Earth Hour
Our seventh-grade class is trying to do something about global warming. The World Wildlife Fund sponsored Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia last year. Businesses and individuals came together from 8 – 9 p.m., on March 31, when the city literally turned off its lights. According to their Web site (earthhour.org) 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses turned off their lights for one hour. Earth Hour. If this greenhouse reduction was sustained for a year, it would be the equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year.
Our class would like to thank several Marysville businesses who have responded to our local Earth Hour campaign. We have made phone calls, sent e-mails and walked neighborhoods with fliers. Several businesses have participated, including Golden Corral and Dairy Queen. KOMO 4 News did a fabulous job of helping us spread the word to the entire Pacific Northwest Region.
Thank you for helping to preserve the planet for us and our children. Partner U.S. cities joining the global event this year are Chicago, Phoenix and San Francisco. On Thursday, Mayor Kendall visited our class and said he would support making Marysville one of the cities.
Since we live in Marysville, we focused our efforts in our city by asking individuals and local businesses to do what they could for Earth Hour 2008 which was 8 – 9 p.m., March 29.
With your help we can slow global warming and sustain our world for future generations.
Mrs. Gina Sanchez and her class at Marysville Middle School

Making a difference
As I am approaching senior citizen status and still involved with helping children and teens, I have noticed what seems to me to be a new interest in the library. It is exciting to see our childrens enthusiasm about going to the library.
I liked the library as a kid but never remember it with such enthusiasm, especially as a teen. Arlington is doing a great job offering many different programs, books and assistance toward better education.
No wonder it is so crowded when I am there. The library is ridiculously small. We really do need more space. This is a really good thing, lets go for it it is making a difference.
Rhonda Paul
Arlington

Trails
I support the proposed trail under the power lines between Soper Hill and Highway 528. The opposition is based on unfounded fears. I lived for many years in Fort Collins, Colo., and still have a vacation home there. The city has always promoted bike/pedestrian trails and requires them in all new development. It is possible to travel throughout the city on such trails. They are much used, without the problems feared in Marysville; in fact homeowners want them nearby.
A few years ago, a trail was developed under the power lines near my home there. Residents were delighted and the trail is in constant use. Our property values went up and residents felt it was a crime deterrent due to the constant activity.
Colorado has always supported bike/pedestrian trails and they are used as an alternative transportation method. This aspect will be important as Marysville becomes more developed. Open space and access to it are much valued by residents. Marysville has always seemed to be lacking in this regard.
One might also note that Colorado has the lowest rate of obesity. Any connection?
Lucie Johns
Marysville

Easter Egg hunt
As a resident of the city of Arlington for over 10 years, I am proud to call this wonderful community my home. For a city of its size, I believe it does a fine job of promoting events and activities geared to residents of all ages, while still allowing us to feel as if we are a small town. As many of you are well aware, the growth in our city has increased significantly, and over the years of attending the Easter Egg hunts, I have always been proud to feel like I was raising my children in a community such as this; however, it seems that the last two years have challenged my thinking in that regard.
I realized that it has nothing to do with the fine volunteers and city leaders whom are giving it their all to hold this event, but rather, the parents whom take their children to said event. I was impressed that the city decided to hold both hunts at the field near the airport this year as it did allow for additional space and I am sure made it easier on the volunteers as well. What disgusted me; however, was the attitudes fostered by some of those that attended.
It seems that the hunt is no longer about having a good time and being mindful of others, rather, one in which parents foster a competitive its all about me attitude. Perhaps this is just another sign of the deterioration of respect in ones society and I find that it is absolutely unacceptable for parents to raise their children with this sort of thinking. Apparently, many parents felt that it was totally acceptable to give their children a head start and allowed them to cross the barrier well before the horn even sounded. Those of us that actually think of others first and raise their children with this mentality even made comments, but of course they fell on deaf ears.
Along with this behavior came pushing and shoving and when I walked away from the event, I saw many children with tears, along with frustrated parents, because they were unable to just get even one egg or had told me that they were pushed. Of course those that had the head start and were raised with the get as many as you can attitude had basketfuls.
I began to think that perhaps we will just hold our own hunt next year for our household, but then it donned on me that that also takes the children away from participating in a sense of community spirit and pride, as well as the opportunity to thank the firefighters and volunteers for sponsoring and taking the time to do this for our children. As I pondered upon all of this over the past week, I began researching other hunts in the area that had taken place.
Although it is sad that this must be done, perhaps next year, the city of Arlington should follow the city of Marysvilles lead in only allowing six eggs per child. I believe they had the same amount of eggs and are larger in population, yet I have heard rave reviews from those that attended. Additionally, perhaps large print, neon signs need to be posted for parents reminding them that the children must not cross the barrier before the horn has been blown. Then again, those parents may pretend that they cannot see or read as well.
It scares me to think of what kind of children they are truly raising and how those children will be when they become grown adults, whom then raise their own children.
Shaela Noe
Arlington

New Arlington library
As a resident of the proposed Arlington Library Capital Facilities Area, I am soon going to have another opportunity to spend some of my fixed retirement income to help build a new community library. I have reached a real simple decision Yes.
The existing library is already too small. If our area population continues to grow as predicted, our library will be unable to serve us adequately as a resource center for knowledge and learning. A Yes vote will benefit everyone from our youngest children to those who enjoy large print and audio media. All will benefit from expanded access to books, periodicals, the Internet, digital media, quiet seating spaces, enlarged meeting areas, etc. When a new library is built, the opportunity to use the old library as a multi-purpose Community Center gives us a two-fer that will add tremendously to our quality of life.
Our cost of living is certainly going up gasoline, home heating, real estate taxes, food. However, on the plus side, the proposed library will only cost the owner of a $300,000 home about 12 cents per day for an extremely important investment in our community. Also, the current slowdown in area construction should result in very competitive, money saving construction bids. If we wait until construction is booming, the new library will cost more.
The need is now. The time is right. Yes.
Bill Best
Arlington

New library
I cant wait for the new library to be built so that I will have the room to spend time in the library. The building is almost always too crowded to just sit and look through magazines or do much else. The new facility will be such a wonderful addition to our growing community.
Michele Heiderer
Arlington

Library memories
As a new resident to Arlington having moved from Marysville where my husband Bill and I had lived for 25 years I was pleased to see the coverage of the peace vigil and a nice group photograph. Upon turning to the editorial page I was pleased to see a letter from George Boulton regarding the new library. I go to the same church as Mr. Boulton and I am also a friend of Arlington Library.
Arlington Library holds many memories for me because although I speak with an American accent I was not born in America. I was born in Glasgow, Scotland. I became a naturalized citizen on Feb. 18, 1992, in Seattle. Anyone who becomes a citizen knows that the greatest privilege of an American is the right to vote. I went on Feb. 19, 1992, to the Arlington Library and registered to vote. I spent many hours studying for the test at the library and found the staff to be kind and helpful. I feel a new library would enhance the wonderful community of Arlington.
I hope the residents have a good turn out on May 20, 2008.
Anna Pritchard
Arlington