ARLINGTON News of the Angel of the Winds Casinos $44 million expansion has met with a muted response from the casinos critics, when compared to their initial outcry when the casino opened nearly four years ago.
ARLINGTON Teens and adults alike will speak about the positive impact that Arlington Youth Dynamics has had in their lives, at the groups March 6 fundraising banquet at Haller Middle School.
The city of Arlington has announced a second opportunity to apply for public and non-profit agencies for projects that assist tourism development and promotion in the city.
ARLINGTON Construction work on State Route 9, between Arlington and Bryant, has been postponed for a second time, again due to a crane breakdown.
10 years ago 1996
MARYSVILLE Money doesnt make the world go round, but thanks to a local real estate office, it could help Karl Bielsers circulation.
EVERETT Arlington Fire Chief Jim Rankin was one of several Snohomish County first-responders and law enforcement agents to appeal to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray to prevent the presidents proposed budget from cutting Homeland Security grants for cities and states.
ARLINGTON Take a look back at some of the stories of 2006 that appeared in The Arlington Times.
10 years ago 1997
It begins with paging the supplier and then arranging to meet confidentially in parking lots from Granite Falls to Everett. Its not drug deals its an outreach program to prevent the spread of HIV in intravenous drug users by exchanging dirty needles for clean ones. Between January and September 1996, the Snohomish County Health District program exchanged almost 70,000 needles and made over 500 referrals for drug treatment. In Marysville, outreach workers exchanged between five and eight needles per month this year and none last year, said Elizabeth Doan-Gonzales, program director with Pacific Treatment Alternatives. The controversial program, funded through the states general fund for HIV prevention, is in its third year of operation. The health district board, comprised of 15 elected city and county council members, votes on renewing the contract with Pacific Treatment Alternatives each year. Last year was a close vote, 6-to-5 in favor. The year before it was 11-1 in favor with different board members. The board will soon vote on the 1997 contract. How do we know that giving them a clean needle ensures that they will use it? said Donna Pedersen, health board member and Marysville City Council member. Pedersen said she is concerned that the program isnt cost effective. I would much rather spend money on addiction programs than this, she said. The Snohomish County Health District contracted with Pacific Treatment Alternatives since 1989 for HIV prevention outreach work. In 1993, they added needle exchange to that contract. The $95,000 budget includes salary and administrative costs for two outreach workers, plus gas and mileage for all outreach work, not just needle exchange. The exchange program costs for 1995 were about $7,000 which includes purchasing clean needles and disposing contaminated needles. Ward Hinds, Snohomish County Health Officer, said the primary concern for the exchange program is preventing drug users from sharing contaminated needles. If this program can prevent just one AIDS case every 10 years its going to more than pay for itself, Hinds said. According to the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California and Harvard AIDS Institute, the lifetime costs of treating an HIV-infected person are about $119,000. Between 1990 and 1994, about 26 percent of the almost 300 people in Snohomish County with AIDS reported intravenous drug use. Washington state law prevents the sale of needles or syringes by pharmacists unless for legal uses. Pharmacists contacted said they question those who request needles and syringes to ensure they are for insulin. Pedersen said she has not been supportive of the needle exchange program. Although I have compassion for those who might be in a situation to contract AIDS I feel that it sends a mixed message to the young people, she said. Many programs work to counter drug use among teens, she said. [We say] dont do drugs, but if you do heres clean needles. Hinds said the program works with pagers and going to drug users to avoid a high level of visibility. The program is invisible to school kids, he said. We dont go around talking about needle exchange. There is no message except drug use is very dangerous and we can help you get into treatment, but while you are making that decision we dont want you to get infected, he said. Doan-Gonzales said it takes time to establish trust and relationships with the drug users before they may listen to treatment suggestions. We help keep them safe until they make other decisions, she said. Another advantage of meeting with drug users on their own terms is to avoid community opposition, Hinds said. Its very difficult to sell politically because we are trying to prevent infection in a segment of the population that is not very popular, Hinds said. Needle exchange programs in Seattle and Tacoma that have a central building for exchanges have been the subject of much opposition by neighbors and community members. Those who favor the needle exchange say it safely disposes of contaminated needles and keeps them out of public parks and streets.
MARYSVILLE The Aug. 21 primary election is seven weeks earlier this year due to a change in state law and elections officials are urging voters to pay attention.
ARLINGTON The Arlington Kids Kloset recently received a combined total of $2,500 from the Crown Distributing Employee Giving Fund and the Greater Everett Community Foundation.
ARLINGTON They say bad luck comes in threes. An employee at downtown Arlingtons New Beginnings Thrift Shop now knows its true.
