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Vol. 13 No. 48 n December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020
MARYSVILLE • ARLINGTON • SMOKEY POINT • LAKEWOOD • TULALIP • QUIL CEDA VILLAGE
Marysville Toy Store helps local families celebrate Christmas By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com The Marysville Toy Store provided hundreds of families in need with gifts last week during a year of increased need in the community. The annual program provides holiday gifts for families who need support. Because of the pandemic, this year the toy store was changed to a drive-thru service model. "I think that this was an incredibly challenging year," said Christie Veley, one of the volunteer organizers of the event. "We had to rethink every aspect of the toy store." Because of the expected high need this year, organizers wanted to push forward to hold the event. See TOY STORE on page 11
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON
Local parent Kelly Kikuchi, left, and Arlington High School Flight member Carter Kikuchi move one of the props for Flight's "Believe" Christmas show on Dec. 11.
Flight holds drive-in Christmas show By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON
Marysville Toy Store volunteer Linda Clark packs one of the bags of gifts with a coat during one of the program's distribution days on Dec. 10.
Arlington High School's Flight choir held their annual Christmas show as a drive-in style concert with numerous safety precautions. The last time the school's Flight choir performed was their last Christmas show. "It's such a big part of what Arlington does and the Christmas show is really Flight's show," said Heidi
Forslund, choir director at the school. "I wanted to give them an opportunity to perform together again." The Flight Choir performed the concert on Dec. 11 and 12, with two more showings planned for Dec. 17 and 18 at 7 p.m. A couple of major changes from normal concerts had to be made to ensure safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See FLIGHT on page 11
Community honors Officer Cortez Officer Charlie Cortez is a Tulalip native who many knew and is presumed lost at sea after his boat capsized on Nov. 17 By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Tulalip community members arranged a parade of vehicles that drove through Tulalip on Dec. 12 to support the family of the presumed deceased Charlie Cortez. Officer Cortez, 29, was a member of the Tulalip Tribal Police's Fish and Wildlife Division and was out at sea on the job on Nov. 17 when his boat capsized. While the other officer on the boat was recovered, Cortez has not been found.
Many in the community are still grieving the loss of Cortez, who is from Tulalip. "Charlie grew up here at Tulalip and was an active person in the outdoors, from motorcycle riding to hunting to geoduck diving," said Glen Gobin, vice chairman of the Tulalip Tribes. "He interacted with all of us down here on the water so we all knew him very well and watched him grow up." "To watch a man who was rising from a police officer and in my opinion would have been a future leader in this tribe, and then to lose him suddenly in the active function of his job was devastating," said Gobin. Gobin said his thoughts go out to the family at this time. "Unless you've experience this kind of See CORTEZ on page 2
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON
Tulalip police vehicles drive in a parade to honor Officer Charlie Cortez on Dec. 12 who is presumed deceased.
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December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
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COURTESY PHOTO
Tulalip Tribal Fish and Wildlife Officer Charlie Cortez.
CORTEZ Continued from page 1
loss before I don't think any of us can grasp the pain that family is going through right now," he said. Tulalip Tribal Police Chief Chris Sutter said the department is a small tribal department that is very close. "Our officers are really mourning the loss of their beloved co-worker, friend and brother. Every day we go to work honoring and remembering him," said Sutter. "Officer Cortez was the kind of guy that always took an assignment with a smile. Always very respectful of people. He knew everybody because he grew up in Tulalip." A parade organized by community members was
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON
Tulalip Officer Charlie Cortez, who is presumed deceased, was a fan of outdoor recreation and many community members involved in motocross and other outdoor recreation came out to honor him and support his family during a parade on Dec. 12. held Dec. 12 to honor Officer Cortez and support his family. "It's difficult to take the next steps after these kind of losses so this type of event is very healing," said Gobin. Police and fire departments from around the county, including Marysville, Arlington, Lynnwood and Monroe, participated in the parade with some of their emergency vehicles. Many who knew Cortez or know one of his family members also came out to
watch the parade. "I work with his aunt and I came down to support the community and the family," said local Tami Runyon. Gobin said that outside support is important at a time like this. "The community came together to put this parade together to show support for the family and show them that they're not alone and they feel their pain," he said. "Sometimes you feel all alone at times like this, but the outpouring of support
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from everywhere has been phenomenal." Search and rescue groups are still working to recover the body of Cortez. "Today we had the King County Search and Rescue team with their specially trained K-9 teams out on the water," said Sutter, who added that many local county and city agencies have helped search during the last three weeks. "We've had private boats doing highly advanced sonar, we've used underwater drones, aircraft, helicopters, aerial drones and we greatly appreciate all the tribal fisherman who go out and look for officer Cortez," said Sutter. Civilians have also helped scour beaches as well, he said. "We've had many neighborhood associations and private individuals walking the beaches looking for any evidence of Officer Cortez or of the boat debris," said Sutter. Gobin said the tribe plans to continue searching. "We're still searching today and will continue active searching until we deem we can't do it any longer, but right now we're committed to keep going," he said. Sutter and Gobin thanked the many local organizations and individuals who have helped with the search. "The government organizations, the different municipalities, state and federal agencies, other tribal entities, have been tremendous and it has been nonstop," said Gobin.
