Staff photo/Ian Gleadle
(l-r:)Samielle Foltz, Katherine Verbeck, Katherine Yurkovic, Rose Kover, Makayla Arnold, Daniella Stirbys, Cho, Danika Sherstad, Debbie Kehimker, Megan Coggeshall, Kayleigh Wilson

The Bear Creek Neighborhood Alliance (BCNA) is a group of neighbors that seeks ways to enhance the quality of life in their area. Formed in 1994 due to concerns over the direction of the character of their community, the non-profit organization monitors land use, traffic, transportation, crime and other activities or problems.

Recently, the BCNA decided to have a mural created for the Cottage Lake bus shelter located along Woodinville-Duvall Road.

“We thought it would be a nice way to beautify this place,” explains Carol Bentley, BCNA member.

The group contacted Metro Bus Shelter Mural Program coordinator, Dale Cummings, for assistance. According to Cummings, the program, which has been in establishment for a number of years, provides a way for individuals and groups to show community spirit and to help curb graffiti.

Photo courtesy of Cascade Center for Regional Development
Renowned transportation artist J. Craig Thorpe’s conceptual sketch of a Woodinville train station depicts a typical Diesel Multiple Unit(DMU) train, connecting bus service, a nearby trail for biking and walking, and a local freight train on the parking track. The view is east along the Woodinville-Snohomish Road.

Bruce Agnew, Director of the Cascadia Center for Regional Development, a transportation policy think tank, addressed the Woodinville City Council Jan. 22 about the Eastside TRailway Partnership.

According to Agnew, the Eastside TRailway Partnership is “a coalition of community leaders interested in joint and concurrent development of a rail system from Renton to Snohomish – and a trail.”

The Port of Seattle is in the process of buying 42 miles of Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail corridor for $107 million. Initially, the Port was going to transfer ownership of the corridor to King County. Apparently, that deal is off the table.

At the time, the county expressed an interest in removing 32 miles of rails from Renton to Woodinville in order to build a trail. It wanted to leave rails intact between Woodinville and the City of Snohomish so that the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train could operate. More recently, however, the county has expressed an interest in buying segments of the corridor from the Port, namely the southern portion of the corridor between the Wilburton tunnel and Renton, and most of the spur between Redmond and Woodinville just south of Woodinville.

Photo by Conrad Robertson
On January 22, the Riverview Education Foundation presented the Riverview School Board with a check for $32,988.37 for this year’s REF grants. From left are: REF Board members Jeremy Robkin, Paige Denison, Becky Nixon, Jack Bradley, Kathy Klein and Sue Davenport; and School Board members Greg Bawden, Carol Van Noy, Dan Pflugrath and Danny Edwards.

The Riverview Education Foundation enjoyed another successful year, working with the community to raise money for the Riverview School District.

REF held three fundraising events in 2007: the REF “On Par for Education” Golf Classic, the “Evening for Education” Dinner/Auction, and the “REF Runs for Riverview” (aka Turkey Trot) Fun Run.

In addition, many donations were received directly or through United Way and corporate matching programs. As a result, this January the Foundation was able to award 33 grants to teachers and schools of the Riverview School District, for a total of $32,988.37.

REF grants are typically used to buy books, equipment, technology or musical instruments, or fund special projects that enhance the curriculum or provide innovative educational opportunities for students. This year the grants included:

Duvall making early plans for healthy Halloween celebration

Halloween’s orange and black color scheme is now passé, with green becoming the new “in” color for the holiday.

Green lifestyles, sustainable living and healthy habits are increasingly becoming of nationwide concern and the City of Duvall is going one step further with their plans for a “Green Halloween 2008.”

Duvall Economic Director Doreen Booth provided a brief presentation on the Green Halloween plans at the Duvall City Council meeting on January 24. An event with fun activities and treats for kids that doesn’t revolve around candy is the goal. The city is working with Corey Colwell-Lipson of Sammamish, the founder of GreenHalloween.org, to create a “feel-good thing that has great impact,” said Booth.

Photo by Donna Bielstein
Cedarcrest FFA students who attended an Agriculture Sales competition in Monroe are, from left: Tyler Smith, Haley Clapp, Jamie Bottman, Conner Chess, Cameron Amos and Shawn Henderson.

The Cedarcrest High School FFA (Future Farmers of America) members pictured above attended the Agriculture Sales competition, hosted by Monroe High School FFA, on January 10.

The purpose of the Agriculture Sales Career Development event is to provide an individual with the basic skills to take advantage of the career opportunities offered in the agricultural sales field.

All six students competed in customer relations, taking orders and attracting new customers.

In customer relations, the judges select a realistic scenario portraying a customer relations problem, and the participants are evaluated primarily on their sales and human relations skills, and secondly, on their technical knowledge of the subject matter. ?

In order taking, students demonstrate taking an order and incorporating problem-solving and/or suggestive selling of additional product(s).