March 3, 2021 North County Outlook by The North County Outlook

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Vol. 14 No. 25 n March 3, 2021 - March 9, 2021

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

Police, local businesses team up to repair, return stolen mobility device By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com

Marie Hartwell’s electricassisted tricycle allowed her to exercise and get around Marysville until it was stolen last year. Police recovered it in a severely damaged condition and worked with local businesses to repair and return it to Hartwell last month. Hartwell lives with peripheral artery disease, diabetes and bone spurs in her hips. Because of previous heart attacks and her health problems she can’t do most types of weight-bearing exercises, and the adult tricycle helps her stay active. “It helps me because I get my exercise, but if I get too tired or have heart issues, I just turn the motor on,” and drive home, said Hartwell. The device also helps her

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSSON

Marysville Police Commander Mark Thomas, right, and Marie Hartwell, left, check out her electric assisted tricycle that was returned to her on Feb. 26 after it had been stolen. maintain her independence around town. “Since I can’t drive anymore this allows me to go to the grocery store, go to

my son’s house and babysit my grandson, and take care of things like that, without having my husband drive me,” she said.

However, late last year Hartwell had her tricycle stolen. See TRICYCLE on page 2

Lakewood schools propose $19 million levy for April vote By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Lakewood School District voters will decide in April on a $19 million three-year levy meant to provide staff and, safety and educational programs to the district. An "educational programs and operations levy" provides for a wide range of things in a school district and Lakewood officials want to use the levy money on nurses, teachers, support staff, athletic programs, safety and security, and other programs. Most school districts in the state have an educational program and operations levy which helps districts pay for support staff beyond the funding they are given from the state. “Lakewood has been approving these levies since at least the early ‘90s,” said

Scott Peacock, Lakewood School District Superintendent. However, in 2020 the school district had trouble passing their levy. That year they had proposed a $27 million fouryear levy and it was rejected in February 2020 with 44.99 percent approval and voted down again in August 2020 with 46.14 percent approval. District officials have come forward with a new levy proposal that is shorter and less costly. “The total proposition is over $8 million less than what was previously proposed,” said Peacock. Part of the cost reduction is because the length is reduced by a year, but the total amount asked per year is also reduced. “We’ve made reductions this past year so we’re func-

See LEVY on page 5

Sno-Isle Libraries begin reopening process Limited in-person services available at some libraries, including computer access at the Marysville Library By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Sno-Isle Libraries is beginning the process of reopening with limited in-person services at Marysville Library and other libraries in the system. Arlington Library will have to wait longer into the pandemic recovery before inperson services return there, but computer services are now available at the Marysville Library and the Lakewood/Smokey Point Library has in-person services planned for the near future. Under Gov. Jay Inslee’s reopening plan, public libraries can begin in-person servic-

es while adhering to some prescribed safety measures. “We’ve been following all the state guidelines,” said Kurt Batdorf, communications specialist with the Sno-Isle Libraries. The library system has been planning for a reopening for some time and looking how to do it safely, he said. Because libraries were allowed under Inslee’s plan, Batdorf said Sno-Isle Libraries felt now was the right time to begin the reopening process. “Really, it was the Governor’s guidelines that have allowed us to begin reopening,” he said. The library system still wants to do so in a way that will be safe for employees and See LIBRARIES on page 5

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Library visitor Daniel Dooley uses one of the in-person computer stations available at the Marysville Library.

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Communities TRICYCLE Continued from page 1

“I was devastated. We had a couple of car break-ins and they had stolen my mobility scooter the week before, and then they came and took this out of the back yard,” said Hartwell. The electric assisted tricycle is fairly expensive and would be difficult to replace, she said. Marysville Police Officer Seiya Kitchens responded to the initial call about the theft. “He took the original theft report and had a strong feeling we would find it somewhere just because it was so unique that it stood out,” according to Marysville Police Department Commander Mark Thomas. Officer Kitchens put together a briefing document that would eventually help retrieve the tricycle. Marysville Police Officer Dan Vinson was on patrol when he spotted it. “We had received bulletins on it so I immediately recognized it,” said Vinson. “The bike was traveling down 64th Street at about 35 miles per hour. The suspect was really flying because it was downhill."

