For Doc and Dud, it’s the big race below the rocks where the huge lunker trout lives. All our efforts to catch him have so far gone unrewarded, and he keeps getting bigger each year.

But for me, there’s a little cove downstream from there, shaded by huge cottonwoods and flanked in by car-sized rocks the color of wet cement. I found it during a previous lifetime, I imagine.

At least I can’t remember the first time I discovered this place. It is walled off from the world by the rocks, protected from the sun by the cottonwoods.

There is a blackened part of one overhanging rock where I’ve built a good many small cooking and “friendly” fires over the decades.

I’ve fished from there, swum from there, and … back when the fires of spring were still crackling, shared this special spot with a girl or two. But mostly it has been a private place. Everyone needs one. It’s been a place to come, alone, for special times. When my dog died, back when I was just a youngster, it was a place to shed private tears and remember the times the two of us had there. When the scholarship came, it was a place to come and sit by the small fire at night, a place where the noise of the water flowing by would drown out about 82 percent of my shouts of exaltation.

Years later, when my grandson’s cancer went into remission, it became a very private personal church for giving thanks.

Today, it’s a part of my very being … the home place … what Spanish-speakers would call the querencia … the place of the heart. If someday my ashes could come to rest here, I wouldn’t complain at all, but just smile at the sound of the creek chuckling by.

Need a good book? Check out what’s new at www.slimrandles.com.

I just want to comment on how lucky we are to live in such a tight community. I have lived in several cities and neighborhoods in the Puget Sound region and have never experienced the level of friendliness and support that I have seen here.

Our community has been through its challenges over the past few months as described in last week’s SnoValley Star. I know I was feeling a bit down May 5 when my family arrived at Centennial Field for Mary Miller’s heart photo. When we got there, the group was in a celebratory mood, just happy to be together in such a beautiful place. It really was a magical experience!

Thank you to Mary Miller for reaching out to all of us, drawing us in and giving us the gift of time with each other. How wonderful that we can celebrate our community just by gathering together for a photo! What a great lesson for our kids, to know that when times are tough and painful we can come together and lift our spirits just by being community.

Mary is just one of the many community-minded people whose talent and personality reach out and bring us together around here. I, for one, feel very lucky to live among so many wonderful, warm, caring and helpful people.

To all of you who look beyond your own daily lives and spread joy around when we need it most, during times of tragedy, difficult weather conditions or times of celebration, thank you for making it a joy to live in the Snoqualmie Valley!

Ann Landry

North Bend

Plant sale thanks

The Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Auxiliary appreciates the support from the North Bend, Snoqualmie and surrounding-area residents, the North Bend QFC and the many Valley businesses that displayed our publicity flyers for our annual plant sale, held April 28.

Because of the success of the sale, the auxiliary will be able to fund our fifth $1,000 scholarship for a Mount Si High School graduating senior pursuing studies in the medical field. Congratulations to Deanna Hartfield, the lucky winner of our garden cart.

John McLean, secretary

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Auxiliary

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.

I am dumbfounded by groups in America stating they are suppressed by the government and corporate greed. Gratefulness is being lost to entitlement, compassion to self-absorption. I am asking for us all to take a closer look at what we have here and what suppression looks like outside the comforts of America.

Imagine living in a small town in the mountains where an army comes in and wipes you out. Imagine soldiers taking your house, killing your neighbors, forcing your family into labor, raping your sister. Or maybe your small town is wiped out, everyone who does not run is killed and everything is burned up. You are alone: no family, friends, church, community, and certainly no government to help. That is government suppression.

I’m not sure why, we in America aren’t informed much about these tragedies. Maybe because there’s not enough drama or human lives lost, there is no easy solution or someone has decided it’s not our concern. I have been informed and I can’t ignore it. We have the capacity to create a community for those in Burma whose community has been annihilated.

The Snoqualmie Valley Alliance is financially supporting the Bueng Klueng Hostel in Thailand. The hostel provides shelter, food, clothing, medical care, education, safety and hope to children who have lost their families because they existed in that small town the Burma Army wiped out. Only $18,000 per year is needed to operate the hostel, which can care for 50 children.

Bite of the World is an annual fundraising event showcasing food from around the world, music, and silent and live auctions. This year, 100 percent of all proceeds go directly to the Bueng Klueng Hostel. More information on the Bite of the World and donation opportunities can be found at www.svaonline.org. You can also find more information about Burma from the Free Burma Rangers by visiting their site at www.freeburmarangers.org.

