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The following "Northshore
Citizen" column appears in the
World Series, books and wine My first journalism teacher, a gravelly-voiced, gruff smoker named R.L. Holbrook, taught me the importance of getting the gist of what you want to write high up in the “lead” of a story. I suppose this applies to columns, as well. So, let’s give it a try. Keiran Beaton and Michael Conforto are teammates on the Redmond all stars who played their way to last month’s Little League World Series in Pennsylvania. Quite an accomplishment, with a connection to events in Northshore 20 years ago, eight years before these 12-year-olds arrived. Those in the Bothell-Kenmore area who take advantage of two superb public library facilities hopefully won’t be so turned off by the new primary election format that they fail vote Sept. 14 in support of an important “something-for-everyone” bond issue. And, out in the Woodinville-Grace area, the first bottling of a unique, homegrown “sharing” wine will continue to help support several deserving community projects, including the campaign to build and equip the new wellness and adult day care center in Bothell. Go for Gold campaign In 1984 two Bothell teenage athletes – Tracie Ruiz and Candie Costie – not only captivated Northshore but the entire U.S. synchronized swimming world. They were the best American hopes for a gold medal in their event at the ’84 Olympics in Los Angeles, the first year synchronized swimming was made an official Olympics event. Coaching, training and travel to all the qualifying events across the U.S. was expensive for the girls’ families and local swim club so the Northshore community got behind the effort to help Tracie and Candie “go for the gold”. Among those leading the fund-raising appeal was Kenmore’s civic-minded druggist Dick Ramsey. The young women did themselves and their fans proud as they won the synchronized swimming pairs event and Tracie added an individual gold medal. The community was proud enough to name the public pool in Bothell for the duo. Now, 20 years later Ramsey and Tracie found themselves in Williamsport, Pa and the Little League World Series. Dick’s grandson Keiran is the star pitcher and Tracie’s son Michael the key centerfielder for the Redmond team that had come from behind in each tournament to capture state and regional championships on the way to the prestigious tournament. You have to wonder what life coincidences may confront Keiran and Michael in another 20 years. For the price of a book Friends of Kenmore and Bothell libraries are hard at work promoting the benefits of a “replacement” bond issue designed to expand and maintain the existing county-wide library system – the second largest in volume of use in the country. Current capital bonds retire in 2008. The 172-million dollar bond issue put before voters Sept. 14 by the King County Library System will have considerable impact on long-suffered growing pains in Kenmore and would sustain 10 years of maintenance requirements at Bothell’s regional facility. At Bothell, for instance, passage will also mean greater access to books and materials along with an automated materials-handling system to speed delivery and reduce theft. It’ll be a ways off (start in 2007), but Kenmore would get a much needed, new 12,000 square foot library complete with up-to-date technology of the day. This will provide more books and materials, additional computers and wireless access, a 10-year maintenance cushion, and a similar automated materials-handling system.
Supporters say it’ll cost the average homeowner the equivalent
of a new book a year. Full information on the ballot issue is available
at www.kcls.org. The last attempt to
pass a bond issue failed only by the lack of voter turnout. It would be
a shame for that to repeat itself over argument with the change in the
primary election system this fall.
Takes real gold to acquire Reckonyard The bottling of the first-ever vintage premium wine from Grace Town Vineyards – a pinot noir red – was accomplished late last month for the 22 brave souls who, in 2001, contributed $57.50 each ($105 per bottle) for the privilege of sharing 11 bottles from grapes harvested in October last year. The grapes came from the DeSoto Gardens block of vines planted on May Day of 2001 several months after “wine futures” for vintage 2003 had been snatched up in a civic-minded manner. The money raised from this wine was donated to the charitable works of the Woodinville Rotary Club. The limited supply will be released to its owners at the club’s annual auction Oct. 2. Now, the vineyards proprietors are offering “futures” for the 2004 vintage which also will only be available to those willing to share the ingredients with special friends. “This sharing is an absolute requirement,” says vineyardist Gustav T. Williger, himself the manager of some 1,700 acres of premium wine vineyards in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. “We expect a very good third leaf Grace crop this year,” the Swiss-born Gustav reports. He personally tends to the 12 clone 777 vines in Grace Town Vineyards which last fall yielded enough grapes to attract the interest of a leading winemaker in Woodinville, Chris Upchurch of DeLille Cellars. One of 15 Woodinville wineries, DeLille Cellars is known for Bordeaux style wines produced since 1992 when the Lille family along with Chris and Jay Soloff embarked on the successful venture to make a name for themselves producing wines for the true wine enthusiast. Chris provided the winemaking expertise and bottling supervision for Reckonyard Gold and then simultaneously declared ready for release a 2002 Doyenne Syrah from DeLille Cellars that was selected by esteemed wine writer Robert M. Parker as one of the 14 “Great Syrahs from Around the World.” The Grace folks appear in good hands for years to come. The label on this handcrafted Grace wine reads “Reckonyard Gold” in recognition of the fact the vines are planted in the former car-carcass yard that once stored hundreds of recycling bodies at Vintage Auto Parts on Highway 9 in Grace. It states, “It is the intent of Grace Town Vineyards that this be a ‘sharing wine’ to build friendships’ – which means that this rare vintage must be consumed and enjoyed only with friends. “Enjoying wine with friends is serious business.” Money donated towards the 2004 vintage will go to the Northshore Senior Center’s campaign to raise money to equip the new wellness and adult day care center under construction in Bothell. Interested parties should contact http://www.projectcoats.org/Auction.htm to learn how to get in on the results of the next round of bottling scheduled confidently for August 2005.
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The The
weekly Previous Columns August
18, 2004 August
4, 2004 July
21, 2004 July
7, 2004 |
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John
B. Hughes |
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Hughes
serves |
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Hugo
and (425) 482-4076 |
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