MUKILTEO BEACON YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
www.mukilteobeacon.com
806 5th Street, Mukilteo, WA 98275
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BIG SPLASH
IN THIS BEACON Blood supplies dangerously low Peace Park debacle ‘Sea Song’ to stage at ECA Veterans honored at Endeavour
Volume XXVII Number 16
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Knights girls make a big splash at state
November 14, 2018
HOLIDAY CHEER Time to gear up for friends, family and loved ones
Local area Democrats sweep 2018 election
Knights punch ticket to state tourney
All incumbents retain seats, return to Olympia and Washington, D.C. BY BRANDON GUSTAFSON MUKILTEOEDITOR @ YOURBEACON . NET
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he Nov. 6 general election has passed, and it appears the citizens of Mukilteo will again be represented by members of the Democratic Party for the time being. All three representatives of the 21st Legislative District – Sen. Marko Liias, Rep. Strom Peterson, and Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self – cruised to victory in their respective races, all receiving over 60 percent of votes. In the larger races, those who will be representing Mukilteo and other Washington citizens in Washington, D.C., both incumbents on the ballot – U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen – defeated their opponents handily, retaining seats they both have held since 2001.
21st Legislative District – State Senator Beacon photo by David Pan The Kamiak volleyball team celebrates after defeating North Creek 25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 16-25, 16-14 to earn a berth to the 4A state volleyball tournament Saturday, Nov. 10, at Bothell High School. Read about the Knights’ success at the Wes-King 4A District tournament on page 8.
Annual ‘Christmas Spectacular’ returns for 18th year Show to celebrate life, and support those in need BY BRANDON GUSTAFSON MUKILTEOEDITOR @ YOURBEACON . NET
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any in the area know Dr. Sanford Wright as a neurosurgeon in Snohomish County and as the son of Dorothy Jayne Wright who taught dance to generations of Mukilteans at the old Rosehill School. While Dr. Wright’s work is certainly difficult and time consuming, he said
he loves the holiday season and helping those less fortunate, and for the 18th consecutive year, is producing and directing “The Christmas Spectacular,” a large holiday event described as “a celebration of life in our community over the holidays while helping others less fortunate than ourselves.” This year’s event is Dec. 8 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Everett Civic Auditorium, 2415 Colby Ave., Everett.
The theme is “In the Spirit of the Pike Place Market.” Proceeds from the event go to the Make a Wish Foundation of Alaska and Washington. Wright said there are a lot of moving pieces during the performance, but they all tie into each other. “It’s a celebration of life, but it’s also a celebration of freedom,” he says. “That ties into the Everett High School ROTC and the National Anthem. We see
In perhaps the most interesting race on Mukilteo voters’ ballots, Liias will return to Olympia in 2019, bringing in nearly 63 percent of the vote. His opponent, Mario Lotmore, a Republican who lives in Mukilteo, received just under 37 percent. Liias won in spite of his name being brought Marko Liias up at Mukilteo City Hall frequently the fast few months, as Mukilteo City Councilmember Scott Whelpley raised questions over payment Liias received as part of his severance. Whelpley made a public records request for separation agreements
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Mukilteo man aims to raise kidney shortage awareness BY BRANDON GUSTAFSON MUKILTEOEDITOR @ YOURBEACON . NET
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ver 20 people die each day while awaiting a kidney transplant. More than 114,000 people in the United States are on the national transplant waiting list for a new kidney. And every 10 minutes, another person is added to that wait list. Bobby McLaughlin, a Mukilteo resident for the last 24 years, can only donate one of his kidneys, but after his donation day of Jan. 2, 2019, he’s
Bobby McLaughlin will donate Jan. 2 going to stay involved to reduce the number of people on that waiting list. “How can we get the word out so that number is zero?” he said. “This country is littered with examples of things that we thought were never going to happen, that did happen because of hard work and determination.” McLaughlin’s journey to being a kidney donor, as well as an activist for increasing kidney awareness, started
strangely enough with a bike ride. McLaughlin has never before donated anything from his body to medicine prior to his upcoming surgery. “Not even one drop of blood,” he said. But a few years ago, he was in a bike crash that required surgery, which included donor tissue. “They (doctors) didn’t really talk about it pre-surgery. It really grabbed my attention,”
McLaughlin said. “I received something that allows me to be fully functioning again. I’m back to normal because of the giving of someone else.” McLaughlin said breaking his wrist was really eye opening, in that it turned a negative into a huge positive. “I thought having a broken wrist was bad, but it started this whole process for me,” he said. “In life, what we think isn’t good can turn into something amazing.” see
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Mukilteo resident Bobby McLaughlin is working to raise awareness of kidney shortages in the U.S.