Wendy Eckman

North Bend

Keep playground alive

Sno-Valley Indoor Playground’s annual Safety Fair, held May 4, was a rousing success, if you ask the little folks who lined up to explore a real fire truck and a sheriff’s car! Fifty free bike helmets were distributed to local families, complimentary child car-seat safety checks were provided and there were bags of information and coloring materials for each family.

We’d like to thank the professionals who made it a great experience for the youngest members of our community: Eastside Fire & Rescue, the city of North Bend Police/King County Sheriff’s Office and the “Car Seat Ladies” (Sue Emery and Kathy Kruger).

As the Indoor Playground winds up its season before summer vacation, we are looking for new parents to join our all-volunteer board to keep the nonprofit playground operating. Email us at SVIndoorPlayground@gmail.com if you want to keep this great community organization alive and vibrant.

Jaymie Blatt, president

Sno-Valley Indoor      Playground Board

Too many intruders

On May 5, I was unable to reach my home as I returned from shopping in Issaquah because the Volks March had Reinig Road closed. I wish all these people from the city would just go home and stay out of our Valley.

John Gaines

Snoqualmie

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.

Thank you to the vendors, volunteers and the community for their support and help with the recently held Mount Si Senior Center Fashion Show, Generations of Volunteers.

Creating, planning and implementing any fundraising event are a great deal of work and take the commitment of many people to make it all happen. Everything has to be in place and time-lined so all of the pieces come together.

Without the support of the community and the volunteers, this event would not have happened. We are very fortunate that so many people support the senior center and once again thankful to the Snoqualmie Valley Women in Business who “created the path” for this event last year.

We netted more than $8,500 for this event, and the money will be used to provide more programs and activities for seniors. We are already talking about next year and implementing new ideas. If you would like to serve on the Fashion Show committee, please call the senior center at 888-3434.

BJ Libby, executive director

Mount Si Senior Center

Thanks, SnoValley Star

Thank you for your abundance of information on our 50th wedding anniversary on April 13. Because of your publicity we saw many old friends at our party who would not have known about the event.

Our children — Julie, of Seattle, and Ryan, of Wenatchee — hosted the event for their appreciative parents. Thanks again for your coverage.

Carol and Charles Peterson

Snoqualmie

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.

I have given a lot of thought to the most recent 3-2 vote by the school board regarding the annexation of Snoqualmie Middle School as a freshman campus by 2013. I have received numerous emails and calls from many parents who know of my interest in this topic and who know I attend most meetings. Here is my stock answer: You cannot complain about a decision if you do not become involved.

I also offer everyone a homework assignment. Here it is:

Step one: Research who made the decision to proceed with the plan to annex SMS without a replacement school?

Step two: Find evidence that suggests the plan to proceed without a replacement school was thoroughly researched by any committee or by any committee that was also comprised of SVSD middle school educators.

STEP THREE: Go back and read why the public voted for a third middle school (now known as Twin Falls) and review the district’s rationale behind why we needed that third school.

STEP FOUR: Review the last two bond votes and either agree or disagree with this statement: “The bond votes did support (by a majority of over 50 percent) the public’s approval of the ‘Annexation of SMS with a replacement school.’ The bond language specifically addressed public approval for the funding of a replacement school and the bond did not address public approval of the FLC.”

Once you have completed this assignment, please call me back and advise me if you honestly believe this decision to proceed with the Freshman Learning Center without a confirmed replacement school is the best solution for the education of all of the kids.

Laurie Gibbs

Snoqualmie

Hospital does good work

As a longtime observer, I’ve noticed the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District has always come back stronger than before from each of its so-called setbacks. During the past six years, the district has transformed itself into a 21st century healthcare institution though its early adoption of electronic medical records, its Critical Access designation, regionally acclaimed Swing Bed program, best in class Rehab Department and upgrade of its urgent care unit to a 24/7 ER.

In fact, those in the know universally recognize the district has achieved medical excellence throughout the entire organization. Amazingly, the district has accomplished all this while also brilliantly navigating through extraordinarily difficult economic times to come up with a viable funding plan for a much-needed new hospital. Please consider that all this has been accomplished without once raising taxes.