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Help us tell your neighbors about club activities, fundraising events, meeting schedules and more. Send information to: North County Outlook, P.O. Box 39, Marysville, WA 98270 or email the information to: editor@northcounty-outlook.com.
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December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
Eagle Creek students work on Great Kindness Challenge ___
By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com
Arlington's Eagle Creek Elementary students continued the work on their Great Kindness Challenge from early this year by distributing kind messages to the community. Each year fourth and fifth graders at the school help to organize an event to spread good feelings by writing good messages to each other. Usually the work begins in January and February when students help write hundreds of messages and then hand them out in March. This year's event was interrupted because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Last year when we closed down due to the pandemic we had over a thousand messages," said Colene Jablonski, school counselor at Eagle Creek Elementary and one of the organizers of the event. "We had all these great messages and they were just sitting on the shelf." Students at the school talked about what to do with them and brainstormed possibilities. "They came up with the idea," to put them around the community for Arlington locals to find, said Jablonski.
“
Last year when we closed down due to the pandemic we had over a thousand messages. We had all these great messages and they were just sitting on the shelf.
____
Colene Jablonski
"They wanted to help lighten the mood in the community," because they know there's a lot going on right now, she said. The Great Kindness Challenge is part of a worldwide program that has been going on for about two decades now, said Jablonski. "It came from a mother's concern about how children were getting along," she said. Since then it has spread to many different schools who take part each year to spread positivity. "I started it at Eagle Creek about four years ago," said Jablonski. "I heard from other colleagues around the state and they said it was a good program. I thought it was a great idea." Many students participate in both their fourth grade year and their fifth grade year because they enjoy the program, said
”
Jablonski. "They love it, they get very energized," she said. "They get to see another side of the school." For many students it is the first opportunity at leadership and organization as they get to take charge of much of the organizing for the event. "It's a real benefit to the community as well," said Jablonski, as usually police, fire, airport and city officials come to help mentor the students during the challenge. As the pandemic continues, Jablonski said this year's Kindness Challenge will likely look very different from past years. "This year we're going to do the challenge virtually," she said, and it will be more self-guided. "It will likely involve a kindness checklist that they can do for their family or neighborhood," said Jablonski.
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COURTESY PHOTO
Eagle Creek Elementary student Cameron Lowber sits on his father, Caleb Lowber, to place a message on a semi-truck in downtown Arlington.
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December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
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Local business donates structure to food bank The shelter donated by HCI Steel Buildings will help keep volunteers, groceries dry during drive-thru service By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com
The new shelter structure recently put up at the Arlington Community Food Bank.
COURTESY PHOTO
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Arlington business HCI Steel Buildings donated a shelter recently to the Arlington Community Food Bank to help with their new drive-thru service for clients. The new structure was installed in early December. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic the food bank has switched to a drive-thru model to provide food to the community. With the winter months bringing more rain it can be difficult on both the volunteers and the groceries. "I learned they needed a structure when Mayor Barbara [Tolbert] called and said the food bank needed some help," said Ted Wheeler, owner of HCI Steel Buildings. He went down to look at the building and figure out how to make a shelter "I worked with the administrator of the food bank to construct what she needed there," he said. "I said I would manufacture something if the city would put some staff in to do the installation." He said the structure came out "exceptionally great." Arlington Community Food Bank director Carla
COURTESY PHOTO
Arlington city staff help put up a new shelter to support the Arlington Community Food Bank. Gastineau said the shelter matches the style of their facility so it doesn't even seem like a new addition. "It's absolutely beautiful. It matches our building perfectly," she said. The food bank has now been able to line up their grocery carts outside as well, making the process more efficient. "It helps with our distribution and makes it flow really seamlessly," said Gastineau, who added the food bank can serve about a car each minute now. Wheeler said he stopped by the day after installation to see how it worked out. "All the volunteers there said they really liked it because it helped to keep them dry," he said. Gastineau said it has helped the process and the volunteers. "The volunteers and the groceries are able to stay dry and safe," she said. HCI Steel Buildings does
donation work around the community in churches and missions, as well, and Wheeler said he is happy to help the community. "That's just part of putting our good faith into the community," he said. "We do it because it's the right thing to do." He hopes to add a second smaller shelter to the food bank facility because currently there is one person who checks in individuals and they are exposed to the weather. "As the cars come in there is one person checking in the drivers," said Wheeler. "I happen to have a little structure that I'm going to give them as well." Gastineau said she appreciates the support the food bank receives from the community. "This community continues to amaze and inspire me," she said. "Every time we have a need they just step up."
