EFR wants 2.6 percent budget increase
September 28, 2011
Wage and health insurance costs are the prime drivers of a proposed 2.6 percent increase in Eastside Fire & Rescue’s proposed 2012 budget. Some board members, however, said they wonder if parts of the projected budget may be off.
EFR’s board got its first look at the $21.5 million spending plan Sept. 19. The budget is about $546,000 more than last year.
Proposed redrawing of County Council districts keeps the upper Snoqualmie Valley together
September 28, 2011
Snoqualmie, North Bend and surrounding communities will remain in the same King County Council district under a final plan released last week by the committee responsible for redrawing the local political map.
The proposed map keeps the upper Snoqualmie Valley together in District 3 while rebalancing the county’s population between its nine districts. Read more
North Bend family has three sons in uniform
September 28, 2011
Victoria and Randall Reeves hold photos of their three children — Randall, Daniel and Andrew. All three serve in the United States National Guard. By Sebastian Moraga
Sometimes, you don’t sleep. Sometimes, you don’t understand. But always, you pray.
“We pray hard,” Victoria Reeves said at her house in North Bend. “We try not to worry but you can’t put the worry out of your mind.”
Reeves and her husband Randall are the parents of three children: Randall Lee, Andrew and Daniel — all three outdoor types, all three in their 20s and all three members of the United States Army National Guard.
Randall said he does not know why his sons all chose the same path. A clue hangs from the upper branches of the family tree.
Blue star banners come back to Valley
September 28, 2011
Pam Collingwood (left) presents a service banner to Beth Waltz and her daughter, Shasta, for Waltz’s son, Shilo, who is scheduled to finish basic training in the U.S. Army on Sept. 23. Contributed
Pam Collingwood wants to remind Snoqualmie Valley residents of the service some of their neighbors are performing.
Collingwood is leading the effort in the upper Valley’s American Legion Auxiliary Post 79 to give service — or blue star — banners to people with family members serving in the military.
Collingwood handed out banners to four families at North Bend City Council’s Sept. 6 meeting. She will hand out banners again at Snoqualmie City Council’s Oct. 10 meeting.
Play brings vampire Count to North Bend
September 28, 2011
Mwah-hah-hah-haaa! Count Dracula arrives at North Bend’s Valley Center Stage this week and will be there at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from Sept. 29 to Oct. 15.
The play “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” recommended for people ages 11 and older, tells the tale of the struggle between the Count and Dr. Van Helsing, as the latter warns two women that vampires are indeed real.
Actors in the play include Brenden Elwood, Craig Ewing, Bill Stone, Sean Stone, Julia Buck, Robin Strahan, David Cravens, Adam Hegg and Gregg Lucas.
Harry Franklin ‘Dutch’ Aron Jr.,
September 28, 2011
Harry Franklin ‘Dutch’ Aron Jr.
Harry Franklin “Dutch” Aron Jr., longtime resident of Issaquah, passed away Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, at the age of 75.
Dutch was born April 17, 1936, in Philadelphia. He was one of seven children born to his parents, Harry Sr. and Dorothy Aron, who predecease him.
He married his wife Betty on Nov. 24, 1967, after going on a blind date four months prior. Betty survives Dutch.
Sisters triumph the natural way in beauty pageant
September 28, 2011
Emily and Abigail Hamilton and the row of trophies they won at the Washington edition of the National American Miss Pageant. Contributed
No makeup. No glitz. No problem.
Sisters Emily and Abby Hamilton, of North Bend, earned several awards at the National American Miss of Washington pageant.
Abby, participating for the third time, won second place in the photogenic competition and third runner-up in the talent competition.
Costume swap gives green twist to Halloween
September 28, 2011
Dana Verhoff and her children are all decked out for Halloween. Verhoff supports an eco-friendly costume swap for this year’s Halloween. Contributed
Spider Man still would do whatever a spider could. And Tinkerbell would still grant you three wishes. They would just save their moms a few bucks while at it.
Two Valley businesses have organized a costume swap for Halloween, encouraging parents to trade in their children’s costumes for used ones, instead of buying brand-new ones every time.
The swap will take place Oct. 8, all across the country, including in North Bend and seven other spots in Washington.
Life can be a garden for children at Cascade View Elementary
September 28, 2011
at Cascade View Elementary School pose with some of the fruits of their labor, namely the sunflowers they helped plant at their school’s garden. By Sebastian Moraga Students
It’s a bit of Kansas, a bit of Iowa and a bit of Idaho. It’s a bit of art, a bit of math and a bit of science.
Teachers get training in emergency preparedness
September 28, 2011
By Sebastian Moraga Teachers, janitors, principals and nurses met at Chief Kanim Middle School to listen to Mary Schoenfeldt, center, speak about emergency procedures on school grounds.
It was story time at Chief Kanim Middle School Sept. 22.
Instead of children, it was grown-ups listening. Instead of fantasy characters, it was real people.
Instead of smiles, the stories left behind serious lessons: Katrina. Virginia Tech. Columbine. Moses Lake.
Administrators and teachers from the Snoqualmie Valley School District attended two days of emergency preparedness training at the Fall City school.
