Little boxes

Published 10:46 pm Sunday, April 12, 2009

Hoping to stimulate sales this spring, Snohomish County’s real estate agents plan a massive open house next weekend.

As many as 500 homes will be open for inspection. They’ll come in three colors: light beige, medium-light beige and extra-medium-light beige.

Improper stair tread width detected: Snohomish County’s new computerized building inspection system won a state award for effective use of technology in government.

Unfortunately, the system isn’t getting much use in these recession-plagued times. Pretty much the only new buildings under construction in the county right now are a woodshed in Granite Falls, a carport in Arlington and a chicken coop near Sultan.

Where to go: A new book lists the best tourism destinations to make the entire family happy. It gives the lowdown on hundreds of museums, zoos, ice cream parlors and the like.

In related publishing news, The Buzz plans a guide to the best places to get away from kids. It lists just one destination: our favorite bar.

— Mark Carlson, Herald staff