Snovalleystar122613

By Sherry Grindeland

The dudes who stole the mail in North Bend weren’t grinches, scrooges or other holiday grouches. They were just plain bad guys said Darren Engelhart, the postmaster.

Someone broke into the big blue collection box outside the North Bend Post Office after 5:14 p.m. Dec. 17. This was the most recent in a string of mail thefts plaguing the area, Engelhart said.

Mail is a prime target during the holiday season because packages pile up on front porches and greet-ing cards sometimes contain cash or gift cards.

“If you have mail jammed in your box from multiple addresses, chances are someone has been

stealing. They go through it and then dump it in other boxes or pile it up on dead end streets,” he said.

Owl pelletsFun day planned at Cedar River Watershed.

Page 2

He’s tops North Bend names employee of the year.

Page 3

Meet the challengeSnoqualmie in hunt for green challenge title.

Page 6

Police blotterPage 6

Top educatorCindy Wilson named vice principal of the year.

Page 9

All-AmericanMount Si graduate recognized

Page 10

December 26, 2013

VOL. 5, NO. 51

Fusion has energy

Page 10

Your locally-owned newspaper,

serving North Bend and Snoqualmie,

Washington

Prsrt StdU.S. Postage

PAIDKent, WA

Permit No. 71

POSTALCUSTOMER

1

By Sherry Grindeland

Sharon Frelinger and the Snoqualmie Tribal Council don’t need a road map to track the route of the spruce tree that was trucked from Washington State to Washington, D.C.

They just need to look at the postmarks on the mail they received.

Native American elders from across the country sent thank you notes to the Snoqualmie in appreciation for their sponsor-ship of the National Christmas Tree.

Frelinger read aloud from one note during a tree dedication ceremony Dec. 21. More than a dozen tribal members gath-ered in front of the Snoqualmie Casino to commemorate their participation in the annual holiday tradition of placing a National Christmas tree on the Mall in Washington, D.C. Their celebration featured the acquisition of a smaller ver-sion of the national tree. They blessed a 12-foot tall Engelmann spruce that will be planted on a berm above the Casino’s main

Snoqualmie tribe celebrates role in national tree

See TREE, Page 2

By Maria Erickson

Christmas may be over but Abigail Bottemiller still has a holiday gift to bestow. The Mount Si High student and other members of the school’s National Honor Society club will give the present of clean water to a rural area in a developing nation. They’ve been raising money for the project for several weeks.

Proceeds from the fundraising drive will be sent to the non-profit charity:water. The group funds water programs in 20 countries.

“The holiday season,” said Bottemiller, “is such a perfect time to give such a simple but profound gift: A clean water supply.”

Honor Society members have been distributing informational brochures around school and the Snoqualmie Valley for sev-eral weeks.

“We all have so very much to be thankful for in this country,” Bottemiller said.

“We have so much that we take for granted, espe-cially clean water. Even the water in our toilets is clean-er than what 800 million people around the world are drinking.”

The Mount Si Honor Society members, like other students at the high school, are encouraged to perform community ser-vice. That comes from a

High School students raise funds to help get clean water to developing countries

See WATER, Page 3

By Sam Kenyon

Post Office officials have closed a drop box after a theft.

Thefts force closure of postal box

See POST, Page 3

By Sherry Grindeland

Linda Sweet Baker, an elder with the Snoqualmie Tribe, led the tree blessing ceremony outside the Snoqualmie Casino Dec. 21. She was assisted by her daughter, Lois Sweet Dorman, who’s hand is pictured.

PAGE 2 SnoValley Star DECEMBER 26, 2013

2

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The caption was in error in the Mount Si boys basketball photograph on page 14 in the Dec. 19 issue. The player leap-ing up to take a shot is 6-foot-6 inch sophomore forward Parker Dumas.

Correction

driveway. A commemorative engraved rock will be installed at the base of the tree.

“We felt it was a good thing to sponsor the tree because it brings out families,” Frelinger, a council leader said. “Even though our ceremonies may be different, we will all share memories of this.”

She added that this is the first time the U.S. Capitol tree has been tribal sponsored and with a bit of awe, told the gath-ering, “we’re proud that it is our little tribe here that did it.”

The tradition of an out-door Christmas tree, also known as The People’s Tree, in Washington, D.C. began

in 1964 when a member of Congress set up one. The U.S. Forest Service took over in 1970 and, along with the nonprofit group Choose Outdoors, over-see the annual event.

Sponsors underwrite trans-portation and installation costs. The Snoqualmie Tribe was one of the major contributors, donating $75,000.

This year’s tree came from the Colville National Forest in Eastern Washington.

Frelinger was one of about 350 people who went to Colville Forest to select and bless the tree before it was cut and loaded on a 100-foot long truck for the 5,000-mile (taking the scenic route) journey to the East Coast.

“Trees are precious to us,” she said. “They sustain our way of life.”

The tree was wrapped in a tarp emblazoned with the Snoqualmie Tribe logo as well as other sponsors. The truck makes multiple stops en route to Washington D.C. and Native American tribes across the country held ceremonies when it passed through their territo-ries.

This was just the second time that a Washington state

tree was picked. A Silver Fir was harvested from the Olympic National Forest in 2006.

At the local ceremony out-side the casino, Linda Sweet Baxter of Kent and her daugh-ter, Lois Sweet Dorman, rev-erently approached the new tree. After two young women removed a bear skin that cov-ered the commemorative rock, the mother and daughter began the blessing. Participants held their hands, palms up, as the women chanted.

At the end, there was a brief moment of silence.

Then smiles and congratula-tions. The participants headed indoors, out of the rain, to the casino ballroom for the Snoqualmie Tribe’s annual Christmas party for, as one woman said as she left, more memory building and traditions.

TreeFrom Page 1

By Sherry Grindeland

A carved rock commemorates the tribe’s role in the national tree.

Theatre Black Dog presents Best of Fest playwrights

Cristie Coffing, Barbara Bryan, Katie Kuntz and L.E. Cornelison, the four winners of the first Playwrights’ Festival, return to the Black Dog Art’s Café in Snoqualmie for another staged reading of their works at 8 p.m. Jan. 10-11.

Eastside and Seattle area play-wrights read their original one-act plays during the initial stag-ing of the Playwrights’ Festival, Oct.17-20. Coffing, Bryan, Kuntz and Cornelison won that round.

This time they will be incor-porating props and blocking into their presentations.

Susan Bradford, spokesperson for the Playwright’s Festival,

said Theatre Black Dog is known for its live music and enter-tainment. She added that the theater has staged cutting edge/fringe work since 1996.

The Black Dog Arts Café, which specializes in Mexican cuisine, will serve a pre-perfor-mance dinner from 6-8 p.m. both nights of the festival. Check www.blackdogsnoqualmie.com for more information.

