Planned river work sparks flooding concerns
July 23, 2009
By Ryan Piersol
Having lived in Carnation since 1994, Bob Seana has witnessed many a flood creep its way onto his property.
Last year, after flood waters ravaged his farm worse than ever, he wondered whether there was a correlation between the increased damage he suffered and recent work done on the Snoqualmie River. Now, as another project is being planned for the river, he’s wondering even more.
Seana and other residents from Carnation, Fall City and Duvall have planned a meeting for 7 p.m. July 26 at the Sno-Valley Senior Center to discuss a scheduled project in which Puget Sound Energy will lower a diversion dam near Snoqualmie Falls by two feet.
“They’re impacting us and we haven’t been notified. There’s never been any consideration,” Seana said. “Our lives, our livelihood is in the balance here.”
The project, slated to begin next year, is associated with PSE’s 1994 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission operating license renewal. One of the requirements involved with the license was that PSE officials were to find a way to alleviate flooding upstream from Snoqualmie Falls.
In consultation with the city of Snoqualmie, King County and the U.S. Army of Engineers, a decision was reached to lower the dam near Snoqualmie Falls by two feet. According to PSE Spokesman Roger Thompson, this could provide significant flood relief for Snoqualmie, while only minimally impacting those downstream.
“There’s concern that, by lowering the dam two feet, that it’s going to cause greater flooding downstream,” Thompson said. “But all of the analysis that was done by the corps of engineers — and was confirmed by one of the leading hydrology consulting firms in the Northwest — was that it would provide about a foot and a half of flood relief during a 100-year flood, while increasing flood levels in Carnation by one inch.”
Seana said residents were told something similar at the start of 2004’s Snoqualmie 205 Flood Reduction Project, created to relieve flooding in Snoqualmie.
“They told us it was only going to impact us by an inch. But the study had a plus-or-minus margin of error of about 10 inches,” Seana said. “What happened last year is that I personally experienced a flood 10 inches worse than had ever been on record. Without an analysis, I don’t know why I received 10 inches more. But I know that project was completed last year and I know it had an impact. I just don’t know how much.”
Even if the impact from this new project is only a half-inch, that’s still too much, Seana said.
“Even though it’s only a half-inch, it makes the water move faster. It carries soil with it. It’s a bad thing,” he said. “Cumulatively, we can’t take any more.
“Come down to my house and see what a difference a half-inch makes during the next flood. Spend a few days in the flood waters and see how you like it.”
The dam that is scheduled for construction is not designed to trap water — it’s simply meant to divert water into power houses, before it’s dumped back into the river. Thompson said the original plan was to construct an inflatable dam that could be raised and lowered, but recent projects changed the hydrology of the river and forced that plan to be scrapped.
Seana said, like most of his neighbors, he wishes he would’ve been more informed while all this planning was going on, just as the city of Snoqualmie was.
“I’m really amazed. We don’t make any plans without consulting the people below us,” he said. “King County talks about how they want farming to continue in the Valley, but they allow things to happen that put that in jeopardy.”
Having lived in Carnation since 1994, Bob Seana has witnessed many a flood creep its way onto his property.
Last year, after flood waters ravaged his farm worse than ever, he wondered whether there was a correlation between the increased damage he suffered and recent work done on the Snoqualmie River. Now, as another project is being planned for the river, he’s wondering even more.
Seana and other residents from Carnation, Fall City and Duvall have planned a meeting for 7 p.m. July 26 at the Sno-Valley Senior Center to discuss a scheduled project in which Puget Sound Energy will lower a diversion dam near Snoqualmie Falls by two feet.
“They’re impacting us and we haven’t been notified. There’s never been any consideration,” Seana said. “Our lives, our livelihood is in the balance here.”
Snoqualmie’s fine request turned down
July 23, 2009
The Washington Department of Ecology has turned down Snoqualmie’s request to avoid a penalty for violations at its wastewater treatment facility.
The state’s environmental agency sent the city a letter July 7 giving them notice that they were still on the hook for a $24,500 fine.
Read more
Sheriff discusses possibility of levy
July 23, 2009
By Michael Bayless Rowe
King County Sheriff Sue Rahr is exploring the idea of a levy to pay for public safety.
