Valley Year in Review

 
By Chris Hendrickson, Monitor
January
The Bush House in Index underwent an extensive renovation process after being purchased by the Corson family in 2012.-á The first phases of its refurbishment included; lifting the building and rebuilding the understructure, a new roof, new windows, a new chimney and new siding.-á The Corson family, who also own and operate the recreation-based business Outdoor Adventure Center out of the River House Coffee shop, hope to eventually open the 10-room inn with a full restaurant and bar, a banquet room with a stage for live music, a historical library, a family rental unit and a bakery.
\*Update:-á The Bush House renovations have been halted as the Snohomish County Health District has thus far declined to issue permits to connect the hotel's septic system, due, in part, to unresolved litigation between Bush House LLC and the owners of the property located west of the inn, the Eleazers.-á This litigation will be discussed more thoroughly in an upcoming issue of the Monitor.
Reiter Foothills, the all-terrain vehicle trails located near Gold Bar, opened for test rides on both the single-track motorcycle trails and the 4 x 4 challenge course.-á The trails, which are operated by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, had been closed since 2009 due to environmental concerns due to trail overuse and unmonitored access.-á The new trail systems were strategically designed to lessen negative environmental impacts.
\*Update:-á The new trail systems were opened in June on a weekends-only basis.
Obsidian Finance Group LLC expressed interest in building a 120-unit residential development north of U.S. 2 in the town of Skykomish.-á The proposal was contingent on a significant speed limit reduction being introduced along an approximately 3/4 mile stretch of U.S. 2, which would have lowered the speed limit from 60 mph to 35 mph.-á Skykomish Town Council requested the reduction from the Washington State Department of Transportation, but after conducting a traffic study, the department would only agree lower it to 50 mph.
February-á
GROW Washington Sultan moved from its original location at 403 Main St. into the former Dutch Cup restaurant building.-á GROW Washington is Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick's vision of a "small business incubatorGÇ¥ which provides guidance, instruction, retail space and other benefits to individuals who wish to start their own companies. The goal is to assist budding entrepreneurs, providing them with the necessary tools to grow successful and sustainable businesses.
Gold Bar gold prospecting company Prospector's Plus developed a commercial which was featured on the Discovery Channel reality show Gold Rush, along with the Black Gold series on TruTV.-á Run by fifth-generation Chris Brawn and his wife Michele, Prospector's Plus encourages prospecting as a family-friendly hobby which can, at times, be lucrative.-á The Brawns also manufacture their own mining gear including their custom gold pan; the Brawn Two-in-One.
March
Gold Bar resident Anne Block's efforts at removing Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon proved successful, although perhaps not in the way she imagined.-á Block's concerns about Reardon began in July or August of 2011 after she received a tip through her political website, The Gold Bar Reporter, detailing specifics of Reardon engaging in an extramarital affair and allegedly misusing county funds.-á Reardon announced his resignation after an investigation by the Everett Herald uncovered Reardon aides at the heart of several online attacks of Reardon political foes, including Block.
\*Update:-á Block is moving forward with a federal civil rights lawsuit against several Snohomish County officials and former Gold Bar city officials.
The Snohomish County Council awarded over $500,000 in grant funding through their Conservation Futures program, to assist in the preservation of two separate areas of forestland located in the Sky Valley.-á Heybrook Ridge, located in between the north and south forks of the Skykomish River, received $299,000 for property acquisition, and the land preservation company Forterra Northwest received $250,000 for the Wallace River Conservation area located near Sultan.
Snohomish County Public Utility District hosted an open house in Everett in an effort to present their revised proposal for a hydroelectric dam located at Sunset Falls in Index.-á The "Sunset Fish Passage and Energy ProjectGÇ¥ received scrutiny from both Index residents and river advocates who believe that the Skykomish River should be protected from hydroelectric development.
April
The Sultan-based Sky Valley Community Coalition began a new campaign called "Want More.GÇ¥-á The slogan was developed by members of the youth chapter of the coalition.-á The Sky Valley Coalition's mission is to reduce the negative impacts of drugs and alcohol, especially among the youth.-á The coalition is a community effort to prevent substance abuse issues before they start
Sultan Elementary School's Read-at-Home program encouraged recreational reading among students with a school-wide goal of two million minutes of time spent on extracurricular reading.-á Parent volunteer Polly Bridgewater recruited many local businesses for participation in the program, greatly expanding the incentive-based reward structure. Wanting to offer more significant motivation for kids, she developed an incremental system for rewarding the readers who meet their reading goals.