I believe the core benefit the hospital district provides the Valley is that of community. It fundamentally helps keep Carnation, Fall City, Preston, the city of Snoqualmie and North Bend from becoming homogenized into just another Eastside suburb of King County. As a former employee who now lives in West Seattle, I know first hand about the professionalism and culture of caring that permeates each of the clinics and all of the hospital departments. If you haven’t done so recently, I’d encourage you to give the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District a fresh new look.

Scott Scowcroft

Former employee; SVHF Board Member

West Seattle

I know many of you are aware that the city of Snoqualmie is in the process of annexing the old Weyerhaeuser mill site. The King County Council is scheduled to vote on, and likely to approve, the annexation April 23.

What many of you may not be aware of is this annexation is based on an agreement between the city, county and property owners, called an interlocal agreement.

You can read the agreement on www.yoursnoqualmievalley.org. Annexation through an interlocal agreement has only been done one other time in King County. The typical method of annexation is by voting, whereas the citizens get to decide if they want annexation.

Unfortunately, in this case, the citizens have no say. I find this especially troubling considering the amount of opposition expressed by so many people over the past year.

To better understand why the county is interested in annexation, I recently met with King County Council staff members.  The county believes that, in general, annexation is good for the community and will foster growth.

To be clear, it is not annexation per se that is troubling to so many, but rather the use of the old Weyerhaeuser Mill Site after annexation as a motor sports facility, and the disregard in the interlocal agreement of known environmental contamination and known flooding concerns associated with the property.

What I learned is that King County Council members are unaware of these greater issues and are unaware that the overwhelming majority of Snoqualmie residents are opposed to the development of a motor sports facility in Snoqualmie.

To better inform the King County council, I request that you fill out our survey. This is your chance to make your voice heard. Go to www.yoursnoqualmievalley.org for a link to the survey. We will share the results with the King County Council members prior to their vote.

Warren Rose

Snoqualmie

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.

How does one know when one is getting old?

Well, one sure way is when an ex-student retires!

Not too shabby, retiring Snoqualmie Police Chief Jim Schaffer!

Friday night TV might be less exciting than flagging down a DUI, but now you can kick back with a bowl of popcorn and a beer.

And sleep in without guilt.

Way to go!

Peter Melvoin

Emeritus: Bellevue College

North Bend

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.

There’s no logical reason the freshman learning center is a good idea from a financial, logistical or common sense standpoint.

I believe the school district is wasting taxpayer money. Why would you take a recently solved crowding issue at the middle schools and put it back into place to solve the high school’s crowding problems? This decision will require money to build modular classrooms at a brand new Twin Falls, which will then sit empty and wasted when a planned third middle school is opened in three years. What about the cost to bus kids from the ninth-grade campus to sports at the high school? What about the cost of retraining and or hiring new staff for the ninth-grade campus, staff that might have to be let go if this doesn’t work out? What about all the time (and money, because time is money) to plan this new model? What about the cost to remodel SMS into a ninth-grade campus? It’s clear the three board members and superintendent are oblivious to these costs, or don’t care about wasting taxpayers’ dollars.

Principal John Belcher said in the meeting, “Right now, students go from big-dog-on-campus to invisible. With the freshman center, they would then go from big-dog-on-campus to very-big-dog, and we can’t do that in the current format.” What do you think is going to happen to those ninth-graders when they end up at high school? Being “Big Dog on Campus” should never weigh into a decision about education.

Has anyone asked the kids, parents or district staff members what they think? The transition for ninth-graders is going to be even more difficult after having gone from a shared campus to a campus to themselves back to a shared campus. What about the ninth-graders that do sports? What is life going to be like getting on a bus, driving to the high school to participate in sports with high school students that they don’t have any daily social interaction with?

I hope this ninth-grade campus doesn’t happen, because if it does, I believe it will be a failure.

Bradley Johnson

Snoqualmie

School board made a bad call

The recent school board decision to convert Snoqualmie Middle School to a Freshman Learning Center in 2013 is on my radar. My son is a sixth-grader at SMS, and for him, his friends and incoming students, it means moving schools, learning new systems and making new friends right in the middle of their pre-high school journey.

I’ve been told there’s a lot I don’t know about the facts and we have to do this now. I’ve been told the decision is final and there’s no turning back and essentially that my opinion doesn’t count.

This puts me, and other parents, in an emotional place. We feel angry, confused and helpless; deceived by lack of information; and controlled by less than a handful of people. Three people decided our kids’ fate. That is unsettling at best.

