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Real People. Real Life.
P.O. BOX 39 n MARYSVILLE, WA 98270
www.northcountyoutlook.com
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.