\*Update:-á Sultan Elementary students exceeded their two million minute goal for the 2012 GÇô 2013 school year, and the goal for the 2013 GÇô 2014 school year will be set even higher.-á-á Bridgewater reported seven classes with 100 percent student participation at the beginning of the school year; which is a record for student involvement
Wiggly Field, Monroe's off-leash dog park, celebrated five years of tail-wagging good times.-á Located in the south section of the Sky River Park in Monroe, the three-acre park features a nonfunctioning fire hydrant, agility equipment and a large grassy area perfect for games of fetch.
A mass casualty drill was held in Sultan in which a scenario was created involving a school bus full of students that had collided with a truck and rolled over onto its side. -áSultan Fire District 5 led the drill, receiving assistance from the Sultan School District, the City of Sultan, Airlift Northwest, Snohomish County's Department of Emergency Management, the Community Emergency Response Team and the Snohomish County Sheriff's office.-á Twenty-six Sultan High School students participated as actors, portraying injured accident victims, and were "rescuedGÇ¥ from the immobilized bus. Simulated injuries ranged from mild to severe, and included one "code blackGÇ¥ or deceased.
Two rafts had capsized on the Skykomish River at an area called Boulder Drop, east of Gold Bar, dumping ten people into the river. The 911 call came in around 1 p.m., just on the heels of Sultan's mass casualty exercise.-á No one was hurt and all were accounted for. The rafters were able to get to the shore safely, without the need for rescue or medical attention. -áAll were outfitted with the appropriate safety gear, including life jackets and helmets.
May
Skykomish's new Great Northern and Cascade Railway opened in the Skykomish Town Center.-á The railway features a scaled-down, fully-authentic live steam locomotive which can carry up to 40 passengers around its half-mile course. The 2,600 feet of track have been painstakingly laid in an hourglass shape, located between East Railroad Avenue and East Old Cascade Highway, directly in the center of town.-á Over 500 train aficionados stopped in town to see the new mini-railroad and take a spin on its half-mile course.-á The railway was open every weekend through summer.
King County announced that they would be demolishing the historic Miller Bridge in Skykomish.-á Located approximately 1.5 miles northwest of town, the 228-foot bridge remains completely intact, but the section of the Old Cascade Highway leading to the bridge from the west was washed out during a severe storm in January 2011.-á After conducting a feasibility study, King County determined that they do not have funds to rebuild the road, nor do they have funds to maintain the bridge. Not wanting it to become a safety issue, they will be requesting funds from FEMA for the removal of the bridge.
 
The trial of Byron Scherf was held in Snohomish County Superior Court presided over by Judge George Appel.-á Scherf, who was serving a life sentence at the Monroe Prison, was convicted of killing Correctional Officer Jayme Biendl in January 2011.-á Scherf was found guilty of aggravated first-degree murder and given the death penalty.-á Opening statements began on May 1, and Scherf was sentenced to the death penalty on May 15.-á Biendl's family was in attendance throughout the proceedings.
A music video honoring Veterans was shot in Sultan at the home of Tom and Dolly Green.-á Snohomish-resident and musical artist Keith LeVoy wrote a patriotic tune called "For Your TimeGÇ¥ in 2003, and discussions on shooting a video for the song began early in 2013 between LeVoy and his friend, local photographer and independent filmmaker Peter Spawn. -áSpawn, who lives in Tulalip, volunteered to work with LeVoy and direct the video.-á The video was shot using local actors.
Students at the Skykomish School held two fundraising events to raise money for clean water in Kenya.-á All donations were passed along to the non-profit organization Free the Children to support their Adopt -a-Village program. Free the Children is an international organization which focuses on empowering youth and encouraging them to work toward global change.
June
Sultan's GROW Washington store hosted a new summer event series called "Artists in ActionGÇ¥ in the parking area between the GROW store and Windmill Espresso. -áArtists set up booths to display and sell their work, and were on hand to discuss their craft and answer any questions.-á "Artists in ActionGÇ¥ took place from June through September.
Sultan Elementary School's unicycle team held their annual jamboree at Sultan High School.-á The unicycle team meets throughout the school year, and they participate in many different events. They continue to practice a few weeks into the summer to help the team prepare for riding in Sultan's annual Shindig parade which is held every year during the second weekend in July.-á Everyone is a winner at the jamboree, kids continue to race until everyone receives a ribbon.
