Local animal lover helps others deal with pet loss
February 26, 2009
When Dotti Newton grew up, she turned to her cat for comfort.
“I’m an only child, so he was like my brother,” Newton said.
Upon moving from California to North Bend in 2003, she and her boyfriend, Ron Denaro, got a shorthaired grey cat named Putnam. Although she and Denaro both agreed to move to the Pacific Northwest, Newton said the change was at first difficult for her and it was the cat that made her days shine.
“I was very depressed when we first moved up here. I wanted to move, but leaving my friends behind was really hard,” Newton said. “Putnam was kind of my lifesaver. I was sleeping a lot, like a depressed person does. He would climb under the covers with me.”
Then, one day, Putnam did not come inside when called. The couple feared a coyote had eaten him.
North Bend resident Dotti Newton serves as a volunteer group facilitator on a pet loss support group that meets at the Seattle Humane Society. *
Hopelink offers GED tutoring at the library
February 26, 2009
As the economy continues to sour, some people are looking to boost their educational credentials by taking the General Educational Development, otherwise known as the GED.
“There are so many folks that find themselves without a job,” said Kathy Nolan, adult education coordinator at Hopelink. “When they get to looking at the job market, they’re not able to compete with people who have higher education or a GED.”
Hopelink is helping these people finesse their study skills with a free GED review course. The course is held at the North Bend Library at 115 E. 4th St., North Bend every Thursday from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
The GED program is financed through funds from the adult education program. Read more
Mount Si students jump-start science society
February 26, 2009
Mount Si High School students are launching the first Science National Honors Society chapter in the state.
Senior Chelsea Erlach learned about the society by serendipity. Already a member of the National Honors Society, Erlach found herself searching online one day for community service options available to NHS members. A couple of links down on the page, she noticed a Web site for the Science NHS.
“It’s amazing what Google will do for a person,” Erlach said.
Mount Si High School’s Science National Honors Society members Megan Higgins (left), Kevin Gavin, Nic Gaudio, Kyle Erlach, Chelsea Erlach, Kyle Stevens, Tyler Christianson, Brad Quenneville, Rachel Houldridge and Patrick Gavin showcase the beginning of their biosphere.
Calendar 2-26
February 26, 2009
Events
Snoqualmie council cautious over signage
February 26, 2009
Snoqualmie’s City Council has put the breaks on an ordinance to allow business signage in public right of ways.
At the council’s Feb. 23 meeting, an ordinance was introduced that would allow some businesses to use public right of way for signs. Mayor Matt Larson said that the ordinance was needed to allow businesses to better promote their locations in the current economy. However, council members felt that the ordinance was coming too quick, and they worried about the effect it would have on creating a uniform brand for the community.
“I kind of feel like I have a chapter out of a book, but not the book,” said councilwoman Kathi Prewitt, about the piecemeal nature of the new signage ordinance. Read more
Mount Si girls bumped from playoffs
February 25, 2009
Mount Si’s late-season push had one turnover and one tie ball too many.
After winning their final seven games of the regular season and playing themselves into a home district game, the Wildcat girls basketball team was eliminated from the postseason with a 41-37 loss to Nathan Hale Tuesday night at home.
Mount Si led by two points with less than a minute to play. But a turnover led to the Raiders grabbing the lead and a jump ball that went against the Wildcats allowed Nathan Hale to hold on in the finals seconds.
Jordyn Wilson and the Mount Si defense applies full-court pressure in the final minutes of a loss to Nathan Hale.
Snoqualmie denied stimulus
February 25, 2009
Snoqualmie is feeling left out in the cold when it comes to the federal economic stimulus.
The city submitted a number of projects for funding under the stimulus when it was proposed in December. However, the city recently learned that it would not be receiving any of the stimulus money that was being distributed by the Puget Sound Regional Council. This left a bitter taste in the mouth of interim planning director Alan Lobdell, who feels the deck was stacked against smaller communities like Snoqualmie. Read more
Ransavage comes up just short in heavyweight finals
February 24, 2009
Ryan Ransavage dominated everyone but the state champion. In the end, that might have been as good a finish as anyone could have expected.
The Mount Si senior finished state runner-up at the Class 3A state wrestling championships Feb. 21 at the Tacoma Dome, losing only to top-ranked and favorite John Camp of Port Angeles in the 285-pound finals. Camp pinned Ransavage in 38 seconds to win gold.
The match followed a dominant run by Ransavage, in which he won one match by a 13-0 decision and two others by way of fall.
Mount Si's Ryan Ransavage competes in the Class 3A state heavyweight championship match.
Mount Si gymnasts finish fourth at state
February 23, 2009
It was a fourth-place finish that may set the tone for even bigger things down the road.
Competing as a team for the first time at the Class 3A state gymnastics championships, Mount Si was able to finish fourth overall Feb. 20 at the Tacoma Dome. The Wildcats had 165.075 points, less than five behind state champion Columbia River.
Although it was a history-making moment for Mount Si, the finish seemed as if it had more to do with the future.
Kennedy Richmond competes at the Class 3A state championships.
Tanner Electric customers could pick up costs
February 23, 2009
Tanner Electric customers may see rate increases because of power outages on Anderson Island, which is served by an electric co-op that includes residents in the Valley.
Anderson Island, which is located in Puget Sound west of Tacoma, suffered a power outage in the early morning on Jan. 31. Power was restored to Tanner’s customers on the island on Feb. 4, but the power is coming from two large generators. The island is home to about 1,000 full-time residents.
The expense of running the generators is about $400,000 a month, plus additional expenses to maintain the equipment. Maintenance crews have to work on the generators every 10 days to keep them in service, according to a press release from the co-op. Read more
