Nov. 11, 2020 North County Outlook

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Vol. 13 No. 43 n November 11, 2020 - November 17, 2020

MARYSVILLE • ARLINGTON • SMOKEY POINT • LAKEWOOD • TULALIP • QUIL CEDA VILLAGE

Arlington voters will decide Work begins on if fire department joins RFA M'ville water tower

By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com

By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com

Arlington voters will decide this upcoming February whether the Arlington Fire Department should join with North County Fire and EMS. On Nov. 2, members of the Arlington City Council voted 6-1 to put the measure onto the ballot for the Arlington Fire Department to be annexed into the North County Fire and EMS Regional Fire Authority.

Council member Jan Schuette was the sole dissenting vote and said she mainly wanted more time to fully understand the proposal.

"I've had multiple citizens contact me and there are concerns raised," she See RFA on page 2

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON

Matt Urtz, driver/operator/EMT with the Arlington Fire Department, performs a rig check on one of the department's fire engines on Nov. 6.

Maintenance work on the Marysville water tower will take place from Nov. 9 to 13 and will include replacement of the catwalk on the tower.

The catwalk has suffered corrosion over the years and is no longer safe to walk on.

"Last year, as you may recall, we didn't light up the water tower for Christmas because the catwalk was unsafe," said Connie Mennie, communications administrator with the city of Marysville.

City officials looked into the cost of maintenance.

"We got some estimates for what a full tower renovation would cost and they were pretty expensive," said Mennie.

See TOWER on page 5

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON

The Marysville water tower will receive maintenance from Nov. 9 to 13 to replace a corroded catwalk.

Preliminary results released for General Election

By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Snohomish County residents affirmed many incumbents for local state legislature races while voting mostly for Joe Biden on the presidential ticket.

The county reported 83.58 percent turnout for registered voters, which is the highest turnout locally since 2008 when the county reached 85.21 percent.

All vote counts below are reported as they were on Nov. 9.

Federal Seats Snohomish County voted for the Democratic ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris with 58.41 percent of their votes.

The majority of news outlets have declared Biden the victor and he has 50.65 percent of the national popular vote.

Incumbent Democrats Rick Larsen and Suzan DelBene will retain their seats in the U.S. Congress.

Larsen, who represents the 2nd Congressional District, which covers most of Marysville, Tulalip and Arlington, won with a total of 63.743 percent approval including 61.58 percent approval from Snohomish County voters.

DelBene represents the 1st Congressional District, which includes some parts of Arlington and outlying areas. She received a total of 58.5 percent approval including 53.65 percent of the votes in Snohomish County.

Statewide Elections Incumbent Democrat Jay Inslee was reSee ELECTION on page 11

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON

Kayla Bouslaugh drops her ballot off at the county ballot drop box near Marysville City Hall on Nov. 3.

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November 11, 2020 - November 17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

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Police investigate murder RFA of Marysville man said, adding she hoped to Continued from page 1

At just past 3 a.m. on hind the gas station. He had Nov. 8, Marysville Police suffered multiple gunshot responded to a report of wounds.

At this time, police gunshots somewhere in the area of the Shell Gas Station are actively seeking Lyon at 3506 88th St. NE. Units Nicholas “Nick” Torns, 36 years ofis age — he is wanted checked area but did not Outlook ThetheNorth County seeking for questioning locatea anyone or hear anyfull- or part-time advertising salesin this hoinvestigation. He thing. representative to join micide our hometown Approximately an hour stands 6’2” and weighs apteam!disPreference to selfproximately 270 pounds. later, newspaper officers were motivated, people Torns is towho be considered patched back to theresults-driven location armed dangerous, after aare female called excited toreportshare the manyand benefits of and may be associated ing that she had found her newspaper, online, and niche product with a husband’s vehicle at the lo- black 2020 Nissan Altima, advertising. cation. She saw a male that Colorado License Plate: she knew as “Nick” walk out AGXY76. His last known North locallylocationis was the Everett of theThe bushes andCounty get into Outlook area. If anyone sees either her husband’s vehicle.

She since owned and operated 2007. tried to stop the vehicle, but him or the above vehicle, not approach them. Call Nick drove away.

MarysPlease email do resume to ville Police responded and 911 immediately and report sue@northcountyoutlook.com. discovered a 42-year-old it to the police.

The investigation is onMarysville man, laying deceased in the bushes be- going.

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be able to fully explain the decision to them.

A Regional Fire Authority is a government organization formed from two or more fire districts that provides fire and emergency services to an area and has the ability to tax residents.

Much like school districts, an RFA's ability to tax has limits set by the state legislature and an RFA must put some tax increases to a public vote.

The North County Fire and EMS RFA was formed in 2007 when Fire Districts 14 and 18 joined together in the area northwest of Arlington city limits.

Arlington City Council members and North County Fire and EMS officials have been talking about a potential merger for many months now.

The Arlington Fire Department hopes to gain a more steady revenue source.

"It provides some financial sustainability for our fire services," said Arlington Fire Chief Dave Kraski.

"We're a department in the city and therefore we are subject to the fluctuations of their budget," he said.

One of the ways that can happen is decreases in sales tax revenue.

"When COVID-19 started, no one knew what to expect. In Arlington every department took a 10 percent cut," said Kraski.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON

Blake Schuler, firefighter/EMT with the Arlington Fire Department, checks some of the equipment 1on one of the department's fire engines on Nov. 6.

Property tax values on the other hand tend to be more stable.

"When property tax revenue drops, it's usually from a much longer event like a recession, and not a sudden drop," he said.

Currently, residents pay for fire services through payments to the city's general fund and levies specifically for emergency and fire services.

Under an RFA, they would pay property taxes directly to the RFA instead.

Kraski said the city plans to reduce their property tax collections to offset the increase from the new RFA. The average homeowner is projected to pay an additional $60 per year under the RFA. There is a tax calculator at the city of Arlington's website that shows estimat-

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Arlington officials hope to join with North County Fire and EMS to respond to increasing population as well.

"Our community is rapidly growing and we need to increase staffing at some point," said Kraski.

"We likely need to add another life support vehicle sometime in the next 12 months."

Joining with another fire service organization can also provide efficiencies that large departments enjoy.

"There is an economy of scale, which provides for better service," said Paul Ellis, Arlington city administrator during the Nov. 2 City Council Meeting.

