Edmonds police are asking witnesses to come forward with information related to the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old SeaTac man outside the Edmonds Senior Center Dec. 14 — and they’ve released a video clip related to the incident.

Police warned that the video contains harsh language and may be offensive to some viewers.

Edmonds police initially arrested two suspects in connection with the shooting, which occurred during a private event held at the senior center Dec. 14 and attended by more than 100 people. One of the suspects posted bail, while the other was released after the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office declined to file charges against either suspect.

According to Edmonds police spokesman Sgt. Josh McClure, the shooting appears to have occurred as part of a fight that broke out during the party. The cause of the fight is still unknown. A weapon has yet to be recovered, McClure said.

Police said that have received “very limited cooperation” from anyone that stayed at the shooting scene following the incident, and they are seeking the public’s help. Detectives are requesting that anyone with information about the shooting contact submit tips to  policetips@Edmondswa.gov.

In addition, the Crime Stoppers organization is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Call 800-222-TIPS (8477).

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Kristian Helleren, a member of Edmonds-based Boy Scout Troop 300, recently earned his Eagle Scout Award after building a secured parking area for church vehicles at Calvary Chapel in Edmonds.

The project included leveling the land, pouring the concrete and building the fence/gate for the church parking with the goal of deterring vandalism.

A senior at Meadowdale High School, Helleren has been in Running Start for two years and is considering a career in fire science.

Boy Scout Troop 300 meets at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Edmonds.

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The new Madrona K-8 School building opened its doors to students just in time for the start of the new year.

Students and faculty were welcomed back from their holiday break on Monday, Jan. 7 with a newly-constructed building 12 feet away from where the previous one stood for almost 30 years in Edmonds.

“It’s been a long journey, but it’s been well worth it and it’s a beautiful space,” said Edmonds School District Superintendent Kristine McDuffy.

McDuffy said in addition to the uniqueness and thought that went into the planning process for the new building, one of Madrona’s greatest features is the sense of community pride the new building represents.

“You can feel it as they walk in today,” she said. “They have had first-level of important input all along the journey.”

Principal Kathleen Hodges said she is happy to finally see the students on campus and though there is still some work to finish, such as landscaping, it’s amazing to see the new school completed.

“It’s one thing to see it on blueprints and on flat image, but to see it in person,” she said. “To go into the learning centers after teachers have set them up and to see what they’ve done, it’s just phenomenal.”

Madrona K-8 is the region’s deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) school. Thirty students currently enrolled are deaf, and the new campus is designed to accommodate their needs as well as the needs of the school’s DHH staff. The new building comes equipped with Americans with Disability Act (ADA)-approved digital clocks that have color-coded light alarms.

“The goal is to be inclusive so that even though there are students who identify as deaf, they’re our students,” Hodges said.

Hodges said she has been on campus for a week with Assistant Principal Jesse Goodsky and the school’s custodial crews, who worked most of the winter break, to ensure the campus would be ready for students in January.

“Our custodial crew are the real heroes,” she said. “They have been here working like heroes — set up, unpacking, if teachers needed assistance they were there to assist.”

While Madrona’s new building was being constructed, the students and faculty were temporarily located at the former Alderwood Middle School location in Lynnwood. Hodges said though Alderwood Middle was a good temporary school she’s glad they are now on the new campus.

Development for Madrona’s new campus was temporarily halted during a dispute between the Edmonds School District and Olympic View Water and Sewer District (OVWSD) over a stormwater system. 

The wells that were source of controversy will not be immediately operational as the new site needs time to stabilize, said District Communications and Public Relations Specialist Kelly Franson. Franson said it will probably be a year before the wells are fully functional.

“They are here, they are built, but that is something that whenever you set up a school like this, it takes time to go through that process,” she said. “This is not an extra delay. That was the plan.

For a detailed walkthrough of the new Madrona K-8 School, click here.

— Story and photos by Cody Sexton

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Lynnwood police arrested two teenage males for stealing multiple guns from a Highway 99 gun store on Sunday, Jan. 6.

The two 16-year-old suspects entered Lynnwood Gun, located on the 20800 block of Highway 99, and were seen on video surveillance reaching behind the counter, into the display case and grabbing three handguns while the store employees were assisting other customers.

The two teenagers then ran from the store and were chased on foot by one of the store employees. When the employee caught up with them, the suspects dropped the stolen guns and continued to run away. A witness later spotted the suspects hiding behind the dumpster of a business and reported it to police.

Police arrived to find both suspects changing clothes behind the dumpster and arrested them without further incident. The two were charged with theft of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Two other individuals associated with the suspects were temporarily detained then released pending further investigation.

According to police, both suspects have a history of criminal activity, including assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and robbery.

A new year often means a new start. If you want lifestyle changes that you can sustain, take a look at the Verdant Health Commission’s Getting to Goal Weight Reduction Class on Wednesday, Jan. 9, the Mediterranean for Life six-part program starting Thursday Jan. 17, or the weekly Healthy Living Coaching Group for support and accountability. There are even more classes listed on our calendar at verdanthealth.org/events/.

All of the classes are held at Verdant, 4710 196th St. S.W. in Lynnwood.

Getting to Goal Weight Reduction

Getting to Goal focuses on identifying nutrition and physical activity modifications to support your efforts. Led by a registered dietitian, you’ll identify behavior modifications that support your big-picture health goals. You will also set short-term steps that are achievable and measurable so you can sustain your new habits. After this introduction class you can sign up for free individual consultations with the dietitian for up to 6 sessions, so you get the support and education you need to make permanent lifestyle changes.

