UPDATE April 19, 2006

G.R.I.T. UPDATE April 19, 2006

Last night's U. S. 2 Safety Coalition-hosted Interagency Meeting: Here's a link to the Everett Jerald''s story http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/04/19/100loc_a1us2001.cfm

Link to KING-TV5's story: http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_041806WABhighway2dangersKC.4b6eb1ea.html

Other media coverage: Crystal Doucette from the Snohomish Tribune was on hand, along with the Monroe Monitor's Polly Keary. Also, it's our understanding that KRKO Radio did a live broadcast of the meeting (here's a free plug for them: www.krko.org), as well as TVW. We'll check on this and if video/audio is available, we'll link to them. Additionally, we also recorded the audio from this meeting, but may not have it linked for a couple of days. (Besides, you should have been there in person to add your voice to the 200 others who showed up!)

(Continuing to disappoint, The Seattle Times did not run any story on last night's meeting, either prior to the meeting or this morning, despite the several press releases sent by WSP and WSDOT (and our own meager G.R.I.T. updates). The Times' reporting of the deteriorating condition of U. S. 2 has, in fact, been glaringly -- almost unconscionably, absent of late. It has been silent on news related to recent U. S. 2 Safety Coalition efforts, but most especially lacking is their failure to report the many deaths that have occurred on this highway since the beginning of December, 2005.)

Of great interest was the attendance by a startling number of public and elected officials. They came representing an area from the Everett to Chelan County: In addition to mayors and council members, EMTs and FD commissioners (and others) from within the East County corridor cities' area, also on hand was the City of Everett's Govt. Affairs Director Patrick McClain, as well as Craig Larsen, the Executive Director for the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce, who personally delivered a letter of support to Chief Walser. The letter was signed by Buell Hawkins, Chelan County Commissioner and Chairman of the North Central Regional Transportation Planning Organization, responsible for coordinating transportation priorities within Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties.

Many thanks to the numerous public officials who came as attendees, and others who were participants and/or presenters at last night's meeting. They included:

Secretary of Transportation Douglas MacDonald
Congressman Rick Larsen
WSP Chief John Batiste
Steve Lind, representing the Washington Traffic Safety Commission
Snohomish Co. Sheriff Rick Bart
Rep. Kirk Pearson
Rep. Dan Kristiansen
Snohomish Co. Councilman Dave Somers
Sarah Hintz, representing Senator Maria Cantwell

Thanks are also due to the many employees of the WSP, WSDOT and the Sultan School District who labored to make this meeting a great success, as well as the dedicated members of the Sultan Police Department and the Safety Coalition Board members (Mayor Donnetta Walser, Lt. Jeff Brand, Mark and Josie Fallgatter, C. H. Rowe and John Seehuus). Also noteworthy is Pastor Michael Hanford, who was the driving force behind organizing the pre-meeting memorial service for those killed on U. S. 2 (with Pastor Ben Tolson's assistance and cooperation). Thanks are also due to the Sultan high school student volunteers provided by Suzanne Olson for their assistance in manning the sign-in/Coalition info table. (Deserving of special commendation is their courage -- without complaint -- in the face of having to wear the Coalition-provided and perfectly-horribly-colored "Safety Green" T-shirts for this event!)

HEADS & SHOULDERS ABOVE ALL (pun definitely intended), of course, is Sultan's own Chief Fred Walser. Thank you, Chief, for working -- tirelessly -- in making your concept become a successful reality.

We hope to have some photos from last night and the audio on our website soon.

The Coalition's next meeting is 7:00 PM, Monday, April 24th, 319 Main Street (chaired by John Seehuus, as Donnetta and Fred take an extended and very well-deserved vacation). If you were unable to attend last night's meeting, we urge you to attend next Monday's meeting. (By the way, if you wish to contact the Coalition to ask a question or share the "Close Call" stories it is collecting, please send an email to safetycoalition@seanet.com.)

Travel safely,
Loretta Storm, Co-founder