Arlington

Council hires hearing examiner

The City Council approved most of the items it considered at its recent meeting.

Those items included authorizing Mayor Margaret Larson to sign a contract with Driscoll and Hunter of Seattle for hearing examiner services at an hourly rate of $175. Land-use rulings previously were made by the Planning Commission, a citizen advisory board.

The council also switched to the federal standard mileage reimbursement rate rather than adopting a new one every time the Internal Revenue Service changes it.

Also included were the final 2003 budget amendments. A total of $2.4 million had to be adjusted to reflect changes that occurred since the original $42.8 million budget was adopted.

Stevens supports gun license bill

Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, helped push a bill through the state Senate to recognize other states’ concealed weapons licenses.

Senate Bill 5083 would allow any resident of a state that recognizes Washington’s concealed weapons license to use that state’s license here. Nine states recognize Washington’s concealed weapons licenses, according to Stevens’ staff.

Stevens said the bill would settle the matter of "firearm reciprocity."

"We had several states that recognized our license, but we were not allowing residents from those states to use the license here," Stevens said. "It is unfair, and it needed to be corrected."

The bill passed 48-0 in the Senate and now goes to the House of Representatives.

Edmonds

Historical group elects leaders

The Edmonds Historic Preservation Commission elected Gregg Arnold as chairman and Stephen Waite as vice chairman for 2004.

Arnold has held upper management marketing positions with several major corporations including General Mills, advertising agencies such as Young and Rubicam and cruise lines. He now works on creating marketing plans for small- and medium-sized businesses. Arnold also serves on the commission’s communications subcommittee.

Waite is a principal of Waite Architects in Edmonds. He is an original member of the Mayor’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board. He is a specialist in scientific preservation and a member of the International Council of Monuments and Sites of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. He serves on the commission’s incentives subcommittee.

Everett

Seniors to travel to flower show

The Everett Senior Activity Center is sending a bus Thursday to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle.

The price for transportation and a ticket to the show is $24.

The bus will leave at 9 a.m. from the parking lot of the Everett Eagles, 3726 Broadway.

Those interested in taking the bus should reserve a spot in advance, said Jerry Herbert, program coordinator for the center. Call Herbert at 425-257-8780 for more information.

Island County

Camano fire folks doing phone poll

The Camano Island Fire District has commissioned a random public opinion survey to see what people think about the district’s funding options.

The phone survey will reach about 400 people and will take about 10 or 15 minutes.

The commissioners will use the information to help their financial planning. They have been considering putting a levy on the ballot in May. Individual results will be kept confidential.

The survey’s overall results will be made public during a presentation to the commission in about a month. Copies will be available at the Terry’s Corner fire station after that presentation.

For more information, call 360-629-3008.

Lake Stevens

Newcomer club changes name

The Lake Stevens’ Newcomer Club’s name has changed its name to the Greater Lake Stevens’ Women’s Social Club after discovering that women who have lived in the area for more than two years were interested in joining.

The women meet the second Wednesday of each month for socializing, lunch and sometimes a program. Lunches are at area restaurants and in members’ homes.

On Feb. 11, the women will have lunch at the Attic Secrets Tea Room, 4229 76th St. NE, Suite 101, in Marysville. Call Ruth Fixsen at 425-397-8481 or Kelli Hudspeth at 425-334-7042 for more information.

Lynnwood

Rainbow girls open house set

Alderwood Assembly No. 55 Rainbow Girls is holding an open house 1-4 p.m. Saturday for girls ages 11-20 who are interested in joining Rainbow Girls.

The group also offers a pledge program for girls ages 9-10.

The open house will be held at 2027 196th St. SW, Suite A-105, in Lynnwood. For additional information call 425-670-8021 or see the Web page at www.nwrainbow.org.

Marysville

Free family meal at coalition forum

The Marysville Community Coalition will host a series of four family nights.

The coalition will provide a free family dinner, entertainment for youths and a discussion topic for parents.

The family nights will be 6:30-8 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month beginning Feb. 24 at Marysville-Pilchuck High School, 5611 108th St. NE.

On Feb. 24, the high school’s advanced drama students will perform "Bang, Bang, You’re Dead," a play about school violence, for adults and youths in grades 6-12. The play is based on a school shooting in Springfield, Ore., and examines issues such as bullying.

Kids on the Block, a local puppetry troupe, will present a show on bullying and school safety for younger children.

To reserve seats, call 360-653-0899 or e-mail Community_Coalition@mslv.

k12.wa.us. The event is funded by a grant from Snohomish County Community Mobilization.

Mill Creek

City wellness

program a success

The city has a program to keep its employees fit.

Employees can get an extra day off by maintaining a regular fitness routine and taking part in various events.

For each 30 minutes of vigorous exercise they do each day, employees get five points.

It takes 500 points a year to earn an extra day off. Up to 400 points must be earned by exercise; the other 100 points are earned by participating in city wellness activities such as Run of the Mill.

Last year 22 employees completed the wellness program and earned the day off.

Monroe

City Council meets tonight

The City Council will meet at 7 tonight in council chambers.

Final action items include the extension of sewer service outside city limits and a resolution regarding U.S. 2 safety.

For more information, call City Hall at 360-794-7400.

Mountlake Terrace

Spring softball leagues start soon

The Mountlake Terrace Recreation Department is taking registration for adult men’s and co-ed softball teams.

Leagues are Mondays through Fridays starting March 15. There are 10 officiated games.

For more information call 425-776-9173 ext. 121.

Mukilteo

Preschool story time at library

The Mukilteo Library offers preschool story time at 7 tonight, and 10-10:30 a.m. and 11-11:30 a.m. Thursday at the Mukilteo Library for ages 3 to 5.

Listen to stories, songs and finger plays and interact with your toddler.

The Mukilteo Library is at 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd. Call 425-493-8202

Snohomish

Input on design standards sought

The City Council will hold a public hearing about the new design standards and guidelines outside the historic district at 7 tonight in the George Gilbertson Boardroom, 1601 Ave. D.

The council and the city’s planning commission have reviewed the design standard for more than a year.

Planning board meeting canceled

The meeting of the city’s planing commission, which was scheduled for tonight, has been canceled.

The next meeting date will be announced later.

Snohomish County

Election votes to be counted Friday

Snohomish County officials will count ballots Friday for three mail-ballot elections and one poll election that took place Tuesday.

In the mail ballot elections, voters in Diking District No. 2 in the Marysville-Lake Stevens area, Marshland Flood Control District in the Snohomish area, and the Stillaguamish Flood Control District in the Stanwood area were to cast ballots postmarked by Tuesday. And voters in Drainage Improvement District No. 8 were to vote at the district office Tuesday or mail in ballots.

The ballot counts will begin at 9 a.m. Friday, and the elections will be certified Monday, election officials said.

Stanwood

Council to select new member

The City Council will select a new member to replace Herb Kuhnly, who stepped in as interim mayor in January after Matt McCune’s resignation.

Four candidates have applied: Diane White, who is on the city’s planning commission; Jerry Fure, a retired city employee; Rick Naumann, a county deputy who works for the Stanwood Police Department; and Ed Bryant, a former business owner and longtime Stanwood resident.

At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the council will split into two groups and interview the three men in individual 15-minute sessions. White had a scheduling conflict, but she already interviewed with the council for a vacancy last year for a position filled by Gil Powell.

The council’s regular meeting will start at 7 p.m. Thursday in City Hall, 10220 270th St. NW.

The council will call an executive session to discuss all the candidates, then reconvene to take a public vote and select the new council member. That person will swear in at the Feb. 19 meeting.