write of year news

TTaallee ooff ttwwoo cciittiieessSnoqualmie mayor faceschallenges, tensions.

Page 6

PPoolliiccee bbllootttteerrPage 7

SSnnooww sshhoottssResidents send in photosthey snapped of the snow.

Page 9

FFuuttuurree ooff vvoottiinnggInnovator brings onlinevoting to digital age.

0

FFoooodd ddrriivvee ffoorr ppeettss Leadership club heads upcollection of animal chow.

Page 14

March 3, 2011

VOL. 3, NO. 9

Children’ssoccer

programreturns tothe ValleyPage 16

Your locally-ownednewspaper, serving

North Bend andSnoqualmie,Washington

Prsrt StdU.S. Postage

PAIDKent, WA

Permit No. 71

POSTALCUSTOMER

BByy DDaann CCaattcchhppoollee

When supporters of the $56million bond measure to build anew school in the SnoqualmieValley heard that it had failedby a single vote, one word cameto the lips of many: recount.

Only one vote needed tochange from nay to yea for thebond to be approved.

Within hours of the election’sfinal results being posted onlineFeb. 23, a Facebook page, SVSD

School Bond Recount, had beenset up to raise the $2,650 neededto pay for a recount. Nine hourslater, $2,700 had been raised.

King County Elections hasscheduled the hand recount for 9a.m. March 3. The recount resultswill be certified the next day.

Sean Sundwall, who set up theFacebook page, said he didn’t seeany other option after he learnedthat the bond had failed.

“With the election hanging onliterally one vote, it was time to do

something,” he said. “If the mar-gin had been 50 votes, 100 votes,it would be a different story.”

Plenty of Valley voters agreed.Most of the contributions thatcame in were in small amounts— $10 or $20 — but they quick-ly added up. More than 125 peo-ple donated, Sundwall said.

“It just blew up in a matter ofhours,” he said.

Like other supporters,Sundwall is worried that notpassing the bond will have long-

term negative consequences forSnoqualmie Valley schools,specifically its middle schools.

The Snoqualmie ValleySchool Board has already com-mitted to turning SnoqualmieMiddle School into a dedicatedfreshman satellite campus forMount Si High School.

“That leaves us with two mid-dle schools that could not bemore displaced from the centersof population” in the Valley, theSnoqualmie Ridge resident said.

Twin Falls Middle School is

See RREECCOOUUNNTT, Page 8

Supporters use social media to raise money for recount

Hand recount of school bond votes begins


A late-season snowstorm hitthe Snoqualmie Valley andWestern Washington on Feb. 22,causing minor frustrations andfew serious problems.

The winter squall came with ablast of Arctic air, plunging tem-peratures into the teens.

Road crews were ready for theweather and took to clearingstreets as soon as the first flakesfluttered down.

Snowfall varied across theValley from a few inches to asmuch as a foot.

“When we were in the teethof the storm, we were rushingfor 24 hours to keep up with it,”North Bend City AdministratorDuncan Wilson said. “We prettymuch had the plows runningconstantly.”

While the plows kept thestreets clear, they couldn’t keepice from building up, especiallyon side streets.

Road crews combat ice pri-marily with salt, which breaks itdown.

But with low temperaturesfalling to 12 degrees Fahrenheitovernight, salt becomes lesseffective at breaking down iceon the road, said Dan Marcinko,Snoqualmie’s public works direc-tor.

Late-seasonArctic blasthits Valley withsnowstorm

See SSNNOOWWSSTTOORRMM, Page 3


It is no surprise thatSnoqualmie has changed dra-matically in the past 10 years.Snoqualmie Ridge has expand-ed at a rapid pace, with forestsbeing replaced by wendingstreets lined with homes.

But the once sleepy city isn’tthe only part of the Valley thathas seen dramatic change inthe past decade.

All of the Snoqualmie Valleyhas changed. Its complexionhas darkened. While still pre-dominantly white, the Valleyhas a growing minority popula-tion.

An influx of foreign-bornimmigrants into King Countyhas contributed to that growing

population.The Valley’s immigrants face

many challenges in adapting totheir new communities.Language and cultural barriersmake finding work and form-ing local ties to the nonimmi-grant population difficult forsome.

The Valley’s communitiesand school district have adapt-ed to meet the needs of thenew residents. Services havebeen created or expanded to

help immigrants.

SSnnooqquuaallmmiiee RRiiddggee ffuueelleedd cchhaannggeess Snoqualmie Ridge has fueled

the population explosion in theValley, and its picturesquestreets have helped change thecomplexion of the city and theupper Valley.

“Snoqualmie Ridge hasundoubtedly attracted a popu-lation that’s much more likethe new population coming toKing County,” said ChandlerFelt, a demographer with KingCounty.

That new population is morediverse in its ethnicity andplace of birth. The county’spopulation growth has been

Census: Immigrants have changedthe Snoqualmie Valley’s complexion

Interstate 90 shutdownA Washington State

Department of Transportationsnow blower clears a path on

I-90’s westbound lanes near thesummit of Snoqualmie Pass

only minutes after an avalanchedumped 10 feet of snow across

the road Feb. 28. WSDOT closedthe highway at about 11:30

a.m. because of heavy snowfallsince 6 a.m. that day.

By Washington State Department ofTransportation

See CCEENNSSUUSS, Page 3

OONN TTHHEE WWEEBBOONN TTHHEE WWEEBB>>>> www.snovalleystar.com

See the U.S. Census Bureaunumbers for SnoqualmieValley online.

MARCH 3, 2011 SnoValley Star PAGE 3

425.881.7920www.mmcomfortsystems.com

TAX CREDITS & REBATES EXTENDED - Call Now!

Heating • A/C • Air Quality

Heat Pump? High Efficiency Furnace?

Hybrid System? Tankless Hot Water?

How Efficient is your home?

driven more by immigrationthan births.

“So, some of those migrantsprobably came to Snoqualmie,”Felt said.

Snoqualmie’s foreign-bornpopulation is about 11 percent,according to data collected by theU.S. Census from 2005 to 2009.

The Ridge’s population is alsoless white than the rest ofSnoqualmie. About 82.9 percentof Ridge residents are white,compared to 86.3 percent in his-toric Snoqualmie.

North Bend’s white popula-tion is 90.7 percent of the city.

The changing demographicshaven’t created any tensions foreither city, but they did promptan international incident forSnoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson.

In 2005, Larson signed adecree in support of a localgroup of Falun Gong adherents.It was a backroom affair, onethat he does for many localgroups each year.

But unlike most communitygroups in Snoqualmie, FalunGong is banned by China. Since1999, the Chinese governmenthas persecuted its adherents.

Shortly after signing thedecree, Larson was visited bymembers of the ChineseConsulate in San Francisco.They demonized Falun Gong asa criminal organization andasked him to revoke his decree.

“I politely explained to themthat we have something herecalled the Constitution,” Larsonsaid.

SSttrruugggglliinngg ffoorr ooppppoorrttuunniittiieessComing to the Snoqualmie

Valley was like “a dream” forHiwot Wondemagegen. In 2003,she and her husband, Ashenafi,moved to the Valley fromEthiopia with their 5-month-olddaughter.

A family friend from Ethiopiawho moved to Fall City spon-sored them for immigration offi-cials. At first, they lived with

him and his wife, who isAmerican. Now, the couple livesin Snoqualmie with their daugh-ter and 4-year-old son.

They have struggled at timesto feel at home in their newcommunity, but have developeda network of friends made up ofimmigrants and nonimmigrants.

Finding work can be hard forimmigrants, especially for thosewho don’t speak English well.