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in Arlington are expected to be affected.

"Our fire chief, as well as all our staff, will transfer to the RFA and nobody would lose rank," said Ellis.

Emergency response times in Arlington must also not decrease as part of the agreement.

"The other part of the plan is that our service will be as good or better, so once we annex in the RFA can't say 'sorry Arlington, we're going to have a longer response time to your area,'" said Ellis.

Events such as the annual Santa Run and other community events are also expected to continue.

"Our goal is that the community doesn't realize that this happened," said Kraski.

The new RFA would be governed by a seven member board of directors.

"The structure of the governance will change once Arlington annexes in so that they have two seats directly in Arlington, as well as two at-large seats that could be filled from Arlington," said Ellis. "So the city of Arlington would continue to have representation."

RFAs are a popular model around the county and state to join local fire districts. The city of Marysville and Fire District 12 joined in an RFA in 2017 and the city of Lynnwood and Fire District 1 established an RFA in 2017.

"We are one of three cities left in the county that has a municipal fire department," said Ellis. Those cities are Everett, Mukilteo and Arlington.

Kraski said more public outreach will happen for anyone who has questions about the measure.

"The amount of information given to the public will increase as we reach Feb. 9," he said.

More information can be found at Arlington's RFA page at arlingtonwa. gov/672. In addition, city administrator Paul Ellis and Fire Chief Dave Kraski are available to answer questions at 360-403-4603 and 360-403-3607 respectively.

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November 11, 2020 - November17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

M'ville approves 2021-22 budget

By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com

The city of Marysville on Oct. 26 passed a cautious two-year budget that retains current services but adds no new major projects.

The City Council voted unanimously to adopt the 2021-22 biennial budget of approximately $397 million.

"We approached the budget with the idea that we were going to hold the line," said Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring.

With the continuing uncertainty around the full economic impacts of COVID-19 and no indications of exactly how long it will be an impact, city staff opted for a slim budget.

"The budget is prepared in a way to ride this out should things not get better," said Nehring. "We'd rather be cautious and plan for a slow recovery, than not and have problems later."

The City Council can still add future amendments to the budget to increase or decrease spending if the economic picture changes, and Nehring said he would like the council to revisit the budget next year.

"It will be at least six months into the next year before we consider any new projects," he said.

The biggest portion of Marysville's budget comes from charges for sewer, water and garbage services.

Sales tax and property tax make up about 10 percent of the budget.

The pandemic's impact on spending in the economy has caused a reduction in sales tax, although not as much as feared.

"Thankfully it has not been as bad as we thought it would be earlier in the year," said Nehring. "We are projecting a decrease in sales tax revenue."

Because of the uncertainty of how long COVID-19 will continue and how much it will affect the economy, it was a challenge to put together a budget, said Nehring.

The new budget features very little added from the previous two-year budget.

"We're really prioritizing the things that are essential," said Nehring.

Position vacancies are only being filled if they are required, he said.

The only new positions are two Public Works positions in 2022, which is when the city will take over garbage services in neighborhoods it annexed many years ago.

Currently those areas are served by Waste Management, but soon will be served by the city.

"That will be funded by the increase in our customer base," said Nehring.

No other department is receiving additional positions in the approved budget.

New positions have been added to the Marysville Police Department for multiple years and Nehring said they are at or near full staffing.

"Our police force has been built up over the last number of years," said Nehring.

The police department is still one of the largest portions of Marysville's budget with 53 percent of the general fund being spent on 'Law, Safety & Justice' which includes police, local courts and the jail.

The 'Law, Safety & Justice' category went down from previous years, which was at 66 percent, because previously the city funded fire services, but the recently formed Marysville Fire District RFA funds itself directly now.

While no new projects were added to the budget,

projects currently in the process of being completed will continue, said Nehring.

The biggest of these is the new Public Safety building being constructed near Comeford Park and the widening of State Avenue to five lanes near 100th Street.

The city of Marysville still has a reserve fund meant for emergencies that has not been tapped yet, said Nehring.

"During the Great Recession of the 2008-2010 era, our reserve funds did get very low," he said. "We have worked hard to get those back to a healthy state."

Those funds are still available but the city hasn't had to use them yet.

"If things remain as they are right now, we should not have had to dip into them, at least not very much," said Nehring.

"If there is a prolonged effect from COVID we may eventually have to spend some of those funds."

Nehring said at the beginning of this year city staff were planning budget items for approval, however the pandemic has put a damper on many of those projects.

"We did have some bigger plans that did get put on hold," he said.

There are road projects such as the Grove overcrossing to get above the train tracks, and crucially allow a lane through the city for emergency vehicles that gets around train traffic.

That project would be funded in part through grants, but having dedicated city funds available makes those grants easier to get and the city is unable to budget for that now.

The city is also investigating 'quiet zones' which would allow trains to pass

through Marysville without blasting their horns.

"That takes millions of dollars in infrastructure for us to do," said Nehring, and as such had to be delayed.

Park projects like Mother Nature's Window, expansions of existing trails and parks and improving the Ebey Waterfront Park may also have to wait for brighter economic days.

"Those are not one year projects," but they are things the city hopes to explore again in the future, said Nehring.

Nehring said it is a difficult time to budget for cities but he also wanted to say that everyone is going through similar problems.

"We recognize that the private sector, private families, private business, are all going through the same problems we are with budgeting and that we are all struggling to tighten our belts," he said.

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November 11, 2020 - November 17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

www.northcountyoutlook.com

County hits record for single-day COVID cases

By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Snohomish County broke its record for single day COVID-19 case count twice in the same week at the beginning of November.

As the county goes through the third wave of COVID cases, officials discussed the ongoing pandemic. "[Nov. 1] was our highest single day total for newly reported cases since the beginning of the pandemic," said Chris Spitters, health officer for the Snohomish Health District, during the district's Nov. 3 briefing.

Nov. 1 saw 140 new cases. The record stood for only a couple of days as 182 new cases were reported on Nov. 4.

Spitters said daily cases will ebb and flow but it is a higher spike than the county has ever seen for COVID-19.

The two-week rolling case rate also almost hit a new high, reaching 125.8 cases per 100,000 people.

"That was a small, about a 5 percent, increase," in cases from the previous two-week average, said Spitters.

