City Briefs

MLT and Brier have tree lightings

The annual Mountlake Terrace tree lighting starts at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6: The Terrace/Brier Lions¹ Club and Tour de Terrace sponsor this ceremony at Evergreen Playfield. Local Food Banks will be on hand to accept canned and dry good donations. Hot chocolate, cookies at 6:30 p.m., plus performances by the Sno-King Community Chorale, Mountlake Terrace High School chorus and The Flashbacks. City council members will hand out music songbooks for caroling. Santa will arrive by fire truck for the tree lighting at 7 p.m.

In Brier, it¹s tree lighting ceremony starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7: Santa, Mrs. Claus and their helpers arrive by firetruck. Coffee, cocoa, juice and cookies served and choir performance. At Brier Park, 2903 228th St. SW. Info: 425-775-5440.

Ruth Ross on disaster team

Lynnwood City Council member Ruth Ross recently completed the Emergency Management Institute¹s Recovery from Disaster course in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The course is designed for local disaster recovery teams. These teams consisting of emergency managers, elected city/county administrators, public works directors, building inspectors and community planners are taught how to develop a disaster recovery plan. Participants are given the opportunity to develop their own recovery plan outline during the course. Through the programs offered by the United States Fire Administration¹s National Fire Academy and the Emergency Management Institute, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) promotes the professional development of our Nation¹s emergency professionals. FEMA¹s training goals are to enhance the capability at the community level, and to better prepare for emergencies by improving technical competence and public policy perspective of key emergency managers and staff.

Businesses have food, toy, drives

€ Miller¹s Interiors Carpet One is a Toys for Tots donation center. They are collecting children¹s books for the Marine Toys For Tots Foundation. The business will take donations until Dec. 12. They are located at 15615 Highway 99 in Lynnwood. For more information call 425-743-3213.

€ Back to Action Chiropractic in Mountlake Terrace is having a food drive for the Lynnwood Food Bank. They are located 6603 220th St. SW. Suite 100. The center is also offering discounts at certain times for bringing in non-perishable food. For more information call 425-670-2600.

Wight¹s raises a bundle

Wight¹s Home and Garden¹s annual Wonderland of Christmas Charity Gala Nov. 7, which benefits the Stevens Hospital Foundation raised a record breaking $6,320, a press release stated.

The event, which is co-sponsored by the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce is a traditional event which is intended to kick off the holiday season.

Over 450 guests sipped Champagne or sparkling cider and enjoyed hors d¹oerves and desserts while they strolled around the store¹s elaborate Christmas displays.

All proceeds from the $10 ticket plus 10 percent of the evenings sales went directly to the Stevens Hospital Foundation.

ŒSpeak Your Mind¹ at the library

The Lynnwood Library presents Current Events- Speak Your Mind for their December program for adults. The program moderated by Lewis Green, local OpEd guest writer and political activist from 2 to 3 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the Lynnwood Library at 19200 block of 44th Ave. W.

For more information about the program call Kathy Blinkwitz at 425-778-2148.

Local VFW needs Toys 4 Tots

The Lynnwood Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 1040, is assisting the US Marine Corps Reserves Toys 4 Tots campaign and collecting new, unwrapped toys for needy children for Christmas. There will be collection boxes for the toys at the following locations until December 21:

€ Lynnwood Fred Meyer store at 196th Street SW and 44 Avenue W.

€ Lynnwood City Hall at 19100 44th Avenue W.

€ Lynnwood Fire Station at 18800 44th Avenue W.

€ Lynnwood Fire Station at 18800 68th Avenue W.

Bring only new and unwrapped toys.

In need? register for holiday basket

If you need a holiday meal in December, and you live in South Snohomish County register for the Holiday Basket Bureau. The Holiday Basket Bureau serves individuals and families who live in the following cities and zip codes: Lynnwood, Brier, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace or (98036,98037, 98020,98026, 98043, 98275.)

Register for the Holiday Basket Bureau at one of these three food banks:

Mountlake Terrace Food Bank: Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Terrace View Presbyterian Church at 4700 228th St. SW.

Lynnwood Food Bank: Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. behind Lynnwood Church of the Nazarene at 5326 176th St. SW.

Edmonds Food Bank:

Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon Edmonds United Methodist Church 828 Casper Street.

Last day to register is Dec. 11.

