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July 3, 2014

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By Sam Kenyon

When Megan Stone steps on to Safeco Field in her Mariners’ uniform, she always starts on the same baseline.

“I’m superstitious because I’m a softball player,” she said. “I always start on third base.”

Stone, 21, is in her first sea-son as a Mariner’s ballgirl. The North Bend resident is no rook-ie. She has been playing softball for years. As a freshman she made varsity at Mount Si High School. She played ball there until her senior year, when an injury sidelined her.

Now, Stone catches balls at the game’s highest level — Major League Baseball.

Her family has been Mariners fans since the team began in 1977. Her father Joe and mother Denise instilled a passion for the Seattle team in their two chil-dren.

“I loved the Mariners since I was 5 years old,” Megan Stone said. “I’ve been going to games all [the time I was] growing up. I love baseball.”

She wanted to be a ballgirl since she was 16, but never had an opportunity until now. She attended Central Washington University in Ellensburg and wasn’t able to tryout because of

North Bend’s Megan Stone has the best seat at Safeco Field

By Greg Farrar

Megan Stone, Seattle Mariners ballgirl, laughs and claps her hands as a front-row spectator shares a funny joke between innings of the June 27 game against Cleveland at Safeco Field.See BALLGIRL, Page 6

The death sentence for Dayva Cross was upheld June 26 by the Washington Supreme Court.

In 2001, a King County Superior Court jury sen-tenced Cross to death for the 1999 murder of his wife and two of her daughters in Snoqualmie.

One daughter was able to escape after being held by Cross several hours. She called the police.

The unanimous decision by the court dismissed several claims by Cross. His attorneys argued that the admission of guilt Cross initially made when taken into custody vio-lated his constitutional rights

and that he had ineffective counsel.

During the 2001 trial, the jury rejected pleas by Cross’ law-yers that he was mentally ill and should not be executed.

Earlier this year, Gov. Jay Inslee announced suspension of the death penalty as long as he is in office.

State Supreme Court upholds Dayva Cross death sentence

Get a bang out of the Fourth of JulyBy Sherry Grindeland

The Fourth of July is a mixed blessing in the upper Snoqualmie Valley.

There are no large fireworks shows. On the other hand, that means residents don’t have to fight the traffic and crowds if they want to stick around town.

So, have a barbecue and shoot off a few of your own fireworks.

The local Kiwanis Club sells fireworks — all legal — at a stand in North Bend and one in Snoqualmie. The North Bend stand is across North Bend Way from the QFC and the Snoqualmie stand is at the northwest corner of the inter-section of Interstate 90 and Highway 18. Both stands will be

open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. July 3 and 4.

“We carry everything that is legal,” said Dave Humphrey, a Kiwanis Club member. “And every cent we earn in profit goes back into the community.”

The fireworks stands are the service club’s largest fundraiser of the year.

Don’t send the children on their own. To purchase fire-works, you must be at least 16 years old.

Yes, Humphrey is right about the legal part of what the group sells. Their products are all con-sidered consumer grade.

Other stands in the region may sell M-80s, cherry bombs and other larger fireworks. Those are not legal in Snoqualmie,

North Bend and unincorporated King County. The penalty, if caught, is hefty: Use of illegal explosive devices can bring a fine of $5,000 and/or one year in prison.

And even the legal ones may only be used July 4.

Determine if what you pur-chased is legal at www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/docs/fireworks.

Eastside Fire & Rescue will be increasing patrols within the North Bend and county service area. The Snoqualmie Police Department, which serves both North Bend and Snoqualmie, will also be increasing patrols over the holiday.

In both North Bend and

See FOURTH, Page 2

By Sherry Grindeland

It was a day toddlers would have loved. Thomas the Tank Engine, a chil-dren’s television and chil-dren’s book character, was hanging around the North Bend Depot on June 25.

The engine arrived on the back of a specially-designed trailer with built in rails to carry train cars.

It took a team of work-ers and another engine to unload Thomas onto the Northwest Railway Museum tracks.

The useful little engine will be the featured star of the upcoming Day out with Thomas. The annual family event will be held in Snoqualmie July 12-14 and 19-21 at the museum

at 38625 S.E. King St., Snoqualmie.

Day Out with Thomas features a 25-minute train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine to the top of Snoqualmie Falls.

Families will also get to meet Sir Topham Hat, listen to live music, look at operating model trains, eat food, play games, see a

puppet show and more.And why does a train

engine have to come to the Snoqualmie Valley via truck? Unfortunately the tracks that once connected the area to Seattle, Everett, Eastern Washington and beyond no longer exist as rail-roads. They’ve been turned into hiking trails.

The remaining railroad tracks go from Snoqualmie Falls to North Bend.

Tickets are $21 per person; children younger than 2 are free. Purchase tickets at www.trainmuse-um.org, call 866-468-7630 toll free or stop by the Snoqualmie Depot from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.

PAGE 2 SnoValley Star JULY 3, 2014

2

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By Greg Farrar

Richard Anderson, executive director of the Northwest Railway Museum, stands in front of Thomas the Tank Engine as the train arrives June 25 in North Bend.

By Greg Farrar

Stathi Pappas, with Roehl Transport Inc., radios to Northwest Railway Museum volunteer engineer Vern Scott, on the locomotive to which Thomas the Tank Engine is cabled, to con-tinue slowly lowering the colorful children’s character from a flatbed truck onto the tracks in North Bend.

Thomas the Tank Engine arrives

Gregory Malcolm will join Swedish Medical Center Foundation

Gregory Malcolm, of North Bend, who has been the executive direc-tor of Encompass for the last six years, will become

the director of major gifts and corporate relations for Swedish Medical Center Foundation.