The City of Sultan was joined by the Snohomish County Public Utility District at Osprey Park to dedicate the newly-enhanced trail system and fish habitat there.-á The ceremony was a celebration of a series of improvements made to the park by the PUD in conjunction with the Jackson Hydroelectric Project. Ongoing since summer 2012, the project focused on improving conditions for salmon that migrate to the Sultan River to spawn, and providing safe habitat for juveniles to grow before swimming out to the ocean. This was accomplished through the creation of new side channels along the Sultan River, in addition to the enhancement of existing side channels.
Monroe completed several phases of an investigation into the viability of turning Monroe's old city dump into commercial property.-á The landfill is located northwest of North Kelsey Street and just west of Galaxy Way, behind Fred Meyer. -áIt operated from the 1950s until it was closed in 1979. It was eventually topped off with a "soil capGÇ¥ and has been routinely inspected by the Snohomish County Health Department.
Snohomish County Public Utility District officials led representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, visiting from Washington, D.C., on a site tour; showing them the area proposed for PUD's Sunset Fish Passage and Energy Project.-á The dam, or "weir,GÇ¥ would be located on the Skykomish River one mile south of the town of Index.-á Members of opposing organizations such as Save the Skykomish River, local media agencies, residents and concerned citizens joined them, forming a lengthy procession which wound through the gravel roadways around the South Fork of the Skykomish River.-á A large group of protesters gathered at Sunset Falls, holding signs, and residents of the Canyon Falls area passed out lemonade and cookies decorated with an anti-dam logo to passing vehicles.
Former Snohomish County Sheriff's Deputy John Cummings, who retired in March, received honors for his extensive work in traffic safety and child passenger safety, and fellow law enforcement professionals recounted details of Cumming's career.-á Snohomish County Sheriff's Office Captain David Bales was asked to present Cummings with the Director's Coin, sent by Darrin Grondel, the Director of the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission, as a token of recognition for his efforts in child passenger safety.-á Cummings was honored at a Sultan City Council meeting.
The Sultan museum, located above the Sultan Post Office at 4th and Main Street, reopened.-á The museum resumed its previous schedule; it's open on the first and third Tuesdays, along with the third Saturday of each month, from 12 to 4 p.m.
Monroe Police Officer Joe Stark was sworn in before Monroe City Council.
Monroe Councilman Tom Williams, serving as mayor pro tem in Mayor Zimmerman's absence, read a proclamation declaring June 18 as Cheri Phillips Day.-á Phillips was honored for serving the citizens of Monroe as a long-time employee of Safeway.
July
The city of Sultan received a check for $48,502 from the Snohomish County Public Utility District to fund the installation of a 10.8 kW solar panel array on the roof of City Hall.-á The money was received from a PUD grant program called Planet Power, which promotes renewable energy.-á An informational kiosk to be located just outside the library will provide real-time information about the solar system's energy production.
\*Update:-á The solar panels arrived in Sultan on Monday, Dec. 23 and were installed on the roof by NW Wind & Solar during the week of Christmas.
Summer festivals were in full swing in July.-á Index held SkyFest from July 4 through July 7, Shindig took place in Sultan July 12, 13 and 14 and Gold Dust Days took place July 26, 27 and 28.-á The festivals were all meant to highlight a particular aspect of Sky Valley history; Shindig honored logging, Gold Dust Days celebrated the area's prospecting history and SkyFest featured an emphasis on outdoor recreation.
Twelve players from Monroe High School's Bearcat football team traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to represent the Seattle Seahawks in a national tournament.-á The team won the privilege to represent the Seahawks by prevailing in the National Football League's High School Player Development Tournament. The regional 7-on-7 football tournament was held on Sunday, June 23, at the Seattle Seahawks training facility in Renton, where they competed against eight other high schools from all over the Northwest, including Idaho and Montana.-á Monroe's 7-on-7 team came out on top with six wins and zero losses, giving them the opportunity to travel to the tournament in Ohio, all-expenses paid.-á The Monroe 7-on-7 team finished 11th out of 32 teams.
