This national holiday is especially poignant while our country is at war. Soldiers are still fighting in far-flung corners of the world for the liberty that affords us a carefree day in the park, chowing down on barbecue or watching the Indianapolis 500 — what most of us will do this weekend.

It’s OK, veterans can be remembered while you’re having fun, but there are numerous ways to honor soldiers, too.

Display a grand ol’ flag at your home.

Attend the special service and presentation of the colors by local Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The Valley will remember its heroes with these ceremonies:

9 a.m., Preston Cemetery, 8328 308th Ave. S.E., Issaquah

10 a.m., Fall City Cemetery

11 a.m., North Bend Cemetery

Noon, Snoqualmie Valley Veterans Memorial at American Legion Post, downtown Snoqualmie, across the street from City Hall.

Visit a national cemetery where volunteers have decorated gravesites with a U.S. flag. The Tahoma National Cemetery is east of Kent on 158 acres. Noteworthy is the Memorial Walkway with 23 memorials that commemorate soldiers of various wars. A Blue Star Memorial to honor all veterans is north of the Public Information Center.

Use Memorial Day to also honor family members who have died, not just servicemen and women.

Say thanks to a living veteran. Let him or her know his or her service is appreciated.

Volunteer to assist veterans. Go to www.volunteer.va.gov.

Take time to learn a little about the holiday and its Civil War roots, and then share it with a friend.

The deadline to file to run for the state Legislature is this Friday. From there, it’s full speed ahead to raise campaign funds, seek endorsements, doorbell the voters and recruit volunteers to put up yard signs for the next six months.

Snoqualmie and North Bend are part of the large 5th District, with two House and one Senate seat. Of course, there are other state offices up for election next November, everything from governor to insurance commissioner, but the legislative seats are more local-centric.

If you come with a law enforcement background, the position of King County Sheriff is seeking candidates. Or if you like real power, go for the 8th Congressional District seat, representing voters from Issaquah to Wenatchee.

All of these races need volunteers as much as they do candidates. Pick your favorite and lend a hand. It’s a great way to learn about the democratic process.

Prefer a closer-to-home run for City Council, school board or fire commissioner? Start preparing — the 2013 campaign season will be here before you know it, but the filing date is a year away.

But if you’re not quite ready to jump into a council or mayoral seat, maybe test the waters of local politics by volunteering for a commission or board seat.

In North Bend, you could be a member of commissions that deal with economic development, parks or planning, or work with the transportation benefit district board.

In Snoqualmie, you have 10 commissions or boards to choose from, everything from the arts commission to the Meadowbrook Farm preservation board.

Inquire about open seats by calling North Bend’s city clerk at 888-7627 or Snoqualmie’s city clerk at 888-1555.

Everybody knows where the mayor, city councilmembers and planning commissioners live. Those elected and appointed officials will tell you that constituents have no problem calling them, day or night, to voice their opinions or dissatisfaction about something happening in the city. Angry emails and Letters to the Editor are par for the course.

People get involved in politics for a lot of reasons. Sometimes, it’s in their blood — they come from a long line of civic-minded family members. Sometimes, it’s out of pure frustration with current leaders and how they are handling community matters or dealing with the public.

But sometimes a noble cause drives a person to jump into the hotbed of small-town politics. Such is the case with 16-year-old Aubrey McMichael, of North Bend, who was appointed to the city’s Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission on April 17.

McMichael said she loves the city parks and wants to help keep them beautiful.

“I also think it’s important to have a teen’s perspective on the board,” the Mount Si High School sophomore said.

She said as much to the council after it confirmed her for the full-voting-rights youth position, but also said she was looking forward to seeing how government works first hand.

Seeing the process could be a life-changing, positive event for her. She could love it so much that she continues to pursue a political career: earning a political science degree, campaigning for elected positions, developing a platform to sway voters, creating laws that protect human rights, seeking the office of the President of the United States.

Or she could be bored to death by the never-ending meetings, seeing that the wheels of government turn oh-so-very-slowly, or learning that compromise can often be a bitter pill to swallow. We hope, though, that she loves it and wants to continue after her term ends in August.

But that was not the case this past week.

Daily, the story unfolded with details few of us could comprehend in our small, and normally sleepy community.

A house fire morphed into finding two women dead. Peter Keller who lived at the home was missing. Then we learned that his wife and daughter had been shot in the head and the fire was started to cover up the crime. Charges were filed against Keller.

We learned of Keller’s background: a gun enthusiast, computer repairman and survivalist preparing for the “end of the world” who had a problem with authority and spent eight years carving out a fortified bunker on Rattlesnake Ridge.

And when we heard that officers had found the bunker, that Keller was trapped inside and facing a standoff with police, we cringed at how the standoff might end. Would there be a shootout? Would SWAT team members lose their lives?

