Our recent story about at-work campaign activity involving an aide to Aaron Reardon wasn't just about the slow-motion scandal unfolding around the Snohomish County executive.

The report also offered an example of the challenges that new communication technologies are creating for people who are paid to conduct the public's business and keep reliable records.

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This is one of a series of looks at Snohomish and Island county communities based on data from the U.S. Census of 2010.

Historically a timber and railroad town, Arlington is situated 10 miles north of Everett.

Incorporated in 1903, it lies at the forks of the Stillaguamish River. The native Salish people camped at the forks as they followed abundant salmon. The current city was originally two towns, one of which was Haller City.

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In warm weather, people flock to the waterways that crisscross, dot and abut Snohomish County. They boat, swim, kayak, canoe and raft. They seek the fresh fish, shrimp and crabs that landlocked folks only dream about. Some boaters also die, often through their ignorance or negligence.

Between 2008 and 2011, at least 10 people lost their lives in boating-related accidents in Snohomish and Island counties. There were at least 93 deaths statewide.

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Road trips

Government travel spending

Who: Eileen Simmons, director, Everett Public Library
Destination: Philadelphia
Purpose: Public Library Association conference
Dates: March 14-17, 2012
Cost: $975 for registration and hotel

Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas all over Snohomish County.

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Eighty years of pulp and paper manufacturing on Everett's waterfront has left behind contaminated soil and sediment — on land and under the East Waterway of Port Gardner. The full extent of the pollution is not known, but the recent closure of Kimberly-Clark's paper mill has set the stage for a closer look by the state Department of Ecology. The most noteworthy substance found so far is
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Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas in Snohomish County and Olympia.

Office of the Governor of Washington: $18,000 to M.D. Rushworth of Sammamish to paint an official portrait of Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Snohomish County Fire District 1: $560 to First Response Activation Systems for pager repair.

Snohomish County Fire District 1: $270 to the Port of Edmonds for fuel for the rescue boat.

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Recent weeks have seen a lot of controversy about the fate of the historic U.S. Forest Service lookout atop Green Mountain near Darrington.

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This is one of a series of looks at Snohomish and Island county communities based on data from the U.S. Census of 2010.

Mill Creek was originally a planned community surrounding a golf course and country club, with development beginning in the mid-1970s in what was then unincorporated Snohomish County.

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Some of the most common wildlife in Western Washington isn't native -- and that's without including feral cats or bunnies. The once-exotic fauna now thriving here includes the ubiquitous squirrels in our suburban backyards and some of the area's most common birds. Can you tell which animals on the following list are native to Western Washington? Click here to test...

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Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas all over Snohomish County.

Snohomish County Fire District 4 in Snohomish: $1,119 to City Wide Fence of Lynnwood to repair a fence at the training ground at 6425 South Machias Road after it was struck by a vehicle.

City of Everett: $103 to CR Harnden Co. of Lynnwood for a Japanese maple tree.

City of Everett: $998 to S. Morris Co. of Sultan for animal cremation services.

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The Washington State Invasive Species Council has identified 50 non-native species of concern. They include plants and animals ranging from mere nuisances to destroyers of habitat and threats to other species. We'll focus on critters here.

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In February, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a law allowing gay and lesbian couples in Washington to marry. It will take effect June 7 unless, as expected, opponents get enough signatures to put the law before voters in November -- with the hope voters will reject it. If opponents qualify Referendum 74, history is on their side. Since 1998, the definition of marriage has been voted on 34 times in this country and not...

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This is one of a series of looks at Snohomish and Island county communities based on data from the U.S. Census of 2010.

In the 19th century, the area that is now Mountlake Terrace was thickly forested. By 1900 most of the land in south Snohomish County had been logged, so the land was subdivided into 10-acre "chicken ranches." A few people moved in to raise chickens, mink and chinchilla. But many farms failed during the Great Depression.

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Consultations

Who is being paid what by whom, and what they found out.

Client: City of Snohomish
Firm: Kennedy-Jenks Consultants of Phoenix, Ariz.
Assignment: Study of technology for improving waste-water treatment.
Cost: $21,073

Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas all over Snohomish County.

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A regional fire authority in south Snohomish County wouldn't just change the name of the fire trucks rolling up to an emergency.

It would alter the way property taxes are drawn, and how cities budget for services.

We're talking millions of dollars a year. It's worth paying attention.