This free class takes place from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Register or learn more at verdanthealth.org/events/event/getting-to-goal-weight-reduction-class-jan-2019/.

Mediterranean for Life

Verdant’s Mediterranean for Life program is based on the Mediterranean Diet, a plant-centered, anti-inflammatory diet. This eating pattern promotes health, prevents many chronic illnesses, and is highly recommended by physicians. The program is run by a registered dietitian nutritionist and is based on research done by the University of North Carolina, a CDC Prevention Research Center.

Mediterranean for Life program details:

• 6 group sessions focused on healthy eating, exercise, and changing lifestyle habits.
• Program features a culinary demo, weekly recipes, and food samples.
• Each session included personal goal setting and strategies to fit your needs.
• Program fee is $35 per person (scholarships available) and includes a comprehensive manual.
• Program will be offered 3 times in 2019. The first series runs Jan. 17 – Feb. 21, 2019.

This $35 program runs six consecutive Thursdays: Jan. 17, 24, 31; Feb. 7, 14, and 21, 2019 from 6-7:30 p.m. (The group will meet from 6-8 p.m. on the first night, Jan. 17.) The program includes a one-time fee of $35, and scholarships are available for those who qualify. Register or learn more at verdanthealth.org/events/event/mediterranean-for-life-program/.

Healthy Living Coaching Group

Would tips and ideas from health experts help you prioritize your health and reach your goals? Join Verdant’s free, weekly coaching group for support, accountability, and motivation to improve your habits and live a healthier life!

The coaching group is not a “plan” or “diet,” but it is an opportunity to learn goal-setting strategies,  nutrition tips, physical activity ideas, debunk health myths, and stay accountable. Facilitated by nutrition and exercise professionals, the group meets every Tuesday from 6-7 p.m. This is a drop-in program. Specific nutrition and physical activity topics are updated in advance at verdanthealth.org/events/event/healthy-living-coaching-group/.

Renee Reed, founder and head coach at 6 Movements Fitness Studio in Edmonds’ Firdale Village, will speak on balance and physical activities for seniors during the Saturday, Jan. 12 meeting of Edmonds SnoKing AAUW at Fairwinds Brighton Court in Lynnwood.

Reed is certified as a personal trainer, a senior fitness specialist, indoor rowing instructor and kettlebell sport instructor.

Saturday’s free event, from 10 a.m.-noon, will also include a  raffle, a used book sale and snacks.

Fairwinds Brighton Court is located at 6520 196th St. S.W., Lynnwood.

The mission of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. For more information, contact Edmonds SnoKing Branch Leadership at aauw.esk@gmail.com

Greater Seattle Surf Soccer Club, chartered by Washington Youth Soccer as the sole provider of premier soccer in the Northshore and Edmonds School Districts, announced Monday that it is rebranding itself and will operate as Sound Football Club (Sound FC) starting April 1.

Sound FC will continue to be based in Bothell and will remain a member of both Northshore Youth Soccer and South Snohomish County Youth Soccer Associations. Greater Seattle Surf will depart their current affiliate relationship with Surf Soccer Club, based in San Diego, on April 1, 2019. 

According to a club announcement, this rebrand “aligns with the club’s new mission, vision, and values focused on the establishment of a cohesive, diverse community in which athletes can develop to their full physical, mental, and technical potential.”

Greater Seattle Surf premier and US Youth Soccer National League teams will all finish their current seasons as Surf teams. Players will try out for Sound FC teams for the 2019/2020 seasons, including high school-age boys trying out in February and other ages in Spring 2019. Current members of the Junior Premier (JPP) and Life is a Kick/Scott’s Soccer Tots programs will still be branded as Greater Seattle Surf thru the Winter sessions. 

U.S. Men’s National Team and English Premier League star DeAndre Yedlin now serves as Sound FC’s first club ambassador, a relationship that also means a transition to adidas for the new Sound FC home, away, and training kits. Yedlin’s first Sound FC program is a major international CrowdRise Sweepstakes fundraising initiative. From January 7- February 7, 2019, anyone can enter the sweepstakes to win a trip for 2 to watch the Newcastle United vs. Liverpool FC match at St. James’ park in England. Details are available at WatchYedlin.com. 

New sponsors include the premier-level club sponsor Puget Sound Audi Dealers. Returning sponsors include Edmonds Orthopedic Center.  “We are impressed with the new leadership’s vision and values along with their commitment to developing players as both athletes and individuals,” said Dr. Wren McCallister of Edmonds Orthopedic Center. “With a solid plan for growth and development, Sound FC will be an asset to our community for years to come.” 

Added Greater Seattle Surf/ Sound FC Board President Tim Hargrave: “We are trying to build something special. We know we are not done yet, but we can foresee the day when there is no better club anywhere at developing great soccer players who are also great people.” 

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With a big fourth quarter, the Meadowdale Mavericks put away a pesky Oak Harbor Wildcats team 62-46 in a Wesco League game played Monday at Meadowdale High School.

Three Mavs reached double figures in scoring: Cole Nelson led the team with 19 points, Nick Buckley added 17 points and Ray Free contributed 12 points in the win.

Oak Harbor was led by the 16 points of Gavin Allen and 10 points of Haven Brown.

The Lynnwood Royals didn’t have the same fortune on Monday as the Royals fell to the second-place team in the 2A/3A Wesco League standings, the Arlington Eagles, 67-55.

Josh Gutierrez and Griffin Gardoski each scored 18 points to pace the Eagles in the victory; Anthony Whitis added 17 points for Arlington.

Lynnwood was led by the 14 points of Jayden Acosta-Newsome and the 10 points of Josh Siscar.

