JazzyStudent musicians get invited to jazz festival.

Page 3

Goodbye, officer North Bend police close up shop.

Page 3

Police blotterPage 6

A really big showBeatleMania Live comes to Snoqualmie Casino.

Page 8

February 20, 2014

VOL. 5, NO. 8

Mount Si basketball

season endsPage 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

There were no “hams” – just awed students who tuned into everything being taught during the amateur radio school club roundup Feb. 4-6 at Two Rivers Middle School.

Stephen Kangas brings his amateur radio equipment, his expertise and his FCC license annually to Joe Burgener’s class-room at the North Bend school. This is the sixth year he’s volun-teered for the roundup, a week-long event each February. Radio operators throughout the world participate in the School Club Roundup, teaching kindergarten through college students about the joys and challenges of ham radio operations.

Kangas begins by going to the classroom to explain what’s going to happen. Then, a couple days before the on-air sessions begin, selected students help him raise an antenna.

Using an air-powered gun he

Two Rivers Middle School takes to the airwaves

Contributed

Stephen Kangas (left) watches as eighth-grader Levi Putz speaks to a distant “ham.” Classmates Zoe Olsson and C.J. Rathmell watch, spellbound. See HAM, Page 2

By Sherry Grindeland

Relinquishing a newborn baby can be a heart-wrenching decision under the best of cir-cumstances. But abandoning an infant in the woods is among the worst of circumstances.

In Washington, mothers and/or fathers who don’t feel they’re able to care for a new baby have had a better choice since 2002 when the Baby Safe Haven law was enacted.

They can bring the baby to any hospital emergency room or fire station and anonymously leave the infant with staff mem-ber, firefighter or volunteer.

This law applies to babies 72 hours or younger. If there are no signs of intentional abuse, the person who relinquishes the baby does not need to supply

Information sought in abandoned baby case

The King County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information about a dead newborn whose body was found in the woods in the 38800 block of Southeast North Bend Way shortly after 2 p.m. Feb. 12.

Detectives released a photo-graph of a towel that was found with the baby. It is a full-sized, faded black bath towel with multiple color square patterns on one side and rectangles on

the other side. The towel is a Target brand, Home Collection.

Detectives hope someone will recognize the towel and call in with information that will help in the investigation.

The dead baby was found in the woods near the Kimble Creek Bridge.

Detectives said the baby appears to have been a full term newborn and still had the umbilical cord attached.

The sheriff’s office is not yet

Babies can be left in safe places

Contributed

An abandoned baby was found wrapped in this towel. Investigators are hoping someone will recognize it.

See BABY, Page 2See SAFE, Page 2

By Sherry Grindeland

Voters are approving Snoqualmie Valley School District levy proposals by a comfortable margin. Both levies replace existing ones and neither levy proposition will fund construction.

The Educational Programs and Operations levy, former-ly known as Maintenance and Operations, has received 5,483 yes votes to 2,614 as of Feb. 14. The Technology levy is passing 5,589 to 2,512. Both are getting a more than 65 percent approval. Levies need 50 percent approval to pass.

Votes will continue to trickle in until Feb. 25, but both levies seem destined to pass.

“We are extremely grateful to the community for sup-porting the school district levy propositions,” said Joel Aune, school district super-

Both school levies pass

See LEVIES, Page 3

PAGE 2 SnoValley Star FEBRUARY 20, 2014

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designed, Kangas shoots a projectile carrying fishing line attached to heavier rope into a tree. Students then use a series of ropes to raise the antenna: The higher the antenna, the better the radio reception.

On Feb. 6, it all came together – the instruc-tion, the working antenna and the radio equipment Kangas and Burgener had set up.

Kangas taught them what amateur radio is, the science behind the radio waves, how radios work and the government regu-lations. He taught them radio etiquette and what to say when they went on air.

It all started with stu-

dents learning their A-B-Cs.

“The kids learned the International Phonetic Alphabet,” said Kangas via email. “Then they learned how to spell names pho-netically.”

Then they went on air.The first radio con-

tact made was with another school participat-ing in the School Club Roundup event: W6BHZ Amateur Radio Club at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. The Two Rivers kids enjoyed chat-ting with Paul, an elec-tronics engineering senior there.

In the world of ham or amateur radio operations, last names are the opera-tor’s number. Kangas, for instance, is W9SK.

When the students talked to a retired middle school teacher in San Jose,

they were connected with Daryl W6DYL. He com-mented to the students that he enjoyed speaking to a middle school class and recommended some of his favorite books.

A highlight of the day was a conversation with Don NL7HH near North Pole, Alaska. He told the students he was huddled inside his house because it was minus-34 degrees out-side and there was four-feet of snow. He talked about moose and bear wandering through his yard, the Northern Lights and that during the win-ter, he enjoys a grand total of 3 hours 45 minutes of daylight. North Pole, Alaska, he said, is smaller than North Bend, but tourists still come to visit Santa Claus.

Kangas said the stu-dents enjoyed the con-trast in weather when

they connected with George KI6RSC. He was in Southern California and pulled over in his car to chat on his mobile ama-teur radio. He told the stu-dents it was sunny and 80 degrees outside.

Afterward the students still had a homework assignment.

The class created a QSL card – a postcard that they will mail to each radio operator they talked to. They, in turn, can expect to receive cards back from their connections.

“QSL cards are post-cards verifying a contact that took place,” Kangas said. “Typically they have special artwork or photos and interesting local infor-mation.”

He said he volunteers for the project each year because learning to oper-ate a radio is a good way to reinforce science, math, civics, government, and social science lessons the class has studied.

More information about SCR at www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup.

Contributed

Students admire their work as they learn from host Stephen Kangas how an antenna converts electrical signals into radio waves that reach thousands of miles.

HamFrom Page 1

releasing the gender of the baby.

If you have any infor-

mation about the baby, call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311 or Crime Stoppers, remain anony-mous and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. The toll-free number is 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

any information.In other words, a par-

ent may hand off a new baby to a responsible adult and walk away, no questions asked. The mother or father does not need to be the person taking the baby to a hospital or fire sta-tion. The parent will be asked if they can share any information, such as family medical his-tory and date and place of birth but nothing is required.

Every state has simi-lar laws, all designed to decriminalize giving up an unwanted newborn child.

“Between February 2009 and March 2013, 22 infants were relin-quished through the Safe Haven Act,” said Mindy Chambers, an outreach manager with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services in Olympia.

When a baby is relinquished under the Safe Haven law, a social

worker will place it into foster care.

A mother who uses a Safe Haven may change her mind and reclaim the baby. If parents do not return in a few months, the child may be adopted.

The North Bend baby was abandoned just a few miles from Snoqualmie Valley Hospital.