"Relatively speaking, that is an improvement in the trajectory, suggesting that we're starting to flatten things out," he said.

Although high the numbers could indicate a beginning to a decline.

"The absolute level is still much higher than we would like to see, so there's mixed messages but the bottom line is let's keep bending that curve and pointing downward," said Spitters.

Throughout the entire pandemic Arlington has had 487 cases, Marysville has had 1,011 and Tulalip has had 99.

Hospital levels remain manageable, said Spitters.

"Overall, about 3-4 percent hospital beds in all of Snohomish County," he said. Around 10 percent is where hospitals will get overburdened, said Spitters.

A disproportionate number of new cases are older adults or those in long-term care facilities though, said Spitters, which could mean problems in the near future.

"The increasing case rate in older adults and in longterm care does raise concerns about where hospitalizations will go," he said.

Cases are not at the point where a second lockdown is needed right now, said Spitters, but if hospitals begin to not have enough space that would be in the conversation.

"I think we should be expecting that we can bend

that curve down again and avoid that hospital surge," he said.

"If we get more transmission in the older population then we will have a hospitalization problem and the Health District and public officials will have to decide how to respond to that problem," he said.

Spitters continues to emphasize social distancing measures, face masks and limiting exposure to crowds.

"At most we should meet with five people outside your household, and I would suggest even going beyond that to curtail all non-essential activity outside the home," he said.

Gatherings should be held outside if they are being held, although Spitters emphasized no gathering is the preference.

"We need everybody to chip in on this respect," he said.

Face coverings continue to be one measure that helps.

"On social media we've heard that 'the recent increase in cases show that face masks don't work' and that's simply not true," said Spitters. "Jurisdictions that imposed face-covering mandates have had better outcomes. That's true in the U.S. and around the world."

County officials are hopeful more federal funds will come to help after the March coronavirus relief bill (CARES Act) has pro-

vided resources for testing and contact tracing.

"We are hopeful that there will be a second round of CARES Act assistance. It's been really essential in supporting all the activities that we've undertaken in Snohomish County," said County Executive Dave Somers.

Somers said federal officials are optimistic about passing a second bill.

"The delegation has indicated that they think there will be another round after the election, and it's really essential," he said.

"Not to mention the small businesses it's helped. It's been a life-saver."

While COVID-19 is the big concern, Spitters also said that residents should take normal precautions against the seasonal flu.

On average the flu kills about 30 people in Snohomish County, and right now could be more trouble

COURTESY IMAGE

he map shows COVID-19 case rates for various ZIP code areas in Snohomish County for late October.

if it puts additional strain on the hospital system.

Fortunately, no flu outbreak is happening currently, said Spitters.

travel and interpersonal actions we are taking against COVID that are also protecting against influenza activity," he said.

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"There's limited to no influenza activity in the U.S.," he said.

"A lot of that is probably due to the limitations on

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Sun, Moon and Tides in Snohomish County

Wednesday, November 11, through Tuesday, November 17 Wednesday, November 11 Sunday, November 15 Sunrise 7:10 am • Sunset 4:435 pm Sunrise 7:16 am • Sunset 4:30 pm 1:00 am 7:20 am 1:44 pm 8:41 pm

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

8.0 ft 1.9 ft 11.3 ft 2.3 ft

Thursday, November 12 Sunrise 7:11 am • Sunset 4:33 pm 2:12 am 8:19 am 2:18 pm 9:19 pm

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

8.8 ft 2.5 ft 11.5 ft 0.8 ft

Friday, November 13 Sunrise 7:13 am • Sunset 4:32 pm 3:16 am 9:14 am 2:52 pm 9:58 pm

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

9.7 ft 3.2 ft 11.7 ft -0.2 ft

Saturday, November 14 New Moon Sunrise 7:14 am • Sunset 4:31 pm 4:15 am 10:07 am 3:27 pm 10:38 pm

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

10.6 ft 4.0 ft 11.8 ft -1.8 ft

5:11 am 10:59 am 4:03 pm 11:20 pm

High Tide Low Tide High Tide Low Tide

11.3 ft 4.9 ft 11.7 ft -2.6 ft

Monday, November 16 Sunrise 7:17 am • Sunset 4:29 pm 8:08 am 11:52 am 2:43 pm

High Tide Low Tide High Tide

11.7 ft 5.6 ft 11.3 ft

Tuesday, November 17 Sunrise 7:19 am • Sunset 4:28 pm 12:04 am 7:01 am 12:48 pm 5:25 pm

Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide

-2.9 ft 11.9 ft 6.1 ft 10.8 ft

Source: Mobile Geographics LLC NOT FOR NAVIGATION North County Outlook assumes no liability for damages arising from the use of these predictions. They are not certified to be correct, and they do not incorporate the effects of tropical storms, El Nino, seismic events, continental drift or changes in global sea level.

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November 11, 2020 - November17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

5

Food, toy collection drives begin in Marysville

By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Although the COVID-19 pandemic will present many safety changes this year, food and toy holiday drives will be held again in Marysville.

Families in the Marysville, Tulalip and Lakewood areas will receive support again from local volunteers.

"It's so hard to predict but we are expecting a huge need this year," said Christie Veley, one of the organizers of the Marysville Toy Store and holiday food drives.

The toy store, which provides holiday gifts for families in need, served about 1,100 children last year.

"Our registered kids are already at the numbers we were seeing last year, and the registration has only been open for two weeks, so that is significant," said Veley.

In most years local volunteers are dependent on donations coming in, but this year that may be the case even more so.

"Somehow the community always comes through," said Veley. "We're really relying on the community support again this year."

The pandemic has presented challenges for the organization.

"Donations will be a little bit different," said Veley.

"That is one of our biggest challenges this year," to keep everyone safe while still collecting donations, she said.

Donations to the Marysville Community Food

TOWER Continued from page 1

Because of the current economic climate, city staff was directed to just pull out the catwalk portion of the renovation and complete that.

"We have to do occasional inspections there on the catwalk as well," said Mennie, so the renovations are necessary for the water tower for more than just the holiday lights.

The work will be done largely by a contractor, who came in at a low-bid of $88,750.

"They have already fabricated some new steel parts," said Mennie, and those will be welded into place onto the water tower.

New sections of the catwalk will be welded on Wednesday and possibly Thursday to the water tower.