Prep Boys Basketball: Oak Harbor at Meadowdale, Jan. 7

Oak Harbor    8  14  18    6  —  46

Meadowdale  13  17  14  18  —  62

Meadowdale individual scoring: Cole Nelson 19, Nick Buckley 17, Ray Free 12, Kade Styles 8, Hunter Moen 2, Will McKinley 2, Mason Vaughn 2, Justin Jackson, Tyler Emard, Issac Braxton

Oak Harbor individual scoring: Gavin Allen 16, Haven Brown 10, Dorian Hardin 9, Matt Kelley 4, Austin Boesch 3, Kevin Schuldt 2, Terrell Crumpton 2, Andrew Baloy, Evan Nadeau

Records: Meadowdale 3-2 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 7-4 overall; Oak Harbor 2-3 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 4-7 overall

Meadowdale next game: versus Marysville-Pilchuck; Wednesday, Jan. 9; 7:15 p.m. at Marysville-Pilchuck High School

Prep Boys Basketball: Lynnwood at Arlington, Jan. 7

Lynnwood 12 15 12 16 — 55

Arlington 17 15 20 15 — 67

Lynnwood individual scoring: Jayden Acosta-Newsome 14, Josh Siscar 10, Gabe Newson 9, Anthony Williams 5, Carson Speegle 5, Timmy Taing 5, Jerry Boston 4, Edgar Bernabe 3, Jalen Francisco, Jordan Glover

Arlington individual scoring: Josh Guiterrez 18, Griffin Gardoski 18, Anthony Whitis 17, Will Abram 9, Caden Smith 3, Max Smith 2, Dele Aribibola, Ethan Martin

Records: Lynnwood 3-3 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 4-8 overall; Arlington 5-1 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 9-3 overall

Lynnwood next game: versus Snohomish; Friday, Jan. 11; 7:15 p.m. at Snohomish High School

— By Doug Petrowski

My cousin Erwin was a rascal. When he died at age 70, his assets included a 401k and a life insurance policy (both through his work) and a truck. He also had a lot of credit card and medical debt.

Since I lived the closest, and because my wife Peggy Sanders is an Elder Law Attorney, it fell to me to be the administrator of his estate. My goal was to try to get as much from his estate as possible for his estranged daughter.

This took some doing on Peggy’s part. The world runs on paperwork. At first, the court hesitated to give me power over his estate, but after his daughter and brother signed off, I was appointed as Administrator. That gave me the ability to call insurance companies, banks, Social Security and to gain access to Erwin’s personal property that was locked up in a storage facility.

I discovered that Ervin hadn’t updated the beneficiary on either the life insurance policy or the 401k. The beneficiary was a former girlfriend, with whom he broke up years before. As a result, from heaven he showered her with about $30,000, much of which was tax free. Lucky her. There was nothing I could do about it.

That left the truck and the debt.  His daughter wanted the truck, which was in good shape.

Once Peggy arranged to get me the right documents, I was able to get the title to the truck. I cleaned it up, and took it in for some basic service. Erwin’s daughter and her daughter drove up from Oregon, and drove it home, along with Erwin’s personal effects from his storage unit.

That left his debt to deal with, which consisted of credit cards and medical expenses from his last illness. Peggy served each of his creditors with a Notice to Creditors, which gave them 30 days to respond, or the debt goes away. One of the credit card companies, which failed to respond in time, wrote to me and said, “We know you don’t owe this amount, but would you pay it anyway?” Answer, “Umm.  No.” And because Peggy had served the Notice to Creditors, that credit card company had no right to collect.

All this took a few months, but in the end, we were able to put his worldly estate to rest.

On a nice day in West Seattle, near where he grew up, we held a ceremony for him and scattered his ashes in Puget Sound.

Lessons learned:

• Take care of this stuff before you die.
• Keep your beneficiaries up to date.
• The right documents open doors like magic.

Hire an Elder Law Attorney. Estate administration is complicated. An attorney can save hours of wasted time, confusion and frustration. I would have been lost without Peggy’s help.

If you have concerns or would like to organize your legal life to avoid entanglements, feel free to call or email with your questions or concerns. You’ll find our contact information at Sanderslawgroupnw.com.

— By Ralph Sanders, Sanders Law Group

The Village Theatre’s Matilda the Musical just opened at the Everett Performing Arts Center. On opening night, there wasn’t a seat to be had. This musical adaptation is the work of Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin.

It’s actually Village Theatre’s second opening for Matilda — it ran for nearly two months in Issaquah before moving north.

I bumped into artistic director Jerry Dixon before the show. “I don’t know of any other theatre company that has two opening nights on two main stages,” said Dixon.

I put in a pitch to have Village Theatre open first in Everett sometime. “We’ve considered that. The reason it doesn’t happen is our shop is right next to the Issaquah stage. Everything gets built down there. It’s really expensive to move the set and all the equipment,” said Dixon.

That makes a lot of sense. It’s hard for me to imagine the logistics and expense involved with even a single move.

As for the play itself, if you ever find hope in short supply, just take a close look at some of the young people around you.

The kids in the cast of Matilda have done something quite amazing. When you’re 10 or 12 and you commit nine months to a play, you’ve just spent a sizable fraction of your life on a project. It’s a major commitment, but in this case, the outcome is remarkable.

Village Theatre often splits a youthful leading role between two actors. On the evening I attended, Nava Ruthfield, (who put in an excellent performance as young Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird not too long ago with the Driftwood Players) held down the title role. Holly Reichert plays Matilda in alternating performances. The two Matildas have become good friends.