Monroe resident and Snohomish County Sheriff's Office Detective Sgt. James Upton was one of two candidates interviewed for the position of Snohomish County Sheriff on June 25.-á The position was vacated by former Sheriff John Lovick on June 3. Lovick transitioned out of the Sheriff's office to become Snohomish County Executive, filling the position vacated by Aaron Reardon.-á Snohomish County Council selected Upton's opponent, Captain Ty Trenary, and Upton announced that he will run for the position in the 2014 special election.
Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, the Sultan School District began offering free, all-day kindergarten to kids at both Sultan and Gold Bar elementary schools. The full-day kindergarten program was the result of an RCW in which state lawmakers mandated that statewide funding for all-day kindergarten programs be completely phased in by the 2017-18 school year.-áThe funding was given out to schools in order of the highest poverty level, which was determined by examining the percentages of students who qualify for either free or reduced-price lunch support.-á Gold Bar Elementary qualified for funding but Sultan did not.-á In an effort to remain consistent, the school district adjusted the budget to accommodate.
August
Sultan resident Claire Sorgen traveled to Virginia Beach, Va. to compete in the International Junior Miss Pageant.-á-á Sorgen competed against 30 girls from all over the world, finishing as a top 10 semi-finalist in her division. -áShe also won several awards in other competitions within the pageant.
\*Update:-á-á Sorgen will travel to the pageant in February to crown her successor.-á She is also scheduled to compete in the America's National Teenager Miss Washington pageant in March.-á-á Sorgen, currently a student at Sultan Middle School, is maintaining a 4.0 gpa, is ASB Vice President, the Yearbook President and a Varsity MVP in 8th grade volleyball.-á She is the manager of the Sultan Middle School boys basketball team.
Maggie Torza of Miss Maggie's Desserts will celebrated her grand opening in the new commercial kitchen at GROW Washington on Saturday, Aug. 10. Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick performed a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Monroe Bearcats 7-on-7 team got to spend some time with Seattle Seahawks as special guests of Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.-á The team attended practice at Seahawks Headquarters, the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, and were able to meet quarterback Russell Wilson. The boys watched Wilson close-up and in action, throwing sharp passes to his teammates.-á The 12-person 7-on-7 team won the privilege when they triumphed in the National Football League's High School Player Development Program in July.
Former Monroe Police Sergeant Carlos Martinez, who is accused of once abusing his position to cultivate a sexual relationship with female who was a minor, made his first appearance in a Snohomish County courtroom on Tuesday, Aug. 13.-á Martinez was charged in Everett District Court with voyeurism, 3rd degree child molestation and sexual exploitation of a minor. All three are felony offences. The judge established that prosecutors have until Aug. 30 to file the charges in Snohomish County Superior Court, at which point a date will be set for his arraignment if they decide to proceed.
\*Update:-á Martinez was charged in Superior Court on Aug. 30.
In his first year of playing competitive Pok+¬mon, 27-year-old Sultan resident James Good finished as third place Pok+¬mon World Champion.-á The championship tournament took place from Aug. 9 through Aug. 11 in Vancouver B.C., Canada.
The Chalet Restaurant building, located on U.S. 2 in Skykomish, reopened as the Big Bear Rest Stop.-á The seasonal rest stop offers clean public restrooms, a gift shop with local handmade crafts, novelty items and more, a restaurant, beverages and an ice cream parlor.
Sultan City Council welcomed their second new police chief of 2013, Lt. Monte Beaton, at Sultan City Hall. Lt. Beaton replaced Lt. Beidler, who left Sultan to join the new sheriff appointee, Ty Trenary, at the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office in Everett.-á Beidler's transfer was a continuation of the domino-like changes stemming from County Executive Aaron Reardon's resignation which became effective May 31. Former Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick was appointed as the new executive on June 3, after which Snohomish County Council unanimously approved the appointment of 25-year law enforcement veteran Trenary as the new sheriff, which they announced in July.
Woodinville resident 13-year-old Bryce Powell chose the city of Sultan to be the recipient of a volunteer project he wanted to perform in order to obtain his Eagle Scout status.-á Powell renovated the city's informational kiosk which is located outside of city hall.-á Powell was honored by the Sultan City Council for his efforts.
United States Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Rick Larsen traveled to Index on Tuesday, Aug. 20 to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the creation of the Wild Sky Wilderness Act. Wild Sky was a hard-fought designation which established 106,577 acres located in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest as a federal wilderness area. The bill was signed into law by President George W. Bush on May 8, 2008 and was the first new wilderness area created in Washington State in over 20 years.
