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.

A hearty “thank you” to the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA for its generous hospitality in assisting with emergency shelter at the Snoqualmie Community Center during the recent storm and power outage. Our partners at the YMCA welcomed more than 150 people for “day-warming” over the course of the storm and 10 families overnight.

This outage affected our entire community, local businesses and residents of all ages. We have learned in years past that snow, ice, wind and power outages can be a serious disruption to routine life and to our citizens’ well-being and sense of security.

With this in mind, the Snoqualmie Community Center includes capability to be used as a temporary day-warming center and overnight shelter as needed, including installation of an emergency power generator and kitchen facilities.

YMCA staff opened their doors to all residents of the Snoqualmie Valley, not just to YMCA members.

All were welcome to use the facility to get warm, take showers, charge cellphones, have their kids play, and assess their situations in a calm and helpful environment. This allowed them to be close to their homes to monitor their property, check on pets, and get clothing and supplies as needed. People were able to have shelter without leaving town, thus avoiding treacherous roads.

The selfless actions of the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA staff during this event were further confirmation that the YMCA of Greater Seattle is focused on assisting our community in spirit, mind and body.

Mayor Matt Larson

City of Snoqualmie

Nursing home residents are thankful for giving, support over holidays

The Mount Si Transitional Health Center would like to thank the people of the Snoqualmie Valley for all of their wonderful gifts, volunteer efforts and support graciously provided over the holidays.

A special thanks to the Snoqualmie Valley Kiwanis Club that coordinated the giving trees, collected all of the gifts and helped make sure everyone had something to unwrap. Thanks to all of the locations throughout the Valley that hosted the giving trees.

And to the churches, organizations, individuals and families that caroled, volunteered their time and donated gifts. We would also like to thank Gary Weisser, who visits us yearly as Santa, and Snoqualmie Elementary School, which helped brighten our doors with festive posters.

Many things happen to make the holidays a special time at the nursing home. The residents and staff are thankful for being part of such a giving and supportive community. Thank you from all of us at the Mount Si Transitional Health Center.

Carrie Jensen, activity director

Mount Si Transitional Health,

North Bend

We need a new utility around here. Where else in the country do 300,000 customers regularly lose power and heat during a typical weather event? Here, it happens every few years and is considered business as usual by Puget Sound Energy.

We need a utility that performs regular, routine and preventative tree maintenance, to trim and cull potentially harmful branches and limbs to avoid catastrophe. PSE rakes in its profits, waits for a catastrophe, herds in a few extra workers, and expects to be seen as a hero when power and heat finally return to its beleaguered customers.

No doubt PSE will whine to the Legislature for a rate hike due to its “extraordinary” efforts during the storm, and also, ironically, to pay for the ensuing lack of gas and electricity usage by its customers during this time.

Our local co-op, Tanner Electric, as usual, worked most efficiently and admirably. We can always count on it. When we phoned in for updates, we spoke to a human being. PSE could learn a great deal from Tanner’s model.

Kathy Swoyer

North Bend

If the Snoqualmie Valley wants to be on the cutting edge of elk management practices, then why not consider the alternative “herd control” methods tried by our neighboring areas?

The Toutle River Valley successfully relocated 50 elk to the Nooksack Valley. Toutle officials there coordinated with two helicopters and volunteers on the ground to herd the animals into a corral and then transport them to other areas.

The city of Sequim recently received a state grant to fit their elk with GPS collars with “virtual fence” capability. When alerted, volunteers will be called on to drive the offending elk away from designated areas. Sequim is also seeking funds from the state Legislature to purchase high fences that will protect sensitive areas.

If relocation of some of our Valley elk isn’t feasible, why not consider the proven immuncontraception vaccination, which uses PZP proteins to surround and block sperm from reaching the unfertilized egg? According to the Humane Society of the U.S., this contraceptive was developed more than three decades ago and can be administered by hand or in a dart, and it lasts two or more years.

Also, time-released pellets can be given to stimulate annual boosters. This vaccine has reportedly been used to successfully reduce the deer populations on Fire Island, N.Y., wild horse populations in the West and wild elk in Point Reyes, Calif.

Recognizing that elk are a real problem in our Valley, I believe that we must learn how to co-habitat with these magnificent animals — not kill them. If you agree that we need a better plan, contact your local officials and conservation groups about setting up a relocation or immunization program.

Patricia Yolton

Snoqualmie

Thank you, everyone

As members of the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank board of directors, we are grateful to the community for your contributions in 2011.

Whether your contribution was as a volunteer, financial gift or food donation, it went a long way to serve our community.

Whether it was a small contribution or a large one, it is appreciated very much.

Thank you.

As a ministry of the Snoqualmie Valley Ministerial Association, the food bank not only is grateful to our community for the generous donations, but we are thankful to God for his great provision.

We look forward to the opportunity of serving our community in 2012. Again, thank you very much.

Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank board of directors

Great tool to use to teach students bus evacuations!

Suzanne

Re: Memory of police officer’s killing still lingers in Snoqualmie Valley after more than 60 years

I am Leah Fitzgerald’s great-niece and I would like to thank you for the article in your paper. My aunt is 95 years old and one heck of a lady.

We have been going through her old photos and have so many old photos. This story just happened along at the right time.

I just want to say thank you so much. Born and raised in the Snoqualmie Valley, it is nice to see family recognized in its history!

Sincerely,

Christy Charbonneau-Wright

Re: Last Valley stop for a ‘Wonderful’ ride

Of course I loved this article. My daughter got to share her grief with Zuzu. We always watched this movie every Christmas and love it to this day.

Thank you, Zuzu, for giving love to my daughter. Her brother was her best friend.

 Love, Pat Hanner (Matt’s mom)

In an effort to encourage local support for local charities, the SnoValley Star created Fund for the Valley, which began last month.

The annual drive strives to address hunger and emergency financial aid for Snoqualmie Valley families doing their best to get ahead. This year’s recipient is the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank.

“The mission of the SnoValley Star is to make a difference in the lives of its readers,” Publisher Debbie Berto said. “Fund for the Valley will make it easy for those who want to join us in making a difference.

“Only 501(c)(3) charities will receive the money, making contributions tax-deductible.”

Many Valley residents contributed to the fund, and we thank you for your support. The fund collected $3,695. It is indicative of the generosity of the Valley.

Thank you to the fund’s contributors:

Deborah Gardner

Marie Williams

C.J. Kusiak

Rebecca Inzerella and Michael

Heidy

Anonymous

Ron Shoff

Hansen Therapeutic Services Inc.

Jane and Edwin Benson

Anonymous

Marc and Rosalie Aikin

Wendy and Keith Hennig

Elsie Graves

Mary and John Knepper

Michelle and Jerome La Rocca

Willie, Peggy and Austin

Wiseman

Paula and Dave Wright

There is still time to contribute to Fund for the Valley. Donate by mailing checks to Fund for the Valley, c/o SnoValley Star, P.O. Box 2516, North Bend, WA 98045.

Web comments

 Re: Redistricting splits Snoqualmie Valley between two

congressional districts

Splitting the Snoqualmie Valley into two legislative districts makes no sense to me either, and neither does including Chelan County in a King/Pierce county district.

We in the Wenatchee area do not share the same landscape, climate or economy as the Snoqualmie Valley, and we sure as hell don’t want to be represented by a Republican from Auburn, either.

The Cascade Curtain exists. Respect it.

Alan Moen

With the demand for toys increasing since 2009, the kindness and generosity of the people in the Snoqualmie Valley has shown brightly this holiday season. The Snoqualmie Valley Toy Drive doubled the toys received from the past two years combined! Hundreds of terrific new toys were collected including four brand new bicycles to benefit the Kiwanis Giving Tree.

A special thanks goes out to Deputy Amy Jarboe for all her hard work in expanding the toy drive to the King County Sheriff’s Office in North Bend and hosting a special visit from Santa Claus.