Hospital spokes-woman Jill Green said the emergency room is equipped for and the staff is trained to deal with such a situation.

“Police will not be called if the baby is less than 72 hours old,” Green said. “The emer-gency room nurse will arrange for one-on-one care until the appro-priate social worker arrives.”

A national hotline exists for parents. By calling the number, the parent can receive coun-seling and learn the loca-tion of the nearest Safe Haven. The toll-free hot-line is: 1-888-510-BABY.

For more information, visit: www.dshs.wa.gov/ca/safety/sfAbandon.asp?1.

SafeFrom Page 1

BabyFrom Page 1

FEBRUARY 20, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 3

3

CorrectionsIn the stories about the Snoqualmie City

Council meeting that ran Feb. 13, the meeting date should have been Feb. 10.

In addition, the discussion about House Bill 1287 happened informally during the Committee of the Whole discussion, near the end of the meet-ing. It is the only meeting where the council has talked about the bill.

The SnoValley Star is committed to accuracy. If you have a concern about an article in the newspa-per or online, email editor@snovalleystar.com.

intendent. By supporting and passing these proposi-tions, Snoqualmie Valley voters have once again chosen to make an invest-ment in this community, in their schools, and in all children.”

The two levies will mean a $91 per year tax hike for a $350,000 home.

EP&O levy will increase taxes by 22 cents per $1,000 of assessed valua-

tion, to $2.70 in 2015. For the owner of a $350,000 home, that would be an increase $77 per year.

The Technology Levy will increase taxes by 4 cents to 47 cents per thousand. That same homeowner would see an increase of $14 per year.

The EP&O money pro-vides nearly one quarter of the district’s day-to-day operations, programs and personnel, including teachers and staff, who work with students.

The current mainte-nance and operations levy expires this year.

The technology levy will fund class equipment, support, training, and resources for teachers and staff – the hardware, soft-ware and infrastructure to support technology.

Washington State does not provide any funding for technology in schools.

When the state defined basic education in 1977 it didn’t include any allowance for tech-nology.

Sherry Grindeland can be reached at editor@snovalleystar.com or 425-392-6434, ext. 246.

LeviesFrom Page 1

Mount Si High Jazz Band snags invite to New York City

The Mount Si School Jazz Band earned a coveted invitation to the Essentially Ellington Festival May 9-10 in New York City. Mathew Wenman, the band direc-tor and music teacher from the high school, made the announcement to the band Feb. 18 when they were performing

at Boxley’s in North Bend.Only 15 schools in the country get

invited to the Festival. Wenman plans to take 20 students on the trip.

Wenman said he worked the students extremely hard in hopes of snaring an invitation. They have had daily rehears-als.

Now, the fun begins, he said — raising money for the trip.

By Calder Productions

Vocalists Morgan Myers, Jonica Beatie, Derek Lee and Stephan Mahler perform during the Feb. 11 Jazz Fest at Mount Si High School.

A farewell open house will be held at the North Bend Police Department/King County Sheriff Station from 3-5 p.m. Feb. 27 at 1550 Boalch Ave. N.W. A number of former and current offi-cers who have served the North Bend area will be on hand to greet the pub-lic.

The Snoqualmie Police Department will be providing policing services beginning March 8.

Even though the department will remain open until March 8, concealed weapons permit applications have already transitioned to the Snoqualmie Police Department.

Anyone who lives in the city of North Bend can apply for a permit at

the Snoqualmie Police Station, 34825 S.E. Douglas St. Residents who live out-side city limits can apply for concealed weapon permits at Sammamish City Hall, 801 228th Ave. S.E. in Sammamish or at the King County Courthouse, 526 Third Ave., Seattle.

The sheriff’s office prescription drop box closes Feb. 26. After that, prescrip-tion drugs make be disposed of at the Snoqualmie or Sammamish Police Department.

Since the prescription disposal service began in 2010, North Bend Police Chief Mark Toner estimates that the program has kept hundreds of pounds of expired and unneeded prescription drugs off the street.

Bid farewell to North Bend’s King County sheriff deputies

Contra dance evening scheduled for Feb. 21

The monthly contra dancing and family laughter festival begins at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Sallal Grange, 12912 432nd Ave. S.E., North Bend.

A soup and bread supper kicks off the evening. Dancing starts at 7 p.m. with waltz lessons, followed by the contra dance.

Leah Aichele, chair-woman of the fam-ily activities for the grange, describes con-tra dancing as a cross between square danc-ing and a laugh fest.

“It is fun for all genders and ages,” she said.”Sometimes danc-ers get the steps right and sometime they get them wrong, but they are always laughing.”

Caller will be Lindsey Dono and the band providing the music will be Fresh Cider. Tim Noonan will give the waltz lessons.

The event is free but donations are appreci-ated. Suggested dona-tion range is $5 to $10.

For more informa-tion call the Grange at 888-0825 or visit www.SallalGrange.org.

Preston-Snoqualmie Trail closure is planned next week to repair bridge

A section of the Preston-Snoqualmie Trail near Snoqualmie will be closed Feb. 24-28. The clo-sure is necessary to make safety repairs to an old trestle bridge.

Several rotten structural members of the bridge near Lake Alice Road must

be replaced, along with one section of the bridge deck. Because the work requires taking apart a portion of the 192–foot-long structure, King County Parks will close the trail. No formal detour is available.

The Preston-Snoqualmie Trail runs seven miles along a historic railroad right of way from Preston to just west of Snoqualmie

See TRAIL, Page 5

know about us, whether that’s okay with us or not.

But it’s a snowy day. No one has dropped by wanting to subdivide the old Johnson place or any-thing, so Delbert threw his tie over his shoulder to get it out of the way and took his fly-tying vise out of the desk drawer.

He was in a streamer mood, and smiled as he tied the color-ful tails on the longer hooks,

dreaming of the retrieves his friends would make in Miller pond for the bass there. Delbert doesn’t enjoy fishing, just tying the flies.

He likes the streamers better than the bass plugs, even if they don’t catch as many fish. They just look classier.

So Delbert went on, tying flies for one way of life, and plan-ning how to bring us another way of life, and smiling. Because he had no idea he was doing it.

Slim Randles can be reached at homecoun-try8@gmail.com. Tired of having to turn down the TV because it’s too loud for others? Free hearing test. Beltone 1-866-867-8700.

OpinionPAGE 4 FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Parents of newborn had other options

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Home Country

Slim RandlesColumnist

Booster dreams big while tying one on

WEEKLY POLLWhat do you think about North Bend’s police department closing?A. It will be fine, same service at a lower cost.B. It will be weird not having a police station in town.C. As long as someone answers when I call 911, I won’t notice.Vote online at www.snovalleystar.com.