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December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
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Schools partner to purchase PPE AEF selling Santa photos By Nathan Whalen nathan@northcountyoutlook.com School districts in the area are teaming up with the Educational Service District in Vancouver to find a better deal on personal protective equipment during the pandemic. School districts in Arlington, Lakewood and Marysville are three of the 413 public and private schools in the state that are partnering with ESD 112 to purchase face masks, hand sanitizer and other personal protective equipment on a bulk, discount rate. “They can organize on a much larger scale than a school district can,” said Brian Lewis, executive director for operations for the Arlington School District adding that prices of equipment is much lower than on the commercial mar-
ketplace. For example, blue face masks had been costing 50 cents each, but available at 2 cents each through the ESD. Face shields had been costing $6 and $10 each, but the ESD provides them at $1.45 each. “It’s such a great benefit,” Lewis said. The school district made its first purchase in summer 2020 and planning to make another purchase in January. Equipment that can be purchased through the ESD includes non-medical face masks, face shields, sanitizer, nitrile gloves and disinfectant wipes. The Lakewood School District tried purchasing PPE on the commercial market earlier in the year, but problems arose. “We started having much more delays than anticipated,” said Daniel Lee, executive director of hu-
man resources and student support for the Lakewood School District. The school district is going to partner with ESD 112 to get a better price and a more consistent delivery. ESD 112 voluntarily stepped up to support school districts to help them purchase PPE to facilitate a return to in-person education, said Monique Dugaw, executive director communications and public engagement for ESD 112 in an email. ESD 112 works with other educational service districts in the state to disperse PPE to individual districts. Because PPE is purchased for such a large group, suppliers delivered to a central distribution point to get the best buying power for schools. Dugaw said more than 70 suppliers sold materials to the ESD.
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The Arlington Education Foundation is providing Santa Photos in December this year to help raise funds for the organization. The local organization supports Arlington schools and education for students through a variety of programs. Through Dec. 20, photos are available for $15 each and can be ordered at arlingtonedfoundation.org. Photos of children, family members or pets will be digitally added to the foundation's Santa Claus photos and then emailed back for a holiday photo. The foundation traditionally holds a Santa breakfast as a fundraiser. "We usually serve up to 300 breakfasts for families while they talk to Santa, make crafts, (supplied by Kulits Orthodontics), enjoy hot chocolate, and enjoy other characters and fun," said Kim Deisher-Allen, board president for the foundation. The event is usually a good fundraiser for the organization but due to the pandemic they were not able to hold it this season. "This year we wanted to keep the magic for children, so we found another creative way," said Deisher-Allen. If requested, the foundation provided personalized letters from Santa's elves, for orders received before Dec. 15. "They have been selling well and families have been so appreciative. We even have had several pet pictures," said Deisher-Allen. The fundraiser is meant to make up some of the money lost from a tough year for the organization. "Fundraising has taken a big hit for us this year, but we are still able to fulfill our mission 'to promote excellence, enrich education and provide resources for students and future students of Arlington,'" said Deisher-Allen. They have been finding new and alternative ways to raise money though, like with their Santa Photos fundraiser. "With this event, we have still been able to fund our teacher classroom grants," said Deisher-Allen. The foundation's grant programs allows
COURTESY IMAGE
The Arlington Education Foundation's flyer for their Santa Photos fundraiser.
local teachers to propose learning opportunities and get them funded. Typically the organization provides thousands of dollars each year to improve classrooms around the district. With the radically different online classrooms there have been grant requests to help meet new needs. "Teachers have also been very creative with teaching from a distance and meeting the needs of Arlington students. We recently funded nearly $12,000 in grants for classrooms," said Deisher-Allen. The organization also promotes youth literacy. "We continue to get books into children's hands with our Dolly Parton Imagination Library that reaches 1,000 children under the age of 5," said Deisher-Allen. The biggest fundraiser for the organization is typically the 'Sip-Sip-Hurray' wine night hosted at Dwayne Lane's at Island Crossing usually. That event "has had to be re-thought as well," said Deisher-Allen. The foundation plans to hold a virtual auction and wine event on Jan. 21 with more details coming out soon, she said.