Rahr discussed that idea and other public safety issues with a group of North Bend area residents July 20 at the North Bend Public Library. She said a levy could be one way to get more deputies and better service in unincorporated King County.
“In this economic environment, the idea of a new tax is repugnant. But I’m so worried by the lack of a stable funding source,” Rahr said.
The sheriff said that there was no timeline set for bringing a levy to voters for approval. It might be several years before the levy is presented, Rahr said. She is meeting with groups of citizens around the county to listen to their public safety concerns and get their reactions to the idea of a levy.
Rahr said that she is studying what she called a successful public safety levy in the Fort Worth, Tex., area. One idea she floated by the North Bend focus group was to replace the county’s levy for ferry service that benefits few residents in the rural eastside and communities like Snoqualmie. The county funds ferry service between Seattle and Vashon Island and the West Seattle passenger-only ferry.
At least one member of the focus group was surprised that he was paying property taxes to support the ferries. Chuck Walsh, a resident of the Wilderness Rim subdivision, said that he would look at his property tax assessment closely now that he was aware of the ferry system levy.
Rahr encouraged the group to advocate for public safety during the county’s budget deliberations. She said that health and human service groups are successful at getting funds from the county’s general fund because they make their voices heard during budget time. She feels that health and human services funding comes at the expense of public safety, whereas those organizations receive most of their funding from state and federal sources.
The sheriff also heard about safety concerns that are on the minds of area residents. Walsh said that his neighborhood was having problems with juvenile delinquents. He is frustrated with the response by sheriff’s deputies who have told him that they have to catch the kids in the act, before they can be charged with a crime. He has called the sheriff’s department multiple times about problems with juveniles, and said that one of the troublemakers threatened to kill his dog if he called the police again.
Rahr encouraged Walsh to keep calling 911 about the juveniles and to let her know if nothing was being done about the problem.
She said that if the department had more money they would try to do what is called “broken windows” policing, which refers to a theory that crime rates drop when police investigate and prevent smaller scale crimes that affect the quality of life.
The sheriff’s department has experienced an upswing in property crimes. Rahr said that this is probably due more to the economy than to a reduction in policing. However, she worries that criminals may become bold if they think there is less chance they will get caught.
“Over time, the attitude becomes one of ‘it’s open season,’” Rahr said.
Reach reporter Michael Bayless Rowe at mrowe@snovalleystar.com or 392-6434, ext. 248. To comment on this story, go to www.snovalleystar.com.
King County Sheriff Sue Rahr is exploring the idea of a levy to pay for public safety.
Rahr discussed that idea and other public safety issues with a group of North Bend area residents July 20 at the North Bend Public Library. She said a levy could be one way to get more deputies and better service in unincorporated King County.
“In this economic environment, the idea of a new tax is repugnant. But I’m so worried by the lack of a stable funding source,” Rahr said.
The sheriff said that there was no timeline set for bringing a levy to voters for approval. It might be several years before the levy is presented, Rahr said. She is meeting with groups of citizens around the county to listen to their public safety concerns and get their reactions to the idea of a levy. Read more
Huge birthday cake in the works for North Bend celebration
July 23, 2009
From Staff
North Bend has put out a call for cakes.
One of the ways the city plans to celebrate its centennial is with a community quilt cake. Like a normal quilt made of many different pieces of fabric, quilt cakes are made of different pieces of cake.
The community quilt cake will be the centerpiece of the city’s 100th birthday celebration at the Festival at Mt. Si. The cake will be comprised of 154 smaller cakes. It’s designed to serve 2,200 people.
The idea for the quilt cake came from North Bend fourth-grade student Annika Laufer. She suggested that the city gather a group of bakers to make the world’s largest birthday cake. The city liked Laufer’s idea and now wants to make it a reality.
The city seeks volunteer bakers to help with the project by baking cakes. To volunteer, contact Cynthia Golpe of Cakes by Cynch at 425-281-5211 or by e-mail at cgolpe@hotmail.com. Volunteer bakers must register by July 31 to take part in the community quilt cake.
The community quilt cake will be served at the Festival at Mt. Si on August 8. Volunteers will deliver cakes to the festival grounds at Si View Park, 420 Orchard Drive SE, at 8 a.m. The cake will be served at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 8.
For more information on the community quilt cake and other centennial events, please visit the city’s Web site at www.ci.north-bend.wa.us and click to view the centennial page.