The Black Dog Arts Café and Theatre is located at 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie. Tickets are $12 per person and are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com.

Owl pellets on the menu for Family Fun Day

So what does an owl eat for

breakfast? Find out by looking at owl pellets during the annual Wondering About Wildlife Family Fun Day.

The Family Fun Day, orga-nized by the Cedar River Watershed Education Center, will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 27. This is a free event for all ages to learn about and explore the local wildlife.

There will be refreshments and crafts available. The Family Day includes games and exhib-its by local wildlife experts and nature walks and stories as well as taking apart owl pellets.

The Center is located on the shore of Rattlesnake Lake at 11901 Cedar Falls Rd. S.E., North Bend.

It is a regional education facility, designed as a gathering

place to connect people with the source of their water.

The Center is an access point to the Cedar River Municipal Watershed, which supplies 70 percent of the drinking water for the greater Seattle area.

LEO now benefitting from vehicle donations

Life Enrichment Options is now able to benefit from dona-tions of a used car, van, truck, boat with a trailer or recreation-al vehicle.

LEO, an Issaquah-based nonprofit organization that supports people with devel-opmental disabilities in the Snoqualmie Valley, has part-nered with the Melwood

Charity Car Donation Center to manage and operate a vehicle donation program. The non-profit Melwood has provided job training and employment for more than 2,000 individuals with disabilities since 1963.

All vehicles are accepted regardless of age and condition. Free towing is offered whether the vehicle is running or not, and the donation qualifies as an IRS tax deduction.

Arrange for a vehicle dona-tion by calling 1-855-KAR-CCDC (1-855-527-2232) toll free with the year, make and model of the vehicle, the general condition, the vehicle identification num-ber, and owner’s title and lien information.

Learn more about LEO at www.lifeenrichmentoptions.org.

DECEMBER 26, 2013 SnoValley Star PAGE 3

3

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campus culture that revolves around show-ing students how to do the right thing for themselves, the school and the community. For instance, the Associated Student Body leaders are winding up Foodball, the 50th annual food drive that collects non-perishable items for local food banks.

Bottemiller and the Honor Society wanted to do something with a larger global impact.

In the process, they’ve learned about a world situation where abundant water is a luxury and even when abundant, it may not be clean. Many devel-oping nations struggle with parasite-infested, dangerous and muddy drinking water.

The club has been involving students on both the main and the freshman campuses, inspiring them to give. The group’s initial goal was to raise $100,000 by Dec. 31. So far they’ve raised about $2,500. Even that small amount, Bottemiller said, will provide clean water for 160 people.

One hundred per-cent of the money that is donated to “Wildcats 4 Water” goes towards the water projects. There were drop spots for money in the main offices on both Mount Si campuses. This week the community can donate online by going to mycharitywater.org/wildcats4water.

WaterFrom Page 1

It is rare the deposit boxes are targeted because they’re hard to break into.

The last case locally was about a month ago when the blue collection box in North Bend’s Forster Woods neighborhood dis-appeared.

“On Saturday the box was there and on Monday it was gone,” Engelhart said. “The box was found nearby in a ditch. Fortunately, they were unable to penetrate the security lock on that box.”

He chalks that episode up to teenagers having fun because, he said, chuckling, he can imagine himself doing something that stupid when he was young.

Stealing mail, Engelhart added, is no laughing mat-ter. It is a Federal offense and carries stiff penalties when people are prosecut-ed and convicted.

At this point, the Post Office doesn’t know how much mail was taken from the North Bend box. The King County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspectors are aware of the situation but do not have any leads.

Engelhart hopes some-one noticed people or vehicles around the box the night of the break-in. Another possibility is tracking what was in the box.

If you mailed anything after 5:14 p.m. Dec. 17, particularly if it was a holiday greeting with gift cards, Engelhart or the postal inspectors want to hear from you.

By following the gift card numbers, printed on the receipts, postal inspec-tors have tracked down mail thieves.

“How it works is they get the video footage of people using the stolen cards,” Engelhart said. “Eighty percent of the cases investigators get convicted are done on the

backend like that, track-ing the use of what was stolen.”

In recent weeks, numerous people have complained about postal service on the North Bend community websites, cit-ing misdirected and miss-ing mail.

Rob Nelson said he hadn’t been able to get through on the telephone when he tried to report a problem.

Cliff Dike said he now gets his mail delivered to his business address on Mercer Island because he

had so much difficulty with the postal service.

“I stopped sending out holiday cards to my clients in North Bend because I’d receive more than half of them back (over the course of 3 months mind you) as undeliverable,” Dike said. “When present-ed with this at the post office, they blame Seattle distribution.”

Karen Granger said they often get mail for a neighbor – who also receives their mail. Mail is sporadic.

Some days, there is little to no mail. Other days, the box has been jammed full of mail.

Rob Nelson tried call-ing the North Bend Post Office 15 times in a three hour period and con-tinually received a busy signal. Engelhart said the phones at the Post Office are extremely busy

and sometimes they miss calls.

But, he still wants to hear directly from the peo-ple who were posting their complaints.

“If it is not outsiders tampering with the mail, it is carrier error, and I can do something about that,” he said. “If you have mixed mail, let me know the day it was delivered. I need the day so I can track it.

“Our goal is to be pro-fessional and get it right 100 percent of the time. But we’re human and not perfect.”

Sherry Grindeland can be reached at [email protected] or 425-392-6434 ext. 246.

Get involvedTo report any information on the North Bend

Post Office drop box theft or if you had dropped mail in the box after 5:14 p.m. Dec. 17, go to: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov

To reach North Bend Postmaster Darren Engelhart, call 425-888-6820 or email [email protected].

PostFrom Page 1

McGrath named North Bend 2013 Employee of the Year

Fergus McGrath, the North Bend water system operator, has been named

the city’s 2013 Employee of the Year.

Mayor Ken Hearing and the city staff recog-nized McGrath for his many contributions and accomplishments at the annual Wellness Employee Recognition Luncheon

held Dec. 13. McGrath was recognized for his strong work ethic and the pride and ownership he takes in his work.

“Fergus is very detail oriented and knowledge-able about his job, hav-ing high expectations of himself and others around him – he always puts forth 100 percent”, said Hearing. “He is open to new ideas and ways of getting things done, not stuck in the ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ approach.”

Hearing also mentioned McGrath’s humorous side noting he has named all of our resident elk, and that McGrath is the first to stop and help someone or an animal in need.

McGrath has been with the city for more than 22 years.

New employees were also recognized at the luncheon. They include: Public Works

employees Carrie Lee; Don DeBerg; and Aaron Forbes; Community and Economic Development Department employ-ee Megan O’Neal; and Assistant City Administrator/Finance Director Dawn Masko.

The mayor recognized the Wellness Committee for the work they do all year long in support of staff and the wellness pro-gram, and expressed his sincere thanks on behalf of the elected officials to all employees for their hard work and dedication in 2013.