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December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
Arlington provides assistance to businesses Arlington has handed out nearly $350,000 in business grants and $3,600 in utility payment relief In support of the local businesses that are critical for the local economy and local culture, last week the city of Arlington distributed $97,300 to 33 Arlington businesses, bringing the total amount of Arlington business rent/COVID-19 relief grants to $349,363. In addition, the city granted utility payment relief to Arlington businesses that applied, totaling $5,600. Funding provided by the CARES Act. Businesses can stay informed of these opportunities by following the city of Arlington e-newsletter and social media, and following Stilly Valley Chamber of Commerce news; updates and opportunities are also posted on city of Arlington and the Stilly Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Washington State Department of Commerce webpages.  Arlington mayor and staff have been working in conjunction with the Stilly Valley Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Arlington Business Association, Main Street Committee, and the Economic Recovery Committee to implement ways to support businesses since the Washington State mandates took effect. The city encourages businesses to take part in these meetings. Stilly Valley Chamber of Commerce Director Mandy Kruger said, “We are grateful for the city’s full partnership and collaboration to ensure we have a menu of items to support our businesses during this challenging time. All our business are important to the culture of our community.� For information on meetings, contact Sarah Lopez at slopez@arlingtonwa. gov or 360-403-3448. As conditions have changed during this last year, the city has responded by consulting directly with business leaders. The Mayor’s Economic Recovery committee, consisting of business owners, set out a purchasing guide for protective equipment and supplies early on. The Chamber recently distributed a number of PPE kits from Snohomish County. A recent initiative to support retail, was the creation of an online marketplace exclusively featuring Arlington businesses. The Chamber received CARES funding from the city to
valleychamber.com. The shop local campaign will carry on through next year. To support the restaurants and dining, the city deployed additional outdoor dining areas to the downtown, including an outdoor eatery www.arlingtonoutdooreatery.com at Legion Park with ordering options, and tables in plaza areas on main street. The city also created comprehensive restaurant rack cards and 10-minute parking signage for take-out. The Arlington City Council passed an ordinance to allow for outdoor eating in parking stalls. Restaurants can apply to create additional outdoor areas by contacting the city. Restaurants can also sell gift
create the online marketplace, Shop Local Arlington www.shoplocalarlington.com, that businesses can join for free. Businesses, including retail, restaurants and services, can sell products and gift cards on the marketplace. The chamber is promoting shopping local and at the marketplace by producing a series of video advertisements featuring local small businesses, and working with a social media influencer to create Arlington gift guides and expand marketing. Businesses can register to join the marketplace by going to www. shoplocalarlington.com, or contacting Chamber Executive Director, Mandy Kruger, at mandy@stilly-
cards or link to their own online ordering platforms through www.shoplocalarlington.com. The city supports and hosts downtown events to draw people downtown for commerce and provide community. This year, volunteers and staff spent time imagining ways to create Hometown Holidays in a meaningful way that still attracted people to town. The Chamber of Commerce extended the Farmers Market into December as another attraction for downtown commerce.   Arlington has enlisted additional help with the economic recovery. WSU Extension has been assisting implementation of these initiatives and study-
ing innovative ways to mobilize during this business crisis. There are also business experts ready to help, including WA Small Business Development Center, SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), and NW Innovation Resource Center. These are free services available to businesses. SCORE business mentors are ready to discuss any questions or ideas. Business owners are encouraged to reach out with any concern. Contact information is available at www.arlingtonwa.gov/CO-
VIDbusiness. Now is the time to hear your suggestions for business sustainability in Arlington. This crisis is an opportunity to collaborate with other businesses and create a sustainable future for small business. “The most important thing right now is that we hear your ideas and how we can partner with you,� said Mayor Barb Tolbert. Please email the Mayor at btolbert@arlingtonwa.gov, or call 360403-3441, to set up an appointment to meet with the Mayor and staff.
