Everett, Wash. Published: Sunday, January 13, 2008
Week in Review
Here's a selection of the week's top news items from across Snohomish County. For the full stories, go to www.heraldnet.com.
Sunday, Jan. 6
Your primary vote will cost you an oath: The state's Democratic and Republican parties will receive a bonus from next month's presidential primary -- the name of every voter and which party's ballot they picked.
By law, that information must be sent to each party once results of the Feb. 19 primary are certified.
On Friday, leaders of the two political parties pledged not to target those names with a rash of mailings and solicitations for money.
Jerry Cornfield
Monday, Jan. 7
Church says it won't let a fire keep its coffee stand down: Beauty from ashes.
It's a favorite phrase of eternal optimists and readers of the Bible, where the words were first placed side by side.
For members of Park Ridge Community Church in Bothell, the ashes are a reality. They hope beauty's next to come.
Jacob's Well, a coffee stand that offers morning commuters free java from the church parking lot, went up in smoke early on New Year's Day.
Krista J. Kapralos
Tuesday, Jan. 8
Pick a site or lose UW branch, Gregoire says: Snohomish County lawmakers must forge consensus on where to build a new four-year university or it might not happen at all, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Monday.
"I've put the money in to begin the process of offering classes to students next fall," Gregoire said Monday in an interview.
"But I'm not going to be able to get the Legislature to be willing to do that if we haven't got a solution about where it's going to be located," she said.
Jerry Cornfield and Jackson Holtz
Wednesday, Jan. 9
Ferries top lawmakers' priority list: Building a new fleet of ferries to serve the Port Townsend-to-Whidbey Island route will be among the state's top transportation priorities during the upcoming legislative session, key state leaders said Tuesday.
There appears to be support within the Legislature to pay for building three new ferries to serve the route that has been without car ferry service since before Thanksgiving, Gov. Chris Gregoire and the chairwomen of both of the Legislature's transportation committees said.
"No question, it's my highest priority," said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, chairwoman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Lukas Velush
Thursday, Jan. 10
Windshields broken; drivers say promises were, too: When a rock flew up off I-5 and cracked the windshield on Mark Thacker's car, he thought someone should pay to fix the damage.
It was September and I-5 in Everett was torn up. The state was in the middle of a major repaving and widening project.
In October, Thacker was one of 62 who filed a damage claim with the state Department of Transportation.
Lukas Velush
Friday, Jan. 11
Firefighters exposed to asbestos in Everett: A training exercise that was meant to help Everett firefighters stay safe during real-life emergencies has put them at risk for lasting health problems.
A group of Everett firefighters was exposed to unknown levels of asbestos in July while chopping holes in city-owned houses known to contain the dangerous material, according to the state Department of Labor and Industries.
It likely wasn't the first time.
Diana Hefley
Saturday, Jan. 12
Rescue group always ready: There's no room for groceries in Scott Welton's trunk.
Instead, the back of the 57-year-old Edmonds man's car is full of ropes, ice axes, parkas and fleece clothing. He's ready at all times to be called out to the mountains.
Welton is the chairman of Everett Mountain Rescue, a team of rescue volunteers that found the body of a teenage girl trapped in an avalanche earlier this month.
