Enumclaw Courier-Herald, September 23, 2015

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SEE INSIDE: Call for nonprofit volunteers | Page 3 . . . . Farmers’ market-inspired meals | Page 12 . . . . Spartans beat Enumclaw, remain undefeated | Page 14

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What’s Inside

Views...................................Page 6 Obituaries.........................Page 9 Sports.................................Page 14 Pets......................................Page 16

This Week... • Pierce County Councilman Dan Roach is

hosting a meeting about appropriate boating on Lake Tapps at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at North Tapps Middle School. • A fundraising concert

featuring songs made famous by Neil Diamond and John Denver is planned for 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Chalet Theater in Enumclaw. The cost is $10 and proceeds benefit the Enumclaw Senior Center, Rainier Foothills Wellness Foundation and the Neighbors Feeding Neighbors hot meal program for seniors. For details, 360-825-4741.

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Bonney Lake fireworks debate | Final week Editor’s note: Each year since the early 2000s, the issue of banning fireworks inside the Bonney Lake city limits has come before the City Council. This year the unusually dry weather and increased danger of brush and wildfires has raised the discussion to more than just a spark and fizzle. A town hall meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Justice and Municipal Building, where residents will have the opportunity to discuss whether or not the city should enact a fireworks ban. Courier-Herald reporter Ray Still has organized an in-paper debate on the ques-

tion of whether Bonney Lake should or should not ban fireworks. The three debate participants are Justin Evans and David Baus, Bonney Lake residents running for Council Position No. 2, and Karen Gower, public relations district director with TNT Fireworks. For this issue, Evans, Baus and Gower answered specific questions posed to them by the Courier-Herald as the final debate round. The Courier-Herald encourages our readers to participate in this debate by sending questions and comments to Ray Still, rstill@courierherald.com. Questions and comments may also be posted to the debates online.

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Anti-ban

David Baus

Anti-ban

Karen Gower

Bonney Lake resident

Bonney Lake resident

TNT public relations

If the City Council passes a fireworks ban it must come with funds for enforcement for the law to be effective. What would enforcement of a ban look like? Consider how much money, resources and manpower is needed to adequately enforce a ban. I’ve spoken with Bonney Lake Police Chief Dana Powers and was told that due to the holiday, the department is fully staffed, and then some. The cost associated wouldn’t necessarily be enforcement officers,

The city of Bonney Lake and East Pierce Fire & Rescue spent considerable funds on fires and problems related to fireworks this year. How do you justify the expenditure of funds when the city and East Pierce are working on tight budgets? East Pierce Fire: We all acknowledge that it was a very dry year and as a result, the fire department felt the burden. I have a few thoughts on strategies to minimize the

The city of Bonney Lake and East Pierce Fire & Rescue spent considerable funds on fires and problems related to fireworks this year. How do you justify the expenditure of funds when the city and East Pierce are working on tight budgets? As someone who believes the truth is always best, I prefer to avoid the emotional arguments and personal attacks and let the facts speak for themselves— not political answers. It

SEE EVANS, PAGE 4

SEE BAUS, PAGE 4

SEE GOWER, PAGE 5

Enumclaw tackles unpaid court fines with new collection agency

Weather The forecast for today, Wednesday, calls for sun and a high near 68. Lows at night drop to around 44. Thursday also calls for some sun with highs near 75 and lows around 49. Friday, Saturday and Sunday night may all see some rain and clouds with highs near 64 and lows around 49.

Pro-ban

Justin Evans

By Kevin Hanson Senior Writer

A new collection agency is being called upon to crack down on those who ignore fines levied by the Enumclaw Municipal Court system. The city already goes

Looking good after 25 years Seniors from all over the Plateau came to celebrate the Bonney Lake Senior Center’s 25th anniversary Sept. 16. The senior center was built in 1990 after years of fundraising by area seniors. Top, Sandi and Jake Knaus finish their dance with a romantic flourish to the tune of a jazz band from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Right, a senior browses through the center’s many scrapbooks and photo albums, which go all the way back to before the center was built. Photos by Ray Still

after those who will not – or can not – pay the fines levied for a variety of offenses. But after two years the results have been deemed unsatisfactory, so another agency has been solicited in hopes of collecting out-

standing fines. In a memo to Mayor Liz Reynolds and the seven-member City Council, city Finance Director Stephanie McKenzie explained that state law

SEE DEBT, PAGE 5

Bonney Lake woman solves ‘Eyes of the Totem’ film star mystery By Ray Still Reporter

When historians discovered the lost 1926 Tacomabased film, “Eyes of the Totem,” last year in the basement of the New York Museum of Modern Art,

work on restoring the movie began immediately. The Tacoma Historic Society finally had some answers after years of searching for a collection of three silent films that were all made in Tacoma by Weaver Studios, which operated near

Titlow Beach 90 years ago. After watching the film, though, members of the society still had one question left; who was Baby Sessoms, the child star of the movie? As it turned out, Bonney

SEE MYSTERY, PAGE 10

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