City council searches for a way out of future deficit
City council met Thursday night to confront the same problem they left on the table last month – a $3.8 million deficit by 2016 and borrowing from reserves as soon as next year, if city revenues don’t increase.
Joyce Papke, city administrator, called the current financial crises of small towns like Stanwood a “triple whammy.” Full Story
Farmland preservation grants available
Applications are due by 5 p.m. March 12 for grants to protect farmland, offered by the Washington State Conservation Commission, the sponsor of Farmland Preservation Program grants. Full Story
Hoops for Davis now on April 10th
In last week’s Jennifer Kelly column she mentioned Hoops for Davis was scheduled for March 6. That date has now been pushed back to April 10 due to Stanwood High School boys’ basketball team going to state. Full Story
The bad news is, some Snohomish County residents’ early 20th century post-and-beam houses sit in an earthquake-prone floodplain, on unstable soil with a high risk of liquefaction. In the event of severe natural disaster, their homes could be a total loss.
The good news is, new technology provides a window into the previously unknown. Full Story
Four school district teams heading to State Science Olympiad
As elite athletes gathered in Vancouver to test their physical prowess, students from the Northwest region battled wits through a series of mental tests over the weekend. Representatives from the Stanwood-Camano School District stood on top of the podium. Full Story
Good and bad: The state of Puget Sound
Along with the current condition of Puget Sound, the State of the Sound report includes accomplishments and challenges in the Puget Sound Partnership’s effort to clean up the Sound, and information on funding allocated to the clean-up efforts.
The report reviews efforts of the 2007-2009 biennium. Full Story
Buffer zones around streams simplified
The Forest Practices Board has simplified the way small forest landowners set the riparian (streamside) buffers required adjacent to fish-bearing streams when harvesting timber in Western Washington. Full Story
Initiative offers funding for organic, transitional growers
March 12 is the deadline to apply for assistance in transitioning to organic production, or for those Washington agricultural producers already certified as organic to receive technical and financial assistance to address natural resource concerns. Full Story
2010 property taxes based on Jan. 1, 2009
The average assessed value of Snohomish County residential property decreased 11 percent in 2009, and Stanwood’s was the largest decrease in the county.
The average percent tax change ranged from an 8.4 percent increase in Darrington to a decrease of minus 9.3 percent in Stanwood. Full Story
More than acupuncture
Hope Acupuncture and Herbs has opened in Stanwood. Nadia Liu is a third generation Chinese herbalist and is a licensed acupuncturist. Liu is now offering ancient medicine for a modern world. Full Story
Anyone who has taken the tram ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood knows that the studio prides itself with their early monster films of Dracula, Frankenstein, Phantom of the Opera and more.
The new “Wolfman” is a reminder of those vintage films. Full Story
Boys found in Heritage Park after dark with weed, various thefts
Stanwood Police reported
the following calls recently:
• On Feb. 10, two 17- year-old boys were referred for trespassing and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the 9600 block of 276th Street NW. They were in Heritage Park after it was closed. Full Story
