue Oct. 19 7 p.m., at Mercer Island Oct. 26 7 p.m., at Liberty
3:45 p.m., Liberty 3:45 p.m., Sammamish 3:45 p.m., Juanita 3:45 p.m., at Interlake 3:45 p.m., Bothell 3:45 p.m., at Sammamish 3:45 p.m., Lake Washington 3:45 p.m., Bellevue 3:45 p.m., at Mercer Island 3:45 p.m., at Liberty (Tibbetts Valley Park in Issaquah)
GIRLS’ SOCCER All games start at 7:30 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 13 Sept. 14 Sept. 18 Sept. 20 Sept. 25 Sept. 27 Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 9 Oct. 11 Oct. 16 Oct. 18 Oct. 23 Oct. 25
Sept. 6 Sept. 11 Sept. 13 Sept. 18 Sept. 20 Sept. 24 Sept. 27 Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 9 Oct. 11 Oct. 16 Oct. 18 Oct. 23
7:30 p.m. at Cedarcrest (preseason) 7:30 p.m. Juanita 7:30 p.m. at Interlake 7:30 p.m. at Issaquah (non-conference) 7:30 p.m. at Sammamish 7:30 p.m. Lake Washington 7:30 p.m. Bellevue 7:30 p.m. Mercer Island 7:30 p.m. Liberty 7:30 p.m. at Juanita 7:30 p.m. Interlake 7:30 p.m. Sammamish 7:30 p.m. at Lake Washington 7:30 p.m. at Bellevue 7:30 p.m. at Mercer Island 7:30 p.m. at Liberty
We
7 p.m., Juanita 7 p.m., at Interlake 7 p.m., at Sammamish 7 p.m., Lake Washington 7 p.m., Bellevue 7 p.m., at Mercer Island 7 p.m., at Liberty 7 p.m., at Juanita 7 p.m., Interlake 7 p.m., Sammamish 7 p.m., at Lake Washington 7 p.m., at Bellevue 7 p.m., Mercer Island 7 p.m., at Liberty
BOYS’ GOLF All times TBA Sept. 5 Sept. 11 Sept. 13 Sept. 17 Sept. 20 Sept. 22 Sept. 24 Sept. 27 Oct. 2 Oct. 4 Oct. 9
Jamboree with Mercer Island and Liberty, at Maplewood Golf Course Jamboree with Bellevue and Sammamish, at Bellevue Municipal Golf Course Jamboree against Lake Washington and Juanita, at Mount Si Golf Course Juanita, at Mount Si Golf Course Against Interlake, at Tam O’ Shanter Golf and Country Club Against Interlake, at Willows run Against Sammamish at Bellevue Municipal Lake Washington, at Mount Si Golf Course Bellevue, at Mount Si Golf Course Against Mercer Island, at Twin Rivers Golf Course Against Liberty at Maplewood
Mount Si High School Fall 2012 sports schedule Athletic Director: Greg Hart, 831-8103, hartg@svsd410.org www.mountsihighschool.com
2012 Admission prices for volleyball, soccer and football: Adults: ...................................................$7 Host student with ASB card: ..............Free Host student without ASB card: ............$7 Visiting students with ASB card:........... $5 Students grades K-8: ............................$5 Pre-School with Adult.........................Free Senior Citizen......................................Free (65 yrs and older - must show I.D.)
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schools
PAGE 10
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
By Sebastian Moraga
The Freemasons lodge in North Bend has donated bicycles to elementary schools in the Valley to encourage children to read.
Masons deliver bikes for reading competition By Sebastian F. Moraga The girl at Snoqualmie Elementary School saw the bicycles arrive at her school and jumped with excitement. The two bicycles had arrived. Neither was for her, but it did not matter. The scene repeated itself at Cascade View Elementary School, when the girl at the library looked at the two bicycles and confessed, “I want that black one.” The girls in question left fifth grade behind a few years back — one was Michelle Pearlstein, secretary at Snoqualmie Elementary
and the other was Susan Head, librarian at Cascade View. “I love this,” said freemason Mark Goodwin, who delivered half of the bicycles purchased by the North Bend Unity Freemasons Lodge. “I absolutely love doing this.” The lodge raises the money from members and from donations to a Bikes For Books account at Sterling Savings in North Bend, and buys the bicycles from Single Track in North Bend. They donate two bikes to each elementary school in North Bend and Snoqualmie. Schools use the bicycles as incentive for children to read.
