Railway Museum rescued
March 21, 2009
Thanks to grants and donations, train season to open on time
The Northwest Railway Museum’s train season will start on time this year, despite damage to its tracks caused by the January floods.
The Snoqualmie Valley Railroad season is set to begin April 4 with full train service from the depot in North Bend to the Snoqualmie Falls, a 75-minute trip.
Most of the repair work was completed by March 12, but some additional repairs to electric gates in North Bend and Snoqualmie were continuing, said Richard Anderson, executive director of the Railway Museum.
The museum received a $50,000 grant of emergency funds from 4Culture, King County’s arts, heritage, and preservation agency. About two-dozen individuals contributed money to the museum’s repair efforts, Anderson said.
A ballast operator sweeps stones from the railroad ties on March 11 as part of the Northwest Railway Museum’s flood repair.
Students place at regional car competition
March 21, 2009
Economists may be worried about the automobile’s effect on the national economy, but many Mount Si High School students are more concerned with how vehicles operate and how to fix them when they go awry.
Two Mount Si students proved their automobile worth by placing in the top 10 at the Puget Sound Regional SkillsUSA Automotive Service and Maintenance Contest Feb. 5. Sophomore Matt Smalwood placed second and sophomore Kevin Lein took ninth out of 29 students.
Mount Si High School students Matt Smalwood and Kevin Lein both placed in the top 10 in a recent regional automotive competition.
Agreement will allow group to begin collaring elk herds soon
March 20, 2009
The Upper Snoqualmie Valley Elk Management Group plans to start tagging elk this spring with help from the Muckleshoot Tribe and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The elk group and the Muckleshoot Tribe have come to a tentative agreement whereby the tribe would give the elk group up to 15 radio collars and not ask to be repaid for the equipment’s expense until the end of 2010. The collars are valued at $290 each. The memorandum of understanding between the elk group and the tribe was approved March 11, but is contingent upon an analysis by the elk group’s legal counsel.
“It allows the elk management group to get this underway without any up-front cost,” group-member Jim Gildersleeve said at the group’s monthly meeting.
Soccer team shocks 4A power Eastlake
March 20, 2009
As the Mount Si boys soccer team gets ready for league play, no one’s really sure where to predict the Wildcats to finish in KingCo 3A/2A.
After March 18, however, one thing’s for sure — Mount Si knows it can beat anyone.
Thanks to an early goal and a tremendous defensive effort, the Wildcats knocked off 4A powerhouse Eastlake, 1-0. The win finishes Mount Si’s non-league slate at 1-2 and gives them some much-needed momentum heading into the league schedule.
Mount Si goalkeeper Cody Tipton launched a ball downfield during the Wildcats' win against Eastlake.
Loss of P-I underscores fragility of newspapers
March 19, 2009
Editorial:
The death of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is not to be taken lightly. Newspaper readers who understand the role newspapers play in our democracy — as government watchdog, purveyor of information and rough draft of history — will feel the pain this week, as the Puget Sound region mourns the loss of its oldest daily newspaper.
Letters to the editor 3-19
March 19, 2009
Thanks for your support
Opponents to Day of Silence still unhappy
March 19, 2009
Roughly a month before the 2009 Day of Silence, Snoqualmie Valley residents Pam and the Rev. Ken Hutcherson are asking whether or not Mount Si High School will again allow the day-long event.
Mount Si’s answer? Yes.
At a March 12 Snoqualmie Valley School Board meeting, the Hutchersons and another parent asked about the validity of holding the Day of Silence during school hours.
“We never said we did not want the Day of Silence. Never.” Ken Hutcherson said. “We said you can make it before school or after school, because the school day should be for learning.”
The Rev. Ken Hutcherson at last year's protest of the Day of Silence at Mount Si High School.
School district weights potential I-728 cuts
March 19, 2009
The Snoqualmie Valley School District may have to sack teachers if the state Legislature does not fully fund Initiative-728.
At a public hearing March 12, district administrators reviewed Initiative-728 funds and showed three options available to the school board regarding how to handle Initiative-728 money.
The district is required to have an Initiative-728 hearing every year, but it held it early this year, due to looming state cuts.
Washington state voters approved Initiative-728 in the November 2000 election with 74 percent of the vote. The initiative directed surplus state revenues toward reducing class size, extending learning opportunities for students who need or want it and investing in educators and their professional development.
Snoqualmie Valley Hospital could get help from bill
March 19, 2009
A bill before the Washington state House of Representatives could help the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital.
“What we’re trying to do is keep the hospital there,” state Senator Cheryl Pflug said.
The bill known in the state Senate as Senate Bill 5423 was moved to the House of Representatives after approval by the Senate. If the House approves the bill, it could become law this summer.
The bill would allow Snoqualmie Valley Hospital to designate up to 25 beds for long-term care, without a certificate of need. Hospitals in cities without nursing homes could designate beds for long-term nursing care, and be reimbursed for those beds. The hospital could use up to 15 in-patient beds as swing beds this year, with the remainder becoming swing beds after July 1, 2010.
Teachers supersize funds at McDonald’s
March 19, 2009
Students placed meals at the North Bend McDonald’s, grinning as their teachers processed orders of hamburgers and fries at McTeacher’s Night March 10.
“They love seeing us behind there,” Twin Falls Middle School instructional aide Lyne Lakeman said. “It’s a blast for them to see us out of our element.”
Twin Falls Middle School staff and parent volunteers have donned McDonald’s uniforms twice already this school year, and plan to do so again to raise funds for the school.
Twin Falls Middle School teacher Judy Beal loads hamburgers on a tray at McTeacher’s Night.