Although a story about his resignation appeared in the June 26 edition of the SnoValley Star, he was not free to release infor-mation about his new position until after the

paper was published.Malcolm’s last day with

Encompass was June 30.Steve Weaver, board

president for Encompass, said Nela Cumming has been appointed interim director for the social ser-vice agency that serves chil-dren and families through-out East King County.

Malcolm has spent the past 12 years at Encompass, first as direc-tor of development and since 2008 as executive director. He has been active in other commu-nity endeavors, includ-ing two years’ service as board president of the Snoqualmie Valley

Chamber of Commerce.Weaver credited

Malcolm for growing pro-grams, fundraising and community connections on behalf of Encompass.

“We greatly respect the valuable service that Gregory has provided us,” he said. “We know he will be successful in his new position at Swedish, and we wish him well.”

Malcolm said it has been “an honor and a privilege” to serve Encompass. “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead

and collaborate with our many stakeholders to col-lectively bring the organi-zation through impactful change, growth, challenge and success,” he said.

He said working for Swedish will allow him to continue to develop his skills in fundraising and community-building. His duties will focus on cor-porate relationships and Swedish Issaquah.

Weaver said a celebra-tion will be planned to thank Malcolm for his leadership.

JULY 3, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 3

3

Voted “Best Senior Care Provider” in the Snoqualmie Valley for 9 years in a row.425.888.7108 650 E. North Bend Way & North Bend

Independent & Customized Assisted Living Care Community at the foot of Mt. Si

Catch the Fun at Red OakCatch the Fun at Red Oak

Never too old to play!

Courtesy Snoqualmie Valley Hospital

The steel frame for the front entrance roof of the new Snoqualmie Valley Hospital was lifted into place June 30. The entry, at the southeast corner of the new building, will be the highest point in the hospital, located just west of Snoqualmie Parkway near Interstate 90. The hospital building will cost approximately $38 million and should be completed in 2015.

Topping it off

Snoqualmie, fireworks may be discharged only between 9 a.m. and midnight July 4. The same hours hold in areas surrounding the towns.

The Snoqualmie Fire Department advises families use caution around fireworks. Only adults should light and handle fireworks, even sparklers. Keep a bucket of water nearby in case something gets out of hand.

Looking for a bigger bang?Here is a list of nearby fire-

works shows, locations and hours. Many feature festivals in the hours leading up to show-time:

q Bellevue Family Fourth, Bellevue Downtown Park, 10:05 p.m., www.bellevuedowntown.org/events.

q The Great Carnation 4th of July Celebration, Tolt McDonald Park, dusk, www.carnation4th.org/events.

q Celebrate Kirkland! Fourth of July, Marina Park, 10 p.m., www.kirklandwa.gov/specialevents.

q Independence Day Celebration, Lake Boren Park, Newcastle, dusk, www.ci.newcastle.wa.us/calendar.

q Fabulous 4th of July, Gene Coulon Beach Park, Renton, 10 p.m., www.rentonwa.gov/living.

q Fourth on the Plateau, Sammamish Commons Park, 10 p.m., www.ci.sammamish.wa.us/events.

q Points Fourth of July Celebration, Cozy Cove, Yarrow Point/Hunts Point, 10:15 p.m., www.ci.yarrow-point.wa.us.

q Family 4th at Lake Union, Gas Works Park, Seattle, 10 p.m., www.seafair.com.

Can’t make any of those shows because of company or you’re headed out of town?

Then mark the calendar for July 12. The Mercer Island

Summer Celebration will be at Luther Burbank Park. Fireworks begin at 10 p.m. Learn more at www.mercergov.org.

Sherry Grindeland can be reached at editor@snovalleystar.com or 392-6434, ext. 246.

FourthFrom Page 1

Keep your pets safe from fireworksFireworks may delight you, but pets often panic at the first

boom.Gene Mueller, manager of the Regional Animal Services of

King County, said in a news release that the best way to help your pets cope with the noise is to secure them in the quietest room in the house.

“While fireworks are beautiful to look at, they can be scary for our pets,” said Mueller. “The bangs and booms are hard on their sensitive hearing, and even the calmest pet can get upset by the unfamiliar loud noises.”

He suggested playing soothing music or even turning on the television to distract the animals. Other tips include:

q Some pets will stay calmer when placed in a secure crate in a darkened, quiet room.

q If your pet is normally kept outside, bring them inside or put them in a well-ventilated garage or shed or in a basement while fireworks are going off.

q Make sure your pet has at least two forms of identification. This can be a pet license and personalized tag, a license and a microchip, or all three (license, tag, and microchip). Pets with ID have a much greater chance of being returned to their owners.

q Don’t assume that your pet won’t react just because you haven’t had problems in the past. Sometimes, pets become sen-sitive to loud noises later in life.

q If your pet is lost, check in person at all local shelters, and check back often. It may take some time before spooked pets are brought to shelters.

The Regional Animal Services of King County is prepared for an expected surge in stray cats and dogs at animal shelters from Independence Day fireworks. RASKC will have additional volunteers on duty around the Fourth of July to help residents find their lost pets.

People whose pets are missing can also call the RASKC stray hotline at 206-296-3936 to hear a list of the pets picked up by animal control officers each day.

By Peter Clark

What should concerned citi-zens do if they see a child or pet in a hot car?

The Snoqualmie Police Department that provides ser-vice to both Snoqualmie and North Bend would like con-cerned citizens to call them.

“If anyone sees a child left

unattended in a vehicle they should stay with the vehicle and call 911,” said Captain Nick Almquist. “For animals left in vehicles with no air or water, also call in on the 911 line.”

Last year, an Issaquah man was arrested for leaving his 3-month-old son in a car while shopping at an Issaquah grocery store and charged with second-

degree child abandonment. Police said cases like that should never happen in the first place.

