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President Obama visits Oso community BY KIRK BOXLEITNER kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com
SPORTS: Arlington overcomes Lynnwood, 5-4. Page 10
OSO — President Barack Obama’s visit to the area on Tuesday, April 22, culminated in a press conference in the Oso Fire Station that afternoon, after he’d had a chance to survey the damage done by the March 22 Oso mudslide, as well as to speak with the slide’s first responders and the families of the slide’s victims. When Obama disembarked from Air Force One at the Paine Field Airport at approximately 12:50 p.m., he was greeted by state and federal elected officials, including Gov. Jay Inslee, U.S. senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and U.S. representatives Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen, who accompanied him to the Oso Fire Station where he singled them out by name for being “relentless in making sure that Oso had the resources that it needs.” Obama then flew over the site of the slide in Marine One, which touched down at approximately 1:30 p.m. so that he could travel from Arlington to Oso by motorcade on State Route 530, which was lined with locals who were waving and holding signs. Obama reached the Oso Community SEE OSO, PAGE 2
SPORTS: Lakewood falls to Sultan, 4-2. Page 10
Kirk Boxleitner/Staff Photo
From left, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, Oso Fire Chief Willy Harper, Darrington Mayor Dan Rankin, President Barack Obama, Arlington Mayor Barbara Tolbert, Gov. Jay Inslee, and U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene face the crowd at the Oso Fire Station on April 22.
Snohomish County releases preliminary election results BY KIRK BOXLEITNER kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com
INDEX CLASSIFIED ADS 15-18 LEGAL NOTICES
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OPINION
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SPORTS
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WORSHIP
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Vol. 124, No. 40 Courtesy Photo
Arlington Mayor Barbara Tolbert.
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In the wake of the special election on Tuesday, April 22, the city of Arlington looks to be passing its proposed permanent levy lid lift, while the Lakewood School District is on the knife’s edge of possibly passing its proposed building bond to improve Lakewood High School, on its second time on the ballot. As of Thursday, April 24, at 3:43 p.m., the city of Arlington’s proposition had received 1,482 votes to approve it, or 52.65 percent of the vote, and 1,333 votes to reject it, or 47.35 percent of the vote, while the Lakewood School District’s propo-
sition had received 1,981 votes to approve it, or 60.05 percent of the vote, and 1,318 votes to reject it, or 39.95 percent of the vote. Arlington Mayor Barbara Tolbert and Lakewood School District interim Superintendent Dr. Michael Mack both expressed what they called “cautious optimism” regarding the prospects of their respective propositions, each of which they deemed vitally important for their own citizens. “We realize that it was a difficult time to conduct an election, with everything else that’s been going on locally, but we can’t control those circumstances,” Tolbert said, alluding to the March 22 Oso mudslide. “We are pleased that so many voters were still
paying attention to this election, and able to receive their ballots.” Indeed, Tolbert suspects that the visibility of the local first responders’ roles in addressing the aftermath of the slide might have further impressed upon citizens the need to keep those services funded, at least to their current levels. “They were shouldering a major responsibility, when you think about it,” Tolbert said. “Our police officers and firefighters have had to respond not only to the emergency and recovery needs of the Oso community, but also to all the continued regular needs of the Arlington community. I SEE RESULTS, PAGE 11