Three Mount Si football players heading to Las Vegas for tournament
March 15, 2012
Jimbo Davis, Hunter Malberg and Griffin McLain, juniors on the Mount Si High School football team, have been invited to participate in a Las Vegas football competition March 23-25. The Badger 7 on 7 event in Las Vegas is widely regarded as the top tournament of the year and this is the first time Mount Si players have been invited, said Coach Charlie Kinnune. Read more
Dialogue begins concerning truck idling ban
March 15, 2012
By Michele Mihalovich Trucks wait in a small parking section of the TA Truck Stop in North Bend. The City Council is considering limiting how long tractor-trailers can idle.
The majority of people who turned out for a public hearing on North Bend’s proposed truck idling ban spoke out against the ordinance, including a TravelCenters of America field manager from Oregon.
The TA truck stop, known locally as Truck Town, has been located near Interstate 90’s exit 34 for nearly 40 years. But the city’s boundary has expanded over the years, and now Truck Town is neighbors with a large residential area and a middle school.
New hotel might finally be coming to North Bend
March 15, 2012
Bellevue developer submitted plans for two-phase project
A hotel might not just be a pipe dream for the city of North Bend.
Paul Pong, a hotel developer out of Bellevue, recently submitted his plans to build one, and possibly two, hotels on the corner of South Fork Avenue Southwest and Bendigo Boulevard South.
But Mayor Ken Hearing said that although Pong is “moving ahead” on the project, it’s far from being a done deal.
He said Pong has submitted all of the applications necessary for the city to make a State Environmental Policy Act determination.
“But there are an awful lot of environmental constraints, such as the property being close to the South Fork River,” Hearing said. “There are wetlands and some flooding issues.
“The SEPA determination will be the all to end all,” he said. “It can be appealed, of course. But if it comes back negative, it would be tough for him to move forward.”
Hearing said he would welcome a new hotel, especially in that location, just off Exit 31.
“We’re looking at attracting folks to getting off the freeway and coming into downtown,” he said. “The proposed hotel is close enough that people could walk to old town and see that there’s more to North Bend than just the exit.”
Fleeing driver jumps in creek, dies
March 15, 2012
A man who fled on foot after being stopped by police for a traffic violation died after being stuck in a Tokul Creek logjam for nearly 30 minutes, according to Rebecca Munson, spokeswoman for the Snoqualmie Police Department.
At about 8:20 a.m. March 9, a Snoqualmie police officer was following a Honda Accord on Millpond Road in Snoqualmie. The Honda turned north onto state Route 202, and the officer continued to follow the vehicle.
Upon observing the Honda following too close behind the vehicle in front of it, the officer made a traffic stop near the entrance to the Snoqualmie Valley Rifle Range on Fall City-Snoqualmie Road, according to Munson.
The driver, whose name has not been released yet, exited the Honda and ran on foot into the Rifle Range, leaving three passengers inside the vehicle, Munson said. The officer remained with the Honda and its passengers and called for backup. When backup arrived, the officer attempted to locate the driver and heard him yelling for help. The officer found the man stuck in a logjam in Tokul Creek, and contacted the Snoqualmie Fire Department for rescue, Munson said.
Fire department personnel arrived within minutes and after several attempts were able to free the man from the logjam and remove him from the creek, Munson said.
However, the man had been in the creek for approximately 25 minutes and he went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way to a hospital. He was later pronounced dead at Swedish/Issaquah, Munson said.
The driver was a 31-year-old Fall City man, who was found to have a felony warrant, she said. One passenger in the vehicle was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant and the other two passengers were released and given a ride home.
This is Flood Safety Awareness Week
March 15, 2012
Floods are the most frequent and costly natural disaster in the United States.
With many communities throughout the region facing threats of spring flooding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service are again joining forces to observe Flood Safety Awareness Week this week.
“It is important that we take steps now to prepare for the impact floods could have on our homes, our businesses and our communities,” FEMA Region 10 Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, said in a March 8 press release. “We are encouraging individuals and families to take a few simple steps to protect themselves and their properties.
“These include learning about their risk of flooding, having an emergency preparedness kit, storing important documents in a safe place and purchasing flood insurance.”
Important tips for getting ready for a flood and cleaning up after can be found at www.ready.gov.
Flood losses are not typically covered by standard homeowner’s insurance policies.
However, flood insurance is available to property owners in communities participating in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.
The program makes flood insurance available to renters, homeowners and business owners through thousands of insurance agents in nearly 21,000 communities across the nation.
Flood coverage can be purchased for properties in and outside of the highest risk areas, but should be considered regardless of where you live. More than 20 percent of all flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas.
Learn more about flood insurance at FloodSmart.gov or by calling 800-427-2419 toll free.
Snoqualmie planner recognized by Centers for Disease Control
March 15, 2012
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recognized city of Snoqualmie Associate Planner Nicole Sanders for outstanding work and support in creating a healthier King County, according to a press release from the city.