However, when police recovered the tricycle it had been damaged. “It was in really poor condition. The seat was missing. They had covered up portions of the bike with spray paint,” said Vinson. The tricycle had been painted in many spots and the electronics were damaged. “I went out to the property room, looked at the bike, met with Marie, and knew that returning the bike in that condition was not a win for anybody,” said Thomas. Thomas reached out to the Marysville Bike Shop and Roy Robinson Subaru who agreed to repair and restore the tricycle. “They brought it in and it had been damaged. The suspect had hotwired it to try to make it work,” said Jenny Olson, owner of Marysville Bike Shop. Olson said they try to support different types of transportation and the community. “Bad things happen and we usually try to help people as we can,” she said. After the Marysville Bike Shop staff stripped the tricycle down, they sent it to Roy Robinson Subaru for a new paint job.

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“I took all of the old white paint off and scuffed it all for the painter,” said Dan Winter, an employee with Roy Robinson Subaru. “I took in on myself when it showed up at the dealership,” he said, adding he did a little bit of the work each night. Afterward, the tricycle was brought back to Marysville Bike Shop to restore the electronics, which took a little longer than had been originally anticipated. “The manufacturer was really behind on that little electronic component between the handlebars because of COVID,” said Thomas. “We were hoping to get it back to her by Christmas, then we were hoping by New Year.” Instead, police officials and local businesses came together to return the tricycle on Feb. 26, about a week before Hartwell’s birthday. She brought out cake and coffee to thank the community members for returning the tricycle. “I really appreciate the Marysville Police Department, Roy Robinson Subaru and the Marysville Bike Shop,” she said.

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Communities

March 3, 2021 - March 9, 2021 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

County continues vaccine outreach efforts By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com Snohomish County is preparing more vaccine outreach and a new appointment system as local vaccination efforts continue. “We’re really focusing on vaccinating as many of our residents as quickly as possible,” said County Executive Dave Somers during a Feb. 23 press briefing. “It’s really frustrating for all of us not to have more dependable supplies every week. It makes it difficult to plan, but we are optimistic it will get better with time and as the impacts from the storm diminish." During the week of Feb. 15 a total of 25,000 doses of the vaccine were administered in Snohomish County. In total, that means 92,000 county residents have received their first dose and 29,000 have been fully vaccinated. About half of the vaccinations have been done at the county and Snohomish Health District’s mass vaccination sites. The winter storm that affected most of the continental U.S. also disrupted the supply chain for vaccine doses. “There were shipment delays because of winter weather in many parts of the country,” said Chris Spitters, Snohomish Health District Health Officer. Some local sites had to close because of the snow. “We’ve had wind blow over tents and staff scrambling in the middle of the night to set those back up and resume operations in the morning,” said Jason Biermann, director of the county’s Department of Emergency Management. The county has also been dealing with rumors that

the mass vaccination sites are first come, first serve, however Snohomish County sites are appointment only. “When we have folks show up without appointments or show up who aren’t eligible, that can overload the system,” said Biermann, who added the county has done more outreach to groups that are eligible and to get the word out about how to make appointments. County officials plan to start a test of a new appointment system soon and open it to the public after that. The new system is meant to “vastly improve people’s ability to get signed up for first and then second doses,” said Biermann. The county has also been working to keep consistent times for their clinics. In addition, for those who would prefer to call rather than making an appointment on the internet, additional staff is coming to help the county’s call center. Outreach with "community-based clinics" is in the process of being planned. Biermann said the county will be using the phrase "community-based clinics" as opposed to "pop-up clinics." “We don’t want to give the impression that these will be surprise events and anyone who is around can get the vaccine,” he said. The clinics will still only be available to those eligible to get a vaccine under the current vaccination phase. The effort is part of a broader initiative to reach out to traditionally marginalized groups. “We do know that BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] communities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19,” said Biermann.