I never cease to be amazed by these young actors. In addition to being skilled at her craft, Ruthfield seems to be a very perceptive young woman. When asked what she hoped the audience would gain from the performance, she replied, ‘There’s a Roald Dahl quote ‘Inside all of us we have the power to change the world.’ It’s one of my favorite quotes. I hope the audience takes away that feeling.”

That’s one of the beautiful things about this play. As director and choreographer Kathryn Van Meter put it — there’s something powerful in putting “a young female protagonist at the head of a story about empowerment and the fight for justice.”

The story is set in part at “Crunchem Hall” where life is quite bleak, especially for the youngest students.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Roald Dahl himself had not been a victim of bullying and abuse at the hand of an intimidating headmistress or headmaster. I discovered this comment, and it was as I expected:

“All through my school life I was appalled by the fact that masters and senior boys were allowed literally to wound other boys, and sometimes quite severely… I couldn’t get over it. I never have got over it,” Dahl once said.

But unlike the evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull in Matilda (who received her well-deserved comeuppance in the play), one of Dahl’s tormentors became the Archbishop of Canterbury and crowned Queen Elizabeth II.

I guess that’s why it’s called fiction. But really, this just serves to reinforce one of the principle messages in Matilda. Life may not be fair, but we don’t have to grin and bear it. You may be little, but you can do a lot!

Scenic designer Matthew Smucker, master scenic artist Julia B. Franz, and anyone else involved in the design of the sets have my sincerest admiration. The library, the opening backdrop and classroom scenes are works of art. The swing scene and acrobat sequence were also exceptional.

Evil prevailed a little longer than I would have liked, but with so many wonderfully villainous characters in need of development, I suppose it couldn’t be helped.

There were the parents — Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood — so incredibly self absorbed and narcissistic, so devoid of redeeming qualities I couldn’t wait to see what Dahl had in store for them. Truly one of the greatest antagonists ever created by Dahl however, was the sadistic and maniacal headmistress Miss Trunchbull, played magnificently by Basil Harris. It was deeply satisfying when justice was finally meted out in the closing moments.

Matilda plays through Feb. 3. Good seats are still available at www.villagetheatre.org/everett/index.php.

— By James Spangler

Hemlock Needle by Keenan Powell

The most recent book in the Maeve Malloy Legal Thriller series finds the adroit attorney under investigation herself in Anchorage, Alaska. She’s been advised not to take on any cases until her own is settled. And depending on how it’s settled, she may not be allowed to take on cases ever again.

While under pressure to prove her own innocence she makes a pro bono exception that tugs at her heart, to help find a missing Yup’ik Eskimo chief financial officer who is a single mother. Is this a partying woman who’s wandered off with the wrong crowd? Or did danger lurk in her business life, or personal history?

Maeve Malloy and her strong-willed investigator Tom are driven to solve this case on behalf of the dear 7-year-old son Evan, whom the mother has left behind. And as the mystery grows, it looks like young Evan’s life is in danger. Maeve’s strong desire to help is admirable, but the unexpected leaves her skating on thin Alaskan ice, and it’s cracking under the weight of legal entanglements and dangerous murderers.

Keenan Powell has authored an action thriller that incorporates poignant descriptions of Alaskan scenery, its extreme conditions, and residents’ lifestyles. This loving, illustrative account is vivid, crisp, clear, and a fascinating glimpse into what life is like in Anchorage, including the positive and the difficult. The action builds quickly and this book is truly an exciting read. The clues discovered during the investigation are presented for the reader to attempt solving the mystery before Maeve Malloy. The very diverse array of characters driving the story, their actions, and motives are artistically molded by this author, showing compelling insights into human nature.

Keenan Powell writes murder mysteries because, as she says, “I love mystery best. Only in mystery do you have the puzzle, the game played between writer and reader. The writer plants clues and red herrings in what she hopes is an enjoyable story. The reader pits herself against the writer to figure out whodunit.” Keenan Powell lives in Anchorage, and has practiced in many areas of law in private practice — civil, criminal, administrative and appeals. Earlier in her career, she defended criminal cases including murder charges. She still maintains a practice in Anchorage.

In addition to this series, she authors other published works including short stories and a blog. Find out more on her website at keenan@gci.net

And if you want to hear more from the author during her interview about the first book in this series, Deadly Solution, listen at Kendall & Cooper Talk Mysteries with Keenan Powell.

— By Wendy Kendall

Wendy Kendall is a writer, project manager and volunteer at the Edmonds Library. She’s enjoyed living in Edmonds for over 20 years. Follow her via her blog here or on Twitter @wendywrites1.

This Saturday, 17-year-old Sheridan Moore will make a presentation at the Lynnwood Sno-Isle Library to explain the realities of forced labor here and abroad, and offer ways that people can combat the practice. In the months to come, she hopes to make similar presentations at local schools and colleges, including Edmonds Community College.

A Girl Scout Ambassador from Lynnwood, she’s part of the Girl Scouts Service Unit 245, which includes Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Brier. Moore is raising awareness about labor trafficking to earn the Scouts’ Gold Award, its highest honor.

The information is for anyone but Moore especially aims her message at young people. “Labor trafficking occurs in hundreds of industries and businesses all over the world, including here in Snohomish County,” she said. “Nevertheless, many people know virtually nothing about it. There are several local anti-trafficking organizations which have awareness programs for middle and high school students, but none of these currently exist in Snohomish County.”

She first got interested in the issue back in middle school. Her interest deepened when, as a Running Start student attending Everett Community College, Moore took a class that explored labor trafficking.

“When people hear about this issue they mostly think about sex trafficking,” she said, “but labor trafficking is a separate and more prevalent issue.”