Leaving children or pets in a hot car, even with the engine and air conditioner running is a misdemeanor, Almquist said.

Snoqualmie police vehicles all carry devices to open locked

Police: Never leave pets, children in cars

See HOT, Page 8

nodding to statements on totally oppo-site sides of the argument. They stopped and looked at him.

“How do you stand on this, Windy?” one asked.

“I stand as an American citi-zen,” he said, “on this recom-pensation of our Independence Day, knowing that our found-

ling fathers would want it this way. Yes, since this is a special day for all Americans, I am recumbent in the factotum that it is your very basic right to be wrong.”

“Which one? Which one of us is wrong, Windy?”

He grinned.“Well … you both are.”

Check out Slim Randles’ collections of columns and other fine cowboy literature at www.slim-randles.com. Slim Randles can be reached at homecountry8@gmail.com.

OpinionPAGE 4 JULY 3, 2014

Challenge friends with American trivia

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Home Country

Slim RandlesColumnist

Windy celebrates the Fourth creatively

The Fourth of July can be more than a day of cel-ebrating your patriotism, grilling hotdogs and watching fireworks. Challenge your friends and family with some Independence Day trivia.

These fun factoids come from the U.S. Census Bureau:We’ve grown: When the Declaration of Independence

was signed in July 1776, it was estimated that 2.5 million people lived in the newly independent nation. Today that number is about 318.4 million. That’s up from the 2012 estimate of 313.9 million.

The British are coming: The dollar value of trade in 2013 between the United States and the United Kingdom is $100 billion, making the British, our adversary in 1776, our seventh-leading trading partner today

Run it up the flagpole: In 2013, we imported $4 mil-lion worth of American flags. The majority ($3.9 million) were made in China.

We also exported $781,222 worth of U.S. flags in 2013. The Dominican Republic was the leading customer.

This land is your land: Fifty-nine places contain the word “liberty” in the name. Pennsylvania, with 11, has more than any other state. Of the 59 places, four are counties: Liberty County, Ga. (64,135), Liberty County, Fla. (8,349), Liberty County, Mont. (2,369) and Liberty County, Texas (76,907).

Patriot, Ind., has an estimated population of 205.The most common patriotic-sounding word used as

a place name is “union” with 136. Pennsylvania has 33 unions. Other words most commonly used in place names are Washington (127), Franklin (118) and Lincoln (95).

And the rocket’s red glare: We bought $203.6 billion worth of fireworks from China in 2013; this represents the majority of the $213.8 billion total we imported.

We also exported about $10.2 million of fireworks. Our biggest customer was Israel, which purchased $2.7 million worth.

Flip those burgers: In 2013, Texas produced 6.1 bil-lion pounds of cattle. Chances are good some of that is in the beef hot dogs, burgers and steaks on your grill. Other sources are Nebraska which raised an estimated 5.1 billion pounds or from Kansas at 3.7 billion pounds.

Cheers: It is estimated that as a nation we will consume at least 318.4 million bottles and cans of something cold — beer, soda or water — between now and time for fire-works. We made that one up, folks. But it is a good guess.

Have a great Fourth!

Tent City 4 would bring more transients, more drug users and more thefts

I just read your article on the homeless. It was a bit disturbing that it implied North Bend resi-dents have to help the transients in our own backyards.

My heart does go out to those that have lost their jobs and homes. I would truly hate to be in their situation. I person-ally would help any human out there who wants the help.

However, I don’t feel for those on drugs who don’t want help getting off them or those who drink.

I do know that the Snoqualmie police have done a great job moving the transients out of our community and warning them not to come back. And theft is down!

Then you speak of putting a “tent city” in our community. What do you think that will cause? More transients, more drug users, more theft.

I work in the General Store. We have a lot of hikers, and several times each weekend

they comment about the tran-sients. Some get a bit frightened because the transients approach them.

If the hikers don’t want to return to the area, that’s bad for local businesses.

I don’t feel it is my responsi-bility to remove or house tran-sients; we did not bring them or invite them here. I do feel responsible to protect my home, my children, and my neighbors.

I, too, have been approached on a trail. A man yelled at me to get of his land. As he came closer, I pulled out my bear spray and emptied the can on him to protect myself. Now I do not want to hike in my back-yard because I fear that I will be attacked.

We have a great little town, with wonderful hiking, and any small business owner will tell you that the weekend hikers bring in good money, and keep the businesses afloat. Without our hikers, my business may close down.

No, I don’t have a good solu-tion to the homeless issue. I wish that I had a billion dollars to help, but I don’t. I am just a hard working, tax-paying home-

owner who wants to protect what I have.

Tracy CarrilloNorth Bend

Police report story errs in North Bend population numbers

I read the article about the report on how the police are doing. It would seem that the figure you gave for the popula-tion of North Bend is way off.

The population is not 2,021, this number was a repeat of the number of calls.

The population is over 5,700, which still does not sound good but much better than the number reported. Just thought I would bring this to your atten-tion as there are a lot of people working hard to make this a great place to live and these numbers will give an incorrect perception of the community. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Larry Whalen

Editor’s note: The correct figure for the North Bend population is 6,500.

Windy Wilson was on the prowl, this beautiful Independence Day morning, searching the neighborhood for something to do for others. He decided to let his weekly day helping others come on the Fourth this week, because he was feeling very American.

Let’s see … he thought … I can circumlocute over to Mrs. Hennessey’s and see if her flower garden needs weeding. She’s got very close veins and the sugar diabeets, and getting around ain’t easy.

He headed in that direction when he came across two friends of his arguing over politics. They were standing there in the shade of an elm tree and trying seri-ously to tear down each other’s theory on how the world, the United States, the state govern-ment and the local school board should be operated.

