Around Town

Stream Center to offer rafting, fall foliage adventure

The Northwest Stream Center is hosting a fall foliage raft trip at 10 a.m. Saturday on the Nooksack River.

Dave Button of the Pacific Northwest Float Trips and his team of naturalist guides will take participants up close to nature in a safe setting to learn about the ecosystem, animal life, plant distribution and the history that exists along the Nooksack. Starting at the Highway 9 Bridge, this guided 10-mile rafting adventure will feature Suzanne Falls, impressive clay cliffs. and spawning salmon.

This event is for Adults and children 6 and older. Tickets are $50 each and may be purchased by calling the Stream Center at 425-316-8592.

Visit the Stream Center Web site at www.streamkeeper.org for a list of items to pack and directions to the meeting place.

Library to showcase healing power of art

The library will have a workshop, “Discover the Healing Power of Art,” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Join Judith Campanaro as she discusses how you can use art to find your inner voice. Experience art therapy for yourself as Campanaro leads you in a creative exercise. This program is for adults. For more information, call 425-337-4822.

Planning commision to talk East Gateway

The Mill Creek Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday to address public comments regarding an amendment

to the comprehensive plan for East Gateway.

The 50 acre area, located south of 132nd Street Southeast, between 35th Avenue and Seattle Hill Road, was the subject of a design study in July where residents and property owners defined their goals and expectations for the area.

The public comments were used to prepare two alternative land use plans for the area that include a mix of residential, retail, office, institutional uses, parks and a new internal street system.

The planning commission introduced the plans in August and received additional public comments used to refine the preferred land use plan.

The focus of the plan is directed at creating an “urban village” that offers a mix of residential uses, convenience retail services, public parks, religious institutions and employment areas.

Differing from the Mill Creek Town Center which is a true destination shopping center organized around a single Main Street, East Gateway will be designed as an integrated pattern of multi-storied mid-rise buildings organized in a street grid with residential units constructed over ground-floor retail and office uses as well as low-rise townhomes and parks that will compliment the existing neighborhoods.

Celebrate Friends

of the Library Week

The week of October 21, 2007 is National Friends of the Library Week. 

Friends of the Library are non-profit volunteer organizations, bringing together involved, caring people who support and promote the services and programs of their community libraries. 

Through their fundraising efforts, Friends groups undertake projects and supply items which fall outside the established budget of their local libraries.

Each group of volunteers dedicate their time and service to raise thousands of dollars each year for their libraries.

In 2006, Sno-Isle Friends of the Library groups raised over $275,000. 

With these funds Friends provide programming for all ages, support the Summer Reading Program for children, purchase furniture and other library enhancements.

Through their commitment and generosity, Friends help to promote literacy, education and reading for all ages.  Sno-Isle Libraries applauds the dedication of all twenty Friends of the Library groups throughout Snohomish and Island counties. 

All Friends of the Library groups welcome new members.  For information on how to join your local group, ask any staff person in your local branch, or call Nancy Patton, Volunteer Program Administrator, 360-651-7003 or email her at npatton@sno-isle.org. 

Community Association wants its sign back

Vandals struck the Mill Creek Community Association last week, stealing the Friendship Garden sign on Village Green Drive.

The garden was created by the Mill Creek Garden Club in the early 1990s and has since been maintained by a number of volunteers in the community.

“That is just pathetically awful,” Mill Creek Mayor Donna Michelson wrote in an e-mail to the Enterprise. “I certainly hope someone comes to their senses and returns this special keepsake sign.”

The incident is under investigation, but community association officials are hoping whoever stole the sign will return it to the main office so it can be repaired and replaced.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 425-745-6175.

Libraries honor World War II veterans

Sno-Isle Libraries is partnering with KCTS, the local PBS station, for an exciting series of community conversations relating to World War II.  The programs are part of the on-going interest in World War II, as generated in part by the recent PBS documentary “The War” by documentary producer Ken Burns.

Each community conversation will feature a 27 minute preview screening of Ken Burns’ “The War”, and will be followed by a panel discussion, moderated a representative of KCTS.

“The War:  Community Conversations” are scheduled to take place at the following at the following locations:

Stanwood Library — 2 p.m., October 27.