Opinion
A6
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Nisqually Valley News • Friday, January 23, 2015
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PUBLISHER’S COLUMN
Coach Strand Epitomizes the Value of Leadership EDITOR’S NOTES
wasn’t close as the Tornados cruised to a 63-9 win against Timberline. During the past four decades, Strand has coached 85 By Michael Wagar wrestlers to place at state, with 15 state champions. I’ve covered a lot of Next Thursday Strand will take on excellent sports propowerful South Kitsap, here in Yelm, for grams over the years, the Narrows 4A League title. The varsity and the ones that soar matches should start around 7 p.m. I enyear after year, decade courage all to go, even those who haven’t after decade, have one commonality: dedicated, been to a match, to take in the best of prep sports. You’ll see dedicated studentmoral leadership. It takes a coach who athletes, coaches, school administration and parents. You’ll see the results of first and foremost serves to make the years of work by Strand. You’ll see why athletes better people. Strand is a 2009 Washington State WresWinning is secondary, but it comes tling Coaches Association Hall of Fame with the emphasis to run the program inductee. with integrity. Another trait winning coaches, and Here in Yelm, we have had such a those who exceed in life, possess is person for the past 41 years: high school they are humble and give credit to those wrestling coach Gaylord Strand. around them. They are always buildThis week Nisqually Valley News ing up. Strand realized he would likely Assistant Editor Tyler Huey reports win his 300th match this year. He kept on Strand and his program. Last week it to himself. He deflects praise, calling Strand won his 300th match the same his program “a community effort.” He’s night his star wrestler, Darren Harris, correct, but I suspect he has more than a pinned his 100th opponent. The match
little to do with the youth program and parental support. Lest you think Strand is all smiles and hugs, he has an aggressive side, a proud warrior spirit who honors his opponent. He does not believe in playing not to lose (Green Bay, can you hear me?), of stalling for a points win instead of a pin. Yelm Athletic Director Ron Barnard said Strand does it all within a frame of being positive and productive. If I was a parent of a young boy or girl in the Yelm school system, I would seriously consider pushing them into the wrestling program. Growing up, I played basketball, and thought wrestling was, well, weird. Sweating all over each other, starving to hit weight and perhaps the hardest practices of any prep sport wasn’t appealing. That said, I do remember tough football practices in junior high where the coach would step on our stomachs during sit ups and run us to near death. This same coach also had us running the lines in basketball with an intense full-court
defense. I’m nostalgic for those days in the gym and on the field. I learned some strong lessons on my way to being a man that stay with me today. It’s the little things that build to excellence. We taped our socks up with masking tape. Our hair couldn’t hit our shoulders (in 1975). We played for each other. I’m sure no seventh-grade basketball team at the time worked harder or was in better shape physically and mentally. In seventh grade, we were undefeated. I would have loved to wrestle for a coach like Strand. The quote by Strand in today’s story is compelling: “When you see a kid come in and turn into a man and enjoy the program, you give them everything you would give your own son, and you hope they come away with the values that you would teach your own son.” I encourage you to consider taking in the match next Thursday night. At some point, Strand will retire. This week you still have the opportunity to watch a legend in action.
