Library Tiles Are Little Messages In Redmond

Friends of the Library President Miguel Llanos III has already sold several engraved tiles for the soon-to-be-built Redmond Library.

Two of them went to his children, who composed their own messages.

Seven-year-old Alexis memorialized the reading slogan at Horace Mann Elementary School, where she's a second-grader. Her personalized tile will read, "Reading never stops."

But you have to understand Llanos family history to get 11-year-old Nicolas' message.

His paternal grandfather, Miguel Llanos II, was a Los Angeles urologist.

So Nicholas' tile will read, "For Grandpa - King of the Kidneys."

Llanos III, or anyone from the Redmond Friends of the Library, will sell you a tile for $35 to $45. (The price depends upon whether it gets a one-, two- or three-line message.)

In the family: Golf comes with relative appeal for Beth and Vance Gledhill of the Sammamish Plateau.

Their home backs up to a fairway at Sahalee Country Club.

All the PGA Championship hoopla last month gave Beth an excuse to disclose her roots. She's a relative of Sahalee's first pro, Paul Runyan.

"My dad's mom and Paul were first cousins, and both grew up in Arkansas," Beth said.

Both cousins settled here in the Northwest, too. Beth's grandmother, Jodie Ackerley, lived near Green Lake in Seattle.

Even the famous golfing connection has not driven Beth on to the course. She doesn't play, though husband Vance does.

Both of them, however, volunteered for the PGA.

Root connections: Speaking of relatives, anyone researching local history or genealogy might find this of use.

The Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum in North Bend has an "Index of Obituaries from Valley Newspapers between 1918 and 1935" available for $3.

Historian Gardiner Vinnedge compiled the collection.

Sign report: Luke Esser, who ran for the 48th District Position 1 seat, spent Sunday afternoon being a good citizen and candidate.

The Republican was personally plucking his yard signs, scattered around town, after losing the primary election to Kirkland City Councilman Sants Contreras.

Scoreboard: A recent parade watcher complained about the Issaquah Salmon Days float, misinterpreting the numbers on the backboard as crowd numbers. He missed the float's theme: Stream of Dreams.

Giant fish are playing baseball, and the human beings on the float sit on bleachers to cheer.

The numbers represent the score of the imaginary baseball game.

You'll be able to check it out yourself. The Salmon Days parade is on Oct. 3.

Nice perk: Being a PTA volunteer is one of the nicest things you can do for your child and education in general.

At Rose Hill Elementary School in Kirkland, there's even an added benefit for agreeing to be president: The president has a reserved parking spot.

One last grin: Bill Fisher, who keeps the Bellevue Philharmonic office (and computers) running, posted this warning on a staff member's door.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup."

Sherry Grindeland's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in The Seattle Times Eastside edition. Reach her by phone at 206-515-5633 or 425-453-2130, e-mail at sgrindeland@seattletimes.com, fax at 425-453-0449, or mail at Seattle Times Eastside bureau, 10777 Main St., Bellevue, WA 98004.