On Hiatus
Thank you for visiting the Maple Valley Journal. This blog is currently on hiatus. You can find valuable community links in the Public Safety tab and Blogroll.
For breaking news and features, visit the Covington/Maple Valley Reporter online.
Report Dead Birds to Public Health
With the start of summer mosquito season and the connected risk of West Nile Virus, Seattle & King County Public Health has issued a request for anyone who discovers dead bird(s) to report it immediately.
King County’s WNV environmental surveillance program in 2010 will focus on tracking dead birds because certain species of birds tend to get sick and die from West Nile very quickly. The public is urged to report dead birds one of two ways:
- Report dead birds online at: www.kingcounty.gov/health/westnile
- Call Public Health at 206-205-4394
The 2010 Census: It’s Not Over Yet
Just when we thought it was over, the census is back for a sequel. As part of the 2010 Census wrap-up, a few households in Maple Valley (as well as North Bend, Snoqualmie, Issaquah) will be selected to participate in a door-to-door, follow-up operation to help assure the accuracy of the decennial census.
The process is meant to confirm that census takers who originally collected the information followed training protocols and produced accurate data.
Census officials expressed confidence that census takers are doing a quality job, and reaffirm that the current process enables the Census Bureau to catch any errors or corner-cutting and initiate immediate corrections.
In the coverage follow-up operation, the Census Bureau calls households to eliminate confusion about the number of people reported in a household to make certain there are no missing or double-counted individuals.
The field verification operation verifies the location of addresses provided by “Be Counted” forms or through telephone interviews to ensure everyone is counted in the correct location.
Groundbreaking for Witte Road & SE 248th Street
Maple Valley officials and City Council will be gathering with Goodfellow Bros. this Monday at 5:15pm to perform the groundbreaking for construction of the intersection improvement project at Witte Road & SE 248th Street.
Goodfellows Bros. is a local Maple Valley contractor selected to perform the work, which is scheduled to begin during the last week of this month.
The contractor’s bid came in $1.6 million under the engineer’s estimated price for the project, and funds (in addition to a $1.25 million federal grant) will come from Maple Valley’s capital budget.
Project work will include:
- building of a roundabout
- extending curbs
- gutters
- sidewalks
- bike lanes
- drainage systems
- landscaping South of Lake Wilderness Elementary past the Nazarene Church (on Witte Road)
Although it appears the contractor plans to keep the road open, significant delays should be expected. The City states that updated information will be posted to its website, and offers e-notifications that the public can sign up for.
A recent speed study of Witte Road showed that an unspecified number of drivers motoring up to 55 or 60 mph (the posted speed limit is 35 mph).
DATE: Monday, 7/19/2010
TIME: 5:15 PM
LOCATION: Greater Maple Valley Community Center parking lot
22010 S.E. 248th Street
Maple Valley, Washington 98038
Kids Festival & Bike Challenge on Saturday
This Saturday, the City of Maple Valley will hold it’s annual Kids’ Festival, and this year it promises more fun than ever before!
Children ages toddler to eleven years old will find tons of free things to do at the Festival.
- Burgers and hotdogs
- Entertainment
- Face painting
- Crafts
- Dunk Tank
- Candy Cannon
- Model airplanes
- Inflatable toys
- Interactive exhibits
- and much more!
Festival sponsors include: Junior Junction Day School, Maple Valley Professional Firefighters, and Ravensdale Bible Church.
The Maple Valley Police Department is once again sponsoring the popular free Bike Challenge Course. The course will be within Lake Wilderness Park and will test rider’s off-road abilities. Riders must compete without the help of training wheels in timed competition in the same age group
Registration and practice runs will take place at picnic shelter #3 starting at 8:30 a.m. and the racing begins at 9:00a.m. All children must have a signed waiver, proper clothing, and a bicycle helmet prior to participating. There is no cost to participate.
Age divisions:
- 6 & under
- 7 year old
- 8 year old
- 9 year old
- 10 year old
- 11 year old
- 12 year old
Ages 8 and under will compete on the short course and ages 9-12 will compete on the long course.
The Maple Valley Police Department will raffle away one bicycle for a boy and a girl at the challenge. Each child between 4 and 12 who attempts the challenge course will be entered into the raffle. Challenge and raffle winners will be announced at the Main Stage during the Kids’ Festival at approximately 1 p.m.
For more information please contact Bobby Quick at joseph.quick@maplevalleywa.gov .
