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Covington names interim city manager
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Applicants vie for open City Council position
BY ERIC MANDEL
BY KATHERINE SMITH
emandel@covingtonrepoter.com
ksmith@maplevalleyreporter.com
The Covington City Council selected an interim city manager from within to at least temporarily replace Derek Matheson. The council picked Finance Director Rob Hendrickson to fill the void at the July 22 meeting, with his first official day in the role being July 26. Since Hendrickson had a previously scheduled two-week vacation that started Monday, Parks Director Scott Thomas is the acting city manager, as part of a rotating schedule of department heads who fill in during vacations. Matheson, who accepted a role as the city of Kent’s Chief Administrative Officer after seven years at his post in Covington, had his last day in the office on July 25. He is technically on vacation for two weeks and is expected to take
The Maple Valley City Council burned the midnight oil Monday night interviewing and discussing candidates for the City Council Position No. 6 vacancy. The seat was previously held by Victoria Laise Jonas who had been the longest serving member of the council but resigned her post last month due to moving outside of the city. Nine candidates applied MAPLE for the vaVALLEY cancy and were interviewed by the council Monday night. After concluding the main portion of the meeting the council went into executive session to discuss the candidates at approximately 10:30 p.m. and emerged and adjourned
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Belting out the Blues
Emily Randolph with the band Oaklawn performed at the Summer Concert Series at the Covington Community Park July 25. The series is presented by the Covington Parks and Recreation Department. Island Bound will be on stage tonight at 6:30 p.m. and Ian McFeron will perform Aug. 8. All concerts are free and at the Covington Community Park. DENNIS BOX, The Reporter
Nobody is ‘beyond saving’ Part two of “Biking with the Mormons” BY ERIC MANDEL emandel@covingtonreporter.com
There’s not much that slows Richard Christiansen’s flow once he starts on the topic of religion. He’s a natural salesman, speaking with a rapid panache and selfassurance. “Tell me about Genesis 3:16,” he says to Sister Pearson and Sister Webb, who are leaning on their respective handlebars. “Get your Bible out.” We’ve only just met Christian-
sen. Pearson had complimented his patterned, short sleeve buttonup as we cycled up behind him near a stoplight not far from Covington City Hall. He immediately offered to sell the shirt and later joked that he worried the biking ladies were delinquents who planned to throw slushies at him. With that initial confusion now quelled, it becomes clear that Christiansen is no secular slouch. The area real estate broker quizzes the sisters about Bible scripture, Satan, Adam and Eve
and God’s kingdom. He explains to the ladies, who are now each armed with mini New Testaments, that there are three things that people don’t like to talk about — the three natural things in life: politics, religion and sex. “What you are doing is not natural,” Christiansen says. “It’s very hard for a person to go out and do missionary work. Very, very hard. Because people are afraid of the message that you have.” I’m learning a lot from Christiansen as he talks. Not about religion itself, but about the zeal some people have for discussing spirituality with complete strangers. He says he’s spoken to with many Mormons, Protestants and [ more SAVING page 3 ]
[ more COUNCIL page 5 ]
Sisters Pearson (right) and Webb (middle) handed out at least a dozen Mormon.org informational cards to people they met on the street. ERIC MANDEL, The Reporter
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