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December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
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COVID-19 cases continue upward trend By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com
COVID-19 case rates in Snohomish County have increased for the 11th week in a row as officials remain concerned about hospital capacity in the coming weeks. The two-week average for the daily case rate per 100,000 people has reached 428 cases, more than triple the prior largest peak during the spring time. As of early December, there were 52 active cases in Tulalip and 345 active cases in Arlington, which is more than at any other point of the pandemic. As of Dec. 3 Marysville's case rate climbed to more than 450 cases per 100,000 people. During a Dec. 8 briefing, Snohomish Health Officer Chris Spitters said the majority of the cases were in 20- to 49-year-olds with close contact with a known case. "This means people are getting COVID from someone they know or from their family or in community settings like work, church or social settings," he said. "This is why we're seeing an increase in the number of outbreaks." The county's outreach to COVID-19 patients has slowed be-
cause of the number of cases. "The continued surge in cases and outbreaks combined with technical delays from the state has hampered our ability to get in touch with newly confirmed cases," said Spitters, although the county's contact numbers are still at the state average. As of Dec. 10 there were 97 people currently hospitalized for COVID-19, with three more suspected to have COVID-19. Fourteen individuals were experiencing respiratory failure. The death totals are now mirroring the death totals from the spring peak. "Hospitalizations have been relatively stable over the last week or two," said Spitters. "While the lack of increase is slim relief, we really need to get that down to get our healthcare system back in shape." The current number of cases is limiting hospital services. "The problem is that the cases are still putting the acute care facilities under stress and limiting the other kinds of services those facilities can provide," said Spitters. If the Thanksgiving weekend had an effect on the case rate it would still be a little early to see that, said Spitters. He expects if there is a rise we will begin to see
Happy Holi-
those effects the week of Dec. 14. With case rates continuing to increase, Spitters said he is in favor of continuing restriction measures. "We haven't seen a dramatic bending of the curve because of those [restrictions]," said Spitters. "However, we don't have the counterfactual, meaning what would the curve look like if we hadn't imposed those restrictions." As the U.S. Congress continues to debate a second coronavirus relief bill officials are still concerned about funding ending on Dec. 31. "All the work we've talked about, the purchases of PPE, the distribution of that, the purchases of food from our farmers, getting that to families, storage and every effort we've taken on the last eight months has been made possible from the CARES Act funding dollars," said Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. "We desperately need Congress to provide additional flexibility and resources." Spitters said the pandemic is not going to be over anytime soon, so a second round of federal funding is needed. "We obviously can't stop our efforts on Jan. 1. We have a long way to go and we need that fed-
COURTESY IMAGE
The COVID-19 case rates per 100,000 people for Snohomish County and Marysville from March to early December.
eral assistance to keep continuing all these activities that are focused on the disease control effort," he said. The number of individuals and families needing assistance continues to be a worry as well, said Somers. "Those that are out of work, or working from home, have childcare needs, those that can't pay their rent, those populations are only going to grow," he said. Snohomish County continues to plan for a vaccine and was chosen by the state Department of Health to run a mock vaccine distribution to provide a trial run.
"We appreciate your patience as we unveil the details as they become available to us," said Spitters. Officials have put together an 'interim plan' for distribution. The distribution of the vaccine is currently divided into multiple phases, with the first phase being provided to those deemed the highest priority, including the highest risk healthcare workers, long-term care facility staff and first responders. The county's interim plan is available at the Snohomish Health District website at snohd. org/564.
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Parents share feedback about Arlington schools By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Arlington parents and community members gave feedback about where they hope the district can improve and what they liked about their schools during a Community Voices meeting on Dec. 10. The district tries to hold gatherings frequently to connect with local parents, however because of the pandemic this meeting was held online. "This is an opportunity for us to listen and learn to benefit the students of Arlington," said Arlington School District Superintendent Chrys Sweeting. "We cannot do this work in isolation. We need to gather together to address the solution. We need to develop solutions and monitor results." Parent Brianna Moon was appreciative of the efforts teachers were putting into schools this year. "Just the amount of work that the teachers have been doing to make even things like the supply pickup a fun experience," she said. She hoped that online classes would have some more one-on-one time though. Moon also hoped the district's communications
Legal Notices LEGAL NOTICE SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DANNY LEE GERRER, Deceased, NO. 20-4-01773-31, 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: December 9, 2020. Personal Representative: Ernest Wayne Gerrer Attorney for Personal Representative: Bradley E. Neunzig, WSBA #22365 Address for Mailing or Service: P.O. Box 188, 103 North Street, Arlington, WA 98223 Court of probate proceedings and cause number: Snohomish County Superior Court, Cause No. 20-4-01773-31.
were more streamlined, especially when they publish a lengthy report or document without a summary available anywhere. "It would be nice to have some kind of forum for parents to talk on to help with the classrooms," she said. Moon said she thought the district has, so far, brought back school safely. "The district has done a good job with all the safety measures that are in place," she said. The district worked with a committee of 60 people last spring on their reopening plan. "They worked diligently to create a plan that would meet the safety guidelines necessary to reopening schools," said Sweeting. The plan is available on the school's website, although Sweeting noted that it is a fluid plan. "It is changing all the time, so it is updated frequently," she said. Parents hoped that a broad range of school programs could be built up more. "The one thing we came to at the end was the vocational skills and how we need to continue to put efforts into the vocational skills so that we are the leaders in the county for that," said parent Rob Wagy.