Last week’s news of the discovery of a dead newborn in the woods just off a heavily-traveled road in North Bend caught everyone’s attention. It’s just so sad. It didn’t have to end this way.

It is still uncertain whether the baby was already dead when it was left about 10 feet from the road, discovered by a passerby. The umbilical cord was still attached to the infant.

It is also unknown who left the child. Mother, father or someone else? Is the mother of the baby OK, both physi-cally and mentally? It’s easy to imagine the broken heart, the torture of carrying a full term baby and having it taken from you so early.

Whether or not the baby was still alive matters to all who hear this story. But either way, the child did not deserve to be left alone in the woods.

State law gives every parent an option under the Safety of Newborn Children Law. A newborn can be dropped with a qualified person at a fire station or hospital, anony-mously. No one will ask your name. You will not be breaking any laws. The baby will be given medical care and placed in a good home. The parent will receive infor-mation on medical care and counseling.

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital is not far from where the baby’s body was found.

Of course, not everyone knows about the Safety of Newborn Children Law.

It’s one of those things you don’t pay attention to because it doesn’t apply — until you or a friend needs it. Tuck the information away in the back of your mind. If you only recall it vaguely, call a crisis line for help.

We understand that someone may not be brave enough to take their baby to a hospital or fire station, but any safe place where the infant can be found beats disposing of it in the woods. Someone’s porch, outside a mini-mart, inside a library — there are so many good options.

Let’s hope the reality of a newborn left in the woods touches us all. It’s another gentle reminder of the precious gift of life.

A letter to the abandoned baby

I was sitting on the couch when I first read the news that a dead newborn was found in the woods near the town that I live in.

I remember where I was because the news of this hit me extremely hard and too close.

I am a mother of two: a beau-tiful, spirited 2-year-old girl and a magical 3-month-old baby boy.

Right now, at this time in my life, being a mother defines who I am. I feel so blessed by these children of mine. That is why I cannot, and almost refuse to, understand this tragedy.

My heart breaks for the moth-er and the father.

We do not know their situ-ation and cannot understand why they decided to do some-thing like this. But more than anything, I ache for this baby.

This child that was thrown to the side of the road and pur-posefully abandoned.

A newborn baby that will be

forgotten as soon as the news cycle ends.

But I will not forget. I refuse to forget.

Dear baby, you have changed me.

After reading your story, I look at my sweet, messy chil-dren’s faces and give them more grace, more patience. You have reminded me to stop and truly marvel at the gifts that I have been given in the tangible form of late-night feedings, gummy grins and dancing around the living room.

Thank you for your life. You are survived by me, my children and every other mother in the world.

We all love you and will con-tinue to do so until the end of our lives. You are gone, but not forgotten.

All any one of us wants to do is to change someone’s life while we are here on Earth, and you have done that.

Thank you.All my love,

Emma HoaglandSnoqualmie

Kudos to Congressman Dave Reichert

Kudos to Congressman Dave Reichert for voting for the lifting of the debt ceiling so that the United States can pay the bill for the spending the United States Congress has authorized.

The debt ceiling is a law from the last century from when the United States was a small nation, not the superpower industrial and financial powerhouse of the world.

If we don’t pay our bills and default on the debt we incur, we would collapse the world economy.

Thank goodness Congressman Reichert listened to the adults in his party and voted to lift the ceiling. It is the responsible thing to do, and we should acknowledge his bravery in standing against the craziness of the Tea Party which would burn down the United States’ and the world’s economy in order to get their way.

Stephen MatlockNorth Bend

If there’s one thing you can honestly say about Delbert McLain, he’s as persistent as a winter cough. As our Chamber of Commerce here (he’s it, you see), his fertile brain never ceases its search to turn a sleepy little valley into a cross between Wall Street and Pittsburgh.

That’s part of what was going on in his mind this winter’s day as he sat in the rented office the local businesses chip in for each month.

On a snowy day like this one, of course, you can never tell when the representative of a foreign auto manufacturer might skid on into town and look around for a good pasture in which to install an assembly plant. And what would happen if Delbert wasn’t there, wearing his tie, in the chamber office when that occurred?

The next valley over would experience phenomenal growth and we’d still be left without the “big box” stores.

We would be everlastingly con-demned to buying our food at the Soup ‘R Market, buying our read-ing material at the Read Me Now Bookstore, getting a new “do” at Curl Up ‘N Dye beauty salon, and sipping our coffee at the Mule Barn truck stop where the wait-resses know everything there is to

Joe Heslet General manager

Sherry Grindeland Editor

Sam Kenyon Reporter

Ari Cetron Page designer

Michelle Comeau Advertising rep.

4

FEBRUARY 20, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 5

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Vicki Rhynalds-Prien said she wasn’t sure how many folks would attend this year’s annual Snoqualmie Valley Snowbird Picnic. Typically, the event is held in Yuma, Ariz., on Groundhog Day, but due to the Super Bowl, the party was switched to Feb. 3.

More than 40 folks showed up.“It was one of our smaller gatherings,” she said.

“Often, we’ve had more than 100 people from Snoqualmie, North Bend and Fall City.”

The title picnic is a misnomer. These are retirees who head south for the winter.

Instead of cooking or sharing a potluck, they meet at a restaurant.

Attendees included Les and Ila Yiesley, Walt and Margaret Pedeferri, Glen and Sandy Bennett, Tony and Caroline Hoff, Bob and Pat Baker, Winnie Mayrand, Vance and Vicki Gervais, Don and Joanne Grina, LeRoy and Sue Salvage, Ginger Castle, Lloyd Isackson, Diana Isackson, Stan Kropi, Tony Roat, Barb and Don Carlson, Bill and Joanne Cameron, Roxine and Shane Brown, Kathy and Vern Winter, Gloria Graham, Eric and Ann Sundstrom, Wanda and Paul Stark, Jeff Olsen, Chuck Moore, Jerry Toupin, and Dave and Vicki Prien.

Rhynalds-Prien said there were three other attend-ees who didn’t sign the guest sheet.

Contributed

The men in attendance hold up the banner for the annual snowbird picnic.

Snowbird Picnic reunites Valley residents

Order tickets for the 12th Mount Si High School ASB auction

Only 250 tickets are available for the 12th Annual Mount Si High School Associated Student Body Auction, scheduled for March 29 at Si View Community Center in North Bend.

The gala, which includes dinner and admission to the auction portion of the night, benefits teams, clubs and the ASB.

Funds earned at the auction support high school activi-ties, including clubs, programs and various sports.

General admission tickets are $35 per per-

son and include dinner. Wildcat Club tickets are $85 and include early admission and bidding, drink tickets, and reserved parking.

Want to promote your business or just help the

school? Donate an item to the auction or help spon-sor the event.

For more information on how to buy a ticket or make a donation, go to www.mountsiasb.weebly.com.