This type of situation does not happen in our neck of the woods. This is the kind of story we watch on national television about other areas, other people.

In the end, Keller took his own life and we can at least be thankful that this tragic chain of events did not result in any more deaths.

Now that Keller is gone, we are left with a string of unanswered questions —mainly, what drove him to kill his wife of 21 years and his 18-year-old daughter, who was just beginning her adult life?

Sadly, we may never know the answers. But this community must find a way to celebrate Lynnettee and Kaylene’s lives while at the same time finding a way to put this heartbreaking and ugly chapter of Valley history behind us.

We can’t imagine the pain his family, friends, teachers and schoolmates are going through. Prayers are being whispered for everyone in the community as we try to understand his choice.

This is the second school year in a row that Mount Si students have had to face the loss of a friend by suicide, after an 11th-grader killed himself in September 2010.

In 2007, suicide was the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15-24, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

The organization said one in 100,000 children ages 10-14 commits suicide. For adolescents ages 15-19, that number jumps to nearly seven in 100,000.

In Washington, an average of two youths commit suicide each week, according to the Youth Suicide Prevention Program.

And in a recent state survey, more than one in every 10 high school students reported having attempted suicide, and one in four said they had seriously considered it.

No one may ever know the true reason behind a suicide, but there are warning signs to watch for.

Boys are more likely than girls to take their own lives, but if you notice any child showing signs of depression, withdrawing, increasing alcohol or drug use, giving away their possessions or hinting at not being around in the future, take heed. Ask directly whether they have considered suicide. It will not put ideas in children’s heads, experts say.

MSHS Principal John Belcher sent an email to parents, saying, “Most people express relief when they can talk openly about their feelings, since most people who attempt suicide are very afraid.”

If someone admits to having suicidal thoughts, then call the Suicide Hotline for help at 800-273-8255. It’s a toll-free call.

Even without warning signs, now is the time to have an open and frank discussion about suicide with your teens.

Whether or not spring cleaning is on your to-do list, now is a good time to add emptying your medicine cabinet of old or unused prescriptions.

Law enforcement in North Bend and Snoqualmie are hosting one-day pill drop offs on April 28, National Drug Take-back Day.

Last year, law enforcement officials in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington collected 21,500 pounds of unused pharmaceuticals that homeowners didn’t quite know what to do with.

These include everything from antibiotics, pain killers, sleep aids, blood pressure medicines and anything else the doctor prescribed. Many are outdated.

North Bend Police Chief Mark Toner said the service is offered as a public safety measure because prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem in this area.

The majority of overdoses, a leading cause of accidental deaths in Washington, involve prescription opiates.

Toner said having those kinds of drugs in your home that aren’t being used “may be a driver behind some burglaries, when suspects target homes with the knowledge that the occupants are likely to have them.”

Three out of five teens are reporting that prescription pain pills are easy to get from their parents’ medicine cabinets, and that it’s surpassing marijuana as a teen’s drug of choice, he said.

Extra medicine lying around the home may be “shared” with other people that could have adverse effects, or they could be stolen by houseguests or an intruder and used to facilitate illegal drug use, he said.

Pill collections will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North Bend Police Department, 1550 Boalch Ave. N.W., North Bend, and Snoqualmie Police Department, 34825 S.E. Douglas St., Snoqualmie.

Getting rid of medications, rather than hanging on to them for a rainy day, is a no brainer.

People all over the world demonstrate their appreciation for the planet and demand its protection, as well as organize events to clean her up.

Washington is no different.

Opportunities abound this month with special projects to do your part, like the Washington Coast Cleanup 2012, which happens April 21.

According to the Coast Savers website, 8,246 volunteers collected 277 tons of trash from our coastline between 2000-2010.

Figuring an average contribution of five hours per volunteer, that’s a total of 41,230 volunteer-hours contributed. If that’s the route you’d like to go for the 42nd Earth Day, go to www.coastsavers.org/washington.html.

But there are plenty of opportunities right here at home.

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust is organizing several events in Snoqualmie and North Bend that range from removing invasive plants at Snoqualmie Point Park to trail maintenance at Little Si in North Bend. You can sign up at http://mtsgreenway.org.

The Snoqualmie Tribe and the city of Snoqualmie are sponsoring an Earth Day event at Sandy Cove Park in downtown Snoqualmie that includes a free salmon lunch. Contact Lisamari Emery at lisamari@snoqualmienation.com or 888-6551, ext. 2103, for more information.

The city of North Bend is also looking out for Mother Earth by holding its first of several sustainability workshops. Learn more at www.northbendwa.gov.

If taking part in an organized event isn’t your thing, you can still take care of the Earth by collecting garbage when you go for a walk around your neighborhood or a hike in the mountains.

