Hundreds turn out to honor Valley veterans
November 16, 2011
World War II veterans and Snoqualmie Valley residents Bob Hamerly, Wally Koering, Dave Lake and Jim Posey remove the cover from the names of 78 service members from the Valley named on the monument who gave their lives in World War I, II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. By Greg Farrar
Several hundred people gathered in downtown Snoqualmie for the dedication of the Snoqualmie Valley Veterans Monument under gray skies that turned to rain during the ceremony.
The dedication began with the tolling of the bell that rang in the town 93 years earlier to signal the end of World War I.
Snoqualmie City Council delays vote on annexation agreement with county
November 16, 2011
The Snoqualmie City Council has delayed a vote on an agreement with King County about annexing a former Weyerhaeuser mill site.
During the council’s Nov. 14 meeting, several council members raised concerns about the infrastructure maintenance costs the city would have to take on after annexing the land.
The council will consider the agreement again at its next meeting on Nov. 28. Meetings are open to the public.
If the agreement is approved, King County Council must approve the agreement. The city and county then have 60 days to finish negotiating the annexation. The Snoqualmie City Council would then vote on a final annexation ordinance.
After the draft annexation agreement, Snoqualmie would be responsible for maintaining part of Southeast Reinig Road, Southeast Mill Pond Road and Meadowbrook Bridge.
The city estimates that maintaining the two roads and bridge would cost nearly $20,000 a year.
That amount does not include the cost of periodic repainting or replacing the bridge in 25 to 45 years.
Replacing the bridge is expected to cost $9.12 million, according to a King County estimate done this year.
Grocers to enter liquor business
November 16, 2011
With the passage of Initiative 1183, which replaces the state with private retailers in the liquor business, Snoqualmie Valley grocers are considering adding liquor to their stores.
At the same time, employees at state-run liquor stores and the businesses that serve them face an uncertain future.
I-1183 allows private stores larger than 10,000 square feet to begin selling liquor in June.
The initiative also allows for some smaller stores in remote areas to sell hard alcohol beverages. It also privatizes distribution of liquor by April.
The shift is estimated to net the state and local governments about $80 million annually for the next six years.
The state budgeting office estimates that the number of liquor retailers in Washington would jump from 328 to more than 1,420.
The upper Snoqualmie Valley could see the number of liquor retailers go from the one state-run store in North Bend to three — Safeway, QFC and Snoqualmie Ridge IGA.
Voters save park district
November 16, 2011
Voters resoundingly passed two ballot propositions to protect the Si View Metropolitan Park District’s budget next year.
Si View supporters breathed a sigh of relief as results came in on Election Night.
“The numbers were pretty amazing,” said Sara Werner, who organized the yes campaign for the two measures.
With about 280 volunteers, the yes campaign made 21,000 phone calls in the weeks leading up to the election.
As of Monday, Nov. 14, Proposition No. 1 was passing with 87.5 percent of the vote. Proposition No. 2, which needed 60 percent of votes cast to pass, garnered 74.6 percent.
Proposition 1 protects 25 cents of the district’s levy, which would be reduced due to a state-imposed cap on combined property taxes.
Proposition 2 creates a maintenance-and-operations levy for 21 cents per $1,000.
Without the two measures, the district would have all but closed next year, Si View Director Travis Stombaugh said.
Numbers favoring Dan Popp, Carolyn Simpson in school races
November 16, 2011
Incumbent Dan Popp and challenger Carolyn Simpson appear poised for victory in their respective school board races.
Although neither Popp’s nor Simpson’s lead is insurmountable, a quick review of voter turnout in past school board races shows that for their opponents, time and votes are running out.
As of Nov. 11, 8,717 votes had been counted.
The highest vote turnout in the last five general elections for school board reached just above 10,500 votes.
The highest percentage of write-in votes in a contested school race reached just below 1 percent.
So with Popp leading Peggy Johnson by 988 votes and Simpson leading incumbent Craig Husa by 589 votes, only a large last-minute comeback could keep them from winning a four-year term to the school board.
Voters shut down tolling measure
November 16, 2011
Statewide ballot initiatives garnered the most attention in a campaign season dominated by local races.
