10 Years Ago 1997

Hale-Bopp comet streaks towards earth. Through the end of April, Marysville residents might get the chance to see a comet with a 4,000-year-old orbit flash through the sky. If the weather cooperates, that is. Without clouds blocking the view, Hale-Bopp is visible to the naked eye, low on the horizon, before sunrise (until Friday), and after sunset. The last time it swung through our solar system was about 4,000 years ago. Discovered in July 1995, the comet was 650 million miles away (beyond the orbit of Jupiter) but was already 250 times brighter then Halleys comet at the same distance. It is also four times bigger. Believed to be a large, dirty ice ball 25 miles in diameter, Hale-Bopp is a large chunk of cosmic real estate. NASA officials say it will not hit the Earth. Hale-Bopps closest approach to our planet, at 122 million miles away, will occur March 22, 1997. But dont rush to buy a telescope to see it. Robert DeLong, earth science teacher at Marysville Junior High School said, Anytime you get a telescope its worth the money, but he stressed that the best way to see a comet is (with) a quality pair of binoculars. Jim Stone, the astronomy lab science teacher at M-PHS, agreed. Telescopes will be too magnified and blurry for comet viewing, Stone said, adding they reduce a viewers field of vision. Binoculars are easy to use and allow you to see the comets tail. However, Stone was quick to emphasize, Theres nothing better for sky observation then your own two eyes. Stone and his students have been waiting for a clear morning the last two weeks to view the comet form the high school football field. Look for it low in the northwestern sky. Hale-Bopp will reach greatest brilliance, closest approach to the sun, and the highest altitude in the evening sky between March 26 and April 13, 1997. Since its discovery by Alan Hale of New Mexico and Thomas Bopp of Arizona, the comet has excited astronomers and scientists world wide. Look in the northwestern sky, after sunset, approximately 18 degrees above the horizon. Ten degrees is about one fist width. Hold out your arm with your clenched fist on the horizon. Place the other fist on top. This will give you the approximate altitude to look. On a clear night, Hale-Bopp will look like a fuzzy star. If theres no moon or streetlights to interfere, you can see the tail with the naked eye. Binoculars can enhance visibility. Allow 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust from indoor lighting to nighttime sky viewing. Dont use a regular flashlight if trying to look at a star chart while outside. Cover the flashlight end with red cellophane to protect your light sensitivity.

25 Years Ago 1982

The next step in the downtown redevelopment project is deciding what ways to implement it. However, following Monday nights meeting, members of the commission and staff learned of several areas still needing attention. The proposed scheme now shows First and Third streets closed for use as public walkways and Second Street being reopened to traffic. Second Street is currently closed at the railroad crossing. But certain residents are concerned about the safety feature of closing the street. It took the city government 16 years to close Second Street and now you are talking about opening it, said Ken Baxter, City Councilman and owner of a business on First Street. Youre talking about closing the safest street, which is First, to open the most dangerous. It was closed because of elevation and it was dangerous. More accidents happened there than any place else. Tom Beckwith, project consultant, said the purpose for closing First and Third streets and opening Second, was to provide a continuous pedestrian walkway and allow for maximum use of decking. He said that plan was not back from the traffic engineer, who would determine the safety of opening Second Street. City Administrator Rick Deming said Baxters point was important to consider. He said City Council had decided to close Second Street in order to have repairs made. Burlington Northern told us theyd help us make safety improvements on crossing if we closed one off, so we closed Second Street. Deming also wants to examine Third Street and how it affects parking. All but some 26 parking spaces will be eliminated from Third Street. Several business people located on Third Street are concerned with how that will affect overall business. Ruth Spratlen, who with her husband Jim, own Marysville Feed and Seed, asked the commission, You want more parking, why take it away? Lots of people park by our store (located at Third and Columbia) to do the rest of their shopping. The proposed scheme, which designated four key parking lots, will provide parking spaces for 1,293 full-sized cars or 1,487 spaces for mixed-size cars. That is sufficient for all schemes, Beckwith said. He said the design of the parking allows people to see the area from their car and to provide easy access to all the stores. Under the new scheme, businesses would be required to pay for parking. A business, by law, is required to provide four parking spaces for every 1,000-square-feet of building. Beckwith said some property is under a grandfather clause and owners dont have to buy property to justify its existence. They will have to now, he said. Others were concerned with funding the project. Beckwith explained it would be a private market scheme with the parking being paid for by the people, parking association or corporation. The design of the scheme, Beckwith said, is just as viable for 25 entities as it is for one, as long as all are building toward one plan. He said the design allows for more flexibility and makes for a lot more developers. People can do what they want, Beckwith said. If someones business is presently where a parking lot is planned he can make a deal with one of the other property owners, he cited. If youre where we have a parking place, Deming explained, the guy who wants to locate in the mall is going to need to buy parking space. And hes going to come knocking on your door. One must have the other. Citizen Forrest Rambo was concerned that the project seemed too ambitious. It seems we could take it from Second to the waterfront, for what we can handle and let the rest evolve from that. In the next five years I dont see that much growth. Now I see a lot of empty store fronts and I dont see office potential. I would rather see us start small and work up. I dont think were oriented toward public walkways like Seattle is. Deming said substantial growth is predicted in the area and that was the reason for extensive market studies. He said the studies revealed there is a market for the many different businesses. Its going to be built, he said. Is it going to be built here or in the greater Marysville area? Were not creating any markets. Its going to be developed. The question is, is it going to be built here or in greater Marysville. We put heavy emphasis on economic analysis because we have seen cities stalled. And there is money available, Deming said. Out of some 29 developers who have expressed an interest in the downtown project, Deming said two have approached him personally who have several million dollars to invest. The commissions next meeting will begin phase two, which will begin studying the implementation process. Beckwith said the plans could undergo many changes and that there will be plenty of time for people to express themselves. He said the Planning Commission and City Council will have to call their own public hearings and that a hearing will have to be held on the Environmental impact statement.

50 Years Ago 1957

Free vaccine shots will be given to schoolchildren starting next Monday in the Marysville schools. The Salk vaccine is provided free and the services of medical personnel are being donated. The shots will be given up through grade five at the time. Parents are urged to see that their children receive the immunization; the vaccine is being provided by a grant from the Federal government in its effort to eradicate the crippling disease. The county health department, local doctors and nurses, and the schools are cooperating in the program. It is planned that the vaccine will be made available later to upper grades, junior and high school students. Three shots are considered necessary for effective immunity. It has been reported that the vaccine available to be provided free will be sufficient to give two inoculations to each of the communitys children and young adults under 20 years of age. The third shot, considered the clincher for immunity, will then be provided at the recipients expense. In case of hardship, it is likely some agency will underwrite this cost.