We appreciate the Sheriff’s Office allowing her to use their facilities to collect so many toys.

Thanks to everyone who contributed wonderful gifts this year. While you couldn’t see the smiles on their faces, you can be certain that you made a little girl or boy happy this Christmas and helped a family in need.

Thank you so much and have a wonderful holiday!

David and Lisa Cook

North Bend

How is killing humane?

The editorial of your last issue (Dec. 15) proclaimed “Hunting elk is a humane solution.” One might wonder just what exactly is humane about killing unsuspecting wildlife. Perhaps gunning them down is more humane than poisoning, strangling, or starvation, but I would think even more humane solutions might include tranquilizing or trapping and relocating.

Alert TPC golf officials declared fence-building impossible when they realized a fence would need gates. But, thankfully, the executions will be left to the elite “Master Hunters” who can shoot straight and have done 20 hours of work to benefit wildlife. These elk must be exterminated, else golf as we know it will reach extinction.

Rev. Jan Larson

North Bend

Hold up the hotel

This is a call for action. Rush hour is coming to North Bend. Sound the alarm for Forester Woods, Uplands, Harmon Heights, Southfork Road.

Let’s boycott that hotel application until we get another access road to the other side of I-90 between Snoqualmie Casino and North Bend. Write to your Congressman.

Stop the project until we can get across the freeway. We already get pinned in because water at Forest Woods floods our sole access road.

One year we had to cut the fence to get out.

Save our children from starving, dying from lack of medical care, getting lackey jobs because of lack of education, due to the lack of transportation.

Flood the hearings with vitriol. Throw it in the face of the developers and the greedy city. Unite ‘Other Side of I-90.’

Sheila Hunter

North Bend

What in the world is the district thinking? The Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, once again, has sign a long-term multimillion-dollar contract. For what? Why a new hospital, of course. All our problems will be solved if we just have a new hospital. Wow! What an easy fix.

I guess I don’t understand. I’ve heard that the hospital is operating in the black. Sounds like the old hospital is perfectly adequate for the services rendered. Other than stiffing the residents for millions of dollars, and guaranteeing the long-term employment of the administrative staff, what is the point?

If the present hospital is operating in the black, sounds like the major problem has always been marketing. Well, the commissioners didn’t ask for the public’s input. Indeed, the contract with the builder has been signed (at 7:30 in the morning last week), so once again, it’s too late.

Guess we’ll have to wait a few years for this hospital to fail, and then the district will ask for more taxes and they’ll be turned down, again.

What a merry-go-round.

Herschel Backues

North Bend

To all of the readers who saw the article in the July 14 Snovalley Star, the walking miracle, Misty Si, the 14-year-old black Lab found after 54 days, is doing great.

Misty Si now weighs 65 pounds, eats regular meals, wags her tail and wants to go on walks with us. In this season of thanks, hope, faith and miracles, she represents the best in all of you. Allan Landdeck found Misty on July 4, and she was near death after walking around lost for 54 days. Allan picked her up and carried her down to a house in North Bend.

A wonderful woman named Jackie cleaned her face and called our home to tell us Misty had been found.

We owe so many people a big thank you for all they did to get Misty healthy. Dr. Winnie Peng, with the Alpine Animal Hospital, gave Misty the first emergency care July 4. Dr. Terry Weronko, with the Snoqualmie Valley Animal Hospital, slowly nursed Misty back to her normal self — day after day with special care.

Jackie still comes to see Misty and brings her special treats. Terry Busby, Diane Pobal and Kim Howard still dog sit Misty when needed.

This Valley is known for many things, but for all of you who looked for Misty, put up signs to help find her and called us to ask about her, thank you — you are the miracles — and this Valley is lucky to have so many good people living here.

I am a Valley girl, with a Valley dog, and I am proud to live here.

Cheryl and Steve Hanson

Snoqualmie

Our thanks are extended to the community for their attendance and for many wonderful event partners and volunteers. Many “invisible hands” were also there to help.

All of the people who helped were part of an event that entertained close to 500 audience members, raised more than $2,000 for the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank and started us on the way to a new annual Snoqualmie Valley event. Each one of them made it happen and they are to be congratulated for a job well done.

Mark Hennig

Mark’s Pet Pals, owner

As the executive director of the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Foundation, and speaking on behalf of the foundation board, we are honored to offer an enthusiastic endorsement of Karyn Denton for hospital commissioner!

Karyn has earned trust and respect of the employees of the district, citizens of the community, as well as the foundation with her professionalism, poise and wise counsel.

The employees, volunteers and citizens of this district deserve a representative that is engaged in positive discussion and direction from the healthcare leadership in our Valley.

Kim Arellano, executive director

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Foundation

 Recent mailings and editorial letters disparaging Snoqualmie Valley Hospital compels me to respond to the small-minded opinions of Gene Pollard and his election support.

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital is in no way a nursing home! In 2008, I spent five weeks as an inpatient after a life-threatening car accident.

The treatment and physical rehabilitation I received was extremely high quality. It consisted not only of clinical competence, but of genuine care and concern over my well-being and recovery.

Each and every individual with whom I interacted, whether physician or nursing staff, right down to facilities staff, made me feel the patients are the reason they serve at our local hospital.

Without Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, I would have required a long stay in Harborview, which would have been extremely inconvenient for my family, much less personal and resulted in much greater expense.

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital welcomed me on discharge from Harborview, where the trauma surgeons saved my life. I am able to attribute my 100 percent recovery to Snoqualmie Valley Hospital and its excellent team, which includes physicians, nursing staff, physical therapists, occupational therapists, etc.

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital is a vital part of our ever-expanding Snoqualmie/North Bend/Fall City community providing needed healthcare close to home and convenience to numerous Valley residents and their families.

Mr. Pollard conveniently ignores the fact that the hospital is financially healthy and a growing organization that cares deeply about the patients and families it serves.

Apparently, Mr. Pollard is only concerned with hospital finance and not patients, quality patient healthcare or the future needs of our community.

Please join me in voting for Karyn Denton in the upcoming hospital commissioner election.

Barbi Donovan

Snoqualmie

Time to upgrade our school board

In response to certain claims made by Ms. Stedman in her recent letter, it has become clear to our residents that the incumbent school board directors are not representing either all communities across the district, or even their own resident communities.

If our incumbent directors were effective in serving all of our communities at-large, then they would be laser-focused on addressing the most important concerns of our students, parents, teachers and taxpayers districtwide.

This includes halting the increasing class sizes since they’ve been in office; lowering our student drop-out rates (highest of any Eastside district); increasing our on-time graduation rates (lowest of any Eastside district); solving the wide-spread assaults that take place in our schools and buses; increasing the number of students taking the SAT/ACT tests (among the lowest on the Eastside); and joining other school boards who are pressuring the state to restore funding.

They would not be appearing to have private meetings out of the public eye in violation of state law, dismissing student safety incidents, placing bond proposals on the ballot that are so whacky that when defeated they diminish prospects of future bonds passing when we really need new schools built, and residents would not be required to file a Freedom of Information Act to obtain information from them.

The incumbents are not representing their own local area residents, either, as they gerrymandered the school director boundaries to protect their incumbent seats, deny Snoqualmie resident director representation and break up North Bend’s communities of mutual interests.

Yes, it’s time for an upgrade of our school board. We need directors who have time to invest in the role, unburdened by full-time jobs. Directors who are willing to make operations much more transparent, communicate more effectively with us, who can develop a strategic plan whose priorities drive our budget and are focused on stakeholders.

We parents, teachers and taxpayers have an opportunity to add the clarity, candor and competence that Geoff Doy, Peggy Johnson and Carolyn Simpson will bring to the board, so please look at their websites and speak with each of them.

