REPORTER
COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND
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LOCAL | Black Diamond ‘cancer ninja’ to be Chief for a Day [page 3]
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FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014
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Fighting child abuse with motorcycles Group is putting the biker image to work protecting kids BY ERIC MANDEL emandel@covingtonreporter.com
Bearcat clearly remembers his first “level two.” A child had been sexually abused by his varsity wrestling coach and family members of the accused were trying to intimidate the victim against testifying. Before Bearcat and the other motorcycle riders — all clad in leather — showed up, the young victim hadn’t slept for days and would change clothes every time he walked out of the house. But during Bearcat’s first shift covering the front porch, the boy came outside just to say, “hi.” He was also wearing the same clothes as he’d been in before. He eventually slept for 17 hours straight. “This kid doesn’t need to be afraid, to hide when coming out of his COVINGTON house,” said Bob Stutz, a.k.a Bearcat, president of the Lake Washington chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse. “It is very rewarding.” BAKA is an international nonprofit organization that assists any child exposed to domestic violence or child abuse and live in fear of the perpetrator. Members [ more CHILD page 7 ]
BY KATHERINE SMITH ksmith@maplevalleyreporter.com
The city of Maple Valley is reviewing it’s options for courts and jail services as the expiration of the city’s current interlocal agreement for services with Kent is set to expire at the end of this year. Courts and jail costs soared last year, the first of the two-year interlocal agreement with Kent. Prior to 2013 the city had interlocal agreements with Enumclaw for both services. City Manager David Johnston previously told the Reporter that Enumclaw MAPLE gave notice VALLEY and terminated those agreements because Maple Valley’s needs had outgrown what Enumclaw could provide. Johnston has also said the city had expected an increase in costs because of a “sweetheart” deal the city had with Enumclaw, however actual costs far surpassed what the city had budgeted last year.
Wildcat, Bearcat, Joey and Gutshot (from left to right) are members of the Lake Washington chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse, a nonprofit organization that is expanding its efforts in Covington. ERIC MANDEL, The Reporter
Tahoma superintendent set to retire next week BY KATHERINE SMITH ksmith@maplevalleyreporter.com
When Tahoma School District Superintendent Mike Maryanski did his student teaching with the district he never imagined that one day he’d retire after an entire career with Tahoma. “I just loved teaching and I was experiencing success, and I stayed because these other opportunities that were presented are aligned with a passion I had for leadership and the opportunities I had to learn and share that passion kept me here,” Maryanski said.
City looking at court and jail options
Originally from Auburn, Maryanski said he wanted to do his student teaching close to home to save money and, “that’s what started this whole experience.” In 1970 Maryanski began his career at Shadow Lake Elementary School, later taking on leadership positions as director of curriculum and human resources. He continued to move up in district administration, being named deputy superintendent in 1989 in addition to his other duties. In 1994 he took the helm as superintendent. Maryanski counted his first
principal, Ed Treick, as well as as well as what the district as a Jack Frost as influential mentors whole has been able to accomalong the way whom Maryanski plish are what stands out to him said, “saw something they felt as he looks back. could be supportive of needs at And among those, of course, is that time in the school system and the overwhelming passage of the gave me opportunities school bond in Novemthat started the jourber, which Maryanski ney into leadership.” described as bringHe said that the ing closure, “to a long relationships with the struggle to accommopeople he works with date growth.” are what he will miss Since Maryanski the most about the job. started with the district “To see people grow, 44 years ago it has more to have an opportuthan doubled in size nity to influence and as the community has support the growth of grown significantly. people in leadership “The opportuMike Maryanski positions will be somenity with the new high thing I take with me,” school to make the Maryanski said. Future Ready vision He added that the accomplishbecome a reality for our young ments of students in the district, people and the community is
[ more OPTIONS page 6 ]
exciting,” Maryanski said about the future of the district. “Probably something I’m most proud of is the collaborative culture we have inside our system and with our community,” Maryanski said. “We need to have collaboration amongst all the various constituencies…that’s what we’ve attempted to do over all these years.” He went on to say that creating that atmosphere of collaboration, and buy-in to the district’s vision, comes not from changing what people believe, but from creating experiences where people have the chance to examine what they believe as well as experiences that meet people’s needs, and then the vision can become reality. “Mike is a remarkable leader on many levels but what is most [ more RETIRE page 6 ]