The project is scheduled

___

“

Our registered kids are already at the numbers we were seeing last year, and the registration has only been open for two weeks, so that's significant.

____

Christie Veley

”

Bank can be made online at marysvillefoodbank.org.

The Marysville toy Store also has an Amazon registry at tinyurl.com/toystoreamazon where toys can be bought directly.

"We still have the red barrels out at many local businesses," said Veley. "If you see them you can donate food there or new, unwrapped toys, books, coats, gloves or hoodies."

Donations serve kids who live in local ZIP codes or go to Lakewood or Marysville schools.

"Everything stays in the community," said Veley.

The Marysville Food Bank is still planning on holiday dinner distributions. For Thanksgiving those will be held Nov. 20, 23 and 24. For Christmas those distributions will be on Dec. 18, 21 and 22.

The Marysville Toy Store is also scheduled to happen again, on a drivethru basis.

"Despite the challenges with COVID we are moving forward with a Marysville Toy Store," said Veley.

"We have a committee that plans it out every year and we got together and asked 'can we do this? Do we

want to still try this' and it was a resounding 'yes."

The drive-thru distribution model will be the biggest change for safety.

"Normally families could come in and personalize their shopping," and organizers were disappointed at not being able to provide that experience this year, but there will still be efforts made to personalize gifts, said Veley.

Families can register online to participate in the toy store at tinyurl.com/mcfbtoystore.

"This is the first time we've ever done online registration," said Veley.

Veley said she looks forward to providing for families in need again this season.

"Part of it is selfish because I get so much from helping. It's so fulfilling and the families are so grateful," Veley said. "It fills your heart to be a part of the giving."

People or businesses with questions about how to donate, volunteer or other information about the program can email fbtoystore@gmail.com or contact Christie Veley at 360-363-8507.

to only take a week and parts of the park and parking spots nearby will be closed off during that time.

Strong winds could delay the project.

"It doesn't have to be super great weather, just not super windy," said Mennie, as strong winds could blow welding sparks to nearby trees or structures.

The city plans to consider the rest of the renovation, which mainly involves recoating the tower, at a later date, possibly with a 2022 re-coating.

The coating system protects the surface of the tower from deterioration and has a lifespan of about 20 years.

The last time the tower was re-coated was in 2002.

An inspection last year determined that the coating was nearing the end of its life, said Mennie.

"If we did not replace the coating system and

continued to allow the corrosion and deterioration to worsen, the water tower would eventually experience corrosion to the point it is no longer structurally stable and would need to undergo drastic and costly rehabilitation or be demolished," said Karen Latimer, utility manager for the city of Marysville.

"When the recoating work is finished up in 2022, the city will have received the full anticipated 20-year life on the current coating system," said Latimer.

When the catwalk is successfully installed city crews will be able to put holiday lights up again this December.

"This will help us get the lights up again this year," said Mennie. "We're looking forward to lighting up the tower again this year because a lot of people missed that."

FILE PHOTO

Marysville Toy Store client Gabby Arjon looks at some of the toys available on Dec. 12, 2019 at last year’s toy store event.

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November 11, 2020 - November 17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

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Marysville police will hold their annual coat drive to help local children in need this winter this November.

Officers, city staff and volunteers will be at the Marysville Kohl's at 3713 116th St. on Nov. 21. They will be there from noon to 3 p.m.

They are collecting children's coats, hoodie sweatshirts for teens, hats, scarves and gloves.

Donations are distributed at the Marysville Toy Store, a program that provides holiday gifts to local families in need every year.

"This year, due to the pandemic, we've had to scale back the number of locations and dates that we hold this," said Commander Mark Thomas of the Marysville Police Department.

The annual drive is usually held at four different locations on four different dates. Because of COVID-19 precautions the drive will only be held at one location at one time this year though.

FILE PHOTO

Cliff Leach gives a coat donation to Marysville Police Department School Resource Officer Dave White during last year's coat drive on Oct. 26, 2019.

"We try and get between 500 to 600 coats each year," said Thomas. "So it's a pretty big ask for the community to get all of these coats in one shift."

Clothes donations will also be accepted at the all of the holiday red barrels that are placed throughout Marysville every holiday season.

The red barrels collect donations for the Marysville Community Food Bank and the Marysville Toy Store program as well, and are typically available at many businesses throughout the city.

One will be available at Marysville's Public Safety Building at 1635 Grove Street, although some of

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the other typical city donations points may not be available this year.

"Many of our other city offices that usually accept donations at this time are also closed or have restricted access because of COVID," said Thomas.

Thomas said this was an important drive to continue.

"Unfortunately, there are children going into the winter months without proper coats," said Thomas, either because their clothes are damaged, old or don't fit anymore.

The Marysville Police Department has organized the drive every holiday season for a few years now and partner with many groups throughout the community.

"One of our detectives coaches Little League and he would get the players, the police and the food bank together to help with this," said Thomas.

The Venom Baseball & Softball Club still helps out with the drive and players involved in the league frequently volunteer, said Thomas.

Thomas said he enjoys the drive as a way to get out into the community.

"We have dialogue and conversations about what's going on in their lives," he said. "It's really a good time and a pleasure to see how the community responds to this need."

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November 11, 2020 - November17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

7

Hope Holiday Bazaar will be online this year

By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com The local Hope Holiday Bazaar to raise funds for the American Cancer Society is being held online this year because of the pandemic.

The bazaar is normally at Marysville's Totem Middle School but this year is being held virtually at facebook.com/ groups/2794792770776275 or by searching for 'Hope Holiday Bazaar' on Facebook.

"This is our sixth year that we've held a bazaar," said Cassie Golden, one of the organizers of the event.

They can't do it in person this year, "so we decided to hold it online, because that's all we could do."

The bazaar began on Oct. 26 and will continue for four weeks.

Participants can shop approximately 25 local vendors who have a variety of crafts and homemade items.

Vendors include a mix of independent home businesses, Avon vendors, crafts, ornaments and decorations and more.

Approximately 400 visitors have stopped by and many have purchased from vendors so far, she said.

"I think it has been pretty successful and certainly some of our vendors have had a lot of success," said Golden.

"We love that this community is still supporting these small vendors," she said, and noted the extra income from selling crafts is something that many families could use right now.

Many vendors have also created videos to display their items.