Stephen Kangas

North Bend

Snoqualmie needs representation on the school board

I have heard so many people from North Bend and Fall City say the Snoqualmie Valley School District School Board members represent all of the children in the Valley. I’ve also been told “We don’t need anyone from Snoqualmie on the school board.”

Are your children going to four different elementary schools? The kids in Snoqualmie are. Do you have a middle school? (One that is getting state wide awards to boot.) Snoqualmie’s middle school is being dissolved and we will not have one. The kids in Snoqualmie will be bused to Fall City or North Bend.

Snoqualmie is the fastest growing city in the state of Washington per the 2010 census. Carolyn Simpson has lived here during that growth. She’s had two kids that have graduated from this district and are now at the University of Washington. She knows firsthand what our districts needs are. And she’s willing to fix what’s broken.

I read Mr. Popp’s quote, “I believe the city of Snoqualmie leadership is putting property developers first. They need to put children first.” This couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Snoqualmie City Council is currently working with the school board. And I can assure you, Snoqualmie is a family-oriented city that puts the needs of our children first.

The current SVSD school board members reside in Fall City, Redmond and North Bend (three from North Bend). Carolyn Simpson will help balance our school board, which will be a benefit to our district and our children.

If you’d like to see some balance on the school board, vote for Carolyn Simpson. I’ve known her for years and have personally worked with her on many projects here in the Valley. She’s done amazing things for our SVSD students’ growth, development and academics. She is the only person from Snoqualmie that is running and will definitely work for the best interest of all of the kids in the Valley.

We have an opportunity to have an A+ school board. I am voting for Simpson and Geoff Doy. And trust me — I have done my homework.

Lanice Gillard

Snoqualmie

As a long time resident of the Valley, I have watched the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital deal with the challenges faced by many small hospitals. Few successes, many failures.

We need a change in the public persona and oversight on the board of commissioners. Gene Pollard will give us that change.

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital has a checkered past, to be sure. Going broke and closing the doors on three different occasions. Silly, absurd mistakes has cost and lost millions of our tax dollars.

Opening and closing various medical clinics, attempting to compete with the likes of Overlake, Evergreen and now Swedish was, and is, a fool’s errand.

Where is the common sense? Where is Gene Pollard when we need him? It’s my opinion that if Gene was aboard, this hospital would be more than a nursing home and a couple of medical clinics, as it is now.

There is a serious question as to whether we need this hospital. They are simply hanging on, waiting for a miracle, going further and further in debt. Surviving on our considerable tax dollars. I, for one, would never consider being a patient at SVH with Swedish and Overlake nearby. Swedish and Overlake don’t take my tax dollars.

If Gene was a commissioner, I doubt we would be stuck for a piece of property that the county wouldn’t allow development on. The contract to buy this property was well written.

The hospital couldn’t break it and cost us (the Valley taxpayer) $7 million. I’ve sat in the SVH public meetings. The commissioners refuse to enter into dialog with the public.

If you continue to ask questions, you are considered disruptive. I’ve personally asked for special meetings, question/answer format. I’ve been denied at every turn.

It is past time for the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital to be open, transparent and receptive of public concerns.

It’s time for new perspectives and oversight.

It’s time for Gene Pollard for hospital commissioner!

Herschel Backues

North Bend

School board candidates forum

You have to be kidding me! Cathy Renner says that they declined to have questions from the crowd at the Oct. 13 forum for the school board candidates. This was because, as she states, “it wanted candidates to give good, elaborate answers.” Wow. Remind me to say that to my boss the next time he asks me difficult business/budget questions … I’ll just tell him that you can’t ask me those questions because all my answers must be rehearsed ahead of time.

Then she went on to say that “we weren’t really interested in immediate response.” What? Why did you even have a forum for the public if you did not care about an “immediate response?” That’s exactly what’s wrong with this school board … just beg for more school bond money constantly and let people ask questions later. I don’t work that way.

Candidates for District 2, 3 and 5, I’m not voting for any of you now because Cathy Renner says she’s “really not interested in immediate response.” If it’s all about transparency, Cathy, you are off to a very bad start. How’s that for an immediate response?

Brian Murphy

North Bend

In a recent school board questionnaire, Carolyn Simpson, a candidate running for school board position 3, responded to the question, “What role, if any, do you think the school board has in the Day of Silence?” Mrs. Simpson does not “support designating any school day for any one special cause” and instead wants to establish one day in the fall called the “Day of Respect.” She also stated that the Day of Silence interferes with academics.

The Mount Si Gay Straight Alliance, the student club which runs the Day of Silence, is encouraging both Carolyn Simpson and Valley voters to consider the following:

-As all other candidates indicated, the Day of Silence is legally protected under the first amendment. Mount Si’s own alliance has had support from the ACLU and Equal Rights Washington when the event was threatened in the past.

-The Day of Silence is a nationwide event with hundreds and thousands of participants, organized by students to help raise awareness of the prejudice, harassment and discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning LGBTQ students regularly face in their schools and communities.

-The reason LGBTQ students need a day free of harassment and bullying is because they are the most at-risk group for abuse and suicide. At Mount Si specifically, 79 percent of students do not think that the student body is respectful of people’s sexual orientations.

Simpson’s suggestion of A Day of Respect, although convenient, would only sweep important, hard-to-discuss issues under the rug, diluting the importance of this cause and perpetuating the problem the students and staff of Mount Si have been working so hard to address. Furthermore, the belief that the Day of Silence somehow interferes with academics is simply not true. The day occurs without interruption or interference; classes occur just like any other day.

With this in mind, we would like Simpson to reconsider her position and we ask voters to cast an educated vote. Also, we invite Simpson and any other community member to email the alliance at mshsgaystraight@gmail.com if they have any questions.

Mount Si Gay Straight Alliance officers

On behalf of the alliance

The Snoqualmie Education Association has interviewed all school board candidates, attended the PTA candidate forum and interviewed individuals that have worked with all candidates. We enthusiastically endorse Craig Husa, Dan Popp and Caroline Loudenback.

Teachers support Popp as a school board member because he represents our community as a whole. Dan wants our students to be prepared for the future. He has demonstrated a strong ability to collaborate with district administrators, teachers, students and community members.

Husa has earned district teacher support as a school board candidate because he sees the big picture and listens to the views of all community members. Craig continues to demonstrate a team player attitude and depth of compassion.

In her position on the school board, Loudenback has proven to be an effective listener and is thoughtfully able to look at all sides of an issue. Caroline bases her decisions on what is best for all students. She has proven her commitment to the district by working collaboratively with teachers towards a continuous improvement plan in teaching and learning.

What these three candidates bring to the school board is a positive view of the work we have accomplished to better improve teaching and learning along with the commitment for continued improvements. Their challengers are focusing on what is “wrong” with our school district and have offered uninformed easy answers to very complex challenges, such as continued funding cuts from the state and unfunded mandates. There are no easy answers!

I have been a teacher in the Snoqualmie Valley for 32 years, I have encountered many school board members during this time and the present school board clearly are the most professional during my career. All three have proven track records of effective leadership as school board members.

We have much to be proud of with recent school achievement awards, greatly expanded Advanced Placement classes, high school classes with college credit, technology innovation, high number of national board certified teachers and very successful co-curricular activities. We need to celebrate these successes while collaborating on our continuing work to improve teaching and learning.

Art Galloway, president

Snoqualmie Education Association

The third annual Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation Phonathon was held at Twin Falls Middle School on Sept. 12 and 13.

Thank you to everyone who donated via phone on those evenings and to those of you who have mailed us your checks or donated on our website, www.svsfoundation.org. Your support encourages and motivates us as the foundation continues its mission to assure opportunities and encourage excellence.