The industries tainted by trafficking include manual labor, construction, hotel work, agriculture, domestic service and nail salons, Moore explained. “People can get those jobs without much English or education,” she said, and can become vulnerable to predatory businesses. “In the U.S., trafficking affects mostly people from Latin America and several Asian countries.”

Her presentation offers in-depth information on labor trafficking and red flags to look for. She’ll also provide resources, including a brochure that covers the main points of her talk, how to get involved, and who to contact if labor trafficking is suspected, including the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-888-373-7888.

“It can be a overwhelming topic so I tell people to start with one thing in the beginning,” she said. “Choose a product you use a lot and research it, see where it comes from and who produces it.”

Reaching out to young people is particularly important to Moore. “It’s often hard for teens and young adults to know what they can do to combat large-scale human rights issues and I wanted to bring some awareness to that as well.”

The Gold Award requires projects to be sustainable, so before she completes her work, Moore will put together a group of facilitators to continue updating and presenting the materials she created.

Moore’s presentation is Saturday, Jan. 12, from 3-5 p.m. at the Lynnwood Library, 19200 44th Ave. W. For more information, Moore can be reached at lltap.wa@gmail.com.

— By Connie McDougall

Edmonds Community College was awarded a job skills grant to offer customized training to more than 200 Crane Aerospace & Electronics workers at its Lynnwood headquarters.

A $92,628 Job Skills Program (JSP) grant provided by Washington’s State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Workforce Education Department will fund training for Crane mechanical assemblers to improve their skills in basic computer applications or to become fully certified IPC technicians in Electronic Assemblies/Repair and Modification of Printed Boards and Electronic Assemblies. The training could begin as early as January with a completion date of June 30.

“Training incumbent and newly-hired employees is critical to the continued growth, culture, and sustainability of most companies, including Crane Aerospace & Electronics,” said Mary Heffernan Trester, Edmonds CC’s director of Continuing Education.

JSPs provide funding for customized, short-term, and job-specific training for eligible businesses using dollar-for-dollar matching grants. Grants are awarded to educational institutions that partner with employers to undertake a JSP project. The participating employer must match the grant amount with cash or in-kind program support.

If your company is interested in receiving JSP funding for training, contact Mary Heffernan Trester at mary.heffernan@email.edcc.edu.

Edmonds CC’s Continuing Education offers professional development classes and certifications, manufacturing training, and lifelong learning opportunities. For more information, go to ce.edcc.edu.

Dec. 31

4000 block of 198th Street Southwest: A man was arrested for stealing a beanie and three candy bars from Goodwill. Once the man was detained, police found drug paraphernalia and he was charged for possession.

18600 block of SR99: A woman was arrested after a traffic stop for multiple warrants, including a felony warrant for identity theft and a misdemeanor criminal solicitation. Once she was in police custody, officers found drug paraphernalia in her possession and she was charged for that as well.

19300 block of 44th Avenue West: A man was arrested for violating his probation after he sent threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend. In the texts the man alluded to having firearms and threatening to shoot his ex’s home and work.

Jan. 1

4800 block of 200th Street Southwest: A man was arrested for domestic assault and malicious mischief after he hit his fiancé in the face during an altercation involving two other men during a party.

19300 block of Alderwood Mall Parkway: A woman was arrested for a misdemeanor warrant for theft after a routine traffic stop.

20700 block of Highway 99: A woman was arrested for a felony warrant for trafficking stolen property during a traffic stop. Once she was in police custody, officers found drug paraphernalia.

4500 block of 176th Street Southwest: A man reported a burglary after he returned from vacation and found his home had been broken into. The man said a firearm belonging to his fiancé and $400 in small bills had been stolen. The firearm is a black .25 caliber Italian-made pistol in a dark, olive-green gun case.

3000 block of 196th Street Southwest: A man was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle was a white Chevrolet pickup truck the man said he bought from a previous landlord.

20700 block of Highway 99: A man was arrested for stealing a bottle of Hennessy from Walgreens. The Hennessy was worth $44.82. Once the suspect was in police custody, officers found hypodermic needles and a metal spoon with black residue on it, and the man was charged for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jan. 2

3200 block of Alderwood Mall Boulevard: Police responded to a dispute in Marshalls when a man refused to leave. The man was arrested for a misdemeanor warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia. Once in police custody, the man confessed to being in possession of methamphetamine.

4200 block of Alderwood Mall Boulevard: A woman reported her car had been prowled in the Marriott parking lot. The driver’s-side window had been smashed in and her possessions had been disturbed. The woman said clothing and her vehicle’s registration were missing.

3600 block of 164th Street Southwest: Police stopped a vehicle with a reported stolen license plate and found the driver to be under the influence of alcohol. The man was charged with a DUI and illegal use of a dealer’s license plate.

18000 block of 36th Avenue West: A woman reported her vehicle had been prowled overnight while parked in front of her residence. The woman said there was cigarette ash in her car that had not previously been there and her survival equipment had been stolen from her trunk. The stolen items are valued at $4,800.

18900 block of 44th Avenue West: A man reported a theft at the Lynnwood Recreation Center after he came back to his locker to discover the lock had been removed. Two credit cards, a Starbucks gift card and $200 in cash had been stolen.

Jan. 3

17300 block of Highway 99: Police responded to Bank of America when a man attempted to cash a stolen check for $300. The bank teller said the man was acting “suspiciously” and she contacted police. The man had successfully cashed a forged check the previous day for $200 with a different bank teller. He left before police arrived.

17200 block of Highway 99: A woman was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and providing false statements to a public servant after she and another woman were reported to have been stealing from Value Village. The two women were trespassed from Value Village.