September
The family of 20-year-old Sultan resident Christian Fafnis-Horton grieved his loss.-á Fafnis-Horton was fatally injured by a gunshot wound to his upper body in Orangevale, Calif. on Aug 24. His friend, 20-year-old Thomas McGrath, was also struck by the bullet. -áMcGrath and his girlfriend, Bianca O'Hara, attempted to save their friend's life but were unsuccessful, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.-á The circumstances of the shooting remain a mystery and no suspects were apprehended.
Sultan High School, Sultan Middle School and Gold Bar Elementary received new leadership as the Sultan School District welcomed three new principals for the 2013 GÇô 2014 school year.-á Tami Nesting was hired to be the principal at Sultan High School,-áNathan Plummer was hired as the new principal at Sultan Middle School, and Jake Rodgers became the new principal at Gold Bar Elementary School.
Sultan resident and business owner Bart Dalmasso announced his candidacy for Sultan City Council after Geoffrey Evans withdrew from the race. -áHe ran against Marianne Naslund, who is the administrative secretary for the Sultan School District at Sky Valley Options Alternative High School.
GROW Washington Sultan celebrated its one-year anniversary.
Monroe nonprofit H3 Horses Healing Heroes President Arleen Gibson welcomed 28 volunteers from Community Transit to her Monroe property on Saturday to assist her with repairs and general maintenance. The work was provided to her through United Way of Snohomish County's Day of Caring event, a yearly event that coordinates volunteer teams and pairs them up with local organizations, as a way of supporting Snohomish County's nonprofit agencies.
Sept. 28 was recognized as a day of remembrance and honor to be marked by the Return of the Salmon Celebration. The celebration took place from noon to 4 p.m. in Osprey Park and served as both a tribute to Chief John T'seul-Ted, otherwise known as Sultan John, and an opportunity to celebrate the salmon which return to the Sultan River every year to spawn.
The Monroe City Council Elizabeth Smoot, the new city clerk.-á Smoot came to Monroe with five years of experience as the deputy city clerk in Redmond, as well as five years of experience working in law firms. She attended the University of Washington, earning a bachelor's degree and a paralegal certificate. She has also obtained her Certified Municipal Clerk certification.
October
Since moving to Sultan, Dave Sivewright has frequently been seen running along U.S. Highway 2 with a four-foot by six-foot American flag mounted on an eight-foot staff.-á A Sergeant First Class at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Marysville, Sivewright has been running with the flag for three years, all in the name of pride, duty and honor. He's been coined the "Highway 2 Freedom Runner,GÇ¥ and has been embraced by both the residents of the valley and the people just passing through.
The Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Snohomish County League of Women Voters partnered to host a candidate forum in Sultan.-á The event, which took place at Sultan High School, included Snohomish County Council District 5 candidates Dave Somers and Chris Vallo; Sultan City Council Position 6 candidates Marianne Naslund and Bart Dalmasso; Rocky Walker and Kay George who are running for Position 3; and Kenneth Marshall who is running against Bob McCarty for Position 1. McCarty was unable to attend the event. Gold Bar mayoral candidates Elizabeth LaZella and Linda Loen were also in attendance, as well as Gold Bar City Council candidates Davi Martin and Thomas Palmer, both of whom ran uncontested.
Monroe resident Bonnie Davis organized a fundraising event called "Ride for JackieGÇ¥ which took place on Sunday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sky River Equestrian Center located in Sultan. The event included an obstacle course, hot lunch, silent auction and raffle. Hunt, who fell from her horse in September after an encounter with two motorcycle riders, suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of the fall. All proceeds from the benefit were donated to put towards Hunt's medical bills which included the cost of the aid car, two trips to the emergency room, and her follow-up medical care.
Sultan was one of 107 wastewater treatment plants that managed to achieve full compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Approximately 300 facilities were examined.-á The city received an honorary plaque.
The School Services Unit of the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office-ágave a presentation on what to do in an "active shooterGÇ¥ situation. In attendance at the presentation were officials from Sultan High School, Sultan Elementary, Gold Bar Elementary and Sultan Middle School.
The Snohomish County Public Utility District held a meeting to present their proposed study plan for the Sunset Fish and Energy Project, a project which would include a diversion weir, or dam, be installed above the Sunset Falls area of the South Fork of the Skykomish River, located about one mile south of the town of Index.-á The proposal continued to be met with opposition.
Sultan's lively election activities sparked controversy over campaign signs.