Ashenafi was able to find a jobshortly after the couple arrived.Hiwot is a stay-at-home mother.

Both had careers in Ethiopia.Ashenafi was an architect, andHiwot was an accountant.Today, Ashenafi works as anattendant at a gas station andtakes night classes in applieddesign at Lake WashingtonTechnical College.

Hiwot doesn’t regret givingup her career to come to theU.S. The couple didn’t come tofind opportunities for them-selves. They came so their chil-dren could have opportunities.

“I want my kids to grow up inthe land of opportunity,” she said.

Moving here was an easydecision to make, but living herehasn’t always been easy for thecouple. Like many immigrants,they have struggled with lan-guage and cultural barriers.

“English is my second lan-guage, so I just try to say it slow-er” to avoid misunderstandings,Hiwot said.

American culture has takengetting used to. Neighbors aremore private in the Valley, com-pared to Ethiopia.

“It’s not easy to know peoplethe way you did in Ethiopia,”she said.

But the couple has developeda strong social network, includ-ing some fellow Ethiopians.

For the couple’s children, theValley is the only home theyhave ever known.

EEdduuccaattiioonn,, EEnngglliisshh aarree iimmppoorrttaannttThe Wondemagegens’ experi-

ence is typical for many of theimmigrants that Gresia Brattonmeets at Encompass, where sheis a family support specialist.

“We get people who come

here from everywhere,” but theyshare some common threads,she said.

An immigrant’s educationalbackground greatly affects his orher experience. Immigrants withmore education and a bettergrasp of English have an easiertime establishing themselves inthe Valley.

“Having a stable educationbackground, that gives yousomething to work with,”Bratton said.

Other immigrants with lesseducation and a weaker grasp ofEnglish face far greater chal-lenges in finding work andbecoming part of their newcommunities.

The “hardest part about livingin the Valley is finding work,”Gabriela Escobar, a Snoqualmiehousewife, said in Spanish. “Ithink people worry too muchabout whether you are herelegally.”

Escobar, who speaks only bro-ken English, hasn’t found steadywork since moving to the U.S.from Mexico six years ago.

Her husband and relativeshave also had difficulty findingwork due to their limitedEnglish, she said.

Not speaking English alsolimits their social interactions.

“We interact almost totallywith Latinos,” she said. “We don’tdeal with immigrants from otherparts of the world, and we don’tdeal much with Americans.”

FFiittttiinngg iinn aatt sscchhoooollSnoqualmie Valley schools

have had to adapt to meet theneeds of the growing immigrantcommunity, especially thosewho don’t speak English well.

Karen Schotzko heads up theschool district’s program toteach English to non-nativespeakers.

Without a good grasp ofEnglish, students can quickly fallbehind and become isolated.

“It’s difficult to understandthe content, and they have ahard time communicating withteachers,” Schotzko said.

She works with 116 studentsspread throughout the district,

CCeennssuussFrom Page 1

To provide more tractionon the road for drivers, workcrews also spread sand.

“Sand doesn’t care whattemperature it is,” Marcinkosaid.

But the bad conditionsprompted Allied Waste tocancel garbage and recyclingcollection for two days forNorth Bend and one day forSnoqualmie.

King County Metro ridershad to endure delays on Route209, which serves North Bend.Route 215, serving Snoqualmieand North Bend, was on itssnow route, which doesn’t serveFairway Avenue Southeast,Southeast Ridge Street, DouglasAvenue Southeast andMeadowbrook Way Southeast.

A La Niña winter has meanta wetter and colder winter forthe Pacific Northwest. Despiteseveral snowstorms,Snoqualmie and North Bendhave not exceeded their snowremoval budgets.

SSnnoowwssttoorrmmFrom Page 1

BBrreeaakk--iinnss ssppiikkee oonnSSnnooqquuaallmmiiee RRiiddggee ffoorruunnlloocckkeedd vveehhiicclleess

Snoqualmie police officershave recently responded to andinvestigated 14 vehicle break-ins on Snoqualmie Ridge. Ineach instance, the car had beenleft unlocked with personalproperty sitting in plain view.

Police recommend someeasy and inexpensive ways toreduce the risk of a break-in:

❑ Remove all valuables fromyour vehicle, including garage

door openers and GPS units.❑ Lock the ignition and

doors, and roll up all windows.❑ Park in a garage, well-lit

area or in locations frequentlyused by pedestrians.

❑ Use a car alarm.Police ask residents to be

mindful of suspicious activityin their neighborhoods and toreport it by calling 911.

Organize a block watch bycontacting Officer NigelDraveling [email protected] or 888-3333.

helping them learn what shecalls “academic” English — thelanguage of the classroom.

“If their class is studying theweather next week, we go in andteach them the vocabulary theyneed — precipitation, cloud,”Schotzko said. “So, when theteacher teaches the weather sys-tem in class, you understandwhat’s being taught.”

Like the rest of SnoqualmieValley’s immigrant population,Schotzko’s students come from awide array of backgrounds,speaking more than 25 nativelanguages.

“Certainly having a bilingualprogram is not an option,” shesaid.

Still, the largest group isSpanish speakers, who make upa little less than half of her stu-dents. More than 5 percent ofthe Valley is Hispanic or Latino.

Several students are Korean,but the rest are a mix includingChinese, Finnish, Indian andFrench.

Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or [email protected]. Comment at www.sno-valleystar.com. Reporter Sebastian Moragacontributed to this story.

FFuunn aatt tthhee YYMMCCAAPrograms take shape atplanned community center.

Page 2

CCoolldd ccaassee ffiillee TV show to take anotherlook at unsolved murder.

Page 5


RReeccoorrdd bbrreeaakkeerr Valley teen sets newmark for bench press.

Page 12

MMoonneeyy mmaatttteerrss School district pushes for$56.2 million bond.

Page 14

AAllll lliinneedd uupp Students collect suppliesfor Adopt-a-Class cam-paign.

Page 15

DECEMBER 16, 2010

VOL. 32, NO. 49

Mount Si picksup first win ofthe season.

Page 16

Your locally ownednewspaper, serving



PAIDKent, WA

Permit No. 71

POSTALCUSTOMER

www.snovalleystar.com


Sheriff’s deputies in KingCounty have voted to reducetheir upcoming wage increase in2011 in order to avoid layoffs.

The concession leavesdeputies’ pay comparable toother Eastside police depart-ments, and their negotiated payrates will likely pull ahead ofmost departments in 2012,according to an analysis by theSnoValley Star.

Despite the concession, concernabout the deputies’ rising wagesremains part of the reason theNorth Bend City Council is con-sidering ending its contract forpolice services with the KingCounty Sheriff’s Office and insteadpartnering with Snoqualmie.

Deputies voted Dec. 8 for aproposal to reduce their raise in2011 from 5 percent to 3 per-cent, which will save the county


Squeezed by the bad econo-my, the North Bend CityCouncil has passed an austerebudget that cuts services anddelays capital projects ratherthan raise taxes. The councilpassed the budget with a 5-2vote after contentious discussionat its Dec. 7 meeting.

The budget’s supporters saidit was the best option duringhard economic times, whichhave sapped the city’s revenues.

Opponents said the budget’spriorities were out of order and

will put off dealing with press-ing problems.

The budget’s $5.8 milliongeneral fund still includes a$100,000 shortfall for payingpersonnel, which the city mustclose. It could do that with lay-offs, furloughs or concessionsfrom union employees. MayorKen Hearing’s administration isin the process of determining

which option to use.“No matter where it comes

from, somebody is going to gethurt,” City AdministratorDuncan Wilson said.

