The following stories happened this week, 25 and 50 years ago, as reported in the Snoqualmie Valley Record. From the Record’s archives:
Thursday, Sept. 5, 1991
• A wonderful retelling of the Santa Claus story, conceived and illustrated by a North Bend trio, will be published by Viking Studio Books. “St. Nicholas” to be prepared as a splendid coffee-table book, is from an original concept by Virginia (Burhans) Sturm, Sallie P. Burhans and Richard W. Burhans. In an intriguing departure from the popular version of the story, Santa’s helpers are not elves but real people. And the faces that fill 50 oil paintings done by Dick Burhans for the book are those of actual persons, most of them from the Snoqualmie Valley.
• Seven Snoqualmie homeowners are expecting to receive checks from the federal government this week for the purchase of flood-damaged homes. Under a program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), the federal government buys the homes, then turns them over to the city. Snoqualmie will then have 90 days to clear the sites, according to City Planner LeRoy Gmazel. Homeowners will remove all personal property from their houses. What’s left will belong to the city.
• Even as this year’s early rains arrive in the Valley, the cities are still hard at work cleaning up from last year’s flooding. One project making slow but steady progress is the removal of a logjam from the railroad trestle that spans the Snoqualmie near the Weyerhaeuser mill. Funded by a $15,000 grant from King County, the log removal has required several state and county permits.
Thursday, Sept. 1, 1966
• All schools in Snoqualmie Valley School District No. 410 will open for a full day session on Tuesday, Sept. 6, M.B. Stewart, assistant superintendent, announced. About 2,200 students are expected this year in grades from kindergarten through 12. All students in School District 407 reported on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Predicted enrollment, as estimated by Superintendent W. Lyndle Moore, was 825.
• In checking the widespread rumors to the effect that Aldarra Farms (the Boeing Farm near Fall City) is about to be sold, the Record has received the following letter from D.R. Drew of the office of Mrs. W.E. Boeing, dated Aug. 30: “Mrs. Boeing has asked me to advise you and authorize you to mention in your press that Aldarra Farms is not involved in any real estate development.”
• Surprised onlookers saw 45 gridiron hopefuls literally clogging the practice field as the Tolt Demons started pre-season workouts last week. To those who remember when blocking dummies had to simulate defensive men in the scrimmage sessions, this is a very encouraging sign and the preponderance of underclassmen augurs well for the seasons to follow this one. Three junior lettermen, all linemen, and one sophomore, backfield man spearhead the squad. The junior are Rand McMeins, Gary Jackman and Rob Wallace, and Jerry Sander is the sophomore.