By Sebastian Moraga
Freemasons Dennis Wilkins, from left, Mark Goodwin, Jonathan Seaton and Kenny Cason pose with the bikes their organization, the Unity Lodge 198 of North Bend, donated to elementary schools in the Snoqualmie Valley. Goodwin delivered the bikes to the Snoqualmie schools. Two other Masons made the trip to the North Bend schools. “This gives every kid a chance,” said Mason Jonathan Seaton. At Cascade View, students have to read 20 minutes for 20 days per month. The two students who read the most get the bikes. “The schools introduce the bikes into the reading program as an incentive to read more,” Goodwin said. Brandon Schmidt, store man-
Welcome back to a new school year With more than 6,000 students returning to school last week, the 2012-13 school year is officially under way here in the Snoqualmie Valley. These young people bring to our schools and classrooms an abundance of energy, eagerness and potential. Those who work in the schools — teachers, support staff and administrators — find these qualities to be a source of inspiration as they begin working with the students and look forward to the coming school year. Last year was a very successful one for our schools and students. Five of our schools were recognized for excellence at either the state or national level. Many of our staff members were acknowledged for their outstanding accomplishments as professionals. And hundreds of our students earned special recognition for their efforts and amazing accomplishments at regional,
state and national levels. A preliminary review of last spring’s state testing shows us that excellence is being achieved in schools throughout the district. When statewide results became available last week, we saw once again that Snoqualmie Valley results exceeded those of the state by a good margin in every subject, and every grade level. Our district’s reading results are holding steady or increasing at nearly every grade level, with over 90 percent of our students meeting or exceeding standard at grade 10. In mathematics, gains were achieved at nearly every grade level with 79 percent of our elementary students meeting or exceeding standard, and 76 percent of all middle school students meeting or exceeding standard. In writing, 96 percent of students met standard at grade 10.
While statewide results are not yet available, it is anticipated that our results will once again exceed those of the state by a good margin. We are not satisfied with these results, however. As teachers and administrators delve deeper into the data in the coming weeks, opportunities for improvement will be identified. These test results, along with other data, will be used by the staff to develop plans for the upcoming school year — plans that build on past success and re-set the vision for excellence in our schools and classrooms. Thank you for supporting us as we engage in work to further improve our schools and the educational experience of our students. Joel Aune, superintendent Snoqualmie Valley Schools
ager at Single Track, joked about his days in school, while he loaded the bikes into Goodwin’s Truck. “If they had this when I was in school,” he said, smiling, “I would be a lot smarter when it came to book learning.” In 2008, the lodge started the campaign with North Bend and Opstad elementary schools. In 2009, the two Snoqualmie elementary schools came aboard. The bikes get new owners in the spring, near the end of the school year.
Foundation readies for another phoneathon
Carmen Villanueva can’t help but wonder. “Wouldn’t it be great,” the president of the executive board of the Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation, in an email wrote, “if we could raise enough money to fund all of the programs?” Last year, more than $70,000 in requests for classroom grants came to the foundation, of which it could only fund a little under one-fourth. In two weeks, the foundation will have another shot at making more teachers happy this year, when the annual Phonathon occurs. The event, which gathers monetary pledges for the foundation via the telephone, calls citizens in the Valley to ask for funds. Phone calls come from a school building, so the residents’ caller IDs read
“We get them delivered before the first day of the school so they can put them on display and the kids see them and get excited right from the beginning,” Goodwin said. “And the new kids to the school who don’t know about the program, they can start asking questions.” Ten months later, they get their bikes, if they read enough. “They are so happy to have a bike,” Pearlstein said. “Their faces are so cute you can just bite them.”
“Snoqualmie Valley School District.” This year’s Phonathon is scheduled for Sept. 17 and 18. Phone calls will start at about 3:30 p.m. and last until about 8:30 p.m. both days. The goal this year is to gather $20,000, same as last year’s Phonathon, which fell short of it by about $5,000. Two years ago, the Phonathon raised about $12,000. In past years, people have been known to refuse to donate on political grounds. In 2010, a volunteer was told no donation would be forthcoming, “until the school board got its act together.” Foundation members have asked citizens to remember the foundation is not a political group. “Our mission,” board member Jonathan Pearlstein said in 2011, “is to support every child in every classroom in every school.”