We wish to acknowledge and thank the following, whose contributions helped ensure the success of this year’s event: Pia Larson, for poster design; Jeff Hogan and crew, who set up the phone bank; Twin Fall Middle School, for the use of their phones and library for two days; Elaine Marie Kugen, for signing letters and encouraging her DECA students to participate; Sahara Pizza in Snoqualmie, for providing delicious pizza, salad and pop for all of the volunteers both nights and for donating gift certificates to each student volunteer; Huxdotter Coffee, for providing a free drink coupon to each student volunteer; MyCakes, for providing gift certificates for every student volunteer; Scott’s Dairy Freeze, for providing a free ice cream cone coupon to each student volunteer; the Law Office of Jonathan Pearlstein, for water and snacks during the two nights; and Rhodies BBQ, for the paper cups.

Of course, we couldn’t have done it without the help of 70-plus student volunteers, who made the calls, overcoming their fears and discomfort, resolved to make a difference and continued to “smile and dial.” A special thanks to the Mount Si Cheerleaders, the DECA Club and Ms. Kugen, Mount Si Associated Student Body, the Key Club and Amnesty International.

It’s not too late to add your support for our continuing programs. Please visit www.svsfoundation.org and click on the donate button to make your tax-free contribution today! With your help we can help every student, in every classroom, in every school.

Lorraine Thurston

Even though Snoqualmie is outside of the Si View Metropolitan Park District’s boundaries, I appreciate the services offered by our sister park agency. I sincerely hope that it does not become the next casualty of this economic recession.

In addition to providing recreational programming in partnership with the city of Snoqualmie, the Snoqualmie Valley Metropolitan Park District operates our only swimming pool in the Snoqualmie Valley and offers a wide array of activities for people of all ages and abilities.

Unfortunately, the economic decline and associated drop in property values will make it essentially impossible for the Si View district to operate if voters don’t act on Nov. 8. With the formula in state law that puts the park district at the bottom of the pecking order when levy rates are adjusted, the park district is in very real danger.

The park district will lose 84 percent of its funding without an affirmative vote of the people for Si View Metropolitan Park District Propositions 1 and 2. Clearly, that kind of cut cannot be absorbed by any government agency. Services will cease. The pool will close. Multitudes of Snoqualmie Valley families will suffer. By voting yes on Propositions 1 and 2, taxes will not be increased, but funding can be secured so these negative impacts can be avoided.

Propositions 1 and 2 seek to maintain the current level of funding that support Si View MPD and honor the 71 percent of voters who approved the funding and formation of the park district in 2003.

I urge everyone to support the Si View MPD’s ballot issues in November.

Matthew R. Larson

Mayor, city of Snoqualmie

DirtFish is currently on county land, and the county has allowed it to operate contrary to land-use regulations for more than a year simply because the land may be annexed by Snoqualmie.

In its rush to annex the property, Snoqualmie has proposed language specifically exempting DirtFish and its parent company, Snoqualmie Mill Ventures, from provisions of the city comprehensive plan and current county regulations including land use and flood remediation.

The comprehensive plan states that the land is suitable for a business employing 1,400 people. At last count, DirtFish employed about 25 people, none of which were jobs held by local people paying $30,000 a year with benefits — the type of jobs that would support a family or allow the employee to buy a house.

I am pro business but not for just any business. The Valley needs businesses that provide real jobs that support families and operate within the law. I think Ross Bentley said it best about DirtFish: “Not a single person is satisfied with where we’re at.”

Dave Eiffert

Snoqualmie

Support for MacNichols

I enjoyed your article last week entitled “Snoqualmie City Council race: insider vs. outsider.” Although our city leaders have been able to avoid some of the fiscal problems that plague other cities in the area, we face serious challenges ahead with a down economy, eroded tax base and stressed infrastructure caused by rapid growth.

We need leaders like Jeff MacNichols who have demonstrated leadership with these difficult issues and have the proven experience necessary to make sound decisions for our future. This is not the time for an untested “outsider” like Kevin Ostrem. While I admire Ostrem’s desire to start getting involved in city politics, what is noteworthy about his record is his inexperience and total lack of involvement when our city has faced some tough issues over the years.

Although he has apparently been a resident since 2000, has Ostrem served on a single city committee? Has he been to a single City Council meeting? Sitting on the sidelines while others do the hard work does not qualify him for office. Now is the time to vote for a proven leader like MacNichols, who has been working hard on the ground for years and understands the important issues we face.

Rick Davies

Snoqualmie

Would you please explain why it is that the SnoValley Star, which claims to be a youth-, family- and community-oriented newspaper, would last week feature a two-page tobacco advertisement?

I’m a little confused: Is there a double standard here that we should just ignore?

Bill Hayden

Snoqualmie

Remain vigilant

Gangs have had little effect on the Snoqualmie Valley … yet. Even with a good, proactive police force, the day you decide not to get involved is the day you give up your neighborhood.

Let’s keep looking out for each other, shall we?

L. Silver

North Bend

Re: Civic leader keeps her cool in wake of  identity theft

To me, this is nothing to take lightly.

This very morning, while at a church food bank, one of the volunteers stole my drivers’ license.

I’m fuming mad! People’s lives are completely destroyed by these criminals.

Harry Hughes

Re: North Bend family has three sons in uniform

Thanks to you and your family for serving.

Mike

Re: Sisters triumph the natural way in beauty pageant

Congrats, girls! National American Miss is truly an opportunity for girls to have fun, grow confidence and build skills that will last a lifetime.

See you at Nationals in Hollywood.

You might be driving away in that brand new Ford Mustang convertible.

LaKishia Edwards

Our daughter was in National American Miss as well.

I must say that I was hesitant at first as I was swayed by all the images from “Toddlers and Tiaras” and I thought all pageants were the same. I was wrong.

I checked out National American Miss thoroughly with the Better Business Bureau, the facility where the pageant was to take place, Internet sites, and videos that girls have uploaded about National American Miss on YouTube.

The message was always the same, National American Miss was fun, emphasized life skills and is a very different pageant than the rest.

So we succumbed to our daughter’s pleas, and let her be in National American Miss. Our hope was that it would be a confidence builder for her. And it was.

It was one of the best experiences that we have ever had together as a family.

Scott Barnett

I am not truly sure what you meant by “business folks.” My childhood was explained in terms of finances from a father who has a PhD. in economics. I have successfully been in sales most of my life, and enjoy reading books about behavioral economics.

Furthermore, I am pro-business, providing it is bridled with a social conscious. It is not a straight matter of bringing in commerce for the local economy. It’s incorporating merchants whose values are congruent with our ideals. It’s incorporating merchants without forgetting about the people of the community.

By allowing this annexation to proceed it permits our City Council to say that business is more important than the people in Snoqualmie.

The site has already been assessed positive for toxic waste and flood mitigation, both of which were to be moderated upon annexation by Weyerhaeuser. The council and mayor know this and are trying to circumvent these obligations.

In the interest of business I find it interesting that no one has proposed the idea of forcing Weyerhaeuser to clean up the mill site. That would take several years with hundreds of workers and would leave behind viable parcels of land.

In addition, with the area returned to flood storage, our schools will not have to front $2 million per flood event. By the way, remember this figure when the schools ask for money or can’t expand because of finances.

Chris Schotzko

Snoqualmie

 Share your views

Citizens can make a difference by contacting their elected representatives.

State — 5th District

Sen. Cheryl Pflug (R), 415 Legislative Building, P.O. Box 40405, Olympia, WA 98504-0405, 360-786-7608; 413-5333; pflug.cheryl@leg.wa.gov

Rep. Glenn Anderson (R), 417 JLOB, P.O. Box 40600, Olympia WA 98504-0600; 360-786-7876; 222-7092; anderson.glenn@leg.wa.gov

Rep. Jay Rodne (R), 441 JLOB, P.O. Box 40600, Olympia, WA 98504-0600; 360-786-7852; rodne.jay@leg.wa.gov

Toll-free Legislative Hotline: 800-562-6000.