You can reduce your water consumption, recycle and reuse, plant a tree, hold off on using synthetic fertilizers or never be a litter bug.

Come on, go out there and hug a tree.

A North Bend man shot and killed an intruder, a stranger, after the guy broke through his sliding glass door and threatened to kill him and his girlfriend March 30.

We panic because our homes are our sanctuaries, our safe places. It’s where we conduct rather mundane, routine activities. We wake up, race to get ready for work and feed the kids before school. We watch TV, play video games, mow the lawn, host barbecues, relax by the fireplace or Facebook our friends. And then we settle in for a good night’s rest so we can do it all over again the next day.

We don’t expect to wake up at midnight to the sound of shattering glass and a stranger in our home threatening to kill us.

The thought that the suspect could have chosen our house rather than the one on Southeast Orchard Drive is terrifying, and shakes the foundation of feeling safe in a small town.

North Bend Police Chief Mark Toner points out in a press release that this is an unusual situation for the city.

“This was a random event that could not have been predicted,” he said.

And it is the randomness of the event that is so frightening.

But the chief also highlights that the town has not had a murder since 2004. And that is a good point.

According to NeighborhoodScout, which compiles crime rates from FBI data, the chance of a North Bend resident becoming a victim of a violent crime, such as rape, murder or armed robbery, is one in 944, compared to state numbers, which are one in 318.

In Snoqualmie, those chances go down even more — one in 1,524.

So yes, the randomness of the break-in and the shooting is scary. But the truth is, violent episodes in our community are rare.

You don’t need to panic, but you do need to be smart about eliminating opportunities for becoming a victim. And sometimes, sadly, like last Friday, there is nothing you can do to stop it.

State law says all meetings of governing bodies, even informal sessions, should be open and accessible to the public, with only a handful of specific exceptions.

North Bend is claiming that it fell into one of those exceptions on March 20 when it met secretly (no public notice was given) before a public meeting to discuss citizen appeals to being placed in a sewer district.

Duncan Wilson, North Bend’s city administrator, said public notice wasn’t necessary because the councilmembers, city staff and an attorney were discussing a quasi-judicial matter, and not a legislative matter.

Even if North Bend was following the letter of the law, government should always err on the side of the public’s right to know.

Being a city councilmember comes with responsibilities to the public. And yes, sometimes it’s messy, unpopular and uncomfortable.

But councilmembers were elected to represent their constituents. They are answerable and accountable to them.

And that is why they did a grave disservice to the public…and to the 10 property owners who deserved to hear how the council came to make their decision about the appeals.

The back door meeting may have been within state law guidelines, but it was a bad choice for people elected to serve the public.

If nothing else, this meeting certainly circumvents the intent of the Public Open Meetings Act.

That is what happened last weekend, when two mayors put aside their friendly rivalry, and helped an elderly couple who own Mountain Creek Tree Farm in Snoqualmie, which was damaged by a flash flood.

North Bend Mayor Ken Hearing and Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson enjoy ribbing each other. They make jokes about the other town at City Council meetings. If Snoqualmie gives a citizen a key to the city, North Bend will give the citizen a bigger key. And so it goes.

But this weekend they put aside any differences, real or in jest, and picked up rakes and shovels and helped dig out 500 of the 1,000 Christmas trees that had been buried by a flash flood in February.

They were also joined by their family members, several Boy Scout troops and Venture crews, and friends and neighbors who live near the Christmas tree farm.

The nearly 50 people who showed up March 17 could have done any number of fun activities that day. It was Saint Patrick’s Day, after all. But instead, they chose to be knee-deep in creek muck on a drizzly day. Most of the youngsters didn’t even know Bill and Marilyn Kassian, owners of the tree farm. They just knew they wanted to help.

Marilyn, 76, told the SnoValley Star that she enjoyed watching the two mayors joke around with each other.

No doubt, the two of them will be ribbing each other for weeks about who worked harder that day, or who rescued the most trees. But that’s just part of the fun of being mayors in side-by-side cities.

All of us can learn a thing or two by everyone who turned out for the volunteer work party. Any newspaper you read is full of people who need help. A quick phone call or two, a Facebook post or a Twitter tweet, asking to join forces to help a neighbor, business or organization in need is all it takes to get the wheels going on a community project.

Joining forces in a time of need is exactly what being a part of a community means, no matter which side of the fence you stand on.

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.

Statewide, law enforcement agencies and the Snoqualmie and North Bend police department plan to embark on a campaign to nab drunken drivers before, during and after the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

The effort starts March 9 and runs through March 18. The campaign means beefed-up DUI enforcement on King County roads, as local police officers and other law enforcement agencies join the crackdown.

Washington law enforcement officers advise all holiday partygoers to designate a sober driver, call a cab or choose not to drink alcohol.