Falls and the city of Snoqualmie.

For more information, contact Jason Rich, project manager, 206-477-4582, or jason.rich@kingcounty.gov.

To learn more about King County Parks’ Regional Trail System, go to www.kingcounty.gov/parks, and click on “Trails.”

TrailFrom Page 3

Lawmakers to host town hall meetings

State Reps. Jay Rodne and Chad Magendanz and state Sen. Mark Mullet invite 5th District resi-dents to attend town hall meetings in Snoqualmie, Issaquah and Maple Valley Feb. 22.

Citizens who attend will receive an update on the 2014 legislative ses-sion. The legislators are encouraging citizens to bring their questions, comments or concerns about legislation, state government and issues affecting the 5th District.

The meeting times and locations are as follows:

q Issaquah: 1-2 p.m., Issaquah Highlands Fire Department, 1280 N.E. Park Drive

q Maple Valley: 10-11 a.m., Maple Valley Community Center, 22225 S.E. 231st St.

q Snoqualmie: 3-4 p.m., Snoqualmie Police Department, 34825 S.E. Douglas St.

Residents unable to attend a town hall meet-ing can email their law-makers with ideas, solu-tions and concerns at Mark.Mullet@leg.wa.gov, Jay.Rodne@leg.wa.gov and Chad.Magendanz@

See TOWN, Page 7

PAGE 6 SnoValley Star FEBRUARY 20, 2014

6

North Bend Police

Caffeine cluesPolice responded to a report

of larceny at 2:08 p.m. Feb. 7, to the Verizon Wireless store at 320 Southwest Mt. Si Boulevard. An employee reported a missing iPhone 5S 16GB, worth $650.

It was believed to have been taken from the counter while the employee was in a back room.

Fingerprints were taken from a Red Bull soda can left behind by the suspect.

Bar fightPolice responded at 1:30 a.m.

Feb. 9, to the Pour House Bar and Grill at West 330 N. Bend Way to reports of fourth degree assault and malicious mischief.

Tailed to the laundromatPolice responded to reports

of larceny at 10:06 p.m. Feb.

7, to Safeway, 460 S.W. Mount Si Blvd. Two unknown males grabbed the firewood from the display in front of the store and left without paying.

The two men were followed in their vehicle to a laundromat but were gone by the time depu-ties arrived.

Not complimentaryPolice responded to a report

of larceny at 3:34 p.m. Feb. 10, to the Sunset Motel at 227 West North Bend Way to reports of larceny.

A TV was reported missing from one of the hotel rooms after the occupants checked out.

City propertyPolice responded to a call

about a theft at 5 p.m. Feb. 12. Around 1:48 p.m. an Eastside Fire and Rescue iPad was believed to be stolen from a department truck when it was parked in the Safeway park-ing lot at 460 Southwest Mt. Si Boulevard.

Snoqualmie Police Department did not supply information.

North Bend fire

Hitching a rideOne engine was dispatched at

12:55 a.m. Feb. 7, to the 43800 block of Southeast 150th Street to provide patient transportation.

Sprung a leakOne engine was dispatched

at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 7, to the 100 block of West North Bend Way to respond to a water or steam leak.

Abandon shipTwo engines were dispatched

at 1:35 p.m. Feb. 7, to the 42400 block of Southeast 149th Place to respond to a water evacua-tion.

Person in distressOne engine was dispatched at

10:46 p.m. Feb. 8, to the 50800 block of Southeast Grouse Ridge Road to assist a person who was locked out.

Flame offOne engine was dispatched

at 8:07 a.m. Feb. 12, to the 900 block of Northeast Park Drive to respond to a gas leak.

Snoqualmie fire

Just let it ringFirefighters responded on Feb.

7, to an automatic fire alarm on Southeast Kinsey. Upon arrival, crews found the fire alarm sounding inside but nobody was home. The building was vacant, there was no smoke, and crews couldn’t access the interior so the alarm was left ringing in the residence.

Not so hot wheelsFirefighters were dispatched

Feb. 7, to a vehicle fire on Snoqualmie Parkway. Dispatch called to cancel en route when it was determined there was no fire.

Plug it upFirefighters were dispatched

on Feb. 7, to Southeast Kinsey Street for a broken water pipe. Nobody was home, so crews shut off the water supply at the meter.

Once bitten, twice shyFirefighters were dispatched

twice in a week on Feb. 7 and 9, to Railroad Ave. Southeast for a broken water pipe. Crews assist-ed the homeowner with locating the water shutoff valve.

No smoking areaFirefighters were dispatched

on Feb. 12, to the Snoqualmie Casino for smoke in the area. Crews were unable to locate any smoke in the area.

Mostly harmlessFirefighters were dispatched

on Feb. 12, to a single car acci-dent on Tokul Road. There were no injuries and the scene was turned over to the King County Sheriff.

In addition to the above calls, Snoqualmie firefighters responded to eight medical aid calls, bringing the total 2014 calls to 109.

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

Policeand fire

Get health plan assistance in Snoqualmie

Got questions about new health plan options? Get answers during a free event 2-6 p.m. Feb. 26 at Snoqualmie City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St. No appointment is necessary.

Certified in-person

experts for new health plan coverage options will help you compare and enroll in health insurance coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder.

This event is sponsored by the city of Snoqualmie, the Snoqualmie Valley Community Network, and Public Health – Seattle & King County.

Bring the following items:

q Name, address, birth date, and social security number for all household members.

q Passport, alien, or other immigration num-bers for any lawfully pres-ent immigrants.

q Current income infor-mation for those required to file a tax return (age 14

and older).q If employed, please

have employer’s name and address for each employed enrollee.

q Information about health insurance already available (Medicare, TriCare, etc.)

For more information, please call 1-800-756-5437 or visit www.kingcounty.gov/coverage.

North Bend utility bills will include pet licensing information

North Bend will include pet licensing information with city utility bills this month. King County pet licenses are required for all dogs and cats eight weeks or older. A pet license identifies and protects your dog or cat in case they get lost.

Even indoor-only cats or pets confined to fenced yards sometimes get loose and their licenses help reunite them with owners. Licenses are inexpensive identification and are for your pet’s protection and safety.

License revenue cov-ers the reuniting program and adoption services for homeless pets.

License types and fees include:

q Juvenile: for pets eight weeks to six months old. The pet does not need to be spayed or neutered and this license is good for 6 months. $15.

q Altered: For pets six months or older that have been spayed or neutered. Annual fee is $30.

q Unaltered: For pets six months and older that have not been spayed or neutered. Annual fee is $30.

q Senior: Owners who

are 65 or older with a spayed or neutered pet are eligible for a 50% dis-count. Annual fee is $15.