Promote a positive body image

If your New Year’s resolutions include a healthier lifestyle and improved fitness, the January Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Lunch and Learn class can help. The focus

of the session that meets from noon to 1 p.m. Jan. 16 will be on healthy eat-ing habits, fitness and ways to promote a positive body image.

Speakers will be Kimbrough Kendall, owner of Eastside Adventure Boot Camp and a personal trainer at Mt. Si Sports and Fitness, and Ann Landry, owner of Snoqualmie Valley Weight Loss Center.

Lunch is provided to everyone who registers. Seating is limited, so reg-ister early. Call 425-831-3329 or go to: http://www.snoqualmiehospital.org/com-munity/lunch-learn.

Give Good Awards nominations due Dec. 31

Nominations close Dec. 31 for the annual Give Good Awards. The awards

Contributed

North Bend Mayor Ken Hearing (left), presents the employ-ee of the year award to Fergus McGrath along with City Administrator Londi Lindell.

See GOOD, Page 5

Citizens can make a difference by contacting their elected repre-sentatives.

FederalPresident Barack Obama

(D), The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-1414; [email protected]

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D), 511 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-3441; http://cantwell.senate.gov/; 915 Second Ave., Suite 512, Seattle, WA 98174; 206-220-6400

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D), 173 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; 202-224-2621; http://mur-ray.senate.gov/; Jackson Federal Building, Room 2988, 915 Second Ave., Seattle, WA 98174; 206-553-5545

U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-8th District), 1730 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; 202-225-7761; 22605 S.E. 56th St., Ste. 130, Issaquah, WA 98029; 425-677-7414; www.house.gov/reichert

State — Governor Gov. Jay Inslee (D), Office of

the Governor, P.O. Box 40002, Olympia, WA 98504-0002; 360-902-4111; www.governor.wa.gov

State — 5th DistrictSen. Mark Mullet (D), 415

Legislative Building, P.O. Box 40405, Olympia, WA 98504-0405, 360-786-7608; 800-562-6000; [email protected]

Rep. Chad Magendanz (R), 417 JLOB, P.O. Box 40600, Olympia WA 98504-0600; 360-786-7876; 222-7092; [email protected]

Rep. Jay Rodne (R), 441 JLOB, P.O. Box 40600, Olympia, WA 98504-0600; 360-786-7852; [email protected]

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

CountyKing County Executive Dow

Constantine, King County Chinook Building

401 Fifth Ave., Suite 800, Seattle, WA 98104; 206-296-4040; or [email protected]

King County Councilwoman Kathy Lambert, District 3. King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave., Room 1200, Seattle, WA 98104; 206-296-1003; 800-325-6165; [email protected]

North BendMayor Ken Hearing, mayor@

northbendwa.govCouncilman Dee

Williamson, [email protected]

Councilman Jonathan Rosen, [email protected]

Councilman Ryan Kolodejchuk, [email protected]

Councilman Alan Gothelf, [email protected]

Councilman Ross Loudenback, [email protected]

Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem David Cook, [email protected]

Councilwoman Jeanne Pettersen, [email protected]

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

SnoqualmieMayor Matt Larson, 888-5307;

[email protected] Robert Jeans,

396-4427; [email protected]

Councilman Jeff MacNichols, 396-4597; macnichols@sbmhlaw

Councilman Bryan Holloway, 396-5216; [email protected]

Councilman Kingston Wall, 206-890-9125; [email protected]

Councilwoman Maria Henriksen, 396-5270; [email protected]

Councilman Charles Peterson, 888-0773; [email protected]

Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Kathi Prewitt, 888-3019; [email protected]

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

He picked up the dou-ble-bit cruiser ax, made sure the splitting edge of the ax was in the downward position and swung. Half a century and more of split-ting firewood took that ax blade to that crack in the block, and there was a welcoming ka-chunk as part of the block was surgically cloven from the rest.

Well done, Dr. Blankenship, Jasper thought.

Now for this remaining chunk. One more split and it’ll fit the firebox quite nicely.

He sized it up. This second swing wasn’t as difficult to fig-

ure out as that first one. There is less wood to cut through, for one thing.

Ka-chunk. Three pieces of firewood in two swings of the ax. Not bad for an old guy.

Jasper could’ve bought a splitting maul, of course. Only Arthur would know. But that’s like shooting flies with a thirty ought-six. Overkill. This way a guy has to know what he’s doing to hit the schism on the first swing.

Just take this next block here. Just to the left of that knot, I think.

“Arthur, we should have been diamond cutters, you know?”

I think it’s time to feed the dog, Boss. And it’s getting cold out here.

Give Dad a gift for this new year; test him free so he can hear. Beltone. 1-866-867-8700.

OpinionPAGE 4 DECEMBER 26, 2013

Thank you, letter writers

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Editorial

Share your views

Write to usSnovalley Star welcomes letters to the editor about any

subject, although we reserve the right to edit for space, length, potential libel, clarity or political relevance. Letters addressing

local news will receive priority. Please limit letters to 350 words or less and type them, if possible. Email is preferred. Letters must be signed and have a daytime phone number to verify

authorship. Send them by Friday of each week to:[email protected]

Home Country

Slim RandlesColumnist

No ax to grind when Jasper splits wood

The SnoValley Star strives to be a forum for sincere community conversations. You, our readers, enable us to do that. We appreciate you sharing your concerns, your opinions and your passions and events. Your participa-tion was appreciated in 2013.

Keep those letters coming! We look forward to hearing from you in 2014.

This year’s letter writers included:

Karen Abel Leah Aichele, Barbara Beattie Dan CartanJoe CreccaGeorge CrottsJim CurtisMax DeGrootLois Sweet DormanGrant EdwardsDave EiffertNancy FlanaganEva FunesSandy M. GranJill GreenHeather HallJ. HamptonStefanie Hawks-JohnsonErica HealyKen Hearing Mark HennigPreston HenningMark JoselynStephen KangasTom KempValerie KingDanny KolkeKathy LambertEmily LarsonJoe LarsonSharon LarsonDave Lawson

Patrick LeDouxChris LodahlPaula LodahlTina LongwellKit McCormickSteven D. McCulleyFrank McFaddenJohn McLeanDavid McRaePatricia McSwainDavid MooreMount Si High School

Key ClubBrian MurphyDave OlsonKaty OnarheimDonna PadillaDerek PetersonMike RacineDanny RaphaelKaren RidlonBerry RogersBob RoweTammy RowlandDick RyonEmily SchwabeScott ScowcroftDonavan SeeKaren SeiserAlex SjoboenMichael SmallA.P. and Norma SmithGeri SpaldingLee StarkMelissa StepaniukMarlys SvenssonKathy SwoyerWendy Stokosa and Sande,

Rolando, Sarah and Jordan Mia

Ken VaughnCindy and Jim WalkerLynnette WiegardtNancy WhitakerDavid WillsonDarryl Wright

You have to look for the schism, Jasper said to himself out at the woodpile. He put another chunk of firewood up on the splitting block and took a look at the checking cracks that ran part way through the circles of age rings.