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Burglars by and large prefer the light of day to the dark of night. Of more than 50 home break-ins in Lynnwood so far this year, all but one occurred during the day. Crooks play the odds, figuring homeowners are most likely at work on weekdays. Their prime time is between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Several police departments across Snohomish County report the most common break-in method is a hard kick to the door. Burglars also look for crimes of opportunity, entering homes through unlocked doors or...

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Lynnwood officials now say it's time for the community to really discuss the city's revenue reliance on controversial traffic-enforcement cameras.

The talk comes as City Council members examine Lynnwood's shaky finances. They are considering the millions of dollars that come in through camera-generated tickets and weighing a proposed contract to keep the devices scanning for red-light runners and school-zone speeders for the next five years.

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Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas all over Snohomish County.

City of Snohomish: $556 to McDaniel Do It Center for park equipment.

City of Snohomish: $1,637 to Integra Telecom for cellphone services.

Snohomish County Parks and Recreation: $14,876 to Quilceda Paving and Construction of Arlington for crack repair on the Centennial Trail.

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This is one of a series of looks at Snohomish and Island county communities based on data from the U.S. Census of 2010.

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Road trips

Government travel spending.

Who: Stephanie Wright, Snohomish County Council
Destination: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Wuxi, China
Purpose: Cleantech Business Mission to China
Dates: March 23-30, 2012
Cost: $5,888 for travel, meals and registration fees

Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas all over Snohomish County.

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The number of dairy farms in Snohomish County has declined over the years, but dairies remain important here. This year, two of three state dairy ambassador princesses are from Snohomish County, and milk sales in the county still accounted for $23.4 million in 2010. However, low milk prices, high feed prices, strict environmental restrictions and the general economic slump have made it difficult for many farmers.

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This is one of a series of looks at Snohomish and Island county communities based on data from the U.S. Census of 2010.

Lake Stevens is Snohomish County's fifth-largest city and surrounds the lake bearing the same name. Believed to be named for Gov. Isaac I. Stevens, Lake Stevens was first settled in 1886 on a homestead along the eastern shore. The city was incorporated Nov. 29, 1960.

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Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas all over Snohomish County.

Snohomish County: $92,811 to Symantec of Mountain View, Calif., for an automated system to retrieve county emails for public disclosure requests.

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Appointees to the Snohomish County Citizens' Commission on Salaries of Elected Officials started meeting last month to decide what a dozen elected leaders should earn. These unpaid commissioners can weigh several factors in their decision, including the pay that elected leaders get in other jurisdictions, how wages have changed for county workers and the overall state of the economy. At an April...

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State auditors held an exit conference with Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon's staff Thursday morning and what they had to say was, by and large, positive.

At times, the feedback sounded positively glowing.

"We're pleased to say that we had no findings during the current audit," audit manager Casey Dwyer said.

That means the auditors found no red flags.

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Boeing was born in Seattle in 1916 and has deep roots there and in Renton, where the 737 is assembled. But the company's biggest cluster of activity in Washington is in Everett at Paine Field. The plant on the north end of the airport was established with the launch of the 747 program. It grew to become the world's biggest building by volume, and now all of Boeing's widebody jets - the 747, 767, 777 and 787 - are assembled there. Here's a brief history of Boeing in Snohomish County.

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Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas all over Snohomish County.

Snohomish County: $10,000 to help the Snohomish County Museum of History move artifacts from the county's Carnegie Building so that workers can make seismic upgrades.

Snohomish County: $754,664 to Reid Middleton of Everett for engineering services on a Paine Field runway.

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We've been reporting since December that bills for Aaron Reardon's Snohomish County government cellphone detail long calls with the county social worker who claims the two had a years-long affair.

We've now confirmed that the county executive spent the equivalent of a full work day, and then some, in 2011 talking with Tami Dutton during business hours.

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What to make of the recent ruling by the state Supreme Court regarding traffic-enforcement cameras?

The court split 5-4 early this month to bar local initiatives that empower voters to decide whether red-light camera programs will continue to crop up in Washington cities and towns.

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Budget lines

Spending gleaned from government consent agendas all over Snohomish County.

City of Arlington: $13,014 to LTI of Lynden for solid chloride for the wasterwater treatment plant.

City of Stanwood: $8,536 to Bonner Electric of Bellingham for electrical troubleshooting and repairs.

City of Monroe: $16,637 to Ogden, Murphy and Wallace of Seattle for legal services in January.

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