Windy stopped and listened to them. Each would look at Windy as each point was made only to see the usually garrulous Alphonse Wilson smile benignly and nod in response.

Pretty soon, the two combat-ants figured out that Windy was

Joe Heslet General manager

Sherry Grindeland Editor

Sam Kenyon Reporter

Ari Cetron Page designer

Michelle Comeau Advertising rep.

4

JULY 3, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 5

5

Relay for Life – the place to be!

Facebook.com/SnoValleyRFL

www.snovalleyrelay.org

3:00 Jean-Jacques Tetu - musician

4:00 Sammi Cesmat - local musician

5:30 Neutral Bias - A valley folk rock band

7:00 Story Boxx band

9:30 Solo Dance performance by Maiya Weinmaster

10:00 Luminara ceremony Liam Wright support musician

July 12 & 13 ~ Torguson Park Check out the agenda and stop by anytime

during our event – Community support appreciated.

9:00 AM Closing ceremony

• Pantene Beautiful Lengths hair cutting from 4:00-8:00• Plenty of kid/ family activities all day Zumba, sack races , hula hoop , and more.... • Food concessions available

Featuring area locals, Scouts, and Tanya Hodelimmediately followed by Survivor lap and lunch.

2:00 PM ~ Opening Ceremony

Pack a tent – stay the night!

Visit our team booths and support their fund raising Come visit our photo wall ( you are encouraged to bring photos of loved ones to add to the memory /celebration.

July 13 ~ Sunday

July 12 ~ Saturday

Happening Saturday Events

Snoqualmie police serving Snoqualmie and North Bend

Squat while you canPolice responded at

8:37 p.m., June 22, to the 100 block of Main Avenue North to reports of trespassing. Two home-less men in their 30s were reportedly trespassing at an abandoned house. They were gone by the time officers arrived. The house is scheduled to be demolished and is nearly collapsing.

Food chainPolice were notified at

1:47 p.m., June 22, from the 10000 block of 394th Place Southeast of an ani-mal problem. The caller said two of his goats were killed the night before by a wild animal. The caller suspected a coyote and wanted the police to be aware. The caller was advised to contact the department of fish and wildlife.

Drug heistPolice responded at 2:34

p.m., June 24 to the 500 block of Maloney Grove Avenue Southeast to reports of theft. The caller said her back window was sliced open and her medi-cations are missing. She also reported her laptop and an unknown amount of jewelry missing.

Hidden hideoutPolice responded at

1:14 p.m., June 23, to the intersection of Douglas

Avenue and Baker Avenue to reports of suspicious circumstances. The caller stated that a tarp was vis-ible in the nearby woods and they suspected a tran-sient camp. Officers found some airsoft guns and lots of soda and concluded it was a children’s clubhouse area. The parks depart-ment was emailed to clean it up.

Celebrating earlyPolice responded at

5:17 p.m., June 23, to the 600 block of Northeast Eighth Street to reports of fireworks. Five or six adults were lighting off fireworks and were advised to not set them off until a holiday.

Reckless driving, domino effect

Police responded at 8:08 p.m., June 25, to the 600 block of Northeast Eighth Street to reckless driving. The subject was doing burn outs on a black Harley-Davidson motorcy-cle before striking a power pole at the intersection of 428th and 92nd.

Power lines were on the roadway causing a fire on the scene when a BMW sped down the road and slid off the street, severing the pole and going into a pasture.

The driver and passen-ger both had superficial wounds. Puget Sound Energy was notified.

RuckusPolice responded at

10:30 p.m., June 26, to the YMCA and park area at 35018 Southeast Ridge Street to a noise com-plaint. A loud party was in progress with drag racing, basketball, and hooting and hollering. The sub-jects were warned to not be in the park after hours. A second caller then later reported that fireworks

were being set off at the party. Officers were unable to locate anyone in the park when they returned.

North Bend fire

Garbage fireOne engine was dis-

patched at 12:53 p.m., June 21, to the 10200 block of 394th Place Southeast for an outside rubbish fire.

Called backFive engines were dis-

patched at 9:39 a.m., June 21, to the 36400 block of eastbound I-90 but were cancelled en route.

Accident causes injury

Three engines were dispatched at 3:13 p.m., June 23, to the 1300 block of East North Bend Way to provide emergency medical service to people injured in a motor vehicle accident.

Accident with no injuries

Four engines were dis-patched at 8:30 p.m., June 25, to the 42800 block of Southeast 92nd Street to provide emergency medi-cal service to people in a motor vehicle accident.

False alarmTwo engines were

dispatched at 9:18 p.m., June 26, to the 400 block of South Fork Avenue Southwest due to alarm system triggering due to a malfunction.

Snoqualmie fireNo report was available.

The Star publishes names of those charged with felony crimes. Information comes directly from local police reports.

Police and fire reports

Snoqualmie increases water rates

The city of Snoqualmie has increased water utility rates for customers receiv-ing water, sewer and storm water services.

The rates will be effective July 1, appearing on the August billing statements.

The change will increase a typical residen-tial bill from $109.16 per billing period to $119.75 this year and $129.78 in 2015. The increase is about

14 percent for residential customers. Commercial users should anticipate increases in the range of 9 percent to 22 percent.

A public hearing on the increase was held May 27. The City Council approved the new rates June 9.

The increased revenue will fund projects to meet new state requirements and install, replace, or improve water, sewer, and storm water infrastructure and improve facilities.

This is the first water

utility rate increase in Snoqualmie since 2012. A utility service study was recently conducted to ensure residential and commercial customers are paying rates that approxi-mate the cost of providing utility services.