If I hit it right there, he said to himself, it should cleave.

“What do you think, Arthur? If I hit it right there…?”

Arthur looked up from his end of the woodpile and wagged his tail.

The old guy’s talking to me again. Sure is cold out here. When are we going back in the cabin? Isn’t it almost time for supper? Oops, gotta scratch an itch…

“Always good to have your opinion, old timer,” Jasper Blankenship said.

Deborah Berto Publisher

Joe Heslet General manager

Sherry Grindeland Editor

Sam Kenyon Reporter

Ari Cetron Page designer

Michelle Comeau Advertising rep.

4

DECEMBER 26, 2013 SnoValley Star PAGE 9

9

Amy QuilizapaCertified Master Groomer

20 years experiencemention this ad & receive $5.00 off your next groom

Mt. Si Pet Salon

New

OwnerNew Owner

Mon-Tue-Thu-Fri: 9-5 - Wed & Sat by appt425-888-2177 • Mt Si Village (inside Ace Hardware)

Before leaving on their independent tour, Karisa was a public school music teacher and Cie was the global events manager for Gibson Guitar. The origi-nal timeline of their tour was one year, but since leaving Nashville they haven’t stopped taking their self-described “craft-brewed” sound on the road.

The Black Dog is locat-ed at 8062 Railroad Ave., Snoqualmie. There will be no cover for the show.

For more informa-tion about The Black Dog

venue visit www.blackdog-snoqualmie.com, and for more information about You Knew Me When go to www.youknewmewhen.com.

Pay attantion to snow park rules

Pay attention when playing in the snow this winter to what passes are required in which area sno-parks.

Washington State Parks’ winter recreation program has begun to open its sno-parks in the Snoqualmie Pass area as well as across the region. Winter activi-ties range from playing in the snow, tubing, snow-shoeing and snowmobil-ing.

Sno-parks come in two

categories: Snowmobile and nonmotorized, and it’s important for visitors to know the difference so they can obtain the appro-priate pass.

Snowmobile Sno-parks are available for both motorized and nonmotor-ized snow activities while nonmotorized Sno-parks are only open for activities such as cross-country ski-ing, dog sledding, snow-shoeing and snow play.

Visitors need to display the Discover Pass on their vehicles while at these Sno-parks unless you have purchased a current sea-sonal sno-park permit.

However, a sno-park permit may not be used to access other state lands. The sno-park permit

comes in two varieties: single day and season pass.

The Discover Pass costs $10 a day or $30 per year.

The Sno-park day per-mit costs $20 per day.

The Seasonal permit costs $40 per season.

A sno-park day permit will also require a one-day or annual Discover Pass at these locations: Crystal Springs, Easton Reload, and Hyak sno-parks, Field Spring, Lake Easton, Lake Wenatchee, and Mount Spokane state parks and the Mount Tahoma Trail System.

Four DNR recreation trails require only a Discover Pass. They are: Ahtanum Guard Station, Ahtanum Meadows, Lily

Lake and Rattlesnake.There is an additional

permit available for those interested in specific trails groomed for cross-country skiers.

The Special Groomed Trails Permit costs $40 per season and is an optional add on to the season pass.

This permit grants parking at Cabin Creek, Chiwawa, Crystal Springs, Hyak, Lake Easton, Lake Wenatchee, Mount Spokane, and Nason Ridge.

These trails are best for cross-country skiers, so if you aren’t planning to use these locations, purchas-ing this permit is not nec-essary.

Federal agencies, private landowners, and other

state agencies work with State Parks administrators to operate the sno-park program in seven national forests and blocks of state and private forest land in the region.

For more information about the Discover Pass, visit discoverpass.wa.gov. For general information visit parks.wa.gov/winter.

BandFrom Page 6

Cindy Wilson named assistant principal of the year

Cindy Wilson was recently voted the 2013-2014 KingCo 3A League Assistant Principal of the Year. Wilson is the assistant principal and career and techni-cal education director for Mount Si High School.

She was nominated for her consistently positive and ener-getic work style. With a four-year commitment to the fresh-men campus, she helped define its vision and demonstrates steadfast support of its prin-ciples. Through leadership in Mount Si’s Career and Technical Education program, she has helped ensure students have a broad range of educational opportunities and career-related course options from which to choose.

Wilson has most recently been involved with the adop-tion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education across the district and the implementation of Project Lead The Way curriculum which incorporates hands-on problem solving, using STEM concepts.

KingCo League principals voted for the Distinguished League Assistant Principal. She will also be the league’s nomi-nation for the Association of Washington School Principals’ “Assistant Principal of the Year” for the state. The winner of that title will be announced later this

school year.“Mrs.

Wilson is a consis-tently posi-tive force at Mount Si High School. She is student centered, empathetic

in her approach, and always looks for ‘win win’ opportuni-ties with families, students and staff. I am proud to work with a professional who knows this is a student business and who cares about each and every student she comes in contact with,” said Mount Si Principal John Belcher.

Wilson started at Mount Si High School as a teacher in 1984. She taught for 17 years, until 2001, and covered a wide range of subjects that included business education, multimedia, language arts, consumer math, leadership and a class to support at-risk freshmen.

She went to Lake Washington School District where she was as a program director for four years. She returned to college to earn a secondary administration degree from the University of Washington.

Wilson rejoined the Snoqualmie Valley School District in 2005 for her principal internship, and has continued as an administrator at MSHS for the past nine years. She and her husband, Ray Wilson, have

four children and five grandchil-dren. Ray Wilson is principal at Cascade View Elementary.

“Few people get more joy out of high school than Cindy Wilson — who you can see almost any night of the week out supporting student activi-ties!” said Belcher. “Our school is fortunate that she is tireless in her support of students and pas-sion for student activities.”

Outdoor adventures inspire some great holiday gift ideas

Despite the winter chill, Washingtonians have plenty of reasons to head outdoors during the holiday season.

Steelhead are surging up coastal rivers, waterfowl hunting is in full swing and birders are gearing up around the state for the 114th annual Christmas Bird Count.

A fishing license, hunting license or a Discover Pass make for great holiday gift ideas.

Although the new licensing year doesn’t begin until April 1, 2014, many people like to have their license in hand a few months early.

State fishing and hunt-ing licenses are now available for the 2014 season by phone (866-246-9453 toll free), online (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov) and from licensing dealers around the state (http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/vendors). A Vehicle

Access Pass to lands owned by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is free with most types of annual fishing and hunting licenses.