North Bend has put out a call for cakes.
One of the ways the city plans to celebrate its centennial is with a community quilt cake. Like a normal quilt made of many different pieces of fabric, quilt cakes are made of different pieces of cake.
The community quilt cake will be the centerpiece of the city’s 100th birthday celebration at the Festival at Mt. Si. The cake will be comprised of 154 smaller cakes. It’s designed to serve 2,200 people.
Exploring the birds of the Valley
July 23, 2009
Trailsfest at Rattlesnake Lake offered a chance to get familiar with local bird life
Snoqualmie Valley starling lovers can indirectly thank Shakespeare for the presence the black bird with white speckles has in the area.
In 1890, New York Shakespeare aficionado Eugene Schiffelin decided that every bird mentioned in the bard’s texts should have a home in Central Park. Thanks to a mention of the starling in “Henry IV,” Schiffelin imported 60 of them, according to National Geographic.
“They’re actually being blamed in the area for the decline of some native birds,” said board member of Seattle Audubon Society Neil Zimmerman, who said the first Seattle recorded starling observation was in 1952.
Seattle Audubon Society member Neil Zimmerman shows a red-shafted woodpekcer at the Trailsfest workshop, ‘Birds of Rattlesnake Lake with a Master Birder,’ as Tom Sernka of Auburn looks on from the right.
Mount Si students get up-front dose of Japanese culture
July 23, 2009
Mount Si High School Japanese teacher Dr. Sudeshna Sen recently took her students on a whirlwind adventure to Japan, encouraging the teenagers to surround themselves with the Japanese language and culture as they rode bullet trains, toured Buddhist temples and met up with Naga High School exchange students.
From June 25 to July 13, Sen accompanied 13 students on a fieldtrip 4,785 miles away from home. This fall, many of the students will take Japanese AP, a class never before offered at Mount Si.
“I’ve pretty much just had a fascination with Japan for a long time,” Mount Si senior Sean Weatherbee said. “I thought it’d be a fun idea to see what the country was like.”
Local totem poles carved with ancient techniques
July 23, 2009
North Bend artist Bob Antone is keeping traditional American Indian carving techniques alive, mainly by learning from experienced tribal carvers one log at a time.
When Mercer Island resident Bruce Leven asked Antone to make him a totem pole, Antone called Alaskan carver Ralph Bennett, from the Haida tribe.
Together, Bennett and Antone carved a 15-foot contemporary Northern Haida totem pole.
The three-month long project incorporated more than just wood shavings. Bennett learned carving from his grandfather and father as a child, and has since taught on the Lummi Reservation near Bellingham, showing students traditional carving methods.
Calendar 7-23
July 23, 2009
Events
Si View Parks will host Love and Logic Parenting from June 16 – July 31. The class teaches simple and practical techniques to help parents have less stress and more fun while raising children. Register at www.siviewpark.org.
The popular Rodgers and Hammerstein’s production of “Oklahoma!” is scheduled to be performed at Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theater on Saturdays at both 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. It will be directed by Roger Westberg, with music direction by Paul Linnes and choreography by Sandy Brown. Tickets are on sale now. Go to www.foresttheater.org or call 736-7252 or 222-7044 for more information.
Valley Center Stage in North Bend will hold summer drama camps July 27-31. The classes assembled in ages from 6-8, 9-11 and 12-14 for one week at 119 North Bend Way in North Bend. The youngest class will meet from 9:30-10:30 a.m., while the 9-11 age group will meet from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and the 12-14 from 1:30 – 3 p.m. The classes are taught by Gary Schwartz, director of Valley Center Stage, and Stephanie Merrow. For more information, call 831-5667 or visit www.valleycenterstage.org.
The 16th annual Twin Peaks Festival will be July 24-26 in the Valley. Late tickets cost $220 with a bus tour and $200 without a bus tour. To learn more, visit www.twinpeaksfest.com.
Mike’s Cascade Grill will host Mike’s Bike Night With Jeff Warren and Friends, an open mic night from 6-8:30 p.m. every Wednesday through August. The band will be raising money for Relay For Life and Mike’s will donate 25 percent of all burger special sales to the American Cancer Society during the event. Bring an instrument and play or come for the music, food and to support the Snoqualmie Valley relay.