In the past two years, Sanders led local efforts to improve the community’s health through the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative. The initiative joins together local community organizations, cities, schools districts and public health agencies to prevent chronic disease and promote health through policy and environment changes.
Nicole Sanders
Sanders serves as Governance Team co-chairwoman for the still-developing Healthy King County Coalition, which promotes access to healthy foods, active lifestyles and tobacco cessation. Her co-chairwoman, Shelley Cooper-Ashford, who serves as executive director of the Center for Multicultural Health, was also recognized by the CDC.
“Our neighborhoods have changed drastically over the past decades,” Sanders said in the press release. “We have fewer kids walking to school, more kids eating fast food. We want to make sure people have sidewalks where needed to make walking a part of their routine, and options like apples and oranges in their daily diet. People have the freedom to make their own choices, but we want to ensure the full spectrum of healthy options is available in those choices.”
King County crews start roadside weed control
March 15, 2012
King County road crews plan to roll out a roadside weed control program in unincorporated areas April 9.
Through the annual program, certified technicians conduct controlled herbicide spraying along road shoulders during the spring and summer.
The program is meant to reduce safety hazards for bicyclists, motorists and pedestrians.
The spraying also controls noxious weeds — a potential threat to animals and native vegetation.
If residents do not want county crews to spray the county right of way near their property, they should post “owner will maintain” signs.
The owners must also agree to maintain the right of way themselves.
Maintenance agreements must be completed and returned to the county Road Services Division before the signs can be issued.
The agreements should be received by April 4. The county provides signs at no cost to property owners.
Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Board wants to try informal pre-meetings
March 15, 2012
Dick Jones, president of the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Board, said at the March 1 board meeting that he’d like the commissioners to hold an informal discussion with the public before the monthly business meeting.
Jones said the public is allowed to speak for three minutes during monthly board meetings, but the commissioners aren’t able to speak to the public’s questions or comments.
“It’s a one-way conversation,” Jones said in a phone interview. “I just thought this would be a better way to communicate with each other.”
He said he envisioned the informal meeting taking place the hour before the normally scheduled monthly meeting, “where we can talk openly and dialogue with each other.”
No action would be taken during the informal discussion, he said.
Letters
March 15, 2012
Thanks for the caucus support and coverage
On behalf of all of the people of the 5th District, I would like to thank you for your coverage of the caucus, both in getting the word out through the two articles you published before the caucus and your focus on the people who went to vote. It was heart felt. Regardless of which candidate you support, your individual vote does matter.
We are in a year where how we vote will decide which direction our state and nation will move for decades to come.
I hope all of the energy and enthusiasm demonstrated now will continue through the November elections. It is an honor to serve with all the great people of the 5th District.
Bob Brunjes
5th District GOP chairman
School board is losing trust of this voter
While I have lived in Snoqualmie for 13 years, most of the school bonds have failed. Often, it was because taxpayers believed the board was asking for more than it needed.
A few years ago, voters said “yes” and passed a bond to build a much-needed third middle school, Twin Falls.
Last year, voters were presented with another school bond. This time to turn Snoqualmie Middle School into a freshman learning campus and build a replacement middle school, voters said “no.” Twice.
Unfortunately, this week our school board voted to take away our third middle school, turning it into a freshman learning campus anyway.
While I do not oppose the idea of a freshman learning campus, I do not like the idea that they used our money to build a third middle school, only to take it away to create something voters rejected twice.
Liquor service hours could get flexible
March 15, 2012
There’s a little city 15 miles west of here that wants to change state law — a change that would affect businesses in North Bend and Snoqualmie.
Seattle wants the Washington State Liquor Control Board to approve a resolution to allow for extended liquor hours. If approved, Valley cities would be able to dictate opening and closing hours for the service of alcohol at bars, restaurants and clubs or entertainment venues.
Seattle’s goal is to extend liquor service hours, but it could choose to go the other way. Seattle’s mayor has suggested that staggered closing times could help with public safety concerns.
While the Valley doesn’t have a major late-night rush of drinkers hitting the streets at the current 2 a.m. service cut-off time, that doesn’t mean it won’t ever. And here where the nightlife is virtually asleep by midnight, city leaders could choose to cut off liquor service even earlier. Eleven p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends would not be unreasonable.
If the Liquor Control Board agrees to the change Seattle wants, cities could create their own framework to license and monitor the late-night venues, once the change is approved by the state.
For example, cities might choose to impose shorter service hours on those bars that have serve patrons who leave drunk and end up with DUI charges, have problems with assaults among clients, or are cited for noise or serving minors. Cities could ostensibly put businesses with violations on probation, ultimately asking for suspension of their alcohol permit.
We’re sure that small cities have enough on their plate without dealing with new ordinances effecting liquor sales. Keeping the status quo will be most likely. But down the road, the ability to do what’s best for their city might become attractive to local police departments and city leaders.
It might be worthwhile for city leaders to weigh in now, while the liquor board to taking testimony.