Officers in King County on routine and extra patrols arrested 310 people for DUI during the St. Patrick’s Day enforcement effort last year.

In addition to North Bend and Snoqualmie police and the Washington State Patrol, officers in nearby Bellevue, Issaquah, Newcastle, Renton and Sammamish will participate in the extra DUI enforcement.

The anti-DUI effort is organized under the aegis of the King County Target Zero Task Force, a regional effort to crack down on unsafe driving practices. Target Zero managers coordinate the extra patrols.

Target Zero’s goal is to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries statewide by 2030.

It seems like an unachievable goal, but certainly a worthy one. Both alcohol and drugs are the cause of numerous traffic accidents, many of which end with someone in the morgue.

We all need to take the challenge of the Target Zero group. Don’t drink and drive, don’t let friends drive drunk — whether it’s a holiday or not.

There will be no presidential primary in Washington this year. Legislators decided to save the $10 million expense. Now it’s up to you to take action, but it will take more than an armchair vote and a stamp. Democrats will caucus April 15.

Four years ago, fewer than 100,000 people participated in state caucuses, but 1.4 million voters cast ballots in the primary. With only the caucus in play, the turnout is expected to double.

Registered voters will have to sign a card declaring that they do consider themselves to be a Republican before being allowed to vote for their choice for Republican Party nominee for U.S. President.

The best part of a caucus meeting is the conversation among the participants. It’s an opportunity to meet like-minded people who are your neighbors, but it is also a time to be open minded as you listen and learn from the discussions about the candidates and platforms. The opportunity is there if you choose to share your passion for one candidate over another.

The outcome of the caucus vote is more of a straw poll than a mandate. It will give delegates to the Republican national convention an indicator of who to support when the vote actually decides who the party nominee will be.

If attending the national caucus is your interest, the precinct caucus gathering could be the beginning of your quest. Delegates to the county convention are elected, and those delegates in turn elect delegates to the state convention and so on.

The caucus is also a good place to find out how to get involved by helping to put up signs, work telephone banks, help with mailings, doorbell or make a monetary donation.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, with the meeting to begin at 10 a.m. Crowds are expected to be large, so arrive early. Call 990-0404 for caucus sites, or go to www.kcgop.org/caucus-locator.

B.J. Libby, the new director of the center, formally introduced herself to the North Bend City Council on Feb. 7, and highlighted some of the upcoming projects she has in mind.

One idea is to have high school students record the histories of some of the senior citizens who frequent the center, either in typed document form or on oral history videos.

Who knows what those students could uncover from those interviews? Perhaps one elder might disclose that his great-grandfather used to share stories about his experiences as a soldier in the American Civil War?

Maybe someone’s mother was the first woman to vote in Washington after the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which provided: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

Perhaps someone at the center participated in the June 1944 Normandy Invasion during World War II, or witnessed the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas.

At this point, the possible histories that can be unearthed are a mystery. But when students hear a firsthand, or even a secondhand account, of a historical event, that event becomes real for them. It’s no longer an abstract idea of something they read in a textbook that happened years and years ago.

That student could also make history come alive years down the road when he or she shares these stories with their own children who are studying for a history test.

Senior citizens have a tremendous amount of knowledge, and history, to share, if only we’d stop and listen to what they have to say.

We’re excited about the project and hope Libby pursues the ambitious endeavor. History would not only come alive for the students, but for everyone in the community who reads or watches the interviews.

You inspire us with your beautiful images of the people who live, work and play in the Valley. And it is obvious that you are lovers of wildlife and your pets.

But it is the Northwest nature photos that really take our breath away.

We didn’t realize the many ways to look at Mount Si — through the seasons, from the river’s edge, reflected in water and with stunning cloud formations.

And the sunrises and sunsets taken from the porches at Snoqualmie Ridge leave no doubt why homebuyers have flocked there. Another photo favorite is Rattlesnake Lake — for swimming, kayaking, hiking or just meditating. The January snowstorm added a fresh batch of winter scenes. Stunning photos all!

Mount Si High School photography students sent many wonderful photos. We hope they learned that a photo is so much more than a memory!

Just as enjoyable are the stories that came with entries.

“Being one of the oldest of 10 children, there is always someone willing to dress up and pose!” Phoebe Johanson wrote about her little sister’s charming photo.

“We had a slow time attracting hummingbirds in North Bend. So we kept the food flowing and our little friends kept coming,” Alan Hendrickson wrote.

Stephanie Koplin’s scenic sums it up well.

“When you want to get away you just load up the dog and drive as far as you can. Life is just a little slower when you take in your surroundings and have no cellphones ringing, no text messages and no TV noise,” she wrote. “Very simple, and that is why I love this picture and the Valley so much.”

Winners are in this week’s Star and on our homepage in a gallery. But with nearly 300 entries, we’ll try to find room for photos in the months ahead.