"We have Facebook Live events, as well, so the vendors can show off some of the items that they are selling," said Golden.

Some of the vendors are also cancer survivors and frequent supporters of the American Cancer Society (ACS) as well.

"And a lot of our vendors are giving back some of their proceeds to the ACS," said Golden.

The event is all volunteer run so 100 percent of the vendor fees go back to the ACS. "They have so many programs that help," people going through cancer, said Golden.

Those support services include a 24/7 all-access call line and the Road to Recovery program which helps transport those with cancer to their appointments if they need help getting there.

In addition funds help support cancer research.

The ACS has had a tough year with many of their fundraising events canceled.

"For the first time in the

American Cancer Society’s history our research budget is in jeopardy due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The American Cancer Society revenue for the year has declined by one third," said Anne Christian, community development manager for the ACS. "Because of the budget shortfall we are at risk of cutting cancer research funding by 50 percent this year."

The bazaar was started by local ACS volunteers.

"When we started it was just a little bazaar with a couple of vendors," said Golden, who said it steadily grew throughout the years.

Last year it had 75 vendors.

"We get people together and celebrate the holidays," said Golden.

Not being able to orga-

nize an in-person event for this year has been difficult though.

"It was really hard for us because of lot of what we do is bring people together," said Golden, who added the event has a lot of camaraderie by the cancer survivors and family members of survivors who come to the event.

"To not have that this year is tough," she said. "We can still stick together with our phones though."

Golden started volunteering with the ACS 12 years ago when her sister was diagnosed with cancer.

"I needed to do something," she said. "We were very fortunate she was a survivor and every year we want to see more survivors," said Golden.

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FILE PHOTO

Vendor Shelly Aragon, right, holds up some items for Jeannette Brown at last year's Hope Holiday Bazaar in Marysville on Nov. 16, 2019.

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Communities 8 M'ville relaunches diversity committee Skagit Regional Health November 11, 2020 - November 17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

Fifteen Marysville residents representing our community’s diverse backgrounds, identities and experiences have been named to the Mayor’s Diversity Advisory Committee, Mayor Jon Nehring is pleased to announce. Committee members are: Mario Brown, WA Music Educators Association; Jamie Connochie, Everett Community College; Daniel Crisologo, Earthwise Pet; Terrance Dizard, Information Technology Consultant, JJ Frank, Marysville YMCA; April Griffith, Seattle Housing Authority; Mytyl Hernandez, Tulalip Tribes; Justin Martinez, CBRE; Tamyra McKay, Paunchy Elephant; Wendy Messarina, Marysville School District; Alica Mirghavamedin, Boeing; Ian Nelson, Caregiver; Cassandra Perez , Gradu-

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ate Student; Jim Strickland, Marysville School District; and Kirstin Tyner, Home Street Bank.

Committee members have very diverse professional backgrounds and represent the following identities: military veterans, LGBTQIA+, Black/African American, White/European American, Muslim American, Native/Indigenous American, persons with disabilities, and Hispanic/ Latinx. While the committee does not include every underrepresented group in the city, its goal is to work with as many groups as possible to ensure a broad representation.

The Diversity Advisory Committee will meet monthly starting next week.

Its mission is to: Advise the City on diver-

sity, equity, and inclusion strategies and policies that improve outcomes for marginalized communities; Assist the City in strengthening the relationship with diverse community groups, including historically underrepresented communities and marginalized populations; and Lead the community in thought-provoking discussions that support cultural understanding, mutual respect and inclusivity, and further the enhancement of our community as one where cultural and physical diversity is celebrated as an important asset.

Its four major areas of focus for the committee are public safety, economic growth and prosperity, community building and inclusion, and city practices.

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In November, Skagit Regional Health will expand services at the Smokey Point clinic previously shared with UW Neighborhood Clinic.

The 40,000-square-foot building is located at 3823 172nd St. NE in Arlington and features primary care, urgent care, a variety of specialties, imaging and cancer care.

The facility opened in 2011 and since January 2016 has been a partnership between UW Neighborhood Clinics and Skagit Regional Health. Leaders with both organizations state they believe that patients will be well served by having local management of the entire clinic.

“We are building strong relationships with patients in north Snohomish County and are very pleased to once again take on full operations of this clinic and expand services for the people of the community,” said Brian Ivie, Chief Executive Officer of Skagit Regional Health. “We are fully committed to providing excellence in primary and specialty care to continue to meet the needs of our patients.”

For the past five years,

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expands services Skagit Regional Health has provided urgent care, cancer care and specialty services, including dermatology, endocrinology, foot and ankle, general surgery, neurology, occupational medicine, orthopedics and sports medicine, plastic and reconstructive surgery and rheumatology. The organization will now expand to primary care in this conveniently located, modern facility.

Skagit Regional Health offered opportunities for continued employment to all UW Neighborhood Clinic staff and providers who want to remain with the clinic after the transition. Family medicine provider Ashleigh Adkins, ARNP will remain in the Smokey Point facility after the transition. Adkins is experienced in caring for patients of all ages. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Washington State University and recently completed the Center of Excellence Autism Certification from Seattle Children's Hospital. David Escobar, DO joins the family medicine practice at Smokey Point while retaining one day per week caring for patients at his

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previous location at Skagit Regional Clinics – Stanwood. Dr. Escobar received his DO from Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima and completed residency training at Skagit Regional Health. He is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians. To schedule a family medicine appointment in Smokey Point, call 360-657-8840.

The UW Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic, located on the second floor, will remain in operation at the facility, offering highly specialized care for women with health conditions or special challenges that may complicate pregnancy and birth. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and can be reached by calling 844-657-4532.

The ongoing partnership between UW Medicine and Skagit Regional Health remains strong and the two organizations will continue to collaborate on healthcare strategies. In 2015, the two organizations signed a long-term clinical affiliation agreement to allow for joint partnerships and ventures to meet the healthcare needs for the north Snohomish community.

In north Snohomish County, Skagit Regional Health also operates Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington and a variety of clinics in Arlington, Marysville and Stanwood.

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November 11, 2020 - November17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

We’ve finished all of our chores...

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...and are ready for Old Man Winter.

Kids: color stuff in!

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Last Days of Autumn!

