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<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge)   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Even phone books get wrong numbers By Kristi O'Harran Herald Columnist That annoying fellow, "Dex," the talking phone book guy, might have all the answers on TV commercials, but he sure doesn't know Snohomish County. There a few wrong numbers in the local Blue Pages. The first general county number listed, 360-568-2482, gets you to the parks department. The first listing for the courthouse, 360-435-3441, gets you to a place to make a shelter reservation. If you dial the Snohomish Health District, listed as 425-388-3411, and press "0" for an operator, you'll get the county human resources department. The human resources department gets about 50 health district calls every day, said Christopher Schwarzen, with the county executive's office. He had even better news: The Dex folks say they can't change the printed phone book until the next issue in March. Learn to draw cartoons and animate them in September in Mukilteo. Students will learn about storyboard techniques, creating comic strips, 3-D animation, character development and design, flip books, and more. Classes begin Sept. 12. For more information, call 425-355-2069. Instructor Christine Awad Schmalz has an impressive resume. She does hand-painted original women and children's clothing designs and works for PBS Television's "Barney and Friends." Her paintings have been exhibited in New York City and Los Angeles. She has been busy teaching at art camps this summer. "Living in the Mukilteo area, I cannot think of a better place for summer camps and programs," Schmalz said. "As a kid, I would have relished my summers here." She likes our summers, she said, because in the hot and muggy deep South, summer camps included encounters with chiggers and snakes. Big jobs can sometimes be handled in a simple manner. Especially in the computer age. United Way's annual Spirit of Snohomish County Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 10 features Robert Fulghum, author of "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." At the breakfast, five folks will be honored for community involvement and volunteering. For more information about the program at the Tulalip Resort Casino Hotel, call 425-374-5570. "Mr. Fulghum is an exciting speaker whose topic, "What on Earth Am I Doing?" is beautifully answered by how our honorees are living their lives and contributing to our community," said Deborah Squires, spokeswoman for United Way. She is the person who found the organization that handles Fulghum's speaking engagements. "I Googled him," Squires said. Fun Fact: It's not just about the music at Wednesday concerts at the Snohomish County Courtyard. "We've had a phenomenal turnout," says Wendy Becker, economic and cultural development officer. "And the food and flowers have really been a big hit." Food and flowers were Becker's ideas. "I added kettle corn, Hmong flowers and food grilled on-site," Becker said. "Those additions has turned the Wednesday concert series into a downtown destination." The final concert is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, featuring jazz by the Bob Strickland group. The flowers are an affordable luxury, she said. "For $10 to $15, you can have a fresh, colorful bouquet that brings summer to your space. Those bouquets are so big and beautiful, to me it's decadence for a couple dollars." Columnist Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.

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