Around the county

Published 10:18 pm Monday, December 14, 2009

Arlington: Come see Santa, Smokey Bear

Santa Claus will be joined by Smokey Bear at a holiday open house tonight hosted by Snohomish County Fire District 22.

The fire district invites the community to meet with Santa, tour the station and enjoy some hot chocolate. Visitors also can contribute canned goods to the fire district’s food drive.

The festivities begin at 6 tonight at the fire station, 8424 99th Ave. NE.

More info: 360-659-6400.

Marysville: Park-and-ride dedication today

Community Transit is planning an event today to celebrate the opening of its new park-and-ride lot in Marysville.

The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the lot at Cedar Avenue and Grove Street north of downtown Marysville.

The new lot is the fourth in the Marysville area and adds more than 200 parking spaces, along with motorcycle parking, bike lockers, a three-bus platform and a shelter for waiting passengers. The lot opened for bus riders on Nov. 30. Speakers and a visit from Community Transit’s double-decker bus, the Double Tall, are planned.

More info: www.commtrans.org.

Mill Creek: Jackson teen wins art contest

Jackson High School sophomore Angie Mezzulo was one of four teens this month to win the sixth annual Teen Read Month Art Contest, sponsored by the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation. Mezzulo won a $25 gift card to Amazon.com for her two- dimensional art work.

Sultan: Utility rates will increase in 2010

Residents will get higher utility bills after Jan. 1 now that the City Council has approved drinking water, storm water and sewer rate increases.

The base rate for 600 cubic feet of water will jump by 11 percent, or $2.84, from $25.25 to $28.09. Additionally, water rates for more than 600 cubic feet will increase from $2.28 to $2.54 per cubic foot. Sewer rates will go up by 5 percent, meaning residents will see an increase of $3.09, from $61.74 to $64.83.

Residential storm-water rates will go up by $1, from $5.75 to $6.75. Garbage and recycling rates will remain unchanged.

More info: 360-793-2231.