Charts showing the rates and how they increase can be found on the city of Snoqualmie website at www.ci.snoqualmie.wa.us. Click

See WATER, Page 12

Near the tunnel entrance, a pitching rubber and home plate are embed-ded in the concrete floor just for first pitch guests to practice their throws.

Before the June 27 game at Safeco Field, exactly 15 years since the Mariners beat the Rangers in the final game at the Kingdome — Stone did her usual crowd work.

She picked up handfuls of bubblegum from King County Sheriff’s Deputy Bob Conner and gave it out to fans. She and her fellow ballgirl that night, 18-year-old Maddy Kristjanson, stopped to sign the ball of a very young fan.

Richard Schafer, a 19-month-old toddler, and his mom Kelli held

out a ball that was nearly the size of his head for the girls to sign. He broke into a wide smile when they did and he happily

jumped up and down.Another fan satisfied.Like Stone’s mom said:“It’s more than just a

ballgirl.”

daughter until she made the high school team.

“We’re really excited about how the Mariners are doing this year,” Joe said. “She loves the sport.”

“We’re proud of her,” Denise said. “This is a great organization. It has sound principles. And I hope that she continues to work for the Mariner organization

throughout college and possibly even beyond.”

Stone will attend the University of Washington Bothell this fall and hopes to one day become a federal law enforcement agent like her mother.

But for now, Stone is happy to have a job wear-ing No. 14 for the Mariners.

Working in pairs

All the ballgirls this year wear No. 14 because they are the group for 2014. The 13 ballgirls work in pairs each night, one on each baseline. They switch sides in the fifth inning. In addi-tion to giving things out to the fans they help break down batting practice gear and pick up supplies used in pre-game festivities. They even help the left fielder warm up by playing catch with him.

The last game Stone worked was June 27, in a win against the Cleveland Indians.

Before the game, she was the designated catcher for Jay Willoughby, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, when he threw out the sponsored ceremonial first pitch. Before he threw in front of the crowd, Stone went into a field access tunnel with Willoughby so he could warm up.

PAGE 6 SnoValley Star JULY 3, 2014 JULY 3, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 7

6 7

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classes.So far, she has worked

12 games this season and expects to work a total of about 20. Stone likes being on the field, interacting with fans and being close to the game.

“It’s literally been a dream of mine since I heard about it,” she said. “I would always go to games and see the ball-girls and say, ‘Uh, I wish I could do that.’”

PR and baseball skills

Michael Hilburn works as the director of Ballpark Operations and oversees the ballgirl program. He hired Megan after her try-out in March.

“Megan’s been great. She shows up excited and ready to work,” he said. “She’s really embraced the ballgirl role and has a lot of fun with it.”

Being a ballgirl com-bines a unique mixture of public relations and baseball skills. The No. 1 priority is to keep the fans safe from errant foul balls. The ballgirls also chat with fans, hand out bubblegum and baseball cards, and give foul balls to the eager young fans in the stands.

“The ballgirls give our fans a friendly face down each baseline,” Hilburn said. “They’re an ambas-sador on the field. They’re kind of a gateway between the playing field and our fans.”

Giving away foul balls is the most visible respon-sibility for Stone. There is a strict hierarchy govern-ing which fans receive

them. The priority breaks down like this: children in Mariners’ gear, children in the opposing team’s gear, people with special needs, teenagers and then seniors.

Sometimes, adults try to convince Stone to break the rules and give them a ball because they are “kids at heart.” She does not oblige.

During the game, she sits on her stool (called

a bucket) only a few feet away from the closest fans. She loves interacting with the fans and the children who look up to her, espe-cially young girls.

“The fans are most of the fun,” she said. “You get to meet so many cool people.”

So far, no one near her has attempted to run out on the field, although occasionally fans will sug-

gest the idea to Stone.“They’ve asked, ‘Should I

run on the field?’” she said. “And I look at them and I say, ‘No. Not a good idea. You will get arrested.’”

Stopping the ball

Stone played infield her whole career — some shortstop but mostly sec-ond base. She has to have a quick glove to transition from the familiar, larger softball to the quicker, jumpy baseball. The skills of ballgirls are not for show or ceremony; they need to be able to field serious grounders. During Stone’s tryouts, one girl broke her wrist and anoth-er took a ground ball to her face.

“Most importantly, they want someone who can stop the ball because you’re fielding Major League Baseball,” Stone said.

Stone made the softball varsity team at Mount Si in spring 2008, the only

freshman that year to do so. She played for current coach Larry White, but before that she played for a famous Mariner, Jay Buhner. Buhner’s daughter played alongside Stone in high school.

Stone’s parents attend games and watched their daughter in action June 27.

“It’s fun for her to come down here, and for her and Jay to reconnect,” her moth-er Denise said. “It’s nice.”

Ballgirls aren’t supposed to engage with players. If a player says hello, they can respond, but they are dis-couraged from bothering

the team.Earlier this season,

Buhner was at a game with former teammate Edgar Martinez. Stone was working.

Because she had been coached by Buhner, she knew it would be all right to say hello. The other ballgirl working that game was nervous when Stone called out to the Buhner.

The former Mariner great, who played right field and is known for his bald head, responded by giving Stone a big hug.

The Stones are a baseball family. Joe coached his

The Mariners MooseclownswithMeganStone,carryingaboxofbaseballs,astheywalkfromcenterfieldafter‘PopFlywiththeCatch,’apregameactivityforyoungfans.

Megan Stone signsabaseballfor19-month-oldRichardShafer,ofRedmond,withmomKellianddadChristian(notshown,atright)beforethegame.

BallgirlFrom Page 1

Megan blows bubble gum bubbles whileconcentratingonfollowingeachpitchbeingthrownfortheentirenineinningsoftheMariners’June27baseballgameatSafecoField.