For even broader access to state lands, a $35 state Discover Pass provides access to nearly 7 million acres of state-managed recreation lands, including state parks, water-access points, heri-tage sites, wildlife and natural areas, trails and trailheads.

Get details about purchasing a Discover Pass at http://discover-pass.wa.gov.

Get more information about the full array of fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing available over the next month at http://wdfw.wa.gov/weekender.

Learn more about the 114th Christmas Bird Count at http://bit.ly/VvnLwd.

Give the gift of life: Donate blood

The Puget Sound Blood Center anticipates it will need more than 2,000 donors to keep the blood available throughout the holidays.

Swedish Medical Center Issaquah, 751 N.E. Blakely Drive, will be holding a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 27. Go to the second floor con-ference center to donate. The donation site will be closed from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Make an online appointment by going to http://www.psbc.org/programs/drive.asp?URL=3694.

Please bring photo ID. County library system director steps down

Bill Ptacek, longtime direc-tor of the King County Library System, announced Dec. 19 that he would step down to take a similar position in Alberta, Canada.

Ptacek, who has led KCLS since 1989, will leave to become CEO of the Calgary Public Library on Feb. 1.

During his 25-year tenure, Ptacek’s vision for technology and collection management kept the library system in the fore-front of public libraries nation-ally.

Continual innovation, includ-ing upgrades to computer-based data and materials handling systems, public computer access, and organizational and library staffing models enabled the King County Library System to stay ahead of the curve and provide seamless service through both economic booms and down-turns, according to a news release from the library system.

Under his leadership, the KCLS experienced unprecedent-ed growth as King County’s pop-ulation and economy expanded and local municipalities voted to join the library system.

Voter-approved capital improvement bond measures

Cindy Wilson

See LIBRARY, Page 11

SportsPAGE 10 l SNOVALLEY STAR DECEMBER 26, 2013

10

By Skylar Possert

The North Bend Fusion won the Washington Youth Soccer Association State Recreation Cup, defeating the Vancouver team 4-0 Dec. 15. Most of the girls on the Snoqualmie Valley Youth Soccer Association GU-18 team attend Mount Si High School. They include: (Back row) Melanie Templin, Emma Panciroli, Kaiti Howland, Rachel Mallasch, Aubrey McMichael, Stormy Possert, Brittany Hower, Madi Ashby, Lizzi Young, Olivia Howland, Maile Young, Coach Chris Young. (Front row) Velvet Weber, Kelsey Seiser, Rachel Prior, Kami Nicolino, Lauren Padilla, Carly Goodspeed and Jalenica Troutman-Watson.

Fusion on a hot streak

Tyler McCreadie scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a double-double that led the Mount Si Wildcats to a late 64-59 victory over the Cedarcrest Red Wolves on Saturday, Dec. 21.

It was a close, tough, game but the Wildcats made a push late to claim the victory which raises their record to a .500 winning percentage at 3-3.

Senior Jack Nelson added 20 points for Mount Si on 45 percent shooting from the floor.

Fellow Senior Beau Shain pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds and Parker Dumas contributed 6 points.

The Wildcats trailed in three quarters dur-ing the game but outscored Cedarcrest 18-10 in the final quarter. The Wildcat defense held Cedarcrest’s leading scorer, Jordan Corpus, to 8 points, a season low.

Corpus averages over 20 points a game this sea-son. Against Mount Si, Austin Paxman lead the scoring for Cedarcrest with 20 points.

The Red Wolves’ record is now 5-2 on the sea-son.

Mike Nelson, a senior offensive tackle at Central Washington University, was named an NCAA Division II All-American Dec. 17 by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He is a graduate of Mount Si High School.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Nelson started every game for the CWU Wildcats during his four-

year career and was a four-time all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference first team selection. After this past season, Nelson was named the conference’s offensive lineman of the year.

He also had been a three-time team captain, and became the first CWU player since linebacker Adam Bighill in 2010 to earn All-American status.

Mount Si alum named All-American

Contributed

Mike Nelson readies before a play.

By Richard SevenSeattle Times staff reporter

Winter is back and so is snowshoe-ing at Snoqualmie Pass.

The U.S. Forest Service offers 90-minute guided treks at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Participants learn about the winter ecosystem, wildlife and safety on the 1-mile-loop walk through old-growth forest.

Meet 15 minutes before your scheduled walk at the visitor’s cen-ter off Interstate 90, Exit 52 on Snoqualmie Pass. Call for reservations at 425-434-6111.

Suggested donation: adults $15, youth 16 and under $10.

The Forest Service at Snoqualmie offers other outings, too, including photography walks, nordic-skiing trips and events geared to children and schools.

This year, the Northwest Avalanche Center and the Forest Service will offer six snowshoe walks in which the focus is on avalanche awareness.

For more information, go to snow-shoeingsnoqualmiepass.wordpress.com/

By Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times

Snowshoeing is back at Snoqualmie Pass.

Snowshoe treks warm up the winter season

Mount Si boys basketball pulls out last-minute victory over Cedarcrest

DECEMBER 26, 2013 SnoValley Star PAGE 11

11

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(passed in 1988 and 2004) funded new, replacement and expanded libraries, adding nearly 515,000 square feet of library space, while annual circulation grew to more than 22 million items.

KCLS typically shares one of the top three spots for highest circulat-ing public library in the United States and leads the U.S., Canada and Australia in e-book circulation. The KCLS was named Busiest Library in 2010 and Library Journal’s 2011 Library of the Year.

“I am lucky to have had a chance to be a part of this special organiza-tion and am confident that KCLS will continue to be the talk of the town in the library world. I will miss that, and all of you,” Ptacek wrote in an email to local Friends of the Library groups.

In addition to his role as library director, Ptacek has served on the King County Board for Developmental Disabilities and State of Washington Developmental Disabilities Life Opportunities Trust, United Way of King County Campaign Cabinet, King County Governance Task Force, KCTS Public Television Advisory Board, City of Bellevue Arts Commission, and Cascade Bicycle Club board of directors. He has also served on the University of Washington Bothell Advisory Board since 2008.

Julie Brand, director of community relations and marketing, will serve as interim director until a new director is hired.

LibraryFrom Page 11

Learn baseball with a pro

Let your children get a lead off on the baseball season with the Mid-Winter and February Pro Baseball camps taught by former professional player Steve Goucher.

A two-day clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 26 and 27 at Chief Kanim Middle School and is open to students ages 9-14. Cost is $50.

A three-day clinic will be held at Chief Kanim Middle School Feb. 17-19 for ages 9-14. The clinic also runs from 10 a.m. to noon. The fee is $75.

Goucher, who played professional ball and was a major league scout, has been teaching youth base-ball clinics for more than a decade.

His three day clinic focuses on all aspects of ball, including throwing, field work, pitching and hitting.

To register for either or both camps, go to www.siviewpark.org or call 425-831-1900.