Initiative 1125 — a measure to require the Legislature to approve tolls rather than the appointed state Transportation Commission — came up short on Election Day. As of Nov. 15, the measure had garnered only 47.5 percent of the vote.
King County voters rejected the measure, but I-1125 picked up support elsewhere in Washington.
King County Executive Dow Constantine declared victory against Initiative 1125, Tim Eyman’s tolling initiative, although the measure led by a narrow margin statewide Nov. 9.
“I-1125 was a stealth effort to stop light rail on I-90 and delay replacement of the 520 bridge,” Constantine said in a statement. “I am grateful that so many voters saw through it and rejected it, and by an overwhelming margin in King County. Our voters, once again, said no to Tim Eyman.”
The other issues on the ballot did not attract as much attention as the tolling measure.
Washington voters approved Initiative 1163 — a measure sponsored by the Service Employees International Union to address homecare workers’ certification and training. It had 65 percent of the vote by Nov. 15.
The electorate also approved two noncontroversial constitutional amendments on the ballot.
Senate Joint Resolution 8205 addresses a residency requirement for presidential voting outlined in the state Constitution. The measure brings state law into synch with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Senate Joint Resolution 8206 called for the state “rainy day” reserve fund to require contribution of a portion of “extraordinary” revenue in the future.
Little change ahead for City Councils
November 16, 2011
City councils in North Bend and Snoqualmie will largely look the same next year following the Nov. 8 general election.
Voters re-elected two Snoqualmie councilmen, and the North Bend City Council will only have one new face in 2012.
Voters re-elect Snoqualmie incumbents
In Snoqualmie, Jeff MacNichols cruised to re-election for his third term, beating challenger Kevin Ostrem with nearly 70 percent of the vote in early returns.
MacNichols said the results were a validation of his performance as a councilman.
“After eight years on the council, voters think I make good choices,” he said.
He was first elected to the City Council in 2003, beating incumbent Dick Kirby by 52 votes. He ran unopposed and was re-elected in 2007.
Valley athletes, coaches earn honors
November 16, 2011
A hearty congratulations is due to Mount Si High School’s student athletes, who devoted dozens of hours this fall to their respective sports. The achievements of some teams and individuals deserve special recognition.
The Wildcats volleyball team took sixth place in the state tournament for the second consecutive year. Senior Sarah McDonald was named the Most Valuable Player for the 3A KingCo Conference. Coach Bonnie Foote again earned the coach of the year honor from her colleagues in the 3A KingCo Conference. Year in and year out, Foote has taught her players to persevere when faced with adversity or a bad break.
At its best, high school sports teach life lessons and leadership skills that remain with players long after they have left the playing field. Mount Si’s coaches excel at that mission each season.
Volleyball wasn’t the only team to go to the state tournaments. Mount Si’s football team and girls soccer team each advanced to state. The teams got there thanks to the hard work of the players, coaches and supporters.
Police blotter
November 16, 2011
Snoqualmie police
Warrant arrest
At 10:05 a.m. Nov. 4, police contacted a 21-year-old man walking down Snoqualmie Parkway near Orchard Street. A quick check with the Washington Criminal Information Center, yielded a warrant out of Snoqualmie. He was booked into the Issaquah jail.
Business safety check
At 8:36 p.m. Nov. 5, an employee at Secret Sun Tanning Salon told police someone had called inquiring about the ages of employees and had told her he would come into the business within the hour.
The employee was working alone at the time. She requested that an officer check the area. The police advised the employee to lock the doors and said he would check on her.
Bill for sewer expansion surprises some
November 16, 2011
Several North Bend residents were surprised when they opened their bills for work on the city’s expansion of its sewer system.
For example, one resident’s bill went from about $19,000 to about $63,000.
The amount they were being charged by Utility Local Improvement District No. 6 was much larger than what they had expected.
The project’s cost jumped because the city had to scrap its first design after learning that the initial studies had miscalculated the capacity of flow that the system would have to handle.
“The preliminary assessment was based on a smaller project and different design,” Public Works Director Ron Garrow said. Comparing the two is like “comparing apples and oranges.”
The change bumped the project’s estimated cost from $13 million to $21 million. In the end, the work cost the city about $19.3 million.