The animosity at the school board level is evident. You hear it in discussions at meetings and see it in voting. But shouldn’t this group of five elected board members join together to make the best decisions for our schools? Is a 3-2 vote a true representation of the opinion of voters? How can we have trust and faith in a divided board?

Perhaps a decision of this caliber should not be made by a select few, but instead, through more careful consideration, truthful presentation of facts and big-picture planning. Is it possible that our school board could come together and reconsider its decision? Further conversation and investigation could lead to a solution not even considered before, one that shows business sense and thoughtfulness.

I challenge our school board to do the right thing. First, present clearly and honestly any additional information that is relevant to Freshman Learning Center planning. Second, answer the questions posed by the public clearly, honestly and without defense and emotion. Third, take another look at how this decision negatively affects many students and teachers, and whether the fallout is worth the predicted improvement for ninth-graders.

Finally, take this opportunity to make a positive impact on the divided district, which is ironically coming together against you.

Lori Riffe

Snoqualmie

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.

Mountain Creek Tree Farm and the Kassian family would like to show their appreciation by thanking all the people that came out to our farm and helped after a flood on Tate Creek Feb. 22 that brought hundreds of tons of sands and gravel in over 1,000 Christmas trees.

Seeing the extent of the damage from the flood, our friend Marie Hearing contacted her brother-in-law John Hearing, scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 945 and told him of our disaster.

In turn, he helped organize with Kim Ferree, executive officer of Venturing Crew and Scout Troop 115 to come to our farm on March 17 to help remove the sand and rocks around the trees.

There were about 50 people in all, which included scouts, venturing crews, the Mayor of North Bend, Ken Hearing, his wife, Marie, the Mayor of Snoqualmie, Matt Larsen, his wife, Jenifer, and some parents of the scouts.

The following scout troops and Venturing crews were in attendance: Venturing Crew 115 and Boy Scout 115 of Snoqualmie, with executive officer Kim Ferree and wife Anita, Boy Scout troop 466 of North Bend, Venturing crew 954 of Covington, with advisor John Hearing, Boy Scout Troop 945 of Covington with scoutmaster John Hearing.

Jenifer Larsen and Anita Ferree prepared the food that we provided for lunch. My sister Sharon Posey baked cookies for them and was on hand to help out where she could.

They were a very hard-working crew with shovels, hoes and rakes cleaning the gravel and sand away from the trees, sometimes two to three feet deep.

They pushed wheelbarrow-loads of dirt into one field where the water had washed away the dirt leaving the roots exposed, and covered them with fresh dirt.

They cleaned between 300 and 500 noble and Turkish firs and may have helped to save the Christmas trees for us.

Again, we want to thank all of you that helped and want you to know how much your hard work was very appreciated by this family.

The Kassian family

Marilyn, Bill, Craig, and Cary

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.

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.

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.

On behalf of the board of commissioners for King County Fire Protection District 10, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the voters of the fire district for supporting and successfully passing Proposition 1: Construct and Remodel Fire Stations and Acquire Firefighting and Life Saving Equipment proposal.

It was a difficult decision for the board to ask our neighbors for their approval of a revenue bond during these tough economic times. But, the need was there.

The most important need was to relocate Station 78 to a more central location in May Valley to improve response times to a larger portion of the service area. In addition, there is a need to strengthen our volunteer stations in Maple Hills, Tiger Mountain and Lake Joy to aid in accomplishing their mission and attract more volunteers.

When the board considered the favorable bond market and construction climate, the need coupled nicely with opportunity.

The board of commissioners appreciates the trust you have demonstrated in approving Proposition 1 and pledges to not squander that trust and to wisely steward these funds to provide you the best value for your emergency service dollar.

Rick Gaines

Fire District 10 commissioner

There is nothing to fear by expanding marriage

I moved to Washington 16 years ago, coming from a state in the “Bible Belt.”

At that time I thought that it would be destructive for children to be adopted and raised in a home with gay parents. That was before I began to open my eyes and heart and learn different views.

I came to know gay couples who were raising children, and doing a beautiful job. And I began considering the children in heterosexual households where they were raised poorly. And the discord involved in homes where marriages fail and end in divorce.

I came to see that it was a ludicrous notion that children would somehow be harmed by living in a gay household. I have come a very long way since. Now, my best friend is gay and a wonderful mother with a partner who adores her child.

I think the law that would allow gay marriage is the right and fair thing to do. And I don’t think that it will in any way diminish the sanctity and sacredness of my own marriage.