3000 block of 184th Street Southwest: A man was arrested for criminal trespass after Forever 21 employees said he was concealing items. Police found him in the restroom of Cold Stone Creamery and took him into custody.

3000th block of 184th Street Southwest: Two women were seen on video surveillance stealing five to six sweaters from H&M. The security tags set off the alarms when the women left the store. The total value of the stolen items was $200.

18700 block of 33rd Avenue West: An employee at GameStop reported a theft after two suspects — one male, one female — entered the store and stole a PlayStation 4 and other items. The store employee said the female distracted the employee by asking for assistance while the male went behind the counter, grabbing the console and three handheld PlayStation games and a single controller. The stolen items were valued at $659.

18300 block of Highway 99: A man was arrested for a misdemeanor warrant when police responded to reports of suspicious circumstance at Top Auto Repair. The man was reported to be looking in vehicle windows after business hours. Once in police custody, he was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine.

Jan. 5

16900 block of Spruce Way: A man reported his vehicle had been stolen. When police responded they were able to find the man’s green 1993 Nissan pickup, which had been reported as an abandoned vehicle. All four tires had been removed from the vehicle.

6000 block of 180th Street Southwest: A woman reported that a home she had recently purchased and was being remodeled had been broken into. The burglar gained access to the house by breaking in through the back door, causing $500 in damage. The woman’s brother, who was working on the residence, said several tools had been stolen valued at $5,500.

Jan. 6

18700 Alderwood Mall Parkway: A man stole four pairs of RayBan sunglasses from Macy’s Lens Crafters. Store employees said this is not the first time the man has stolen RayBan sunglasses from the store. The value of the four pairs of glasses was $719.

18400 Alderwood Mall Parkway: A woman was arrested for stealing items from Kohl’s. She was seen leaving the store with a mattress pad. When police apprehended her, they found a folding knife in her pocket and five syringes in a makeup case, one of which was “loaded” with drugs. She was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia.

3000 block of 196th Street Southwest: An employee at Extended Stay reported finding a baggie of white powder and one blue capsule in the laundry. The white powder was methamphetamine and the blue pill was an over-the-counter supplement. She said she does not know what room it came from.

4600 block of 196th Street Southwest: A man was arrested for a DUI after police pulled him over in the parking lot of Fred Meyer. He was charged with refusing to comply with officers when he refused to give his name, and with resisting arrest.

— Compiled by Cody Sexton

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The Arlington Eagles, undefeated in Wesco League play, not only brought their perfect league record to Lynnwood High School on Tuesday but also packed a little science lesson as well.

With a smothering defense that Royals’ assistant Coach Jamal Weems compared to an ever-moving and expanding single-cell organism, the Eagles schooled the Royals 56-48 to improve their league mark to 6-0.

Lynnwood struggled to get past the tutorial of the Arlington pressing defense, committing 24 turnovers and getting off few uncontested shots in the contest.

“(Arlington) went with the pressure,” said Weems, who was pushed into the head coaching role on Tuesday due to the absence of Lynnwood Coach Brandon Newby. “They have kind of an amoeba press where you really don’t know where the trap’s coming from everytime. And that can give you some problems throughout the game.”

The Arlington press trapped Royals’ all over the court, forcing passes that were often intercepted or off-target.

“They sent two girls at the ball a lot, no matter who it was with the ball,” Weems continued. “Nakia (Boston), Amayah (Kirkman), Mia (Jones), whoever it was, they liked to send two girls at you. They make it hard; you’ve got to be ready to keep up with that pressure for a whole four quarters and not let the wheels fall off.”

Lynnwood led after the first quarter 9-7 on the strength of its defensive effort, forcing Arlington into five turnovers during the Eagles’ seven possessions. And the Royals were down by just two points, 28-26, before Arlington ended the third quarter on a 13-2 run.

Lynnwood tried to close out the game on a positive note, cutting the Arlington lead to 48-42 with 2:22 to go; but that was as close as the Royals would get as the Eagles held on to get the win.

Weems was pleased with the defensive effort his squad showed on Tuesday. “I thought we played on the defensive end really, really well,” he said. “I thought we played with a lot of energy, we talked and really made it hard on their girls with ball pressure.”

“The performance was good; we’re not too disappointed with our performance,” Weems concluded. “Obviously the result wasn’t what we wanted, but the performance was good and we’re going to just keep building off of that.”

For Arlington Coach Joe Marsh, Tuesday’s victory was an A-plus. “It’s my first win here (at Lynnwood High School), so I’m really happy to get this one,” he said. “This has been a tough place for us to get a ‘W’.”

Three Eagles scored in double-figures, two off the bench as junior Allison DeBerry led the squad with 12 points and freshman Keira Marsh tallied 10 points. Starter Josie Stupey added 11 points in the Arlington victory.

Boston scored 20 points to lead the Royals; Kirkman, who was battling the effects of an inner-ear infection, scored 10 points in the loss.

Coach Newby, who had missed the game due to a family medical emergency, is expected to return for Lynnwood’s next game on Friday, Jan. 11, at Snohomish; tipoff is slated for 7:15 p.m.

In other prep action on Tuesday, the Meadowdale Lady Mavericks rolled over the Oak Harbor Wildcats 47-25 at Oak Harbor High School. The Lady Mavs, winners of five straight games, go for their sixth in a row on Thursday when they host the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks; tipoff is set for 7:15 p.m.