The budget cut money forthings such as human serviceprograms, parks, downtown revi-talization programs and street

North Bend City Council passes austere budget

See BBUUDDGGEETT,


A record amount of rain fellin the Puget Sound area Dec. 12,swelling the Snoqualmie River toflood stage. But while the riverran high, little damage has beenreported, according to city andcounty officials.

The rain came in on aPineapple Express, a weatherphenomenon that brings precip-itation and warmer temperaturesfrom the Pacific to theNorthwest.

King County issued a floodstage 3 alert for the SnoqualmieRiver on Dec. 12. The highestalert level is 4.

Record rainfall floods the Valley

See FFLLOOOODDIINNGG, Page 6

By Dan Catchpole

The Snoqualmie River overruns its banks, closing Snoqualmie’s Sandy Cove Park. The park was damaged inthe 2009 floods.

Officials reportlittle damage

King County deputiesvote for wage concession

By Dan Catchpole

King County Sheriff's deputy Sergeant Mark Toner (right) chats with aNorth Bend resident while patrolling the city. See DDEEPPUUTTIIEESS, Page 8

❑ Snoqualmie City Council raisesutility rates to pay debt... Page 3

IINNSSIIDDEE

$1.3 million. Under the propos-al, deputies would receive theirfull 5 percent raise in 2012, andthe contract would be extendedto 2013, when they would get a2 percent raise and keep theirexisting medical benefits.

King County Executive DowConstantine must now decidewhether or not to send the pro-posal to the County Council.

Constantine has asked theKing County Police Officers’Guild, which represents thedeputies, to discuss the proposal,according to his spokesman,Frank Abe.

In a statement, Constantinesaid his office has tried to workwith unions representing countyemployees to get wage conces-sions “so that we could preserveservices in their respectivework groups – within themeans available and in a waythat is financially sustainable.”

But it isn’t clear that thedeputies’ proposal with itsextension will actually save thecounty much money in the longrun, according to Jeff McMorris,chief-of-staff for CountyCouncilwoman Kathy Lambert,who represents SnoqualmieValley.

If the proposal is sent to thecouncil, it would probably be con-sidered in January, McMorris said.

When the contract was origi-nally negotiated, its defenderssaid it brought deputies’ wagesup to the middle of the field.Critics said the contract hadbecome too expensive, givencurrent economic reality.

The proposed concession willmean some savings for NorthBend, but City AdministratorDuncan Wilson said he expectsit to be less than $10,000.

The proposal does not doenough in 2012 and 2013 toreduce the city administration’sconcerns about the rising cost ofits contract for police services.

“We still have not reached apoint where it’s sustainable,”Wilson said.

The guild did not reply torequests for comment.

CCoommppaarriinngg ccoossttssBy the time the contract

expires, the lowest pay rate fordeputies will have gone fromabout $47,200 to $60,273. In2010, the lowest rate is $54,671.

The highest rate for patrolofficers will similarly haveclimbed from about $66,450 tojust under $84,400. In 2010, it is

$76,551. These wages are not that far

from the median pay rates forEastside police departments in2008-2010.

Higher-ranking officers, suchas sergeants and lieutenants, arepaid more. Given the differencein command structures andresponsibilities between depart-ments, it is difficult to comparepay for those officers.

Most of the Eastside policedepartments are in the processof negotiating new labor con-tracts. Three cities have con-tracts with their police officersunions through 2011; no cityhas a contract for 2012.

Contracts negotiated in themidst of an economic recessiontend to use deferred compensa-tion rather than wage increases,according to Ken Smith, a laborspecialist and professor at theUniversity of Washington’s EvansSchool of Public Administration.

Comparing pay rates offers alimited view, because salary isonly one part of an employee’soverall compensation, Smith said.

Nonetheless, Snoqualmie’s pre-liminary cost estimate of a jointpolice force was about $250,000less than North Bend’s currentcontract with King County,according to North Bend officials.

This year, the lowest negotiat-ed rate for Snoqualmie policeofficers is $52,584 and the high-est rate is $70,284.

“We’re certainly going to lookat what Snoqualmie has to

offer,” North Bend CouncilmanChris Garcia said.

Some city officials haveexpressed frustration with theirlack of influence on thedeputies’ contract negotiations,which are handled by the coun-ty and the deputies’ union.

“It’s a big part of it,” NorthBend Councilwoman JeannePettersen said. “Personnel costsare one of the highest costs inyour budget.”

Currently, the city is consider-ing layoffs or furloughs to close a$100,000 budget shortfall.

MMoorree tthhaann mmoonneeyyMoney isn’t all that matters,

though. Benefits, opportunitiesfor advancement, personal ful-

fillment and other factors allinfluence a person’s decision totake a job.

“Salary is not the most impor-tant factor for most employees,”Smith said.

Police Chief Mark Toner agreed.“If money were the big issue,

I’d go be a doctor,” he said.He took a pay cut when he left

his career as a machinist to jointhe sheriff’s office. Like the rest ofNorth Bend’s police force, Toneris a sheriff’s deputy. His assign-ment is acting chief of police forthe former logging town.

When he applied, Toner alsoapplied to work for a smallerdepartment, which offered bet-ter pay, but he was attracted tothe diverse assignments avail-able with the sheriff’s office. Thesheriff’s office also offers moreopportunity for advancementthan smaller departments.

In his more than 25 years as adeputy, Toner has worked inrural assignments (includingNorth Bend), urban settings, as aSWAT member and in thedepartment’s Major Crimes Unit.

“Show me another job whereyou can have such a huge impactjust by being there,” Toner said.

HHaarrdd ppiillll ttoo sswwaalllloowwEliminating the increase

would encourage North Bend tostay with the sheriff’s office forpolice services, city officials said.

As it is, the contract’s risingcosts are a “hard pill to swallow,”North Bend Mayor Ken Hearingsaid at a county budget hearingin October. “We need to take ahard look at police services.”

The city told the county laterthat month it is consideringother options and might wantto end the contract, an 18-month process.

The county came back by low-ering the cost of the proposed2011 contract by nearly$200,000. The savings will comefrom different service levels andthe county picking up part of theNorth Bend police chief’s salary.

“It’s a step in the right direc-tion,” Garcia said.

The contract’s cost will stillcontinue to rise in 2012, becauseof wage increases and NorthBend’s annexation of the Tannerarea, which means more groundto patrol.

Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or [email protected]. Comment at www.sno-valleystar.com.

PAGE 8 SnoValley Star DECEMBER 16, 2010

By Mary Miller

Tree touchupA North Bend Public Works employee decorates the city’s holidaytree downtown. The city held several tree-lighting celebrations thisyear, for which it shut down one block of North Bend Way.

DDeeppuuttiieessFrom Page 1

BByy tthhee nnuummbbeerrss

Negotiated pay rates for Eastside commissioned police officers in 2011

Lowest HighestKing County Sheriff's Office $54,671 $76,551Bellevue $55,240 $76,530Bothell $57,564 $74,676Carnation-Duvall $53,437 $66,432Clyde Hill $53,412 $67,740Hunts Point* $59,947 $74,061Issaquah $58,260 $71,856Kirkland $57,984 $75,612Medina $59,947 $74,061Mercer Island $56,472 $75,483Redmond $63,324 $73,368Renton** $54,216 $72,552Snoqualmie $52,584 $70,284Yarrow Point*** $53,412 $67,740

* Hunt's Point contracts for police services from Medina** Renton is currently negotiating a contract for 2010. The 2009 rates are used.*** Yarrow Point contracts for police services from Clyde Hill

CCoonnttrraacctt cciittiieess

Twelve cities in King County con-tract with the King CountySheriff's Office for police services.

