Dear Editor: I have known Anna Alexander for over 25 years, both in her capacity as a neighbor and friend, and in her capacity as a legal professional. Given what I know about Anna as a person, lawyer, volunteer, and pro-tem judge, I will not hesitate to cast my vote for Anna Alexander this November….
Opinion
Letter to the editor: Anna Alexander the right candidate for Superior Court judge
Editor: As a judge and former colleague, I strongly recommend Anna Alexander for Superior Court Judge. I believe Anna is the right candidate because of her integrity and her diverse experience. I first met Anna Alexander while we were both law students at the University of Washington School of Law, where, at age 19, Anna…
Letter to the editor: Paul Thompson a judge to be proud of in Snohomish County
To the editor: Judge Paul Thompson was an excellent choice for our Governor to make when he appointed him to a seat on our Snohomish County Superior Court bench. And now that the voters have an opportunity to speak, we would urge you to vote to retain Judge Thompson. More than a dozen years ago,…
Letter to the editor: What Judge Okoloko brings to the Superior Court
Dear Editor: After a 23-year career as a Snohomish County judge, having served over 18 years on our Superior Court, I retired from that service last year. While I have now left the court, I have a strong interest in maintaining and improving the quality of our judiciary. It is for this reason that I…
Letter to the editor: Rob Toyer best choice for county treasurer
Editor: For the past 85-plus years, the Sievers family served Snohomish County in a few roles, but none more public and distinguished than that of Snohomish County Treasurer. The recognition given to the family by the county in the naming of the Sievers Plaza is but a small step in recognizing the family’s dedicated and…
Letter to the editor: Why I’m supporting Okoloko for Superior Court Judge
Editor: In my 39 years as a judge, I had the pleasure of serving with many good judges. A year ago, the governor selected Edirin Okoloko from a large field of candidates to fill a vacancy on the Snohomish County Superior Court, and since he took office, Judge Okoloko has distinguished himself as one of…
Commentary: Growth is coming — so how will we handle it?
Like it or not, growth is coming to Mountlake Terrace, along with the rest of the region — period. How are we going to handle it? That’s a question that has been on the minds of our city council, staff, local developers and some — though not enough — citizens. The final decision is near. The…
Letter to the editor: Thank you to Zero Waste volunteers at Taste Edmonds
Editor: We want to thank all the volunteers who came to Taste Edmonds to help staff the Zero Waste Stations. Students from Edmonds Community College, community members, graduates from the wonderful WSU Extension Sustainable Community Stewards program, plus all the appreciative patrons together managed to divert much material from going to the landfill. Food scraps,…
Commentary: Why I support moving 6th graders to middle school
Edmonds School District is considering moving 6th grade to middle school. I am in favor of this change. This would not happen for several years. Currently, we don’t have the facilities for it and it’s a huge change for all of us that requires proper planning. However, we must decide on it well in advance,…
Letter to the editor: Thanks to our Girls on the Run community
Editor: What has 1,400 feet and a smile that can light up the whole county? Answer: 700 girls and their running buddies crossing the finish line at Saturday’s Girls on the Run of Snohomish County’s Spring 5k at Everett Memorial Stadium in Everett! All our girls – from 51 teams throughout Snohomish County – came…
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Letter to the editor: Thanks, Red Onion Cafe for hosting our fundraiser
Editor: On May 28, I joined in on a FUNdraiser for a new group in town called Connect.REFIT. There are several classes offered in our area. REFIT connects people thru free dance fitness for every BODY. We are planning to go to our national convention in October in Dallas, Texas and wanted to thank Red Onion…
Commentary: The numbers behind the Edmonds School District layoff notifications
On Tuesday May 14, a vote was taken by the Edmonds School Board to approve a reduction in force and notify (as required by law and to honor our collective bargaining agreement) 25.2 certificated staff of the possibility their positions may be eliminated in the 19-20 school year. It was an excruciating decision because every…
Letter to the editor: The time has come for a new voice in Olympia
Editor: I am writing to ask you to vote for Jesse Salomon. In prior elections, I have endorsed very few candidates, because in our democracy each voter should make his or her own decision and cast their vote for the best candidate. In this election, I feel compelled to say it is unequivocally clear the…
Letter to the editor: What special interests are working against Sen. Chase?