“Executive Somers, along with some others, reached out and we had a forum with a number of these groups,” he said. Somers said some groups have access issues or cultural issues and the outreach is meant to make sure everyone who wants it has access to the vaccine. “What we’re doing is communicating with those groups and asking them how best to get to their communities,” he said. Snohomish County continues to lag behind the other larger counties in the state in vaccinations per 10,000 people. Part of the reason is that Snohomish County did not receive larger supplies of the vaccine initially because the county has fewer healthcare facilities than other area counties. “Per capita King County and Pierce County have a lot more healthcare providers and long-term care facilities,” said Spitters. He noted that county officials are focused on what they can do locally. “We’re in a race against the virus, not our neighbors,” said Spitters. “We’re focused on Snohomish County and moving us forward as fast as we can." The COVID-19 case rate continues to decrease in the county as the most recent two-week average of the daily case rate was 119 per 100,000 people. The peak of the most recent wave saw a case rate of 444 per 100,000 people in late December. Locally, Arlington saw a decrease in cases in February from its previuos peak, and their latest numbers showed 397 active cases. Tulalip has 0 active cases

Arlington’s number of active cases from March 2020 to February 2021. as of Feb. 26. “So that is a 75 percent drop off from the peak and continued progress getting to our ultimate goal,” said Spitters. A case rate of 25 per 100,000 people was set as the target for a full reopening in spring of last year. “Now, only 2 of 17 skilled nursing facilities have had a case in the building in the last 28 days,” said Spitters. “There are several reasons contributing to the improvement, although it is hard to tell how much is due to each factor." For the short term, Spitters said he is optimistic but didn’t want to speculate about what the future holds for the county. Currently, no one knows how long the vaccines provided will prove effective for.

The effectiveness begins at 7 to 14 days initially. “How long that lasts afterward, only time will tell,” he said. “I would not be surprised if we need periodic, annual

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or thereabouts, boosters for COVID-19, based on waning immunity or changes in strains that are circulating. Much like we experience with our annual influenza vaccine,” he said.

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Communities

March 3, 2021- March 9, 2021 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

Some high school sports return By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com

As local high school sports return most bleacher sections will be empty but Arlington High School’s volleyball team will have cutouts ready for their games. It’s been almost a year since WESCO Athletics held games or matches for any school sports, however directors recently approved the return of sports competitions. Practice began Feb. 22 for football, cross country, girls swim and dive, volleyball, boys tennis and girls soccer. Matches we slated to begin March 1. Some school groups such

as band and cheerleaders will be allowed at the games, but other spectators will not at this time. "We are beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to play volleyball this spring,” said Lauren Amundson, coach of the Arlington High School volleyball team. “While it may look different, we are choosing to focus on the positives and providing opportunities to play while keeping everyone safe." Because of the lack of spectators, local parents got together to find ways to still show their support. “WESCO made a decision that there would be no spectators,” said Kelly Peder-

son, a local parent and member of the Arlington High School Booster Club. “As a result a couple of the parents came together and thought ‘well, what can we do to brighten up this weirdness.'" Pederson said they got the idea of providing fan cutouts that could be put up in the stands. “There was a lot of professional sports teams already using these cutouts, so we thought ‘why not us,’” she said. Amundson said she was glad supporters will still have some presence at the matches. “We will sincerely miss having our friends, families

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and fans in the stands but look forward to seeing their smiling faces on big fan cutouts,” she said. “This is a fun way to keep them connected and ‘present’ in a unique year." The booster club worked with a company in Texas to order the cutouts. They’ve sent in the order and Pederson said the hope is that they will arrive by the first volleyball match on March 3. “We’ll set all the cutouts where people are normally standing at the games,” said Pederson. “It feels like we’ve got a lot of good feedback and many people have already ordered." Pederson, who is a parent of one of the volleyball players, said they are excited for the cutouts. “They think it’s going to be fun. They didn’t think it was going to be dorky, and I had to ask because sometimes as adults we come up with ideas that teenagers don’t end up liking,” she said. Arlington High School students are planning to broadcast local sports game for those who still want to watch them live. “We are also very thankful to the AHS Journalism program, which will be live-streaming our matches on Eagle News Media," said Amundson.