Congratulations to North Bend and Snoqualmie on doing a great job of building community pride. And congratulations, winners!

For example, there are many city councils and school boards around the state that still think it’s OK to spend a couple of days at a resort for an annual retreat of council members.

Even if participants pay for their own rooms, the costs get higher than need be.

The size of a city or its budget should matter when it comes to setting a good example.

We wholeheartedly believe City Council members need time together for less formal talks to get better acquainted and to set annual goals for themselves and the city administration.

Keeping the retreats local not only makes it more available for interested citizens and city employees to attend and listen, but also keeps city costs to a reasonable level.

North Bend City Clerk Susie Oppedal said the total cost of the City Council retreat held Jan. 27 at Boxley’s restaurant was just $568.86. This included a continental breakfast and lunch for 17. The city didn’t even bring in a facilitator.

We expect the cost for the Snoqualmie City Council retreat was very similar, held at the city’s fire station meeting room Jan. 30-31.

Choosing to keep costs at a minimum is responsible government at its best.

Spending money at local businesses gets another round of applause.

Lesser violent crimes and property crimes would remain confidential.

The bills are bad ones, and should be stopped.

When a juvenile commits a serious crime, nobody involved takes the matter lightly. From the prosecutors to the courts, to the media that reports on crime, everyone weighs the value of punishing an individual against the needs of society.

The policy at SnoValley Star is to report the names of juveniles only when they are charged with a felony. We did not arrive at this policy lightly. We’re glad to say it is infrequent that we come across minors charged with felonies. We do understand the implications when we choose to publish the name of a minor. But we stand by the public’s right to know.

If you were the victim of a string of home burglaries or neighborhood arson fires, you’d want to know who did it. We believe you’d want to know regardless of whether it was an adult or a teen — especially if the suspect lived next door.

It is just as important to ensure that the wrong people are not accused of a crime. Too frequently, the school-based gossip mill implicates an innocent person. Reporting in the media can make clear who is actually the suspected criminal.

Juvenile defense attorneys are asking the Legislature to rewrite the law because the publicity can have a negative impact on the lives of children once they reach adulthood.

Certainly, a person should not have to suffer their entire life for a crime they committed when they were minors. But this proposal (Senate Bill 6292 and House Bill 2542) to restrict access to court records goes too far.

The public needs to understand what is happening in their community and who is doing it.

Restricting access to juvenile court records goes too far toward protecting the individual over the community as a whole.

“Support your local business” takes on new meaning when your city becomes a frozen wasteland for three or four days.

While homeowners were struggling to stay warm without power, business owners were wringing their hands over the lost business. Restaurants and markets were particularly hard hit as food went to waste without proper refrigeration. Employees, too, suffered the loss of wages. It was life interrupted, not a fun week.

This week, we can try to make it a bit better for each other. Tip your waiter or other service provider just a little extra. Be sure any purchases you make are done locally to help businesses recoup the lost revenue.

Don’t forget to say thank you to those who are helping out. Offer a cup of coffee to the utility workers repairing lines or clearing trees. Let them know they are appreciated.

This is the Snoqualmie Valley, where neighbors help neighbors. With the usual thoughtfulness for the other guy, we’ll be just fine.

And thank you, cities

Special thanks to the cities of North Bend and Snoqualmie for quickly setting up storm debris collection sites. North Bend will allow drop off at its public works yard this weekend, and Snoqualmie will collect tree limbs both this weekend and next.

Thanks also to Republic Services (formerly Allied Waste) for its assistance.

There is no doubt that the sooner the fallen debris is cleaned up, the sooner we can put this past week of stress and challenges behind us.

There is nothing wrong with the good people living in Chelan and Kittitas counties, and they even have a few things in common with the Snoqualmie Valley. Both regions share the Cascades and its numerous recreational opportunities. But that’s about it.

Apparently, we will now share a representative for the new 8th Congressional District, per the new boundaries drawn by the redistricting committee.

Many would think that redistricting to balance populations would create compact, geographic districts with similar demographics. No. The committee’s real job is to protect incumbents and the two-party system.

It has been nearly 20 years since the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the restriction of marriage to opposite-sex couples would be presumed unconstitutional. In 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court held that same-sex couples must receive the same benefits as married couples. Subsequent court decisions have held that “civil union” laws would not suffice, calling instead for marriage equality.

Many countries — including all of the Canadian provinces — now allow gay marriage. In the United States, six states and the District of Columbia now accept gay marriages.

In 2009, the Washington Legislature approved a bill granting domestic partners the same rights as married couples, so long as those rights did not conflict with federal law. Voters approved the measure in a referendum later in the year.