Prep Girls Basketball: Arlington at Lynnwood, Jan. 8

Arlington 7 16 18 15 — 56

Lynnwood 9  9 10 19 — 48

Lynnwood individual scoring: Nakia Boston 20, Amayah Kirkman 10, Emily Whybark 6, Katelyn Kesinger 5, Marika Canda 3, Mia Jones 2, Madison Steele 2, Taylor Staheli, Jayden Angell, Hailey Johnson

Arlington individual scoring: Allison DeBerry 12, Josie Stupey 11, Keira Marsh 10, Hailey Hiatt 6, Sierra Scheppele 6, Jordan Bartlow 4, Abby Schwark 3, Abbey Hassing 2, Jackie Stupey, Mollie Janousek

Records: Lynnwood 3-3 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 6-6 overall; Arlington 6-0 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 8-3 overall

Lynnwood next game: versus Snohomish; Friday, Jan. 11; 7:15 p.m. at Lynnwood High School

Prep Girls Basketball: Meadowdale at Oak Harbor, Jan. 8

Meadowdale 47 – Oak Harbor 25

Records: Meadowdale 2-3 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 7-4 overall; Oak Harbor 0-6 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 3-9 overall

Meadowdale next game: versus Marysville-Pilchuck; Thursday, Jan. 10; 7:15 p.m. at Meadowdale High School

— By Doug Petrowski

The Lynnwood City Council began the 2019 calendar year by prioritizing the items councilmembers will discuss at their annual summit retreat.

The city council retreat will take place on Saturday, Feb. 9 and it is designed to allow the council to informally discuss a variety of issues they will work on in the coming months.

Councilmember Shirley Sutton began the discussion by saying she believed it is important that the City of Lynnwood start to rebuild its police force. Sutton said she has received multiple calls and emails from Lynnwood residents who have reported an increase in crime.

“The way I look at it, if we don’t start taking those things seriously then we’re going to get left behind in terms of being able to build our staff again,” she said.

Sutton said she wants to keep the idea of adding more officers to the police department a priority, because of the time it takes to train new officers.

“It’s very important for our livelihood and our city to keep our residents safe,” she said.

Councilmember Ruth Ross said this would be a good year for the council to begin to establish more council priorities and goals.

“Hopefully everybody can come to the council summit, prepared to put something on the table,” she said.

Ross also said she wants to ensure that when they do establish a list of priorities, councilmembers are able to access the support staff to follow through with those goals.

Councilmember George Hurst said he would like to review the effect of recently-passed ordinances.

“We’ve passed ordinances, but are they effective?” he said.

Councilmember Ian Cotton said he would like the city council to develop a policy for the homeless population in Lynnwood.

“I think there are some good things out there we can borrow from to cobble together our own policy then add a zest of Lynnwood,” he said.

Council President Ben Goodwin also said it is important to discuss the issue of homelessness.

“What is it that we as a city think needs to be done,” he said. “Both as a city and partnering with businesses and other entities and other organizations to combat this.”

Goodwin also said the council should review the idea of having its own city attorney on staff.

“As we have a contract attorney, is that what works well for the city?” he asked. “Do we need to change how that goes or are things going well the way they are?”

In addition, Goodwin said, the council should consider whether to continuing having a contract municipal court judge, currently Judge Stephen Moore.

“Do we continue a contract or do we decide now to have an elected judge in the city?” he asked.

Goodwin said the reason for considering this now is the year or two it would take to establish the position of an elected judge. Mayor Nicola Smith said that one of the differences between a contracted judge and an elected judge is a contracted judge only works 30 hours a week and any more than that would require an elected judge.

“That would affect the budget, police, jail staff,” Goodwin said. “A lot of things to consider.”

Ross said said these summits are a unique opportunity to have in-depth conversations about the issues that the council cannot spend the proper time on during city council meetings.

“If we keep going up against these subjects and don’t sit down and talk to each other about what we really think, we’re never going to reach a solution,” she said.

— By Cody Sexton

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Blue C Sushi, which has a location in Lynnwood’s Alderwood Mall, abruptly closed all seven branches including five in the Seattle area due to financial problems, according to a memo the company emailed to employees Sunday night after dinner service. That’s according to a report from our online news partner The Seattle Times.

Blue C also has locations at Bellevue, Downtown Seattle, Southcenter, and the University Village.The two other California restaurants have also closed.

Financial records filed with the King County Superior Court and the state Department of Revenue indicated Madison Holdings Inc., Blue C Sushi’s parent company, had a history of falling behind on its taxes, owing $194,957 as recently as 2016, The Times said.

Several employees came to work their lunch shift Monday only to find the doors locked. In an email, Blue C Sushi told employees to come to designated Starbucks to pick up their final paychecks later this week. In an internal memo obtained by The Seattle Times, management advised employees to “deposit it promptly.” You can read more about that in The Times story.

A sign at the Alderwood restaurant says: “We’ve been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve you all through the years, and it saddens us to announce that we are closing. We have had so much fun along the way while creating deep, lasting friendships with our community. We thank you for your years of patronage and wish you the very best.”

According to Eater Seattle (seattle.eater.com), employees at all locations lost their jobs as of January 6th, with some being retained to help clean and close the sites. The Glassdoor.com website shows Blue C Sushi — headquartered in Seattle — employing between 201 to 500 employees.

Any gift cards to Blue C Sushi are void, pending a decision by its holding company, Madison Holdings.

Blue C, in business for 15 years, was known for offering their food on a conveyor belt, which passed by each table.

— Photos and reporting by David Carlos

In a new report released Wednesday, the Snohomish Health District estimates that between 5,000 and 10,000 people in Snohomish County are suffering from opioid use disorder. It’s likely that another 35,000 to 80,000 people are misusing opioids.

Determining the burden of disease goes deeper than tracking data and trends, the Health District said. It estimates how many people in a geographic area have a specific disease — in this case, how many people in Snohomish County have opioid use disorder or are misusing opioids.

