Your locally owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington
Spartans tame Wildcats, 49-27, in battle of unbeatens Page 6
September 25, 2014
Clues still sought in Baby Kimball case By Sherry Grindeland Teddy bears and other stuffed toys decorate and surround the cross that stands beside North Bend Way, west of downtown North Bend. Like many spots where people died in accidents on roads and freeways, the marker is a visible expression of love for the deceased. But unlike most roadside memorials, the wooden cross and gifts are maintained by strangers. This is the spot where the body of a newborn was found by someone who stopped at the pull-off near Kimball Creek Bridge on Feb. 14. Deputies named the full-term baby Kimball Doe, after small creek that runs nearby. Local police and firefighters and concerned community members held a funeral service for Baby Kimball on March 15. She was buried in a cemetery in SeaTac. People who decorate the memorial with toys and flowers aren’t the only ones remembering Baby Kimball. More than seven months later, the King County Sheriff’s Office still has few clues about who left the baby girl in the woods beside the road. “I keep hoping the clues will click with someone,” said Sgt. DB Gates, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office. Someone, Gates said, must know a woman who was pregnant last winter but doesn’t have a child now. Detectives note there was also obvious preparation for a baby. The infant, with its umbilical cord still attached, was found with a Chick Pea brand burp cloth. That’s a medium- to high-end baby item, Gates said, and a sign that someone had baby supplies. In addition, the baby was found with a full-sized towel. It was a faded black bath towel with multiple color square patterns on one side and rectangles on the other side and came from Target, one of the store’s See CLUES, Page 5
By Sherry Grindeland
A wooden cross, installed by unknown community members, stands near the site on North Bend Way where a newborn baby’s body was found in February.
Auction, wine-tasting event supports Valley winter shelter The second annual Auction and Wine Tasting to benefit the Snoqualmie Valley Winter Shelter will be held from 5-9 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive, North Bend. The party will include wine, buffet dinner and entrance into the silent and live auction. Tickets are $40 per person or $70 per couple.
The Snoqualmie Valley Winter Shelter provides a warm, safe overnight space for up to 40 homeless women, families and men from November through March. The shelter services include a hot dinner and access to needed resources to help people transition back into stable, permanent housing. Learn more at www.valleyrenewalcenter.com.
Hospital board seeks public input on affiliation change The Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Board of Commissioners is seeking comments and discussion from the public about a potential affiliation with Overlake Medical Center. The commissioners are inviting concerned citizens to join them at an extended board meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 2 in Snoqualmie City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St.
The meeting will begin with a presentation of the key elements of the proposed affiliation with Overlake and an update on the new hospital building. A public forum and discussion begins at 6:30 p.m. After the discussion, the commissioners will convene for their normal business meeting, which is also open to the public.
Clean the medicine cabinet out Sept. 27 The Snoqualmie Police Department wants your unused drugs. The department, which serves North Bend and Snoqualmie, will participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 27. Officers will accept drugs at two locations: q Snoqualmie Fire Station, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway q North Bend Park & Ride, the 300 to 400 block of East North Bend Way. Both unused prescription and over-the-counter drugs will be accepted. Joan Pliego, spokeswoman for the Snoqualmie Police Department, noted that the service is free and anonymous — you don’t have to give personal information when you drop off drugs. Studies show that the majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs obtain them from family and friends for free, usually from home medicine cabinets. Unwanted and expired medicine should not be flushed down the toilet or thrown in the garbage — both actions can cause environmental hazards. Additional information about the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is available at www.dea. gov.
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