Parent Travis Marsh hoped the district could improve upon student's understanding of diversity issues. We need "racial justice, equity and our multicultural classes, so that we're not insulated but preparing our students to go out in a multicultural world," he said. "That's prominent right now and it's going to continue to be something we need to prepare our students for." Local parent Stefanie Rix said she hopes some form of middle school preparedness is built in for this year's fifth graders. "Some of the people in our group had fifth graders last year, and unfortunately they really missed out on opportunities to prepare for moving into middle school," she said. "Of course this spring was completely unprecedented." Sarah Frisbie, PTA President at President's Elementary, said she hoped Arlington School District would bring in their own highlycapable program. She also hopes for more emotional support for kids. "I would love Arlington to have some other programs for our children's mental and emotional health," said Frisbie. "Now a lot of their bedrooms have been turned
Sun, Moon and Tides in Snohomish County
Wednesday, December 16, through Tuesday, December 22 Wednesday, December 16 Sunrise 7:53 am • Sunset 4:16 pm
Sunrise 7:55 am • Sunset 4:17 pm
Thursday,December 17 Sunrise 7:54 am • Sunset 4:16 pm
Monday, December 21
7:00 am 12:43 pm 5:03 pm
12:30 am 7:46 am 1:41 pm 5:54 pm
High Tide Low Tide High Tide
Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide
12.3 ft 6.7 ft 10.6 ft
-2.6 ft 12.3 ft 6.6 ft 9.9 ft
Friday, December 18 Sunrise 7:54 am • Sunset 4:16 pm 1:16 am 8:31 am 2:42 pm 6:49 pm
Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide
-1.9 ft 12.1 ft 6.3 ft 9.1 ft
Saturday, December 19 Sunrise 7:55 am • Sunset 4:17 pm 2:02 am 9:16 am 3:47 pm 7:51 pm
Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide
-09 ft 11.9 ft 5.8 ft 8.3 ft
Sunday, December 20 2:49 am 9:59 am 4:56 pm 9:03 pm
Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide
0.3 ft 11.6 ft 5.2 ft 7.6 ft
First Quarter Sunrise 7:56 am • Sunset 4:18 pm 3:59 am 10:41 am 6:01 pm 10:28 pm
Low Tide High Tide Low Tide High Tide
1.6 ft 11.3 ft 4.4 ft 7.1 ft
Tuesday, December 22 Sunrise 7:56 am • Sunset 4:18 pm
4:33 am 11:21 am 6:56 pm
Low Tide High Tide Low Tide
into their classrooms and that has been a much harder transition on the majority of our children," she said. Sweeting said the district's board of directors is reviewing their mental health programs soon. "We're going to have a director share results of a survey students took this fall and take a look at the curriculum for social and emotional support," she said. "There is more to do and you're right, we need to do more." The district's Community Voices meetings are opportunities for parents to voice their feedback and Sweeting said they hope to hold another meeting later this school year as well.
Pet Lil’ Ninja
Lil Ninja is a 10 month old male Labrador Retriever mix. Lil Ninja is a high energy boy who thinks he know the moves but really is all just legs! He’s a goofy teen, ready to take on the world! He is fearless and up for any adventure. He does not understand his size so may not be suitable for a home with young children since he is HIGHLY likely to bowl them over. He would benefit from structure and training. With a little work, he’s sure to stealthily steal your heart. Not suited for apartment living. NO CATS. Weighs 61 lbs. I AM AVAILABLE BY APPOINTMENT. Please call and leave a message that you are interested in me. The adoptions team will be calling people back in the order calls are received to perform over the phone interviews to make sure an animal is the right fit for your family. Once you are an approved adopter for the pet, an adoption appointment will be set up. Please be patient, we have limited staff due to the COVID 19 crisis so it may take us a few days to get back to all interested parties. Open Monday - Friday, 11-6 and weekends from 11-5. 31300 Brandstrom Road • Stanwood • 360-629-7055 Visit us on the web at www.thenoahcenter.org email: adopt@thenoahcenter.org
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Building A Bond For Life.
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29 ft 11.1 ft 3.5 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.