Beaux ArtsBurienCovingtonKenmoreMaple ValleyNewcastleNorth BendSammamishSeaTacShorelineSkykomishWoodinville

Other contracts:King County International AirportMetroTransitMuckleshoot Indian Tribe

VVootteerrss ttoo ddeecciiddee oonn bboonnddffoorr nneeww ffiirree ssttaattiioonn

Voters in North Bend and FireDistrict 38 will decide whetheror not to pay for a new fire sta-tion in February.

North Bend’s City Council and

the district’s board of directorsboth approved sending to votersa $5 million bond measure.

After years of negotiations,North Bend and Fire District 38reached an agreement in July fora new station.

If the bond is approved byvoters, it would pay for a newstation southeast of downtownNorth Bend, replacing the exist-ing nearly 70-year-old station.

The bond issue will be on theballot for the Feb. 8 election.

Ownership of the new stationwould be evenly split, but thedistrict would pay for 57 percentof construction costs. NorthBend owns the land that thenew station would be built on,and the district would reimburse

the city for the cost of the land.Both the city and the district

belong to Eastside Fire & Rescue.A King County Medic One aidcar is also located at the currentfire station and would be at thefuture site.

WWEEBBWWEEBB EEXXTTRRAAEEXXTTRRAA>>>> www.snovalleystar.com

Compare pay rates forEastside police departments.

APRIL 1, 2010 SnoValley Star PAGE 9PAGE 8 SnoValley Star APRIL 1, 2010

A rA r iviver rer runs tuns thrhrough itough itWWalking in talking in the pashe pastt

The city is consideringadding “identity columns”as visible markers of down-town, placed at intersec-tions on the edge of thedowntown core.

The columns would beinspired by Mount Si andSnoqualmie Falls. In onedesign, one face of thestone is polished smooth toresemble flowing water.

The picture below is anexample of identity columns.

--BByy DDaann CCaattcchhppoollee

Walking along Railroad Avenue in Snoqualmie’s historicdowntown, it is hard to not notice the web of cracks in theasphalt or the narrow sidewalk, which quickly becomesclogged when a woman with a stroller goes into a café. Onthe street, most cars zip past without giving the tired storesa second glance.

“Our streetscape is so tired, it doesn’t attract people,”Wendy Thomas said.

She owns Carmichael’s Hardware on the next streetover, Falls Avenue.

Snoqualmie city officials have set their sights on usingthe city’s natural attractions and small-town, rustic charmto turn it into a tourist destination. Right now, city offi-cials acknowledge, the downtown is more rustic thancharming.

To make downtown more attractive, the city began giv-ing the area a facelift, starting with a $3.6 million revital-ization project. It is the first — and most visible — phase inthe city’s rough plan.

“The area has a worn, tired look,” Snoqualmie MayorMatt Larson said.

The current phase, expected to be finished in October,will create an integrated, pedestrian-friendly downtowncenter and replace old infrastructure, such as sewer lines. Itwill clean up what Larson calls the area’s “visual pollution”by removing utility poles and the electric, cable and phonelines running between them.

The end product will be another key part ofSnoqualmie’s development as a live/work/play community,he said.

“It’s not just about tourists. It’s a quality-of-life issue forthe whole town,” Larson said.

An investment in the futureA refurbished downtown will even bring nonretail busi-

nesses to the city, such as to the Snoqualmie RidgeBusiness Park, city officials said.

While city officials are hopeful of attracting new busi-nesses, existing ones downtown are worried they might notbe around to see the work’s end result.

The construction comes during peak season for severalof them, and they’re worried it will keep customers away.Many of the businesses are already suffering from the econ-omy’s slow recovery from the recession.

“It’s going to be tough to get through, especially withthe timing,” said Jody Sands, the owner of Isadora’s.

But, she said, it will be better for downtown merchantsin the end.

“It’s going to put Snoqualmie on the map,” she said.However, there could be growing pains for some mer-

chants, she said.“Snoqualmie tends to have an attitude of ‘take us as we

are or leave us.’ That’s got to change,” she said.Businesses will have to match the city’s investment with

their own. “They’re investing with the expectation that we’re going

to invest,” said Richard Anderson, executive director of theNorthwest Railway Museum.

The museum, which draws more than 88,000 visitorseach year, is a key piece of the city’s strategy of attractingvisitors to downtown.

The work is critical for the museum’s future, Andersonsaid.

“We can’t have a successful museum in an unsuccessfulcommunity,” he said.

The museum’s already making an investment in down-

Photo by Dan Catchpole

Identity columnsIdentity columns

LantLantererns tns to lamo lampsps

Project design-ers tapped into thecity’s railroad her-itage for inspira-tion in the designfor new street-lamps.

The lamps’design draw onrailroad lanterns,which once wereubiquitious to theindustry.

The new lampslook very similar to

ones currently outsideSnoqualmie’s NorthwestRailway Museum (pictured left).

Downtown Snoqualmie’s sidewalksare being repaved to resemble thewooden platform of the city’s rail-

road depot. (Sidewalks beingrepaved are in beige above.)

DDoowwnnttoowwnn ffaacceelliiffttDDoowwnnttoowwnn ffaacceelliifftt

City officials and merchants hope a $3.6 million faceliftwill breathe new life into Snoqualmie’s historic downtown

Snoqualmie city officials arehoping to tap into SnoqualmieValley’s many attractions, espe-cially its three largest.

Themes from the largestattractions were used as designmotifs in the project.

❑❑ Snoqualmie Falls: Each yearthe falls draw nearly two millionvisitors, but the only place for vis-itors to eat is the upscale SalishLodge & Spa. Snoqualmie is hop-

ing to entice some of those visi-tors to take a short car ride downthe road to its historic downtown.

❑❑ Mount Si: It is one of thestate’s most popular hikes, anddraws more than 500,000 visi-tors each year, according to thestate’s Department of NaturalResources. Snoqualmie couldface more competition fromNorth Bend for these visitors infuture years.

❑❑ Northwest Railway Museum:Located in the center of historicdowntown, the museum hasmore than 88,000 visitors eachyear. Several events, such asThomas the Tank, attract bigcrowds to downtown. City offi-cials expect the museum’s popu-larity to grow in coming years asit builds its new exhibition build-ing and adds new features.

The project includes majorinfrastructure improvements todowntown Snoqualmie:

❑❑ Reconfiguring parking on FallsAvenue Southeast❑❑ New street lamps❑❑ Reconstructing sidewalks onRailroad Avenue Southeast❑❑ Removing utility poles andundergrounding of utilities ❑❑ Replacing sewer lines andstorm water pipes

Several new touches aremeant to integrate the look andfeel of downtown Snoqualmie.

❑❑ Identity columns (tentative)❑❑ Sidewalks paved to resemblerailroad depot planking❑❑ Street trees (Autumn SpireMaple and Japanese Stewartia) ❑❑ Decorative tree grates ❑❑ Landscape planters ❑❑ Pedestrian seating❑❑ Custom street name signs

WherWhere te to paro parkkWork crews will be tearing up down-

town Snoqualmie’s streets, but plenty ofparking will be available.

All of Falls Avenue between SouthRiver Street and South King Street will beunavailable for parking.

Available parking areas are marked inred below.

By tBy the numberhe numberss ThemesThemes❑❑ 150: Total working days the pro-

ject is expected to take to com-plete.

❑❑ $3.6 million: Total project cost❑❑ $2.2 million: Construction cost❑❑ 10: Expected construction workers

on project at any one time❑❑ 2,570: Linear feet of new pipes❑❑ 11,000: Linear feet of under-

ground utility conduits❑❑ 40: Lampposts being put in❑❑ 30-40: Trees being planted along

streets

NNeew tw toucoucheshes

Photo contributed

Photo contributed

Stretches of meander-ing of blue grating flowdown one block of SouthKing Street and SouthRiver Street.