County

King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Chinook Building

401 Fifth Ave., Suite 800, Seattle, WA 98104; 206-296-4040; or kcexec@kingcounty.gov

King County Councilwoman Kathy Lambert, District 3. King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave., Room 1200, Seattle, WA 98104; 206-296-1003; 800-325-6165; kathy.lambert@king- county.gov

North Bend

Mayor Ken Hearing, mayor@northbendwa.gov

Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Dee Williamson, dwilliamson@northbendwa.gov

Councilman Jonathan Rosen, jrosen@northbendwa.gov

Councilman Chris Garcia, cgarcia@northbendwa.gov

Councilman Alan Gothelf, agothelf@northbendwa.gov

Councilman Ross Loudenback, rloudenback@northbendwa.gov

Councilman David Cook, dcook@northbendwa.gov

Councilwoman Jeanne Pettersen, jpettersen@northbendwa.gov

Write to the mayor and City Council at City of North Bend, P.O. Box 896, North Bend, WA 98045. Call 888-1211.

Snoqualmie

Mayor Matt Larson, 888-5307; mayor@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

Councilman Robert Jeans, 396-4427; bjeans@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

Councilman Jeff MacNichols, 396-4597; macnichols@sbmhlaw

Councilman Bryan Holloway, 396-5216; bholloway@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

Councilman Kingston Wall, 206-890-9125; kwall@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

Councilwoman Maria Henriksen, 396-5270; mhenriksen@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

Councilman Charles Peterson, 888-0773; cpeterson@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

Councilwoman Kathi Prewitt, 888-3019; kprewitt@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

Write to the mayor and City Council at City of Snoqualmie, P.O. Box 987, Snoqualmie, WA 98065. Call 888-1555.

Snoqualmie Valley School Board

President Caroline Loudenback, District 2, clouden8@comcast.net

Vice President Dan Popp, District 5, danpopp@microsoft.com

Craig Husa, District 3, craig@husas.com

Marci Busby, District 4, mbusby2831@aol.com

Scott Hodgins, District 1, gscott.hodgins@comcast.net

Write to the School Board at Snoqualmie Valley School Board, P.O. Box 400, Snoqualmie, WA 98065. Call 831-8000.

I would like to thank the people in the Valley who donated school supplies and/or money toward the school supply drive at the North Bend Food Bank.

With your generosity, more than 250 students (kindergarten through 12th grade) whose families depend on the food bank were given new school supplies and new shoes. Costco generously donated 200 backpacks and the Snoqualmie Valley Lions Club donated money toward this worthwhile project.

Thank you to those who have volunteered their time to help bring this project together and make it successful.

I would also like to thank the SnoValley Star newspaper for calling attention to this growing need in the Valley in some of your recent papers. Our numbers were amazing this summer, exceeding all previous years with sign-ups at the food bank. Due to your articles, people did take care of their own and made many donations.

The need was met! Thank you for giving 250 students an opportunity to start their school year in a positive way.

Nancy Flanagan

North Bend

Speak up, Snoqualmie

Okay, your signs got my attention. I had seen them down in the valley where residents might be more likely to hear noise (was the mill quiet?), but was surprised to see them on the ridge, where a sizable portion of the residents, I would presume, are business folks and more likely to be pro-business. Yes, I’m a highlander living on the ridge, but renting because I can’t yet afford the home prices.

Like casino noise abatement pleas from the Valley folks, I am puzzled by the crush/limit/reduce business sentiment when the ongoing financial crisis in our country begs for jobs to be had of any kind.

Please let me know your political party affiliation, because I want to steer clear of it.

As one recent opinion indicated, it would be foolish for the city of Snoqualmie to annex the old mill site if pollution responsibility currently belongs to King County. But then again we got more revenue now, so maybe it’s not a problem.

Maybe I’m just missing the point altogether. Maybe the jobs lost at the casino or Dirtfish would have little effect on anyone, except possibly your neighbor, daughter, uncle or the local economy.

Denis Morrison

Snoqualmie

It seems strange that the city of Snoqualmie would be willing to annex the Weyerhaeuser mill site without even evaluating the existing pollution present on the site.

It is well known that the site is polluted, and the county has required that this pollution be cleaned up before the site is developed.

However, the city of Snoqualmie is considering annexation of the site and allowing the present owner to utilize the site without even evaluating the level of pollution or requiring that it be cleaned up.

It sounds like the city of Snoqualmie would assume a great deal of responsibility that King County would be happy to get rid of, and the present owner of the property would gain all the benefits.

Philip Cassady

Snoqualmie

Share your views

Citizens can make a difference by contacting their elected representatives.

Snoqualmie

-Mayor Matt Larson, 888-5307; mayor@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

-Councilman Robert Jeans, 396-4427; bjeans@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

-Councilman Jeff MacNichols, 396-4597; macnichols@sbmhlaw

- Councilman Bryan Holloway, 396-5216; bholloway@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

- Councilman Kingston Wall, 206-890-9125; kwall@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

- Councilwoman Maria Henriksen, 396-5270; mhenriksen@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

-Councilman Charles Peterson, 888-0773; cpeterson@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

- Councilwoman Kathi Prewitt, 888-3019; kprewitt@ci.snoqualmie.wa.us

I can’t thank you enough for saving my great-granddaughter.

You two men were like guardian angels. You were there at the right time to save her life. She is a blonde, blue-eyed beautiful little girl.

I had many people praying for her. Our prayers were answered.

Thank you, God.

Lucy Watts

Lincoln, Neb.

Re: North Bend hydroplane racer is OK despite flipping boat at Seafair

Thanks for this fine article. I couldn’t find any info on Kayleigh’s condition after her flip.

The Perkins’ are a tremendous racing family, and Kayleigh and Brian deserve a better season than this.

Go get ‘em!

Steve Garey

Detroit, Mich.

Re: Letters to the Editor

Last week I noticed the placement of several median postings on the Ridge, encouraging residents to express their opposition to the DirtFish driving facility. From all I’ve read, the primary concern by the opposition seems to be the potential for excessive noise resulting from the use of street mufflers.

Snoqualmie residents living on the Ridge, especially those living anywhere near the Parkway, would prefer that any efforts toward noise abatement be directed toward the control or elimination of the lumber trucks traveling the Parkway five days a week, commencing at 3:30 a.m.

City ordinances appear to effectively manage contractors working in the neighborhood, but little effort is given to quiet the deafening sound of the lumber trucks that awaken all the residents unfortunate to live anywhere near the Parkway.

I support DirtFish and oppose the 3:30 a.m. lumber trucks.

Alan Fletcher

Snoqualmie

The Mt. Si Food Bank depends on the generosity of our community in order to provide the service that we do to our neighbors in need.

I would like to acknowledge some outstanding volunteers in our community that helped improve our facility recently.

The Snoqualmie Valley Rotary Club graciously donated funds last year for materials to build a much needed storage shed. Terry Walker, of Terry Walker Design and Build, designed and constructed the shed with his team, including Alex Meyer, owner of Alpineglow.

Volunteers Al Pizzano, along with father and son Leon and Mark Chouinard, poured a sidewalk and ramp with the concrete being donated by Cadman. Leon and Mark also put in a fence with material purchased at a discount and donated from Chinook Lumber.

Boy Scout troop No. 701 primed and painted the shed with some of the supplies donated by Ace Hardware.

Finally, Lifepointe church and a crew of volunteers from Oklahoma placed gravel around part of the shed donated by Fred at North Bend Sand and Gravel.

So many hands and hearts were involved in creating this new space for the food bank and we are so grateful. I would like to extend a gracious “thank you” to our entire community for your continued support.

I welcome you to visit our website at www.mtsifoodbank.org or check out our pictures on Facebook.

Heidi Dukich, director

Mt. Si Food Bank

I just had to take a moment to give a big shout out to the North Bend Theatre for their extra special treatment of my daughter, Hillary, and her new husband, Nick, on their wedding day. They wanted to take a break between their morning ceremony and evening reception and see the final Harry Potter movie.