Megan Stone has a momentatherballgirlspotonthethird-basesidetovisitwithparentsDeniseandJoeStonebeforetheMarinersplayClevelandonJune27atSafecoField.

Photos by Greg Farrar

Maddy Kristjanson (left), and Megan Stone,Marinersball-girls,chatasMegantakesher‘bucket,’glove,cold-weatherjacket,helmetandwaterbottletopositiononthethird-baseside.Kristjansonworksthefirst-baseside,andtheyswitchhalfwaythroughthegame.

Megan Stone catchesaceremonialfirstpitchfromJayWilloughby,representingtheFredHutchinsonCancerResearchCenter,duringpregameactivities.Itwas‘justalittleoutside,’shesaid.

PAGE 8 SnoValley Star JULY 3, 2014

8

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I loved coming in here. Everyone was always so nice and funny. I’ll miss you guys! LuAnn

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doors. Eastside Fire &

Rescue Deputy Chief of Operations Greg Tryon agreed that if residents see a child or pet in a hot car, they should call the police.

“We’ll respond to the calls when we’re con-tacted, but the best thing to do would be to call the police,” Tryon said. “Either way, that’s what we’re going to do. The police have better equip-ment for getting into cars as well.”

The Seattle Humane Society recommends pet owners take pets with them when leaving a vehicle.

“Never leave your pet in the car unattended in warm weather — not even for ‘just a minute’ or a quick stop at the grocery store,” according to a news release from the organiza-tion. “The interior of a car can hit 160 degrees in less than five minutes. Keeping an animal in a hot car can be fatal.”

A dog’s normal body temperature ranges from 101 to 102.5 degrees. Dogs can withstand 107 to 108 degrees for only a very short period of time before suffering brain damage or death, the release said.

Excessive panting, a dark red tongue, stag-gering, seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomiting are symptoms of heat stroke.

“Remember that if your buddy has a shorter nose, like a Persian cat, a pug or a bulldog, he or she is more susceptible to heat-stroke than breeds with longer noses,” the press release read. “If you sus-pect your pet has become overheated, seek veteri-nary care immediately.”

HotFrom Page 3

Please recycle this newspaper

Contributed

Before school endedlastmonth,third-gradersfromNorthBendandFallCityelementaryschoolsmadedogtreatsfortheSnoqualmieValleyPetFoodBank.DustyCavaliere,thehumanbehindtheprogramthatprovidesfoodforpetsinneed,sentthephotographofthebaggedtreats.‘TheSnoqualmieValleyPetFoodBankwouldliketothankthestudentsinMs.(Barb)VanOeveren’sandMrs.(Anne)Melgaard’sclasses,’shesaid.‘Weappreciateyou—woof!’FormoreinformationabouttheSnoqualmieValleyPetFoodBank,visitwww.svpetfoodbank.org.

Students help man’s best friendObituaryPhyllis Bradley

Phyllis Bradley, of North Bend, passed away June 26, 2014.

She is survived by her husband Bill; her children and their spouses Lyle/Janet, Raina/Ron, Tigh and Kody/Angie; and her grandchildren Melissa, Brandon, Lauren and Maxwell.

Memorial is at 6 p.m. July 10 at New Life Christian Center.

DSHS mobile office will be in North Bend July 9

The Washington Department of Social and Health Services Mobile Community Service Office will be at the Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 9. The Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank distributes food from the North Bend Community Church, 122 E. Third St., North Bend.

DSHS staff will help with assistance applications for food and cash and can handle yearly reviews.

Sammamish needs artists

The city of Sammamish is looking for help in dressing up what is often a dry sort of document.

Sammamish is in the midst of a once-a-decade rewrite of its comprehen-

sive plan, and city lead-ers want an artist to help illustrate the plan.

The Comprehensive Plan is a guide which underlies land use, transportation, housing, economic development, parks and other long-term

programs.The artwork would

find ways to symbolize creativity and energy. It could include work such as photos, poems and abstract designs.

While open to anyone, the city will give prefer-

ence to Sammamish resi-dents.

More than one artist may be selected, and the artist selected is expected to coordinate with the city’s consultant in devel-oping the work.

A stipend of $800 will

be divided among those chosen.

The deadline to apply is July 18, and the artist or artists will be notified by Aug. 22. For details and to apply, visit www.sammamish.us/events/Default.aspx?ID=3246.

JULY 3, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 9

9

TUES

8

q ‘Sing a Song of Science,’ 10:30 a.m., North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St., 888-0554

q Ideal Protein Weight Loss Workshop with Dr. Scott Massengill, 6:30 p.m., Park Street Healing Arts, 318 E. Park St., North Bend, RSVP by calling 888-4170

q Junior Wildcat Track Club, ages 5-14, 5:30-7 p.m., Mount Si High School, 8651 Meadowbrook Way S.E., Snoqualmie, $60, www.siviewpark.org

q Meet the Author: Sharol Louise, author of ‘Rose Hill Manor,’ 6-8 p.m., North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St., 888-0554

q Chair Yoga: Finding Peace at Work, 7 p.m., Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E., 888-1223

q Competitive play drop-In vol-leyball, ages 16 and older, 7-10 p.m., Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie, 256-3115

q Piano Jam, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

YOUR WEEK

MON

7

q Summer camps available through Aug. 15 at Encompass, 1407 Boalch Ave. N.W., North Bend, 888-2777 or www.encom-pass.org

q Mount Si High School Vocal Jazz Clinic, 5 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q Ryan Donnelly Jazz Group, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q ‘Imagery of the Washington Cascades,’ Stories from a Guidebook Photographer, 7 p.m., North Bend Library, 115 E. Fourth St., 888-0554

q Drop-In bas-ketball, ages 16 and older, 8:15-10 p.m., Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie, 256-3115