December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
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Opinion
December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
n BEING FRANK
Time for fish-killing dams to go
It’s time to get rid of the Electron Hydroelectric Dam on the Puyallup River that has been killing salmon, steelhead, bull trout and other fish for more than a century. It is so old that it escapes most regulatory oversight and would never be allowed to be built today. A last straw came in July when the dam’s owners, Electron Hydro, placed nearly 2,500 yards of old, degraded and unapproved artificial turf in the river to cushion the liner of a new diversion channel. The channel was part of a renovation project to remove the current dam and replace it with an inflatable rubber barrier. High flows ripped open the liner and scattered the artificial turf downriver. Adding to the damage was crumb rubber in the material that came loose, dumping cubic yards of toxic plastic pellets into the river that have traveled far downstream, threatening human health, fish and wildlife. The spill could be especially damaging to threatened spring chinook and harm the tribe’s treaty protected fishing rights. Making matters worse, dam operators killed hundreds of salmon, bull trout and other fish on July 29, when they dewatered the dam’s forebay to remove accumulated silt. The Puyallup Tribe had advised Electron Hydro that sediment
Lorraine Loomis
needed to be removed more often. When that didn’t happen, the tribe recommended additional steps to protect the fish, but was ignored. These events were the most recent and clear-cut damages to salmon and other species caused by the dam that was built in 1904. It has a long history of poor fish passage, which puts threatened spring chinook, bull trout and steelhead at risk. The Puyallup Tribe objected in 2014 when Puget Sound Energy sold the dam to Electron Hydro, which has consistently demonstrated a poor record of complying with terms of the sale. The Electron Dam isn’t much to look at. It’s only about 12 feet tall and it has no reservoir behind it like the huge dams on the Columbia River. The river is fed by rain, melting snow, glaciers and tributary creeks flowing from Mount Rainer. The dam’s headworks are 10 miles upriver from the Electron power plant. Water is diverted into a flume to the forebay of the dam
where it settles and drains into penstocks. The water then drops about 900 feet to the power plant’s turbines. Fish that make it to the forebay are supposed to be collected in a trap and hauled around the dam, but many are killed when they get sucked into the powerhouse. All to provide electricity to only about 20,000 homes. Stop work orders have been issued requiring Electron Hydro to clean up the debris and stabilize the site for winter. In late November, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed a civil suit against the company for violating the federal Clean Water Act. Several other lawsuits are pending. Given Electron Hydro’s track record and no oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that oversees most dam operations, it’s difficult to have much confidence that a new dam would be a significant improvement or that its operation would not continue to harm the fish, wildlife and people who depend on the river. Being Frank is a monthly column written by the chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. As a statement from the NWIFC chair, the column represents the natural resources management interests and concerns of the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington.
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RAVE RAVE: A big shout out to Arlington High School's Flight Choir for their great performance last weekend. They found a creative way to provide much needed entertainment to the community while keeping everyone safe.
small lighted tree for my dad who lives in a care facility (I'll be able to see neither this holiday). I certainly didn't expect it and I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to properly thank you but I truly appreciate your generosity. I will pay it forward!
RAVE: I wanted to send a heartfelt thanks and Happy Holidays to the incredibly kind person ahead of me at Fred Meyer that purchased my groceries which included a gift card for my niece and a
RAVE: Thank you to the organizers and volunteers of Marysville's Toy Store who helped so many local families have a Merry Christmas. And thank you to everyone who donated to this great event.
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TOY STORE Continued from page 1
"We wanted to still do it because it was important to our community," said Veley. "It was not without stressful moments, but I'm proud that we did it and made it through." Last year the program served about 1,100 children and this year there were more than 2,000 kids registered. Not all registered families show up, so the final numbers are still being counted, but Veley said they were "definitely higher" than last year. Veley said she enjoys the community of people who come out to help each year. "My favorite part is working with the volunteers because there's always such a
FLIGHT Continued from page 1
The outside drive-in concert was broadcast directly to car radios for audience members so they could stay in their vehicles. "We got a radio transmitter so we transmitted through everyone's radios in their cars and it seems to have worked," said Forslund. To keep the performers safe from each other they all wore pods that enclosed the top half of their bodies, an idea that Forslund said she got from her mother. "I was trying to keep the microphones dry while having the kids move around while still being safe," she said. The pods were also inlaid with Christmas lights able to switch between colors to give them a lighted glow. The lights were donated by a local parent. Finding the best way to do the concert safely was the biggest challenge, said Arlington High School Flight member Carter Kikuchi. "Trying to get this approved and finding out how we could do this," he said. "I didn't even think the pods were a thing before [the teacher] found them." Because of the condensation in the air and the enclosed nature, the pods
spirit of giving," she said. Volunteers also said they are glad to come out to help. "I think it's an amazing way to support families in need and what a better way to celebrate Christmas than to do this or something like this. That's why I'm here," said volunteer Linda Clark. "I just wanted to help out. I've worked on a toy drive many years ago and I wanted to come out again to help," said volunteer Melissa Abelian. Veley encourages people to get involved in community service if they want to support their community. She said she also enjoys helping families which is why she supports the toy store each year. "This morning I checked themselves made the performance difficult as well. "The pods were definitely the biggest challenge. You can't really see or hear," said Arlington High School Flight member Hannah Marsh. Because of the pandemic there wasn't much rehearsal time available to the choir who only rehearsed five times before the actual show. "They put in so much work without me really being there to help them," said Forslund. Students had to independently learn their parts before the show. "So we really just pulled this show through individual work and coming together with just a couple rehearsals," said Marsh. The choir members also had to depend on each other more for the actual performance. "Usually you can feed off the audience's energy but when it's just cars you're just up there with everyone else on stage," said Arlington High School Flight member Will Litton. Even though the concert was very different from anything the school had done before, students said they thought it came together well. "I was kind of skeptical to see how it would really work. It's easy to say we're going to do a drive-in style concert
our Facebook Toy Store page and there was a 'thank you' note from a mother who said it meant so much in these uncertain times to have the help," said Veley. Because of the number of lost jobs and high unemployment, Veley said organizers expected many families to come out. "We know every year that there are families hurting, and uncertain if they can afford Christmas gifts," she said. "It's been a tough year for everyone." Even the donations were falling behind this year. "There was a time a few weeks ago I was worried," said Veley, because of registrations climbing fast and donations lagging behind. "So many people in our
and I wasn't sure we would be able to pull it off, but I think we really did," said Litton. "I really thought it was going to be so slow and dragged out, but it went really fast," said Marsh. Students said they were just glad to be able to do a performance again. "I was so happy we were even able to do a Christmas show," said Kikuchi. "I'm a senior so this is my last Christmas show and I was just really hoping we could pull of something," said Marsh, who added she was glad to be able to provide entertainment when so many people are going through tough times. "I think the community really needs something right now, so just to be able to give back in this way is just really cool," she said. Forslund wanted to thank school staff and parents who helped bring the concert together and she wanted to recognize the amount of extra work that choir members put in to be able to do this concert.