SnoValley Star
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
PAGE 11
King County expects layoffs, reduced road maintenance By Warren Kagarise King County expects to lay off 54 road workers and officials said the lack of attention on roads could mean further deterioration. Officials also plan to leave 11 vacant jobs unfilled — for a total reduction of 65 jobs in the county Road Services Division — due to a drop in tax revenues. The reduction is expected to go into effect early next year, as the 2013 budget goes into effect. King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the reductions Aug. 23. The loss
Volunteer From Page 3 with workshop preparation and execution, including PowerPoint help. Therapy storyboard assistant, Encompass Downtown North Bend: Help therapists create individual storyboards for therapy participants. Therapy outreach assistant, Encompass Downtown North Bend: Once a week, work to connect Encompass with pediatricians, and search computer lists and articles about treatments. Special event assistant, Snoqualmie Ridge: Help build and carry out the social event of the year in the Snoqualmie Valley —
of funding could mean reduced maintenance to correct problems, such as potholes, and a slower response during snow and ice storms. The county is responsible for about 1,500 miles of roadway, but the reduction in revenue means less maintenance, especially of roads in rural areas. The road overlay program is shrinking. Officials said only 11 miles of deteriorated roadway could be repaved before year’s end. In the next budget cycle, the county might not have any local funding for paving, unless officials gain additional revenue sources. the Encompass Autumn Gala, on Saturday, Nov. 3, at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. A variety of set-up opportunities is available throughout the day of the event. Family night assistant, Si View Community Center, North Bend: Family Nights, co-sponsored by Encompass and Si View Metro Parks, resume on the following days this fall: Sept. 7 (The Noise Guy), Oct. 20 (Harvest Carnival) and Dec. 7 (BCI Performing Canines). Interact with children and parents in making the events run smoothly. One VOICE Resource Fair assistant, Snoqualmie Valley: Help families in need for the annual One VOICE (Valley Organizations in Collective Effort) Resource Fair in mid-December.
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The county and sanding cut pothole by one-third, On the Web repairs by depending almost half in See how roads on resourcrecent years; in the Snoqualmie es, during by 2013, potValley rank under future winter hole filling King County’s service weather. and patchplan at http://1.usa. Consting could be gov/KAsB3x. antine reduced by blamed state almost 65 perlegislators cent. for failing to Officials said reduced pass bills to grant counties maintenance could force the authority to create revspeed reductions, and enue sources for roads and bridge and lane closures, transit. in order to preserve dete“We said at the time riorating roads. there would be conseCrews conducted about quences if the state didn’t 20 percent less snow and free us to solve this fundice removal this year, due ing crisis, and now we’re to a lack of staffing. The seeing them,” he said in county could cut plowing a statement. “The cur-
Fall recycling event offered at Centennial Fields
The city of Snoqualmie is offering a two-for-one recycle event Sept. 15,
which is open to all King County residents, according to a press release from the city. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 15 at Centennial Fields Park,
rent system for funding local roads across the state hasn’t been revisited in decades, and it no longer works.” Local property tax revenue and a separate roads levy support the County Road Fund. The county collects $2.25 per $1,000 in assessed value through the levy. In recent years, annexations of unincorporated areas into nearby cities, lower property valuations and a dip in gas tax revenue caused the fund to drop 25 percent, from $128 million to $96 million. Since 2010, the Road Services Division has eliminated about 200 positions. 39903 S.E. Park St. in Snoqualmie (adjacent to Snoqualmie Elementary School). Not only will items such as batteries, tires and electronics be accepted,
The county also experienced a 44 percent decline in the value of property assessments during the past four years in unincorporated areas. The average homeowner in most areas of unincorporated King County should pay about $90 less per year for road services next year than they paid in 2011. The recent announcement came about a year after Constantine unveiled a tier system to rank roads in unincorporated areas. Under the system, the most-used arterials receive the highest level of maintenance, snow and See ROADS, Page 14 but from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., residents can bring up to four grocery bags of personal paper records, such as bank statements, See RECYCLE, Page 14
sports
PAGE 12
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
Mount Si Wildcats skunk Kennedy in season opener By Michele Mihalovich Two virtual rookies set the tone within the first few minutes for the Mount Si High School season opener against Kennedy Catholic in Burien, ending in a 30-0 victory for the Wildcats. Mount Si junior Nick Mitchell, in his first start as quarterback on varsity, threw a 46-yard pass to senior Trent Riley for the Wildcats’ first touchdown. Riley, 6 foot 2 inches and 194 pounds, sat out his junior season after suffering a knee injury in basketball. After the final whistle Aug. 31, he caught five receptions for 94 yards. “His sophomore year he had seven or eight touchdowns,” coach Charlie Kinnune said before the game. “That’s incredible for a sophomore. Now he’s bigger and better, and we’re real happy to have him back.” Mitchell took his new leadership role seriously, studying hours of Kennedy game film in preparation for Friday’s game. Because he knew Kennedy is fond of blitzing from the left, his offensive line kept Lancer giants Cole Madison, 6 foot 6 inches and 270 pounds, and Desmond Thompson, 6 foot 7
By Calder Productions
Mount Si High School running back Joey Cotto runs the ball 12 yards for a touchdown against Kennedy Catholic in Burien Aug. 31. See a slideshow of photos from the game at www.snovalleystar.com. inches and 315 pounds, busy while he backed out of the pocket and headed right. Mitchell ended the night with
22 attempts and 10 completions, for 158 yards and the one touchdown pass to Riley. Senior running back Joey
Mount Si grad stopping spikes in Oregon By Sebastian F. Moraga The white Chevrolet Tahoe drove away, leaving behind an incredulous young woman. Klamath Falls is only eight hours away from Snoqualmie, but the journey that took Krista Galloway to this Oregon town lasted years. And now it was finally over, she was by herself, in Oregon, while her parents drove the Tahoe back to the Valley. “When my parents left, that was kind of an overall moment of, ‘Whoa, I’m actually at college, I’m actually playing,’” Galloway said from the campus of Oregon Tech, the Oregon Institute of Technology. “I’m actually doing all the things I set out to do.” A volleyball standout at Mount Si High School, Galloway has turned a few heads during her first season at Oregon Tech. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has ranked Galloway 12th in the nation in total blocks as of Sept. 1, with 29. “I’m very happy with my play,” Galloway said. “What helped was the support of my team both morally and physically.”