SUN

6

q Snoqualmie Valley Railroad Train Rides, departures begin at 12:01 a.m. from the Snoqualmie Depot, 38625 King St., and 12:31 p.m. from the North Bend Depot, 205 McClellan St., $18/adults, $15/seniors, $10/chil-dren, www.trainmu-seum.org

q Tony Foster Trio, 6 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q Dwight Yoakam, 7 p.m., 21 and older, The Ballroom at Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, $25-80, www.snocasino.com

q Volunteers needed, Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., Snoqualmie, contact volunteersnoq@seat-tleymca.org for more information or go to http://bit.ly/1t85VAL

SAT

5

q Town of Snoqualmie Falls Video and Discussion, narrat-ed by Dave Battey, 10 a.m. to noon, Meadowbrook Farm, 1711 Boalch Ave., North Bend, 831-1900

q Jose ‘Juicy’ Gonzales Quartet, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q Kool & the Gang, 7 p.m., 21 and older, The Ballroom at Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, $15-50, www.snocasino.com

q Stillwater Hill Bluegrass Band, 8 p.m., Black Dog Arts Café, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-3647

FRI

4

q Fourth 4th of July Celebration, flag raising, pan-cake breakfast, face painting, family photos with ‘Betsy Ross,’ comput-ers set-up to help you identify your patriot ancestors and more, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Latter Day Saints Church, 527 S.W. Mount Si Blvd., North Bend, free and open to the public

q Special 125th anniversary of the inaugu-ral train ride from Seattle to Snoqualmie Falls, two special train rides reliving the history, 12:30 p.m. and 1:15 p.m., Northwest Railway Museum, 38625 S.E. King St., Snoqualmie, con-tact 888-3030 for fares or visit www.trainmuseum.org

WED

9

q Toddler Story Time, ages 0-3, 10 a.m., Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E., 888-1223

q Preschool Story Time, ages 3-6, 11 a.m., Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E., 888-1223

q Robot Garage, use robotic kits to explore basic engineering, ages 8-12, 1 and 3 p.m., Snoqualmie Library, 7824 Center Blvd. S.E., 888-1223, regis-tration required

q Future Jazz Heads, 5 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q Jazz Heads, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q Open Mic Night, 7 p.m., Black Dog Arts Café, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-3647

q Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Snoqualmie Falls Brewery and Taproom, 8032 Falls Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-2357

THUR

10

q YMCA Running Group, 9 a.m. free, Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, 35018 S.E. Ridge St., 256-3115

q Farmer’s Market, with concert by 3 Trick Pony, 4-8 p.m., Si View Park, 420 S.E. Orchard Drive, North Bend, www.siviewpark.org

q Game Night, 4-9 p.m., Snoqualmie Falls Brewery and Taproom, 8032 Falls Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-2357

q Junior Wildcat Track Club, ages 5-14, 5:30-7 p.m., Mount Si High School, 8651 Meadowbrook Way S.E., Snoqualmie, $60, www.siview-park.org

q ‘Beat the Geek’ Trivia Night, happy hour extended, 7 p.m., SnoValley Coffee Company, 7811 Center Blvd. S.E., Snoqualmie, 396-0337

q Thomas Marriott Duo, 7 p.m., Boxley’s, 101 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, 292-9307

q Mataji Booker and Alex Rassmussen, 7:30 p.m., Black Dog Arts Café, 8062 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie, 831-3647

SCHEDULE THIS:

Send your news

Send items for Your Week

to newsclerk@isspress.com

by noon Friday.

THE CALENDAR FOR JULY 4-10

Stay local to enjoy a Fourth of July Celebration at the Latter-day Saints Church featuring flag raising, a pan-cake breakfast, face painting, family photos with ‘Betsy Ross,’ comput-ers set-up to help you identify your patriot ancestors and more, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at 527 S.W. Mt. Si Blvd. North Bend. The free event is open to the public.

SportsPAGE 10 JULY 3, 2014

10

The Ridge Invitational Golf Tournament, host-ed by the Ridge Women’s Golf Club, drew 110 golfers to TPC Snoqualmie Ridge June 20-21.

The two-day event combined golf with a lot of laughter and fun, including an auction for volun-teer caddies for the June 21 round.

Bill McNiel used a bit of magic to entice women to bid. He showed up opening day, June 20, dressed in a flowing wig, gown and wizard hat. He hung around the 13th hole and kept the ladies in stitches as they approached the green.

Jill Looper, spokeswoman for the Invitational Committee that organized the tournament, said

the purpose of the caddie auction was to add to the fun and help raise money for the Snoqualmie Valley Food Bank.

Pictures of the tournament include the winners in the lower right hand corner.

Gross winners Kim Ponti and Kelly Brown pose with their caddy, John Methven. Net winners were Julie Martin and Sue Clinch.

Other photographs were selected from nearly 400 taken during the tournament.

Looper said a final tally on the proceeds won’t be available for a couple weeks, but the committee already knows it has raised more than $3,000 for charity.

Women’s golf tournament scores big for fun, games and charity

Photos contributed

highest point, 3,600 feet. Then it levels off.

But your trek to the lake is not over yet. Tread carefully through beds of rock fragments, which have tumbled down the slope over the years. There is at least one avalanche chute above where you’re hiking and for some dis-tance you will see nothing but rock fragments above and underneath you.

If you hike with small children, watch them care-fully as they walk over the scree, because it is difficult walking. You may even want to pick them up.

Once you’re beyond the scree, you have the hike made. About one-quarter mile before you see the pristine alpine waters, look up. A wooden sign will point the way to a rest-room.

The lake is consid-ered an alpine lake, even though there are trees all around. Open sites with fire pits are available for campers but you would have to have stamina and experience to carry camp-ing gear all the way up the trail.