The air is cooler. The fallen red, 8 6 yellow and orange leaves have been raked. Geese honk noisily in the sky What are Families Doing in the as they fly south. School buses rumble 5 Late Fall to Get Ready for Winter? by. Football and soccer players are running and kicking balls. We’ve fallen 1. raking leaves and clearing ________ 3 gently past the middle of autumn!

2. taking down ________ and putting 2 up storm windows 3. having the chimney cleaned and stacking ________ 10 9 4. storing summer ________ and taking out hats, jackets, boots Well, most of 1 potatoes us have anyway! 5. picking and storing apples, ________, carrots, squash clothes 6. canning ________ and fruits; making jellies and jams firewood Late 7. finding the shovels and filling a pail with ________ for ice furnace 4 Fall 8. rolling up ________ and turning off water pipes to outside gutters 9. having the ________ checked and cleaned screens s e l p meals Fun! 10. cooking larger, hotter ________ p a 4 hoses sand Read the clues to leave 3 vegetables s fill in the crossword 2 5 sweaters with late fall fun.

7 birds 1 l l 1. big, orange __________ sit shrinking in fields Phew! I hope tba Match each 2. __________ are finishing chores foo this is the last air “harvest time” batch to store around the house and yard 6 sentence to 3. hours of __________ are even fewer for the season! pe 7 o what it means: ple 4. __________ have been raked 9 5. __________ are still gathering acorns A. full moon nearest 1. Make hay while 8 6. crowds cheer at __________ games to first day of fall the sun shines.

7. __________ are flying south B. unusually large 2. The farmers had 8. light jackets and __________ are being worn amount a bumper crop.

10 9. the __________ is chillier C. make the most 3.

The harvest moon squirrels daylight pumpkins 10. __________ are piled high in baskets of a chance rose over the fields.

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Falling rain and cool windy breezes pulled the last autumn leaves from the tree.

When the storm was over, what could we see?

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apple nest balloon airplane cat kite

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Storing Food for the Winter

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I wanted to go out one rainy autumn day.

As I stepped out the door, I slid away!

“Autumn ice” was hiding beneath the eaves.

It was made of freezing rain and fallen...

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Look at the picture clues to fill in the puzzle.

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Follow the dots to see what mixes with cold rain to make a slippery mess.

Start at the arrow to help the farmer squirrels find each giant acorn to put into their sack.

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Fall Surprises

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November 11, 2020 - November 17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

Opinion

n GUEST OPINION

Snohomish County Council works on annual budget

One of the most important roles of the County Council is the adoption of the annual budget for Snohomish County. Our budget currently exceeds $1 billion, which pays for services ranging from public safety and elections to roads and parks. The budget determines the level of revenues we will collect as county government and where we will spend those funds over the course of the year. In addition to being a financial document, the budget is a statement of values, showing where we are prioritizing spending and services.

Last month, the County Council received Executive Somers’ recommended 2021 budget. From there, we began working with staff to analyze the recommended budget and draft potential changes based on Council priorities.

The recommended budget does not increase the general property tax levy, a move that I think reflects an understanding that residents are struggling financially due to the COVID-19 economic shutdown. If approved, this will be the fourth consecutive year that the County Council has not increased the general property tax levy. The recommended budget limits new spending as we grapple with decreased revenues caused by the economic downturn.

Since receiving the rec-

Nate Nehring

ommended budget, I have worked with my colleagues on the Council to begin drafting amendments to reflect the priorities of the County Council for next year. These amendments include shifts in expenditures and an overall reduction in general fund spending.

One of the amendments allocates funding for a vacant patrol deputy position within the Sheriff ’s Office with revenues from the Roads Fund. This additional deputy will join the current traffic enforcement team to increase the presence of law enforcement in unincorporated areas and increase public safety.

By reducing positions elsewhere in the budget, we were also able to propose funding for an additional designated crisis responder within the Human Services budget. These employees help respond to individuals suffering from substance abuse and mental and behavioral health issues. They help de-escalate situations and identify services to con-

nect these individuals with the resources they need.

We have been able to support needed investments in human services without cuts to law enforcement, contrary to the narrative espoused by the extremist calls to defund or abolish the police. We do not have to choose between law enforcement and social services. These are not mutually exclusive and both can be prioritized to address public safety and the wellbeing of our communities.

We are also shifting funding to fill a vacant Code Enforcement Officer position in the Planning and Development Services budget. One of the most common calls I receive from constituents is regarding nuisance properties, which often involve drug issues, squatters, and excessive trash. These properties can cause significant issues in neighborhoods and can lead to public health concerns and increased crime.

This additional Code Enforcement Officer will help the team address violations and focus more attention on getting these chronic nuisance properties cleaned up.

The budget amendments include a number of cuts to trim discretionary spending in departments and offices across the County. This includes funding allocated for See NEHRING on page 11

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Our Favorite Quotes "Honoring the sacrifices many have made for our country in the name of freedom and democracy is the very foundation of Veterans Day." Author ­— Charles Rangel Submitted by North County Outlook editor Scott Frank.

&

RAVE RAVE: I hope everyone took some time on Veterans Day, on Nov. 11, to remember and honor all the men and women who have served in our county's military. Their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of their families, have preserved and protected the freedoms we all enjoy today.

economy back open and running again is to get the virus under control which is something we are clearly failing at right now.

RAVE: When I went shopping this weekend I noticed in the store the familiar Red Barrels where donations can be made to the local food bank. With the upcoming holidays demand is going to be greater this year due to all the economic challenges faced by members of our community.

Please donate what you can, it will make a big difference for a local family.

RANT: COVID-19 cases have hit record highs in Snohomish County, and other areas in the state and nation, recently. Please wear a face covering — it's not simply for your protection, it is to protect those around you. The only way to get our

North County Outlook is published every other Wednesday and mailed direct to households and businesses in Marysville, Arlington, Smokey Point, Tulalip and Quil Ceda Village. Letters to the editor, community news and story ideas may be e-mailed to editor@northcountyoutlook.com, or sent to the mailing address below. The Publisher reserves the right to edit material for content, grammar, taste, style or length, and all submitted items are published at the sole discretion of the Publisher.