Pet licenses may be purchased at North Bend City Hall, 211 Main Ave. N., or online on the King County website at http://payments.kingcounty.gov/safety/animalservices/PetLicenses.

Spring must be coming: Seed Exchange and Garden Fair planned

The Fourth Annual Snoqualmie Valley Seed Exchange and Garden Fair will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 1 at the Sno-Valley Senior Center, 4610 Stephens Ave., Carnation. The all-volunteer event is part of a movement to preserve small scale, regionally adapted, heir-loom and open pollinated seeds.

Collect new seeds, talk to other gardeners and farmers, and attend work-shops to learn more about seed saving and cultiva-tion. Exhibits, including a display from the Fall City Historical Society on the hops craze in the Snoqualmie Valley, and oral history interviews of elder farmers and gardeners will round out the event. A

See SEED, Page 7

FEBRUARY 20, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 7

7

leg.wa.gov. Or, they can call the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and leave a message for all three legislators.

For more information about Rodne, visit: www.representativejayrodne.com.

For more information about Magendanz, visit: www.representativechadma-gendanz.com.

For more information on Mullet, visit: http://sdc.wastateleg.org/mullet/.

TownFrom Page 5

simple lunch of soup and baked goods will be avail-able for a small donation.

You do not need to bring seeds to attend, although volunteers and seed donations are needed. Early entry will be avail-able for volunteers and for those who bring their home-grown seed to share.

The Seed Exchange is hosted by Transition Snoqualmie Valley and Strategies for Provident Living, two very small local non-profits. Through a 4Culture grant, the groups have rented space at the center for guest speakers.

For a complete sched-ule, visit www.snoqualmi-evalleyseedexchange.org.

Snoqualmie student wins regional award

Snoqualmie resident and Eastside Catholic School student Rose Young recently earned an Honorable Mention at the 2014 Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The West Art Region-at-Large consists of students from Washington, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.

Teens in grades seven through 12, from public, private or home schools, can apply in 28 categories of art and writing for their chance to earn scholar-ships and have their works exhibited or published.

Young earned Honorable Mention for a mixed media piece she submitted.

Ryan Mott makes dean’s list

Ryan Mott, a sopho-more mechanical engineering major at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, has been named to the dean’s list with distinction for the fall 2013 semester. Ryan, who was home-schooled, is the son of Daniel and Lisa Mott, of North Bend.

Students eligible for the Grove City College dean’s list with distinction have a grade point average of 3.6 to 3.84.

Artists sought for Issaquah’s 2014 ArtWalk season

The Downtown Issaquah Association

invites artists of all types and styles to submit work to be juried for the 13th annual Downtown Issaquah ArtWalk season June-September.

Artists of all ages, both new and established pro-fessionals of the trade, are welcome. ArtWalk pro-vides exposure to the pub-lic, particularly for new artists.

Artists will be recog-nized with a People’s Choice Award and other awards throughout the season.

Every first Friday of the month from June through September, ArtWalk transforms the historic downtown businesses into artists’ galleries for the night. Issaquah ArtWalk is a lively, festive event with a variety of artistic styles, interactive art dem-onstrations, live music and dance in multiple locations throughout the historic downtown.

The 2014 dates are June 6, July 11 (second Friday due to July 4th holi-day), Aug. 1, and Sept. 5. ArtWalk is held from 6-9 p.m.

From the time ArtWalk started in 2002, the crowd has increased twelve-fold and the number of art-ists who participate has tripled. Last year, an esti-mated 10,000 people came into downtown Issaquah to see and purchase art, hear live music and sup-port our historic down-town.

Artists are paired with a participating downtown venue to set up inside the business using wall space, easels, tables or other display arrangements. Outside spaces are also available. The artist must be able to set up before the 6 p.m. start time and be present with the artwork throughout the event.

The artist can have an assistant to help with the show but the artist must be present for most of the event. In most cases, the unsold artwork will need to be removed at the end of the evening.

Deadline for submis-sion is April 1. Artists will be charged a $25 fee per event. There is no charge for artists under 18. Artists will be assigned to the venues.

Send your name, age, address, telephone num-ber, email address and website to events@down-townissaquah.com.

If the artist does not have a website, please sub-mit pictures of work.

SeedFrom Page 6

Also, indicate which months you are available. Artists will be notified by May 1 if they have been accepted for the 2014 season.

Friends of Youth to host Celebration of Youth luncheon

Friends of Youth’s ninth annual Celebration of Youth luncheon is March 7 at the Bellevue Westin Hotel.

Friends of Youth provides support, shel-ter, homes and help to

more than 4,800 youths and young adults. The luncheon celebrates the successes of these youths while raising funds.

KIRO radio’s Dave Ross will be this year’s emcee, while Adrienne Quinn, King County Department of Community and Human Services director, will give the keynote address, and youths will share their personal stories of success. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. with lunch and the program to follow from noon to 1 p.m.

The luncheon includes a raffle with a grand prize of two free tickets from Alaska Airlines. RSVP to attend at http://bit.ly/1d89AE1 or donate to support the event at http://bit.ly/1lmynyo.

Friends of Youth delivers a comprehen-sive range of therapeu-tic services for youths, young adults and fami-lies. The group has more than 60 years of experi-ence, national accredi-tation and 20 program sites.

Learn more at www.friendsofyouth.org.

with a hearty laugh. “It’s funny how the thing hap-pened. In college, I was an apostle of The Beatles. Years later, someone called and asked if I would think about replacing a guy in a local Beatles show.

“That led me to get involved with the people with the Broadway bunch, and I got involved in one of those groups.

“Several different casts were out on the road, got in the tail end of the original ‘Beatlemania’ show on Broadway,” he added. “I decided to hand pick a cast of the best peo-ple, I thought, at the time, and kept it going. It wasn’t much later that we got involved with Wolfman Jack, and we were part of his touring show.

“That was a tremen-dous experience to be onstage with him. He was so famous. The Beatles segment got to be so pow-erful, he started to travel with us.”

That power has kept Preston and the show going.

“Aside from the success

of the show and mak-ing a good living,” he said, “there’s something that’s timeless about The Beatles’ music and the excitement generated, the people’s reaction to the

music, their enjoyment, hearing it performed live. It’s very uplifting.”

Although nothing spe-cial has been planned for the shows to celebrate the recent 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan

Show,” Sullivan imperson-ator Fred Whitfield will give the band a Sullivan-style introduction at the Feb. 27th show.

BeatleMania Live per-forms four “eras” of the Fab Four — Ed Sullivan, Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road and later — complete with original model guitars and drums as used by The Beatles in combination with theatrical makeup, original costumes and stage choreography.

You don’t want to miss it.

Issaquah Press Editor Kathleen R. Merrill can be reached at editor@isspress.com.

be able to play keyboard, know all of the harmony parts, be good singers,” he said.