Oregon Tech coach Jason Corwin praised Galloway’s addition to the team. “We’re very excited to have her here,” he said in a voicemail message to the Star. Oregon Tech’s Cascade Collegiate conference houses 10 teams. The volleyball scene at the CCC, Galloway said, is more competitive than she ever saw in the Puget Sound area. The way Corwin runs his program and the way Mount Si coach Bonnie Foote ran hers are very similar, Galloway said, with a strong emphasis on teamwork. The places where Corwin and Foote run their programs could not be more different, though. “It’s very hot and very dry,” Galloway said of Klamath Falls. “The elevation took a while getting used to. Being the Valley girl I am, it was a change. But I love the sun, so adapting wasn’t that hard for me.” Teammates have tried to make her feel welcome. The team began working out together at the end of July, right about the same time the Tahoe headed back north. “Everyone helped us move in
and showed us around campus,” Galloway said. “It was amazing.” So were the results. After losing three of its first four games, the Oregon Tech volleyball team won five in a row and six of its next eight games. The two losses came in hard-fought five-set matches. Conference play opened Sept. 4 against Southern Oregon University. The next match is Sept. 7 against Portland’s Concordia University. Classes start Sept. 24. Galloway is a renewable energy engineering major, studying at the birthplace of the first program of its kind in North America. The attraction to Oregon Tech was academics first, athletics second, she said. She visited the campus, See VOLLEY, Page 13 Contributed
Krista Galloway, a Snoqualmie Valley product, plays for the Hustlin’ Owls of Oregon Tech. The college freshman ranks among the top blockers in her conference and the nation, according to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Cotto ran 12 yards for a Mount Si touchdown just before halftime. Riley Reed, a Mount Si senior
running back, ran the ball for a 73-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Kinnune has admitted that he relied heavily on junior kicker Cameron Van Winkle last year, and wanted to work more with the rest of his offense team. But the University of Washington commit’s powerful leg played an important part in Mount Si’s win, putting 12 points up on the board. Van Winkle, who was just named to The Seattle Times 2012 preseason all-state football team and played for Team USA this summer in Texas, made all three of his extra point kicks, and 38-yard, 40-yard and 36-yard field goals. The Wildcats defense held Kennedy to four, goose-egg quarters. Kennedy seniors Drew Thompson and Conner Richardson were about the only two Lancers to touch the pigskin. The two switched off as quarterback and receiver, and repeatedly ran one of two patterns. The quarterback would either hand off or pass a lateral, with the receiver running to the outside, only to be stopped See FOOTBALL, Page 13
SnoValley Star
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
PAGE 13
Longtime underdogs are up for a fight on the tennis court By Sebastian F. Moraga James Gibowski has heard the question before. He has answered it plenty of times to the point that he could probably do it in his sleep. Yes, he coaches Mount Si High School tennis. Yes, it rains a lot in Snoqualmie. No, there are no indoor courts in the Snoqualmie Valley. Yes, that affects his team when competing in the KingCo Conference. No, KingCo has not gotten any easier.
