Other Headlines
Kindergarten teacher resigns
MONTESANO — A kindergarten teacher on paid administrative leave since Feb. 9 while an incident in her classroom at Beacon Elementary School was investigated won’t be returning.

The Montesano School Board voted Thursday, March 19, to accept the resignation of the teacher. On Feb. 6, the teacher allegedly restrained a special education student who had reportedly hit a fellow student so that that student could hit the restrained student back.

The county prosecutor’s office and the City of Montesano’s municipal court declined to press charges. Since no charges have been filed against her by either the county prosecutor’s office or the City of Montesano, The Vidette has named neither that teacher nor another teacher who says she witnessed the entire incident, according to a report by the school district’s insurance investigator. A police investigation was also conducted but City Attorney Dan Glenn declined to release the document to allow the teacher the opportunity to petition the courts to seal the document.

The teacher said Tuesday that the county prosecutor found “no grounds” for any criminal action, and “I’ve been cleared of charges with them.” The teacher said she wouldn’t return because “this whole situation has been so upsetting … I’ve decided to take a break and resign.”

As is routine, the district notified the Montesano Police Department on Feb. 6 that a teacher was being placed on administrative leave. The police then investigated an “alleged assault of a child,” according to Deputy Chief Brett Vance.

City: Lake Sylvia best in state hands
MONTESANO — The City Council would prefer the state change its optional license plate fee to raise more money to keep Lake Sylvia State Park open as-is.

The City Council Tuesday evening unanimously approved a resolution indicating support for the “Montana-style” opt-in language. Currently, Washington residents may check a box to add $5 to their plate renewal fees for state parks; the proposed change under consideration by the Legislature would have people check a box not to pay the fee.

However — considering the state now is facing a $9 billion shortfall after budget projections were revised last week — council members discussed options for running the park at a special meeting Sunday, March 22, should the state continue with the planned closure.
Lake Sylvia is one of 40 parks the state Parks Department has proposed closing statewide.

PUD rate hike proposed
ABERDEEN — Electricity rates in Grays Harbor County could jump 4 percent this year. Grays Harbor PUD has scheduled a public meeting from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, March 30, in the Aberdeen High School gym, 414 N. I St., to address the economic challenges behind the proposed rate increase.

Top on the list of reasons: The Bonneville Power Administration has proposed a 9.4 percent rate increase. About 78 percent of the PUD’s power is purchased from the federal power agency.

Last year Bonneville began making payments to the PUD and other public utility districts as ordered by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for sending too much money from public utility districts to private utility companies as part of its “residential exchange program” designed to keep rates low for all residential customers. Part of the money was in a lump sum returned to ratepayers in December. The remainder is in a $250,000 monthly credit spread over several years.

Montesano city finances looking better
MONTESANO — An insurance payment of $375,000 for emergency flood-related repairs last year to the city’s sewer treatment plant provided some breathing room in the city budget. Montesano Clerk-Controller Kristy Powell said she put $74,000 from the payment into the general fund as a stopgap measure; the rest was used to repay construction loans. The city ended February $37,483 in the red. Thanks to the transfer, the general fund will end March with about $80,000, Powell said.

“We’re holding our own,” she said. “We’ll finish in the black this month after we pay the bills.” State law allows a city to recoup a percentage of the payout to reimburse administrative costs in processing an insurance application.


More Sports
Eagles 10-run Beavers in home opener
ELMA — With four Elma pitchers combining to hold Tenino hitless, the Eagles needed only a steady stream of runs in the middle innings to produce a 10-0 non-league boys baseball mercy rule victory over the Beavers on Saturday, March 21, at Eagle Field. “

Jace Shelton, Tony LaDue, Tate Shelton and Ryan Malmstrom all threw very well,” Elma coach Scott Rowland said of his quartet of pitchers that held Tenino hitless.

LaCenter blanks Monte
MONTESANO — Perennial soccer power LaCenter, used a hat-trick from junior forward Garrett Davis to top Southwest Washington Class 1A rival Montesano 3-0 in a non-league boys soccer match-up on Tuesday, March 24, at Rottle Field. For the first 30 minutes, the game featured a stingy Montesano defense that was able to keep LaCenter from mounting a successful attack. At the last line of defense, Bulldog goalkeeper Gonzalo Gaona made a handful of nice saves that kept the early score nil-nil.

Elma’s Watson wins title at Colorado
Newly crowned 2A state wrestling champion Brad Watson of Elma, recently competed in and won his weight class at the Rocky Mountain Nationals in Denver, Colo. earlier this week. Watson advanced through the 15 and under, 109-pound, 52-man bracket pinning all of his opponents except one, which he won a major decision over. Watson was also nominated for the tourney’s Outstanding Wrestler Award.