Our Towns

Champ chestnut toppled by storm

This week’s storms toppled the world’s biggest known American chestnut tree in Cicero, the site of a now-defunct railway stop east of Arlington on Highway 530.

The chestnut, which is not native to this state, was probably planted by pioneers about 100 years ago, according to the book “Champion Trees of Washington State” by Robert Van Pelt.

It was deemed national champion with these dimensions: 19 feet, 7 inches in circumference; 106 feet tall; and a crown spread of 101 feet. It was more than 6 feet in diameter.

Most American chestnuts in their native Appalachian Mountains were killed by a blight in the 1930s. Remaining specimens are typically in the West. The new national champ, assuming it hasn’t fallen since Van Pelt’s measurements in 1993, is a wider but shorter tree in Carson, a town on the Columbia River.

Library friends plan book sale

The 23rd annual Friends of the Edmonds Library book sale is scheduled 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Frances Anderson Center gym, 700 Main St.

This year’s sale will have more books than ever, with hardbacks going for $1, paperbacks for 50 cents, pre-1990 fiction for 50 cents and bags of serial romance novels for $1.

For more information, call the Edmonds Public Library at 425-771-1933.

Lowell celebrates with a cleanup

The Lowell neighborhood will participate in National Make a Difference Day 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Everyone is invited to meet at Lowell Community Church at the corner of Main Street and S. Second Street at 8:30 a.m. for coffee and doughnuts.

The planned cleanup includes general cleaning of the inside and the outside of the church and a general street sweeping.

The Everett Parks Department will provide tools.

Lowell Community Church is the oldest church building in Everett. For more information about Saturday’s cleanup, call Pastor John Grinnell at 425-355-4840 or Gail Chism at 425-258-9381.

Everett Massacre film to be shown

A preview of a documentary on the 1916 Everett Massacre will be shown at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave.

At least five union workers and two citizen deputies died in the violent waterfront battle, the bloodiest labor confrontation in Pacific Northwest history.

The documentary is a work in progress. A reception will take place at 5 p.m., and a talk by city historians David Dilgard and Margaret Riddle will follow the screening.

Tickets are $20 and benefit the Everett Women’s Film Festival; Operation Shortfall, which raises money for local food banks; and Holy Toledo Pictures, which is raising money to finish the documentary.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call the theater at 425-258-6766 or stop by the box office.

Garage sale benefits center

Seniors at Cascadian Place in Everett recently raised $683 for the Center for Battered Women at an all-city charity garage sale called the Secondhand Rose Charity Fete. More than 200 people attended.

In all, $1,629 was raised for seven different charities by different groups.

Senior Halloween dance tonight

Camano Island senior citizens can cut the rug at their annual Halloween dance 7-10 tonight at the Camano Senior and Community Center, 606 Arrowhead Road.

Music Makers, the center’s band, will perform. The dance costs $5, and the center is asking dancers to bring a goody to share. Costumes are encouraged but not necessary.

Preschool stories told at library

The library’s preschool story time on Tuesdaywill focus on pumpkin fun and the last leaves of fall, with stories, songs and rhymes for little ones’ imagination.

The program is at 11 a.m. at the Lake Stevens Public Library, 1804 Main St.

Reality TV show

seeks teen-agers

An open casting call will be noon-4 p.m. Saturday at Alderwood Mall for a teen reality show that airs on a nighttime network for teenagers owned by Nickelodeon.

The casting call is for the next season of the reality series “Girls v. Boys.”

Teenagers 14-17 are invited to audition for the second season of the show, in which real teens battle challenges in various locations to answer the age-old question: Are girls better than boys or are boys better than girls?

For more information, go to the Web site www.the-n.com.

Volunteers sought to plant bulbs

The Marysville Parks and Recreation Department seeks volunteers to help plant more than 10,300 tulip and daffodil bulbs around the city on Saturday for Make a Difference Day in Marysville.

Volunteers will gather downtown at 10 a.m. in Comeford Park, 514 Delta Ave. Bulbs will be distributed to 15 locations around Marysville. Planting instructions and patterns will be provided. To volunteer or for more information, call Mike Robinson at 360-651-5086 or e-mail him at mrobinson@ci.marysville.wa.us.

Youth basketball sign-up extended

The Marysville Parks and Recreation Department has extended the registration deadline for the upcoming youth basketball league. The last day to register now is Oct. 31. For more information, call the parks department at 360-651-5085.

Abs workout

class scheduled

Ken Baxter Senior-Community Center offers an abdominal exercise class to help people give their muscles a workout. The class will focus on working all areas of the abdomen in a complete workout that also can be done at home.

The cost is $29 for eight weeks. The class, for those 16 and older, will meet 10:45-11:45 a.m. Mondays Nov. 3 through Dec. 22. For information and registration, call 360-651-2555.

Academy offers safe trick-or-treat

La Petite Academy will host a fall festival as a safe alternative to trick-or-treating.

The event features games, food and raffle prizes donated by local businesses. Proceeds benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

The event is 3-6 p.m. Saturday at the academy, 13231 Bothell-Everett Highway. For more information, call 425-338-1651.

Group to discuss ‘Empire Falls’

The Monroe Public Library’s once-a-month book discussion group will meet 4-7 p.m. Nov. 4 at the library, 1070 Village Way.

This month’s selection is “Empire Falls” by Richard Russo.

Refreshments will be served and registration is required. Call 360-794-7851 for more information.

Yacht club

members meet

The October general membership meeting of the Mukilteo Yacht Club begins with a social hour at 6:30 tonight at 807 Second Ave. Officers will be elected and a pumpkin carving will be held, so bring a pumpkin. Members are also asked to bring wine and cheese.

Young voters get a chance to speak

Cascade High School, Snohomish High School and Archbishop Thomas Murphy High School plan a forum for voting-age students at 5 p.m. Saturday at Snohomish High School, 1316 Fifth St.

High school seniors who are at least 18 years old will have the opportunity to speak their minds and ask local elected officials and candidates about political issues.

For more information, contact Alyson Engerat at 425-379-6363.

Faith-based group plans an auction

The Farm, a Snohomish youth outreach group, plans a harvest festival auction 6-8 p.m. Saturday at 11212 92nd St. SE.

The program, which is for adults is $10 a person, with a dessert buffet and beverages provided.

About 80 items and services will be up for auction, including trips, facials and airplane rides.

In the last seven years, The Farm has evolved into a nonprofit organization, and is a place where local churches, youth groups and other faith-based organizations gather.

Sheriff elected to state board

Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart has been elected secretary-treasurer of the Washington Association of County Officials.

Bart was elected during a meeting of the organization’s annual conference earlier this month. He has served on the association’s board since 1998 as the representative for the Washington State Association of County Sheriffs.

The nonprofit group includes officials from all 39 counties.

Spooky stories at Snow Goose

Snow Goose Bookstore invitesd parents to bring their young children for a spooky story time at 2 p.m. Saturday at the bookstore, 8616 271st St. NW.

Kids can make Halloween craft projects and listen to age-appropriate stories. Halloween treats will be on hand. The event is free, but the store asks parents to make reservations by calling 360-629-3631.