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, May 22
Election fight just beginning. The election of Democrat Christine Gregoire as governor in November was a process tainted by errors and stained with illegal votes. But did the sum of the sloppiness affect the outcome, and should the result be voided? Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges will be asked to decide that question in a trial that begins Monday on the legal challenge brought by Dino Rossi, who lost to Gregoire, and the Republican Party.
Jerry Cornfield
Monday, May 23
Groups split on tour of sewers. King County sent two people to Georgia to study a state-of-the-art sewage treatment system for its $1.5 billion Brightwater plant. Alderwood officials sent 11 people to Europe at a cost of $32,450 to do the same thing. The Alderwood Water and Wastewater District is planning a $70 million upgrade of its 30-year-old treatment plant at Picnic Point. Some Alderwood customers aren’t happy about the European excursion. “It’s an excuse to spend ratepayers’ money,” said resident Lisa Rasmussen.
Bill Sheets
Tuesday, May 24
Superstore planned. The developer in charge of building a Wal-Mart supercenter in Smokey Point has applied to build another Wal-Mart-sized store at the corner of 64th Street NE and Highway 9. Pacific Northwest Developments, a subsidiary of Tacoma’s David Evans and Associates, wants to build a 183,565-square-foot store with a garden center and tire and lube shop on 20 vacant acres on the intersection’s northwest corner.
Eric Fetters
Wednesday, May 25
Couple held hostage. Two armed men held an Edmonds couple hostage for three hours in their home Tuesday morning. The ordeal ended when one robber forced the man, in his 80s, to drive to a local bank and withdraw money from his account, Snohomish County sheriff’s Lt. Steve Dittoe said. Investigators don’t know why the couple were targeted.
Diana Hefley
Thursday, May 26
Some boat owners upset. Occasionally, on the marina’s picturesque public promenade, people are seen carrying their own waste. Maybe it’s in a bottle. Maybe a bucket. Either way, the Port of Everett wants to put an end to it. Tighter rules for people living on boats at the marina are under consideration, including stricter background checks, higher fees, proof of insurance and requirements that all people on live-a-boards have a toilet and holding tank on board. Currently, there is no such requirement.
Jeff Switzer
Friday, May 27
Heat roasts record. They lined up in throngs, gazed into the display case and agonized over the choices. Mint chocolate chip or old-fashioned butter brickle? With temperatures climbing to record levels Thursday, it was all Woody’s Market owner Donny Minteer could do to keep up with the demand for tall towers of creamy goodness. At nearby Paine Field, the temperature climbed to 82 degrees, shattering the 1995 record of 77 degrees for May 26.
Lukas Velush
Saturday, May 28
Snohomish River claims life. A Vashon Island man drowned Friday in a popular swimming hole on the Snohomish River just at the start of the long Memorial Day weekend. Snohomish County sheriff’s divers recovered the man’s body about three hours after he slipped under the surface. He and a Snohomish man, both 24, were trying to cross the river to a sandbar just south of Thomas Eddy about four miles south of Snohomish, sheriff’s deputy Dave Hayes said from the bank of the river. Neither man was wearing a life jacket.
Diana Hefley
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