Planning panel to meet Tuesday

The Arlington Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Community Youth Center, 18513 59th Ave. NE.

Acting as the Design Review Board, the commission will look at the Wes Ruth Auto RV Repair Center. Development is sought for a 10,080-square-foot single-story industrial building at 17722 67th Ave. NE, which is zoned general industrial.

Sound Singers will entertain

The Sound Singers of Edmonds will perform their annual Christmas Concert by the Sea 1-2 p.m. Dec. 14 at the South County Senior Center, 220 Railroad Ave.

The concert is free. Refreshments will be served. Donations to the senior center are welcome and would provide Christmas baskets for low- income seniors.

For more information call 425-774-5555.

Grants advisory panel to meet

The city’s Citizens Advisory Committee for Housing and Community Development will meet at 4 p.m. today to discuss Everett’s five-year plan on spending of federal grants.

The plan will establish the general direction the city wants for spending community development block grant funds.

The meeting will be in the eighth-floor hearing room of the Wall Street Building, 2930 Wetmore Ave.

For more information, call Ross Johnson at 425-257-7185 or e-mail him at rjohnson@ci.everett.wa.us.

Public hearing on tax increase today

Island County commissioners will meet today in the county Annex Building, 1 NE Sixth St. in Coupeville at 9:30 a.m.

A public hearing at 9:55 a.m. will take place on a law adopting an excise tax on timber harvested from public lands. General public comments are taken at 10 a.m., but limited to two minutes. A public hearing on Cultus Bay Road will start at 10:15 a.m.

At 10:35 a.m., public hearings are set to start on the county budget for 2005, and for increasing taxes for the county road fund, conservation levy and expense levy.

Giving trees help local families

The Lake Stevens Family Center will have giving trees at various locations to provide families in need with Christmas presents.

The trees will have decorations on them with information about a child or adult and their Christmas wish. Those who want to help can pick one of the names and fulfill the wish.

Check local businesses for a tree or take gifts to the center next to the library before Dec. 17.

Council will discuss budget

The Lynnwood City Council will review the proposed 2005-06 budget at its meeting tonight. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at City Hall, 19100 44th Ave. W. The council also will consider an ordinance to create a Department of Neighborhoods and Community Affairs.

For more information call the city at 425-775-1971 or go to www.ci.lynnwood.wa.us.

Study looks at reservation water

Water conditions on and near the Tulalip Reservation, including ground-water levels and stream flow, are statistically much the same as they were in the 1970s, according to a report by the U.S. Geological Survey.

In cooperation with the Tulalip Tribes, the USGS studied the water on the reservation and adjacent areas. The study compared the results with those of studies done in the 1970s and 1980s.

Scientists also updated descriptions of the geology and aquifers and prepared estimates of the water budget, addressing how much of the rainfall becomes runoff, recharges the aquifer or evaporates.

“Results from our study show that ground-water levels have not changed significantly since the 1970s,” said USGS hydrologist Lonna Frans, primary author of the report. Stream flow also hasn’t changed significantly.

For more information, go to the USGS Web site at http://pubs. water.usgs.gov/sir20045166 or call 303-202-4200.

Council sets two special meetings

The Mill Creek City Council will hold two special meetings this week.

The first, a closed-door session to conduct interviews with interim city manager candidates, is scheduled for 4 p.m. today at City Hall, 15728 Main St.

City Manager Bob Stowe has announced he will leave Mill Creek to become Bothell’s city manager in January.

The second meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday also at City Hall, will be to meet with state lawmakers to discuss priorities for the upcoming legislative session in Olympia.

For more information, call 425-745-1891.

Group offers free music class

The Monroe Arts Council is promoting “Sounds of Music,” a music appreciation series held monthly for children and young adults.

From bagpipes to harps, professional musicians perform and give background about their instruments at this free event.

The next performance is set at 10 a.m. Saturday at the New Hope Fellowship Church, 1012 W. Main St. The Brass Notes, a local brass quintet, will perform.

To learn more about the program, contact Dee Jones at 360-794-8728 or see the Monroe Arts Council’s Web site at www. monroeartscouncil.org.

Plan to raise recreation fees

The Mountlake Terrace City Council will discuss a plan to raise recreation fees over the next four years at its meeting today.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at City Hall, 23204 58th Ave. W. Also on the agenda is a discussion of the proposed 2005-06 budget. The budget is scheduled to be adopted Dec. 20.

For more information call the city at 425-776-1161 or go to www.cityofmlt.com.

YMCA offers ski packages

The Mukilteo YMCA has partnered with Stevens Pass to provide ski packages to YMCA members for the winter. The registration deadline is Dec. 15.

For more information call the Mukilteo Family YMCA at 425-353-9622.

Center offers Christmas trip

The Snohomish Senior Center will offer a Warm Beach “Lights of Christmas” trip on Friday.

Passengers will be picked up at the park-and-ride lot in Snohomish and return around 7 p.m.

Participants can see a dazzling light display, have a fresh doughnut and listen to Victorian carolers. The trip will include a stop in Marysville for dinner.

Cost of transportation is $16. Entrance fee at Warm Beach is $7 for those age 60 and older. Dinner will be about $10 each.

To find out more or to sign up for the trip, call the Snohomish Senior Center at 360-568-0934.

Fire department gets funding

The Stanwood Fire Department will receive $68,382 from the federal Department of Homeland Security.

The money is to be used for purchasing firefighting equipment, funding firefighter health and safety programs, enhancing emergency medical services programs and conducting fire education and prevention programs.

In the next several months, about 8,000 awards worth $750 million will be given out by the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

Planning panel to meet Wednesday

The Tulalip Tribes Planning Commission will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday at 6319 23rd Ave. NE.