Bonney Lake and Sumner Courier-Herald, November 19, 2014

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SEE INSIDE: Bonney Lake budget | Page 2 . . . State swim results | Page 4 . . . Holiday health tips | Page 10

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Fire commissioners discuss budget options with public

What’s Inside

Views....................................Page 6 Health..................................Page 10 Gardening.........................Page 11 Classifieds..........................Page 22

By Ray Still

WEBSITE | Check the website for breaking news and sports updates. www.blscourierherald.com

Staff Writer

The special East Pierce Fire Commissioners meeting Thursday was a solemn affair as Plateau residents gathered at the Bonney Lake Fire Department to discuss their questions and concerns about the East Pierce Fire and Rescue budget, which will be cut by $3 million in 2015. The meeting was standing room only, and residents who could not find a seat stood in the back and even out into the hall to listen to the fire commissioners and Fire Chief Jerry Thorson explain their budget options and their goals for the next year. Although the East Pierce Fire and Rescue Operations

Sports...

Bonney Lake and Sumner girls swim at state Page 5

Weather The forecast for today, Wednesday, calls for cloudy skies and highs near 52 with light winds. Overnight lows to 41. Thursday and Friday call for a chance of rain with highs to 50 and lows to 40. Saturday and Sunday’s forecast calls for rain with highs to 50 and lows to 40.

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Airborne

Chris Case sails his bike through the air Sunday at Allen Yorke skate park. Photos by Ray Still

and Maintenance levy received a simple majority of 56 percent yes votes during the November general elections, state law required a supermajority, or 60 percent, of yes votes for the levy to pass. By press deadline, the plan for the final East Pierce budget was to have it finished by November 18. Many members of the public and even some of the commissioners expressed their frustration towards their present situation. “We are talking about things we’ve never has to talk about before,” said Fire Commissioner Chair Dale Mitchell. “In my 25 years as a fire commissioner, I’ve never had to do this.” The $3 million that was

SEE EAST PIERCE, PAGE 2

Consequences of an epidemic By Eric Mandel Staff writer

G

eri Jeffery and I wait as the Facetime connection on her laptop once again reconnects. The sound and video of her friend on the other side of the screen, Patrick Sesay, is delayed by the more than 6,600 miles between Maple Valley and Makeni, Sierra Leone, as well as a tenuous satellite connection. Sesay’s bald head reappears, his smile and excitable response making Jeffery laugh. He is full of life, despite the somber subject at hand — the state of his country.

I’m asking Sesay about the death of his friends and neighbors and optimism is decidedly scarce. The city’s confirmed deaths have risen to 547, the number of quarantines up 170 — 40 more than in September — and, yesterday, they ran out of chlorine, which is needed for both safety and continued education about necessary hygiene protocols. From an iPad mounted inside Makeni’s Bridge of Hope compound, Sesay says the people of Makeni are desperate. Even more so than usual. “We are getting help and we need more

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SEE EPIDEMIC, PAGE 3

Family members of an infected Ebola patient are quarantined to their homes for 21 days. Courtesy photo

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