JANUARY 2021
Save A Life Today! -St. Barbara’s Catholic Church, their Knights of Columbus and Bloodworks Northwest work together to support our patients by giving blood.
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MultiCare Signs Agreement to Acquire Ownership Interest in Capital Medical Center
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Countywide Planning Policies – The CPPs currently are undergoing an Update. The CPPs serve as the guiding principles and policies for all Comprehensive Planning in King County (County, City, and Special-Purpose District), as well as County and City Zoning Codes. The CPPs tie in to all the work the Area Council previously has done on KCCP Updates, PSRC’s VISION 2050, and city Comprehensive Plans
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The First Windstorm of 2021 Was A Doozy – On January 13, 2021 the first windstorm blew in knocking out power and tumbliing trees as if they were toothpicks. Power for some people was out for minutes and others for days. Roads were closed due to flooding and downed trees. Cleanup from this storm may take a while for some people.
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2020 Was A Year We Won’t Forget
FEBRUARY 2021
Little Woman the Broadway Musicial was streaming on demand for Tahoma Drama
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Tahoma Schools Reopened Last Week – Students in grades 2 and 3 whose families opted them in for in-person/hybrid instruction returned to buildings on Thursday, February 3, 2021. Here’s a glimpse of the morning session at Rock Creek and Lake Wilderness elementary schools. Some students who receive special services have been attending buildings since September. A Tahoma School District Article.
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SNOW! SNOW! SNOW! Entrance to Lake Wilderness was closed on Saturday, February 13 due to all the down trees and power lines.
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What are your priorities for your community? In 2020, the King County Council told the department of Local Services to create community needs lists for unincorporated areas.
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MARCH 2021
Non-Profit Organization Seeks Local Families to Host High School Exchange Students and Motorsports Swap Meet Coming to Pacific Raceways.
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Community Needs – The King County Department of Local Services (DLS) is gathering a list of Community Needs and Priorities by Community Service Area (CSA)—the Area Council is within the Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River CSA. King County is asking for a community-identified list of service, program, and capital improvement projects for possible future implementation authorized by the King County Council. See: https://publicinput.com/UKCcommunityneedslist.
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Black Diamond Traffic Improvement Advisory: Roberts Drive Closure at State Route 169. The Ten Trails Community and the City of Black Diamond are partnering to bring new, temporary traffic improvements to the corner of Roberts Drive and State Route 169.
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There will be a FREE photo booth with Magical Bunny on Saturday, April 3rd from 1 p.m. t0 4 p.m. in downtown Enumclaw next to Nothing Fancy by Black Bear Outpost on Cole Street.
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Tahoma Schools Foundation are so proud to introduce their newest Board Member and local community leader, Bradley Hanson to the TSF Team!
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APRIL 2021
Northwest C10s Classic Truck Show Is Coming – SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2021
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King County Comprehensive Plan Docket – The King County Code defines a Docket Process, which provides an opportunity for members of the public to suggest a change to or identify a deficiency in the KCCP and associated development regulations (e.g., Code). King County responds to each item registered on the Docket.
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A local camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers helped unveil a 33-year old time capsule and shared fond memories of helping establish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Maple Valley area.
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Starting Tuesday, April 27, crews will close 204th Ave SE between SE 269th St. and SE 272nd Street (SR516) as part of the road improvement/construction project. An open house zoom opportunity to hear from Police Chief McCurdy and an Inspector with the US Postal Inspection Service about mail theft trends in the region, prevention steps, a locking mail box replacement program idea, and ask questions if time allows.
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MAY 2021
Leading the Charge: Earth Day at Lake Sawyer Regional Park – Volunteers gathered at Lake Sawyer Regional Park to lend a hand, or a hoe, in their annual effort to keep the park picturesque.
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King County Green Building Program
Ms. Sanders discussed the Green Building Program. She shared a draft building code, but much of it does not apply to the Rural Area as it deals primarily with commercial properties and 4-story or more buildings.
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Maple Valley Days will not be holding a full festival as usual in June at Lake Wilderness Park. Instead, we hope you’ll join us for virtual and hybrid events this June and for a special fall Maple Valley Days in October.
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For the first time in Tahoma High School history, both the boys and the girls cross country teams won first place in the 4A Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association Virtual Cross Country State Meet. The “virtual” state meet, in which teams ran separately and submitted their times, was open to all 4A schools that wanted to participate and had a complete team.
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JUNE 2021
Remembering our veterans on Memorial Day Weekend 2021.
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Congratulations to the Tahoma High School Class of 2021. We are so thrilled to celebrate you and your many accomplishments! #GoBears!
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The Maple Valley Cricket Club hosted its first youth cricket league and invited members of the Tahoma School District staff and the City of Maple Valley, WA – Government to visit their event at the Summit Park fields.
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The City of Maple Valley has announced the cancellation of the 2021 Maple Valley Family 4th event and fireworks show as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the uncertainty surrounding the phasing guidelines of public gatherings that may be in effect at the time of the event, and the amount of planning that goes into this event. The City looks forward to resuming this traditional event in 2022.
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The weekend of June 11th -13th the 46th Annual LODRS (Lucas Oil Divisional Racing Series) came to Pacific Raceways for three days of all out drag racing action once again.
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The Heat Wave That Hit Washington in has been like no other. The heat wave that hit our area has been a scorcher that many in this area have not seen before. Many records were broken with temperatures soaring past 100 in a blink of an eye.
JULY 2021
King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn on Thursday presented a proclamation (attached) to the Tahoma High School boys and girls cross country teams to honor and congratulate both teams on winning first place in this year’s 4A Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association Cross Country State Meet.
