Auburn Reporter, January 27, 2012

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INSIDE | Man charged with murder [6]

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FRIDAY JAN 27/12

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Sports | Auburn Riverside’s Latia Coburn recovers from broken back to soar again in gymnastics [21]

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WINTER STORM AFTERMATH

Uniquely Auburn returns Sunday Auburn comes together Sunday to celebrate the community’s distinct blend of song and dance, storytelling and history. Uniquely Auburn – a community-sponsored festival recognizing the city’s cultural diversity, interesting people, places and events – unfolds Sunday at the Perform-

ing Arts Center, 700 E. Main St. It all begins at 2 p.m. It is free and open to the public. The program includes: Uniquely Auburn, “Late Night with Michael Hursh”; house band Slaughter, featuring [ more UNIQUE page 4 ]

Gaming made fun for players, collectors, hobbyists BY SHAWN SKAGER sskager@auburn-reporter.com

As skies broke open last Saturday, Auburn residents got busy cleaning up from the snow and ice storms. RACHEL CIAMPI,

Auburn Reporter

City slowly recovers from fury BY ROBERT WHALE rwhale@auburn-reporter.com

Trees cracking like rifle shots under crushing ice. Warming shelters crammed with shivering people, driven from powerless homes. Bleary-eyed women and stubblechinned men, some in bathrobes, and small, teddy-bear-clutching children crowding any open restaurant that offered a hot meal. Trees fallen on cars, cars in ditches, road closures. Closed schools. Ice that tinkled as homeowners knocked

INSIDE • PSE crews scramble to restore the power, page 7 • More photos, stories online ICE SHOT PHOTO, Courtesy of Lindsey Maiorani

it from beleaguered trees and bushes. Finally, the buzz of chainsaws and the cheering sight of neighbor help-

ing neighbor pick up the pieces after the worst was over. Just a few of the many images and sounds that last week’s fierce snow and ice storm has seared into the city’s collective memory According to Puget Sound Energy, at its peak the storm that began during the early morning hours of Jan. 17 knocked out power to more than 400,000 customers. As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, PSE had restored power to 404,000 homes and businesses, but some 12,000 customers were still [ more STORM page 5 ]

POWER AND STRENGTH TO COME BACK Auburn woman rebounds to set U.S. powerlifting records mklaas@auburn-reporter.com

ing her strength and confidence to return to the competitive stage.

A painful injury, a break from the action didn’t discourage Jill JoinerWong from trying again. Auburn’s undaunted, world-class powerlifter took baby steps in the weight room, gradually regain-

“Initially, I was like, ‘Maybe I’m done, maybe this isn’t what I should be doing,’ ” the 42-year-old JoinerWong said of injuring her back early last year. “The injury was bad enough to where I couldn’t reach

BY MARK KLAAS

down to pick up my keys or tie my own shoes. “I was depressed,” she admitted. “I wasn’t sure I was ever going to compete again.” But Joiner-Wong – after listening to her coaches, family and friends – followed a lengthy rest and rehab [ more JOINER-WONG page 16 ]

When David Wight is at work he’s in seventh heaven. For the new manager of the Games Workshop SuperMall store, work isn’t really work, it’s pleasure. “This has been my hobby for so long, I’d say either this or working at LucasFilms (maker of the Star Wars movies) would be my dream jobs,” Wight said. Wight, who took over the Auburn store last October, will have the chance to share his love for tabletop miniature gaming with the public at the store’s Meet and Greet. The Feb. 4 event features gaming opportunities, tips on constructing and painting miniatures, and interactive gaming for

the public. Founded in London in 1975, Games Workshop produces three core games – Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Fantasy Battles and Lord of the Rings, based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. “We make the finest toy soldier models in the world with fun games to go with them,” Wight said. Players purchase, construct, paint and field miniature armies against other players, simulating battles with outcomes determined by a mix of strategy and luck of the die. Warhammer hobbyists can choose to battle in the distant future – 38,000 years to be exact – in Warhammer 40,000, battle in a world of swords [ more GAMES page 4 ]

Jill Joiner-Wong competes in the squat at the Fife Holiday Classic in December. She cleared 286.5 pounds in the event, an American masters record. COURTESY PHOTO


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