The time is right to put the gay marriage law on the table. It will already be at the forefront as a topic of the presidential race. Washington will further the discussion as Gregoire’s bill is debated in the Legislature. While there is no guarantee the bill will pass, we believe it is a natural next step — from equality in benefits to a legitimate view in the eyes of the law.

While many citizens do believe the sanctity of marriage should be limited by law to the union of a man and woman, we also believe the populous has become more accepting of same-sex partnerships. What real difference does it make to anyone outside of the marriage partners whether or not the marriage is legitimized through state law?

We understand that there will be churches that will not accept a same-sex marriage, no matter what the law says. Religion comes with the freedom of belief. Church leaders should be able to choose whether or not to perform a same-sex marriage. That is their right.

Even if the governor’s bill is passed, we expect it will be challenged. It’s healthy discussion that will eventually get us where we want to be — an accepting community that welcomes diversity.

Snoqualmie Hospital District. Too many decisions are being made in the dark with only rubber stamping from commissioners. The district must make its policy-making process open to the public by posting public documents online, giving ample notice of meetings, and posting meeting agendas and minutes in a timely fashion.

Tourism, community events. North Bend has led the charge by adding several events to the Valley, including the Warrior Dash and the cinema festival. Snoqualmie has supported the Cinco de Mayo Half-Marathon. Both cities continue to improve on their marquee events — Railroad Days and the Festival at Mount Si. Both cities should continue these efforts wholeheartedly, and put a worthwhile amount of money into marketing them both in and out of the Valley. These days, tourism is the best bet for much-needed economic development.

Transportation. There is often a clash between residents and tractor-trailers around the former Truck Town area in east North Bend. The City Council must consider planning changes. We know just the person to lead the effort — newly elected Councilman Ryan Kolodejchuk, who made the issue a key part of his campaign.

County infrastructure. King County doesn’t have enough money to repair its roads and has to all but abandon some. The county should put projects out to bid and temporarily ease some of its own regulations that add to the cost of road work.

Snoqualmie Ridge retail. Right now, motorists on Snoqualmie Parkway see nothing distinguishing the core of the Ridge’s retail sector. The proposed art sculpture at the entrance is a good start, but Ridge businesses need more support if they are to survive. The city might offer incentives to attract a bigger destination retailer.

State budget. State employees should share a greater amount of the cost for their health benefits. The divide between salaries for private sector and public sector employees has been greatly reduced, but public employees still enjoy overly generous health insurance plans. The state and our local school district should also embrace the idea of reducing the school year by four days, provided there is no change in the number of education hours.

Marijuana. Put this debate to rest. There are no good arguments for keeping it illegal. Legalization will bring better control and will help the economy. Meanwhile, North Bend should lift its ban on medical marijuana gardens.

School leadership. The Snoqualmie Valley School District must listen to more community voices without fear of presenting a disjointed front. With school cuts looming statewide it is important that new ideas be welcomed. Inventiveness can save not just a few dollars and cents, but jobs and resources.

Get acquainted. One of the great things about the Snoqualmie Valley is its sense of community. Many people already know their neighbors, but there are many newcomers who have not yet gotten involved. Everyone benefits from a friendlier, safer, well cared-for community.

The SnoValley Star strives to serve as a forum for earnest community conversation. We could not do this without participation from you, our readers. We want to thank the people who took a few minutes to write a letter to our editorial page during the past year. Thank you for sharing your passionate voice.

And please keep those letters coming in 2012!

Kim Arellano

Nancy Baker

Herschel Backues

Scott Barnett

Busby family

Philip Cassady

Stacey Chellis

William Combs

David and Lisa

Cook

Jeri Cranney

Joe Crecca

Jim Curtis

Rick Davies

Ron Denaro

Barbi Donovan

Ilse Dujmovic

Heidi Dukich

Dave Eiffert

Art Farash

Josiah Farrell

Nancy Flanagan

Alan Fletcher

Tamara Franklin

Art Galloway

Lanice Gillard

Rick Grant

Cheryl and Steve

Hanson

Bill Hayden

Mark Hennig

Sally Busby Hill

Kim Horn

Sandy Horvath

T.J. Hoving

Sheila Hunter

Stephen Kangas

Steve Kowalsky

Rev. Jan Larson

Matthew R. Larson

Jan Van Liew

Chris Lodahl

Mitch Lucas

Brent Lutz

Tina Maloney

Kit McCormick

Gail A. McCullough

Frank McFadden

Leslie Moon

Mount Si Gay

Straight Alliance

officers

Denis Morrison

Brian Murphy

Dotti Newton-

Denaro

Ron and Chris

Pedee

Liz Piekarczyk

Ruth Posey

Jon Pulsipher

Jim Reitz

Riley, Snoqualmie

Middle School

student

Chris Schotzko

Aimee (Rhynalds)

Sherrill

L. Silver

Carolyn Simpson

Wes Sorstokke

Thomas Som

Mike Thompson

Lorraine Thurston

Andrea Toomey

Lucy Watts

David Willson

Eric Yotz

Charles Zeder

Jenny Zinke

The economy seems to be picking up steam, but things are still tight for many families. In Snoqualmie Valley, most residents still have presents under the tree or near the menorah.