The Sky Valley Farm Festival was held with approximately 1000 attendees.-á Five farms, all located on lower Fern Bluff Road, were packed with kids and adults alike, petting newly born calves and piglets, feeding goats, swinging through a hayloft and learning a wealth of information about the Sky Valley farming community.
The city of Sultan received a $324,600 conservation futures grant from Snohomish County for property acquisition along the Sultan River.-á The money will be used to acquire more than 4-1/2 acres of land which the city has slated to become Sultan River Nature Trails, a trail system that will eventually connect Osprey Park to River Park. The property will be secured through both purchase and long-term lease.
November
A Snohomish County judge has ordered a 65-year-old Lake Stevens man to pay $500 a month in restitution for his theft of over $90,000 from the Sultan chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The Sky Valley Community Coalition continued to gain momentum as members of the Youth Coalition attended a statewide drug and alcohol prevention conference held in Yakima.-á The coalition received grant money from Snohomish County to participate in the Washington State Prevention Summit, which took place on Oct. 21 and 22. Several coalition representatives chaperoned as members of the youth coalition traveled east of the mountains to attend the summit.
Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick served as Master of Ceremonies at the city's Veterans Day ceremony, which included a presentation by Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, a visit from 39th District State Representative Elizabeth Scott, the National Anthem performed by Sultan resident Paula Thomas and a history of the Veterans Wall by former Sultan mayor C.H. Rowe.
Sultan High School Music Department Director Jill Sumpter-áwon Best Teacher in King 5's 2013 Best of Western Washington contest.
A few of the Sultan City Council candidates gathered at J.D. Slicks on election night, anxiously awaiting the unofficial election results. At just after 8:20 p.m., the preliminary numbers were in. A week later, two of the races are still too close to call. Although turnout initially looked weak, as mail-in ballots were counted, it strengthened to a respectable 44 percent in the upper valley.-á The results eventually shook themselves out with Bob McCarty winning against incumbent Ken Marshall for Position 1, John Seehuus ran unopposed for Position 2, Marianne Naslund won against Bart Dalmasso for Position 6 and Rocky Walker won against incumbent Kay George for Position 3.
Linda Loen became the mayor elect in Gold Bar, winning against Elizabeth LaZella.
Vandals stuck in Sultan, dismantling the city's new sandstone "Welcome to SultanGÇ¥ monument. The monument, which was completely dislodged from its gravel setting, was left lying in the dirt with broken bits of sandstone scattered haphazardly nearby.
Sultan was coined as "Big Heart, Little CityGÇ¥ by Councilmember Kristina Blair as the community banded together in support of Susie Hollenbeck as she battles ovarian cancer.-á Hollenbeck has volunteered countless hours solely dedicated to one thing: the betterment of her city. -áFrom Sultan's Block Watch program to the yearly spring cleaning "City Wide PrideGÇ¥ event, Hollenbeck's inclination to donate her time has become, for her, a way of life.
\*Update:-á Hollenbeck is undergoing chemotherapy and her body is responding favorably to the treatment.-á Part of the proceeds generated by a group of folks who recently attended the Bronn Journey concert in Everett will go to support Hollenbeck who is unable to work during her treatment.
Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick, GROW Washington's founder and director, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Everett on Friday afternoon to open the new GROW store, the third of its kind in Snohomish County.
December
Rocky Walker survived two recounts, one manual and one machine, winning the Sultan City Council Position 3 contest against Kay George.-á -á-áPer Washington State law, any time election returns are within one half of 1 percent, a recount is mandatory. The mandated recount was performed by machine on Friday Dec. 6, after which George requested that a manual recount be performed.
Sultan City Council swore in newly-elected Position 1 Councilmember Bob McCarty at City Hall during the Dec. 12 council meeting. McCarty won the Nov. 5 election over incumbent Councilmember Ken Marshall.-á Per Washington State law, when a councilperson is elected to fill a seat that is currently occupied by an appointed councilmember, such as Marshall, the elected individual is to take office immediately.
Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick and Council said farewell to four councilmembers on Dec. 19 at City Hall. Departing Councilmembers Kristina Blair, Steve Slawson, Ken Marshall and Kay George were given engraved plaques in honor of their service on Sultan City Council.
Second and final reading of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment in Monroe designated the east 43-acre parcel of land as general commercial took place in a special session Dec. 26.
 
 

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