Get a good bounce with hoop camps

A Holiday Hoops Clinic or basketball camp, orga-nized by Si View Parks, will be held Dec. 26-27 at Chief Kanim Middle School in Fall City and at the Freshman Campus in Snoqualmie.

Learn basketball fun-damentals and play some fun games along the way.

Kindergarteners through second grade students will focus on rec-reational basketball from 9-11 a.m. The fee is $35.

Third through sixth graders will enjoy recre-ation-focused ball from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fee is $35.

The advanced session for fifth through eighth graders will run 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and costs $45.

Registration is also being accepted for the Mid-Winter Hoops Clinic, 9-11:30 a.m. Feb. 17-19, also at Chief Kanim. This clinic is for third through

sixth graders and costs $55.

To register go to www.siviewpark.org or call 425-831-1900.

Humane Society offers winter tips to keep pets safe, healthy

With snow and freez-ing temperatures here, it’s time to prepare pets for the winter weather. Seattle Humane Society offers these tips to keep pets safe when the temperature dips.

Keep pets indoors

Pets can get frostbite, too. Never leave pets outside in freezing tem-peratures for an extended period of time. On freez-ing cold days, keep their walks and snow-romps short. Never let dogs off the leash on snow or ice. Dogs can lose their scent and become easily lost. Always make sure pets are microchipped and wear ID tags.

Dress appropriately

A dog’s coat provides some insulation against the cold, but short-haired dogs need a coat or sweat-er for additional warmth while outside.

Increase food supply

Dogs have to work harder to stay warm when exercising outside. Increasing their food sup-ply, particularly protein, will keep them in tip-top shape.

Beware of seasonal poisons

Coolant and antifreeze can spill in the garage or on the street and are lethal to dogs and cats. A dog’s paws, legs and stomach should be wiped off when coming in out of the rain, sleet, snow or ice. Make sure to use dog boo-ties to prevent pets from getting chemicals and street salt on the pads of their feet, which can lead

to burns and poisoning if they lick their feet.

Offer warm sleeping spots

Pets belong inside with the rest of the family. Providing a warm place to sleep, off of the floor and away from drafts, will keep dogs and cats feeling comfortable dur-ing the cold months.

Save a life by tapping the car hood

Outdoor cats will climb under the hoods of cars for warmth, so be safe and bang loudly on the car’s hood before starting the engine to give any sleeping cats a chance to vacate.

If you suspect that an animal is being neglected or abused, contact the local animal control agency. For a list of agencies, go to seattlehumane.org.

New county program will house, sta-bilize up to 350 families

A new pilot program will move as many as 350 homeless families in King County into rental hous-ing by Dec. 31, 2014, and provide a range of short duration support services to help those families achieve stability.

More than $3.1 million will be dedicated to the pilot over the course of the next year.

The pilot program, Rapid Rehousing for Families, will provide short-term financial assistance and temporary hous-ing-focused supports, including

employment and training ser-vices, to help remove the barriers that hinder homeless families from accessing and maintaining housing. The program is designed to resolve the housing crisis, while also working with families to move toward independence.

One key feature of the pilot is a connected Employment Navigator program. The naviga-tors will provide critical supports to assist in gaining employment as quickly as possible as a means to build their incomes. Families may continue working with the employment navigator on increasing their earning potential even after rapid re-housing assis-tance has ended.

Three agencies will provide employment navigators for homeless families enrolled in the pilot: King County Career Connections, Neighborhood House and YWCA Works.

Rapid Rehousing is seeing positive results nationally. One study of 14 communities imple-menting Rapid Rehousing found that 85 percent of families served by the programs exited to their own housing at about $4,000 per family (compared to 55 percent of families exiting to housing at a cost of $22,214 per family in transitional housing). Seven com-munities also saw reduced rates of returns to homelessness.

Families served by a Rapid Rehousing program had a 4 percent likelihood of becoming homeless again within the fol-lowing year, compared to a 9 percent likelihood of returning to homelessness after exiting transi-tional housing.

PAGE 12 SnoValley Star DECEMBER 26, 2013

12

wheel motor&‘Tis the season to see if your tread’s been bad or good

(BPT) - The holidays are here again, and so is running - er, driving - around for things. Whether it’s fighting for parking spaces at the mall or traveling over the river and through the woods, don’t overlook the four round pieces of rubber that are responsible for safely getting you from point A to point B - your tires. “People have a lot of to-do’s on their checklist during the holidays, but one thing they tend to forget is to check on the condition of their tires,” says Dan Guiney, director of technical services for Yokohama Tire Corp., maker of a variety of truck and car tires. “It’s something every driver should do.” It’s hard to visualize what that acceptable tread depth looks like, so place a penny upside down into a tread groove. If the top part of Lincoln’s head is just starting to be covered, you’re driving with the very minimum amount of tread depth, 2/32nds. If driving conditions will be wet or snowy you may want to purchase new tires before the minimum levels to maximize traction performance. If heavy snow or ice is anticipated, winter tires are an excellent choice because they can provide considerably more winter traction than all-season tires. And because your all-season tires are taking a “winter vacation,” they’ll last longer. For the holiday season or the daily commute, driving smartly and maintaining your tires can save money at the gas station.

Here are some of Guiney’s tips: * Keep your tires properly inflated. Once a month, when the tires are cold (at least three to four hours after the vehicle has been driven), check tire pressure with a reliable tire gauge. Be sure the valve stems have a plastic or metal cap to keep dirt out and seal against water and foreign objects. * Slow down. All vehicles lose fuel economy at speeds above 55 mph. Driving 55 mph instead of 75 mph can reduce fuel costs up to 25 percent. Driving 65 mph instead of 75 mph can save up to 13 percent. * Tire alignment should be checked once a year. Misaligned tires lower mileage and creates unnecessary tire wear.

OSPI releases new way to measure student success

The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction released a new mea-sure of student performance Dec. 9, known as Student Growth Percentiles.

The percentiles are designed to measure the amount a stu-dent learns during one year and to show how students grow over

time compared to their academ-ic peers, students who earned similar scores on a prior test.

“We shouldn’t look at the data in just one way,” state Superintendent Randy Dorn said in a news release. “We need multiple measures. If a school is showing high growth from year to year, we should celebrate that. They’re doing exactly what they need to do to help kids be successful.”

The OSPI will publicly report student subgroup, school and district-level median student growth percentiles publicly at http://bit.ly/datareports.

School districts have the choice whether they’ll distribute student growth reports to par-ents and students.

The state Board of Education plans to use school median SGPs as one of its measures in the revised Achievement Index,

a snapshot of a school’s per-formance based on statewide assessments. It compares how schools perform in reading, writ-ing, math, science and gradua-tion rates.

Teacher evaluations are a potential use for SGPs in the future. With new assessments coming to schools in the 2014-15 year, the OSPI is recommending districts wait until 2016-17 before using SGPs in evaluations.

