10 Years Ago 1997

The complaint that theres nothing to do in Arlington has long been heard from resident teens. But a local restaurant is helping to alleviate the problem. Papa Joes Gourmet Pizza in downtown Arlington recently tripled their seating capacity, adding a game area for people under 21. We have the only pool table in Arlington that you have to be under 21 to play, said owner Joe Russo. Russo talked to the Arlington Police Department and discovered Arlington kids did not have a place to play pool. The only pool tables were in bars which dont allow anyone under 21 on the premises. This discovery inspired the purchase of a pool table, as well as the sign that accompanies it; stating players must be under 21 or accompanied by someone under 21 to shoot a game. Jason Gonzalez and Kyle Gilbert are just two of the teens taking advantage of the new game area. They both agree there isnt much to do in Arlington, but since Papa Joes has put in the pool table and several other games, theyve been able to find something to do with their free time. We come here like every day, said Gilbert. Along with pool, the teens enjoy foosball and video games. Gonzalez is grateful for the new place to play and socialize. He said if he wasnt playing pool, hed probably be sitting somewhere, I dont know, whatever. Russo is working on a game area for even younger children with low counters, small chairs and toys, he said.
25 Years Ago 1982

Buzzing noisily but ever so slowly above the Frontier Days crowds, a small airplane circled the sky for a birds eye view of the festivities. Airplanes are a common enough site in the Arlington sky, but this creature was different, almost an apparition out of the past. Putt-putting across the sky, one could almost imagine Orville and Wilbur Wright, peering down on modern America. In an age of 747s and space shuttles, a very old aeronautical concept, brought up to date with 1982 technology and materials, is making rapid inroads into the aircraft market. In fact, Robertson Aircraft of Paine Field has recently become one of the major manufacturers of these aircraft and, by virtue of their success, they are the second largest aircraft builder in Washington state. Called ultralights, they look like nothing more than a hang glider with a motor attached. The attraction of the ultralight aircraft, said Glenn Bashforth of Marysville, one of the designers, is the low price, simplicity of design and maintenance and ease of flying, The Robertson ultralight model, for example, costs only $5,500 in kit form, compared to conventional aircraft prices which start at about $10,000 – $15,000 and range into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The B1-RD weights only 220 pounds empty and can haul a pilot and gasoline weighing up to 290 pounds on a two-hour flight. The Cayuna, a 30-horsepower engine (similar to a snowmobile engine) can move the craft at a 35 – 40 mph cruising speed. Stalling speed is 15 mph and top speed in a dive is 50 mph. With a wingspan of 32 feet and length of almost 18 feet, the B1-RD can be folded up and transported on top of a car, though most owners prefer to use a trailer. The mot popular aspects of ultralights are the ease of take-offs and landings and the minimum of ling experience needed to fly the craft. The B1-RD takes off and lands in less than 75 feet and no pilots license is required to fly them. Dave Hiatt, general manager of Robertson, recommends five to seven hours of flight training for ultralights, about half the time needed to earn a regular pilots license. All it takes to own and fly an ultralight is a relatively small investment, minimum experience and a long back yard.

50 Years Ago 1957

In the State Game Departments program to clear lakes of scrap fish and make them more productive of game fish, is included McMurray Lake, in Skagit County. Department reports state, McMurray Lake has failed to produce suitable returns to anglers from catchable-sized trout planted, because of the rough fish population and will be treated for their removal after completion of screens in tributary steams to prevent recontamination. This lake has a public access area and is potentially an excellent trout producing body of water.