And they don’t just learn the songs and that’s it. They continue to work to get better.

“You have to keep lis-tening to it, even if you think you know it, because it burns into your brain, and you want to be able to perform it live as much as possible like the recording that people have in their heads,” Preston said. “We try to be as close to the record as possible.”

The other members of this band — Jon Fickes (John Lennon) of Seattle; John Perry (who actually plays left-handed as Paul McCartney) of Baltimore; and David Brighton (George Harrison) of Los Angeles — are very tal-ented musicians who have done all kinds of original projects, Preston said.

As BeatleMania Live, they have played private, public and corporate shows all over the world, including for and with superstars. They once played at a golf tourna-ment hosted by Arnold

Palmer. The band even played for President Bush’s second inauguration.

There’s an interesting story about how Fickes came to the band.

“We needed to replace the John Lennon character a few years ago,” Preston said, “and I was talking to this guy. He saw us in Moses Lake when he was 15. He said the group was so good that he got bit by The Beatles bug.”

It was “the overwhelm-ing presence of The Beatles” that got Preston started.

“I’ve been a drummer since I was a little kid, 5 years old. I took lessons, played in nightclubs when I was too young,” he said

PAGE 8 SnoValley Star FEBRUARY 20, 2014

8

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By Kathleen R. Merrill

You might, like me, envy people who were able to see The Beatles live. We lost that option Dec. 8, 1980, when John Lennon was killed.

But if you really love the Fab Four, you can see the next best thing at a BeatleMania Live concert.

If you’ve been to Snoqualmie Casino the past couple of years to see this band, it’s the same one. If you haven’t been, you are missing a great show.

John Preston, who has run the band and por-trayed Ringo since 1985, will tell you there is a major difference between this band and the many other Beatle tribute bands you can find in an Internet search.

“Unlike many other shows, everything that’s coming off that stage, we do live,” he said last week from his home office in Florida. “All the orchestra-tion parts, all the guitar work, all the keyboard work, everything you hear is live.”

Other Beatles tribute bands use audio tracks, vocal and instrumental, blended in with their live performances.

Sure, you might think, they probably kind of sound and kind of look like The Beatles. You would be wrong.

Preston works hard, and has for 29 years, to find the best musicians and ones who closely resemble the Beatle they’re playing.

“They have to be bet-ter than normal, have to

BeatleMania Live comes to Snoqualmie Casino next week

If you goBeatleMania Live7 p.m. Feb. 278 p.m. Feb. 28 and March 1Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom37500 S.E. North Bend WaySnoqualmieTickets are $10 to $30http://snocasino.com/events/2014-beatlema-nia1

Contributed

BeatleMania Live will perform at Snoqualmie Casino.

Congressman Dave Reichert speaks at luncheon

Congressman Dave Reichert will be the guest speaker at the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, 36005 S.E. Ridge St.

Reichert will talk about what is happening in Washington, D.C., and how legislation will affect small businesses.

The public is invited to the event. Admission is free; lunch is $30 for Chamber members and $35 for non-members.

To register or for more information visit www.snovalleychamber.com.

FEBRUARY 20, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 9

9

TUES

25

q Toddler Story Time, 10-10:45 a.m., North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St., 888-0554

q Preschool Story time, 10:45-11:45 a.m., North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St., 888-0554

q Community & Economic Affairs Committee meet-ing, 5-6 p.m., City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St., Snoqualmie, 888-1555

q Valley Young Professionals Monthly Hangout, 6-8 p.m., join in for some food, fun, and casual networking, North Bend Bar & Grill, 145 East North Bend Way, RSVP to Jessica Self at jessicaself@nwframing.com

q Bob Baumann and Friends, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

YOUR WEEK

MON

24

q Sno-Valley Indoor Playground, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive, North Bend, families and children ages 0-5, $1/child, www.snovalleyindoor-playground.org

q Infant and Young Toddler Story Time, 11 a.m. to noon, North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St., 888-0554

q MSHS Vocal Jazz Clinic, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q CHK Workshop, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q City Council meeting and public hearing, 7-9 p.m., City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St., Snoqualmie, 888-1555 ext. 1118

SUN

23

q Brunch and Blues with the Groovetramps, 10:30 a.m., The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-3647

q Winter Bird Watching Walk, 1:30 p.m., Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E., all ages, free, www.seattle.gov/util/crwec

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

q Anh Nho Em Vo Cung, 7 and 11 p.m., The Ballroom at Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, ages 21 and older, $20-100, tickets available through Ticketmaster

SAT

22

q Bootcamp for a Cause, 9-11 a.m., Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., $25, admission supports families in need, 256-3115

q Wacky Y Winter Olympic Games, 6-10 p.m., Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., ages 3-12, $20/facility member, $28/program mem-ber, $36/community participant, register at www.seattleymca.org

q Nature Journaling and Discoveries, 1:30 p.m., Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 19901 Cedar Falls Road S.E., North Bend, all ages, free, www.seattle.com/util/crwec

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

q Karaoke, 8 p.m., Mt. Si Pub, 45530 S.E. North Bend Way, North Bend

FRI

21

q Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, 36005 S.E. Ridge St., featuring speaker congress-man Dave Reichert, $30/chamber mem-bers, $35/general public, admission includes lunch

q Kid Free Friday, 6:30-8:30 p.m, Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35108 S.E. Ridge St., ages 3-12, $10, register online at www.seattleymca.org

q Greg Williamson Quartet, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q Roland Hutcherson and Company, 8 p.m., Mt. Si Pub, 45530 S.E. North Bend Way, North Bend

q Stars of SNL, 8 p.m., The Ballroom at Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, ages 21 and older, $20-55, tickets available through Ticketmaster

WED

26

q Health plan finder counseling with King County Public Health, 2-6 p.m., Snoqualmie City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St., bring social security number, contact information, passport, income information and current health insur-ance information, 888-1555

q Anime and Manga Club, 3-5 p.m., Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E., 888-1223

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

q Shoreline Hearings Board meeting, City Hall, 38624 S.E. River St., Snoqualmie, 888-5337

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

q Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Snoqualmie Falls Brewery and Taproom, 8032 Falls Ave. S.E., 831-2357

THUR

27

q Jay Barnet, 6:30 p.m., The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-3647

q Family Story Time, 7 p.m., Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E., 888-1223

q Young Lizards CD release party, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q BeatleMania Live, 7 p.m., The Ballroom at Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, ages 21 and older, $10-30, tickets available through Ticketmaster

q The Bombadils, 7:30 p.m., The Black Dog, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-3647

Get in shape while helping those in need at the Y’s Bootcamp for a Cause, from 9-11 a.m. Feb. 22 at the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St. The $25 admission supports families in need. Join a team of bootcamp instructors and some special guests for running, jumping, weights, drills, core and more! Call 256-3115.