Volunteers are needed for North Bend events
Two events, the North Bend Adventure Sport Festival and the Iron Horse Relay, require the community’s help, time and muscle. Volunteers are needed from 9:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 9. Roles include helping at the beer garden, serving as course monitor, and supervising the inflatable obstacle course or slide. The Iron Horse Relay starts at Lake Keechelus
Volley From Page 12 Corwin invited her to volleyball camp and the team surpassed her expectations. “Everything lined up perfectly,” she said. “It was perfect that volleyball came into the picture.” Then came the move in July, the first workouts and the sight of the back end of that Tahoe heading north toward wetter climates. “I miss them,” she said of her family. “But I’m not feeling like I have to rush
A dozen freshmen, eight sophomores, five juniors and five seniors will suit up for the Wildcats’ boys tennis team this year, facing the same uphill battle the team has faced for years. The battle looks steep, with both the 3A and 2A state champs from 2011 — Mercer Island and Interlake — playing in 3A this year. Josh Hamman, Matt Griffin and Kevin McLaughlin look to be the team’s top singles players, with newcomer Allan Reid
and will end on North Bend Way. To complement the race, the festival will bring to town activities such as a two-track zip line, an inflatable obstacle course and exhibitors such as REI, Single Track Cycle and ProSki. Sign up with Stacey Cepeda, community activities program manager with Encompass, a family services organization based in North Bend, by emailing stacey.cepeda@encompassnw.org or calling 888-2777.
back. Knowing that I’m in the right place really helps being here.” Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar. com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
a promising No.4. “He’s never played tennis before, but he’s just a good athlete,” Gibowski said. This year also marks the return of Logan Cochran, a promising freshman two years ago who lettered in tennis, switched to soccer, got hurt and has switched back. Gibowski said he sees Cochran as one of the top doubles players on the team this season. Griffin is the team’s only club player. About 30 people turned out for
tennis this year, at least the third year of increasing numbers in Gibowski’s five-year tenure as coach. “It makes it a little tougher for the JV coach,” he quipped. “Sometimes, we will go to some school and they will have eight on the JV and we’ll have 18.” The varsity team will compete, Cochran said. They know the odds are long. “We know this so we prepare for it,” he said. “We have to try extra
hard.” The team plays Liberty and Juanita early on, which is good news. Last year, the team beat Liberty and lost to Juanita by one point. Playing those teams early might give the team a boost. This season has a special feeling for Cochran, a junior now, sort of a second rookie year. “I missed playing it,” he said of tennis. “I wish I had picked tennis instead of soccer.” While a booter,
Football
Cochran sustained a hernia and then broke his jaw. The medicine for the jaw still gives him trouble sometimes, making him dizzy, but the worst should be over, he said. Besides, he’s playing tennis again and that makes him dizzy, too, but in a good way. “I missed the people,” he said, “it’s like a family out here.” Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
he was happy with the fourth-ranked Wildcats at the season opener, as well as Mitchell’s first start. From Page 12 “He played well and by a Wildcats defensive opened fast,” he said, player at or near the line adding that there was of scrimmage. some miscommunication Kennedy was limited to between Mitchell and 149 yards of total offense, the coaches, “but that’ll with only 3 be easy to “I never expected yards passwork on ing. and fix.” to shut out a team Kinnune Kinnune ranked ninth in the said he said he was very knew his region.” impressed team would by the — Charlie Kinnune come to Wildcats Coach Burien and defense. make some “Hank scores, “but Van Liew, Zack Blazevich, I never expected to shut Mclain and the rest of out a team ranked ninth them, they just played in the region.” great,” he said. Meanwhile, Mitchell Overall, Kinnune said said he would spend the week studying game tapes By Calder Productions of Issaquah in preparaMount Si High School tion for the Sept. 7 home quarterback Nick Mitchell opener at 7 p.m. throws a successful pass to Kennan Mcvein during the Aug. 31 game against Michele Mihalovich: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Kennedy Catholic in Burien.
SnoValley Star
PAGE 14
Police blotter North Bend No incidents to report.
Snoqualmie Illegal blackberries An officer contacted a person selling blackberries on the roadside about 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27. The subject did not have a permit and was warned.
Invisible bear A caller at 10:25 p.m. Aug. 28 reported a bear in the area of Swing Avenue Southeast and Southeast Linden Loop. The officer was unable to locate the bear.
Visible dog A caller reported a dog escaped from a secured back yard and charged
him at about 4:30 p.m. Aug. 29 near the Southeast Kinsey Street and Douglas Avenue Southeast area. The man told police he wasn’t injured, but was just concerned for his safety.
Vandalism A caller reported to police that during the night Aug. 30, a mirror was damaged on a vehicle parked at a residence on Southeast Cedar Street.