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Coaches vs. Cancer events go virtual this year By Christopher Andersson christopher@northcountyoutlook.com The annual Arlington Coaches vs. Cancer program will be held with virtual programs and a donation drivethru this year. The Coaches vs. Cancer game is organized by the Arlington Boys Basketball Booster Club and is meant to support local community members going through cancer and to raise awareness. “Arlington Boys Basketball Booster Club is taking our annual Coaches vs. Cancer outside this year,” said Caryn Brown, a member of the booster club and local parent. Brown said the event has, for more than a decade now, brought the community together and helped raise funds. Like most other events, because of the COVID-19 pandemic they have had to plan for a unique year. “We didn’t want to let this go this year. We feel like our players and community look forward to it,” said Brown. “We still want to raise funds for the American Cancer Society." Proceeds from the Coaches vs. Cancer event go to the American Cancer So-

ciety and to the Coaches vs. Cancer scholarship, which provides some college funds for a teenager who has had to deal with cancer in some form during their life. The program this year will hold a couple of virtual events, and a drive-thru donation center. On March 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the club will be running a drive-thru textile drive as well as raising funds. Items accepted include gently used clothes, shoes, bedding, toys and electric items. That donation center will be at the NAPA Auto Center at 220 N. West Ave., Arlington. “The Dick’s Drive-In Food Truck is going to set up in the parking lot as well,” said Brown. The popular Seattle-based restaurant has had a food truck active since December 2020. “They are donating the proceeds of their sells to Coaches vs. Cancer,” said Brown. Besides the drive-thru donation center, the club will also organize a virtual 5K and one-mile fun run which will be held from March 6 to 27. “Typically we would have that in the gym,” said Brown. Those interested in signing up can go to coachesvscancer.itsyourrace.com. On March 6, at 7 p.m., the club will also hold a virtual “bandigo” event over Zoom. The game combines music trivia and bingo and will include prizes. The event is free but participants are required to register. Those interested should e-mail carynbrown@ frontier.com with ‘CvC Bandigo’ in the subject line by March 5. The Coaches vs. Cancer program is an annual tradition for the local boys basketball club. “This will be our 11th year,” said Brown. “It started when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. They wanted to help raise awareness of those who have dealt with cancer, those who have lost a loved one, or for students who are dealing with it in their families." Since then the team usually holds one game a year where they wear pink and raise awareness. “I have enjoyed seeing the impact it has made on the teenage boys. When we started 10 years ago getting the boys to wear pink was unheard of,” said Brown. The club typically highlights ‘honorary coaches’ each year who are local community members, usually who are dealing with cancer themselves. More information about the Coaches vs. Cancer program can be found at their Facebook page at facebook. com/ahscoachesvscancer.

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LEVY Continued from page 1

tioning more efficiently,” said Peacock. In 2020, the last year the previous levy was paid, property owners paid $2.18 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Under the new levy they would pay an estimated $1.80 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2022 and the two years after. Peacock said the reduced levy amount was also in consideration of the current economic climate due to the pandemic. “The school board worked really hard to craft this with the knowledge of the hardships of the community right now,” he said. District officials hope the levy passes in April so they can plan their budget with

LIBRARIES Continued from page 1

those coming in for books as well. “We’ve been very transparent with staff and listening to their concerns,” said Batdorf. “The safety of our staff and safety of our customers is the most important priority to us." The new reopening program for libraries will be called "Grab ‘n’ Go" and will allow customers wearing face masks a maximum of 30 minutes to browse books or use library services, such as computers. The number of library visitors will be limited as well if too many people come to the library at the same time. In preparation for inperson services, air ventilation systems have been improved at libraries and staff will regularly wipe down surfaces that are "hightouch surfaces." The library district already quarantines returned materials before returning them to circulation for 24 hours, which is a guideline from the CDC. Sno-Isle Libraries officials wanted to make sure to continue contact-free services as well, said Batdorf, so online pickup options and laptop checkout services will remain at all libraries. In-person services at the local libraries will return at different times however. “All 23 libraries are completely different facilities,” said Batdorf. Arlington Library was one of the four libraries in the system that is not planned to be part of the Grab ‘n’ Go program at this time. “In order to offer both in-person services and contact free-services we have to

the funds this summer. “Parents want a sense of certainly come this fall, especially after this year,” said Peacock. Because of the levy rejections in 2020 the school district faced a budget shortfall for this year. Rather than cut programs they opted to use their reserve funds, a pool of savings that school districts typically keep in case of emergencies. This year $3.3 million of the district’s reserve funds were used, but the district cannot afford to do that next year. “We still have to look ahead to the 2021-22 school year should the levy not pass,” said Peacock. They are looking at budget reductions in the range of $2.5 million next school year and $3.4 million the year after that without the funds

