MLK Day helpers clean Si trail

A team of North Bend activists joined forces for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, last Monday, Jan. 19, to clear storm debris and native plants at the Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area last Monday.

Under the leadership of Kelly Heintz, Natural Areas Manager for Washington State Department of Natural Resources, the group of seniors, neighbors and students from Twin Falls Middle School put saws, loppers and weed wrenches to work for three hours, renewing trails after damage from recent storms.

The day was a response to President Obama’s call for volunteer service.

“Volunteer projects offer a great way for residents to invest in the Snoqualmie Valley and make it a better place for everybody,” Heintz said.

The hope is that the day of service will lead to similar projects improving public lands and supporting local social service organizations, she added.

Groups celebrate Obama’s big night

A group of Valley residents staged their own “Inaugural Bash” to celebrate the historic swearing-in ceremony for President Barack Obama.

On Tuesday evening, Jan. 20, about 50 people from North Bend, Snoqualmie, Fall City and Issaquah gathered at Finaghty’s Irish Pub in Snoqualmie to mark the occasion. Party participant Daniel McCrea said the party was one of 3,000 bashes that happened all over the country.

“We were expecting maybe 25 people, but twice as many people showed up,” he told the Valley Record.

“There was an unbelievable groundswell of participation during the campaign around the country, and this was our night to celebrate that excitement and accomplishment,” McCrea said.

The party was co-sponsored by progressive groups including TrueMajority, Living Liberally, Credo Action, Moveon, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Following the inauguration, “we’ll roll up our sleeves and get to work, helping Obama pass healthcare for all Americans, green our economy, and bring our troops home from Iraq,” McCrea said. “But on Tuesday night, it was time to party with the rest of the country.”