Arlington

Twin Rivers Park is still closed indefinitely because of last month’s flood.

City and county workers have been trying to clean up the voluminous river silt left on the fields, trails and in restrooms by the south fork of the Stillaguamish River, but the job is daunting and other priorities come first, said Terri Mills, Arlington’s parks maintenance supervisor.

Just downstream, Haller Park was finally opened last week.

Mills said cleanup efforts have been hampered by not being able to flush the stubborn and potentially contaminated silt into the river with water because of environmental concerns. City crews were finally able to clear enough to get a grader to smooth the gravel parking lot at Haller.

Twin Rivers Park might not be open until next month, she said, but people are welcome to park at the gate and walk in.

Edmonds

Waterfront park work completed

The city will celebrate the completion of the new Olympic Beach bulkhead and accept a new sculpture for the area at 3 p.m. Friday.

The beach is at Railroad Avenue and Dayton Street, on the Edmonds waterfront.

The project replaced the decayed wooden timber walls with new bulkheads and created a new walkway along the water’s edge in the central portion of the city’s waterfront park system.

A ramp provides access to the beach at the south end of the park. Benches placed along the waterfront path were purchased as part of the city’s gifts program.

Everett

More bus service for the disabled

Everett Community College will pay Everett Transit to add another trip for disabled students traveling from the college to Marysville.

In February, Community Transit’s decision to pull most of its bus service out of Everett forced some disabled riders to transfer buses at Everett station. That led to trips from Marysville to Everett taking as long as three hours.

A two-year, $240,000 state grant allowed ET to recently begin direct service twice a day in each direction from Marysville to EvCC. The college will pay $52 per day to add one more afternoon return trip.

Typically, about seven disabled students ride the bus each day, said Tom Hingson, ET’s transportation systems manager.

Island County

Thunder Ridge hearing scheduled

The Island County Board of Commissioners has scheduled a public hearing to get comments about its decision to declare the Thunder Ridge development on Camano Island as a critical drainage area.

The declaration puts a temporary hold on new construction in the development until county engineers and developers can agree on a drainage plan for all the new homes and pavement. Developers plan to build 170 homes, and 60 have been built in five years.

The commissioners determined that the development lacked appropriate drainage, which they said was affecting homeowners downstream on the east side of E. Camano Drive.

The hearing will be at 6 p.m. at Camano Country Club, 1243 S. Beach Drive.

Genealogy talk at Freeland church

Mary Kay Kozy will talk about “Organizing your Family History” to the South Whidbey Genealogical Society at 1 p.m. today at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 18341 Highway 525 in Freeland.

In 20 years of experience, Kozy has researched families throughout the Midwest, the South and Europe.

The society’s education class meets before Kozy’s talk at 11:30 a.m.

Lake Stevens

Council conducts budget hearing

The City Council will conduct a public hearing tonight on the city’s proposed $4.7 million 2004 budget, then have the first reading of an ordinance to adopt the budget.

Other agenda items include swearing in new police officer Paul Henderson and first readings of ordinances regarding property tax collection and the tax rate, and an amendment to the 2003 budget.

The council meets at 7 p.m. at the Lake Stevens Community-Senior Center, 1808 Main St.

Lynnwood

Sign language taught to babies

Babies can communicate before they can speak.

Hearing families can use American Sign Language as a temporary means of communication with babies as young as seven months old to accelerate language and motor development and reduce frustration for the entire family.

Nancy Hanauer, a state certified teacher, will hold a class tonight at the Lynnwood Public Library to get new parents started. See Hanauer’s Web site, signingbabies.net for more detailed information on signing.

For more information about tonight’s event, call the library at 425-778-2148.

Marysville

Examiner’s public hearing Thursday

The Marysville hearing examiner will conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday on a 26-lot preliminary site plan and preliminary plat approval for owners Ted and Debra Knauss, John and Lois Knauss and Northwest Nazarene University.

The property is at the northeast corner of 60th Street NE and 79th Avenue NE.

The hearing will be in the City Council chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 1049 State Ave.

Mill Creek

Fund-raiser for park scoreboard

Commemorative engraved pavers are still being sold by Mill Creek Little League to raise money for a scoreboard for the new Mill Creek Sports Park.

Mill Creek’s budget did not include a scoreboard, which has an estimated cost of up to $10,000.

These pavers will be placed in the “Walk of Fame” around the concession stand. Cost is $75 for a 4-inch-by-8-inch paver, or $150 for an 8-inch-by-8-inch one.

For more information, call Tom Davis at 425-481-4904 or Holli Redington at 425-337-7210.

Monroe

Diabetes group meets monthly

The Diabetes Education Group will meet tonight from 7:30-8:30 at Valley General Hospital, 14701 179th St.

The group meets the second Monday of each month, and the cost is free.

For more information, call the hospital community relations at 360-794-1411.

Mukilteo

Council to debate budget shortfall

The Mukilteo City Council continues its public hearing on the 2004 city budget at 7 tonight at Fire Station 3, 10400 47th Place W, Mukilteo.

Mayor Don Doran proposed a budget without major cuts last week, but that was before the Mukilteo EMS levy failed.

Doran said the council would have to consider making significant cuts if the levy failed. He’s expected to make a presentation on what some of those cuts could be tonight.

Call 425-355-4141 for more information.

Snohomish

Local access channel moves

The city of Snohomish’s government access channel has moved to Channel 21 from Channel 28 on Comcast Cable in east Snohomish County.

Stanwood

New levy draws no comments

The Stanwood City Council had its first reading of the 2004 property taxes at a public hearing Thursday night.

City documents show the estimated levy rate for 2004 would be $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. That would bring in an estimated $860,188 to city coffers. Combined with fire and emergency medical services levies, the city’s total levy rate is estimated to be $3.62 per $1,000 assessed valuation, which would be a 5-cent raise.

No member of the public commented. The second reading and action are expected by the City Council at its next meeting Nov. 20.