Felony warrant During a traffic stop at about 3 a.m. Aug. 30 at the intersection of Southeast Park Street and Meadowbrook Way Southeast, an officer found that a passenger in the vehicle had a felony warrant. No name or reason for the warrant was provided in the incident log.
home services
North Bend fire calls Two fire engines responded to an unauthorized fire at 12:16 p.m. Aug. 25 in the 100 block of 396th Drive Southeast. Two fire engines responded to an unauthorized fire at 9:31 p.m. Aug. 25 in the 14600 block of 447th Avenue Southeast. One fire engine responded to a vehicle fire at 5:48 a.m. Aug. 26 on eastbound Interstate 90. Three fire engines responded to a motor vehicle accident at 5:49 p.m. Aug. 27 in the 1300 block of Stilson Avenue Southeast. The Star publishes names of those arrested for DUI and those charged with felony crimes. Information comes directly from local police reports.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
Feds highlights online safety as students return to school The top federal prosecutor in the region reminded parents Aug. 20 to keep children safe online, especially as students return to school. Jenny Durkan, U.S. attorney for Western Washington and Issaquah native, sent information sheets to public and private elementary and middle schools in the region, so the material can be placed into students’ information packets or posted on school websites. Recent data indicates 13 percent of elementary school children have received some type of sexual solicitation or approach through the Internet. “We need to protect our
On the Web The online safety information U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan sent to parents and school administrators is available at the U.S. Attorney’s Office website, www.justice.gov/usao/ waw/Programs/psc.html. The packet includes a link to www.netsmartz. org — a resource for families in search of information about cybersecurity. kids in the virtual world. Modern technology gives us many ways to learn and stay connected,” Durkan said in a statement. “But it can also make our children vulnerable to predators and con artists.” The office plans to join federal law enforcement experts and local PTSA organizations to sponsor information nights to help parents and guardians learn more about cybersecurity.
Roads From Page 11 ice removal, and storm response. Meanwhile, lowpriority roads someday could be downgraded to gravel.
Washington State Construction Contractor law requires that all advertisers for construction related services include the contractor registration number.
Call 425-392-6434 to place your ad here.
Recycle From Page 11 ATM receipts and old tax documents, that will be shredded. A comprehensive list of what will and will not be accepted at the recycling event can be found at www. cityofsnoqualmie.org under “Events and Activities.” Latex paint is not accepted. It should be dried out and placed in regular garbage bins.
Snoqualmie Valley School District students returned to class Aug. 29. In the past year, law enforcement agencies in Western Washington have investigated cases of sex offenders and others using the Internet, including social media and games, to disguise their identities and troll for victims. In addition, cyberbullying, identity theft and financial fraud can also cause problems via the Internet. “Social pressures can also lead to bullying, or to behavior with criminal consequences kids don’t fully understand,” Durkan continued. “I urge parents and guardians to take this opportunity before school starts to talk to their kids about cyber safety. Set some ground rules and make sure you know what your child is doing online.” Durkan is chairwoman of a U.S. Department of Justice committee on cybercrime and intellectual property enforcement. Key arteries remain top priorities for maintenance, snow removal and storm cleanup. But the county placed other local streets on a lower tier. Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.
Do not bring oil-based paints, pesticides, household chemicals, packing peanuts, planter pots, lighting fixtures or other nonacceptable or hazardous waste items included on the recycle list. Take those types of items to the Household Hazardous Wastemobile, which will be in Duvall Oct. 12-14. This event is sponsored by King County Solid Waste Division and the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program of King County.
TIMESAVERS We are your eyes and ears at local government meetings.
SNOVALLEY STAR
Calendar
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
Music/entertainment q Geoff Baker, 8 p.m. Sept. 7, The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-3647 q Ed Littlefield Trio, 7 p.m. Sept. 7, Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307 q Charlie Williams, The Noise Guy, children’s comedian, 7 p.m. Sept. 7, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive, North Bend. Free; $10 suggested donation per family. q Jude Contreras, 8 p.m., Sept. 8, The Black Dog q North Bend Jazz Walk, 6 p.m. Sept. 8, downtown North Bend q Danny Kolke Trio, 6 p.m. Sept. 9, 16, 23, Boxley’s q Pearl Django, 7 p.m. Sept. 12, Boxley’s q Hamartia, 7 p.m. Sept. 13, The Black Dog q Tony Foster, 7 p.m. Sept. 13, Boxley’s q Roy Reinertsen, 8 p.m. Sept. 14, The Black Dog q An Evening with Mark Twain, with actor Kurt Sutton, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14, 2 p.m. Sept. 16, Valley Center Stage, 119 W. North Bend Way, 831-5667 q Dan O’Brien and Eric Reid, 7 p.m. Sept. 14, Boxley’s q Gene Argel and Jay Argel, 7 p.m. Sept. 15, Boxley’s q Future Jazz Heads, 7 p.m. Sept. 19, Boxley’s q Chris Riffle, 7 p.m. Sept. 20, The Black Dog q Jay Thomas Trio, 7 p.m. Sept. 21, Boxley’s q The Defeyes, 8 p.m. Sept. 21, The Black Dog, fundraiser for the service dog program at Echo Glen q Keith Scott, Chicago bluesman, 9 p.m. Sept. 22, Finaghty’s Irish Pub, 7726 Center Blvd. S.E., Suite 110, Snoqualmie, 888-8833 q Alicia Dara and Diamondwolf, 8 p.m. Sept. 22, The Black Dog q Josh Carlson, 7 p.m. Sept. 22, The Black Dog q Carolyn Graye’s Singer Soiree, 7 p.m. Sept. 26, Boxley’s
Events q “Gluten-Free Diet: Beyond Myth or Fad,” with speaker Nancy Baker, noon Sept. 6, Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District seminar at Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway. Open to the public. Baker is former director of education for the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness q Teen leadership board, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6. Have a say and make a difference. Hone leadership skills through community service projects and events. Snoqualmie Valley YMCA. Free to community
PAGE 15
September
Take a walk and listen
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Contributed photo
Carolyn Graye, foreground, and Paul Green are among the performers featured at the first North Bend Jazz Walk, where six downtown venues will host musicians for an evening Sept. 8. One ticket gives you admission to all six venues. Go to www.northbendjazzwalk.com to purchase tickets, $12 for adults and children 15 and older, and $5 for children 14 and younger. The day of the show, tickets are $15 and $8 respectively.
