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, April 8

County farms’ fuel crop a shocker: Save farming. Wean the country off fossil fuels. Stop global warming. Create jobs.

All this, and turn fields ablaze with gorgeous yellow flowers.

There’s a lot expected of a plant with a name so ugly that it was given a new one.

Local Snohomish County farmers are experimenting with canola, an environmentally friendly plant they say could help solve some of the nation’s biggest problems.

Lukas Velush

Monday, April 9

Deal to house inmates falters: Snohomish County and the state are struggling to reach an agreement on reopening the Indian Ridge correctional facility, with one key figure saying the deal “might not happen.”

A month of talks has not produced a contract covering their respective costs and responsibilities in getting the 180-bed jail near Arlington operating again. Under the plan, once the facility reopens, the county will transfer its inmates there and rent the freed-up beds to the state.

Jerry Cornfield

Tuesday, April 10

Sailors’ deaths hit Oak Harbor hard: People in the congregation at Family Bible Church wept Sunday morning when they heard that three sailors based in their town died late last week in Iraq.

That was before they even knew their names.

Krista Kapralos, Jim Haley, Yoshiaki Nohara and Kaitlin Manry

Wednesday, April 11

Next stop, same-sex marriage? A bill providing legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples cleared the Legislature on Tuesday, inching the state closer to a debate on gay marriage.

The measure passed by the House of Representatives gives same-sex couples that register with the state as a domestic partnership a handful of rights traditionally imparted only to married couples.

The bill passed the Senate last month and will now be sent to Gov. Chris Gregoire. She is expected to sign it.

Jerry Cornfield

Thursday, April 12

County low-balling land offers, owners say: Robert Beevers says having a road built through his barn is one thing, but having it done without being paid a fair price is another.

The planned Granite Falls bypass road would slice more than two acres off the southern border of his 6.5-acre property. Beevers said Snohomish County is not offering enough money for the land.

Bill Sheets

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Friday, April 13

‘The one-handed kid that’s good’: At first glance, Dylan Miller seems a fairly typical kid. He likes his Xbox, hanging out with friends, watching TV, eating at McDonald’s and playing baseball in the Marysville Little League.

It takes a moment to realize there is something different.

You see it on the baseball field, where 12-year-old Dylan catches grounders or flies with the glove on his left hand, and then throws with the same hand after tucking the glove under his right arm. Or when he pitches left-handed, and then quickly takes the glove from under his right arm ready for a come-backer or for the catcher’s return throw.

Rich Myhre

Saturday, April 14

Cell phone ban carries little weight: New legislation banning drivers from talking on their hand-held cell phones likely will be hard to enforce, local police officials said this week.

Lawmakers earlier this week passed a legislation that would make it illegal to drive with a phone up to your ear. Speakerphones and headsets are OK.

The legislation has yet to be signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Diana Hefley