Sadly, we humans feel the need to be exclusive. I believe that God’s capacity for love is endless, and that he will welcome all his children at the banquet table. I believe the Bible is a living word and that if we were not capable of growing in our interpretation of it over time, we would not have adapted away from discrimination against women and people of color. And we would be stuck with the notion that marriage is only viable if couples intend to procreate.

Regardless, the proposed law does not interfere with a church’s prerogative to decide about conducting marriage ceremonies. It is strictly a civil matter. Therefore, I think they should have no role in influencing an outcome that only grants civil freedoms.

I hope that others reading this will challenge themselves, like I did, and realize there is nothing to fear.

Kathy Golic

North Bend

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.

I would like the opportunity to respond to an opinion letter submitted by David Willson regarding the use of technology levy money at North Bend Elementary School. As a colleague of Tom Fladland, as well as a classroom teacher myself, I take offense to the sweeping remarks that we abuse the money so generously provided for us by our community; particularly as these remarks were based on the word of a child.

Please be aware that Fladland’s use of iPads in the classroom is a result of a grant he personally wrote — it was not funded by the technology levy as asserted by Willson. Fladland has been a leader within our school community in educating staff and students about technology. He actively involves students with a multitude of technology sources to prepare them for their future.

Further, Snoqualmie Valley School District employees have spent countless hours learning and researching how technology can be used in the modern classroom to help engage a new style of learner. We use these tools to help our children, not keep them busy. Do they have opportunities to use technology for fun? Sure, occasionally. Is that how they spend the majority of their technology time? Absolutely not.

In my classroom, technology abounds thanks to our community support. We use the interactive white board to engage students in math and reading lessons. We use www.raz-kids.com to offer leveled reading to each student on an individual basis. We use www.ixl.com to extend learning and individualize growth in math concepts. And yes, some are lucky enough to offer iPads to students, giving them the opportunity to explore and learn on a device that is their future.

Children learn by doing. Modern children learn by interacting with technology and the world around them. We are using your money and our time to best incorporate these resources to prepare our kids for the future and we take that very seriously. Please rest assured — we are putting your money to excellent use.

An apology is owed to Tom Fladland for publishing unresearched claims and tarnishing the name of an excellent educator.

Christina McCloskey,

second-grade teacher

North Bend Elementary School

Observe classroom before making claims

This is in regard to the Feb. 16 letter from Mr. David Wilson, who expressed concern about the use of technology at school based on his son’s report that “after he finishes finishing some of his worksheets in class, students are allowed to play ‘Angry Birds’ on one of Mr. Fladland’s classroom iPads at North Bend Elementary School.”

I was fortunate to observe Tom Fladland on numerous occasions during the 2005-2006 and 2007-2008 school years. During that time, I was his computer lab “parent helper” and sat in on numerous classes. It’s my opinion his use of school district technology at the time was effective, creative and appropriate.

It included developing his own weekly status report system that alerted parents early on of potential problems, videotaping all stand-up student presentations and teaching all students basic-to-intermediate skills in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Internet Explorer and how to effectively use search engines.

I’ll admit he did use a few what I initially thought to be unusual techniques to teach, motivate and reward students (elementary school is a lot different now than when I attended). In fact, on occasion he allowed kids to play computer games for a few minutes. But after talking with him I discovered there was always an underlying “method to his madness.” It didn’t take long for him to earn my complete trust. In fact I was so impressed with Fladland’s methods and the results achieved by my daughter that I specifically requested my younger son be assigned to his class.

If your schedule permits, sit in on Fladland’s classroom at least once. If you do, I believe you’ll come to the same conclusion I did: He simply loves kids and teaching, and is a master at educating, motivating, inspiring and yes, sometimes entertaining a roomful of fourth-graders five days a week from September until June, year after year. It’s a tough job. He does it exceptionally well.

Danny Raphael

North Bend

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.

He got the friendly smile from Mavis, but she forgot the coffee until the second time she asked him what he wanted.

It was embarrassing for her, but Jim just smiled.

He left her a $5 tip for the 85-cent coffee, too. More and more of the old-time truckers do that these days. The first thing they do is ask which tables Mavis is waiting on, and they are sure to sit there and leave a big tip.

Mavis has raised her three kids alone now for several years, and things haven’t always been easy for her, but she always has something nice to say to everyone. She’s not as quick as she was years ago. Sometimes, a guy has to sit there and jaw with his pals for a while before he gets his order, but that’s OK.