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CITYWIDE CHANGES
information coming out about the Lodging Tax fund with over $160,000 in it, which was stated there is only one business paying into this fund — the Yelm Prairie Hotel — yet there is also the Conley Suites Bed and Breakfast located in downtown. Is this business exempt from paying the tax Editor’s Note: The followor was it just an oversight? ing was submitted on Facebook There has also been more emto the paper’s Question of the phasis on housing development Week: As the city has grown, and not on business development what is the biggest difference in within the community. There has Yelm you’ve noticed throughout been land that was seized in the the past 5-10 years? name of “eminent domain” after the owner had been trying to Editor, work with the city for many years What is the biggest difference on the sale of a portion of it benoticed in the past 5-10 years? cause he recognized the need for I would state it is the amount of the futures of road development. disassociated or disinterested We lost out on having the people within the community. Ice Chips candy factory staying There is the appearance that within Yelm. Currently we are the leadership of this community known for gas stations, fast food — at the municipal and chamber restaurants and banks. Again, level — have been making deciwhat direction are our commusions and plans without having an nity leaders taking this city? honest and open dialog with the School issues have been people of this community. The brought up and yes there is a last time there was any discussion bond being proposed for next about the direction of the city month. This bond will once again was in 2009 (according to the only address short-term fixes city’s website), yet it is the same for problems that many can see. plan that was developed in 1995, Once all the construction is comwith minor changes. plete, the schools will once again When was the last time that be at or beyond capacity due to the city leaders reached out to the future growth projections. residents of Yelm with an open Again, I ask, what direction and honest discussion about what are the leaders of this community is going on, during times that taking us? the majority of residents could Brian Hess attend? Having community meetYelm ings at noon, or any time during VOTE YES the week prior to 5 p.m. is not reaching out to the majority of the residents. There has been some questionable management of the city finances. There is the situation of money being taken from the Editor, water and sewer funds (costs Yelm is a very special place. have been going up each year and You see I did not grow up here as Yelm is the highest in Thurston my wife and children have. But I county) to assist with paying for am blessed and proud to say Yelm the cost of the new community is my home where we have raised center, which when it was being and seen our children benefit voted on had nothing about the from Yelm schools and the comneed for funds from there in the munity of family here. bond discussion. I see how this community There is also the recent comes together continually to
Which Direction Are the Leaders of This Community Taking Us?
Yelm Schools Deserving and in Need of Support
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help and care for one another and support our youth. When and where there is a need, everyone chips in and takes care of whatever it may be. Right now the need is in our schools. First and foremost safety and security upgrades are due in all our schools. Second, we are in need of adequate space for classrooms, cafeterias and gyms to house the current number of students attending Yelm schools. Third, renovation or rebuilding is needed in our oldest schools. Continued repairs of old systems is costly and not always the healthiest choice for students and staff. Proposition 1 on the February 10, 2015, ballot is a great use of local dollars and optimizes state matching money available to us. For the local cost of $53.9 million and state matching dollars of $36 million, we will get a total project worth $90 million. To get over a third of our project paid for by timber money is outstanding. We are growing and we will continue to do so because others come to Yelm to raise their families. In addition to the wonderful folks who live here, Yelm has the
greatest teachers and other support staff, programs and cared for facilities where our students flourish. Let’s continue to be known by the schools that we keep. Please vote yes February 10.
“Voodoo Economics.” Even the Pope says the wealthy have become so greedy they aren’t prepared to pay their workers a living wage. They also changed the rules Jeff DeHan to attack funding for the disabled. Yelm There will be a shortfall in the Social Security Disability Insurance ‘VOODOO ECONOMICS’ program in 2016/2017. Something that has happened 11 times since 1950 and has been fixed by both Republicans and Democrats. Social Security and the SSDI are just like having a current account and a savings account. The over $2 trillion plus Social Security trust fund just moves Editor, some money over to it. Happy New Year! Our newlyBut not this time. This time elected Republican Congress they will try and pit retirees has changed the people running against the disabled. It will affect the Congressional Budget Office 11 million people with cuts of up and decided that they need a new to 20 percent. strategy as people understand They will tell you it’s all “trickle down” hasn’t worked; those couch sitters, (laws were that their wages have been flat loosened under Reagan) when in since the 1980s and that this fact it’s mostly children like now policy has created the worst Republican Paul Ryan who lost inequality since the 1920s. his father, or people who end up This magical accounting is in a terrible accident and can’t now called “Dynamic Scoring.” support themselves. Same policy, different name. If Florence Vincent you remember, President George Tenino Bush Sr. called trickle down
Republican Congress Has Changed Rules to Attack Funding for the Disabled
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