from the levy, he said. If the new levy proposal passes in April, Peacock said there is still time to adjust the budget so that reductions will not have to be made. “One of the biggest things this will fund is the 23 teachers to help keep our class sizes small,” said Peacock. About 31 percent of the levy’s funds are meant to fund teachers. “Another big item is certainly the vocational programs,” said Peacock. Although the amount the levy funds is only about $140,000 per year, those funds allow the district to access further state funding for engineering and manufacturing programs. Staff positions such as special education support are also paid for by the levy. Washington state funds

use that entryway and it’s so constrained there that there would be too much staff and customers moving through there,” said Batdorf. “All of the libraries were not able to open at this time have physical limitations like that." The Lakewood/Smokey Point Library is scheduled for in-person services but has not been opened yet. “I’m not sure when we are going to reopen the Lakewood library,” said Batdorf, but it can facilitate both in-person and contactfree services. The Marysville Library has computer services available for those who want them at the library, but no book browsing at this time. “We’ve converted the meeting room to the right

of the entryway and that will work as a computer room,” said Batdorf. Batdorf said he has been at libraries that have reopened and that people are excited to be able to go through the book shelves again. “With the libraries that have reopened, the customers have all been ecstatic to actually get back in the libraries, touch the books and browse,” he said. The library system will continue to plan how to reopen slowly, said Batdorf. “We’re planning to reopen as much as we can but we have to make sure that employees and staff and customers are safe,” he said. “Every building will have its own plan."

less than one nurse per 2,500 students and district officials currently keep one nurse per school. “That has been critical during the pandemic and will continue to be afterward,” said Peacock. Safety and security staff, such as School Resource Officers and other positions, are typically paid through the local levy. “We’ve had to reduce those measures because they are paid almost entirely by the levy,” said Peacock.

Sports activities and clubs are also a large percentage of the levy spending, accounting for 15 percent of the planned levy dollars. Over the next couple of months the district is planning to give information out through various sources, including flyers being sent out in March, social media outreach and presentations made to community groups and staff. “We’ve completely revamped our info page,” said

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Opinion

March 3, 2021- March 9, 2021 NORTH COUNTY OUTLOOK

Our Favorite Quotes

n GUEST OPINION

Pride in our community is our joint responsibility Marysville has many beautiful neighborhoods, yet throughout the city litter and graffiti are scourges that mar our views and harm our city image. Litter and graffiti are nothing new for our city or others, of course, and for many years we have heard complaints about them. I want to take this opportunity to share with you some city resources that can help address litter and graffiti, and frankly, I also want to ask for your help. Litter Public Works crews regularly clean city streets and use seasonal litter pick-up crews. In recent years we also relied on state Department of Corrections crews for litter control support, but that is not an available option now due to COVID. The bottom line is that, unfortunately, we don’t have the resources to clean every location all the time. How can you help? Of course, the simplest way is not to litter in the first place, and to teach children how to properly dispose of trash. Next, I’m announcing a new online challenge to make litter pick-up a little more fun. I invite

Jon Nehring

neighbors and community groups who help clean up litter in public places to send “before” and “after” photos along with the date and location you picked up trash. We’d love to share them online and celebrate your good work! Please email your submissions to socialnetworking@marysvillewa. gov. Graffiti Recently the city received several reports of graffiti on public and private property, at schools, alongside streets and in our parks. We know that graffiti and other such vandalism can be harmful to our community and that the more quickly graffiti is removed, the less likely it is to reoccur. Our Code Enforcement division tracks and responds promptly to graf-

fiti reports within the city limits. When you see graffiti, please report it at https://www.marysvillewa.gov/formcenter/ code-violations-8/graffiti-report-form-40. Property owners are required to remove graffiti that occurs on their property within 48 hours of receiving a notice of violation. We understand that property owners may be victims of this vandalism and will work with you to resolve the problem. If your fence has graffiti, the city offers a free program for graffiti removal. To qualify, your fence must be painted one of three city-selected earth-tone colors and the property owner must sign a release form. If you meet these conditions, city staff will remove all future graffiti painted on your fence. Keeping Marysville clean is one way that city government, residents, neighborhoods and civic groups can work together to foster community pride. Will you join us? Jon Nehring has been Mayor of Marysville since 2010. You can reach him at 360-363-8000 or jnehring@marysvillewa.gov.