I reached out to Cindy Walker, the owner of the theatre, and they were so nice and went several extra miles to recognize a special day for a couple just starting out. Of all the fun activities around the wedding and reception, this is one part of the day I’ve heard them mention over and over.

There may be theaters in driving distance with more screens or 3D or whatever, but I’m sure none has better service than our own local movie house. I encourage everyone to think about catching a movie there before hopping in the car and heading to Issaquah or Bellevue.

Thanks to Cindy, Jim, and the rest of the folks at the North Bend Theatre!

Jon Pulsipher

North Bend

This stream is in your care

On July 7, SnoValley Star featured a front page article regarding efforts by King County to eradicate knotweed growing along the Snoqualmie River using herbicides — to supposedly mitigate a looming ecological crisis.

Yes, of course invasive species disrupt traditional ecologies, which may be calculated with dollar signs. Many millions have been spent on pesticides applied over forests and over numerous American cities in past years — Los Angeles and San Jose come to mind — in the name of looming ecological and financial disaster; certainly not a disaster for the pesticide manufacturers.

Our nation has a long history of invasive species, from weeds brought on Mayflower farm implements (notably cheatgrass), to a plethora of birds released in Central Park by a homesick Englishman. How many millions have been spent on cheatgrass eradication, to no avail? How about Himalayan Blackberries or English Ivy? We don’t have to look far to find invasive plants and animals.

And yes, these new arrivals do affect and become parts of ecological webs. Our world doesn’t always change the way we like, but it’s always changing. And we try to control change using poisons. Are we trying to beat nature? According to whose rules?

What really worries me here is the combination of herbicides and riversides. That just don’t set right in my tummy, and every third grader knows why. Perhaps an advanced placement biology summer camp might like to analyze soils surrounding the inoculations. But we wouldn’t want to place our youth in harm’s way.

Yes, I will attend one of the informational knotweed workshops, because I have concerns about the use of poisons by the river, and I urge others to attend as well. Meanwhile, read Aldo Leopold, please.

Bill Hayden

Snoqualmie

According to the article “Local police agencies crack down on speeders” (Star, July 14), the police chief plans to “dedicate one patrol car to going after speeders, usually in the evening on the city’s busiest streets.”

The community would be much better served if they enforced the speed limit laws on the side streets where people actually live, and where there are children playing and dogs being walked.

Josiah Farrell

North Bend

RE: Whose flag are we flying?

This winter I was driving in a Snoqualmie neighborhood and I came across something so heinous, so awful I had to wonder –who would do such a thing? There was a flag flying outside a house and it wasn’t the U.S. flag— it was a Pittsburgh Steelers flag. Doesn’t this person remember the tragedy that was “Super Bowl XL”? Don’t they understand they are in Seahawk’s country? Then I remembered: it’s childish, and petty to get offended over a flag. After all we live in the U.S. where we have the right to freedom of expression — and that extends even to Steelers fans.

Being Canadian, when we moved into the neighborhood I thought what better way to express this pride than to get a Canadian flag. It also provides a convenient way to find my house. But what I didn’t realize was that this flag would cause such a stir in our community. I was honored and dismayed that my flag would become a topic of a Letter to the Editor “Whose flag are we flying?” The author was so offended by my Canadian flag she even went so far as to suggest that if I don’t stop flying the flag I should move to Canada. Checking into flag code, it does not require an American flag nor forbid a foreign flag.

But I don’t know why this person should be offended by a symbol of Canada as so many Canadians have made positive contributions to North American culture: Michael J Fox, Margaret Atwood, Frank Gehry, Peter Jennings, and to a lesser extent, Justin Beiber. I offer to have the disgruntled Canadian flag loather over for poutine and Kokanee so she can see Canadians are just like Americans, well, except for our religious love of hockey and Tim Horton’s doughnut.

Might I suggest the next time she finds herself bored and feels the need to make up something to be offended about that she look beyond her neighbors front yard and turn on the news. Trust me, she will find bigger things to feel outraged about than someone’s heritage pride.

T.J. Hoving

Snoqualmie

Flag code lays out specifics of what can fly

The Flag Code does not require you to fly the U.S. flag and it does not forbid you from displaying a foreign flag. For example, someone with Irish heritage may proudly fly an Irish flag and is not required to fly the U.S. flag.

Section 7g. reads, “When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.”

Section 7c. starts, “No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America…”

Section 7c. later on reads “No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof…”

Notwithstanding the confusion here, it is always recommended to fly foreign flags from separate poles, and that the flags should be flown at the same height (or the U.S. flag slightly higher) and be of same or similar size.

For private citizens, the Flag Code serves as a guide to be followed on a purely voluntary basis to insure proper respect for the flag. The Supreme Court has ruled that politically motivated violations of the Flag Code are protected by the First Amendment. The Flag Code has no provision for enforcement. No fines, no penalties. There is nothing law enforcement can do when the Flag Code is broken.

For information, go to www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html.

Art Farash

North Bend

Thank you for supporting Your Snoqualmie Valley

On July 23, Your Snoqualmie Valley, a group of valley residents concerned with the proper use and annexation of the old Weyerhaeuser mill site into Snoqualmie, held a wonderful fundraising event.

The event raised money to pay for our lawyer David Bricklin, who is ensuring that the annexation be done legally and use of the land is consistent with the City’s comprehensive plan. Besides raising money in entry fees and during our raffle and silent auction, we enjoyed the music of JackAcid, Vicious Edna and the Rose Family.

What we discovered was that this event was really so much more than a fundraiser. We got to meet neighbors, make new friends and spread the word. Many people put in so much time to make this event possible I cannot thank them all here, but it was wonderful to see a bunch of folks armed with nothing more than determination pull off an event like this.

To all, thank you so much for your time and effort, donated items, auction purchases and concern for our quality of life here in the valley. The proceeds will ensure that issues of noise, flooding and pollution caused by the annexation are properly addressed by the city.

Dave Eiffert

Snoqualmie

I see by the polls that more than 50 percent of the people think life jackets are unnecessary. I think those folks do not want to be forced or fined for choosing not to use a life jacket.

Passing coercive laws, in the name of public safety, like seat belts, motorcycle helmets, bicycle helmets and baby car seats, is just another money grab by the state government.

I cannot deny that these items, when used properly, may save some lives and manufacturing these items provides jobs, but this is supposed to be a free country where each citizen has a right to choose.

Ron Denaro

North Bend

Mill site annexation has support

With regard to the proposed annexation of the old mill site, the real story is the manipulation and systematic demise of the democratic process that has found its way into our local small-town politics.

On the surface, the issue seems quite simple — annexation or not and whether it’s in the Valley’s best interest to add more noise and a couple of races a year to boost our collective economic woes.

If you dig deeper, along with the PCBs on the old mill site, you will find that the city apparently has no quantifiable understanding of just how many residents actually support or oppose the annexation, no publicly posted estimate of liabilities associated with annexation and no communicated financial benefit associated with long-term business strategy on the part of Snoqualmie Mill Ventures and DirtFish Rally School.

Things are rarely what they seem. According to Snoqualmie Mayor Larson, there are a lot of supporters of the annexation. In an effort to support or discount that statement, I went to the city and asked for copies of all of the letters or emails supporting the annexation.

Imagine my surprise to find that 26 of the 28 letters of support came from residents outside the Valley over a two-day period in June. At least two were even from out of state! I’m sure that was simply an oversight on the part of the mayor, but what about some tangible information on the impact to “our” taxes, home values and environment?

Maybe it’s just my lack of understanding, but I thought that the city was supposed to represent the interests of the majority of its residents. How is that possible when our representatives have no idea what their residents want? How can residents be expected to make informed choices with no information? Clearly, there is a huge disconnect that leaves me shaking my head and muttering that things are indeed rarely what they seem.

