Our Towns

Published 8:07 pm Sunday, August 12, 2007

Arlington

Council hears gambling proposal

Blackjack may be in the cards for Arlington.

Tonight, the City Council plans to discuss a request to allow house-banked gambling at some city businesses.

The proposed change would allow certain businesses, zoned “highway commercial,” to host games such as blackjack and poker, where gamblers could bet against the house.

Currently, the only highway commercial zones in Arlington are around parts of Smokey Point Boulevard and 172 Street NE. Under current code, businesses can allow card games, but gamblers are only allowed to play against each other, not against the house.

The council is scheduled to discuss the change at a workshop at 7 p.m. today. in the City Council Chambers, 110 E. Third St. Also on the agenda are issues involving zoning, traffic and the purchase of equipment.

Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting, but public comment is not planned. The council is not scheduled to vote on any issues at the workshop.

Edmonds

City preparing for intersection work

The Edmonds City Council is seeking a consultant to plan needed safety improvements to the intersection of Highway 99 and 76th Avenue W.

The work to the intersection, which has been the site of many accidents during the past six years, was identified as a priority project by the Highway 99 Traffic Safety and Circulation Study.

The City Council approved the study in February.

Work may include installing a raised median on Highway 99 to prevent left turns onto 76th Avenue W. and a signal at the intersection of Highway 99 and 228th Street SW to protect traffic and give pedestrians a safe place to cross.

The city budgeted $1.53 million in its 2008 capital budget for the work.

Everett

Stay prepared for emergencies

Everett’s Office of Emergency Management is inviting volunteers to join teams that help the community during emergencies and disasters.

The Community Emergency Response Team is a nationally recognized program to train people to better prepare themselves and to be available to help others during a disaster.

Everett has more than 200 trained CERT members. A 24-hour course includes topics such as medical skills, triage, fire suppression, damage assessment, disaster psychology, terrorism and emergency coordination.

In the past, participants have ranged in age from 16 to 75 years old.

The CERT course is offered on three consecutive Saturdays Sept. 8 through Sept. 22 with a final interactive exercise for all participants. Another course is offered for eight consecutive Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. starting Sept. 27.

Applications are available at the emergency management office at 2801 Oakes Ave. Applications must received by Aug. 22.

Call 425-257-8111 for more information.

Island County

Feral cats trapped on Camano Island

The Northwest Organization for Animal Help recently trapped 54 feral cats that were creating problems in a Camano Island neighborhood, said spokeswoman Andrea Miller.

The organization spayed or neutered 50 of the cats and placed them in barns or stables. Four kittens were placed in foster homes.

Many of the cats were abandoned by their previous owner when he moved out of the neighborhood, Miller said.

Lake Stevens

Lions Club reports on good deeds

The Lake Stevens Lions Club has issued its annual report for the year from July 2006 to June 2007.

Among numerous other accomplishments, the club collected and recycled 565 pairs of eyeglasses for charity, donated $600 to the Northwest Sight and Hearing Foundation as part of Lions Golden Ears day, and provided three college scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each to graduating students.

For more information about the Lake Stevens Lions Club, go to www.lakestevenslionsclub.org.

Lynnwood

Study ongoing for rec center work

The Lynnwood City Council is giving an architectural firm more time and money to finish a study examining alternatives for building a new community center and renovating the Lynnwood Recreation Center.

The council recently gave $84,000 to extend its contract with Seattle-based NAC Architecture, which is conducting the feasibility study.

Part of the plans for the recreation center, at 18900 44th Ave. W., include replacing the pool and the roof over the pool.

Marysville

Mayor appointed to state board

Marysville Mayor Dennis Kendall has been appointed to the state Public Works Board.

The board administers public-works assistance funds and makes loans to local government for public works projects.

Kendall’s term runs through June 2011.

Kendall is also chairman of the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management, vice president of the Community Transit board and co-chairman of Snohomish County Tomorrow.

Mukilteo

City names new recreation leader

Jennifer Berner has been appointed as Mukilteo’s new recreation and cultural arts manager.

Berner, who has served as recreation superintendent for the city of Mercer Island since 2001, was chosen out of 38 applicants for the job. She has 24 years of experience working in a variety of parks, recreation and leisure-services positions.

Mukilteo recently appointed two other department managers – Mike Springer as fire chief and Scott James as finance director.

Snohomish

City says goodbye to Lya Badgley

The City Council bid a farewell to Councilwoman Lya Badgley at a meeting on Aug. 7. Badgley is leaving Snohomish later this summer for Singapore. Her husband has accepted a new job in the southeast Asian country.

The city presented her a plaque in appreciation of her service on the council. Badgley served on the council for 31/2 years. Voters are set to choose her replacement in an election in November.

For more information, call the city at 360-568-3115.