The design feature is inhomage of the Valley’s

most defining feature —the Snoqualmie River.

“Our streetscape is sotired, it doesn’t attractpeople.”

—— WWeennddyy TThhoommaassBusiness owner

Carmichael’s Hardware

City prCity properoper tiestiesThe city’s revitalization project

includes plans for three downtownproperties it owns.

1) King Street lot:City officials want to sell the lot

at the corner of King Street andRailroad Avenue for redevelopmentas a two- or three-story, mixed-usebuilding with retail space.

2) Planning office:The building, which is an his-

toric landmark, will serve as theproject contractors’ headquartersduring construction and eventual-ly be sold.

3) Former city hall:The two-story building which

was the city hall before the newone opened will be leased out formixed use, including retail.

Illustration by Dan Catchpole

See FFAACCEELLIIFFTT, Page 6 Your news comments welcome!

Snoqualmie River

Falls Avenue

Railroad Avenue

Kin

gS

tree

t River

Street

�N

APRIL 1, 2010 SnoValley Star PAGE 5

town. It partnered with the cityto construct new publicrestrooms on its site.

Even before the work began,times have been hard on down-town businesses.

“Right now, we have somevacancies in the downtown area,whereas two years ago, we did-n’t,” the city’s economic advisorBob Cole said.

While downtown businessowners readily see the impor-tance of private investment, get-ting loans isn’t easy for mostsmall retail businesses now.

“Cash flow is always an issuefor small businesses,” Cole said.

Commercial loans are notreadily available for small retailbusinesses, so he is working witha local bank to set aside$500,000 for façade improve-ment loans. The city is pushingto have low interest on the first$10,000 of a loan with normalrates applying to the rest.

Plan is to expand, enhanceCity officials hope that the

project will help expand, as wellas enhance, the existing down-town commercial area. The cur-rent area is largely limited toone side of one block onRailroad Avenue.

The current project is intend-ed to encourage the commercialarea’s expansion by better inte-grating Falls Avenue, King Streetand River Street, which will, cityofficials said, spur infill on par-tially empty lots betweenRailroad Avenue and FallsAvenue.

Snoqualmie city officials alsowant to encourage more anchorstores to downtown to attractmore shoppers, which currentlyonly has one — Carmichael’sHardware, Cole said.

City officials hope to sell orlease city-owned properties inthe area in the next couple years— and in doing so, increase city

revenue.“The main point is to get this

property back out on the taxrolls and let businesses occupythem,” Snoqualmie PlanningDirector Nancy Tucker said.

The biggest piece is the emptylot at the corner of King Streetand Railroad Avenue. City offi-cials want to sell it for redevel-opment as a two- or three-story,mixed-use building with retailspace on the ground floor.

The city might try to swap theproperty with land located northof Sahara Pizza, to extend FallsAvenue in the future, accordingto the latest draft of the city’sDowntown Master Plan.

The city will lease out a two-story building that served asCity Hall before the new oneopened.

Also, the city owns the brickbuilding at the corner of RiverStreet and Falls Avenue. Thebuilding, which has served as abank, City Hall and planningoffice, will serve as the projectcontractors’ headquarters duringconstruction, and will eventual-ly be sold, Tucker said.

Since the building is regis-tered with King County as a his-toric structure, it cannot be torndown unless it has no viableuse.

‘Don’t redo us’With shovels in the ground,

downtown merchants must nowsimply wait to see how they fareduring construction.

“We want to make sure theydon’t redo us when they redothe streets,” Thomas said.

If they survive, several busi-ness owners said, they are surethe end result will be for thebetter.

As the economy continues itssluggish recovery, city officialsdon’t expect to see changesovernight, but they are hopingfor the best.

“There are always pocketsthat are exceptions. And I thinkwe have the potential to be anexception,” Cole said.

Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext.246, or [email protected] atwww.snovalleystar.com.


Snoqualmie’s downtown currently has plenty of people pass by, but hasbeen seen increasing vacancies in recent years as merchants strugglein a tough economy. City officials hope a $3.6 million revitalization pro-ject will ensure the area’s future vibrancy.

FFaacceelliiffttFrom Page 8

Y = Yes, N = No,E = Excused, X = Not Voting

Senate Bill 5899, which passed theSenate 44-0, provides a creditagainst the state's business andoccupation tax for businesses with20 or fewer employees that create anew position for which a health careplan is offered. It’s before the House.�5th Sen. Cheryl Pflug, (R-Maple Valley) — Y

Senate Bill 6444, which passedthe Senate 25-19, would makemodifications to the state’s operat-ing budget. The Senate’s supple-mental budget proposal attempts toclose a $2.8 billion budget gap byreducing spending by approximately$829 million. It also incorporatesthe use of about $582 million ofapproved or anticipated additionalfederal relief to the state and trans-fers $501 million from other fundsto the state general fund. In addi-tion, the bill assumes collections innew revenues of $918 million fromincreased taxes. It’s before theHouse.�5th Sen. Cheryl Pflug, (R-Maple Valley) — N

Senate Bill 6503 passed theSenate 30-11 directing state agen-cies to achieve a reduction inemployee compensation coststhrough mandatory and voluntaryfurloughs, leave without pay,reduced work hours, voluntary retire-ments and separations, and layoffs.It has been passed to the House.�5th Sen. Cheryl Pflug, (R-Maple Valley) — N

House Bill 2561, which passed theHouse 54-39, would authorize thestate to issue $861 million in gen-eral obligation bonds. The bonds

would be used to invest in capitalimprovement projects on publicschools, state colleges and universi-ties, and other public facilities withthe purpose of stimulating job cre-ation. It’s before the Senate. �5th Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) — N�5th Rep. Jay Rodne, (R-North Bend) — N

House Bill 2416, which passed theHouse 59-35, would establish aminimum efficiency standard forcertain consumer products, such as,televisions, compact audio prod-ucts, certain external power sup-plies, and DVD players andrecorders. It’s before the Senate.�5th Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) — Y�5th Rep. Jay Rodne, (R-North Bend) — Y

Senate Bill 6143, which passed theSenate 25-18, would impose anadditional .02 percent state sales taxand use tax. The bill, which is estimat-ed to raise as much as $800 millionin revenue through increased taxes,also includes several measures thatwould eliminate Business andOccupation tax exemptions for severalbusiness sectors, as well as a salestax exemption for out of state busi-nesses. It was amended by the House53-42, removing the sales and usetax increase proposed by the Senate.Instead, the House tax package, esti-mated at nearly $800 million, relieson new B&O tax increases, as well aseliminating B&O exemptions andsales tax exemptions. It’s being nego-tiated by Senate and House leaders.�5th Sen. Cheryl Pflug, (R-Maple Valley) — N

Senate Bill 6143, ESSB 6143 –Raising taxes and eliminating busi-ness tax exemptions�5th Rep. Glenn Anderson, (R-Fall City) — N�5th Rep. Jay Rodne, (R-North Bend) — N

SOURCE: WashingtonVotes.org, a free,nonpartisan Web site to find plain-English explanations of bills and arecord of each legislator’s votes.

Roll CallRoll Call

CCoouunncciillwwoommaann pprrooppoosseessllaabboorr cchhaannggeess ttoo ssaavveeccoouunnttyy ccaasshh

County Councilwoman KathyLambert has proposed policies toreduce labor costs — the largestexpense category in the budgetfor cash-strapped King County.The proposal includes elementsto reduce labor costs during arecession.