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DECEMBER 26, 2013 SnoValley Star PAGE 5

5

THANK YOU!To Our Community, Volunteers, Donors,

and Friends!!The need in our community seems to be ever increasing but with the

wonderful help and support of Donors, Volunteers and staff The Mt Si Food Bank has impacted this Valley by providing a well-balanced variety

of food options for those less fortunate.

As this year comes to a close we want to take this time to say “Thank You” for making it possible to serve over 400 families each week and allowing

2013 to be a year in which the war against hunger was dealt a serious blow here in the Valley.

From all of us at the Food Bank, may you be blessed and prosper this

Christmas and New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Helping Hand Food BankMt Si 122 E 3rd StreetNorth Bend WA 98045425-888-0096www.mtsifoodbank.orgwww.facebook.com/pages/Mt-Si-Food-Bank/246861781991434

[email protected]

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honor residents, students, employees and volunteers who make the valley a bet-ter place to live. The Give Good Awards were started to celebrate and promote community involvement and volunteerism.

Categories include Arts, Business, Courage, Environmental, Educational Excellence, Teen Spirit, Inspirational Youth, Youth Leadership Initiative, Youth Advocate, Unsung Hero, Parent Volunteer and Spirit of the Valley.

An awards ceremony will be held Feb. 28. For more information go to: www.givegoodawards.org.

GoodFrom Page 3

Beat the deadline for the Green Power Challenge

Snoqualmie residents who are Puget Sound Energy customers can help the city win another $20,000 toward installa-tion of solar panels at the YMCA. People need to sign up to be part of PSE’s Green Power by Dec. 31.

A contest between Anacortes, Bainbridge, Kirkland, Tumwater and Snoqualmie has been ongoing in 2013 to see which city could enlist the most Green Power customers. Snoqualmie won the first round of the contest and already has a $20,000 credit toward the solar panels.

Although PSE has no way of directing a par-ticular type of power to an individual resident, opting for Green Power means more resources are put into renewable energy options.

PSE offers two renew-able power options to its electric customers.

The first is the Blocks program. PSE’s Green Power Program lets you purchase renewable energy in 160 kilowatt-hour blocks for a fixed cost of $2 per block per month, with a minimum purchase of $4 per month. You can buy as many blocks as you’d like, allowing you to match a portion, or all, of your energy usage to new renewable resources around the region.

The second is usage. If you elect the usage option, your renewable energy purchase is based on your

total monthly usage. The additional cost is $0.0125 per kilowatt hour or about $10 - $12 more per month for the average household. The environmental benefit is equivalent to taking a car off the road for a year.

The program costs more because customers are supporting the addition of more renewable energy above and beyond what PSE is already purchasing for customers.

The winning city will be determined on the greatest percentage of cus-tomer growth in the pro-gram in 2013. Currently, Snoqualmie’s Green Power customer growth is 3.36% since the beginning of the challenge.

Currently Anacortes is in second position, right behind Snoqualmie, fol-lowed by Tumwater.

To learn more and to register go to: www.pse.com/GPChallenge.

Hospital wants patient feedback

The Snoqualmie Valley Hospital wants to know how you’re feeling. If you’ve been a hospital or clinic patient, you may receive a phone call from a survey team.

The hospital dis-trict has partnered with HealthStream Research, Inc., a nationally-recog-nized healthcare improve-ment firm. HealthStream will be conducting tele-phone surveys to receive feedback on services and experiences.

Starting in January, HealthStream will call recently discharged hos-pital and clinic inpatients and outpatients.

“By using HealthStream, the district will be able to

compare our patient feed-back with the best hospi-tals and medical offices in the country,” said Tina Shoemaker, director of quality improvement for Snoqualmie Valley Hospital. “We will learn from their best practices and our patients will ben-efit from that knowledge.”

A representative sample of patients will be con-tacted by telephone by a HealthStream representa-tive to maintain confiden-tiality and measure their perceptions of their hos-pital or clinic experience. Patients selected to par-ticipate can give feedback about their experience and can also provide com-ments about specific staff if they wish.

“We’ve done our own surveys for over three years and the in-house process of entering data from the surveys is time-consuming,” Shoemaker said. “We looked for a company that would provide the best results for the best value. With HealthStream, we will be able to make immediate improvements rather than waiting several weeks for survey results.”

Clarification on solicitation licenses

The Snoqualmie social media sites have recently been questioning who needs a city business license in order to go door-to-door, particularly the rules around religious groups.

Joan Pliego, the com-munications coordinator for the city, clarified the issue.

Religious groups, she

See LICENSE, Page 6

PAGE 6 SnoValley Star DECEMBER 26, 2013

6

North Bend Police

Smash and grabPolice responded at

8:32 a.m. Dec. 13 to the Verizon Wireless loca-tion at 320 S.W. Mount Si Blvd. to reports of a burglary. The front window of the store was smashed with a rock and items had been stolen from the interior of the building.

Quiet vagrantsPolice responded at

1:41 p.m. Dec. 13 to the Snoqualmie Valley Eyecare Associates located at 126 E. Second St. on a report of suspicious circumstances involving a homeless person. An employee of the business found a homeless person crouched under the back porch of the clinic. Upon arrival, with noise, the gentlemen did not move or respond and a doctor was notified.

A nasty habitPolice responded at

8:08 a.m. Dec. 17 to the Cigar Land at 468 East North Bend Way to reports of a burglary. Unknown suspects removed the glass that secured the main entry to the business. Once they set the glass aside, they entered the store and stole from the cigarette case.

Library theftPolice responded at

5:58 p.m. Dec. 18 to the North Bend Library at 115

E. Fourth St. to reports of a theft. The victim found his I-pad had been stolen from the library and was unable to give an approxi-mate time frame for when it was stolen.

Not so friendlyPolice responded at

1:05 a.m. Dec. 19 to the 400 block of Healy Avenue South to reports of a theft. The vic-tim reported that her I-phone 4S had been stolen by friends after a visit inside her apart-ment.

Snoqualmie PoliceNo reports available

North Bend Fire

Medical serviceFive engines responded

at 3:39 a.m. Dec. 15 to the 46000 block of Southeast 174th Street to an emergency medical service call.

Big small mistakeSix engines were dis-

patched at 11:16 a.m. Dec. 18 to the 40400 block of Eastbound I-90 west of Bendigo for an emergency medical ser-vice call. The call was can-celled enroute.

Smoke detector,no fire

Two engines were dispatched at 12:27 a.m. Dec. 19 to the 24700 block of Southeast 13th Place due to a smoke detector activation. There was no fire.

Odor scareTwo engines were

dispatched at 3:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 to the 44500 block of Southeast 142nd Place due to reports of an odor of smoke. Investigation revealed it was steam or another gas that had been mistaken for smoke.

