Finding laughter at Mt Si Senior Center
June 16, 2011
Tribal council is targeted for shakeup
June 15, 2011
Chief asks membership to throw out several of its elected officials
Snoqualmie Tribe Chief Jerry Enick is calling on the tribe’s members to throw out most of their elected officials.
The longtime chief has called for a meeting of the general membership June 18 in Monroe.
The Tribal Council has done nothing wrong, and Enick is acting beyond his authority, Tribal Administrator Matt Mattson said.
Snoqualmie first responders honored for rescue
June 15, 2011
Snoqualmie firefighter Darby Summers doesn’t consider himself a hero.
But that didn’t stop the city from giving him a Medal of Valor for rescuing a drowning woman in the Snoqualmie River. The city also awarded a Medal of Valor to Snoqualmie Police Officer Sean Absher, who assisted with the rescue.
Summers and Absher were among the first responders to reach the river near Snoqualmie Falls on May 22.
Darby Summers
A couple had been playing with their two dogs in the water, which was running high and fast due to winter snow melting. When one of the dogs began struggling in the current, the man and woman, both 29 years old, jumped in after it.
But they found themselves fighting for survival in the cold, powerful flow.
People on the riverbank called 911, and within a few minutes, Summers, his partner Jake Fouts and Absher were on hand.
Ballot finalized for November in Valley
June 15, 2011
With the deadline to file expired, all three members of the Snoqualmie Valley School Board seeking re-election will face opposition.
Incumbent board members Craig Husa, Caroline Loudenback and Dan Popp have filed.
Former Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation leader Carolyn Simpson filed to oppose Husa. Retired businessman and longtime volunteer Geoff Doy filed to oppose Loudenback. Peggy Johnson, the mother of a student attacked by a Mount Si High School classmate in 2009, filed to oppose Popp.
In North Bend, Mayor Ken Hearing and council members Jonathan Rosen, Dee Williamson, David Cook and Jeanne Pettersen have filed.
All incumbents but Alan Gothelf are up for re-election in North Bend. All will run unopposed.
In position 7, for outgoing Councilman Chris Garcia’s spot, Piper Muoio filed June 6 and former candidate Ryan Kolodejchuk filed June 7.
North Bend plagued by funny money
June 15, 2011
A handful of fake $100 bills have landed in the hands of merchants in North Bend and City Administrator Duncan Wilson is asking residents to report any suspicious C-notes.
At least six cases were reported, said Mark Toner, chief of North Bend Police.
Jana Day, manager at the North Bend branch of Bank of America, said the bills are really good fakes.
“They are really good-looking bills,” she said. “The only thing missing is the fibers.”
Genuine currency paper has tiny red-and-blue fibers embedded throughout, according to the website for the United States Secret Service. Sometimes, counterfeiters try to simulate them by printing red and blue lines on the paper.
Bank of America did not take in any of the fake bills, but some of its clients did, Day said.
Toner said the department spread a pamphlet among Valley businesses, explaining the differences between real and fake bills.
Unattended candle causes townhouse fire
June 15, 2011
A lit candle in a bathroom sparked a fire in a North Bend townhouse late May 31.
The flames tripped the building’s sprinkler system and automatic fire alarm, limiting the damage, according to a news release from Eastside Fire & Rescue.
Firefighters arrived shortly before midnight at the multifamily home in the 300 block of East Park Street. After accounting for everyone who had been inside, firefighters turned the sprinkler system off and used fans to clear smoke from inside the house. They then cleaned up water from the sprinklers.
No injuries were reported, and the building suffered minimal smoke and water damage, according to the release.
Fire investigators determined that a candle in a second-floor bathroom lit a nearby towel on fire. The flames triggered the sprinklers, which put out them out.
School board races should spur debate
June 15, 2011
The Snoqualmie Valley School Board has come under fire in the past year for some of its decisions. Most recently, the school board’s plan for redistricting director districts drew criticism from many residents.
Three positions on the board are up for re-election this fall, and all are being contested.
Hopefully, the races will spur debate about the school district’s direction. Based on criticism voiced by some community members, there is clearly not consensus on many policies set by the school board.
Incumbent board members Craig Husa, Caroline Loudenback and Dan Popp will face motivated opponents.
Former Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation leader Carolyn Simpson has filed to run for Husa’s position. Retired businessman and longtime volunteer Geoff Doy is running against Loudenback. And Peggy Johnson is running against Popp. (Johnson’s son was attacked by a Mount Si High School classmate in 2009 in a bullying incident.)
Local elections in the Snoqualmie Valley in recent years have tended to be quieter affairs.
Letters to the Editor
June 15, 2011
Redistricting editorial didn’t look at both sides
Your editorial in the paper last week should have taken into consideration the thoughts and concerns of many more Snoqualmie Valley residents.
I am unsure where you reside, but your editorial seemed to come straight off the school district’s website with no consideration given to the thoughts or sentiments of a vast number of Snoqualmie Valley residents — especially those who have tried to work with the school board to come up with a more agreeable solution.
At a minimum, I believe you should have considered the state-mandated redistricting criteria set forth in RCW 29A.76.010 and compared the district’s plan with the same. I feel that your article may have had a different “slant” had that been done. Perhaps if you had driven the new district lines with the state criteria in hand, your opinion may be somewhat different.
Further, concerns with redistricting are not just limited to Snoqualmie Ridge residents, nor have they ever been presented as just a Snoqualmie Ridge issue. As you should be aware, redistricting impacts all district residents and all students.
Guest Column – Mountains to Sound Greenway is a vital, important resource for all
June 15, 2011
As a college student, it’s easy to blame past generations for the rising national debt and any number of other problems my generation will be dealing with as we grow older. But in Washington, my parents’ generation did at least one thing right. Twenty years ago, a group of citizens came together to form the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust to permanently preserve open space in the Northwest.
Amazingly, a coalition of environmentalists and timber companies; developers and farmers; federal and state agencies; cities and counties; nonprofit organizations and businesses have worked toward a shared vision of promoting healthy, livable communities in our area.
The greenway’s 1,600 miles of trails, and hundreds of thousands of acres of forests and parks, have been permanently protected and now it’s time for the next generation to step up to make sure the greenway continues to thrive.
Following 20 years of growth, the greenway now runs from Ellensburg to Seattle’s waterfront, and the Greenway Trust continues to promote land acquisitions, connect the regional trail system, improve recreation access, and create new parks and trails.
From hiking the Snoqualmie Valley or taking in the view from the top of Mount Si, we living in Washington take for granted the outdoor recreation that’s all around us. It takes the effort of thousands of volunteers every year to maintain these natural areas, improve trails and keep the greenway healthy.
North Bend food bank needs help with delivering supplies
June 15, 2011
The Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank is looking for volunteers to help deliver supplies to the food bank at the North Bend Community Church.
The food bank needs two drivers to pick up donations at QFC in North Bend. One driver is needed on Monday mornings and one is needed on Friday mornings.
The food is picked up before 11 a.m. and delivery takes about 40 minutes, according to Heidi Dukich, the food bank’s director.
Learn more by emailing mtsihelpinghandfoodbank@yahoo.com.
