Snoqualmie Valley School District results are above state average for new standardized tests
September 1, 2010
NEW — 11:15 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
The new standardized test scores released Tuesday brought mixed results for Snoqualmie Valley School District.
Some schools in the district saw big improvements in their standing relative to other Washington schools over last year. Other schools saw continued success, but some schools slipped.
This year was the first for the High School Proficiency Exam and the Measurement of Student Progress for elementary and middle schools. The tests replaced the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, which was introduced in the late 1990s.
Woodman Lodge is in running for best steak
September 1, 2010
NEW — 8:00 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
KING 5’s Evening Magazine is looking for the best of Western Washington, and Snoqualmie’s Woodman Lodge is in the running for best steakhouse.
Vote for the restaurant at http://best.king5.com.
Two Rivers School to begin holding Friday classes
September 1, 2010
NEW — 3:00 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
Two Rivers School will offer Friday classes this year for the first time, Principal Tom Athanases said.
Friday classes will end at about 12:35 p.m. and teachers will work the rest of the day on professional improvement, he said. Both things already occur at the district’s other schools.
Before the change, Two Rivers staff worked four 10-hour days, Athanases said. Now, they will work five eight-hour days.
SLIDESHOW | Boeing Classic
September 1, 2010
NEW — 1:00 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
Boeing Classic
Ambulance fees worth considering
September 1, 2010
NEW — 1:00 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
Yes, the economy has not turned around, but sometimes government cannot simply slice and dice its way to a balanced budget. All ideas are on the table for increasing revenue — including an Eastside Fire & Rescue fee for ambulance rides.
Hit by falling tax revenue, contract cities, including North Bend, are interested in keeping their expenses as low as possible. Necessity has produced some interesting ideas. Charging for ambulance rides is one worth examining.
This practice exists in other parts of the country, and indeed, in other parts of King County. No critically injured person has yet to be denied a ride to the hospital because they had a maxed-out credit card.
Most agencies, when pressed, admit they don’t invest much time and energy trying to extract payments from residents who can’t afford to pay. Most insurance providers cover the cost of the ambulance ride, and they do pay their claims. It doesn’t seem to matter whether the ride is provided by a private ambulance company or a public fire agency.
But it may not be that simple. It is possible that costs would end up being passed on to residents and businesses through higher insurance premiums. EFR should study that possible impact during its discussions.
There is also some concern about the idea of double charging. After all, residents already pay for the ambulance, the salary of the emergency medical technicians, the gas in the vehicle and everything else through their taxes. Should they have to pay a second time, whether it be through a direct payment or via higher insurance?
In a fair and perfect world, no.
But today’s reality is neither of those things, and is full of examples of government double-dipping. Taxpayers already pay tolls to drive on roads they paid to build, and fees to use park facilities that they already own. Taxpayers have put up with it, recognizing the fee model as a more equitable way of distributing costs.
Unfortunately, the charge for EFR to give medical transport to a hospital or to another waiting ambulance is probably necessary.
EFR considers charges for services, ambulance rides
September 1, 2010
NEW — 1:00 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
Call it the fire department equivalent of tolling.
Faced with the steadily rising costs of health care and personnel, and repeated calls from partners to limit their annual increases in contributions, Eastside Fire & Rescue is considering charging citizens for various fire services, from ambulance rides to car crash responses.
Sammamish officials have pushed the department to see what it would take to draft a budget with a zero-percent increase next year. EFR Deputy Chief of Operations Jeff Griffin said the administration is dedicated to trying for that, but said it may be a choice between staff or program cuts, or new revenue from fees.
Nellie M. Gamble
September 1, 2010
NEW — 12:47 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
Nellie M. Gamble, of Fall City, died Aug. 25, 2010, at Snoqualmie Valley Hospital. She was 89.
Burial was held at Hillside Cemetery, Issaquah.
Nellie was born June 12, 1921, in Barnesville, Ohio, the daughter of Harry and Edna Holland. She was raised in Ohio and married Wilfred E. Gamble on Jan. 1, 1940, in Barnesville.
Calendar
September 1, 2010
NEW — 12:45 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
Events
Mount Si Artist Guild’s Art in the Park, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sept. 4 and 11, Gardiner Weeks Park, (south of Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum, 320 Bendigo Blvd.) North Bend. Artists will demonstrate painting techniques and have paintings for sale. There will also be a yard sale with old art supplies, books and prints.
Public meetings
September 1, 2010
NEW — 12:40 p.m. Sept. 1, 2010
- North Bend and Snoqualmie city offices are closed for Labor Day, Sept. 6.
- Snoqualmie Community and Economic Affairs Committee, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 7, 38624 S.E. River St.
- North Bend City Council, 7 p.m. Sept. 7, 411 Main Ave. N.
- North Bend Public Safety and Health Committee, 3 p.m. Sept. 8, 211 Main Ave. N.
- Snoqualmie Public Safety Committee, 5 p.m. Sept. 9, 37600 S.E. Snoqualmie Parkway
- North Bend Planning Commission, 7 p.m. Sept. 9, 211 Main Ave. N.
Bernhard Langer wins Boeing Classic, continues winning streak
September 1, 2010
NEW — 12:20 p.m. Sept. 2, 2010
[Click to go to slideshow]
Bernhard Langer (right) and Nick Price inspect a green in the final round of the Boeing Classic. Langer stayed one step ahead of Price all day to win the tournament. (Photo by Dan Catchpole)
The summer of Bernhard Langer continued a little longer at the Boeing Classic at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge beneath overcast skies. He won the tournament Aug. 29 with an 18-under-par 198.
Langer has dominated the Champions Tour this year with five wins, including two of the tour’s five major tournaments. Those wins include the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee Golf Course in Sammamish earlier this month.
“It must be the air here in Seattle,” he said. “It also might be the greens — both courses have very good greens.”
