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, Dec. 9

No longer the ‘angry young man’: Snohomish County Councilman Gary Nelson stands as one of the longest-serving public officials in the state. He spent 40 straight years in office, serving first on the Edmonds City Council, then rising to power during 22 years in the state Legislature and finally serving often as the lone Republican voice on the Snohomish County Council.

This is his last month in office; he is forced to leave by term limits.

Jeff Switzer

Monday, Dec. 10

Sunnycrest splits up kids: A yearlong construction project is expected to close the largest elementary school in Lake Stevens next fall, raising the question: Where do you put more than 770 students?

The solution appears to be splitting up Sunnycrest students geographically for a year and having them attend Hillcrest and Mount Pilchuck elementary schools in the portables that are already set up.

Eric Stevick

Tuesday, Dec. 11

Give up on old ferries: The Legislature’s top transportation leaders on Monday said it is time to stop spending money trying to repair Washington’s leaking oldest ferries.

Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, chairwoman of the Senate’s Transportation Committee, said she wouldn’t trust the 80-year-old Steel Electric-class ferries to be safe even if millions of dollars more are spent on repairs.

Lukas Velush and Scott North

Wednesday, Dec. 12

Gunman found guilty: Noel Caldellis displayed extreme indifference to human life when he fired into a crowd in 2006, killing Jay Clements, a Snohomish County Superior Court jury found Tuesday.

The young man’s family wept when he was led away in handcuffs to await sentencing for first-degree murder. Caldellis, 20, likely will face at least 30 years behind bars.

Jurors found him guilty of killing Clements, 21, who was shot twice while attempting to break up a fight outside a Brier residence.

Jim Haley

Thursday, Dec. 13

Angry adults, 3 injured babies: Three Marysville infants, including a set of twins, were hurt at home recently, allegedly by frustrated fathers, who were arrested.

The three babies police learned about in the last two weeks are all recovering, officials said.

Their cases are chilling reminders of how quickly parental frustration can lead to injury; how inexperienced parents can land in jail and how families can be destroyed.

The abuse is preventable through parental education programs, experts said.

Jackson Holtz and Sharon Salyer

Friday, Dec. 14

Old ferries gone for good: Gov. Chris Gregoire on Thursday said the state has no choice but to abandon the nation’s oldest saltwater ferries and that continuing to rely on their leaking, corroded hulls was courting disaster.

The Steel Electric-class ferries were launched in 1927. They were running until Nov. 20, when state officials pulled them from service.

Gregoire said she will ask the Legislature in January to approve shifting $100 million among ferry system projects to pay for construction of three new boats that will serve as replacements.

Scott North, Lukas Velush and Kaitlin Manry

Saturday, Dec. 15

A rush to inspect ferries: Concerned about continuing problems with corrosion in the state ferry fleet, the Coast Guard this week ordered examinations of a dozen boats in the next eight days.

All of the Washington State Ferries to be inspected are assigned to routes that carry passengers and freight, and it likely will be difficult to meet the Coast Guard’s order, said Mike LaCroix, senior port engineer for the ferry system.

Scott North and Jim Haley