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Valley Medical Board Commissioner Anthony Hemstad was presented with the Washington Coalition for Open Government Key Award at its awards breakfast on Sept. 17 at The Conference Center in Seattle. Anthony Hemstad A release from the organization stated Hemstad was being recognized for “his effort to bring transparency reforms to the governing body of Valley Medical Center.” The release noted Hemstad was elected to the Pubic Hospital District No. 1 board in Nov. 2007 as a reform candidate “on a 10-point platform designed to open the working of the district to taxpayers. Since his election, the district has begun videotaping its meetings and posting its meeting agenda and minutes on the Internet.” At the ceremony Hemstad outlined the importance of transparency in government bodies like commissions and councils that are often overlooked. Following the event, Hemstad wrote in an e-mail, “I’m honored and invigorated to receive a 2010 Key Award. That an outside organization like WCOG is watching the continued struggles we’ve had to reform Valley’s governance is very encouraging. Outside attention can make a huge difference. When governing is kept in the shadows it is more likely that the public interest gets replaced by insider dealing and the public purse gets raided. To minimize that chance of abuse there should be both active and responsible oversight from a governing body plus scrutiny and attention by external watchdog groups. There has been a tremendous amount of resistance from some groups associated with VMC administrators to proposed transparency reforms. We’re finally making progress - but much remains to be done.” Also attending the event was former governor and U.S. Senator Dan Evans. Hemstad worked as a staff member for Evans when he served in the U.S. Senate. “This is well-earned recognition,” Evans wrote. “Anthony was one of my aides when I was a U.S. Senator. It is good to see that he remains so focused on transparency and good
government reforms. He clearly is determined to make some positive changes on this commission and deserves the support of all thinking citizens.” Also recognized at the event was Eric Rachner, a computer expert who investigated how the Seattle Police Department used video recordings of street arrests to exonerate officers. Mike Shephard, the former publisher of the Yakima Herald-Republic, accepted an award for the newspaper’s work in forcing Yakima County to turn over legal billing records. The organization presented the annual James Madison Award to Frank Blethen, Seattle Times publisher, and the James Anderson Award to Duane Swinton, an attorney with the Spokane firm Witherspoon Kelly Davenport and Toole.
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Reach Kris Hill at khill@covingtonreporter.com or 425-432-1209 ext. 5054. To comment on this story go to www.covingtonreporter.com.
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702 Auburn Way N., Auburn
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...obituaries Virginia Lorraine Winkle
Lorrie was born March 1, 1919 and died peacefully September 2, 2010 with her family at her side. She and her husband Forest raised a family and enjoyed life to the fullest. She was preceded in death by her husband Forest and her youngest son Stanley. She is survived by her oldest son Ron (Carolyn) Winkle, and her two daughters Peggy (Larry) Rhoden, and Cheri (John) Zavaglia. Also 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and 2 greatgreat-grandchildren. Lorrie will be interred with her husband Forest at Hillcrest Burial Park in Kent. 411663
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FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Service Times – Sunday Bible Study 10am Worship Service 11am Wed. – Bible Study 7pm All Are Welcome! 19030 SE 168th St., Renton, 98058 Phone 425-226-0498 Maple Valley Heights Area
(DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) “The Church on Top of the Hill” Church School 9:00 AM Worship 10:00 AM All are Welcome Pastor Robert Brooks Senior Minister
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11717 SE 240th St • 253-852-1930
FIRST AME CHURCH
Lake Sawyer ChriStian ChurCh
South Campus
11800 SE 216th Street Kent, WA 98031 (Emerald Park Elementary School)
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KENT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCUSA)
9425 S. 248TH STREET, KENT 98031 253-852-3370 www.kentfirst.net Children's Sunday School .. 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Adult Christian Education....9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Worship Service.................................... 10:30 a.m. Children's Worship.............................. 10:45 a.m. Youth Group............................ noon to 1:00 p.m. Monday Morning Prayers...... 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. 410486 Carol Kirkpatrick, Pastor
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360.886.8045 • www.lscc.org • info@lscc.org Come and join us and feel the warmth, friendliness and sense of community present at Lake Sawyer Christian Church! Sunday Services: 9 AM & 10:45 AM Children’s Sunday School: Birth through 6th grade at both services Home Groups: Evenings throughout the week Junior High Youth Group: Wednesdays at 6:30 PM Senior High Youth Group: Sundays at 6 PM
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Price - Helton Funeral Home Celebrating Life Since 1911 • Quality • Caring • Affordable Chad Vennes
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Hemstad honored for work on Valley board
of vehicle trips that would be generated from 104 single-family dwellings matches the number of vehicle trips that were generated by the 109 mobile homes. In addition, Covington issued a public works standards variance to allow a remotely controlled, gated emergency access from Southeast 267th Street instead of a full-use second access point. The city’s Community Development Department recommended approval of Cornerstone subject to 60 recommended conditions, the document states, including developing a service agreement with Fire District 37, the Covington Water District and the Soos Creek Water and Sewer District as well “provide a pedestrian connection from the development to Cedar Heights (Middle School).”
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Crews have begun work at the site of the former Woodside Village Mobile Home Park in Covington. Residents of the mobile home park moved out in the fall of 2006 after DR Horton, a developer based out of Fort Worth, Texas, that has properties in more than two dozen states, put in a preliminary plat application in June 2006 for the development of 146 lots, according to Salina Lyons, senior planner for the city of Covington. For nearly four years, though, the property has been fenced off. The 17.5 acre site was zoned for R-8, or eight units per acre, and has been dubbed Cornerstone by DR Horton. In June 2006, Covington’s Community Development Department deemed the application for the project, which is just west of Cedar Heights Middle School, complete. A year ago the hearing examiner reviewed the application. “During the review the development was modified to 104 lots,” Lyons
said in an e-mail. “A public hearing before the hearing examiner was held on Sept. 17. The development underwent engineering review, which includes clearing and grading, and was issued a Notice to Proceed with Construction on June 18, 2010.” According to the hearing examiner’s written decision, “no testimony was entered into the record by the general public either in support of or in opposition to the application.” In the hearing examiner’s decision it states there are no environmentally critical areas and that the proposed plans depict development of Cornerstone happening in two phases. During the extensive application review period, the written decision stated, significant work was done to resolve traffic related issues such as where a second access point could be located for the site and what would need to happen to minimize traffic impacts. Ultimately, the document said, DR Horton reduced the number of units from 146 to 104 to resolve concurrency — in other words, the number
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khill@covingtonreporter.com
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BY KRIS HILL
September 24, 2010 [9]
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