members. q Friday Fun Night, backto-school crafts. 6 p.m. Sept. 7, Snoqualmie Valley YMCA. Free to facility members; $10 per family for nonmembers q Iron Horse Relay, 8 a.m. Sept. 9, offering a paddle/pedal/ run from the Snoqualmie summit to the Snoqualmie Valley. More than 70 miles of water, trails and roads; children’s Iron Pony division for children 12 and younger with some fun challenges. Sign up at www.ironhorserelay.com. q Let There Be Light: Historic Cedar Falls, 2 p.m. Sept. 9, Cedar River Watershed Education Center. Take a stroll behind the gates to Cedar Falls, birthplace of Seattle City Light. The company town was originally carved from the wilderness in the first years of the 20th century and it’s now the head quarters for the company’s watershed services division. Learn stories of those who worked, lived and grew up in this unique setting. $10 per person. Learn more by emailing crwprogram@seattle. gov. q Futsal, a variety of indoor soccer, 8:30 a.m. Sept. 9, 16 and 23; 8 a.m. Sept. 14, 21 and 28. Snoqualmie Valley YMCA; ages 9-14; no experience necessary; free to community members q Open Volleyball Night, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11, 18 and 25, Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie, free to facility
members, $10 to nonmembers q Barre class, 5:15 p.m. Sept. 12, 14, 19, 21 and 28; improve yourself with a combination of techniques of ballet, Pilates, toning and balance training. Snoqualmie Valley YMCA. Free to facility members; $10 for nonmembers q Hidden Connections: Habitat Restoration in the Upper Cedar River Watershed, 9 a.m. Sept. 8, Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E., North Bend. Explore differences in wildlife habitat and ecosystems between young and old forests. Discover hidden connections in the ecosystem and learn how to restore biodiversity and habitat in young forests in the watershed. $15 per person. Learn more by emailing crwprogram@seattle.gov. q Water for Fish and People, 9 a.m. Sept. 22, Cedar River Watershed Education Center, $15 per person. Watch the work to restore habitats, including the fish passage facility and other restoration projects in streams and lakes. q Zumba Demo, Sept. 23, 10 a.m. Demo two forms of Zumba using hand weights and chairs for strength and balance. Snoqualmie Valley YMCA. Free to facility members; $10 for nonmembers q The Snoqualmie Valley Museum presents: “Beyond Smokey: The USFS In The Snoqualmie Valley,” 1-5 p.m.
