Did you miss your news last week? Here’s a selection of the week’s top news items from across Snohomish County as they appeared in The Herald. For the full stories, go to www.heraldnet.com.
Sunday, March 28
Wal-Mart: Love it or hate it. When Wal-Mart comes to town, it’s hard to find anyone without an opinion about the world’s largest company. The retail chain, which has two stores in Snohomish County, hopes to have four more soon. Opposition already is cropping up, especially in Stanwood, where Mayor Herb Kuhnly said opponents have been visible and vocal, though he suspects many in the town would like to shop closer to home.
Eric Fetters
Monday, March 29
Wal-Mart workers get by on less money. Jagmeet Johal didn’t know exactly what to expect when he began working at Wal-Mart in Marysville. He’d heard critics accuse the chain of worker exploitation and read about lawsuits and investigations. Now that he’s been on the job four months, Johal, 23, of Lake Stevens, has no reservations about Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer with 1.4 million employees, who make less than some of their peers in the retail industry and aren’t represented by a union.
Eric Fetters
Tuesday, March 30
Cocoon House center will aid homeless teens. Cocoon House is stepping up its efforts to help homeless teenagers, sending advocates to area parks and malls and opening a new resource center in Everett. The efforts are funded through a three-year, $300,000 grant from the federal Administration for Children and Families. The teen resource center, called U-Turn, will be at 3422 Broadway and opens April 5. It will provide emergency needs for homeless teens.
Sharon Salyer
Wednesday, March 31
Winter arrives a bit late. Just when it looked like it was safe to venture outside, wintry weather struck the area, leaving huge amounts of snow in the Cascade Mountains and deluges of rain and hail in the lowlands. Skiers were thrilled, but motorists had to contend with miserable driving conditions. Up to 5 feet of snow has fallen since Saturday at higher elevations on the North Cascades Highway.
Jim Haley
Thursday, April 1
Hundreds must go. About 230 families at the Eagle Point Mobile Home Park will have to move within a year. Barclays North Inc. of Lake Stevens has purchased the 38-acre park for $11.4 million and plans to build about 340 condominiums or townhouses. Reports of the sale had been swirling for months, yet many Eagle Point residents were caught by surprise when they learned they would have to move.
Cathy Logg
Friday, April 2
Jones guilty in third trial. For the third time since 1989, a Snohomish County jury has convicted Jerry Bartlett Jones of savagely stabbing his wife to death. Jurors deliberated less than 41/2 hours Thursday afternoon before convicting the former pharmaceutical salesman of first-degree murder in the death of Lee Jones, 41, in December 1988. Superior Court Judge James Allendoerfer will sentence Jones on Tuesday.
Jim Haley
Saturday, April 3
“Fading serenely.” Pope John Paul II was near death as dawn broke today, his breathing shallow and his heart and kidneys failing, the Vatican said. Millions of faithful around the world paid homage, many weeping as they knelt with bowed heads, others carrying candles in prayer for the 84-year-old pontiff.
Associated Press
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