Other Headlines

Looking for Lindsey
McCLEARY — Two national groups dedicated to missing children will sponsor a community meeting this evening in McCleary to organize a search this weekend for Lindsey Baum, who’s been missing just over two months. The meeting is set for 7 p.m. today at the McCleary Community Center, 726 W. Simpson Ave., according to a news release from the KlaasKIDS Foundation.

Monte Mayor compares cities
MONTESANO — Mayor Ron Schillinger went on a Western Washington odyssey this year in search of cities comparable to Montesano. His quest: to find out how his city rates in services, staffing levels, taxes and other measures compared to similar burgs.
“I think we’re pretty good,” Schillinger concluded. “We’re not the biggest city … but our total budget is the lowest in 2008 of any comparable city by a fair amount.”

He presented his report last week to the city council and department heads in a preliminary budget workshop.

The study began in early January as a response to a severe budget shortfall — that has since been filled — caused by increasing costs and diminishing income. City leaders decided to look at how similar cities worked to get a better picture of how Montesano was doing. To choose the comparable cities, Schillinger and former clerk Linda Wolverton sought input from staff.

More Sports
VanDam, Miller, Hespe and Clevenger nab wins at Raceway
ELMA — With racing going late into the night, some Grays Harbor Raceway regulars who have slipped into the shadows behind some dominant performers this season, got a chance to shine Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Elma track. Enumclaw’s Henry VanDam was able to wrangle a feature victory in the Whitney’s Auto Group 360 Sprints class, while Shelton’s Scott Miller topped the Shipwreck Beads Modified class, Snohomish’s Seth Hespe prevailed in the Triple X Racing Ford Focus Midgets main event and Olympia’s Rory Clevenger registered a feature win in the HiLine Homes Hornet class.

Allan leaves Montesano boys basketball program
After six years at the helm of the Montesano boys basketball team, Chad Allan recently submitted his resignation to peruse a new career.
Allan, a 41-year-old exercise specialist and physical therapy aide, will be leaving that position to begin student teaching in the Hoquiam School District to work towards his goal of becoming a high school science teacher. In addition to student teaching, Allan will take over the head coaching duties for the Hoquiam girls basketball program from Wes Phillips, whose contract was not renewed for 2009-10.
Initially the student teaching position was going to allow Allan to remain with the Montesano boys, but after the program was changed to continue into January too many time conflicts arose and would limit his access to mid-afternoon practices in Montesano or Bulldog away games.