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LOCAL | Kentlake’s Evan Eidal turns his love of diving into a trip to the state meet [page 2]
MAT CLASSIC| Tahoma High wrestlers battle for the state title at the Tacoma FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014 Dome [9]
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Covington park to receive grant funds
Black Diamond deals with ‘crisis mode’
BY ERIC MANDEL
BY ERIC MANDEL
emandel@covingtonreporter.com
emandel@covington.com
The city of Covington isn’t sure where the all money will come from to fund phase two of Covington Community Park, but officials don’t appear worried. “We are more comfortable this time around than we were with the first phase,” said Scott Thomas, the city’s Parks and Recreation director. “(The City Council is) very strongly and clearly in support of delivering this park because it’s what the community has been asking for.” The council accepted the parks and recreation commission’s recommendation to accept a more than $2 million grant for planning, design and construction of the second phase of the project at a meeting Feb. 14. The construction cost for the second phase is estimated at $3 million and, depending on the
Describing Black Diamond’s transformation over the last few years as a transition may be an understatement. An entirely new City Council has been either voted in or appointed since 2011, a first time mayor took office in January and a surprise switch of the city administrator led to a resignation by the city attorney. All the changes led Councilwoman Janie Edelman to refer to the first five weeks of 2014 as “crisis mode” at the Feb. 6 council meeting. Depending on who is asked, the changes, like the city’s controversial master planned developments, are either praised or deeply concerning. What’s clear, though, is that the city still has plenty of work to do moving forward. “I’m sure there will continue
Of High Seas And Reading
[ more GRANT page 8 ]
Johnathan Hillstrand, co-captain of the F/V TIme Bandit and a star on the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch,” made good on a promise to his grandchildren last week by visiting Lake Wilderness and Rock Creek elementary schools. Hilllstrand fielded questions and gave a book to every kindergarten through second grade student. KATHERINE SMITH, The Reporter
Special needs students sparkling as cheerleaders BY KATHERINE SMITH ksmith@maplevalleyreporter.com
A chance to shine. That’s what Allison Bureau saw for special needs students on the evening news in 2012 during a segment about an organization called Sparkle Effect. The nonprofit, which was started by a high school student in Iowa, is dedicated to facilitating and supporting inclusive cheerleading teams
— teams that have cheerleaders with special needs. Sparkle Effect facilitates training for team advisers and for peer cheerleaders and pays for the cost of the team uniform for the cheerleaders with special needs, who are also known as Sparkles. “It’s not really about cheerleading,” Bureau said. “I knew nothing about cheerleading.” After the newscast Bureau, whose elementary-age son has
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Down Syndrome, started researching the group more and discovered that, at the time, only one high school in the state, Edmonds-Woodway, had a Sparkle Effect program. She started contacting high schools, pitching the program, and to date four other high schools have started teams, with several more lined up to start in the fall. Among the new teams are Sparkles for the Tahoma High Bears and the Kentwood Conquerors. “How do I make a difference in my son’s life as he goes through school?” Bureau said she asked of herself. And for her, Sparkle Effect [ more STUDENTS page 2]
Mackenzie Croy, center, leads cheers alongside her teammates on the Tahoma High cheer squad. Croy is one of the school’s first Sparkle cheerleaders. Courtesy photo
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