“We focused on opioid misuse and opioid use disorder because they are considered the two ends of the spectrum for diagnosable patterns that can lead to overdose and death,” said Dr. Mark Beatty, health officer for the Snohomish Health District. “This data will aid the Health District and the Opioid Response Multi-agency Coordination Group with evidence-based decision making, assessment of interventions, and other planning purposes.”

According to a health district announcement, this data is the result of several months of in-depth research and analysis completed by Beatty. In his report, Opioid Use Disorder and Opioid Misuse in Snohomish County: Using Capture-Recapture to Estimate the Burden of Disease, Beatty applied a method originally created to estimate wildlife populations and recently used to estimate the prevalence of kidney disease.

From the health district announcement:

Disease burden estimates are challenging to complete in populations that are difficult to identify or pinpoint. It becomes increasingly more complex when diseases like opioid use disorder are not a notifiable condition, such as measles or whooping cough. While the published literature is sparse, it’s possible to use surveillance for opioid events in order to estimate the disease burden. This requires an additional method known as capture-recapture.

Source: Snohomish Health District

For this method, Beatty accessed FirstWatch—a proprietary record management system used for EMS calls across the county—to pull data for all overdose calls recorded in July 2018. During that month, there were 73 opioid-related overdoses identified. Utilizing data compiled by Providence Regional Medical Center Everett and the health district, made possible through a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant funded through the Washington State Department of Health, Beatty then reviewed patients seen in the emergency department. Of those 29 overdose patients at the hospital, 18 were also found in the FirstWatch data. That number translates into approximately 1,400 individuals in Snohomish County hospitalized annually because of opioids.

Using a model published by the CDC that estimates for every one death there are 32 emergency department visits for misuse and abuse, Beatty modified the calculations using Snohomish County estimates identified from the capture-recapture study.

Source: Snohomish Health District

In order to confirm the results of this process, other independent datasets were utilized to test the model and develop ranges. When using data from those sources and applying them to the CDC model used in the burden of disease calculations, the results are as follows:

“Dr. Beatty’s work is another example of how Snohomish County continues to pave the way with collaborative approaches to stopping the opioid epidemic,” said Stephanie Wright, Board of Health chair and Snohomish County councilmember. “This report, and its groundbreaking work, provides a critical benchmark that we can all use to evaluate progress moving forward.”

Prior to June 2017, the only primary data available to monitor the opioid crisis in Snohomish County was overdose-related deaths, and it could take a year or longer to get preliminary numbers, the health district said. In July 2017, the health district embarked on several innovative ways to collect more data. These included two point-in-time surveys completed in July 2017 and July 2018. Each spanned seven days. The first year, 37 overdoses were reported, including three deaths. During the 2018 survey, 57 overdoses were reported, two of them fatal.

The work was supported by Snohomish County’s 1/10 of 1 percent Chemical Dependency and Mental Health sales tax funding.

“Heroin, fentanyl and other opioids continue to cause our community grave harm,” said Dave Somers, Snohomish County Executive. “By better understanding the negative impacts from opioids, we are better positioned to stop the suffering and crime. I applaud the efforts of the Snohomish Health District to keep us all better informed.”

Moving forward, the health district aims to gather better information on the supply and demand of treatment options. The goal is to refine estimates of people who express interest in treatment, survey the current treatment landscape, and identify gaps by comparing interest with available services.

You can find more information on efforts being done through the Opioid Response MAC Group, www.snohomishoverdoseprevention.com. This website and accompanying social media accounts were developed to be a one-stop shop for resources.

English classes for parents of children in the Edmonds School District begin on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. at Mountlake Terrace High School, 21801 44th Ave. W. You can register at 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria. The program can’t accept any new students after the second week of classes.

The district is offering free daycare/extended learning time for children 3 to 10 years. Children need to be out of diapers. There is one beginning and one intermediate level class.

The RaeQuan Battle-led Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks remained undefeated in Wesco League play after pulling away in the fourth quarter and grabbing a 53-46 victory over the Meadowdale Mavericks on Wednesday.

The Mavs and Tomahawks were tied 35-35 going into the final quarter before the Tomahawks earned the late win at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.

Battle, who has committed to play for the University of Washington this fall, led all scorers in the contest with 26 points.

Meadowdale saw three players reach double figures in scoring, led by the 14 points of Cole Nelson; Hunter Moen added 11 while Nick Buckley tallied 10 for the Mavs.

The 45 points scored represented the lowest point total for Meadowdale this season and well below the Mavs’ average of 65.3 over their past four games.

After falling to the league leaders, the schedule doesn’t get much easier for the Mavs as the squad will next face Stanwood — presently tied for second in the league — on Friday, Jan. 11, at Meadowdale High School. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

Prep Boys Basketball: Meadowdale at Marysville-Pilchuck, Jan. 9

Meadowdale  14    7  14  10  —  45

Marysville-Pilchuck    6  15  14  18  —  53

Meadowdale individual scoring: Cole Nelson 14, Hunter Moen 11, Nick Buckley 10, Kade Styles 6, Ray Free 4, Justin Jackson, Will McKinley, Issac Braxton

Marysville-Pilchuck individual scoring: RaeQuan Battle 26, Ethan Jackson 9, Luke Dobler 7, Brady Phelps 5, Cameron Stordahl 4, Aaron Kalab 2, Alec Jones-Smith

Records: Meadowdale 3-3 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 7-5 overall; Marysville-Pilchuck 7-0 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 10-3 overall

Meadowdale next game: versus Stanwood; Friday, Jan. 11; 7:15 p.m. at Meadowdale High School

— By Doug Petrowski