December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
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I think that this was an incredibly challenging year. We had to rethink every aspect of the toy store.
____
Christie Veley
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community have stepped up to give," she said, and both business and individual donations helped the organization put on this year's toy store. "Thank you to the volunteers and the community for the continued love you give to the program," said Veley.
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON
Marysville Toy Store volunteer Melissa Abelian puts one of the bags of gifts into the back of a car during one of the program's distribution days on Dec. 10.
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December 16, 2020 - December 22, 2020 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK
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n WHISTLING GARDENER
Give the gift that keeps on giving - A live plant There isn’t a into bloom and day that goes by decorate your that I don’t regarden at a time ceive yet another when the days email listing are dark and long the “top 25 gifts and the hope for for gardeners”, By Steve Smith another bright which invariably spring is still far includes a whole host of off in the future. Here are garden gadgets like kneeler some of my favorite winter pads that double as stadi- blooming choices. um cushions, “Swiss Army” Camellia sasanqua — gardening knives that have Winter blooming camellias a plethora of attachments, start blooming as early as bird feeders that propel November and continue on squirrels off into space, through late winter. I have pruning shears that are two ‘Pink-A-Boo’ varieties so tough they can be used in containers flanking my to cut open the combina- double garage door that are tion lock you forgot the smothered with buds as we combination to, and so on speak, many of which are and so forth. These are all starting to crack color - it is wonderful gifts (some of such a cheery sight to drive which I have to confess, we up to after a hard day’s work probably sell at our retail at the office. ‘Chansonette’ gardener center) that may is a double dark pink variindeed last a lifetime, but ety that is currently in full for the most part once the bloom at the nursery and shine has worn off, will be a real show stopper. There relegated to some dark cor- are lots of other wonderful ner of the tool shed. If you varieties to check out too. are looking for a gift that Skimmia japonica — will keep on giving year This is an evergreen shadeafter year, then why not loving small shrub that only consider a winter bloom- grows about 2 to 3 feet tall ing plant? Each year at the with dark green leaves that same time, they will come form a nice, tight mound.
The flowers on the male selection are quite showy this time of year and the female version sports bright red berries in the winter. Arbutus unedo ‘compacta’ — Known as Compact Strawberry Bush, this relative of our native Madrona is a total winner with its white bell-shaped flowers, round, bright orange fruit, glossy evergreen leaves, and exfoliating bark— all of which add up to a real winter standout. It will form a large shrub or if limbed up, an attractive multi-stemmed small tree. Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ — This relative of our native Oregon grape is a tough-as-nails winter bloomer that is a total hummingbird magnet with its bright yellow blossoms. The foliage is coarse (I prefer to describe it as texturally attractive) and a bit prickly, which makes it a good candidate to plant under your teenage daughter’s bedroom window. Pieris japonica — All forms of Andromedas are landscape workhorses for northwest gardeners. They
The Pieris japonica will color-up as early as January or February.. start showing their buds in late fall and will color-up as early as January or February — the flower colors range from pure white to dark pink and red. The newer forms like the Tiki series from Monrovia are more compact and better suited for smaller gardens.
There are other winter interest plants that will brighten up a garden in the dead of winter that can be found at your favorite garden center in December. They will be artfully arranged for your viewing pleasure and inspiration. Consider a live plant as a
COURTESY PHOTO
gift this year, it is truly the gift that will keep on giving. Stay safe and keep on gardening.
Steve Smith is the owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached at sunnysidenursery@msn.com.