Praise to the city of Marysville and Arlington for the Tour of Lights, Merrysville for the Holidays, the Fire Santa Run and Home for the Holidays celebrations.

Praise to the Festival of Trees for putting on another great event this year for Providence General Foundation.

Praise to Amber and Kevin Brown for turning their lives around, with the help of Steve and Lynn Reid and many others. We need more success stories like that.

Raze that the Cold-Weather Shelter in Marysville can’t find a home this year. Organizers are working hard to find different places for them, but it’s not as nice as having one spot everyone could count on.

Raze to the Arlington woman arrested for alleged sex crimes against teens. That could harm them the rest of their lives.

Praise to the Marysville School District for not wasting time and money and just deciding to pick the right person for the superintendent’s job – Jason Thompson.

Praise to Arlington for giving the community “Know Your Schools” field trips to see what’s going on in the classroom. We hope that is just one more reason why voters would be willing to pass a bond.

Praise to the vendors who participated in the recent craft show at Totem Middle School. We like all such events, but especially those that donate money to a worthy cause – such as the American Cancer Society. More vendors did the same thing last Saturday, helping out the Marysville Boys and Girls Club.

Praise to schools going on more tours of the Hibulb Cultural Center in Tulalip. It’s a top-notch museum in our own back yard.

Raze that the Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce can’t find more volunteers. There are so many seniors out there who would benefit from volunteering. Please step up and make a difference by volunteering somewhere, if not there.

Praise that Marysville is working on an overpass on Grove Street between State and Cedar avenues. We’ve been needing routes to bypass the railroad tracks for years, and now it seems like a number of them is coming.

Praise to all of the organizations in Marysville and Arlington that are doing food and toy drives this winter. Praise to the Transitions programs in Marysville and Arlington for all they do to help special needs students.

Praise to Sunnyside Nursery owners Steve and Pauline Smith for all they’ve done, and also the desire to keep that business going after they retire, instead of bulldozing it for more houses.

Praise that Marysville and Fire District 12 have agreed on a Regional Fire Authority. Voters eventually will decide in April, but it’s good to have this part of it over.

Praise that Arlington is getting a $1.6 million grant for a 204th Street roundabout.

Praise to the city of Marysville for again not raising taxes in its two-year budget. Praise to Snohomish County for doing the same thing.

Praise to Arlington for planning to get a traffic signal in place before the big Pilot Travel Center opens in mid-December.

Raze to those in the Mother Nature’s Window area who are bothering neighbors with small crimes.

Praise to all of those students turning out for sports at our high schools. We look forward to following your progress this winter. And congratulations for those who competed in the fal.

Praise to those athletes who signed letter of intent to continue their careers in college. What a great accomplishment. Your community is proud of you.

Praise to Arlington for putting on its annual Veterans Day Parade. It’s great to see their efforts recognized.