10 years ago 1998
n If Lakewood Superintendent Wayne Robertson had his way, he would have Snohomish County Deputy Mike Anderson removed from duty and immediately pressed into service a a teacher. At a ceremony last Wednesday, Anderson was honored by both Lakewood schools and the Snohomish County Sheriffs Office, with County Executive Bob Drewel and Council member Rick Larsen in attendance, for his exemplary service in his new role as school resource officer. Robertson, who introduced Anderson and the program, mentioned how the deputy possibly missed his calling as an educator. Rich Curthurn, captain of the Snohomish County North Precinct, answered later by praising Anderson too, and refused Robertsons suggestion for a transfer. The School Resource Officer pilot program, instituted at the start of the 1997 school year, has received numerous accolades from community members, students and faculty members. The reason is due mainly to Andersons flexibility. He is unusual in his ability to wear many different hats, according to Lakewood High School Principal Kristine McDuffy. One minute hes teaching, the next counseling, she said. Not to mention breaking up fights or quelling disturbances. Unfortunately just minutes before the ceremony, he was called to prove his worth at just that, his least favorite part of the job. He, explained, after his late arrival, to the 40 people gathered in the Lakewood High School library, that he had just been assaulted by an unruly student and had to detain him. I take no joy in arresting students, he said later. If I do the job right that shouldnt happen. Andersons role finds him at every school in the Lakewood District at some time during the day. To both elementary schools he is the Drug Awareness Resistance Education teacher. Each semester he teaches seven classes of fifth-graders about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. To the Lakewood Middle School students he is a part-time counselor and a part-time friend. His office, housed at the middle school, serves as an outpost where law is tempered with fairness according to some students. At the high school, his duties range from teaching a newly form Peer Helpers Always There class to intervening in harassment problems, and he even finds time to discourage smoking around campus. Sheri Mobius, Andersons teaching partner, said it is his word that carries the weight for her. When he says something is going to happen it does., she said. And if we need help, hes there immediately. Kendra Becker, 17, a student in the PHAT class, has a significantly different view of uniformed police officers now. Our class has become friends with him, she said. People dont think of him as out to get people in trouble. Even though he is fair he wont let you step over the line and break the law without consequences. The SRO program spills into the community too. One felony assault and two misdemeanor assaults that occurred off campus this year were handled by Anderson because he was close by and could respond quickly sometimes with whiteboard marker still in hand. McDuffy believes that there have been practical results from Andersons presence. There has been less problems with thefts and aggressive behavior, she said. His presence is a powerful deterrent. The program was praised by both Larson and Drewel. I have always believed that society has a couple of treasures people who want to educate our children and people who want to protect us. What you have here is just an admirable partnership of those two positive forces coming together, Drewel said. And if we can develop a pattern to clone and find the people with similar passions it would be a crime not to export this to other schools.


25 years ago 1983
n The phones, all three of them, have been ringing off the hook at the Jordan Store and owner Claudia Fricks has been interviewed by media from all over the nation, following the announcement here last week that the historic country store would be given away as an essay contest prize. Unable to sell the rustic store on Jordan Road, Fricks decided recently to give the store its attached hoe and almost three acres of land, to the writer of the best essay on the subject, Why i want to own a country store. All entries must include a $10 entry fee and a minimum of 20,000 entries must be received by the contests May 31 deadline for the prize to be awarded. More than 100 entries have already been received, said Fricks, with the fees placed in an escrow account until the contest is validated. Should anything less than the 20,000 entries come in before the deadline, the fees will be refunded, she said. Following the story in The Arlington Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer picked up the news and distributed it nationwide. Fricks was subsequently interviewed by radio stations as far away as Maine and Florida. The reactions has been absolutely fantastic, said Fricks. Most people who called have asked, Is it really true? They cant believe it is true. Entries have even been received from children she said. All the national publicity Fricks has received also resurrected many old friends, she said. Ive been hearing from people I havent seen in years.

n Property owners in Arlington this year face a levy ranging from $8.49 to $8.98 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, according to the Snohomish County Assessors Office. Last years tax levy ranged from $6.89 to $7.36, The variation within the city is due to some areas not being taxed for the hospital. Senior citizen exempt property will be assessed at $6.02 in the city. The breakdown for in-city taxpayers is $0.985 for the county, $1.864 for the city, $3.079 for state schools, $2.566 for local schools, and $0.484 for the hospital. In the Arlington School District (outside the city) the 1983 tax rate varies form $8.12 to $9.60 depending on which fire district affects the property owner. The total property tax to be collected in Snohomish County is about $114.5 million, based on a total assessed value of almost $13 billion. The lowest city tax rate in the county was Index with $6.214. Lake Stevens is the highest at $10.806. The highest levy in the unincorporated area of the county is in the Lakewood School District at $11.451 down from $17.56 last year. The Darrington levy will be $9.03. In Marysville it is $8.55 and in Stanwood it is $8.12.

50 years ago 1958
n The Little League baseball park fund of the American Legion Post 76 has reached the $2,134.25 mark, according to Wally Evans, club manager. Evans said this represents income from the Arlington Fourth of July celebration, staged by the Post, and from a kids circus and turkey shoots held during the year. The present fund will go mainly to install a modern lighting system for night baseball at the park, Evans said. The lights are scheduled for installation some time this year. He added that additional funds for this purposed will be raised at this years Fourth of July celebration. Coming activities of the Legion include an informal dance Saturday evening, with Duane Whitley and troupe furnishing music. Evans said that professional entertainment will appear once a month until June at the Legion, beginning with a Valentines Dance, Feb. 14, with Rusty as MC.