Lambert — who representsIssaquah, Sammamish and largeswaths of unincorporated KingCounty — proposed legislationto add requirements to thecounty labor bargaining authori-ty. Her proposal lowers the min-imum to zero, but keeps 6 per-cent as the maximum.

The existing policy requires a2 percent minimum cost-of-liv-

ing adjustment, regardless ofwhether the Consumer PriceIndex rises by the same amount.

Lambert also proposed toinclude a re-opener clause if pro-jections forecast county rev-enues to remain flat or declinein the next calendar year. Theproposal also outlines strategiesto cut dollars in a recession, likeincreased employee contribu-tions for health-care benefits,reduced wages and salaries, andunpaid furloughs.

“Currently, our labor con-tracts are for terms up to sixyears, which results in countyemployees receiving raises dur-ing economic recessions, whenmost citizens are forced to cutback,” Lambert said in a newsrelease. “With more than 80 per-cent of King County’s labor

force represented by unions, it isimportant to build flexibilityand responsiveness into ourlabor contracts.”

RReemmoovvee ssttuuddddeedd ttiirreess bbyyAApprriill 11 —— oorr ffaaccee ffiinnee

State Department ofTransportation officials reminddrivers to remove studded tiresby April 1.

Otherwise, the WashingtonState Patrol will enforce a $124against motorists caught withthe winter gear after the dead-line.

State law allows studded tiresbetween Nov. 1 and March 31.Extended weather forecasts callfor typical late March and earlyApril conditions, with snow pos-sible at higher elevations.

Serving the Snoqualmie Valley for 40+ years!

c a t t l e • h o r s e s • s w i n e • g o a t s

l l a m a s • c a t s • d o g s

Experienced - Professional - Compassionate care for your animals AT YOUR HOME!

Exams • Lab Work • Vaccinations • Health Certificates

Parasite Control • Micro-Chipping • Supplements • Minor Surgery

Behavior Counseling • Euthanasia

Dr. Hogan will work in conjunction with your regular vet or be a primary care giver for your animals

425.222.5665 425.761.0982

HHoommeess oonn tthhee wwaayyMichigan builder buysSnoqualmie Ridge lots.

Page 6


DDooeess DDiicckkeennss kknnooww?? Singer reworks classic taleinto ‘7 Deadly Sins’

Page 8

GGrroowwiinngg aawwaarreenneessssValley entrepreneur toutspower of calenula flowers.

Page 8

WWiillddccaatt IIddoollStudents perform theirbest in talent competition.

Page 10

January 13, 2011

VOL. 3, NO. 2

Mount Si upsets ninth-rankedSammamish

53-46Page 12




PAIDKent, WA

Permit No. 71

POSTALCUSTOMER


Lunchtime at Isadora’s Caféin Snoqualmie was busier thanusual the week after Christmas.Regulars pulled up chairs onthe restaurant’s well-wornwood floors to get a last mealbefore Isadora’s closed with thenew year.

For the owners, Jody andMichael Sands, the decision to

close the doors after two yearswas a long time coming.

“It was heartbreaking,absolutely heartbreaking,” JodySands said.

She had learned a lot aboutthe restaurant business whilewaiting tables at the café in themid-‘90s. Owning Isadora’s hadbeen a dream come true for theSnoqualmie native.

Like several other indepen-

dent owners of food servicebusinesses in the Valley, Sandsendured the economic reces-sion in 2008 and 2009, butcouldn’t overcome the laggingrecovery in 2010. Squeezed byanemic revenue, rising costsand no available credit, thesemerchants either closed or soldtheir businesses.

Your money:2011 School Bond

Part 2

The Snoqualmie Valley SchoolDistrict is once again asking vot-ers for money to help solvecrowding. In this part, districtleaders explain the desperateneed for a new middle school.

BByy SSeebbaassttiiaann MMoorraaggaa

If the $56.2-million schoolbond passes Feb. 8, a new mid-dle school will be built,although calling it new won’ttell the whole story.

It would be a new building,complete with that fresh-paintsmell, but much of it wouldhave a familiar look.

First, the building wouldretain the name, colors and mas-cot of the one it would replace:

Snoqualmie Middle School,home of the Eagles.

Second, the new middleschool would be on property theschool district purchased yearsago, under the administration offormer Valley schools superin-tendent Rich McCullough.

Third, the building would bevery similar in design and con-struction to what today isnewest school in the Valley,Twin Falls Middle School.

This measure, current super-

intendent Joel Aune said, savedthe district $400,000, whichwould otherwise have gone todesigning a new building fromscratch.

With the vote three weeksaway, members past and presentof the Snoqualmie Valley SchoolDistrict insist that what hangs inthe balance is not just the whimof a few but the future of many.

“People will realize we defi-

Officials say a new middleschool a must for district

See BBOONNDD, Page 6

By Dan Catchpole

Hilary Shemanski makes a drink for a customer at Koko Beans in Snoqualmie. Despite the tough timesother food service businesses have endured in Snoqualmie, Shemanski is confident she can succeed.

BByy SSeebbaassttiiaann MMoorraaggaa

Snoqualmie police havearrested an 18-year-old male anda 19-year-old male in connec-tion with the Jan. 6 break-in atMount Si High School.

A press release from the cityof Snoqualmie stated that policerecognized one of the twoteenagers in a surveillance tapefrom the break-in. Officers thenobtained a search warrant forthe suspect’s Snoqualmie homeand gave the suspect a call. Thesuspect then agreed to turn him-self in to police.

At the suspect’s home policelocated an Xbox that officerssaid had been stolen from theschool.

The day of the theft, MountSi High School principal RandyTaylor said the Xbox and a TVset had been reported missingthe day before.

The second man arrested isfrom Auburn, the release said.

The two men will be bookedinto the King County Jail and

‘Ridiculous’theft leavesschool staff,studentsperplexed

Small businesses feeling squeezed

See SSQQUUEEEEZZEEDD, Page 3 See TTHHEEFFTT, Page 2

JANUARY 13, 2011 SnoValley Star PAGE 3

Don’t know where to turn?

Dave LaTourette, principalNorth Bend, WA 98045425-444-4175

[email protected]

licensed and bonded (lic. #3301)

DL INVESTIGATIONSA PRIVATE INVESTIGATION AND

SECURITY AGENCY

The early yearsare learning years!

Reserve YOUR child’s place in the only nationally accredited preschool

program in the Snoqualmie Valley!

� Preschool and toddler registration for the 2011-2012school year begins on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011.

� PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE: 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011.

Call us TODAY at 425-888-2777 or visitour web site at www.encompassnw.org!

1407 Boalch Avenue N.W., between Snoqualmie & North Bend

CCllaarriiffiiccaattiioonn

The Jan. 6 issue of the Starmentioned Anna Sotelo. She isthe current owner of Ana’sMexican Restaurant.

IIddaahhoo ccaarr aacccciiddeenntt kkiillllssNNoorrtthh BBeenndd wwoommaann

A North Bend woman waskilled in a single-car accidentJan. 2 in Idaho.

The woman, Gina Wiley, diedfrom injuries sustained whenthe car she was riding in rolledover on Interstate 15 nearSpencer, Idaho, at about 10:45p.m., according to an IdahoState Police news release.

The car, a 1996 PontiacGrand Am, was headed south onthe highway, which was coveredby snow and ice. The car wentoff the right side of the road, hita post and flipped over, accord-ing to the release.

While the driver had a seat-belt on, none of the three pas-sengers did.

The 23-year-old Wiley diedbefore emergency responderscould reach the accident.

The driver and passengerswere taken to Madison MemorialHospital in Rexburg, Idaho, withnon life-threatening injuries.