Editor: The effort to defeat Senator Chase in this election has expended over $120,000. A substantial amount of that represents contributions by Monsanto, Chevron, pharmaceutical interests, charter schools, developers, and real estate agents. They use relentless attacks by The Seattle Times in their effort to to defeat Senator Chase. Why are they doing this? They…
Letter to the editor: Why I’m supporting re-election of Shelley Kloba
Dear Editor, The summer of 2016 I got a knock on my door from Shelley Kloba, out doorbelling to be our state Representative for the 1st Legislative District. Since she’d been a standout Washington State PTA Legislative Director when I was a local PTA legislative rep, I was familiar with her and planned to vote…
Letter to the editor: Initiative 1639 deprives women of right to protect themselves
To the editor: Initiative 1639 is an affront to the dignity of women in our state. For college-aged women living in dorms, navigating parking garages, starting an early shift at work or ending a late one, and especially for mothers under the age of 21 — the message is clear: your right to defend yourself…
Letter to the editor: Facts about clean air initiative 1631
Dear Editor: How to tell fake news from real news is one of the challenges of our times. It takes time and energy to maneuver through all the questions: Can I trust the source? Does it ring true? Am I just believing because it fits my world view? What fears is this playing on? Can…
Commentary: Law protects tenants from housing discrimination
As a single mother, a veteran and a renter who uses a voucher to help pay my rent, I am no stranger to what it’s like to face discrimination in the rental market. Despite my squeaky-clean rental history and decent credit, I’ve been denied apartment after apartment, just because I pay a portion of my…
Letter to the editor: Why is PUD rushing to hire general manager?
Editor: Why is our PUD rushing to hire a new General Manager right before the election, with two PUD commission seats on the ballot? Results of the primary election indicate that the public is ready for a change in leadership, yet the current leadership seems to be pushing to keep control. Decisions by the PUD…
Commentary: With Paine Field expansion on horizon, get involved
During the 1970s and ’80s I was an active pilot, often flying in and out of Paine Field, Everett. During that time there was an effort by Snohomish County to enlarge the facilities and incorporate commercial aviation at the field. As you can imagine, there were many homeowners and local businesses who were concerned about…
Letter to the editor: Fire chief thanks community for supporting EMS Levy
Dear Editor: South County Fire wants to thank voters for supporting the community levy for emergency medical service (EMS). This levy replaced two others that were paid to the Lynnwood Fire Department and Snohomish County Fire District 1. Last year, voters approved combining the two agencies into a regional fire authority called South Snohomish County…
Commentary: Open your heart and home to an exchange student
I am a local coordinator for an international exchange student nonprofit. Exchange students are 15 to 18 years old, and we are looking for four or five volunteer host families for our students in the Edmonds School District. The district has a deadline of June 15 for host families to choose their student. Volunteer host families…
Letter to the editor: Support strong vaping protections, not outdated regulations
Dear Editor: I smoked for 15 years and my husband smoked for 10, smoking a pack of cigarettes per day. We were very concerned about our health, so we switched to vaping. We could immediately feel the benefits. My husband could easily walk up a flight of stairs, which was no small feat before! But…
Letter to the editor: Vote yes on Library Levy Prop 1
Editor: As a lifelong library user and concerned citizen of Snohomish County, I urge you to vote “Yes” on April 24th for the Library Levy Prop. 1. Libraries are essential to healthy, thriving communities. People of all ages and backgrounds enjoy and depend on the services offered at their community library. Children and teens benefit…
Questions, answers and facts about the Sno-Isle Libraries operations levy
Property taxes are a tough subject, but worth talking about. Almost all of the money needed to operate the Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Brier libraries – and the other 19 community libraries in the Sno-Isle Libraries district – comes from an operations levy, which is on your annual property tax statement. Only 2 percent…