There was a tornado of interest from people who hope to name the December windstorm that brought down trees and left many without power for days.

There were more than 5,000 entries in the National Weather Service “Name the Wind Storm” contest.

A volunteer committee is overwhelmed by reviewing the high volume of entries. The winning storm name will be announced at the Pacific Northwest Weather Workshop on March 2 in Seattle. One session will be about active fall and winter weather, including the mid-December windstorm.

December Deluge?

In a Fix in 2006?

Some Wind, Huh?

We’ll know the winner in a month.

PAWS seeks youth heroes for award

The Progressive Animal Welfare Society, based in Lynnwood, is seeking nominations of local youths who have shown outstanding compassion toward animals for the group’s second annual Youth Helping Animals Award.

The deadline for nominations is Feb. 16.

For more information, go online to www.paws.org.

Dredging continues in Snohomish River

Maintenance dredging in the lower Snohomish River navigation channel continues around the clock through Feb. 14. The Army Corps of Engineers awarded Seattle’s Manson Construction a contract to perform the dredging.

The company is using a hydraulic pipeline dredge. Dredged sands will be placed on Jetty Island to expand the beach near the south end of the island and to improve near-shore habitat. Sand will also be used to improve the existing habitat berm to protect the ecologically sensitive marsh area.

Under a separate contract through the Port of Everett, Manson will also dredge the Jetty Island dock to improve navigational depths in and around the existing floats.

Since this is hydraulic dredging, a pipeline will extend from the dredge barge on (or near) the surface of the water over to Jetty Island.

Boats should avoid passing between the dredge barge and Jetty Island.

The unobstructed side of the river will be the east side between the barge and the mainland.

Call us

If you have an item for FYI, call Kristi O’Harran at 425-339-3451. If you have a news tip or an idea for a local story, call the city desk at 425-339-3428, or e-mail newstips@heraldnet.com.