DATE: Saturday, June 17th
TIME: 11am-4pm
COST: free
LOCATION: Lake Wilderness Park
22500 SE 248th Street
Maple Valley, Washington 98038
Police on High Alert for Speeding
Press Release from the Public Health Seattle & King County:
KING COUNTY, WA – Police departments in King County will inundate area roads, highways, and interstates with extra police patrols targeting speeding drivers beginning Friday, July 16 and continuing through August 1 as part of the statewide “Slow down or pay up” campaign. The campaign’s goal is to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from traffic crashes in Washington by the year 2030.
The emphasis patrols over the next month are a key component of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan: Target Zero. The vision of Target Zero is zero deaths and serious injuries from traffic crashes in Washington by the year 2030. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission funds the extra patrols.
According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, from 2006 – 2008, speeding drivers killed 140 people in King County crashes, an average of four deaths a month. These speeding-involved crashes accounted for 44% of traffic deaths in King County for that period.
The following police agencies in King County will conduct “Slow down or pay up” patrols: Auburn, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Normandy Park, North Bend, Pacific, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Tukwila, and the Washington State Patrol District 2.
Read full press release here
Music in the Park: African All-Stars
Maple Valley’s summer concert series kicks off today with the African All-Stars, so grab your picnic blankets, shades, sunblock and head out to the Lake to stake your spot for an evening of fun.
Concessions will be sold.
DATE: 7/15/2010
TIME: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
COST: free
LOCATION: Lake Wilderness Park
22500 SE 248th Street
Maple Valley, Washington 98038
Herbicide Treatment at Lake Wilderness
Business & residents within 1/4 mile of Lake Wilderness will be receiving notices this month in regards to scheduled water treatment using the herbicide Aquathol and Reward. A notice will also be posted for public & private shoreline properties 400 feet of the treatment areas 48 hours before treatment.
During this process:
- No swimming during or for 24 hours after treatment
- No potable water withdrawals
- No irrigation water withdrawals until concentration is less then 0.1 parts per million (usually 72 hours)
- No restrictions for fishing
The treatment is consistent with City of Maple Valley’s permit coverage under the Aquatic Plant and Algae Management General Permit No. WAG-994020 and will be limited to approximately five acres in the south-southwest bay, one acre in the boat launch area and one to two acres near the swimming beach.
- Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan (IAVMP) [PDF]
Aquatic Plan and Algae Management General Permit [PDF]
For more information visit www.maplevalleywa.gov/lakes.
Police Blotter
from the Covington/Maple Valley Reporter:
July 10
- DRINKING AT THE PARK: 25000 block of 224th Avenue Southeast. Officers trespassed seven people from Lake Wilderness Park while two were cited for alcohol violations.
July 9
- CHECK FRAUD: 26800 block of Maple Valley Highway. An employee reports that someone has obtained information for the company’s bank account and has created at least eight fraudulent checks using the company’s bank account number, but an incorrect routing number.
July 6
- EXPENSIVE TASTE: 24200 block of Southeast 261st Place. A designer bag disappeared from a closet in a home and the owner suspects the real estate agent stole it as the only way to get into the house was via a lock box on the front door.
- OBSCENE PICTURE MESSAGES: 23500 block of Southeast 242nd Place. A 14-year-old girl received photos of an unknown male’s genitals on her cell phone.
July 4
- ARSON: 23700 block of Southeast 280th Street. Someone set fire to the contents of a metal Dumpster at Glacier Park Elementary School. Authorities confirmed the fire was started intentionally.
July 2
- POT POSSESSION: 26900 block of Maple Valley Highway. A man parked near the Goodwill in Four Corners was arrested after he was contacted by an officer who saw a marijuana pipe in plain view on the drivers side floor board of the car.
Free Summer Concerts Start July 15
This year celebrates Maple Valley’s 6th summer concert series – which will kick off again at Lake Wilderness next Thursday night.
The full musical line up includes:
| Thursday, 7/15 | 6:30 – 8:30pm | African All Stars |
| Thursday, 7/29 | 6:30 – 8:30pm | Darren Motamedy |
| Thursday, 8/12 | 6:30 – 8:30pm | The Magic Bus Band |
| Sunday, 8/22 | 5:30 – 8:30pm | Night Train Blues Band* |
| Thursday, 8/26 | 6:00 – 8:45 | Dave Calhoun’s Tribute to Jimmy Buffett & Outdoor Movie: “How To Train Your Dragon” |
*This Annual Burgers & Blues Day features a special series highlight – the Night Train Blues Band is a Maple Valley based four-piece quartet playing Texas and Chicago style blues. Burgers and more will be sold this night, with funds benefiting the Maple Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Concessions will be available at all concerts.
Series sponsors are:
- Jenson’s State Farm
- Wilderness Village Properties
- Wilderness Business Park
- Wilderness Village Plaza
- Maple Valley Town Center
- Maple Valley Center Property Manager: Flynn Development
