He keeps the sewers flowing

(Editor's Note: Jerry Robinson got into discussions about sewers and puppies this week. And his son, Ken, talked to an ex-Des Moines lawmaker at the former Masonic Home.)

Meet Steve Fletcher

For nearly 30 years this South Park born native son has been safeguarding your sewer systems at the Valley View district as maintenance supervisor.

A grad of Renton Vocational, he earned a civil engineering certificate. He works under district manager Dana Dick.

The sewer district shares office space with Water District 125 in rather handsome quarters just north of the airport on south 148th.

I asked what his major problem is in keeping stuff flowing in his many miles of sewer pipes and he said." rocks." They get into the system in a thousand different ways and have to be removed.

He also pointed out that there are zillions of vitamin pills in those pipes that just don't get digested in the human tubing.

Another source of trouble is deteriorating ancient concrete lines. They crumble and have to be replaced with modern plastic pipe.

As an aside, he pointed out that people, who call about a side sewer root or other obstruction problem, need to be reminded that the district will clean out obstructions from the main line for free.

Residents out in our neck of the territory are lucky. Lowest cost for sewers are by Southwest Suburban and Valley View.

Meet Heidi Hathaway

She is a 17-year-old honors student at Kentwood High and she is holding what looks like a powder puff but it is actually a Havanese (Cuba) miniature poodle that is only 10 weeks old.

Heidi was at a doctor's office at Highline Hospital where she is a student-learning introduction to Ultra Sound technology from her teacher, Audra Atherton.

Her puppy's name is Soliel, pronounced "Solea." It weighs about two pounds

Meet Herbert Miller

Herbert Miller was on the scene recently when South King County fire fighters performed a practice drill by burning down an old house on the grounds of Landmark on the Sound, where he lives.

Mr. Miller is a long-time Des Moines resident and was mayor-pro tem in the late 1960s when the city decided to build the marina that became the centerpiece for the city. At the time, he said, not everyone was in favor of it.

He also recalls attending the ribbon cutting for the I-5 freeway where he heard one attendee say the freeway was way overbuilt and wondered where all the cars would come from.