A variety of classic cars will be displayed at the Legends Car Show, scheduled to be held as part of Snoqualmie Railroad Days on Aug. 2. The Legends Car Club, which was founded in 2000, has more than 100 members from the Puget Sound region. For more information, go to www.legendcarclub.com.
The annual Festival at Mount Si continues this year from Aug. 7-9 with another round of events in North Bend. For the eighth straight year, the festival will include a chili cookoff, a cherry pie eating contest and the Burstin’ with Blueberries Dessert Contest. Also included will be the kids’ Fun Zone, The Grand Parade, a pancake breakfast, live and silent auctions, the Skate Jam, stupid pet tricks, kids bingo, Irish dancers, Veils of the Nile, a dog pageant and more.
The Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast will be from 7-11 a.m. Aug. 9 at North Bend Elementary. Pancakes, ham, juice, coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be served for $6 per person. All proceeds go to support children in the community.
Movie Times
North Bend Theatre show times for this week are as follows:
Thursday — “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” 11 a.m., 2:30, 6 and 9 p.m.
Friday — “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” 2:30, 6 and 9 p.m.
Saturday — “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” 2:30, 6 and 9 p.m.
Sunday — “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” 2:30 and 6 p.m.
Monday — “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” 2, 5 and 8 p.m.
Tuesday – “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World,” (Free Summer Film Series), noon
Wednesday — “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World,” (Free Summer Film Series), noon
Classes
Theater summer camps are offered at July 27-31 at Valley Center Stage in North Bend. The workshop for actors ages 9-11 will be offered from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Tuition is $120. The drama workshop for children ages 12-14 will meet from 2-3:30 p.m. Tuition is $120. There also will be a Theater Games Summer Camp with Stephanie Merrow for children ages 6-8 that meets from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Tuition is $100. For more information, go to www.valleycenterstage.org.
The Early Bird Workout began July 2 at Si View Community Center. The class meets from 6-7 a.m. every Thursday morning, and offers a high intensity workout for those who want to exercise before work. For more information, go to www.siviewpark.org or call 831-1900.
The Mount Si School of Karate is offered through Si View Community Center Mondays and Wednesdays each month. Interested participants 7-8 years will meet from 4-5 p.m., those who are 9-11 years from 5-6 p.m. and those 12 and up from 6-7 p.m. Register for the class at www.siviewpark.org or call 831-1900.
Heather Evans with the Bellevue College Career Center in Snoqualmie provides free career services from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Tuesday at the Snoqualmie Tribe Headquarters, 8130 Railroad Ave. in downtown Snoqualmie and from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Wednesday at the North Bend Library, 115 4th St. in North Bend. For more information, call 888-6551, ext. 101 or e-mail heather.evans@bellevuecollege.edu.
An Al-Anon Family Group meets at 7 p.m. each Thursday at Mt. Si Lutheran Church in North Bend.
The teen drop-in program happens from 3-5 p.m. on Mondays and 1-5 p.m. on Fridays at Si View Community Center in North Bend. For more information, contact Ryan Daly at rdaly@siviewpark.org or 831-1900.
Spanish classes are held every Thursday, 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Sno-Valley Senior Center. Open to the community. $5 per class, drop-in basis, taught by Celide Rivero.
Food Addicts Anonymous meets at 7 p.m. every Thursday in North Bend. For more information, please call 888-0314.
The Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program meets at Si View Park from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. every Monday through Thursday. Cost is $4.
An Alzheimer’s Association caregiver support group meets from 6:30 – 8 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at Holy Innocents Catholic Church, 26526 Cherry Valley Rd., Duvall. For more information, contact group facilitator Irene Olson at 868-4889.
Volunteer Opportunities
Through the end of July, donations for the Mt Si Helping Hands Food Bank may be made at the following Sno Falls Credit Union locations: Snoqualmie Branch, 9025 Meadowbrook Way SE; Snoqualmie Ridge Branch, 7730 Center Blvd.; North Bend Branch, 460 E. North Bend Way.
Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum seeks docents to volunteer at the Museum from 1-5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday through October. Duties will include greeting visitors, selling items in the gift shop and more. Training will be provided. Contact the museum at 888-3200 or Pat Kelly at 888-1557.
