Copycat threats at middle school

Rumors about a student who would "get" people at

Snoqualmie Middle School turned out to be false. The incident apparently

stemmed from the recent shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado.

Snoqualmie police officers patrolled the school while school

officials spoke with concerned parents. About 25 percent of the students

chose not to attend school that day. At the end of the day, no violent

incidents were reported.

Mount Si rejects teen thriller

In unified support for a positive school image, Mount Si High

students, their principal, parents and the superintendent rejected a movie

producer's request to film a violent teen thriller movie on their campus.

The slasher flick "Lovers Lane" would have included generic

scenes filmed at Mount Si High. School officials initially agreed to let the

producers film on campus, but when they learned the film would include

highly violent scenes, they rescinded the offer.

Simpson will seek re-election

North Bend Mayor Joan Simpson announced that she would run for

re-election in the fall, reversing an earlier decision to move to Idaho with

her husband. Simpson's husband, however, died of cancer in late February.

If Simpson were re-elected, it would break a long string of

one-term mayors (Chris Lodahl, Fritz Ribary, Obe "Max" Healea, Jr.) in North Bend.

Optiva opened at Ridge

Optiva, the makers of high-tech toothbrushes, was the first business

to open on Snoqualmie Ridge.

The company chose to move to the Valley mainly because of the lack

of space at its Bellevue location. Optiva bought 12 acres of land at the

Ridge with an option to build on another 10 acres adjacent to the new facility.

City requested Weyerhaeuser investigation

The city of Snoqualmie requested a county investigation of

the Weyerhaeuser Company and mill property due to alleged violations

of King County codes.

City officials said the company constructed a berm near Mill

Pond Road in 1986 without the proper reviews or permits.

Top `Cat hired

School District hired George Ilgenfritz as principal of Mount

Si High. Ilgenfritz replaced interim principal Doug Ringenbach.

Ilgenfritz was previously the principal at Auburn Senior High School.

Tribe elects

new leader

Joseph Mullen was chosen as the new chairman of the

Snoqualmie Tribe. Mullen was nominated from the floor and ran against Art Freese.

The Tribe also elected five new council members: Mary

Ann Hinzman, Margaret Mullen, Ray Mullen, Josephine Gable and

Bill Sweet.

Science team soared

The Snoqualmie Valley science team returned from the National

Science Olympiad with a slew of medals.

The 37 sixth- through ninth-grade students from Snoqualmie

Middle School and Mount Si High competed at the event in Chicago, and

ranked 18th in the country.

Trust preserves winery

The historic Snoqualmie Winery site was saved from becoming

a 423,000-square-foot business park complex planned by Powell

Development Co. Instead, Congress appropriated the funds necessary to

preserve the 130-acre site, as well as purchase other privately owned parcels

along Interstate 90 and the John Wayne Pioneer Trail.

The site will become a protected, public-status recreational and

scenic outlook.

Johnson sentenced

for crime spree

Jason Johnson, the man prosecutors say was responsible for a

string of arsons, burglaries and thefts last October, was sentenced to 12 years

in prison.

Michael Stevens, whose house was burned down, told a judge and

about a dozen people that his two daughters are constantly plagued with

nightmares and memories of the event.

The judge chose the stiffest penalty for Johnson because it "was

important that he stay out of the community for a very long time."

Tech levy rejected

Carnation residents said it was time to change the city

government while Riverview's voters rejected the district's $3.9 million technology levy.

Nearly 70 percent of Carnation's voters said they wanted the city to

be run by a full-time city manager. The Riverview School District,

however, was roughly 4 percent shy of passing the ballot measure that would

have provided six computers per classroom.

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