Drug test sends woman to jail until sentencing

A judge has ordered a Lake Stevens woman held in jail until her June 28 sentencing in the death of a 4-year-old girl.

Heather Ewell, 25, was sent to the Snohomish County Jail on Thursday after a drug test came back with positive results.

Ewell pleaded guilty in March to first-degree manslaughter in the death of her stepdaughter, Sirita Sotelo, who suffered a skull fracture and other injuries in January.

Ewell had been free under supervision but tested positive for cocaine use May 4. Her attorney argued before county Superior Court Judge George Bowden that the cocaine test result came from secondhand smoke from her father.

Bowden ordered Ewell held in lieu of $300,000 bail.

Edmonds

Council head joins Sound Transit board

Richard Marin, the president of the Edmonds City Council, has been appointed to the Sound Transit board of directors.

He will finish the term of Jack Start, a Mill Creek councilman who died last month.

Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon nominated Marin, and the County Council last week approved the nomination.

Marin is the vice chairman of Community Transit, a board member of the Snohomish Health District and the chairman of the Highway 99 Task Force and the state Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee.

Lynnwood

UW opens clinic for cardiology patients

UW Medicine Regional Heart Center has opened a cardiology clinic at 18631 Alderwood Mall Parkway, Suite 310.

The University of Washington clinic, which opened May 16, offers routine cardiac care and direct access to specialized cardiac services at UW Medicine.

Clinic services include exercise stress testing, an echocardiography lab, arrhythmia monitoring, cardiac risk assessments, pacemaker management and cardiology consultations.

Information: 425-774-8251.

Sultan

Sheriff's Office seeks man in assault case

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office is seeking Andrew J. Dahl, 24, of Sultan as a person of interest in an assault Sunday.

The Sheriff's Office identified Dahl as a white male, 6 feet tall, weighing 180 pounds and with light-brown hair and blue eyes.

In the attack, which occurred around 4 p.m., a 67-year-old man was reportedly beaten in his Sultan home by an acquaintance. The victim was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and is expected to recover.

Anyone with information about Dahl is asked to contact sheriff's Detective Greg Sanders at 425-388-3774 or to call 911.

Snohomish County

Bus routes' schedules adjusted for holiday

Community Transit, Sound Transit and Everett Transit will have limited service on Monday for Memorial Day.

That day, all three transit agencies will operate on their normal Sunday schedules. Regular weekday service will resume Tuesday.

For information on routes and times, contact:

• Sound Transit, 206-398-5000 or www.soundtransit.org.

• Community Transit, 800- 562-1375 or www.communitytransit.org.

• Everett Transit, 425-257-7777 or www.everetttransit.org.

Snohomish County

Public-defense unit called underfunded

A performance audit of Snohomish County's Office of Public Defense says the agency needs more money.

The audit results, issued last week, note that the office's budget for 2005 is $4.7 million but doesn't recommend a specific increase.

The report by the county's Performance Audit Division says:

• The cost of providing aid to indigent defendants is expected to rise.

• The state should increase funding to counties for public-defense services.

• The eligibility screening process for clients should be improved.

• The staffing level makes it hard for the Office of Public Defense to perform its duties.

• Elevating the office's profile and allowing a stronger policy voice may help improve the criminal-justice system.

Edmonds

Transportation panel needs members

Edmonds is seeking applicants to serve on the city's new Transportation Committee, which will study transit issues and make recommendations to the City Council on planning, funding and public outreach.

The panel will consist of the city's traffic engineers and seven Edmonds residents who will serve two-year terms. Applications are due May 27.

Meetings will be at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, beginning June 16.

Information: 425-771-0247.

Everett

Port leaders to weigh expansion of board

A major change in the structure of the Everett Port Commission will be discussed at a commission meeting beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

The session will include a public hearing on a proposal to increase the number of Port commissioners from three to five. The change would require voter approval.

The proposal also would reduce commission terms from six years to four and designate two seats as at-large positions.

The meeting will be in the Port Commission room, 2911 Bond St., Everett.

Everett

Shelter event to offer free cat microchips

Free microchips for cats will be provided for the first 200 people in line at the Everett Animal Shelter from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 26. The shelter is at 2732 36th St.

Participants will have to pay a $5 microchip registration fee, however. The chips allow easy identification of animals.

The microchips will be offered as part of the Purr-fect Get-Together, an event intended to try to deal with the area cat population.

The event will include information about spaying and neutering, and about the shelter's new foster-care program, which seeks volunteers to take in animals until they are adopted.

The Everett Animal Shelter is the only public shelter serving most of Snohomish County and often is filled to capacity. It can care for as many as 70 cats at one time and averages about 298 cats a month. During spring and summer, that number jumps to about 557 a month, said Bud Wessman, the shelter's director.

Information: 425-257-6000.

Snohomish County

County-opoly game a charity fund-raiser

United Way of Snohomish County is starting a Monopoly-like board game to celebrate landmarks and raise money for the community organization.

County-opoly is to go on sale in the fall. Sponsors are being sought for prime "real estate" that will be part of the game, and proceeds from the sponsorships and game sales will support United Way.

Playing pieces will stop on squares representing Sno-Isle Libraries, Boeing, Paine Field, Everett Community College and other landmarks, and players will use Frontier Bank-imprinted money for trades.

Information: C.C. Leonard of United Way, 425-921-3406, or www.uwsc.org.

Snohomish County

Sheriff's team wins at motorcycle event

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office motorcycle unit won a first-place overall team trophy in a regional competition in Hillsboro, Ore.

The event, sponsored by the National Motor Officers Association, drew more than 30 teams from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Western Canada, said Lt. Jerry Ross of the Sheriff's Office.

The local team consisted of Sgt. Rob Beidler and Deputies Brian Cassady, Jeff Miner, Scott Robertson, David Crandall and Chad Gwordske.

Robertson also received first-place awards in the skills competition and a barrel obstacle-course competition, and Gwordske got a third-place award in the skills competition.

Everett

Senior center offers June trip to Oregon

Openings still exist for the Oregon Funfest, an Everett Senior Activity Center trip scheduled for June 27 to 30.

The trip, one of many tours the center offers to seniors, will include a visit to a casino and a jet-boat outing on the Rogue River. The $300-per-person cost covers transportation and lodging.

Information: 425-257-8780.

Snohomish County

PUD's water system gets award from state

The Snohomish County Public Utility District's water system is among four in the state to receive an award from the state Department of Health for a commitment to providing safe and reliable drinking water.

The PUD received the award for "going above and beyond" to operate a quality water system, state officials said. In addition to its management and operation of 15 water utilities in Snohomish County, the PUD also was recognized for its support of neighboring systems during emergencies.

The PUD received the honor May 3. Other winners were the South Whidbey School District in Island County, Sentinel Gap Water Association in Grant County and Willapa Valley Water District in Pacific County.

Lynnwood

Library to exhibit mixed-media art

The Lynnwood Library Gallery will showcase mixed-media paintings by local artist Shirley Ashenbrenner for six weeks.

The library, 19200 44th Ave. W., will display Ashenbrenner's artwork from June 3 through July 14.

The gallery features rotating displays of local and regional artists, amateur and professional. The library is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Ashenbrenner studied painting at Western Washington University and often incorporates textures and "found objects" into her oil and acrylic works. Her latest series explores relationships.

Information: 425-771-4030.

Compiled by the Seattle Times Snohomish County bureau.