The Senior Services Transportation Program seeks volunteers to drive seniors around North Bend and Snoqualmie. Volunteers will drive their own vehicles and choose the weekdays, times and areas in which they’d like to drive. Mileage reimbursement and supplemental liability insurance are offered. For more information, call 206-748-7588 or 1-800-282-5815, or e-mail melissat@seniorservices.org. To apply online, go to www.seniorservices.org/vts/vts.htm.
The Mount Si Senior Center thrift store is looking for volunteers to sort donations and help with cash sales a few hours a week. The thrift store is located in the Senior Center at 411 Main Street in North Bend. For more information, call Janet at 888-3434.
Hopelink in the Snoqualmie Valley is seeking volunteers for a variety of tasks. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. For more information, go to www.hope-link.org/takeaction/volunteer or call 869-6000.
Adopt-A-Park with yourself, your family, neighbors or club. Adopt-A-Park is a volunteer program for Snoqualmie residents willing to help improve and enhance public parks and trails. Volunteering requires an application and a one-year commitment. Call 831-5784.
Be a Study Zone tutor and give students the homework help they need. Study Zone needs volunteers to tutor elementary through high school students in math, science, English, social studies and study methods. A two-hour weekly commitment and flexible substitute scheduling are available. The Study Zone program is a free service offered by the King County Library System. For more information, call 369-3312.
Share your love of books and make new friends by becoming a Friend of the Library in either Snoqualmie or North Bend. Annual memberships cost $5 for individuals and $10 for families and help expand opportunities for children, families and seniors around the community. To learn more, call 888-0554.
North Bend Library
Join the North Bend Library Tuesday Book Group for an evening of lively conversation about a variety of new and notable fiction and nonfiction. The group meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the North Bend Library meeting room. New members are always welcome. For more information, call 888-0554.
The North Bend Chess Club, for all ages, meets from 7-9 p.m. every Thursday.
Game On, for ages 12 to 18, meets 3- 5 p.m. Fridays to play XBox 360, Playstation, Nintendo DS, Guitar Hero and DDS. Board games also are available.
English as a Second Language classes meet at 6:30 p.m. Mondays.
Toddler Story Time, for ages 2 to 3 with an adult, meets at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays.
Preschool Story Time, for ages 3 to 6 with an adult, meets at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays.
Evening Family Story Time meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
Snoqualmie Library
Young Toddler Story Time, for age 12 to 24 months with an adult, is at 9:30 a.m. Wednesdays.
Preschool Story Time, for ages 3 to 6 with an adult, is at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays.
Anime & Manga Club, for middle and high school students, meets at 3 p.m. Wednesdays to watch anime movies, eat popcorn and practice manga drawing.
Snoqualmie Library Pajama Story Time, for all young children with an adult, is at 7 p.m. Thursdays.
Clubs
Rotary Club of Snoqualmie meets at 7 a.m. every Thursday at the Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Club. E-mail SnoqualmieRotary@yahoo.com.
The Eastside Chapter of the Northwest Biodiesel Network meets the second Wednesday of every month, from 7-9 p.m., at the Railroad Depot in North Bend. For more information, go to www.nwbiodiesel.org or call 503-9876.
The Snoqualmie Valley Garden Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Mount Si Senior Center. There is a guest speaker each month. For more information, call 206-295-8363.
The Mt. Si Artist Guild promotes visual fine arts in the Snoqualmie Valley. It meets the third Saturday of every month at 9:15 a.m. in the North Bend Senior Center. Upcoming events include: the Festival at Mount Si, Aug. 7-9; Art in the Park, Aug. 15 and 22; Sawdust Art Show, Aug. 31. For more information, contact Diane Solomon at djsolomon@comcast.net.
Post No. 79 of the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary meets on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the American Legion Building at 38625 Southeast River Street in Snoqualmie. For more information, call Steve Fenton, Post Commander, at 396-6100 or Kathy Kerr, Unit President, at 831-5133.
Snoqualmie Valley Kiwanis Club meets at 7 a.m. every Thursday at the Mount Si Golf Course restaurant in Snoqualmie. E-mail snovalley@member.kiwanis.org.
Snoqualmie Fraternal Order of Eagles Women’s Auxiliary meets the first and third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. The Men’s Aerie meets the first and third Wednesday at 7 p.m. Meetings are held at 108 Railroad Ave. Call 888-1129.
