Steve Gilbert is lucky to have survived the crash that destroyed his work van and left him with several bone fractures and injuries. But the other driver only had the state minimum insurance coverage, and that didn't cover all Gilbert's medical bills. 

Bandito, a 12-year-old malamute mix, has had a run of hard luck. Rescued this spring from a neglectful owner, he was found to have cancer when he arrived at Pasado's Safe Haven, a local animal rescue. He also suffers from anxiety, and needs a devoted owner. 

It's official. After 23 years of hard work, Bernadette Pajer has a career as a mystery writer. 

Last year, after writing 11 books that never found publishers, Pajer sold a novel called "Spark of Death" to one of America's top mystery publishers. 

After earning glowing reviews from the leading book reviewers in the nation, including Kirkus and Publisher's Weekly, she has followed that with a second critically-acclaimed novel, launched Saturday with an event at Uppercase Bookshop in Snohomish. 

On Friday, May 4, Governor Chris Gregoire awarded the Medal of Honor, Washington state's highest award for law enforcement officers, to Monroe Corrections Officer, Jayme Biendl, posthumously.

Three days later Officer Biendl's confessed killer, a prison inmate named Bryon Scherf, appeared in Snohomish County Superior Court where his lawyers argued for the suppression of some of the evidence against him.

The proceedings shed some light on the moments in the minutes and days following the officer's murder.

Markus Loesch, 7, (left) and Clayton Blue, 7, both first-grade students at Gold Bar Elementary, paid the Monroe Monitor a visit as part of their activities with Cub Scouts pack 54 Wednesday. The two youngsters were earning a black bead for visiting a media outlet. They learned all about how newspapers are made, including how to be interviewed and photographed by a reporter. 

Photo by Polly Keary

Last week the council began its annual review of the city’s six-year transportation improvement program, a state requirement that allows cities to update their priority lists for road projects.

May and early June can be a frustrating time of year for those who enjoy hiking and riding horses or mountain bikes on area trails. 

The sunny, warm weather lure people outside, but many higher-elevation trails are still under a lot of snow and will be until July at least. 

This year will try the patience worse than many, as last winter's snow pack was deep. 

But there are several local trails that can help hikers break in their boots and break out their packs until higher elevation trails become more accessible. 

Yesterday, May 9th, President Obama came forward in support of marriage equality. Today my family and I went to Seattle to thank him in the most personal way possible, with a late-night poster and a massive flag of stars and rainbow stripes. Now, at the end of the day with the little ones tucked away, I am awash in gratitude for the courage and love shown by my children.  

Sean Crowley, 18, lives in Sultan but attends Aviation High School in Des Moines, Washington.  He has been admitted into West Point Military Academy in New York state.  Sean was nominated for acceptance at West Point by Congressman Rick Larsen.

John Bechtel knows his way around a kitchen. He should; he's owned five of them, including three restaurants and two delis in the Roseburg area of Oregon. 

He knows his way around a kitchen so well, in fact, that when he learned of an opportunity to run the kitchen at the Blue Boy Golf Course cafe, he decided to relocate and open the cafe for breakfast and lunch, although he can't often see well enough to tell if a person is sitting 20 feet away from him.

Just 200 top elementary teachers from around the nation were invited to attend a special professional development academy this summer, and Gold Bar fifth-grade teacher Sadie Brumley was one of them. 

When Marianne Naslund of Sultan took in Andy Livasy, then 16, a troubled teen who lived across the street, all she hoped to accomplish was to help him get his life on the right track. 

She never sought recognition for it; the only mention she made of it was in the biography she supplied to the city when she became a city council member, as an example of her community activities. 

But by a very remarkable twist of fate, that bio came to the attention of a reporter at Readers' Digest magazine, and this month Naslund appears in that publication in a story called "Hometown Hero: A Sailor's Savior," detailing how she helped the young man finish high school and begin his career in the Navy. 

Bearcat Seniors #18 Kala Balascio, #14 Devan Larsen, #3 Kelly Hanson and #20 Alexa Haberlack stand at home plate in Monroe's last home game of the season. This will be the last time the four will be touching bases before heading out into the big world. Monroe is 16 -1.

Photo by Dan Armstrong

Bearcat Kathleen Sundet makes a connection in Monroe's free-for-all batting game last Monday against Stanwood. Monroe's bats were hot and the coaches tried not to run up a score, so the game was called at the fifth inning, Monroe 15, Stanwood 1.

Photo by Dan Armstrong

Sultan Turk Senior Madison Stilwell shows classic form in winning the Girls’ Discus and the Cascade Conference Championship with a throw of 112-6 at the two-day meet May 9 and 11 at Cedarcrest High in Duvall.

Stilwell's winning throw led the Turks on to the District Meet next week at the same venue. The Lady Turks finished third in their conference with 107.5 points and the boys earned 40. Several Turks advanced to Districts.

Photo by Jim Scolman

Bearcat long jumper Victoria Maue makes her mark in the sand in last Thursday's home track meet at the Monroe High School Stadium. Maue's best jump for the day was 13 ft., 9 in.

Photo by Dan Armstrong

Bearcat young gun pitcher, #47 Alyssa Egan unloads a shot in last Thursday's game against Jackson High. Jackson didn't have a chance against Eagan and the hot bats of the Bearcat team. Eagan is 10-5 as the starting pitcher. Monroe beat Jackson, 10-2.

Photo by Dan Armstrong

Bearcat lacrosse player, #11 (center) Zak Schultz comes out with the ball while #21 Dillion Bull (left) and #32 Brandon Harano combat the Wenatchee players in last Tuesday's home game, which  Monroe lost, 3-15.

Photo by Dan Armstrong

Bearcat #2 Kathleen Sundet steals second, only to be called out by the field umpire in last Tuesday's home game.

Monroe won the game 4-0 anyway, leaving the Edmonds-Woodway Warriors scoreless.

Photo by Dan Armstrong

Turk senior and captain, #23 Tim Abt, and Turk keeper, #1Danny Arroyo react to a Cedarcrest shot hitting the goal crossbar and bouncing back out during first-half action in the Turks' final home game, a 10-1 loss to Cedarcrest on Friday. 

Abt gave a mirror finish to his Turk soccer career when in the 25th minute of the second period he dribbled the ball downfield and fired a true shot from the 30-yard line to score the Turks' only point of the game. Abt's score was the first of his senior season and mirrored his first score as a freshman varsity player against Cedarcrest, four seasons ago.

The senior classmen of Turk soccer were honored by fans, the cheer squad and family before the match. The senior classmen include Tim Abt, Jesse Castillo, Taylor Dunlap, Jacob Swift, Jorge Torres and Erick Villanueva.

Photo by Jim Scolman

The Monroe Chamber of Commerce presents the second annual Main Street Monroe Wine Walk on Saturday, May 19, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

The cost of $20.00 per person entitles participants to 10 tasting tickets to sample wine and appetizers and to meet local artists.

Hosts include Bodywise Healing Arts, Monroe Wellbeing Center, The Modern Mercantile, My LA Fashion, J’s interiors, Sam’s Cats and Dogs, Haight Carpet, M&M Antiques, Main Clothing Co and The Golden Mean. Local restaurants and artists are involved, as well.

Vintners include Piccola Cellars, Michael Florentino Cellars, Gecko Wine Co., Open Road Wine Co., Convergence Zone Cellars , Page Cellars, Dubindil Winery  and  Martedi Winery.

Body wise Healing Arts will host a book signing for Author Bernadette Pager; Celtic musician, Matt Haverly and fused glass artist Jan MacIntyre.

For more information, please call the Chamber office at (360) 794-5488.