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Mukilteo Beacon INSIDE: Lighthouse Festival … 9-11 Kamiak, Mariner win … 12-13
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FD could lose staff if vaccine is refused
Volume XXX
Number 7
September 8, 2021
Hope Soldiers founder fights to save lives
by DAVID PAN reporter @ yourbeacon . net
S
everal Mukilteo firefighters have an important decision to make in the coming weeks, and their decisions could have a major impact on the fire department. As of last week, seven out of the city’s 29 fire department operations personnel have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Firefighters, EMTs and paramedics serving Mukilteo need to get vacChris Alexander cinated by Oct. 18 or risk losing their jobs as a consequence of Gov. Jay Inslee’s mandate that state workers, educational employees, and health-care providers be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Inslee made the proclamation Aug. 9 as the more infectious delta variant has increased the number of COVID-19 cases both locally and nationwide. While some might be surprised individuals whose primary responsibility is public safety are apparently balking at a potentially life-saving vaccine, Mukilteo fire chief Chris Alexander isn’t surprised. “We are a microcosm of society in general,” said Alexander, who also is president of the Snohomish County Fire Chiefs Association. “We are not of one mind on pretty much everything. It is not surprising see
FIRE DEPARTMENT page 18 u
Beacon photo by David Pan
Hope Soldiers founder Lindsey Arrington speaks at Snohomish County’s A Night to Remember, A Time to Act event Tuesday, Aug. 31.
Mukilteo’s executive assistant runs nonprofit helping those with addiction, mental health challenges by DAVID PAN reporter @ yourbeacon . net
L
indsey Arrington wears many hats. By day, she is the executive assistant for the City of Mukilteo. She has numerous duties, including project manager, staff liaison to multiple boards and commissions, communication and social media responsibilities, as well providing support to Mayor Jennifer Gregerson and City Administrator Steve Powers. Arrington has three children, ages 2, 4, and 12, who keep her pretty busy, along
with husband Shawn. But for many people in recovery, Arrington is a face of hope and inspiration. Arrington is the founder and president of Hope Soldiers, a nonprofit she describes as a grassroots movement and organization dedicated to helping people find freedom from addiction and mental health struggles. A Hope Soldier is defined on the organization’s website as a person recovering from battles with addiction and mental health out loud, giving hope to those struggling silently. Arrington was one of the speakers and
organizers at Snohomish County’s fifth annual A Night to Remember, A Time to Act event Tuesday, Aug. 31, at the Everett campus. Debbie Warfield and Cathi Lee, two Everett mothers who lost their sons to overdoses, have hosted the annual event since 2016. The goal of A Night to Remember, A Time to Act is to highlight the role of prevention and mental health in reducing the loss of life due to substance abuse disorder, and in continuing efforts to combat the see
HOPE SOLDIERS page 20 u
Readers share their 9-11 memories
E
arlier in August, The Beacon asked readers to share their own experiences of the events of 9/11 in advance of the 20th anniversary of the attacks.
Pilot haunted by vision of Towers I captained a Delta 757 from Georgia to A replica of the Twin Towers at the 9/11 Spirit of America memorial in Cashmere, Wash. The names of the victims who died in the towers are engraved on the replica. Beacon photo by Brian Soergel
Hartford, Connecticut. It was a beautiful clear day for sightseeing after a cold front had cleaned the hazy days of summer. “Delta 555 contact New York Center.” “Good Morning New York, Delta triple five at 350.” “Roger Delta, standby.” We heard chatter about an aircraft hitting a tower. I looked toward New York where I saw a large black plum of smoke streaming from one of the Twin Towers. We were given a change of course and identification squawk to distinguish us as a non-attack aircraft. We landed in
Hartford after an expedited descent. In the operations office, on the TV, I saw the first tower collapse while the second Twin Tower burned. My next scheduled trip was to New York and as I walked the streets the smell of burned tires, concrete and flesh permeated the air. The following week I again visited New York. The smell had improved, replaced with the droning sounds of bagpipes. The vision of the Towers and the black see
9/11 MEMORIES page 19 u
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