The Snoqualmie Valley Youth Hub provides cultural, athletic, recreational and educational opportunities to more than 4,000 young people in the Valley. Call 831-1900.
Loyal Order of Moose is located at 108 Sydney Ave. in North Bend. Men meet at 6 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month. Women meet at 7 p.m. the third and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Call 888-0951.
The Mount Si Fish and Game Club meets at the Fall City Firehall at 7:30 p.m. the first Thursday of every month.
Washington Freemasons meet at 7:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at Unity Lodge No. 198 in North Bend. Call 888-5779.
The MOMS Club of North Bend, a social group for at-home mothers, meets at 10 a.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the North Bend Library. Children are welcome at all MOMS Club activities. Call 888-1387 or visit www.momsclub.org for more information.
To submit an item for the community calendar, send to editor@snovalleystar.com or via www.snovalleystar.com.
Events
Ridge 3-on-3 tournament enjoys another round of success
July 23, 2009
By Ryan Piersol
Bryan Murphy crawled out of bed at 4 a.m., drove on the interstate for three hours and then played a series of rugged basketball games in the heat.
At the end of the day, though, he had no complaints.
Murphy was just one of hundreds of competitors at the third-annual Snoqualmie Ridge 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament July 18. His team, Brandeberry Logging, was assembled from various parts of the Pacific Northwest, including Murphy’s home town in a suburb of Portland, OR.
Brandeberry Logging was good enough to capture the championship in the Men’s Competitive Group 1 division, but Murphy — a former player at Division III Linfield College in Oregon — still came away impressed.
“It was a long drive up, but it was worth it. The competition was really good,” he said. “The last few games, the score didn’t really show how close the game was. There were some good teams here.”
There were a total of 18 teams crowned champion at the event, which once again grew in numbers. In 2007, the tournament’s first year, 77 teams signed up to play. Last year, that number grew to 102. This time around, it had an even bigger jump to 151.
“That’s a 50 percent increase in a down economy, so we’re pretty excited about how it turned out,” tournament founder Jeff Orswell said.
Next year’s tournament has been scheduled for July 17.
Many of the tournament’s participants were traditional competitors at Hoopsfest, the state’s largest annual tournament in Spokane. Paul Swanson, from Everett, said he liked the tournament on the Ridge better.
“It’s a little different from some other 3-on-3s, but it’s good. It’s a closer drive for us, which makes it much better than Spokane,” he said. “It’s pretty good competition. There are not quite as many teams, but it’s a good run.”
One local team, Inferno, won the Girls Grades 3-5 Recreational division by taking five straight games. The team included Snoqualmie’s Kallin Spiller and Mady Privatsky, as well as Bellevue’s Courtney Wehner and Sammamish’s Gabbie Beahm.
Inferno had competed in the 3-on-3 tournament the last three years, and was finally able to win its first championship by knocking off team Starbursts in the finals.
Reach editor Ryan Piersol at editor@snovallesytar.com or 392-6434. To comment on this story, go to www.snovalleystar.com.
Bryan Murphy crawled out of bed at 4 a.m., drove on the interstate for three hours and then played a series of rugged basketball games in the heat.
At the end of the day, though, he had no complaints.
Murphy was just one of hundreds of competitors at the third-annual Snoqualmie Ridge 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament July 18. His team, Brandeberry Logging, was assembled from various parts of the Pacific Northwest, including Murphy’s home town in a suburb of Portland, OR.
Team Inferno, from left, is Mady Privatsky, Kallin Spiller, Gabbie Beahm and Courtney Wehner. The local team won the Girls Grades 3-5 Recreational division at the Snoqualmie Ridge 3-on-3 tournament.
Mount Si girls basketball team picks up summer learning lessons
July 23, 2009
Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was bad. The entire time, however, it was an experience.
The Mount Si girls basketball team finished off its summer with a trip to Spokane for the Gonzaga Tournament July 16-18. The Wildcats returned with a varied mix of results, having three games go down to the wire and another two end up in blowouts.
The tournament began with a match against Shadle Park, who was the Class 3A state runner-up a year ago. Even though Mount Si was short three starters, the Wildcats still nearly pulled off the upset.
Mount Si’s Traci Nelson goes in for a layup last season.
