Week in review

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, April 10

Everett’s riverfront transformation near. Late last year, city leaders decided it was time for Everett’s riverfront to meet its possibilities. After almost a century of dump and grind, mostly as home to a landfill and pulp mill, this would-be princess dusted herself off and has managed to attract three handsome suitors. At its meeting Wednesday morning, the City Council will hear from the three – all nationally reputed mixed-use developers. Then, the City Council will choose one developer to transform the Snohomish River property into a “front porch” fit for a revitalizing city.

Jennifer Warnick

Monday, April 11

Brightwater safety plan gets OK. King County can safely build its Brightwater sewage treatment plant in south Snohomish County despite the fact that at least one active earthquake fault line runs under the site, according to a supplemental environmental review planned for release today.

Lukas Velush

Tuesday, April 12

County building cost rises. Snohomish County government’s new campus will cost $3 million more than expected, officials in charge of the $170 million project said Monday. The rising price tag means the plan to renovate the old jail has been canceled, and the county also will need to sell another $3.1 million in bonds to renovate its existing administration building. Future county budgets also will be hit to cover the $1.9 million costs for leasing furniture for the new buildings.

Brian Kelly

Wednesday, April 13

Play ball, bill says. State senators erased the threat of eviction for 1,300 Snohomish Little League players Tuesday night, passing a law that lets them continue playing on their controversial ball fields. Hours after players gathered on the diamonds for team photos, legislators approved the measure 43-6 after rejecting changes pitched by the Snohomish County Council. The House of Representatives passed the bill in March. It now goes to Gov. Christine Gregoire for her expected signature.

Jerry Cornfield

Thursday, April 14

Everett chooses riverfront team. The Everett City Council has chosen San Diego-based developer OliverMcMillan as a partner on its riverfront development project. The unanimous vote came at the conclusion of a five-hour meeting Wednesday at which the council heard from three nationally known developers.

Jennifer Warnick

Friday, April 15

Vandalism shakes family. The cleanup is a pain, and the money it’s going to cost them is daunting. Worse, though, is explaining the vandalism to their eight children, who range in age from 6 to 16, Crissy Kitchell and Wes Washington said Thursday. The family’s south Everett home was trashed and slurs were spray-painted on the walls Tuesday, including “KKK” and a swastika. Kitchell is white and Washington is black. The family is staying at a motel until the house is cleaned up. Police said they have yet to conclude that the crime was motivated by racism. No arrests have been made.

Bill Sheets

Saturday, April 16

Group wants out of Granite Falls. Some people living on Paradise Lane are troubled with life in the city and want out. They have taken the unusual step of asking Granite Falls to “de-annex” their neighborhood. Doing so would shift the 69 lots on Paradise Lane back to Snohomish County’s control. Although rules for reducing city limits exist, planners and land-use attorneys said they could not remember such a move in at least the past decade.

Scott Morris