Senior citizens and other low-income customers struggling with electric bills can get discounts of 20, 40 or 60 percent off normal rates under the Snohomish County Public Utility District's 2005-06 assistance programs, which will begin Oct. 1.

The PUD has budgeted $4.5 million for the programs over the next year.

The threshold income level for seniors — people 62 or older — is a combined household income of $21,000 annually. Other low-income participants can receive help if household income is below 125 percent of the federal established poverty level ($24,188 for a family of four).

Other than seniors, low- income customers need to reapply annually to receive assistance under the program. Seniors need to reapply only if their income levels have changed. Applications and more information are available at 425-783-1000.

The utility's assistance programs are expected to help nearly 13,000 customers over the next year.

Lynnwood area

Direct-access ramps opened for buses

Sound Transit opened its newest Interstate 5 direct- access ramps Monday for buses serving the Ash Way Park & Ride in the Lynnwood area.

About 180 Community Transit and Sound Transit Express buses are scheduled to use the ramps each day for service between the park-and-ride lot and points south. The ramps are expected to reduce riders' daily commute times to Seattle by 12 minutes and improve local traffic by getting buses off city streets.

The $18.4 million project ran a year behind schedule because of safety issues and a last- minute decision to redesign the project's bridge over I-5. The ramps carry buses directly between the park-and-ride and I-5 car-pool lanes.

Aviation-workshop focus: taxes, training

The Economic Development Council (EDC) of Snohomish County will hold a free aerospace-resource seminar tomorrow that will emphasize training opportunities and tax incentives.

The workshop will cover topics such as a business-and-occupation-tax reduction and an annual aerospace survey. It is designed to provide information to workers in finance, accounting and human-resources departments in the aerospace industry.

Presenters will discuss sales- and use-tax exemptions on computer equipment, business-and-occupation-tax credits for pre-production development and property taxes.

The workshop will be from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the EDC offices, 728 134th St. S.W., Suite 128, in the South Everett area.

Participants are asked to register by calling 425-743-4567, faxing 425-745-5563 or visiting www.snoedc.org.

Everett

PUD plans closures on Interurban Trail

Portions of the Interurban Trail in Everett will close intermittently this fall for a Snohomish County Public Utility District project.

The PUD will close access to the trail between Beverly Boulevard and Highway 526, and from Highway 526 to West Mall Drive.

The closures, to vary in location and time during the project, will affect the trail from Monday to Dec. 21. The project includes replacement of a power line.

Compiled by the Seattle Times Snohomish County bureau