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"I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death." Author — Leonardo da Vinci Submitted by North County Outlook editor Scott Frank.

n LETTER TO THE EDITOR Thanks for your Salute to Police

field this year. It is hard to see police painted in the way they have been this past year, particularly because it is not indicative of our values, or representative of how we have viewed our role in the community. I know a vast majority of our community is supportive of local police. This trust and support should have to be earned by the individual officers every day. It was so nice to see that community support in your paper. Thank you again,

I am an Arlington resident and received your paper with the Salute to Police section. I am also a police officer in a city in Snohomish County. I wanted to extend appreciation to your publication for dedicating a section of your paper to specifically appreciating police, and for the businesses that bought ads supporting police. It has been a difficult year to be a police officer. I have seen many of my co-workers decide to leave their departments, or second guess their decision in choosing this

A.T. Arlington

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. News Deadline: Friday 5PM before publication editor@northcountyoutlook.com

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necessary to fulfill state mandates." The series will return March 9 and is planned to continue on the second Tuesday of every month. The first speaker is McKenzie Johnson with Recovery Beyond. Johnson is eight years sober and an advisor at Recovery Beyond, a Washington state nonprofit organization that supports people recovering from alcohol or drug addiction with healthy outdoor recreation activities. “I’m looking forward to hearing her story which I think will be a very positive message for our community,” Taylor said. Interested attendees can pre-register or pay at the door if seats are still available. “We are encouraging pre-registration because that helps with our COVID compliance,” said Taylor. Refreshments and snacks will not be provided at the series at this time because of COVID-19 safety guidelines. Bottled water will be available.

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JESSE J. BROWN, JR., Deceased, NO. 21-4-00280-31, PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS, RCW 11.40.030

SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF ARTHUR BENTLEY UNRUH, Deceased, NO. 21-4-00279-31, PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS, RCW 11.40.030

SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF PATRICK LEE DAVIS, Deceased, NO. 21-4-00164-31, PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS, RCW 11.40.030

SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF SHERYL R. PERCIVAL, Deceased., NO. 21-4-00138-31, 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: February 17, 2021. Personal Representative: Kathleen A. Sargent Attorney for Personal Representative: Breanne W. Martin, WSBA #44519 Address for Mailing or Service: P.O. Box 188, 103 North Street, Arlington, WA 98223

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: February 17, 2021. Personal Representative: Jeremy Percival Attorney for Personal Representative: Tanner K. Olson, WSBA #52879 Address for Mailing or Service: P.O. Box 188, 103 North Street, Arlington, WA 98223

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: March 3, 2021. Personal Representative: Douglas R. Brown Attorney for Personal Representative: Breanne W. Martin, WSBA #44519 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. 21-4-00280-31.

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: March 3, 2021. Personal Representative: Mary Lou Thornton Attorney for Personal Representative: Steven J. Peiffle, WSBA #14704 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. 21-4-00279-31.

SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: MARGARET L. CAREY, Deceased, NO. 21-4-00270-31, PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS, RCW 11.40.030

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nesses, but they may not realize just how much thriving local businesses benefit their communities. According to the Small Business Economic Impact Study from American Express, an average of two-thirds of every dollar spent at small businesses in the United States stays in the local community. That support can be especially valuable as the world tries to work its way out of a global recession brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment rates rose significantly within a month of the World Health Organization declaring a pandemic as the COVID-19 virus rapidly spread across the globe. While large international corporations were in better position to avoid layoffs, small, locally owned businesses faced an uphill battle as they tried to remain in operation and retain their staffs. That’s another way shopping local can benefit local communities. The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies reports that, for every $10 million spent locally, 57 new jobs are created at local businesses. That’s an important factor to remember as the world tries to recover from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Court of probate proceedings and cause number: Snohomish County Superior Court, Cause No. 21-4-00164-31.