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12th Annual Black Diamond Miners Day
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Search and Rescue Facilities – King County Department of Local Services (DLS) Permitting Division has issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) on King County Council-proposed Ordinance No. 2021-0163.2, which calls for changing county Code Title 21A Zoning with regards to the location of Search and Rescue (SAR) “training facilities” in the Rural Area (RA).
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Black Diamond’s Miners Day celebration went by the wayside in year 2020 due to Covid conditions sweeping the country. The town’s traditional event came back with a full smile in 2021. Several hundred residents walked Railroad Avenue where vendors and craftsmen, local businesses, games and competitions promoted the event’s theme, “Bring Your Smile!”
AUGUST 2021
Reward for Hit and Run Driver that killed Maple Valley man.
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Last week Reagan Dunn stopped by the Storehouse in Covington, which provides absolutely vital services for families in need in the Covington area. Dunn provided a $25,000 check from a King County grant to support their food bank!
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Joining cities nationwide, Diamond Village residents participated in “America’s Night Out Against Crime” on August 3. Owners and residents in the Black Diamond complex of 41 homes were invited to gather with police and the fire department for a community partnership; getting to know one another.
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Cans Collected to ‘Feed the Five Thousand’. Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church picked up on a recent sermon and turned it into practical advice – feed the hungry in Maple Valley.
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School Begins for Tahoma on September 1, 2021.
SEPTEMBER 2021
Maple Valley Home to Only Known Living Original Army Ranger – Thomas “Tommy” Mascari, Darby Army Ranger, World War II. This image was taken near the end of the war after Macari had returned home to Indianapolis, Indiana.
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“Welcome Back” events dominated the ball field at Black Diamond Labor Days celebration last weekend. Estimating the attendance had been iffy due to last year’s covid cancellation of most holiday events. Would anyone show up? But attendance soon climbed, traffic jammed, and smiling faces without masks dominated the outdoor crowd of several hundred.
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One month into a challenge at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, the donations are piling up. The hope is always that their pile of food will supersede expectations. Will they reach the goal of collecting 5,000 containers of food?
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Ironman 2021 In Maple Valley Was A Huge Success For Many.
OCTOBER 2021
Maple Valley Days Saturday, October 9 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday October 10 – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lake Wilderness Park Vendors, Live Entertainment, Food Trucks, Free Activities For Kids. Masks Required Per King County Mandate.
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Reserve Silica Mine Site Cleanup Alan Noell (alan.noell@ecy.wa.gov) and Tim O’Connor (tim.oconnor@ecy.wa.gov), State DOE Site Managers for the Reserve Silica Mine Site in Ravensdale provided an update on Cleanup activities.
Reserve Silica, and previous owners and operators, used the site (generally located at 28130 Black Diamond–Ravensdale Rd near Ravensdale) for coal through 1956 and sandstone mining until 2007. The site is now being cleaned up under the WA State Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA).
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Boy Comes Forward to ‘Feed the 5,000’
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Halloween EVENT ALERT: 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat @ Pacific Raceways. This coming Sunday October 31st from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pacific Raceways with ML Racing Legends will be hosting the 3rd Annual “Trunk or Treat”.
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NOVEMBER 2021
Auburn’s 56th Veterans Parade. Flags, families and numerous spectators will line Auburn’s Main Street for the 56th annual Veterans Parade to be held on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. It will proceed west on Main Street from E Street to A Street NW near Auburn City Hall over a period of approximately two hours.
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Regional Transportation Plan – The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is the State’s designated Regional Planning Organization (RPO) for the central Puget Sound region, including King County. As the RPO, it is tasked with planning for regional transportation, land use and economic development, under authority embodied in state and federal laws.
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Steam Into the Holiday Season At The Northwest Railway Museum. We kicked off the holiday season with a step back in time this weekend for an old-fashioned steam train excursion powered by locomotive Northern Pacific 924. Come join us for this the 2-hour, round trip experience that begins at either the North Bend Depot or the historic Snoqualmie Depot and travels the rails through the scenic upper Snoqualmie Valley.
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5,000 Donations to Benefit 450 Families – Five thousand items were collected in a challenge to “Feed the 5000” at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. The food and other goods are being delivered to Maple Valley Food Bank.
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MVPD Police Chief DJ Nesel was honored for his 30 years of service to our community partners in King County. At last Monday’s City Council meeting, KCSO Major Pat Butschli, and Undersheriff Patti Cole-Tindall gave Chief Nesel his 30-year coin. Chief Nesel’s wife and two sons, City Council members, KCSO leadership, MV Leadership team and some of the MVPD/KCSO deputies.
DECEMBER 2021
Peace Lutheran Church, Covington, is again hosting a Drive-Through Living Nativity, Friday, Dec 10th and Saturday, Dec 11th, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
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King County Budget
Dwight Dively, Director of the King County Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget, discussed the 2021-2022 County Biennial Budget. King County provides local and regional services to millions of people, with a two-year budget of ~$12.4 billion, ~15,000 full-time-equivalent employees (most employed in Transit, Criminal Justice, and Public Health), and more than 60 different services. We are about half way through the two-year budget.
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“Ye Olde Lump of Coal” – Vine Maple Place is a local non-profit organization utilizing an innovative approach to meet the needs of homeless families. Since 2005, Palmer Coking Coal has provided gift-wrapped “lumps of coal” to raise funds for local housing needs. A tradition took hold in many European countries where lumps of coal were left in Christmas stockings for those who’d been naughty the previous year.
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The Snow Arrived A Day Late For Most But It Did Finally Arrive And It Sure Looked Beautiful!
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Happy 2022 from the VOICE Staff
