July
Published 2:23 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
Twede’s Café hit by arson
Sometime before 2 a.m. on July 2, someone broke into the
famous Twede’s Café in North Bend, stole $450 and set two fires in the
building’s rear section.
It took 20 firefighters about one hour to extinguish the blaze and
officials estimated the damage at $250,000.
But Twede’s wasn’t totally destroyed — most of the destruction
was contained to the storage areas where food was kept. The dining area
was spared from flames, but sustained heat and smoke damage.
Signatures to save roadside memorials fall short
Efforts to get 180,000 signatures to place an initiative on
November’s ballot that would protect roadside memorials were defeated when it
was apparent the goal would not be reached.
Tony and Amy Blount had been working since February to gather
the signatures after the King County Department of Transportation warned
the family that their son’s memorial would be removed. A memorial was
placed for their son, Brandon Blount, on the corner of North Bend Way and
Tanner Road the day he was killed in a 1997 car accident.
According to the county’s code, only a few things are allowed in
the county road’s right-of-way, and the list doesn’t include memorials.
The Blounts ended up collecting well over 70,000 signatures.
Plans announced for Grouse Ridge gravel pit
A document was released that proposes constructing a gravel pit
on Grouse Ridge in North Bend.
Cadman Inc., a supplier of gravel, sand, quarry rock and ready-mix
concrete, wants to put a gravel operation on two sites of
Weyerhaeuser-owned land situated between Interstate
90’s exits 34 and 38. The land takes up approximately 300 acres.
The document, called the draft environmental impact
statement (DEIS), lists what impacts on the environment, traffic and neighbors
if built and gives options to minimize potential problems.
The proposed gravel pit’s neighbors include the Woodriver
development, homes on various sized properties, a Buddhist compound,
Seattle East Truck Town and a future elementary and middle school site.
Cadman estimates it could extract gravel for approximately 25 years from the
site, which would be donated to Mountains to Sound Greenway to remain
a greenbelt after resources are tapped.
Valley to receive $1.7 million for flood relief
In an effort to reduce the devastating impacts of Valley flooding,
Rep. Jennifer Dunn secured more than $1.7 million in federal funds
for Snoqualmie and North Bend projects.
Historically, floods have hit both cities and left them with millions
of dollars in damage and immeasurable impacts to their residents.
Snoqualmie alone receives an average of $1.6 million in damage annually.
The new funding will go toward a flood reduction project in
Snoqualmie that will start next summer and be completed within just a few
months. In addition, $50,000 will be spent for a North Bend flooding
feasibility study.
Residents blast Cadman proposal
Emotions ran high when at least 40 residents sounded off at a
public hearing for Cadman Inc.’s proposed North Bend Gravel Operation.
Approximately 160 people attended the meeting, held July 11
at Mount Si High School for the purpose of submitting formal comments for
or against the project’s draft environmental impact statement. Most
comments were in opposition of the project.
The comments will be taken into consideration when county
officials form their official recommendations on the project — whether to
approve it, and with what conditions.
Plan urges city to OK sewers
A new plan to build sewers and a wastewater treatment facility in
Carnation promises to keep rivers clear while allowing for more
residential and business growth.
The proposal, conducted by American Engineering Corp.
of Redmond, was authorized by the City Council and the local Sewer
Advisory Committee. It calls for the city to spend more than $3 million on
initial construction of a wastewater treatment facility and another $3.2 million on
the first phase of a city sewer system. The rest of the city would be phased in
over a 20-year period. The estimated cost of those three phases is more than
$5.7 million.
Soccer field may be excavated
Weeks after Native American artifacts were found by crews building
a soccer field in Fall City, the question of what will be done next
remains undecided.
King County Park System spokesman Al Dams said it was known
for more than 10 years ago that the site at State Route 203 and Neal Road
contained Native American artifacts. But a soccer field was being
constructed on the county-owned property, called the Fall City Community Park.
Workers were using equipment to remove soil when the items
were found — and work stopped.
The site was found in the mid-1980s, a representative of
the Snoqualmie Tribe said.
Design guidelines finalized for North Bend
After years in planning, North Bend officials finalized the city’s
design standards and guidelines. The document will shape the city’s
future look with its guidelines on the construction and design of residential
and business buildings, as well as parks, sidewalks and streets.
Revisions were made to the new guidelines after North Bend
residents and business owners submitted comments and protested painting
restrictions. The new document replaces the last version published in 1992,
which was said to be too vague.
Gravel company wants to blast
Sand, gravel and concrete supplier Glacier Northwest filed an
application to blast hard rock, expand hours and extend operations past 2050 for
its Snoqualmie Sand and Gravel site, located near the Weyerhaeuser
facility in Snoqualmie.
The pit’s neighbors have expressed concern over possible noise,
vibration, traffic, water and housing impacts associated with the expansion. But
Glacier representatives said they have studied plans and believe the
proposed changes will have no significantly adverse impacts on the surrounding
area, if efforts are made to minimize potential problems.
Glacier’s proposal, if approved, will revise the pit’s current
grading permit to allow blasting and extraction of approximately 25 million
tons of hard rock found at the site.
