First annual Oktoberfest a fun and creative event

Dear Editor,

What a great weekend for the first annual event of Oktoberfest and I hope it will continue as there were so many smiles and lots of wonderful feedback. 

I was able to witness some very neat events and even video taped a marriage proposal on my I-phone in the Bier Garden on Saturday night.  I could not find the couple after the proposal (which she accepted) to see how to get them the video but it was very sweet and they may want it so if any of your readers know them have them email me.  

The proposal happened when I was back stage that night thanking Bret Wilk and Diana Ruiz for their great sound and energies they bring to many events.  They set up a stage, music, lights, microphone, more talented musicians and I believe that helped to set the stage to ignite a brewing proposal in which Diana sung out  ‘It’s an Oktoberfest Miracle”. 
I met Bret and Diana through a friend who co-chaired the entertainment with me for Aquafest years back and they have been involved ever since along with Bob Justice and Clay.   Also special mention to great music by Lindi Ruiz and  Earl Hiek (Johnny Cash).  Bret brought the Aquafest Idol to Aquafest and has been involved with the community ever since bringing great sound, talent and people together.  Thanks and you rock!

It was really a fun weekend and lots of people will remember the first annual Oktoberfest.  I also wanted to thank everyone that stepped up to launch this event and truly hope it will continue as several people who were there were already talking about ideas for next year. 

I heard things like having St. Pauli Girls, wearing your German Lederhosen (a couple were seen) and lots of Bratwurst.  
I know dedicated, enthusiastic and creative people are always needed and it’s such a great community to get involved with.  Again thanks to the Lake Stevens Chamber, Purple and Gold folks and everyone else involved.  It all takes time, work, effort and is so appreciated. 

I think it was a great launching and truly hope it will continue and hope many of those enthusiastic people past and future will commit in helping out next year bringing more ideas, heat sources, Bratwurst, pretzels, more happy couples and invite all to enjoy this wonderful community we live in.

I am proud and honored to be a resident of Lake Stevens, a past volunteer and a possible future one (so fun)!

Lorrie Larsen
Lake Stevens, Lorriebdog@aol.com

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Dear Editor,

I-1183 opponents are spinning this campaign as close to being dishonest as possible.

One ad has a Longview restaurant owner who fears that the liquor tax in I-1183 would impose could force her to close the restaurant doors, but wait one minute, her restaurant doesn’t even sell alcohol.

The most recent ad on the radio has two people criticizing the “large corporations” that are behind Yes on I-1183 would line their pockets with the liquor sales profits and I say good, they employee people, pay taxes, and citizens invest in these corporations which helps with our retirement.

No one mentions the individual freedom expansion, less government in our lives is always better and liquor sales is just an over-reach by the state government.

We will sell all state assets regarding liquor sales and eliminate over-paid counter people at the stores and their benefits.
I hate seeing people lose their jobs, but the large, over 11,000 sq. ft. stores that will sell the liquor will add jobs and also add to their stock prices which makes us happy when I look at how my 401K or mutual funds are doing each quarter.

The opposition to I-1183 also have this soft spoken name of “Protect our Communities”, but are primarily financed by a big lobbying firm out of Washington D.C.
 
Todd Welch
Lake Stevens

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Cavelero Colts football team inspires Arlington runner

Dear Editor,

My name is Heidi Hamilton and I am a parent from the Arlington School District.  We were at Cavelero Mid High School for a cross country meet yesterday and I saw the most amazing thing. 
Our team includes a girl who has autism. She walks and runs and kind of does her own thing, but she does it!  Of course she is by far the last one in. 
Our coach was running with her the last lap trying to get her to keep going when your entire football team stopped their practice and cheered her on. 
Wow!  It was a beautiful thing to see.  I love that you and your staff are instilling those qualities in your children.  A major “hats off” to the school district, the coach and the football team of Cavelero Mid High!  I am truly impressed.

Heidi Hamilton
Arlington

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Mayday!  Mayday! Save the City of Lake Stevens’ Shoreline Master Plan

Dear Editor,

For the past two years communities and counties in Washington State have been updating and adopting their state-mandated Shoreline Master Plans for lakes, rivers, and marine waters.  
With a $30,000 grant, the City of Lake Stevens hired veteran consultants who did the base-line studies.  Then, an advisory committee, city staff, and the city’s planning commission hammered out and approved a good first draft of our updated SMP.  
But in the final stages of adoption, several disgruntled property owners unleashed a tsunami of protest.  Citing property rights and values, these folks hired big money attorneys and land use planners to “revise” the city’s first draft. 
This subcommittee “team” is now off in Bellevue/Seattle rewriting whole chunks of our SMP. Public process and transparency has disappeared down I-5 somewhere. 
The concerns:
A  team of outside professionals will not have the deep research, balance,  and UGA wide view.
Planning staff will now be forced to rush through and evaluate rewrites. In fact, as of October 19, city planners cannot even reconvene this second subcommittee.
The first draft was intended to “slide by” Ecology’s watchful eye. In an early first draft checklist, DOE only dinged a few small items.  This second draft is full of red flags and “in your face” contradictions to the state’s Shoreline Management Act. 
 This second subcommittee is gleefully engaging in a dangerous game of brinkmanship with the Dept. of Ecology. 
Time is of the essence.  Hard deadlines preclude negotiations and compromise.
The City of Lake Stevens needs to reclaim its SMP from the Seattle/Bellevue attorneys and planners.  Then, city staff needs to finalize an SMP draft they can bring back through the public process, adopt it, and then submit a sensible, responsible SMP to the Department of Ecology for the final review and approval. 

Tom Matlack
Lake Stevens
 
 

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