SNOQUALMIE Valley
Letters
4 • July 18, 2012 • Snoqualmie Valley Record
Valley Record SNOQUALMIE
Publisher Editor Reporter
William Shaw
wshaw@valleyrecord.com
Seth Truscott
struscott@valleyrecord.com
Carol Ladwig
cladwig@valleyrecord.com
C reative Design Wendy Fried wfried@valleyrecord.com Advertising David Hamilton Account dhamilton@valleyrecord.com Executive Circulation/ Patricia Hase Distribution circulation@valleyrecord.com Mail PO Box 300, Snoqualmie, WA 98065 Phone 425.888.2311 Fax 425.888.2427 www.valleyrecord.com Classified Advertising: 800.388.2527 Subscriptions: $29.95 per year in King County, $35 per year elsewhere Circulation: 425.453.4250 or 1.888.838.3000 Deadlines: Advertising and news, 11 a.m. Fridays; Photo op/coverage requests in advance, please. The Snoqualmie Valley Record is the legal newspaper for the cities of Snoqualmie, North Bend and Carnation. Written permission from the publisher is required for reproduction of any part of this publication. Letters, columns and guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views of the Snoqualmie Record.
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Emergency response at park
Look, Mom, there’s a body in the dugout Here in the Snoqualmie Valley, we’re well versed in the need for search-and-rescue missions. It’s a necessity of living, working and playing this close to the wilderness. However, it is time to find a new staging area for search-and-rescue missions into the Central Cascade wilderness areas. Torguson Park is a very busy community park—six different activities besides just hanging out in the shade of a tree and staring at Mount Si are available here. During the latest incident, the Valley was enjoying some of the best weather we’ve had all year. For days, there was no access allowed to this community space. It was handed over to search-and-rescue crews, up to three helicopters, K-9 units and a fuel truck. At approximately 4:30 p.m. last Monday, July 9, once the sad news came down from the mountain that the missing hiker had lost his life; a body bag was unloaded out of a search-and-rescue helicopter at Torguson Park. But, no ambulance or other appropriate vehicle to transport the deceased was anywhere in sight. They put the body in the first-base dugout of Torguson’s Majors field, where many a family’s children play, including the Challenger League. It was nearly another two hours before the body was moved out of that dugout and transported out of the park, and it was unclear who finally took care of things. I can appreciate that the authorities on the scene were trying to keep the body private from the sensation-seeking eyes of the media. It’s easy to imagine that there was some sort of lag in the chain of custody for the body. But, a kid’s playing field? There are protocols, rules, and laws about how to handle a body. The handling of this hiker’s remains seemed very mismanaged, not to mention poorly placed. This is not to take anything away from the crews who volunteer, or whose occupation it is to participate in these missions. They are a rare breed and helped to bring closure to the hiker’s family by finding him and retrieving his remains. However, the bottom line is that Torguson Park is a place for community. It is not a place for emergency operations. It’s easy to think of several other places that would be better as a staging area in times of search-andrescue operations, which would not impact residents and homes and our children. The fire-training center off I-90’s Exit 38, where they also train emergency response personnel, for instance, is a good candidate. However, that’s only just one option. It’s time for our leaders in North Bend, King County, and search-and-rescue to make sure this happens. Casondra Brewster North Bend
Should local governments Out do more about Valley bears?
Past This week in Valley history
Thursday, July 16, 1987
Not governments, maybe, but neighbors should do more. They should leave their trash and food inside. If they don’t keep it out, the bears won’t come.
Kayci Davis Snoqualmie
Certainly something should be done, there are too many of them. Everything has to be managed or there will be troubles down the road with the circle of life. Joe Greenhaw Snoqualmie
Fall City Days volunteers
A successful Fall City day The rain held off until 4:30 on June 16 for our 41st annual Fall City Street Fair. From start to finish, the event was a concerted effort of many hard working volunteers in our community. I know how grateful I am to them and how much work goes into the event. Cheri and Susan helped check in vendors and troubleshoot for me in the early morning hours. The fun run was expertly led by Sean Sundwall and Kirk Dunckel (results on www.runsnoqualmie.com). Our road/ detour crew did a great job with new recruits, thank you to Bud, Dave, Steve, Del, Kevin, Terry and Lee for pulling it off. Don Hastings and his deputies did a fine job keeping the crowds and cars in line throughout the day. Jennifer Vierling and Fall City Arts were able to again garner great performances from local artists for us. See LETTERS, 5
of the
Most of the community members on the Snoqualmie Community Planning committee, 10 of 14, are hoping to slow down the development of Weyerhauser’s Snoqualmie Ridge. They voted to ask the county’s Boundary Review Board to take jurisdiction over the 2,200-acre proposed development, and felt that the anticipated growth in Snoqualmie could be managed in an annexation one-third the size. • Carnation business owners are feeling more and more desperate about the lack of a good sewage system in the city, and 28 of them signed a petition calling for a specific plan for city sewers within 90 days.
Thursday, July 19, 1962
It depends, maybe they could relocate them.
Yeah, they should quit building houses!
Isaiah Norris North Bend
Ginny King Snoqualmie
Boy Scout Billy Ferrell, 14, will receive what is likely the first-ever God and Country award to be presented in the Valley. The God and Country award is one of the highest awards in Scouting, awarded to boys who perform a special service for their churches. Billy wrote a history of the North Bend Community Church, where he will receive the honor.