Snoqualmie Fire

Too hot towelSnoqualmie firefighters

responded on Dec. 17 to a fire alarm on Southeast Ridge Street. Upon arrival, firefighters found the fire and the sounding alarm. The cause was deter-mined to be a towel in an autoclave or sterilization machine. Staff extin-guished the fire and there was no dollar loss. Alarm system was reset.

T-bone accidentSnoqualmie firefight-

ers responded on Dec. 17 to a two car T-bone car accident at Snoqualmie Parkway and Southeast 96th Street. Patients were evaluated and were left at the scene with Snoqualmie Police.

School false alarmSnoqualmie firefighters

responded on Dec. 17 to the Mount Si Freshman Campus because an auto-matic fire alarm had been set off. A smoke detector in the gym was malfunc-tioning.

The Star publishes names of those charged with felony crimes. Informa-tion comes directly from local police reports.

Police blotter

said, are not required to have a city-issued door-to-door license because of the First Amendment (freedom of speech) to the U.S. Constitution.

“However, remember that it is your option whether you open your door or not for people you do not know,” Pliego said.

Door-to-door solici-tors or individuals sell-ing goods or services are required to have a city-issued door-to-door busi-ness license and promi-nently wear a city-issued

badge.Pliego added that if

someone has a concern about whether some-one is licensed, call the City offices at 888-1555 and ask for the business license manager, Debbie Kinsman.

“If you feel unsafe for any reason, call the City or the Police Department at 888-3333,” she said.

If you feel you’re in danger, don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1.

Black Dog sees repeat visitor

You Knew Me When, a Nashville indie folk-rock duo, will be at the Black Dog in Snoqualmie at 7

p.m. Jan. 17. The hus-band and wife folk duo are touring their album, “You, Me, and the Rest of the World.”

Karisa and Cie Hoover left Nashville and their full-time jobs in June 2012 and have been tour-ing ever since. They have brought their musical stylings, a progressive fusion of indie-rock and folk, all over the US and Canada. Karisa plays the piano, ukulele, and glockenspiel while Cie plays guitar. Their vocal combination lends to a sound that blends singer-songwriter soul with a pop/rock mentality.

By Sherry Grindeland

The last couple weeks,laborsofmoles(yes,agrouppofmolesiscalleda‘labor’havetakenupresidenceontheMeadowbrookFarmfields.Moundaftermoundofdirtmakethefieldslookalmostlikeamoonscape.

Holy mole-y

LicenseContinued from Page 5

See BAND, Page 9

DECEMBER 26, 2013 SnoValley Star PAGE 7

7

Annual savings based on information reported nationally by new Allstate auto customers for policies written in 2012. Actual savings will vary. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company © 2013 Allstate Insurance Company.

Save even more than before with Allstate.Drivers who switched to Allstate saved an average of $498* a year. So when you’re shopping for car insurance, call me first. You could be surprised by how much you’ll save.

5910

1

By Sam Kenyon

The Snoqualmie Senior CenterwasabusyplacethemorningofDec.23asarearesidentsenjoyedavarietyofactivities.AboveCarenMeek(left),GloriaVillanuevaandAshleyMeek(handsonly)dosomeknit-ting.TheydoyarntherapyonThursdaysfrom10a.m.-noon.TheyknitfortheAmericanLegion,theseniorcenterandothers.StartingJanuarytheywillhaveaGranny’sCorneropeninginthethriftshopandproceedswillgotothecenter.Atleft,MichaelMcDevittlinesupashotatthepooltableasJimSomborovichlookson.

Busy day of activities at the senior center

Send us your pictures

SnoValley Star wel-comes original photogra-phy contributions.

We give priority to local content. Information about the photo and the photographer’s name are required.

The deadline is noon on the Friday before the publication.

Send photos to:Sno Valley Star, P.O.

Box 1328, Issaquah, WA 98027 or email to [email protected].

Please recycle this newspaper

8

PAGE 8 SnoValley Star DECEMBER 26, 2013

TUES

31

New Year’s Eve Bash with Janette West Band, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307

GLO New Years Eve with DJ Scene, 8 p.m., The Ballroom at Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, ages 21 and older, $35, tick-ets available through Ticketmaster

Finaghty’s New Year’s Eve Party, 9 p.m., Finaghty’s, 7726 Center Blvd. S.E., Suite 110, 888-8833

New Year’s Eve with Sno Valley Eagles, Sno Valley Eagles 3529, 8200 Railroad Ave., $20, prime rib or halibut dinner, call 888-1129 for time and more information

YOUR WEEK

MON

30

No School Day Camp, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Si View Community Center, 1711 Boalch Ave., grades K-5, $60/day, register online at www.siviewpark.org or call 831-1900

Teen Winter Camp: Tubing at Snoqualmie Pass, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., ages 11-14, register online at www.seattleymca.org, $60

Aaron Tevis Special Event, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307

SUN

29

Seahawks vs. Rams, 1:25-4:25 p.m., Finaghty’s, 7726 Center Blvd. S.E., watch the game at Finaghty’s, 888-8833

Brian Setzer Orchestra, 7 p.m., The Ballroom at Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, ages 21 and older, $70-120, tickets available through Ticketmaster

Danny Kolke Trio, 6 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307

SAT

28

Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E., visit the education center to learn about the watershed which provides drinking water to 70 percent of Seattle area resi-dents, free, 206-733-9421

Kelly Eisenhour Quartet, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307

Story Boxx, 8 p.m., The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., 831-3647

FRI

27

No School Day Camp, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Si View Community Center, 1711 Boalch Ave., grades K-5, $60/day, regis-ter online at www.siviewpark.org or call 831-1900

Teen Winter Camp: Bowling and Pizza Party, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., ages 11-14, register online at www.seattleymca.org, $60

Salish Holiday Tea, 2-4 p.m., Salish Lodge, 6501 Railroad Ave. S.E., have a traditional holiday tea with a delicious menu of pastries, $35/adults, $15/children under 12, reserva-tions required, call 1-800-2-SALISH

Jim Page, 7:30 p.m., The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., 831-3647

WED

1

All Snoqualmie and North Bend City Offices closed for New Year’s Day

Snoqualmie Library and North Bend Library closed for New Year’s Day

Future Jazz Heads, 5 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307

Jazz Heads, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307

THUR

2

Teen Winter Camp: Gameworks and Pike Place Market, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., ages 11-14, reg-ister online at www.seattleymca.org, $60

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Board of Commissioners meeting, 6:30 p.m., Snoqualmie City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St., www.svhd4.org

Chris Symer Duo, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, 292-9307

Family Fun Winter Break: Wondering about

Wildlife, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Cedar River

Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar

Falls Road S.E., learn about birds, dissect

barn owl pellets and walk along Rattlesnake

Lake, no registration required, free

SCHEDULE THIS:

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THE CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER 27-January 2