The Basket Bureau attempts to match all registered families/ individuals with community sponsors, who are asked to provide a special meal in December. Sponsors are encouraged to provide gifts, but aren¹t required to. We cannot guarantee sponsors for every family and will notify you by Dec. 16 if you aren¹t sponsored.

All families with children under the age of 18 will receive an invitation to the Holiday Toy Shop, which will be held on Friday, Dec. 13. Parents may select one gift for each child at the Holiday Toy Shop. Invitations and directions will be sent in the mail. To sponsor a family call Susan at 425-258-2766 xt. 153.

Know more, go to a City Council meeting

Lynnwood City Council regular meetings start at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month.

Mountlake Terrace City Council regular meetings start at 7 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month.

Brier City Council regular meetings start at 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.

For more information in Lynnwood call 425-775-1971 in Mountlake Terrace 425-776-1161 and in Brier 425-775-5440.

Trolley Days

ŒHoliday Magic¹

The Trolley Days Community Band presents the ³Holiday Magic² concerts. The free concerts will be at 7 p.m. on Dec. 13 at LDS Church at 17321 44th Ave W. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 19 at Trinity Lutheran Church at 6215 196th St. SW. in Lynnwood. For more information call Becky Janecke at 425-745-9121.

MLT 50th birthday logo contest

Mountlake Terrace¹s 50th Birthday Committee is having a logo design contest for residents between the ages of 14 and 18. The logo will be used on fundraising letters, promotional items, souvenirs and memorabilia. The committee will appoint a five-persons panel to judge the designs, which must be submitted by the end of December. The group plans to award a $500 savings bond to the winner in spring of 2003.

For more information call Mountlake Terrace City Hall at 425-776-1161.

Donate an old cell phone for safety

Project Donate a Phone is back on and the need is high, say officials for The Snohomish County Center for Battered Women.

The center is in need of old or new cellular phones, even ones with missing parts can help, Center officials said. Usable cell phones will be provided free to all women who use the center¹s services. In case of emergency old phones can still be used to dial 911. The ones that can¹t be used will be recycled to a business who has agreed to pay the non-profit organization for parts. To donate phones, drop them off at the Mountlake Terrace Police Department at 5906 232nd St. SW or to the Snohomish County Center for Battered Women at 1310 Pacific Avenue in Everett #5 (corner of Grand and Pacific) or Mr. Bill¹s restaurant at the Everett Mall. More information call Terri or Vicci at 425-259-2827. The Center for Battered women are also looking for volunteers. For more information contact Darla Lewis at 425-259-2827, ext. 18.

Free car seat checks in Lynnwood

Motor vehicle crashes are the single largest cause of child fatalities in the country, officials said.

However, proper child seat safety can reduce the risk of injury or death by 70 percent, officials added, if the car seat is installed correctly. Lynnwood Police have recently nationally certified five technicians to help parents and care givers be sure their precious cargo is as safe as possible.

Free car seat checks are now available every Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m. by appointment, at the Lynnwood Police Station at 19321 44th Avenue West. Checks take about 30 to 45 minutes to complete and it is best to have the child there for the check. For more info. or to make an appointment call 425-744-6900.

MLT Crime Watch volunteers needed

Crime Watch is looking for new members. Retired citizens who would like to join the group can pick up an application at the Mountlake Terrace Police Department, 5906 232nd St. SW. Volunteers work an average of two hours a week and are provided with uniforms. This is a non-enforcement, non-confrontational patrol program, so no weapons are used. The volunteers in the Crime Watch program enjoy the camaraderie of the group and being able to give something back to the community, officials said. For more information contact Joie Worthen, Crime Prevention Coordinator at the Mountlake Terrace Police Department at 425-670-8260.

Have a court date? Click here:

Citizens can now go to a new website, www.courts.wa.gov, and look up their court dates by clicking on ³find your court date² and entering a valid name or case number.

All courts in Washington including Lynnwood Municipal and South Snohomish County District Court are on the site except for Seattle Municipal Court.

Given that court proceedings may be rescheduled at any time, official said, users are encouraged to call their local court the morning of their appearance. An automated court directory is also available online via the Washington Courts website, combined with a ³Courthouse Locator² which provides maps and directions to every courthouse throughout Washington State. For the Lynnwood Municipal Court call 425-670-6668. For the South Snohomish County District Court call 425-774-8803.

Free blood pressure screening at library

Red Cross volunteers provide free blood pressure screening from 1 to 3 p.m. on the first and third Friday of each month at the Lynnwood Library at 19200 44th Ave. W.