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Weekly Puzzle CLUES ACROSS 1. Dutch word for “language” 5. Popular music style 8. Body part 11. Largely dry valleys 13. Brew 14. Ancient Greek sophist 15. Where rockers play 16. Human gene 17. One point east of northeast 18. Adversary 20. Small cask or barrel 21. About ear 22. Benign tumors 25. In a different way 30. One charged with a crime 31. Chinese principle underlying the universe 32. Long, narrow straps 33. Passover 38. Ottoman military commander 41. One who does not succeed 43. Data 45. 3D image 47. Whale ship captain

49. Japanese title 50. Made of wood 55. Yokel 56. Exercise system __-bo 57. Supreme being 59. Playing card with three spots 60. Hostelry 61. Spiritual leader 62. Single lens reflex 63. Time of the 90th meridian, used in the central U.S. 64. Thomas __, American cartoonist CLUES DOWN 1. Shuttered airline 2. Swiss river 3. Port city in Yemen 4. It can be straight 5. Tennis player’s tool 6. Estranged 7. Garden archway 8. Assists 9. Grain crop 10. Millisecond 12. U.S. Founding Father Adams 14. Small, deerlike buffalo 19. Easily manageable

23. Male parent 24. Nearsightedness 25. Patriotic women 26. Decorate a cake with frosting 27. __ fi (slang) 28. A joke rooted in wordplay 29. Attack violently 34. Keyboard key 35. __ juris: independent 36. Corporate executive (abbr.)

37. Adult female bird 39. Pertains to knowledge 40. Pashtoes 41. Prefixed title for Italian monks 42. To be fired from a gun 44. A way to position 45. __ process: produces ammonia 46. Follow instructions 47. Humanistic discipline 48. Throw 51. Swiss river 52. American hate group 53. Actor Idris 54. Seizes 58. Baseball stat

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ELECTION

from the economic challenges brought on by the pandemic, including relief for small businesses, improvements in child care, food assistance and rental assistance for our neighbors who have lost their jobs during this challenging time," said Robinson.

State Rep. Emily Wicks will take her seat with 58.91 percent of the vote.

"I’ll be focused on containing and defeating COVID-19, rebuilding our economy by supporting local businesses, and ensuring our people have access to health care, child care, jobs, and the financial resources needed to successfully participate in our recovery," said Wicks. "I’ll also be working on investing in and promoting transportation projects and local infrastructure projects that help us create connected."

With 66.92 of the vote State Rep. Mike Sells will return to the state legislature.

Legislative District 39 The 39th Legislative District covers much of Arlington, as well as Granite Falls, Monroe and Sedro-Woolley.

All three incumbent Republicans won their races.

State Sen. Keith Wagoner will return with 64.84 percent of the vote.

Continued from page 1

elected as Governor of the state.

Statewide he received 57.02 percent of the vote and 56.21 percent approval in Snohomish County.

Referendum No. 90, which would retain a measure passed by the state legislature requiring sex education in schools, received similar support, with 58.02 approval statewide and 56.06 voters in favor in Snohomish County.

Legislative District 38 The 38th Legislative District covers south Marysville, Tulalip and north Everett.

Incumbent Democrat Mike Sells retained his seat while Democrats Emily Wicks and June Robinson retained seats they were appointed to earlier this year.

State Sen. June Robinson received 58.84 percent of the vote.

"I will be focused on our control of and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. I will be working to find adequate funding for our public health system in Washington State," she said.

Recovery from the coronavirus is one of her priorities, she said.

"I will also be working to bring investments and supports that our communities need to recover

NEHRING

Continued from page 10

training, travel, and contingencies. While families and businesses across the County are tightening their belts due to financial uncertainty, we feel it is appropriate to limit county government’s

discretionary spending as well. The proposed budget and amendments offer an overall balanced budget with no increase to the county’s general tax levy and a net reduction in general fund spending. This budget prioritizes public safety and fiscal restraint, and I believe it is a plan that our commu-

We’ve fallen gently past the middle of autumn!

Well, most of us have anyway!

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"When we return to Olympia, our priority must first be to address our budget deficit in a way that protects our most vulnerable people and critical public programs; difficult choices will have to be made," said Wagoner.

Responding to the pandemic and the governor's emergency powers was also important to Wagoner.

"Secondly, it is time to get Washington back to work in a strategic manner that recognizes not only the dangers of COVID-19 but also collateral damage caused by the 'shutdown.' Third, I believe there will be bipartisan support for a fine-tuning of the governor’s emergency powers to ensure the legislature’s constitutional role is appropriately respected in the future," he said.

With 63.01 percent of the vote, State Rep. Carolyn Eslick will retain her seat.

"My top legislative priority in 2021 will be creating a budget that can withstand these uncertain times. The long-term fiscal challenges created by COVID-19, along with the accompanying, and significant, state revenue shortfalls will require lawmakers to make tough choices," she said.

Eslick hopes to work on is-

nity can be proud of.

We will be hosting two public hearings on the proposed 2021 budget on Monday, October 26th. The first hearing will be held at 10:30 AM and the second will be held at 6:00 PM. Both hearings will be conducted via Zoom. Our anticipated budget adoption date is

November 11, 2020 - November17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

sues like mental health support as well.

"I’ll also be focusing on unemployment insurance issues, local transportation projects, and increasing healthy outcomes for children experiencing mental illness," she said.

State Rep. Robert Sutherland will return to his seat as well with 60.02 percent of the vote.

Legislative District 44 The 44th Legislative District covers some neighborhoods of southeast Marysville, such as the Sunnyside neighborhood, Lake Stevens and other areas of the county.

Incumbent Democrat John Lovick will retain his seat while Democrat April Berg likely has won the seat vacated by former State Rep. Jared Mead.

With 57.17 percent of the vote Lovick will return to the state legislature.

"Day one, I am formally introducing my widely supported draft of a bill that calls for the creation of a Statewide Pandemic Preparation and Response Task Force.

The task force will tell us what went right, what went wrong, and what must be better," said Lovick.

The response to the pandemic is one of his top priorities, he said.

Tuesday, November 10th at 10:30am. There will be an opportunity for public comment at that meeting as well. If you are interested in learning more about the budget or have feedback you would like to share, please do not hesitate in reaching out to me at Nate.

Nehring@snoco.org.

"Our state did a lot better than others, but still there is much work to do if we are going to get our communities and economy back stronger, and safer," said Lovick.

April Berg is up by about 3,000 votes on her opponent Mark James with 51.79 percent of the vote and a likely victory.

“In Olympia, I will focus on protecting our social safety net as we recover from this public health crisis. Healthcare, education and economic recovery through investment in infrastructure will be my top priorities,” she said.

