The Seattle Times: Snohomish County News: Property seized from drug dealers will go on market, not to auction

In the past, the county had used state law to seize property from drug dealers, which meant selling it at public auction. The County Council moved last week to put such property on the market in hopes of speeding up sales and getting higher prices.

The proceeds from sales go back into the county's law-and-justice budget.

State commission OKs casino planned by Stillaguamish Tribe

ARLINGTON — The state Gambling Commission has given the Stillaguamish Tribe the go-ahead to build a casino north of Arlington.

A first attempt to build the casino last year was stymied when the tribe's initial lender wouldn't submit to the state's background checks and withdrew its application.

The tribe's new lender, Minneapolis-based Marshall Bank, will not have to get a state license because it is federally insured. The Stillaguamish are borrowing $19 million from the bank to build the casino.

Neal Nunamaker, the agent in charge of licensing investigations for the state, said the Gambling Commission had looked at the tribe's contract with Marshall Bank and determined the state didn't need to investigate. The commission still will be involved in monitoring the tribe's planned 22,000-square-foot casino as it is built. Construction is to start in the next few weeks.

Interior secretary will keynote Snohomish County GOP dinner

EVERETT — U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton will be the keynote speaker at the Snohomish County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday at the Everett Events Center.

"Having someone of Secretary Norton's caliber serving as our guest speaker is proof that Snohomish County is vital to Republican politics in Washington state and the nation," county GOP Chairwoman Frauna Hoglund said in a written statement.

Metropolitan King County Councilwoman Jane Hague will be the master of ceremonies. Other state Republican leaders also are scheduled to speak.

The dinner is open to the public. Tickets are $40. Information: 425-258-3435.

Coming up ...

FRIDAY: The first meeting of the Snohomish County Citizens Cabinet will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott, 3850 Monte Villa Parkway, Bothell. The meeting is open to the public.

Nearly $1 million allocated for cleanup of smelter site

EVERETT — Nearly $1 million has been allocated for a Superfund cleanup of the old Asarco copper-smelter site in North Everett.

The money is from a $100 million environmental trust fund established a year ago in a deal with the government, company and federal officials said last Wednesday.

The Everett smelter and a smelter in Ruston, Pierce County, account for more than a third of the $18.5 million to be spent from the fund at 39 polluted Asarco sites across the country this year.

The Everett smelter was torn down in 1914.

Under the latest plan, more arsenic-laden dirt from the Everett site would be buried in the Ruston disposal pit outside Tacoma than the 20,000 to 25,000 cubic yards estimated earlier. Authorities said the new amount is uncertain, and the Everett plan has contingencies, including final approval by the federal Environmental Protection Agency for disposal of the Everett soil in Ruston.

Asarco, a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, figures cleanup in Everett will cost about $3 million, with about $1 million allocated in the plan announced last Wednesday and $2 million to come from sale of some of the land to the Everett Housing Authority for construction of affordable housing.

If that deal falls through, the EPA will withdraw permission for Asarco, based in Phoenix, to spend the allocated $1 million in Everett this year, EPA project manager Kevin Rochlin said.

Gaffney named to 4-year term on Public Facilities District board

EVERETT — Tom Gaffney has been appointed to a four-year term on the Everett Public Facilities District board.

Gaffney brings more than 30 years of professional experience in tax- and business-consulting work to the governing board. The board is charged with developing and managing the Everett Events Center.

Gaffney is a partner in the Everett office of Moss Adams and a board trustee for EverTrust Bank, Providence Everett Medical Center and Everett Community College.

Surface Water Utility payments due Monday in Mill Creek

MILL CREEK — Property owners recently were mailed bills for the city's new Surface Water Utility, which is responsible for protecting the quality of the water in North Creek as it leaves the Mill Creek city limits.

The bills are due Monday.

Property owners who received surface-water invoices with previous owners' names are asked to write their name on the bills when they are paid so the city can update its records.

The city's Web site — www.cityofmillcreek.com/ — has additional information.

Granite Falls Middle School to host presentation on meth use

GRANITE FALLS — A free community-education presentation titled "Meth Kills Every Day" is scheduled for 7 p.m. tomorrow in the Granite Falls Middle School commons, 305 N. Alder Ave.

The presentation, sponsored by the Granite Falls Community Coalition, will include information on how to recognize and identify methamphetamine use, and the liability of property owners renting to people running meth labs.

Ross Wigney, the owner of Ausclean Technologies, will host the presentation. Ausclean is a state-certified drug-lab-cleanup contractor.

Information: Doug Conger, 360-691-7717.

Former Blue Angels jet no longer listed on eBay; it may be sold

ARLINGTON — An eBay listing for a former Blue Angels jet expired yesterday, indicating it may have been sold, according to an Arlington man who has been helping in the sale.

"We'll see what happens," said Mike Landa of the F/A-18A Hornet jet fighter, which is believed to be the only one in private ownership in the world. The one Landa has offered through his firm, Landa & Associates, somehow escaped such a fate. Landa believes the wrong code was put on a destruction order when the plane was being stored at an Air Force base in Georgia.