LEGAL NOTICE

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Legal Notices

Outdoor Speaker Series returns to Marysville The Marysville Opera House’s Outdoor Speaker Series will return in the first time in about a year. Since closing down last March at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the downtown Marysville Opera House has not held any public events. “We have had a few weddings here with COVID restrictions, but this will be the first event that is back open to the public,” said Chris Taylor, cultural arts supervisor with the city’s Parks, Culture and Recreation Department. The first program back will be the Outdoor Speaker Series, which brings speakers to the community to talk about their outdoor recreation passions. To follow COVID-19 safety guidelines, fewer people will be allowed into the building than normal. “We are excited to be able to do this in a socially distanced environment,” said Taylor. “We’re going to follow all of the safety measures and all of the requirements

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Court of probate proceedings and cause number: Snohomish County Superior Court, Cause No. 21-4-00138-31.

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF BLANCHE HELEN JAMES, Deceased, NO. 21-4-00139-3, 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: March 3, 2021. Personal Representative: Kristin Knutson Attorney for Personal Representative: Steven J. Peiffle, WSBA #14704 Address for Mailing or Service: P.O. Box 188, 103 North Street, Arlington, WA 98223

THE CO-PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES NAMED BELOW have been ap-pointed as co-personal representatives of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any other-wise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the co-personal representatives or the co-personal representatives’ 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 co-personal representatives 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 publica-tion of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is for-ever 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: February 17, 2021. Co-Personal Representative: Gayle C. Koppel Co-Personal Representative: Vicki T. Hill Attorney for Personal Representative: Breanne W. Martin, WSBA #44519 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. 21-4-00270-31.

Court of probate proceedings and cause number: Snohomish County Superior Court, Cause No. 21-4-00139-31.

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Communities

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n WHISTLING GARDENER

Do you suffer from 'Hortitostrogenitis'? I have this outdoor thertheory (I know, mometer read some of you are 52 degrees, that thinking, “OMG, things started to what is he going become unconto say next?”), trollable. Lookthat gardeners By Steve Smith ing back, I now possess a special realize that it all “horticultural hormone” started in January when my that I have dubbed “horti- bulbs started to emerge — tostrogen." This is a non- little clumps of snow drops, gender specific hormone a scattering of winter acothat kicks in about this nites, a few early blooming time of the year and causes daffodils and a crocus or my fingers to start twitch- two is what started it all. ing with an intense desire Then the hellebores kicked to go dig in the dirt. I won- in and the “hortimons” der if any of you can relate. really intensified. At this The truth is that this point it is full steam ahead “hortitostrogen” has been since it will soon be March. titrating into my blood Treatment for this anstream for several weeks nual spring condition but it wasn’t until this (which I am choosing to last weekend, when my call “hortitostrogenitis”)

is simple. My first step is always to head to the garden center to see what’s new and interesting. There are lots of winter blooming shrubs and perennials, besides the available seasonal primroses and pansies, that can at least temporarily satiate our need for fresh color and even fragrance in the garden. Just walking around the nursery and taking in all the incredible variety of plant material is often enough to hold me over. Then again, there is nothing quite like the thrill of the purchase to give me a true rush. After visiting the garden center, I like to head out into the yard and finish cleaning up my garden

beds — getting things in order can be very soothing and give me a sense of order and control. I find I want to do everything at once, so it takes some selfcontrol to keep from pingponging from one chore to the next. Time spent weeding out popweed, chickweed, and other annual weeds that germinated last fall before they go to seed, will pay off big time come spring. Also, spreading a new layer of mulch over those clean beds will give you extra protection from spring germinating weeds. Getting the vegetable garden ready for spring is also another good treatment plan for combating excess “hortitostrogen." I

just pulled out the remnants of my fall planted broccoli, spinach, and assorted lettuces from the raised beds, so now it is time to add some good quality compost, organic fertilizer, lime and trace minerals to mix in and refresh the soil for another growing season. Then it’s back to the garden center for some early cool-season veggie transplants and carrot seeds. It is not too early to plant these kinds of veggies, or for that matter, all forms of berries and other perennial vegetables like asparagus, rhubarb, and horseradish. Once I’ve got my dirt looking all nice and tidy, I will do some pruning of

my ornamental grasses and dormant perennials, and take a few limbs out of the fruit trees and vines, such as grapes and kiwis. Finally, a good hygienic spraying of dormant oil with copper or sulfur completes my treatment plan and it’s back to the garden center for another fix. If your fingers are starting to twitch, just chalk it up to “hortitostrogenitis” and try some of my cures. I guarantee you will feel better in no time at all. Stay safe and keep on gardening.

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