The deal with smoke
Wildfire smoke has become a near annual event, as clouds of smoke pour into the Snoqualmie Valley from fires burning across the West Coast. During a global respiratory pandemic, this can be even more dangerous. Residents are encouraged to stay inside when possible, and only leave for essential errands.
Cloth masks offer no protection against wildfire smoke, but are still required to be worn in public businesses to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The smoke could begin to clear out on Thursday, Sept. 17, along with potential thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.
Snoqualmie school impact fees
Snoqualmie adopted new school impact fees for 2021. The fees are collected by the city and used for the Snoqualmie Valley School District’s capital facility plan. New construction of single family residences will be charged $10,550, roughly $300 less than this year’s fee. Multi-family residences will increase to $4,730, roughly $1,300 more than this year.
County Local Services
The King County Department of Local Services will be hosting a virtual town hall for Snoqualmie Valley residents on Oct. 26. The town hall will be hosted on Zoom, and the department will provide a link to the event closer to the date. The meeting will be run from 7 to 9 p.m.
Wildfire preparedness
The city of Snoqualmie is urging residents to prepare their homes to be more fire resistant. A list of recommendations can be found at NFPA.org. The short list includes cleaning roofs and gutters of dead leaves and debris, repairing loose shingles and moving flammable material away from exterior walls. Plants should be cleared from under vegetation and from under propane tanks, and lawns should be mowed to at least four inches.
Tanner Trail Project
Work is continuing on North Bend Way between Cedar Falls Way and Maloney Grove Avenue, installing a missing segment of the Tanner Trail. Construction began in late August and should be completed by late October.
The new paved pathway segment will be some 10 feet wide and will provide space for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project will cost $215,000, and is funded from the Si View Park’s 2018 voter-approval capital bond.
Arts auction
North Bend Art and Industry will hold its annual fundraiser on Sept. 19. The livestream online auction will run from 5 to 8 p.m. and feature a local stand-up comedian as the emcee. Bidding will be done online, but valley residents can also just tune in to enjoy the show.
SnoValley Chamber luncheon
The SnoValley Chamber of Commerce will hold a luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 23. The virtual meeting will feature the Port of Seattle Commissioner President Peter Steinbrueck, who will share an update on the Port. The luncheon will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom. The luncheon is free, and registration can be found on the Chamber’s website.