SCHEDULE THIS:

Send your news

Send items for Your Week

to newsclerk@isspress.com

by noon Friday.

THE CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY 21-27

SportsPAGE 10 FEBRUARY 20, 2014

10

By Maria Erickson

Charlie Kinnune builds ath-letes year round.

The Mount Si High School teacher and coach, who encour-ages his football players to stay physically fit year-round, offers Speed Camps for any and all stu-dents interested in sports.

Kinnune, who is Mount Si’s head football coach, has an amazing way with youth. Young athletes simply blossom under him. They line up from 3:30 to 4:45 every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon in January and February for drills that build muscles, strength and speed. Participants exercise dif-ferent drills and activities, such as core workouts, arm exercises, etc. These help improve differ-ent athletic skills and develop an overall smarter and more skilled athlete.

Currently 140 boys and girls participate. The number seems to grow each time the group meets.

One of the 140 is Max Bonda. He said he’s having a blast at Speed Camp.

“Well, I’ve been doing it since elementary school, and I’ve always had a great time exercis-ing and hanging out with my friends,” he said.

Bonda played on the Mount Si freshman football team last season. He has been involved with multiple sports – including football – for the majority of his

life, and insists that the speed camp helps him immensely improve as an athlete, both on the field and off.

That’s what he’s supposed to take away.

The camp goals include learning proper techniques and how to be a smarter athlete, improving speed on the play-ing field, developing core and leg strength, improving overall physical fitness, developing con-fidence in athletic skills and to work hard and have fun.

By Maria Erickson

Prospective Mount Si football players get a jump on next season.

Speed Camp gives student athletes a leg up on the competition

See CAMP, Page 11

“It helps us get to know each other.”

— Max BondaFootball player

By Sam KenyonThe Wildcat basketball sea-

son ended with a bang Feb. 15, in a courageous and emotional loss against the Bainbridge High School Spartans. The final score was 62 - 47, although that 15 point gap was not indicative of the true battle that Mount Si fought.

The Wildcats faced the Spartans in the Bainbridge High School gym where loud fans were as overwhelming off the court as the players were on the court.

It was one of the hardest games of the season. The entire Mount Si fan section felt the Wildcats, especially the seniors, desperately claw to keep their season alive. But too many shots did not roll their way. The Spartans devastated the Wildcats in offensive rebounds which ultimately made the difference.

Directly following the loss, amid the cheers of the Spartan crowd, the Wildcats qui-etly left the gym and headed home. For the seniors, point guard Jack Nelson, center Justin McLaughlin, forward Beau Shain, and center Tyler McCreadie, it was the last time they would wear their high school basketball jerseys.

“The way these guys fought,

I couldn’t be more proud and happy and thankful to have a group like that in my first year,” said Coach Kyle Clearman.

Intense noise adds to intense game

The game was intense from the start, with the raucous home crowd filling the small gym with noise. The Wildcats and Spartans battled for every shot. It was a physically intense game, and both teams played with a desperate hunger.

The early game plan was to feed McCreadie inside, where he was very effective in the first half. He was the tallest player on the court, but apart from that the size of both teams was basi-cally even. McCreadie led the team the first two quarters with impressive moves.

Nelson ran the offense, but had a hard time scoring. His shooting ran cold from every-where on the floor. Shain was a constant motor on the floor, playing intense defense and grabbing loose balls and rebounds. He scored from all over the court and the Spartans seemed unable to contain him. He also hit two gutsy three-point shots in the first half.

The two teams fought and in the final seconds of the first

half, Shain scored on a last sec-ond rebound, tying the score as both squads headed to their locker rooms.

Once the second half started, the game changed completely.

The Spartans killed Mount Si on the offensive glass. Many times the Wildcats would play strong defense and force a missed shot, only to give up an offensive rebound and lose ground on the scoreboard.

Wildcats’ offense stalls

To add to their troubles, the Wildcat offense stalled in the second half.

McCreadie couldn’t establish himself inside. Nelson’s shoot-ing woes continued, and shots that the Wildcats normally make would not fall. By the end of the third quarter, Mount Si was in trouble.

In the fourth quarter, they

Mount Si basketball season ends

By Greg Farrar

Colton Swain, Mount Si High School sophomore forward, defends against a shot by Liberty’s Griffen Lockhart during the sec-ond quarter of their 3A KingCo Conference basketball tourna-ment. The Wildcats won, 61-25.

See ENDS, Page 11

FEBRUARY 20, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 11

11

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SnoValley Star has been free for 5 years, but is now asking you to voluntarily pay for a subscription to help cover delivery costs.

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Like a number of others who were asked about why they showed up in the wind and rain and cold weather, Bonda said it makes him feel good. (If weather gets too miser-able, the camp moves indoors.) And he said the fun part is there.

“The coaches make it so much fun. We all want to exercise, and we actually have fun doing it,” he said.

He described it a bonding experience.

“It helps us get to know each other,” Bonda said. “I’m doing it with a lot of my friends this year, and I know a lot of the other people there because of how long I’ve been doing it for.”

When asked what the overall goal of this camp was, Kinnune said that it was to “develop improved athleticism for all sports, along with learning to work hard and have fun, too”.

Kinnune is no stranger to the Snoqualmie Valley and the greater Eastside. He

graduated from Issaquah High School in 1981. Kinnune has been Mount Si’s head football coach for 23 seasons. He advises the Associated Student Body at the school and helps stu-dents develop leadership skills.

Along with this winter speed camp, Kinnune also provides a similar one in the summer. The Wildcat Speed Camp program also offers an eighth grade weight camp, middle and elementary school camps and a sport court camp. Both male and female stu-

dents are welcomed and he and his assistants work with youth of all ages.

The Speed Camps cost $100. Participants receive 16 training sessions, a camp T-shirt, and instruc-tion from a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

For more information about the various camps visit www.wildcatspeed-camps.com.

Maria Erickson is a junior at Mount Si High School. She can be contacted at maria@ericksonhome.com.

CampFrom Page 10

Three Mount Si football players sign with Oregon schools

There were no surprises on letter of intent day, Feb. 5, at Mount Si High School.

Star football quarter-back Nick Mitchell, who led the Wildcats to the second round of play-offs this last season, re-iterated his commitment to play for Oregon State University. Mitchell had declared he would play for the Beavers in 2013. His older brother, Josh, is a lineman at the Corvallis school.

Jack Nordby and Brad Christensen, linemen who grew up playing football together, both agreed to play for Western Oregon. Nordby commented at the signing ceremony at the school that they would

both be again wearing red and black, just like Mount Si’s colors.

