10 years ago 1998
For years Merton Turk resisted encroaching development, holding on to a patch of old second-growth forest. He is now ready to pass on that legacy to the county provided the land next door is added. Turk is the owner of Mother Natures Window, a patch of undeveloped forest land in north Marysville near 100th Street. Turk and his wife, Laura, signed a binding agreement to sell part of his land to Snohomish County for a forested park only if they buy three adjacent properties. The county will have to act quickly because owners of two of the pieces have plans to build homes on their lots. The county could end up with 35 acres of heavily forested land. He maintains his land as a park open to the public. The problem for the county will be financial. Recently the developers of Kellogg Village, a proposed 347-home project across the street on 100th Street NE, agreed to allow mitigation money they owe the county to be used toward buying the Turk property and the others. County park mitigation fees average more than $1,000 per home Kellogg Villages contribution would be between $300,000 and $400,000. Kellogg Village owners pledged their mitigation money in a Feb. 26 letter from attorney Martin Robinett to County Parks Director Ron Martin. Martin estimated the county would need nearly $1.2 million to buy all of the properties. Turks properties run from the corner of 100th Street NE and 55th Avenue NE. The county already owns nearly 10 acres south of Mother Natures Window, a parks grant from Belmark Properties. To the east of Mother Natures Window are four long, five-acre strips. Turk owns the first, the second is owned by the Hoeckendorf family, the third by the Oczkewicz family and the fourth belongs to Progressive Holdings. Progressive owns rights to the Oczkewicz piece and filed plans with the county to develop both. County Council member Rick Larsen said the county would need to put the park on its capital projects plan, make sure the property owners want to sell their land and then find the money to pay for the property. [Mother Natures Window] is certainly something we would like to see in the county parks system, he said. With the support of Boyden, Robinett and Kellogg Village developers, local environmentalist Bruce Tipton is looking for similar support from nearby developers. He dug up plans for five smaller developments within a half mile of Mother Natures Window. Tipton would like those owners to pledge their mitigation money for buying the land. Its not just a matter of having a bigger park. The southern ends of Turks strip, Hoeckendorfs and Pczkewiczs pieces are forested by large second-growth trees. Tipton explained that should they be logged, the remaining trees may not have enough mass to withstand a big windstorm. He suggested there was a danger to new homes from tall trees falling because they were no longer protected by bigger trees. Its kind of a crisis, said Turks lawyer George Wilcox. Turk will eventually give the county Mother Natures Window and the north end of his five-acre strip. Wilcox said Turk wants to hold on to the northern half so he can keep control of who gets to enjoy the land. He often invites scout troops and classes to camp on the land. The park is a real passion for him, Wilcox said. The city of Marysville, which had been in negotiations in the past with the county and Turk, is not part of the latest, according to City Administrator Dave Zabell.

25 years ago 1983
The Special Olympics program is that opportunity which gives the physically and mentally disabled people of the world the chance to show they are no different than you or I. And Marysvilles first chance at showcasing the State Winter Games proved the point. There were close to 1,000 athletes competing and a like number of volunteers who spent countless hours planning and organizing and officiating, everyone coming to grips with the problems the best way they knew how. Using their skills and desire to succeed and sticking with a game plan and relying on teamwork, the Special Olympians and everyone involved in the games set out to meet the challenge. Sometimes it would end in a gold-medal performance. But, most often, not. Members of Marysvilles Senior D Division Thunderbirds of coach Clancy Lien believed they could win the gold medal when they squared off against Longviews Cottonwooders in Sundays championship game at Marysville Junior High School. Down by as many as seven points in the final half, the Thunderbirds mounted a valiant rally, scoring the tying basket with less than 15 seconds to go in regulation to send the game into overtime. So keen was the team play on both sides that the outcome wasnt decided until the second session of overtime Longview prevailing with a two-basket margin. So emotionally wrapped up in an all-out effort were the members of the Marysville team that they broke down and cried following their silver-medal performance. There have been a lot of people who say these Special Olympics athletes dont get enthusiastic about sports; they dont really care if they win or they lose, IX Winter Games director Art Mailloux of Marysville said. But that game was the perfect demonstration they really do care. They really do want to win. The players crying after? Thats typical of an athlete who wants and hopes to win who has high expectations. The athletes in these annual games, as stand-in head coach Al Fruetel observed, are playing at the peak of their abilities. Theyve trained hard for this.

50 years ago 1958
School patrol youngsters were enlightened as to their duties by State Patrolman Bob Landon at Liberty Elementary School. Instruction included proper standing position in holding children back until cars coming from both directions come to a complete stop; continual watching for cars coming from both directions and the side; proper holding of the flag, etc. Contact has been made with city and county officials, it was said, and promise is made that highway caution signs (probably iron figures of school children) will be forthcoming for the two principal school crossings and crosswalks.