Rick Grant

Snoqualmie

Whose flag are we flying?

I have wanted to write this for several years now and I am finally getting to it.

There are three flags flying on Fisher Street across from the park and restrooms. The funny thing is two of them are, of course, American stars and stripes, but the center flag is the Canadian maple leaf…

Unless that house is a Canadian embassy…

Whoever lives in that house does not know flag etiquette. If one insists on flying a foreign flag it had better be under the United States flag. If one does not want to do that the border is, oh only about three and a half hours from the Ridge. There a Canadian flag can be flown full time, no problem.

Ilse Dujmovic

Snoqualmie

Distraction in class is certainly a valid argument against fuchsia-colored hair, but there are others. How about a community’s right to have a say in the culture and learning environment of their public schools? Yes, as individuals we have rights to personal expression. I don’t care what color a child’s hair is when she’s at home or walking down the street. However, when she’s in school, she’s in direct contact with my child and with the implied endorsement of the school leaders. What does that say to my child? Answer: bright pink hair is totally OK and normal in elementary school.

What if I don’t think it is totally OK and normal for a 5 to 11 year old to be constantly dyeing their hair strange colors? Frankly, I’m a little tired of the “free expression” argument, it can be used to justify anything and it’s certainly not serving our children. Test scores and behavior problems have certainly not improved in the last few decades as our culture has become more permissive. Maybe what’s needed is a little more discipline and respect.

Ms. Moon argued that “the rule created the distraction to the learning environment” because without the rule no one would have made a big deal out of it. I would argue that there was no distraction with the rule until her daughter knowingly and purposefully, broke it.

If you want the rule changed, then rally support for your cause and go through the process to have it changed. But if the majority want the classroom environment free of this nonsense, then please respect that and find other ways to be creative.

Tamara Franklin

Snoqualmie

Since June 15 was National Flag Day, I decided to conduct a roving flag patrol through the cities of Snoqualmie and North Bend.

I’m sorry to report that there were only eight American Flags that I could find on display along the main streets and connecting side streets of both cities.

Maybe this is a sign of the times since our nation has been at war for 10 long years now?

But in my opinion, this is the very reason that every single business in these two fairly small American cities should have Old Glory on display.

Simply because that’s the least we all should do while young Americans are making the ultimate sacrifice with their precious lives and limbs in service to us all.

Jim Curtis

North Bend

Elementary school unfairly targets hair styles

Just minutes after school started on Monday we received a call from the principal at Opstad Elementary School to pick up our daughter immediately. Why? Because her hair was dyed fuchsia over the weekend.

She knew that Opstad didn’t allow for “unnatural” hair color but decided to do so anyway for the last week of school (when no real lessons are being taught anymore). She didn’t think that the rule was fair since other elementary schools in the district allow it (while at North Bend Elementary School for the previous four years, she had various unnatural colors in her hair without controversy).

I’ve read the student handbooks and Opstad is the only school in the district to forbid colored hair. Only two other schools mention hair color and they just say it can’t be extreme.

The principal said her hair is a distraction to the learning environment. What really is distracting is the rule in the first place. We are not talking about a 12-inch green mohawk. She is not welcome back until her hair is a “natural” color. Today she went back with hair freshly painted black with colored hairspray from the party store. Black is a “natural” hair color after all.

Had this not been a rule, then some kids would not have paid any attention to her; others would have said “cool hair” and then been over it. The RULE created the distraction to the learning environment.

And don’t even get me started on Opstad’s rule that girls aren’t allowed to wear stretch pants! Really? Come on! Why are there such different dress-code standards within the same school district?

Hair color in no way detracts from the learning experience. Stifling this harmless creative outlet of personality doesn’t make any sense.

Leslie Moon

North Bend

Your editorial in the paper last week should have taken into consideration the thoughts and concerns of many more Snoqualmie Valley residents.

I am unsure where you reside, but your editorial seemed to come straight off the school district’s website with no consideration given to the thoughts or sentiments of a vast number of Snoqualmie Valley residents — especially those who have tried to work with the school board to come up with a more agreeable solution.

At a minimum, I believe you should have considered the state-mandated redistricting criteria set forth in RCW 29A.76.010 and compared the district’s plan with the same. I feel that your article may have had a different “slant” had that been done. Perhaps if you had driven the new district lines with the state criteria in hand, your opinion may be somewhat different.

Further, concerns with redistricting are not just limited to Snoqualmie Ridge residents, nor have they ever been presented as just a Snoqualmie Ridge issue. As you should be aware, redistricting impacts all district residents and all students.

The bottom line of any redistricting plan is to ensure the composition of any board, council, legislature, etc., is reflective of the community it is entrusted to serve. Although you have made the assumption the district’s plan does just that, I think that if you really took a hard look at the new redistricting lines and the fact the plan preserves every single existing school board member, you may have a different opinion.

In the future, I would greatly appreciate your paper bringing more of a two-sided perspective to issues, rather than the opinions and sentiments of just a singular, nonValley resident or that of the school board and/or district. Like the school board’s redistricting plan, your editorial is not entirely representative of the entire community to which you are reporting.

Laurie Gibbs

Snoqualmie

To the class of 2011:

My tradition has always been to give back to my former students your science notebooks as my parting gift to you. It was meant to celebrate with you your growth over time in a way that would empower you for the future. Unfortunately, the notebooks I set aside for your graduation this year were thrown away.

I found out a week ago and was broken hearted, as the relationships we built over that year are very dear to me (I love it when it rhymes). Upon reflection, though, I know of no other group at Mount Si High School that has grown so much in front of us and with such dignity.

I used to say “I was tough on you” because the world was a tough place where we needed the best problem solvers, and I wanted to know that the people making the decisions in the future for us were making the best choices for all of us.

Your class faced more challenges in four years than any other and you rose to the occasion in the most phenomenal ways — peacefully, honestly and democratically. You challenged an inequitable system and shined the light of truth into the dark places and stood together to make Mount Si a better place for the future.

My faith in you is unshakable, my pride in knowing you is immeasurable and my prayers will go with you as you go into the future and solve those problems for us all. I know we are in good hands and minds.

You rock!

Jana Mabry

North Bend

I really enjoyed reading the article “Volunteers unearth four cars, trash on riverbank.” This is a subject that I am really passionate about. Scrap metal of every kind is paying very well right now (about $160 to $180 a ton). It can be taken to a number of places. I like Schnitzer Steel in Woodinville.

If there were a good education program, private property owners could call any number of people like this towing company and have their stuff hauled away. I would like to see cities like the city of Snoqualmie and King County regulate and get rid of junk cars on the street and out of people’s front yards.

Getting junk vehicles and other scrap metal off of public lands is probably a little more complicated, but I find it amazing that you quote John Morgan from King County as saying that it costs tax payers about $1,200 a day.

Leave it to King County to take a valuable resource that can be sold on the open market and then sticking it to the taxpayer for all kinds of extra costs.

Brian Tate

Redmond

As Mount Si High School prepares to welcome a new principal, a look back at its many successes seems particularly appropriate.

Advanced Placement and Honors classes are now available for everyone to enroll in at Mount Si. Our high school students are eligible to receive college credit for more than 206 courses based on their AP exam scores.

The ACT standardized test scores have risen steadily in the past six years, far outstripping the rise in the state as a whole. In 2010, Mount Si scores averaged 25.2 compared to 23.0 for the state and 21.0 for the nation.

Our 2010 average SAT score was 1654, up about 50 points from 2006, and well above the state average of 1564 and the national average of 1059. Most importantly, the percentage of Mount Si students enrolled in college the fall immediately following graduation has increased from a low of 43 percent in 2005 to a high of 69 percent in 2010.