NNoorrtthh BBeenndd mmaann iinnjjuurreeddiinn ccrraasshh oonn IInntteerrssttaattee 9900

A North Bend man was takento Harborview Medical Centerafter a crash on Interstate 90 sixmiles west of Cle Elum onWednesday afternoon, theWashington State Patrol report-ed.

Joseph Magnuson, 21, wasbeing treated for cuts to the headand neck, and back pain, accord-ing to a patrol news release.

The other driver, Roy K.Walker, of Washougal, Wash.,was not hurt, troopers said.

Magnuson, driving a Toyotapickup, and Walker, driving aKenworth tractor and trailer,were both headed west about2:30 p.m.

Magnuson lost control andwent sideways, then was hit bythe semi, troopers said.

Magnuson was going too fastfor conditions, although anycharges were pending, accordingto the news release.

A mix of snow and rain wasreported throughout the day.Intoxicants were not suspected.Both drivers had their seat beltson.

FFeewweerr ccuussttoommeerrssEven though the Great

Recession technically ended in2009, the economy has contin-ued to limp along. The recoveryso far has been fueled byincreased productivity fromexisting workers, rather thannew hires.

“Job growth has been slowerthan molasses,” said Arun Raha,Washington State’s chief econo-mist.

For many businesses, thatmeans their customer base has-n’t been growing. In addition,people are still saving more andspending less, especially on non-essential goods and services.

That has not been good newsfor the Snoqualmie Valley’sbusinesses, most of which offernon-essential goods and ser-vices, especially food.Snoqualmie has 37 businesseswhich sell food, according toBob Cole, an economic consul-tant for the city.

“From the beginning, I couldsee we were going to have aproblem,” Sands said.

When she took over Isadora’sin December 2008, Sandschanged the menu — keepingthe mainstays, while addingdishes to cater to a wider crowd.Over the next couple years, sheworked to increase traffic withmore live music, an open mikenight and small stage theater.

She had enough people com-ing in through the door to keepthe lights on from day to day,but not enough to provide anysecurity for the future.

Several owners of retail andfood businesses in downtownSnoqualmie said that customertraffic was down this summer,the peak season for manystores, during work on the city’sdowntown revitalization pro-ject. The work included tearingup one side of the commercialarea’s main street.

“Between the economy andall the construction they did lastyear, we put so much moneyinto it, we just couldn’t keep itgoing,” said Kathy Twede, whorecently sold the Choo ChooCafé at the Snoqualmie FallsCandy Factory.

Her husband, Kyle Twede,owns Twede’s Café in NorthBend.

Both Twede and Sands saidthat the downtown work willbenefit the city in the future.

The city’s primary role inboosting the local economy isproviding and maintaininginfrastructure to support busi-nesses, Cole said.

“I love this town, this com-munity, and I’m really excitedto see it blossom. Unfortunately,we’re going out at the begin-ning of this,” Sands said.

FFeewweerr rreessoouurrcceess Independent restaurants are

having difficulty getting creditto get through the lean times.Twede couldn’t even get over-draft protection for her restau-rant. It had been easy to get 10years before when her husbandopened Twede’s Café.

“Nobody’s willing to shellout money like they used to,”she said.

To maintain a positive cashflow, Twede cut back heremployees — from six to two —and increased her own hours.

To get credit, businesses have

to show that they can make aprofit and pay off their debt.

For small businesses strug-gling to stay open in a smallmarket, it becomes a Catch-22:They need credit to keep afloatand eventually turn a profit,but they have to show they areprofitable to get credit.

“They don’t have the busi-ness plans that a banker wouldbe interested in,” Raha said.

Typically, smaller restaurantslack resources and expertiseavailable to larger businesses,said Arnold Shain, founder ofthe Restaurant Group, Inc., aconsulting firm.

“Smaller restaurants are moreon the line of being chef dri-ven, and while that is appealingto many people, it is somewhatone-dimensional in operationalknowledge required.”

Restaurants must succeed inmany areas: cuisine, branding,service and management, atmos-phere, and systems and control.

“If one or more of these legsis longer, shorter than the otherthan the chair either leans orfalls over,” Shain said.

But the state has been seeingsome positive signs for restau-rants across the state, Raha said.“After two years of eating athome, they’re getting sick of it.”

HHooppee ffoorr tthhee ffuuttuurree ddeessppiittee oobbssttaacclleessSome business owners see a

brightening horizon. A fewdoors down from Isadora’s,Hilary Shemanski just boughtKoko Beans, a struggling coffee-house, in December.

“I feel fortunate, actually,”she said. “It feels like I got in atthe right time.”

One benefit to her location isits low overhead. Koko Beans isa coffeehouse in a comfortableshoebox with room for a hand-

ful of tables. “As cute as it is, it’s obvious-

ly not working because I’m thefourth owner in three years,”said Shemanski, who has livedin the area since 1998.

She thinks she has the miss-ing ingredient: high-end beer,which she plans to add by mid-April. It will still be a coffee-house, though.

Shemanski hopes that willhelp her capture more of thetourist market while maintain-ing the store’s local regulars.

But even after the economyrecovers and business picks up,Shemanski has discovered a long-term obstacle that business own-ers must put up with: permits.

“Going through the permitprocess, it almost fizzles outyour creativity. You come inwith all these ideas, and thenyou find out there’s a form foreverything,” she said.

Currently, she is trying to geta license to serve beer and look-ing into getting a license toserve prepared foods, such assandwiches. But the costs ofpermits can add up for smallbusinesses.

So can other small costs, likecustomers using debit or creditcards rather than cash, she said.

Each time a customer uses adebit card she has to pay 25cents. Credit cards with rewardsprograms are worse; they cancost her up to 7 percent of thetotal purchase, she said.

Despite the obstacles,Shemanski is confident she’llsucceed.

“If you do it right, you canmake it,” she said.

Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or [email protected]. Comment atwww.snovalleystar.com.

SSqquueeeezzeedd From Page 1

HHiissttoorriicc eennddiinnggfor Wildcats boys soccer

Page 10


North Bend andSnoqualmie

WWaatteerr--llooggggeedd lleeaarrnniinnggStudents fromSnoqualmie ElementarySchool learn about wet-lands. Page 12.

MMeemmoorriiaall DDaayy eevveennttssSuggestions for honoringfalen service members.Page 4.

CClliimmbbiinngg oovveerr ccaanncceerrValley resident raisesmoney for cancerresearch through moun-tain climbing. Page 8.

CCiittyy ppaarrkk ffoorr TTaannnneerr AAnnnneexxNorth Bend’s TannerAnnex could get its firstcity-run park. Page 2.

May 27, 2010

VOL. 3, NO. 21


PAIDKent, WA

Permit No. 71

POSTALCUSTOMER


Doug Madden strokes the forehead of his fiancee’s horse Hunter, who was badly burned when their barn burned down May 1, likely due toan electrical problem. Two horses died in the fire. Hunter is recovering well, and Madden hopes to be able to ride him in two months.

BByy WWaarrrreenn KKaaggaarriissee

Every year, the regionalSociety of ProfessionalJournalists chapter invitesaward-winning journalists to itsannual Excellence in JournalismAwards dinner.

SnoValley Star reporter LauraGeggel picked up a second-placeaward for education reporting

for nondaily papers at the din-ner May 22. The winning piecedetailed how students at TwoRivers School use boomerangs tolearn math and science.

The Star competed againstpublications in Alaska, Idaho,Montana, Oregon andWashington.

Some Snoqualmie Valley residentswoke up to a 3.4 magnitude earthquakeat 5:21 a.m. May 25. The earthquake’sepicenter was near Carnation andalmost four miles deep, according to thePacific Northwest Seismic Network.