Annette Lake offers several inviting spots on the shore for resting and for wading. You may also swim, but be cautious. The water temperature is icy cold.

Waterfalls tumble down the mountain side, feed-ing the lake even more snow melt, making it one of the most pristine lakes in the area. Mountains, with snow still standing in pockets and valleys, stretch to the skies above.

The sight is magnifi-

cent, a reward for perse-vering.

The detailsTrail Difficulty: This

trail has a difficulty rat-ing of three out of five on the www.wta.org website, mainly due to the eleva-tion gain and rock frag-ments on the trail.

Kid Friendly: Yes, but keep the rock fragments and elevation gain in mind. Not stroller-friendly.

Dog friendly: Yes, on

leash.Passes: Northwest

Forest Pass requiredBy the numbers: 7.5

miles round-trip. Elevation gain: 1,400 feet; highest point 3,600 feet.

Features: Rivers, lakes, waterfalls, old growth for-est remnants, established campsites

Trail review: 5 out of 5 stars. Well maintained, better than expected, beautiful views

JULY 3, 2014 SnoValley Star PAGE 11

11

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By Emily Hockett

We finally made it to Annette Lake on June 22, a destination we’ve want-ed to reach for some time.

It was hard fought, though: elevation gain, heat, fatigue, and scree made this a difficult course for us. But a 1,400-foot elevation gain, several rests and a pit stop later, we made it. And the views were well worth the jour-ney.

I recommend this hike to anyone who loves hik-ing up to an alpine lake; and doesn’t mind a little climbing and tip-toeing through scree (rock frag-ments that make footing difficult).

The journey begins at Exit 47 off I-90. That exit is the entry to the Asahel Curtis/Denny Creek area. Get there early to find a prime parking spot. The parking lot fills up fast. When we got there after

noon, we had to park out-side in a pull out on the road instead of in the lot.

As you walk toward the trailhead, you will hear the rushing waters of the river tumbling over the huge boulders. When we were there, the 0.7 mile Asahel Curtis trailhead was closed for construc-tion.

The Annette Lake approach trail, also about 0.7 of a mile, is an old logging road and veers off to the right. It winds up to the John Wayne Trail above. Cross a well-main-tained wooden bridge that crosses over the water run-ning noisily underneath. Have your camera handy; it’s a spectacular shot.

After you make your way up to the John Wayne Trail, cross it and step onto the Annette Lake Trail. There’s a sign at the crossing that helps you find your way.

The trail, filled with switchbacks, ascends the Humpback Creek Valley. The switchbacks continue for about 1.5 miles and we huffed and puffed to the

By Emily Hockett

The view of Annette Lake awaits at the end of the trail.

Annette Lake rewards hikers with beautiful viewsHike of the Week

See HIKE, Page 12

PAGE 12 SnoValley Star JULY 3, 2014

12

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on utility information on the left side of the page or go to http://bit.ly/1lwsvg9 If you receive water, sewer and storm water services

from Snoqualmie and have questions, call 831-4919.

The new rates affect all customers in Snoqualmie’s water service area, includ-ing those receiving servic-es in rural King County.

Those who qualify for low-income discounts

would pay approximately 30 percent less than other water utility customers.

A city spokesperson said residential and com-mercial customers’ current rates are much lower than surrounding cities, includ-ing North Bend, Issaquah, Carnation and Duvall.

WaterFrom Page 5

Parking: 3 out of 5 stars. Fills up fast.

Bathrooms: 3 out of 5 stars for parking lot bath-room. Lock is broken and they were out of toilet paper. Trail bathroom: 5 out of 5 stars. Private, clean, nice feature to have

after long hikeScenery: So beautiful

throughout, 5 out of 5.Go back again? Yes, for

possible overnight trip.Getting there: I-90 exit

47 (Asahel Curtis/Denny Creek). Turn right from the off-ramp and con-tinue 0.25 mile, then turn left on Forest Road 5590. You’ll find the parking area in 0.3 mile.

Links: www.wta.org/

hiking-info/passes/passes-and-permit-info;

www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/annette-lake

www.fs.usda.gov/rec-area/mbs/recreation/recarea/ ?recid=80168&actid=104.

Emily Hockett and her husband Van enjoy hiking in the Northwest. She writes about their hikes on her blog. She can be reached at mountaingirl8@outlook.com.

HikeFrom Page 11

Contributed

The Snoqualmie Valley 9-10 year-old Little League All-Stars survived to the second round of the District 9 Championship Tournament. The team included students from Opstad, Snoqualmie and North Bend elementary schools. Top row is, left to right, Calvin Chapman, Gavin Bailey, Ryan Llewellyn, Spencer Stillman, Evan Piche, Malakhi Wheaten and Wesley McDonald. Bottom row is, left to right, Hayden Weaver, Sam Apostol, Kamron Korrell, Gavin Yost, Blake “Macky” Stillman and Jayden Bratton. Coaches are, left to right, Ryan McDonald, Aaron Piche and Dan Stillman.

Little Leaguers get through to second round

Seniors may qualify for deferred or exempt property tax

Senior citizens can learn if they qualify for property tax deferral or exemption at a King County Department of Assessments community presentation. The free event will be held at 12:30 p.m. July 23 at the Mount

Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave. S., North Bend.

Low income and dis-abled seniors often qualify for property tax exemp-tions.

“If you paid your prior years’ taxes because of a mistake, oversight, or were not aware of the exemp-tion program, you may apply for a refund by filing an application for refund with our office,” said King County Assessor’s Office

spokesman Phillip Sit.In 2014, the

Department of Assessments assessed approximately 690,000 parcels in King County worth $341 billion. This total valuation generated $3.92 billion in property revenue to support vital public programs and ser-vices.

For more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/assessor.