Quarry Pool Mystery A4
NISQUALLY
75¢
VALLEY NEWS
New Microbrewery Ads Hops to Yelm A5
Friday, August 18, 2017 • www.yelmonline.com
Second Economic Summit Reveals Yelm’s Biz Progress
City Officials Presented Findings From First Summit to Local Business Owners BY ANDREW KOLLAR dkollar@yelmonline.com
Established by Yelm Mayor JW Foster, the city of Yelm hosted its second Economic D e ve l o p m e n t Summit on Tuesday. The Yelm Mayor summit is part JW Foster of the economic initiative, which helps the city to better understand the needs of new and existing businesses, review city processes and reduce barriers for continued economic growth. The economic summits are held to promote growth for small businesses. The first summit was to listen and gain an understanding of the challenges and concerns Yelm businesses face. The Economic Development Summit has three goals. The first is retain existing businesses. The second is to make sure all small businesses can grow. The city also wants to attract new businesses to serve the needs of the greater Yelm community. The first summit was a listening session to get information from community members, business owners and part two addresses those concerns. There will be a third meeting scheduled after city staff is able to review the results of the first two meetings. Local business owners were concerned with multiple topics that were categorized into five sections including reducing fees and costs, supporting businesses, community, infrastructure and parking. A few of the major concerns for infrastructure, costs and
n S ee SUMMIT, P age A8 Subscriber mailing label below this line
Bike Fatality: Community Mourns Passing of Tino
Martin “Tino” Valencia Jr.
McKenna 19-Year-Old Hit, Killed by Vehicle While Riding Bicycle; Those Closest to Him Have Good Memories
Andrew Kollar / Nisqually Valley News
Martin “Tino” Valencia’s mother, Theresa Valencia, kneels in prayer while she gently grasps Tino’s self portrait in front of his memorial.
BY TYLER HUEY
I F YO U WA N T TO HE LP:
Martin “Tino” Valencia Jr. was called by his nickname since childhood. The 19-year-old had goals in life, such as building a trailer to pull and sleep in as he pedalled a bicycle down the West Coast through Oregon and California. Tino’s parents, like loving parents do, convinced him the initial plan was not safe. He opted to build a Volkswagon Beetle and take a road trip with his father, Martin Valencia. He mapped out several spots to visit, excited for the future. His family now plans to fulfill his dream by making the trek together and spread his ashes. On Sunday afternoon, Aug. 13, Tino left his McKenna home, hopped on his sister’s bike and headed toward Yelm. He had $200 in his pocket, which he earned by working with his father. The plan was to purchase parts at Walmart to fix his bicycle. Tino rode a bike almost every day, his mother, Theresa Valencia, said. Riding on state Route 507 worried her. Even being on the shoulder, she knew it was dangerous. But Tino is an adult. He had Type
A fundraiser has been created for the Valencia family. Visit youcaring.com and search Tino’s Memorial. All proceeds go toward covering expenses such as cremation and to fulfill his dream of traveling to California. The funeral is 6 p.m. Saturday at Edwards Memorial, located at 11020 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood, followed by a celebration of life.
thuey@yelmonline.com
1 diabetes and autism, albeit high functioning. “I always told him to be careful but he said, ‘Mom, I’m a good rider,’” Theresa recalled. “I said, ‘I know you’re an excellent rider. It’s everybody else I worry about.’” Tino was about a mile from home at 2 p.m. Moments later, his bike could be seen on the ground underneath a pickup truck. Concerned citizens ran over to Tino. He had no pulse. They stayed with him until the police arrived. A 56-year-old man was charged with negligent driving after his vehicle hit and killed Tino. He was riding in the southbound shoulder on state Route 507 just
Martin “Tino” Valencia’s self portrait stands in front of his memorial with more than a dozen prayer candles. north of Canal Road when the driver, Evan Hartkopf, 56, of Graham, veered out of his lane for an unknown reason, hit Tino, and the vehicle came to rest partially blocking the southbound lane, according to the Washington State Patrol. Hartkopf was charged with negligent driving, driving with a suspended license and no insurance. Hartkopf was not intoxicated in any way, according to authorities. The case has been forwarded to the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office for potential charges. “I want to say all kinds of horrible things to that person, but
my son probably would have had some compassion for him,” Theresa said. An autopsy occurred Tuesday. Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock said Tino died from blunt force trauma, noting it was an “immediate death.” The brain stems were damaged, not separated from the spinal cord, he said. “I can only comment on cause and manner of death,” Warnock said. “Whether a helmet would have prevented that, that’s all conjecture and speculation on my end.”
n S ee TINO, P age A8
Travel Forecast for Eclipse: Heavy Traffic Ahead Optimal Viewing Time in Yelm Is 10:19 a.m. Monday as the Moon Moves East BY NISQUALLY VALLEY NEWS AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
Follow Us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/nisquallyvalleynews
Volume 95, Issue No. 33
Washington and many other states are bracing for unprecedented traffic problems on the days surrounding the Monday, Aug. 21 total eclipse. The last time a total solar eclipse shadowed the lower 48 states was in 1979, when its path of totality crossed over the state,
n S ee ECLIPSE, P age A8
Courtesy The Exploratorium
A total solar eclipse happens when the moon, the sun and the Earth all line up such that the moon completely obscures the sun to viewers on part of Earth’s surface.