Mount Si gymnasts vault to state tournament

The Mount Si gymnas-tic team, a powerhouse this season in all events, won the SeaKing District 3A Championship and advances to the State Championship that begins Feb. 21 in the Tacoma Exhibition Hall.

The Wildcats defeated Holy Names 164.125 to 157.125 on their home turf in Snoqualmie Feb. 15 to cinch the district title. Lake Washington finished third with 149.925.

Jenn Rogers finished second in bars with 8.625. She was first in beam with 9:05, second in floor with

9.425 and she won all around with 36.02.

Three Mount Si wrestlers are heading to state

Eli Clure, Ryley Absher and Andrew Harris quali-fied for Mat Classic, the state wrestling tournament that will be held Feb. 22 in the Tacoma Dome. A fourth wrestler, Tanner Stahl, is an alternate.

Clure cinched his berth at the state champion-ship by winning the 120 weight division at the 3A Regional Tournament Feb. 15 at Skyline High School in Sammamish.

Absher, wrestling at 145 pounds, finished third and Harris at 195 finished third. Stahl was fifth in the 160 pound division.

fought for every chance but could not stage a comeback. The scoring gap widened until it was clear that the Wildcat season was over.

“We all played really hard, but at the end of the day it just wasn’t enough to get it done,” Nelson said after the loss. “For these seniors it’s just time to move on to bigger things and get on with our lives.”

It was an emotional loss as well as the end to a title quest.

“This is a great group of guys,” Nelson said. “I was really happy to get the chance to play this season with all these guys and we had a lot of laughs and a lot of great times.”

Everyone on the team, especially the seniors, seemed to feel the same way about their season.

“I look back at it, and I smile at every memory I think about …” said Shain. “We just had a great time.”

The loss was bitter, but the performance in the game was strong. The players seemed to realize that they need not hang their heads.

“Throughout the entire time our guys showed tre-mendous fight and that’s all you can really ask for,” Clearman said. “These kids are a part of something bigger than they know. We’ve really laid some

great foundations for this program moving forward. That’s what I told them, to just be proud of what you’ve done and the mark that you’ve left on this high school.”

Shain led the team in scoring with 22 points, and in rebounding with eight boards.

McCreadie poured in 14 points as well as one assist,

one block, four rebounds and one steal.

Nelson led the team in assists with five. He also had one rebound to go with his two points.

Sophomore forward Parker Dumas scored six points. He also had one block and pulled down six rebounds. The only other

EndsFrom Page 10

See ENDS, Page 12

PAGE 12 SnoValley Star FEBRUARY 20, 2014

12

player to score for Mount Si was junior guard Ryan Stewart.

This was Clearman’s first season as head coach, and even though the final loss was hard to bear, he is satisfied with the year his team had.

“I’m just so grateful for that group of kids,” he said. “They’ve left their mark, I couldn’t be more proud.”

Mount Si defeats Liberty

Two days before losing to Bainbridge, on Feb. 13, the Wildcats knocked out the Liberty Patriots 61-25 in postseason play.

“We were solid,” said head coach Clearman the night of the game. “We clicked on all cylinders.”

The WIldcats were ready for the Patriot zone defense and were able to spread their scoring around their whole roster, nearly every player scored and three Wildcats were in double figures.

On the defensive end, Liberty could not keep up. Their movement was choked by a swarming Mount Si defense. The size of senior center McCreadie and sophomore forward Dumas overwhelmed the Patriots. The Wildcats held Liberty to just two points in the second quarter.

Clearman and his team are pleased with their performance.

“We definitely are peaking at the right time,” he said. “That was the goal from day one.”

The Wildcat boys were not just physi-cally aggressive against Liberty, but they

played with a chip on their shoulder too.“That was a game where we just came off

a tough loss to Bellevue, so we were hyped up,” said McCreadie. “We wanted to just crush those guys.”

Hitting more than 50 percent

They were successful. Mount Si shot a blistering 54 percent from the field and an incredible 53 percent from the three point line.

The leading scorer for the Wildcats was sophomore forward Colton Swain, who hit five of seven shots, including one from beyond the arc, for 12 points.

Both McCreadie and Nelson, who have frequently led their team in scoring this season, each had 11 points. Nelson was impressive from distance, hitting three of six shots from downtown. He also contrib-uted two assists, two rebounds, two steals, and only one turnover. McCreadie chipped in with two assists, two rebounds, and one steal.

Dumas scored six points and had four rebounds. Shain was his usual self on the floor, hustling everywhere and giving an all around strong performance. He had four points, three assists, two rebounds, and two steals.

Junior forward Jo Jo Hillel led the team in assists and rebounds with four and six respectively. He also chipped in two points.

Junior guard Ryan Stewart scored five points and had one assist and one rebound. Sophomore guard Isaac Benedict added four points and three assists along with two steals.

Sam can be reached at skenyon@snovalleystar.com or at Twit-ter @samuel_kenyon.

EndsFrom Page 11

Romeo Head rememberedLong distance driver Romeo Head,

37, was outside his truck cab at Truck Town helping direct a fellow trucker to back up another rig Feb. 9.

Head was killed when another truck accidentally ran over him.

Romeo was noted for helping other people said one of his four brothers, Romero.

“He was a big-hearted guy,” Romero Head said during a phone call from Stone Mountain, Ga. “It was typical of him to be helping another driver out when he was killed.”

Truck driving, Romero said, runs in the Head family genes. Their father James Head Sr. and their mother Vickie Smith were truckers before they retired. Romero drives a truck, their brother Andrew drives a truck, brother James Arthur Head III and a half-brother, James Arthur Head II, both drive trucks.

Romeo Head took a short break from the transportation industry to

serve in the Navy.“Romeo loved his family a whole

lot and loved taking care of his kids,” Romero said. “I’ve been on the road with him when he was driving and people knew him everywhere we stopped.

“He had a smile that brightened up the room. He was one of those rare people who almost never had a bad day.”

Romeo left seven children, rang-ing in age from 2 to 19. He had been divorced and was engaged to marry Nichole McCoy, of Columbus, Ohio.

Editor’s note:In the Feb. 13 edition of the

SnoValley Star, we ran a short story about Romeo Head, a truck driver killed Feb. 9 in North Bend. His fam-ily contacted the paper from Georgia, saying they wanted readers to know more about the man they describe as “the best possible brother and human being.”

Sterling Bank certifies North Bend manager as small-business professional

Sterling Bank certified North Bend Branch Manager Robert Wotton as a small-business professional.

In order to receive this certifica-tion, Wotton completed a series of

small-business training courses and demonstrated small-business loan and cash-management solutions knowledge and sales proficiency. This certification opportunity is part of Sterling’s Retail Small Business Credit and Solutions Program.

Wotton works at the North Bend Sterling Bank, 146 W. Second St.

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