Sammamish challenger enters 5th District race against Fall City representative
December 26, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. Dec. 26, 2009
The race to represent Snoqualmie and North Bend in Olympia kicked off last week, months before voters receive ballots.
Dean Willard, a Sammamish resident, former T-Mobile executive and Democrat, entered the 2010 race for the state House seat held by Glenn Anderson. Read more
Northwest Railway Museum receives national grant for chapel car rehabilitation
December 25, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. Dec. 25, 2009
The Northwest Railway Museum’s Chapel Car 5 Messenger of Peace beat out 401 other applicants to win a Save America’s Treasures grant worth $180,000. The grant is managed by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in collaboration with the President’s Council on Arts and Heritage, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Park Service. Read more
King County Council donates used vans to Encompass and other non-profits
December 24, 2009
NEW — 4 p.m. Dec. 24, 2009
The King County Council has approved donating 27 retired Metro Vanpool vehicles to provide transportation assistance to local governments, community programs, senior citizens and young adults, including North Bend’s Encompass, a preschool, summer camp, family service center and resource for children with developmental disorders. Read more
Mount Si tops Port Angeles, 47-39
December 24, 2009
NEW — 9:45 a.m. Dec. 24, 2009
Mount Si girls basketball beat Port Angeles 47-39 at home on Dec. 19.
The Wildcats came out strong, leading Port Angeles 31-23 at the half. The early scoring was a blessing–Mount Si couldn’t expand the lead in the second half, with both teams scoring 16.
Senior post Traci Nelson was the top scorer of the night, contributing 14 points. Juniors Hailey Eddings and Jori Braun both scored 11.
Small quake shakes Snoqualmie Valley
December 24, 2009
UPDATED — 3:03 p.m. Dec. 24, 2009
A magnitude 2.9 earthquake was recorded at 8 a.m., centered about two miles south-southeast of Snoqualmie, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network.
The earthquake occurred about 10.5 miles underground, which is typical for crustal earthquakes, said Paul Bodin, manager of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. Read more
Car stolen, suspect flees near Preston
December 23, 2009
NEW—6:20 p.m. Dec. 23, 2009
A man driving a stolen car crashed near Interstate 90 milepost 24, east of Preston. Authorities said the incident occurred at about 2:45 p.m. Dec. 23.
Several 911 callers reported the man had been driving erratically at high speeds along the shoulder of the interstate, Washington State Trooper Cliff Pratt said. When the car hit the guardrail along the median, the vehicle became disabled and the man fled on foot.
Living with flooding, part 2: balancing growth and environment in Snoqualmie River floodplain
December 23, 2009
The Snoqualmie River pours out of its banks last January, flooding the Valley wall to wall near Carnation. A river’s floodplain is really the river at high flow, says David Montgomery, a geomorphology professor at the University of Washington. (Photo by Alan Berner / The Seattle Times)
Flooding. It’s an all-too familiar part of life for many residents of Snoqualmie Valley. Since moving to the Valley in 2005, Snoqualmie residents Don and Nancy Ekberg have had their home flooded twice. Business-owner and resident Julie Randazzo and her husband Harold Nesland have sandbagging their pizza restaurant and bowling alley down to a science.
Alpine Lakes expansion legislation goes to US Senate for vote
December 23, 2009
Proposed legislation to increase federally-protected land in and around the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area has passed committee in the U.S. Senate and will be next voted on by the full Senate.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., co-sponsored the bill, which would increase the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area and designate the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers as Wild and Scenic Rivers.
The bill was simultaneously submitted in the U.S. House by Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash. and several co-sponsors.
The bill proposes adding over 22,000 acres to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
The addition would include important lower-elevation lands and watersheds.
Congress designated the wilderness area in 1976. It is one of the closest blocks of wild forests to an urban center in the country and provides many recreational opportunities.
Designating the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers as Wild and Scenic Rivers would permanently protect their free-flowing character, water quality and current natural value.
No vote is scheduled on the bill as of now.
Snoqualmie Tribe receives stimulus money for houses
December 23, 2009
In March, the Snoqualmie Tribe was awarded $120,359 in stimulus funds to boost its efforts in providing housing to low-income tribal members.
“We are really excited to get this funding,” said tribal administrator Matt Mattson.
Most of the money will go toward constructing four housing units for low-income elders on the Nelems Memorial Hospital property.
Tribal housing administrator Jamie Garner said the tribe hopes to start construction in 2010, after the old hospital is demolished.
The grant is funded by the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, which is a department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, which already funds assistance programs and other projects for the tribe.
The tribe bought the property in November 2006 for $450,450 with tribal money and funding from HUD, said Garner. He did not know the total estimated cost for the project.
“The stimulus money is not a lot compared to the total budget of the project, but every bit helps,” said Mattson.
Garner said that the $120,000 received in March will go towards the installation of water, sewer and utility lines for the complex.
When completed, the Nelems project will be the tribe’s first tribally owned affordable housing.
Currently, the tribe offers rental and utility assistance to its low-income members whose family incomes are at or below the federal poverty level—which just over $22,000 for a family of four in 2009—are eligible to receive up to $2,400 in rental assistance each year.
Tribal member Suzanne Ventura said that without that assistance, she wouldn’t have been able to move into her two-bedroom Auburn apartment with her husband and son in 2006.
After qualifying, she used her assistance to pay for first and last month’s rent on her apartment.
The next year, she used the money to make rent and utility payments when her family’s financial situation declined.
“It helped me be able to focus on other bills and not have to worry about the rent,” Ventura said.
Now, her family’s income is too high to qualify for assistance, but she said that the help she received was invaluable during a hard time.
The housing assistance offered by the tribe is partially funded by NAHASDA, or the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act, sponsored by HUD.
Mattson said that affordable housing is a major issue for the tribe, and said he hopes that with the development of the Nelems property, older tribal members can move out of substandard housing or move out of houses and apartments that are overcrowded or unaffordable.
“There are many people here who need help with housing,” said Mary Ann Hinzman, vice chair of the tribal council and director of the Snoqualmie Tribal Food Bank in Snoqualmie.
Tribal members live in Snoqualmie, North Bend, Carnation and beyond, she said, but all have been affected by unemployment and the financial downturn.
“They need the help,” Hinzman said. “A lot of them just cannot pay their bills.”
Wildcat Commons to open soon at high school
December 23, 2009
Wildcats will soon get to hang out in new territory, known as the Wildcat Commons. Before construction the area was an outdoor courtyard. Now, construction crews are putting a roof overhead and transforming it into a second common area for Mount Si High School.
The commons will serve as a lunchroom, house the DECA class, let students scour the Web with wireless Internet capability, and have a screen for movies and presentations.
“It will be another area for the community to use as well,” Mount Si High School Principal Randy Taylor said.
Clint Marsh, construction program manager for the school district, said the commons are slated to open at the end of January.
“We’re still moving along,” he said.
