INSIDE | Berend to run for State Insurance Commissioner [7]
.com
Reporter
newsline 253-833-0218
a u b u r n˜
Sports | Lifetime baseball teammates Minteer, Rucker, ready for next step at Gonzaga [10]
Friday, JULY 6, 2012
Voters to decide VRFA’s fire benefit charge By ROBERT WHALE rwhale@auburn-reporter.com
Voters in the Valley Regional Fire Authority service area will decide Aug. 7 whether they wish to continue the use of a voter-authorized fire
benefit charge each year for an additional six years. Support would allow the VRFA to maintain current response times and service levels for fire protection, emergency medical aid calls, training of personnel, and the purchase
of essential equipment, said VRFA Assistant Chief Mike Gerber. If the measure falls, Gerber said, a provision in state law would allow the VRFA to fall back to what’s authorized by the Legislature, a $1.50 per thou-
sand property tax levy. But, he conceded, that would represent “a significant decrease” of the total revenue available. “It would be up to the board how to manage moving forward,” Gerber said. [ more VRFA page 3 ]
After narrowly missing the Olympics four years ago, Ariana Kukors swam to a London Summer Games berth last week. courtesy photo
OLYMPICS,
AT LONG LAST
Auburn’s Kukors earns ticket to London Games Reporter staff
Mary Olson Farm Curator Rachael Burrum lifts the board as Bradley Highsmith, 6, Sam Cheslow, 10, and Stella Cheslow, 6, race their creations at the Veggie Car Races last weekend. Kids got the chance to use their creativity and ingenuity to build race cars from vegetables provided by Mosby Farm and then watch as they zoomed or puttered down an inclined track at the historic farm. RACHEL CIAMPI, Auburn Reporter
Man goes far to help others
Marathon man: Greg Hamblock is run-walking across the country to raise tuition money for two children. ROBERT WHALE,
By ROBERT WHALE rwhale@auburn-reporter.com
Some 179 miles into a long, long journey, a bone tired, overheated man takes a late afternoon breather under the porch of the north end Top Food and Drugs, his sweat-stained back to a pillar, his left ankle throbbing. On a good day, says 25-year-old Greg Hamblock, pushing the cart
Auburn Reporter
Auburn Int’l Farmers Market Algona • Auburn • Pacific
fresh
A cornucopia of fruits and vegetables! Every Sunday through Sept. 23 | 9 am-2pm Sound Transit Plaza, 23 A Street SW www.auburnfarmersmarket.org | 253-266-2726
with the things he needs inside from bear spray to a change of clothes, from a First Aid Kit to crackers to bug spray and a tent, he walk-runs about 30 miles. On not-so-good days, when the body screams, maybe he’ll make 20 miles. “Legs aren’t built to run on concrete,” Hamblock concedes, looking [ more JOURNEY page 3 ]
See you at the Market
630516
V-8 veggies
Olympic dreams finally came true for Auburn's Ariana Kukors. The world record-holder in the 200-meter individual medley, Kukors settled for a slower time but secured a berth on the U.S. Olympic swim team last Thursday. Kukors, an Auburn Mountainview graduate, finished second in her specialty at the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha, Neb., earning a ticket to the London Summer Games (July 27-Aug. 12). Kukors’ time of 2:11.30 was 1.08 slower than winner Caitlin Leverenz, but 0.25 seconds faster than third-place finisher Elizabeth Pelton. “I can’t say that I’m happy with that time, but considering the amount of nerves I’ve been feeling the last 24 hours, I’ll take it,” said Kukors, a Pac-10 champion at the University of Washington before embarking on an international career. “I know I will have to make a lot of changes for London.” Four years ago, Kukors missed the Beijing Olympics by 0.08 seconds, falling short in the 200 IM finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials. But she trained hard, improved and fought her way to a long-awaited berth. “It was the most emotional thing for me,” she said of her accomplishment.