Now is the time to remember those in greater need than you. It doesn’t hurt that it is also the end of the year, a good time to assess your finances and your tax bracket to determine your ability to give.

Valley residents as a whole are among those in a position to share. We have no doubt that most in the area are generous with what they have.

For Valley families making donations, the only real question is which charity to support, which one can make a real difference in the lives of others.

These agencies do good work helping others help themselves. We recommend local tax-deductible donations to:

Fund for the Valley — A fund set up by the SnoValley Star to support local charities. This year’s recipient is the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank. Donate by mailing checks to Fund for the Valley, c/o SnoValley Star, P.O. Box 2516, North Bend, WA 98045.

House of Hope — This privately-funded shelter for homeless women with children transitions families into stable housing situations. Along the way, the women learn the skills they need to succeed. It is run by Mamma’s Hands, a Bellevue-based group. Donate online at www.mammashands.org, or mail donations to Mamma’s Hands, P.O. Box 40464, Bellevue, WA 98015-4464. Make your checks payable to “Mamma’s Hands.”

Hopelink — Food, shelter, homelessness prevention, child development, transportation and adult literacy education. Donate online at www.hope-link.org. Mail checks or drop off food donations to 16225 N.E. 87th St., Suite A-1, P.O. Box 3577, Redmond, WA 98073.

Once the holiday gifts are unwrapped and the winter vacation is over, take a few minutes to count your blessings and consider a year-round gift to community neighbors nearby.

Controlled hunting of the elk is the best option left at this point. This page has consistently stood for conservation but that is not a concern in this case.

Club officials have tried other measures, even having an employee stay on the course during the night to scare away the elk, but these measures have failed.

The club is losing money. Its value is in its golf course, which elk are tearing up. It is not simply an issue of aesthetics, but of a potentially significant economic loss.

The state-run Master Hunter Program will conduct the hunt in a safe and humane way. It will be controlled and careful. The goal is to kill two or three elk in the hope of discouraging others from visiting the golf course.

Snoqualmie Valley’s elk herd is large with more than 400 head. They have found comfortable living close to the Valley’s recent residential developments, where they have plenty of food and few predators. As a result, their population has rapidly grown during the past 10 years. Their numbers do not need to be protected.

Some in the community object to controlled hunting, saying that the elk were here before Snoqualmie Ridge. But the herd was much smaller when the golf course was developed. There was no conflict then.

Human development has helped the Valley’s elks.

But there is a bigger question that remains unresolved: Sprawl. How much should humans be permitted to develop in currently undeveloped areas?

The answer doesn’t matter for the Ridge. It has already been almost entirely built. The answer matters for the next potential development. If we want to avoid shooting elk for trampling a golf course, we must commit to creating more density in already developed areas.

It is time for the candidates — the winners and the losers — to back up their campaign promises with action.

It is easy to be cynical about the disparity in government between what is said in stump speeches and what is done after the election, to assume that it must pervade all levels of government. But happily, local government often offers a refreshing break from the birthright of politicians — hypocritical, self-interested behavior.

The winners of races in the Snoqualmie Valley face daunting challenges. Infrastructure maintenance and economic development are among the chief concerns this year.

Every candidate for City Council in North Bend and Snoqualmie promised voters they would offer sound fiscal leadership while trying to spur economic activity and keeping city roads in working order.

Given the outlook for the local economy — as morose and gray as the region’s late fall weather — it is doubtful that anyone could deliver on all of those goals.

With both cities passing conservative budgets, city leaders must choose their goals wisely. Projects should never be undertaken simply because construction costs are down or a grant is available.

That is like buying something simply because it is on sale. Saving money on a purchase doesn’t matter if you don’t need the item in the first place.

With municipal resources limited, cities must focus their work on what is most important. (And make headway on other priorities as much as possible.)

State lawmakers are trying to close another budget gap — a $1.4 billion shortfall this time. Gov. Christine Gregoire has floated a couple of ideas that would impact education to deal with the budget crisis.

One idea is a half-penny-per-dollar increase to the sales tax, which state legislators and voters must approve to be enacted. The new revenue would be targeted for education.

Another idea to help local school districts deal with looming budget cuts would be for the state to reduce the required number of school days per year. We like the idea, although we acknowledge that it could be a burden for working parents who have to pay for more child care — or would it?

State law currently requires kindergarten students to have no less than 180 half days per year. Students in grades one through 12 must have at least 180 separate school days.