She sometimes forgets to hold the onions on a burger, too, but no one complains. It’s not hard to take the onions off a burger and set them to one side if you don’t want them. Sometimes, she forgets when someone wants decaf instead of regular, too. I’ve seen one of the other girls quietly wait until Mavis was in the kitchen and then go take care of it.

It’s no crime to be a little forgetful when you have more important things on your mind. Mavis wears a scarf on her head these days, but that’s just temporary, too. Her hair will grow back after she’s finished with the treatments.

Brought to you by Slim’s books at www.slimrandles.com, where most of the favorable book reviews weren’t written by close relatives of the author.

Larson (see letter to the editor Feb. 2)? Oh, that’s right, we relied on our stellar Snoqualmie Public Works staff to keep our roads and drains clear.

We relied on our Snoqualmie Emergency Communications Support Team to voluntarily staff the Emergency Operations Center and give the public a human voice to talk to when they called in with their questions and concerns.

We relied on neighbors checking up on neighbors for health and safety.

We relied on the city assisting us by giving us a method of disposing of the many branches that littered our yards.

Yes, the YMCA and Snoqualmie Community Center was a piece of the puzzle that is the bigger picture, and I thank them for doing what they were designed to do (community shelter was built into the building and, as this is a new building, should not have been a burden for those operating in it), but I also give a big shout out to another fine example of how this is a community that works together — not a building.

Karen Ann Wilder
Snoqualmie

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!

A huge thank you to everyone who braved the snow and cold to attend the Mount Si High School Jazz Band fundraiser at Boxley’s on Jan. 17.

We were able to raise more than $2,000 to help these kids represent Mount Si and the Snoqualmie Valley at the Savannah Music Festival’s Swing Central High School Jazz Band Competition & Workshop in Savannah, Ga., in late March. Earlier in the day, these young musicians spent three hours rehearsing with and learning from Wycliffe Gordon, jazz trombonist and current faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music in New York.

Gordon was sent from Swing Central to do a clinic in advance of the festival. He was a brave soul himself, driving from Battleground to us during Snowpacolypse 2012! A big thank you to him for his gift of time and talent. In addition, and as always, Boxley’s Danny Kolke (and his family) opened their doors not only for the morning session (since the schools were closed) but also for a warm place for good food, good music and fundraising. We are so lucky to have Boxley’s and all that they do as part of our community.

Thanks again to all who supported these kids. This is an expensive trip (roughly $1,000 per person).

If you were unable to make it but would like to support us, you can still make a tax-deductible donation either online via PayPal at www.jazz-attheclub.com (click the “Donate” button on the left menu) or by sending a check payable to MSHS Band Boosters, P.O. Box 92, North Bend, WA 98045. Please put “Swing Central” in the memo line. We have less than a month left to raise funds.

Jane-Ellen A. Seymour

MSHS Band Boosters Board

What a place

It was midnight Jan. 13 when the truck I was driving from Eastern Oregon to Puyallup lost power. I knew I was in trouble and decided to take the next and last exit to North Bend before it completely shut down.

Traveling with a 2-year-old and 5-week-old to visit my folks, this panicking mom called her husband, who she left behind several hours and miles ago. He informed her the alternator was failing and she had better find a hotel fast. Just then the truck died on Main Street near the railroad tracks. Fortunately for me, after Googling lodging on my smart phone I was .1 miles from the North Bend Motel.

The kind gentleman answering the phone told me there was a vacancy and he drove his car to meet me, chauffeuring two crying children and a desperate mom to his motel. He even unlocked the door and turned the heat on for my arrival. A little later I received a phone call from Deputy Tim Langan asking my room information (my husband called police notifying them of the disabled vehicle’s location).

Langan said he would make sure the truck was secured and in a safe place, but to my surprise and overwhelming gratitude, he unloaded my entire truck — suitcases, food, port-a-crib, coats, kid toys, etc. — reloaded them into his patrol car and brought them to me. He said he wasn’t sure what I would need and he wanted my things to be safe. Talk about above and beyond!

The next morning my truck was towed to Ron’s Auto Service, where they thoroughly charged my batteries after replacing the alternator and drove the truck to my location (all before check out time). The town and people of North Bend are amazing. An unpleasant situation was completely turned around because of the kind, caring people I met who went out of their way. Thank you to everyone who assisted me. To anyone who breaks down in the middle of the night on a road trip — make sure it’s near this town!

Leanna May

La Grande, Ore.