2012
Saturdays through Tuesdays, 320 Bendigo Blvd. S., North Bend q North Bend Farmers Market, 4-8 p.m. Thursdays through Sept. 13 at Si View Park, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive
Clubs q Snoqualmie Fraternal Order of Eagles Women’s Auxiliary, first and third Tuesday, 7 p.m. Men’s Aerie, first and third Wednesday, 7 p.m., both at 108 Railroad Ave., 888-1129 q Cancer survivor group, 9 a.m. second Saturday, Sawdust Coffee, North Bend Factory Stores mall, 461 South Fork Ave. S.W., Unit K. newellvl@yahoo.com q Loyal Order of Moose, 108 Sydney Ave., North Bend; men at 6 p.m. first and third Monday; women at 7 p.m. third and fourth Tuesday; 888-0951 q Washington Freemasons, 7:30 p.m. first Wednesday, Unity Lodge No. 198, North Bend, 888-5779 q Mental illness support group, 7-8:30 p.m. Fridays, Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway, free for anyone with a mental illness or who has a family member with a mental illness, 829-2417 q Mount Si Artist Guild meeting, 9:15-11 a.m. third Saturday, Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend, www.mtsiartistguild.org
q SnoValley Beekeepers, 7 p.m. first Tuesday, Meadowbrook Interpretive Center, Meadowbrook Farm, 1711 Boalch Ave., North Bend, www.snoqualmievalleybeekeepers.org q Trellis gardening club, 10 a.m. third Saturday, Valley Christian Assembly, 32725 S.E. 42nd St., Fall City, new and experienced gardeners are welcome q Snoqualmie Valley Chess Club, 7 p.m. Thursdays, North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St. q Survivors of the Snoqualmie Valley School District, third Monday 7 p.m. at Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie. Third Tuesday, Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive, North Bend, 292-7191 q Snoqualmie Valley Rotary Club, 7 a.m. Thursdays, TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club Restaurant, 36005 S.E. Ridge St. Snoqualmie; all are welcome; www.snoqualmievalleyrotary.org q American Legion Post 79 and the American Legion Auxiliary, 7 p.m. second Thursday, 38625 S.E. River St., Snoqualmie, 888-1206 q Snoqualmie Valley Garden Club, 6:30 p.m. second Thursday, Mount Si Senior Center, North Bend, 888-4646 q Snoqualmie Valley Kiwanis Club, 7 a.m. Thursdays at the Mount Si Golf Course restaurant, 9010 Boalch Ave., Snoqualmie, snovalley@member. kiwanis.org
Volunteer opportunities q The Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank is looking for volunteers to help unload food at noon Mondays, sort food at 9 a.m. Tuesdays or pass out food on Wednesdays. Call 888-0096. The food bank is also looking for candidates to serve on its board on a three-year commitment. Appointments for interviews will be set up in October. The food bank seeks a skilled bookkeeper to help as it reorganizes its bookkeeping procedures. Contact Karen Birzell at kbirzell@ yahoo.com or 831-7062. Submit an item to the community calendar by emailing smoraga@snovalleystar.com or go to www.snovalleystar.com.
SnoValley Star
PAGE 16
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012
Turnout in primary election fails to meet expectations By Warren Kagarise
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King County turnout in the Aug. 7 primary hit 40 percent, but statewide turnout failed to meet a pre-election forecast. In King County, voters returned 443,523 ballots and officials tallied 432,049 ballots. The difference is due to signature problems and ballots returned too late to be counted. Officials certified the election results Aug. 21. Local elections administrators noted a reduction in the number of challenged signatures of almost 45 percent. Officials attributed the shift to a celebrity-studded outreach campaign to remind voters to carefully follow ballot instructions. “I’m also pleased to report that voters helped keep election costs down this election by remembering to sign the return envelope and responding promptly to our calls,” Huff continued. “We have seen improvement in several key areas where voters can make a big difference in the cost of running elections and making sure more ballots can be opened and counted.” Statewide, elections administrators tallied more than 1.4 million ballots. Overall, voter participation reached 38.5 percent — less than the above-average 46 percent forecast in July. The turnout is the weakest in recent memory for a primary in a year
By the numbers Aug. 7 primary election 1,121,772 — ballots issued 1,110,063 — registered voters 443,523 — ballots returned 432,049 — ballots counted 0 — discrepancies 274 — voters using accessible voting centers 568 — ballots returned by email 96 — ballots returned by fax 64,780 — ballots returned at drop boxes 4,990 — challenged ballots cured 2,453 — ballots with remaining challenges 8,622 — ballots returned too late 8,417 — ballots returned as undeliverable
Turnout in local race 5th Legislative District (part of Issaquah, Black Diamond, Carnation, Maple Valley, North Bend and Snoqualmie) 86,254 — registered voters 30,392 — ballots counted in the district 35.2 — districtwide turnout percentage Source: King County Elections with gubernatorial and presidential elections. The top elections official in Washington, Secretary of State Sam Reed, forecast 46 percent for the primary, based on intense interest in the contest for president, governor, statewide offices and ballot measures. Some analysts blamed the earlier date for the primary. Officials bumped up the deadline to accommodate overseas and military voters, in order to comply with a federal law. Moreover, Reed’s office could not afford to send a statewide voters’ guide due to budget cuts. King County sent a local voters’
guide alongside ballots. In King County, voters endorsed a $200 million property tax measure to build a juvenile justice facility to replace the aging Youth Services Center, a juvenile detention facility in Seattle. The property tax measure, Proposition 1, appeared on a crowded primary ballot alongside federal, judicial, legislative and statewide contests. The electorate chose the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, in the all-mail primary election. The top vote recipients advanced to an all-mail general election Nov. 6.