As my third child prepares to graduate from Mount Si, we are celebrating her successes, which mirror so many of the students there. She has completed five AP classes, including AP Japanese. We have hosted three Japanese exchange students, traveled to Japan and India, sung with the Honors Choirs at Disneyworld, and participated in field trips and many other enrichment opportunities too numerous to list. Each May, the PTSA hosts the Festival of the Arts to recognize and celebrate the artistic talents of the students at Mount Si for photography, horticulture design, painting, ceramics, music and the culinary arts.

At Mount Si, there are opportunities for everyone who chooses to embrace them. Randy Taylor and the Mount Si staff should be commended for their hard work during the past six years. Let’s start noticing the good things happening there.

There is always room for improvement, but, as every principal candidate commented, Mount Si is already a good school — and thanks to Mr. Taylor and the staff, it’s ready to move to the next level and become a great one.

Liz Piekarczyk

Snoqualmie

The Snoqualmie Valley School Board has an important decision to make May 26. On that night, board members will vote on a 10-year plan to realign the school board director districts, pursuant to state law and new census results, in order to reflect a shift of population among North Bend, Snoqualmie and Fall City.

The school board has a choice. It can accept the district’s revised plan, which keeps all incumbents in place and limits and delays long-awaited Snoqualmie representation, or it can make two adjustments to this plan to ensure the school board is balanced with Snoqualmie representation in time for this year’s election.

One of the key components of the District Plan is to reduce the number of North Bend directors from three to two, freeing up one new seat for Snoqualmie. But the district’s plan divides North Bend in a way that maintains all three North Bend seats until 2014.

An idea that came forth through the public hearing process, which was included in a Citizen Redistricting Plan, frees up that Snoqualmie seat in time for candidates filing this June for a seat on the school board by January. The difference is simply where to draw the dividing line in North Bend coupled with when director terms expire.

Another key component of both the District Plan and the Citizen Plan is the method of balancing seats between Fall City and Snoqualmie. To keep population balanced districts, one of the two Snoqualmie seats needs to have a small piece of the Fall City area. The District Plan keeps the Lake Alice area (home of the incumbent director) with Snoqualmie, but an idea from the Citizen Plan adds a different part of Fall City, which is more fully compliant with criteria specified in state law.

Please join me and many others in encouraging the school board to make two adjustments to the District Plan for timely and balanced representation and decision-making on the school board.

Carolyn Simpson

Snoqualmie

Don’t let North Bend be unfairly split

Snoqualmie Valley parents and taxpayers will soon face significant change in their representation on our school district’s board of directors on May 26, at 7:30 p.m., at the district’s headquarters, the school board is expected to make a decision about adopting a new director district map that will affect us all.

The district is required by law to redraw its director district boundaries based on the 2010 U.S. Census results, which show population growth and shift between director districts. Washington state law specifies criteria for district boundary changes, including grouping communities of mutual or related interests against balancing populations.

The board’s two proposed changes met with much resistance at public hearings. The latest version splits two districts of North Bend from the historical West-East division (along Interstate 90) to a North-South split that groups together unrelated communities, in an attempt to protect incumbent directors’ seats.

In addition to placing North Bend voters at a disadvantage in their board representation, the district proposal causes problems for Snoqualmie residents. It doesn’t assure them a resident representative director in one of their districts, and denies them any resident representation in their other district until January 2014.

The proposal does not honor our American tradition of true representative democracy. It allows for elected directors who are not fully familiar with the needs, issues and aspirations of your community to make decisions about where schools are built and when, when and how much taxes to levy against you, where to bus your kids, and other important policies.

Contact your school board directors to demand that they improve their proposed map to return North Bend districts to a West-East split along I-90, and to exclude the Lake Alice area from Snoqualmie districts.

By the time you read this there may only be a day or two left before they meet, so you’d best email the school board directors.

Stephen Kangas

North Bend

The Snoqualmie City Council has approved the top priorities for roadwork in the city. The list has 10 streets — five in the downtown area and five on Snoqualmie Ridge. Nothing was said about the Stone Quarry Road. The last few years have seen construction projects for the Toonerville Trolley, otherwise known as the Northwest Railway Museum.

As the construction finishes on the museum building, the damage on Stone Quarry Road appears to be ignored. The little or nonexistent shoulder has been beaten down by dump trucks and cement trucks turning to back into the construction site. This county-sponsored ditch has had a lot of vehicles, including Snoqualmie school buses, in it.

I think it is time the Railway Museum and Executive Director Richard Anderson were presented with a repair bill for rebuilding a Snoqualmie street. This should include a seven or eight foot shoulder at least a 100 feet past the museum’s repair shed toward North Bend Way, plus the asphalt paving from Tom Weber’s site to the end of the new shoulder toward North Bend Way. The city of Snoqualmie should not have to provide profit to a nonprofit organization.

Frank McFadden

Snoqualmie

Thanks for a successful sewer extension project

Thank you to contractor Northwest Cascade, Public Works Director Ron Garrow and everyone else responsible for the North Bend sewer extension project coming in $6 million under budget. When is the last time, no make that the first time, that a big public works project came in even on budget, let alone nearly 30 percent under?

Assuming that all of our toilets still flush in the fall, I say we hire them for all of our Valley projects. I wonder if they build high schools…

Eric Yotz

North Bend

A growing community needs input from all

Hey, a big thanks to Mike Thompson for reminding us what kind of action Snoqualmie needs and that a growing community can’t (and shouldn’t) be silent!

A healthy community should have a vision, a voice and a plan that moves it forward to a future that is sustainable and reflects a consensus of all who have a vested interest here. Consensus is simply not possible without the open communication that is all but absent from this city’s administration. Of larger concern than the Ridge, the casino, the City Hall, the schools, the community center and DirtFish, continues to be the attitude that emanates from the city’s leadership as they manifest their agenda at the expense of what many have moved to this Valley for.

The city administration could learn a lot from a local favorite, the North Bend Bar & Grill. It is not successful because it is a destination, but it has become a destination because the owners understand what constitutes value to their customers.

Sustainability doesn’t lie in DirtFish, Thomas the Train or making Snoqualmie the “fun zone” of King County. Sustainability, along with quality of life, has its basis in creating ways to connect the people who live here and building a model that reflects their collective needs. That process begins with respect, consideration and dialog, not three minutes at a podium and the inability to solicit a direct response from the people who theoretically have a much larger view.

My guess is that a little ice cream store in Vermont (Ben & Jerry’s) or a little bakery in Greenlake (Honey Bear), had a lot more impact on their respective towns than operations like DirtFish will ever offer to the residents here. In addition, they bonded the communities by giving them a place to share ideas and build the foundation (rather than put up a façade) for change.

Yes, Snoqualmie has needs. Perhaps it’s time to find out what everyone thinks they are and build a plan that reflects the values of everyone who has made Snoqualmie their home.

Rick Grant

Snoqualmie

Last week, I attended the Snoqualmie Planning Commission meeting about annexation of the old Weyerhaeuser mill site, and addressed the group, as did 15 or so others. I spoke about the negative effects of the DirtFish Rally School and the slimy process the city and county have gone through to allow it to continue.

Toward the end of the public input period, Mayor Matt Larson turned to the commission members and essentially said “Some of you commission members are new and don’t know, but only people with a complaint show up to comment at these meetings.”

This comment flies in the face of the fact that about one-fourth of the people who commented were in support of the annexation. In just a sentence or two, his comment attempted to invalidate the opinions of all the people who expressed concerns at the noise DirtFish creates.

It also told the other commission members that despite their purpose to review documents, listen to the public, weigh options and make their own sound judgments in the best interests of the community, he knows better and they should disregard what we said.

Wow! Why have public comments or even public meetings, Mayor Larson? Despite Larson’s advice to the contrary, the commission members were obviously thoughtful and attentive.

Since there will be a couple of more opportunities to comment on annexation of the old mill, keep an eye on the public notice section of your local paper.

Dave Eiffert

Snoqualmie