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LOCAL | School district staff complete trauma training [page 3]
King County Transportation District Fast Learners | Many new faces on the Proposition No. 1 Tuesday results: Kentlake tennis team have received a crash Yes: 44.72 percent FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014 course on how to play the game [9] No: 55.28 percent
COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Planning underway for park’s next phase
YarrowBay: ‘Flawed study’ will lead to suit
BY KATHERINE SMITH
BY ERIC MANDEL
ksmith@covingtonreporter.com
emandel@maplevalleyreporter.com
Phase two of Covington Community Park is taking shape and the city is pursuing funding options with the goal to break ground in 2015. Phase one of the park, which is located across the street from Tahoma High School in Covington, was completed in 2012. That phase includes a grass soccer field, a trail over a mile long, two COVINGTON restrooms, an open meadow, forest and parking lot. “Now we are focused on designing phase two,” Angie Feser, parks planner for the city, said. The city is working with a consultant to design and price the project. On the list of projects for phase two currently are a covered performance stage with a grass seating area, completing the trail system, a tennis court, outdoor fitness equipment, one small and one large picnic shelter, a parking and drop off area, as well as all the related infrastructure. The list had also included some
Against the advice of YarrowBay, the Black Diamond City Council has accepted a plan for building its future government facilities. In response, the developer said it will file a lawsuit against the city. “We counseled against them adopting the plan because we feel there are errors,” said Megan Nelson, director BLACK of legal affairs for YarrowBay. DIAMOND “It leaves us no choice other than to litigate with the city over the issue. We find that to be very unfortunate.” Nelson asked the city not to adopt a resolution during an April 3 City Council meeting for a more than $48 million government facilities mitigation plan. Though the city has accepted the plan, it has not yet taken a step to adopt the mitigation fee recommendations. The mitigation plan assesses what government facilities will be needed to support the expected population expansion that comes
Easter Egg Treasures
Norah Whitford, 17 months old, from Covington was among hundreds of tiny participants at the Community Easter Egg Hunt at Lake Wilderness Park Saturday . While Norah mainly focused on the candy, others searched for a golden egg worth $75. To view a slide show go to www.maplevalleyreporter.com ERIC MANDEL, The Reporter
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[ more SUIT page 5 ]
South Sound Critter Care to open a public aviary BY ERIC MANDEL emandel@covingtonreporter.com
Jan White demonstrates the current influx of animals at South Sound Critter Care by softly tapping on the table. Her representation of May? Loud fist-sized pounding on the furniture. “We need help,” said White, board president of the nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center. The shelter opened in 2009 and
has grown to nearing its maximum capacity of about 2,000 animals in a year. Because of recent changes with other local wildlife centers, the shelter is expecting about double the amount of wildlife brought to the center in 2014. The number of animal care cases has risen from 174 at this point in 2013 to 234 thus far in 2014. White made a proposal in January to the Maple Valley Parks and
Recreation Commission about building a state-of-the-art wildlife rehabilitation center on the long unused parcel of city-owned land called “Henry’s Switch” and create a space for animals as big as eagles and bear cubs to regain their health. White said she is willing to lease or buy the land from the city. The Maple Valley Park and Recreation Department is still deciding on its priorities for the year. Parks and Recreation Director Greg Brown said Henry’s Switch and one other undeveloped property are in the master plan mix, but are not among the priorities. White said the sooner a decision [ more AVIARY page 3 ]
Jan White, South Sound Critter Care board president, holds a baby raccoon that is being cared for at the shelter. ERIC MANDEL, The Reporter