INSIDE: County Council puts moratorium on pot biz | Page 3 . . . . FireOps training a shadow of firefighters’ work | Page 9 . . . Watch out for deer on 410 | Page 11
Your hometown newspaper
Wednesday, July 17, 2013 | 75 cents
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‘Most Wanted’ man captured
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By Theresa De Lay Staff Writer
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White River junior earns spot on USA Rugby team | Page 5
Weather
The forecast today, Wednesday, calls for partly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Highs will reach 80 and overnight lows 56. Mostly sunny skies return Thursday and Friday with highs to 85 and lows to 55. Saturday and Sunday are forecasted to be sunny with a high of 84.
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Children hold Bubba the anaconda at the July 9 Kid’s Club featuring Isaac Petersen, the “Son of the Reptile Man.” Photo by Theresa De Lay
A cold-blooded birthright By Theresa De Lay Staff Writer
The Son of Reptile Man came to Allan Yorke Park July 9 for the first week of Bonney Lake’s Kids Club summer presentations. Kids Club events are free of charge and held every Monday at 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 11 a.m. until Aug. 27. Isaac Petersen began doing reptile shows in 2004, following in his father’s footsteps. The senior Reptile Man, Scott Petersen, founded the Reptile Zoo in 1996. “The family legacy will continue to go on as many of (The Reptile Man’s) children help in realizing the dream of becoming a force for good in promoting conservation and sustainability well into the
future. Our hope is that the following generations will be able to enjoy nature as we have been able to do so,” said an excerpt from the Reptile Man’s website. Before opening the zoo, the Reptile Man taught high school biology. It was his passion for teaching that led him to performing at schools. In addition to appearing at over 800 Northwest schools, he’s been featured on numerous media outlets including Bill Nye the Science Guy, Evening Magazine and Northwest Afternoon. Special Events Coordinator David Wells said Kids Club events are scheduled carefully so that each week is unique and different. However the reptile show is such a popular attraction, he books it twice.
“I try to make it so families can come to all of the events and not see anything twice except Touch a Truck,” he said. “Well the Reptile Man is one that has a big enough draw to actually bring twice … now I have them both show up, they have similar animals but their story lines are a little different.” Son of Reptile Man will be back for next year’s Kids Club but his father, The Reptile Man, will make an appearance at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19. For a full schedule of Kids Club events, please visit the special events page on the city of Bonney Lake website. For more information about the Monroe Reptile Zoo, please visit them online at thereptilezoo.org.
An anonymous phone tip to the Bonney Lake Police Department led officers to the Bonney Lake Walmart parking lot Sunday evening, where they found and apprehended one of Washington’s Most Wanted. Willard Steven Stewart, Jr., 46-years-old, was recently featured on Washington’s Most Wanted as a violent criminal with 10 felony convictions — including a domestic violence crime in Sumner, driving under the influence in SeaTac and an escape warrant out of the Department of Corrections. “He has a long history of domestic violence, stealing, running from the police — you name the crime, he’s probably done it ...” said retired detective Myrle Carner in an article from Washington’s Most Wanted. Shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday, officers spotted Stewart in a beige-colored Acura and tried to make contact with him, at which time he fled through the parking lot by vehicle. A short pursuit ensued but the officers employed tactical maneuvers which boxed in Stewart’s car. He was apprehended without further incident. During the pursuit, one
See wanted, Page 3
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