But take a closer look. Another state law requires districts to provide at least 1,000 hours of instruction time for students in grades one through 12 and at least 450 hours for kindergarteners.

Gregoire’s proposal to drop the 180 days per year down to 176 days would not reduce the average total hour requirement.

It shouldn’t be that hard to squeeze 1,000 hours into four fewer days. Let’s do the math. Divide 1,000 hours by 180 days and you average 5.55 hours per day. With 176 days, the average day is 5.68. That’s an increase of eight minutes per day.

The advantage is the savings for the Snoqualmie Valley School District in utilities, transportation, and wear and tear on facilities. There could also be salary savings in some support staff, from the lunchroom cooks to the front office.

Smaller class sizes and quality education are the priority, not the number of days students get on the bus.

In recent years, voters have decided that the Legislature needs a supermajority to raise taxes — essentially taking that option off the table.

If the initiative process is here to stay, one vital change should be made. All ballot language must include the financial impact.

Since 2000, we, the voting people, have decided that teachers need to be paid more, class sizes need to be lower, we don’t want to pay license tab fees of more than $30, we won’t pony up an extra couple of pennies for tax on a candy bar or bottle of water, and the latest, that people who provide care for senior citizens or the disabled should receive more training.

They are, generally, worthy ideas. Who is against lower taxes, smaller class sizes, cheaper candy or more training for Grandma’s caretaker?

Nowhere in any of these initiatives does it mention the cost. With a tax hike off the Legislature’s table, mandating more money for one program means taking it from somewhere else.

The fix for this is simple. Any initiative should state explicitly what the impact is to state or local budgets. These explanations should be both in the text of the initiative and in the voter’s guide.

Material backing up the presented facts must be presented to the Secretary of State for verification before the initiative goes on the ballot. Further, a summary of the financial impact, verified by a budgeting agency, must be included in the voter’s guide summary, both pro and con.

For too long, Washington voters have used the initiative process as a way to dream up and implement nice-sounding ideas completely detached from the reality of paying for them.

If initiators truly believe in their ballot proposal, they should have to do the financial homework and present it to the voters.

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.

Team supporters and boosters deserve recognition as well. Where would high school sports be without parents taking athletes to and from practices and games? Or the community’s fundraising efforts to buy equipment and pay travel expenses school budgets can’t cover?

A team’s success is something the entire community can celebrate. It is, after all, a reflection of that community’s commitment to its youth.

And dedication is so important for student athletes. Without it, Mount Si’s Bailey Scott would not have finished 41st in the state cross-country championship.

It was a great season for Mount Si High School, but ultimately, the success of a school’s athletic program is determined by the character of its student athletes, not the number of banners in the gym.

This year, Veterans Day will be especially meaningful for Snoqualmie Valley residents. The Snoqualmie Valley Veterans Memorial will be dedicated at 11 a.m. Nov. 11, 2011.

The monument honors the Valley’s veterans and pays a special tribute to those young men and women who went to war and did not return. There are more than 70 names on the memorial stone.

Around the stone sit 10 large rocks, one from the Valley’s cities and larger communities. For years to come, the rocks will keep a silent vigil around the memory of the fallen.

The monument has been many years in the making. It is the product of long hours and support from all across the Valley. It is being dedicated because Valley residents have not forgotten their fallen neighbors.

The men and women on the memorial stone gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, but service need not be limited to joining the military.

Everyone can serve their country and their community. The first step is to get involved, make a commitment and follow through.

That is what Rodney Boalch did during World War II. The North Bend native joined the U.S. Navy and was training to be a naval aviator when he died in a training accident.

If people like Boalch can give their lives in service for their country, the rest of us can give an afternoon once a month.

Service shouldn’t be a hair shirt, either. No doubt, Boalch loved the thrill of flying before his fatal accident. So find a way to give back that sparks a passion inside you.

It is based on the assumption that the Legislature has run amok, bending rules on road tolls and taxes.

Voters should hold their elected representatives accountable, and highway tolls shouldn’t be abused by the Legislature. But Tim Eyman’s I-1125 isn’t the way to do either of those things.

I-1125 limits road tolls to funding of a single specific project.

So, if tolling for the new state Route 520 bridge shifts traffic to Interstate 90, causing it to slow to a crawl, drivers will just have to slog through it. There will be no money available for congestion relief on I-90, and tolling I-90 just to return some balance between the two bridges is also out.

I-1125 says tolling rates must be determined by the Legislature, not an appointed commission. We prefer depoliticizing the decision.

It also slips in a little wiggle that stops light rail from expanding across Lake Washington via Interstate 90.Most of all, the Eastside voted to fund light rail from Seattle to Bellevue and beyond. If it is off the table, do we get back our share of taxes already paid?

I-1125 is misleading at best, convoluted for sure. Vote no.