Housing

Mobile home owner worries about future

I live at Evergreen Estates, a mobile home community in Lynnwood. I have lived here for 14 years. I was dumbfounded to get a notice terminating my residence at the property because the land had been sold for commercial use.

Lynnwood Properties, LLC has given us one year to move or sell our homes or pay to have our home demolished.

They were kind enough to list the relocation assistance address and phone number on their notice. We that live here have applied for relocation assistance funds, only to find that there is no money remaining in the relocation assistance fund.

All of us that reside here have medical problems, are retired, low income or have no extra money.

Most of us have tried to sell our homes. I have run ads in the paper and had my home in craigslist. Once people find out my mobile home has to be moved, they have no interest in buying. They are closing so many mobile home communities in Snohomish County that we cannot find a place to move our home, even if we had the money.

I have sent letters to several mobile home communities requesting information regarding available open spaces, along with a photograph of my home and a self-addressed, stamped, return envelope. I received a few back, stating they have no open spaces. Most did not even answer my request for information.

The assessor’s office has been no help as zoning has changed in Lynnwood. The value of our homes has dropped to almost nothing — great for claiming a loss on your taxes, but not for selling.

All of us here feel left out in the cold; we are sick, old, tired, scared and nervous wrecks. We need help.

Pat Hayes

Lynnwood

Thank you

Family grateful for caring community

The Aliverti family would like to take this opportunity to thank our friends in and around the community for the best wishes and concern extended during my recent illness with pancreatic cancer.

I am happy to share with you that tests show that after several weeks of intensive treatment the problem is well on the run. I will take a less intensive chemotherapy program for six sessions to help “mop up” any remaining problems that might exist.

Once again, please know how grateful we are for the support and concern given by so many of you.

Our best wishes to you and your families for the coming year.

Ed Aliverti

Edmonds

Election ‘08

You can’t hit ‘The Girl’

Accusations of promoting murder, prostitution, gaming, adultery, military expediency and vicious attacks on the spouses were considered a temper tantrum, lowest of lies in campaigns. Sound familiar?

What am I talking about? 1828 or 2008? This was 1828, but think about 2004-2008. What facts have we heard? Not one! What have we to learn so far from the 2008 campaign? We have an ominous start. We have learned you can’t hit “the girl”? “The girl” is sacred. Mother said so. Guys, dad always said back off, don’t hit “the girl.” Why can’t we ask her the tough questions that we ask a man, she is running for president of the United States, not the sorority house. How are we to learn why she would be better for America without a fight? If “the girl” is off limits to tough questions and tough criticisms, then what is the meaning of democracy? If we can’t have honest and open debate, we are doomed as Americans. No wonder the few women who did vote before 1918 were older or widows that viewed life from experience not feelings. Lord help us!

Grace Hofer

Everett

Self-sustainability

It pays to grow your own vegetables

As food prices escalate faster than incomes increase, there are solutions that each of us can utilized. Vegetables can be grown in gardens, both in front and back yards and in various sizes of containers. Salad stuff, such as spinach, chard, green onions, radishes are easily grown, and can soon be planted to yield a bountiful harvest. Tomatoes do well planted in 5-gallon containers. Vegetable gardens thrive here, especially with amended soil. Last year I grew all salad stuff, plus brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, beets and carrots, tomatoes and several varieties of squash with little more effort than planting seeds and watering regularly, saving me a considerable sum.

Fruit trees also do well in this area, especially peaches and nectarines, Asian and European pears and plums, although apples present more problems. Many fruit trees will bear fruit within the first year of planting if they are bought when several years old from a reliable nursery. There are several in north King County and south Snohomish County.

For apartment and condo dwellers there is a possibility of pea patches. Seattle has many neighborhood pea patches for which demand and use is very high. Shoreline and Lake Forest Park have places where pea patches can be developed. But even decks allow for container gardening.

So the next time you groan over increasing vegetable and fruit prices, start investing in adequate containers, seeds, plants and trees. Now is the time to plan and to talk with nursery folk. The rewards of growing our own vegetables and fruits goes well beyond saving money at the grocery store.

Virginia M. Paulsen

Shoreline