While the earthquake was small, itwas also shallow, which increased itsintensity.

It “felt like someone kicked ourhouse to the curb…one swift kick,” PiaLarson wrote in an e-mail.

Larson added that she was “surprisedour animals didn’t warn us…what goodare they? Ha!”

SnoValley Star reporterwins journalism award

Barn fire leaves physicaland emotional scars onhumans and horsesBByy DDaann CCaattcchhppoollee

Doug Madden and Kelly Bolen love horses.

Horses have been a part of nearly everymajor moment in their lives, includingwhen the two, who are engaged, met lastyear. They’ve been able to turn that loveinto a part-time business, Equine Escapes,which helps people connect with nature onhorseback.

Over the years, Bolen and Madden havecome to think of their horses more like1,000-pound family members than animals.

So, it was sheer terror that overtook Bolen

when she woke up in the early morningMay 1. The bedroom she and Madden sharewas bathed in glowing, reddish-orange light.

Sitting up, she looked outside to see theirhorse barn engulfed in flames. Inside weresix of their 10 horses.

Bolen screamed “Fire!” waking Maddenup. Both rushed to do what they could.

Racing to the barn, Madden saw its cen-

See AAWWAARRDD, Page 2

OOnn tthhee WWeebb

❑❑ PacificNorthwestSeismic Network:www.pnsn.org❑❑ USGSEarthquakesHazards Program— PacificNorthwest:earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/pacnw

Quake shakes Valley

See HHOORRSSEESS, Page 3

A time for healing

burns, Hunter was scared but sta-ble.

“God, I was thinking if I’d gonethrough that, I’d be shook up,too,” said Dr. Bob Hogan, the FallCity veterinarian who responded.

The couple’s regular veterinari-an, Dr. Henry Greenwald, tookover Hunter’s case when hereturned to town a couple of dayslater.

The horse isn’t out of dangeryet, but he is healing as well ascan be expected, he said.

“He had a large portion of his

body burned, so time will tell,”Greenwald said.

While Hunter is recovering,Bolen and Madden are both tryingto bounce back from the fire thattook the lives of two family mem-bers and caused nearly $200,000in damage. They also have to payfor Hunter’s medical bills.

Madden said a fire investigatortold them that the fire was sparkedby an electrical problem, likelycaused by a mouse chewingthrough a wire.

The King County fire investiga-tor could not be reached for com-ment.

The barn and riding equipmentaccount for nearly all of the losses,but it is the two horses that haveleft the largest hole.

“I wouldn’t have taken any-thing for them,” Madden said,walking through the barn’scharred remnants.

Even after more than twoweeks, the faint smell of wet char-coal hangs over their property.Madden paused, bent down andpicked up a buckle from a horse’sheadgear.

“We found the silver hearts onmy daughter’s head stall thatFancy wore,” he said.

He’d bought a special halterdecorated with silver hearts forwhen his 13-year-old daughter,Lucy, would show Fancy in com-petition. Somehow, the silver did-n’t melt in the fire.

Madden put the pieces hefound in a wooden box for hisdaughter, who had been in Hawaiiat the time.

Just a month before the fire,Lucy and Fancy had really con-nected on a trip to the coast.

“They were playing, but itlooked more like they were danc-ing,” Madden said, his voicewavering.

Madden had his own connec-tion with Fancy, who he used toride into Snoqualmie on Sundaymornings to get coffee.

Bolen had a deep bond with 7-year-old Lakota, who she’d rescuedwhen he was only a few monthsold from a pregnant-mare-urinefarm, which uses horse urine inproducing a drug most often usedto treat post-menopause symp-toms.

“Lakota was one you could justfly on,” Madden said. “My sweetieloved to ride him.”

Their other horses are also try-ing to get past the fire.

“Dakota’s eyes have softenedsince the fire,” he said of anotherhorse, which he thinks is sufferingfrom depression.

Another horse, Sampson, hasbecome more timid. The stronghorse used to love taking the leadon trips, but now, Madden said,his body tenses and he becomesanxious if he is in the lead.

The horses were all livelierwhen they’ve been in the woods.Madden and Bolen took fourclients on a trip two weeks afterthe fire.

“They’re like anybody else.They want to get back to work andget their head clear,” he said.

MAY 27, 2010 SnoValley Star PAGE 3

Miranda Kole is a newaesthetician here at Destiny byDesign. She grew up here inthe Valley and graduated fromEvergreen Beauty School.She’s excited to start hercareer right here in the Valley.She offers facials, eyebrow

and lash tinting, eyelash extensions and expertmakeup application.

NEW FACES AT DESTINY BY DESIGN

destinybydesignsalon.com • 425.888.9347 • 249 Main Ave. S. Suite C - North Bend

Suzanne Peterson is a newdesigner and Paul Mitchell colorspecialist here at Destiny byDesign. She grew up in SkagitCounty and has been a licensedhairstylist since 1991. Shespecializes in color, foiling,highlighting,haircuts, texturizingand razor cutting. A-line bobs,all the fun stuff! She recentlyhas moved to the Valley and is excited to bring herexpertise to the Valley. Come in and meet Suzanneand enjoy a first visit discount!

FREE

HAIRCUTwith any chemical service,

starting June 1st. Call for your

appointment with Suzanne!

888-9347

FREE BROW ORFACIAL WAX

with any Dermalogica facial,starting June 1st. Call for your appointment with Miranda! 888-9347

EYECARE MISSIONGUATEMALA, MARCH 2010

Please support Dr. Duvall with your donations of old glasses!

Snoqualmie Valley EyecareNorth Bend • 831.2020

Snoqualmie Ridge • 831.2060see20-20.com

tral corridor was covered in roar-ing flames.

“I didn’t see any animals mov-ing. My heart sank, because Ithought we’d lost everyone,” hesaid.

Then he saw a horse kicking. Itwas Lakota, a brown-and-whitequarter horse- Bolen had rescuedseveral years before.

Madden called the horse, but itwouldn’t come out. Moving clos-er, he could see Lakota’s leg wasbroken and his mane was burning.

Flames and the heat keptMadden from being able to reachLakota, and there were other hors-es in danger. He moved on, help-ing a houeguest free two otherhorses.

Two more horses had alreadyescaped from their stalls. The lasthorse, Fancy, which Madden hadpurchased for his daughter theyear before, had already died.

With all the horses accountedfor, Madden ran to the house,grabbed his rifle and came back,quickly ending Lakota’s misery.

While firefighters fromSnoqualmie, Fall City and EastsideFire & Rescue fought the fire,Madden worried that he wouldhave to put down another horse,Hunter. He had been badly burnedon his right side, and his eyes wereswollen shut from the flames.

Madden was concerned theheat had caused internal organdamage.

A veterinarian examined thefrightened animal and found that,despite suffering serious surface


Madden stops to pick up a pieceof hardware from a horse halter(closeup above). Madden andBolen lost around $50,000 worthof tack and other equipment inthe fire.

HHoorrsseessFrom Page 1


Bolen with Lakota

FFuunnddrraaiisseerr

A fundraiser is being orga-nized to help Madden andBolen pay for Hunter’s med-ical expenses.

❑❑ What: Bake sale and live

auction❑❑ When: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

June 12❑❑ Where: Cedar Grange Hall,

22531 S.E. 218th St., MapleValley❑❑ Contact: Call 206-551-

2040 or send an e-mail [email protected]

Madden’s daughter on Fancy

write of year news

Documents

thefacebook page

svsdschool bond recount

recount resultswill

snoqualmiemiddle school

bond measure

valley voters

middle schools

single vote