The plane, last flown by the Blue Angeles in 1994, was later sold to a private owner in California. Landa became aware of it last month and offered to sell it. Since listing it on eBay this month, the offering has generated international news coverage.

At one time, Landa, whose main business is selling cellular-telephone towers, thought the plane would attract bids of more than $29 million, but those bids turned out to be phony, he said.

That eBay listing expired yesterday and had not been reposted as of yesterday afternoon. Landa said the plane may have been sold, "but not on eBay. We've got some people who are going to put a deposit on it."

Landa said the sale is contingent on an inspection of the plane, although other offers still may be considered.

Greater Marysville Tulalip chamber seeks digital photos for Web site

MARYSVILLE — The Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce is seeking digital photos for its new Web site.

The chamber is seeking photos of mountains, waterways, parks, gardens, wildlife and community activities or events. Digital images maybe submitted by Monday via e-mail to Kathleen@MarysvilleTulalipChamber or in person at the chamber offices at 8825 34th Ave. N.E., Suite C, across from Wal-Mart in Quil Ceda Village, near Marysville.

Group asks state legislators to transfer site for energy plant

MONROE — Representatives of the Snohomish Basin BioGas Partnership have urged state lawmakers to transfer a Monroe site to them for development of a power supply fueled by farm waste and fish processing.

A number of area farmers, represented by the Washington State Dairy Federation, have been working with the Tulalip Tribes and environmental groups to promote a renewable-energy plant that they say should be constructed at the site of the now-closed Monroe Honor Farm.

The partnership received a $250,000 federal grant last year to conduct a feasibility study for the project and expects a $500,000 federal grant for construction if the plant is approved.

Farmers say more stringent environmental laws will force them out of business if they can't find a better way to dispose of animal waste.

Animal waste is one source of pollution in the Skykomish, Snoqualmie and Snohomish rivers.

In 2003, the Legislature directed the state Department of Corrections, which owns the property, to retain ownership until the end of this year so the feasibility study could be completed. The Monroe Honor Farm was operated by the Corrections Department as a dairy until 2001.

March creativity conference for kids accepting registrations

MONROE — Kids Create, a program for students in kindergarten through seventh grade, is accepting registrations.

The Monroe School District's creativity conference for students will be held March 20 at Monroe High School. The one-day program offers classes in glass art, oil pastels, Chinese brush painting, slimy science and other subjects.

Lunchtime entertainment will be "The Hobbit" presented by the Traveling Lantern Theater Company.

Preregistration is required, and registration forms are due next Wednesday. The fee is $15 for students living within the Monroe School District and $20 for out-of-district students. Forms are available at the district office, 200 E. Fremont St., and at most Sultan and Snohomish school offices.

A limited number of scholarships are available for families that cannot pay the fee.

Information: Kathryn Garrison, 360-863-4230.

TONIGHT: A Monroe City Council work session scheduled for tonight has been canceled. The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. next Wednesday in the council chambers, 806 W. Main St. Information: 360-794-7400.

Edmonds council to go on retreat to study city's economic future

EDMONDS — Long-term economic stability and economic development will be two of the topics tackled by the City Council during a retreat March 5 and 6 in La Conner, Skagit County.

This is the first time since 1999 that the council has traveled out of town for its meeting. Mayor Gary Haakenson said the location will give the council an opportunity to build camaraderie and to focus on issues without interruption.

New Councilwomen Mauri Moore and Peggy Olson will lead discussions on strategic planning and on defining the city's values and mission. The council will also wrestle with a provision of the development code that allows builders to exceed by 5 feet the 25-foot height limit in the downtown business district.

The city will pay for officials' lodging. Council members and city staff members will pay for their travel and meals.

The retreat is open to the public. Information: Jana Spellman, council assistant, 425-771-0248.

Lynnwood's new assistant fire chief is veteran of Texas fire department

LYNNWOOD — A 19-year veteran of the Corpus Christi, Texas, Fire Department will become Lynnwood's new assistant fire chief beginning March 8.

Tod Gates was named to the post last week by Mayor Mike McKinnon, who praised Gates' experience in fire suppression and management. Gates was the assistant chief in Corpus Christi.

7 lawyers compete for seat on South County District Court

LYNNWOOD — Seven attorneys, including one who now represents Edmonds and Lynnwood in city prosecutions, are seeking an open seat on the bench of South Snohomish County District Court.

Jeffrey Goodwin, a private attorney from Edmonds who prosecutes cases for seven cities in the county, has applied for the vacancy created by the departure of Stephen Dwyer, who was named to Snohomish County Superior Court last month. The other applicants are Cheryl Beyer of Lynnwood; Peter Camp of Bothell; Douglas Fair, Beth Fraser Cullen and Michael Hall of Edmonds; and Vernon Moyers Jr. of Lynnwood.

County lawyers will be asked to evaluate the candidates through a Snohomish County Bar Association poll that was to be mailed this week. A screening committee will interview the candidates. A decision is expected in mid-March.

Coming up ...

TUESDAY: The Edmonds City Council will consider an ordinance to end the regulation of hedges except when they interfered with visibility or safety. A public hearing will be at 7 p.m. in the council chambers, 250 Fifth Ave. N.

Compiled by the Seattle Times Snohomish County bureau.

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