Legislative District 10 The 10th Legislative District covers the Silvana area, the Twin Lakes area, as well as Oak Harbor and Mount Vernon.

For the Senate race, incumbent Republican Ron Muzzall has 60.95 percent of the vote while Democrat Helen Price Johnson has 38.96 In the vacant Pos. 1 House of Representatives seat, Republican Greg Gilday has 60.05 percent while Democrat Angie Homola has 39.71 percent.

In the second House of Representatives seat, Republican Bill Bruch has 59.91 percent of the vote while Democrat Dave Paul has 40.01 percent of the vote.

Nate Nehring is a member of the Snohomish County Council and represents District 1 which includes Arlington, Darrington, Granite Falls, Marysville, Stanwood, and unincorporated north county. He can be reached by email at Nate.Nehring@ snoco.org or by phone at 425388-3494.

Last Days of Autumn!

Phew! I hope this is the last batch to store for the season!

7 6 V H 5 P O T A T O E S S G E 3 F I R E W O O D T 2 S C R E E N S 10 9 F U R N A C E M B 1 G E L U A E 4

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Autumn Ice?

What mixes with freezing rain to make a slippery mess?

_l _e _a _v _e _s Autumn ice is not so nice!

Falling rain and cool windy breezes pulled the autumn leaves from the tree. When the storm was over, what could we see?

11

Crossword answers from page 10

Legal Notices LEGAL NOTICE SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DONALD MACGREGOR WAALEN, Deceased, NO. 20-4-01226-31, PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. RCW 11.40.030 THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE NAMED BELOW has been appointed as personal representative of this estate.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1) (c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and RCW 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.

DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: September 2, 2020 Personal Representative: Kathryn Joan Waalen Attorney for Personal Representative: Tanner K. Olson, WSBA #52879 Address for Mailing or Service: P.O. Box 188, 103 Court of probate proceedings and cause number: Snohomish County Superior Court, Cause No. 20-4-01226-31

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November 11, 2020 - November 17, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

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n WHISTLING GARDENER

The fascinating world of conifers As promised a ern or Canadian few weeks ago, I hemlock group. want to introduce ‘Sergeant’s Weepyou to a few more ing’ is an old conifers that I standard that will find to be real cascade nicely gems to add to By Steve Smith over a rockery our landscapes. and ‘Gentsch But before launching into White’ with its variegated some specific varieties of foliage will brighten up a interest, my botanical nerd- shady area, but ‘Moon Frost’ iness requires me to share is by far my favorite when it what I consider to be truly comes to hemlocks. Our fascinating facts about this supplier Iseli Nursery out of group we refer to as conifers Oregon describes it as folor “cone bearing” plants. lows: “…bright, white, new Conifers belong to a growth with older, inner fogroup botanists call Gym- liage that retains a light tone nosperms. These are rela- combine for a distinctly tively primitive plants dat- white appearance. In winter ing back approximately 250 it takes on a blush of pink. A million years ago. The term compact globe when young, “gymnosperm” is Greek and ‘Moon Frost’ broadens and means naked seed. Unlike increases its growth rate an apple where the seeds are with age, but remains a relicontained inside the fruit, ably small, dwarf plant.” seeds of gymnosperms are ‘Amersfort’ Yew — exposed to the open - like There are lots of wonderful those in a pine cone that are yews on the market today, lodged down in the scales from tightly upright-growand can be scattered simply ing forms (we use the term by wind. Gymnosperms fastigiate in the trade) to don’t flower like we think of more horizontal ones, but with other plants, which is nothing quite compares to an indication of their more the bizarre growth habit primitive nature. of ‘Amersfort’. This variety I think the other inter- sports small, more rounded esting thing about conifers leaves which are arranged is the shape of their leaves. in an almost dreadlock Rather than a broad leaf, manner giving it a most like an oak or maple, the unusual textural quality. leaves of conifers are rolled The branches arch out in or compressed into needles an irregular fashion, which or scales. Along with a make it a perfect candidate waxy coating, this process for a focal point in the garenables them to withstand den. You can’t help but be harsh environmental condi- drawn to this plant. tions. It is also what gives ‘Whipcord’ Cedar — them their unusual texture This highly unusual plant is in the landscape. a sport of our native western It always boggles my red cedar, but you would mind to think of the vari- never know it by looking ety of evergreens available at it. You might think of to us here in the northwest. “Cousin It” when you see In our nursery alone, we of- this little guy. Again, Iseli fer 25 different genera and Nursery describes it accordclose to 300 individual vari- ingly: “The unusual foliage eties. Some of these grow 3 on this low, mop-headfeet a year up to 40 to 60 feet like plant consists of long, tall and make great privacy thick, glossy tendrils that screens for natural areas, suggest Independence Day or they can be sheared into fireworks. ‘Whipcord’ has formal hedges and main- many branches that seem tained at a six-foot height. to explode upward and send Others may be ground- sparks cascading in all dihuggers, growing only hori- rections ultimately maturzontally and reaching 4 to 6 ing at around 4 by 4”. Graftinches tall at most, lending ed onto a 2-foot standard themselves as groundcov- understock, this plant beers. And of course, the vast comes an instant conversamajority fall somewhere tion piece in the landscape. in-between these two ex‘Little Champion’ tremes, which makes them Cryptomeria — Japanese perfect candidates for our cedars are a diverse group landscapes. Here are a few of evergreens native to Jathat I personally like… pan and southern China, ‘Moon Frost’ Hemlock that are very well suited to — Although we have a na- our northwest climate. Our tive hemlock in the north- website describes this one west, most of the interest- as follows: “‘Little Chaming cultivars found in the pion’ is a delightful dwarf industry are from the east- with many curvy branchlets

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coated with layers of tightly held, awl-like needles that make them look like woven rope. In winter, the sparkling green foliage may take on handsome bronzy highlights, especially the tips.

Matures in 10 years to only two by two.”

These four selections are literally the tip of the iceberg when it comes to conifers that we can grow in the northwest. Take a minute this month to check them out and you will be amazed at the immense range of colors and forms. You won’t be disappointed. Stay safe and keep on gardening!

Steve Smith is the owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached at sunnysidenursery@msn.com.

The Amersfort Yew is a great addition to your garden

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