Your locally-owned newspaper, serving North Bend and Snoqualmie, Washington
November 28, 2013 VOL. 5, NO. 47
Tax hike? Snoqulamie approves propery tax increase. Page 2
It’s a wonderful show Page 6
Holiday not about these brothers
Last leaves of autumn
By Sherry Grindeland Diane and Erik Muth of North Bend challenged their sons to change their thinking about the holidays. They called the challenge, “It’s not all about me.” Andrew and Alex exceeded the Muth’s expectations with their plans to collect gifts for the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program. Andrew, an See MOVIE, Page 3
Pen pals meet Marines meet students who’d written to them. Page 3
Photo courtesy of Northwest Railway Museum
Santa Claus visits with a child.
Shutterbug Woman searching for the photog behind this shot. Page 5
Police blotter Page 6
Basketballers Boys and girls teams ready for a new season. Page 10
Santa train starts rolling this week When it comes to holiday traditions, you’re missing a great one if you haven’t if you haven’t incorporated a ride on the Santa Train into your family activities. Yes, we all share another common tradition – not participating in the tourist See TRAIN, Page 2
By Greg Farrar
Sun peeks through a canopy of fir trees and autumn maple leaves on a walking trail between Mount Si and Little Si.
County may give 28-acre Little Si Natural Area to state Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER
King County is poised to transfer the Little Si Natural Area to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The 28.22-acre site, located in the southwest corner of Mount Si Natural Resource Conservation Area, would be transferred within 30 days of approval by the Metropolitan King County Council. The King County Council will
hold a public hearing at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 9 in the King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave., Room 1001, Seattle. The DNR hearing on expanding the Mount Si NRCA will be held at 6 p.m. Dec.11 at the US Forest Service Snoqualmie Ranger Station Conference Room, 902 S.E. North Bend Way, North Bend. The proposed boundary
expansion will increase the Mount Si NRCA to 161 acres of state trust lands. It will be a contiguous block of protected land benefitting wildlife and the public. No privately owned lands are included within this proposed boundary expansion. For a map of the proposed expansion area, visit http://1.usa. gov/1cIsGSD. DNR would later transfer the
trust lands within this expanded boundary to conservation status and purchase other revenue-producing lands for the Common School Trust, which funds public school construction statewide. Comments can be submitted in writing to both agencies. For King County, submit comments or request a copy of See SI, Page 2