We asked our readers to vote on the top stories My Edmonds News published in 2021. Here are the top 10 vote-getters:

The favorite of those voting — at 21% — was the Sept. 14, 2021 report that longtime Edmonds resident Shirley Johnson, who died in January 2021 at age 83, had bequeathed her home and one-acre property to the City of Edmonds. Having no significant heirs, Johnson decided in 2018 to will her home and property to the community she loved. It was her way to ensure that things she treasured be retained and not allow the property to be bulldozed and developed into something unrecognizable. The donation is “specifically for the purposes of being used as a park and/or community garden site and/or to cultivate and grow plants, fruits, vegetables and other related things all for the City of Edmonds and for the citizens of Edmonds and the local community as the City of Edmonds deems best in their discretion.”

Two stories were tied for the second, receiving 13% of votes. One was the announcement from Acting Edmonds Police Chief Jim Lawless March 9, 2021 that he was resigning to take a job with the City of Marysville. Lawless, who spent 25 years with the Edmonds Police Department, was appointed acting chief following the retirement of Al Compaan. While Lawless served as acting chief, Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson started one national search, then — after that search was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic — stated that he intended to hire Lawless without a search. But the Edmonds City Council rejected that idea, so Nelson conducted a second search that produced two finalists: Lawless and Sauk-Suiattle Tribal Chief Sherman Pruitt. Nelson ultimately offered the job to Pruitt — but that offer — approved by the city council on a 4-3 vote — was withdrawn after discrepancies were discovered. Nelson then stated he would be conducting another national search and Lawless announced Jan. 14 that he wouldn’t be applying again.

The second story receiving 13% of votes was the Edmonds City Council’s 5-2 decision Dec. 16, 2021 to extend permitting for the outdoor dining structures known as streateries through April 30, 2022, with a $4,000 one-time fee charged to participating restaurants. The city council in December 2020 passed an ordinance that allowed the temporary streateries in on-street parking spaces, with the goal of giving the public an outdoor dining option during COVID-19. That ordinance was scheduled to sunset Dec. 31, 2021, but city staff had proposed extending it for six months. A total of 17 downtown restaurants have taken advantage of the streateries option during the past year. (The council ended up revisiting the Dec. 16 decision at its Jan. 4, 2022 meeting, voting to reduce the fee to $2,000 payable in $500 monthly installments.)

In fourth place, receiving 6% of reader votes, was our report of the July 27, 2021 Edmonds City Council meeting, where dozens of residents filled the council chambers to speak their minds on a range of issues. It was the second in-person meeting in two weeks for the council, which had been meeting remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (The council has since returned to remote meetings following the uptick in COVID cases.) A good portion of the comments were related to traffic safety concerns in the 700 and 800 blocks of Dayton Street. A second hot topic was related to concerns about housing density in light of recent recommendations from the Edmonds Citizens Housing Commission that include cluster/cottage housing and detached accessory dwelling units. And a third area of testimony was Edmonds’ new online portal, which the city announced would be available to report “non-criminal issues of concern” related to bias, discrimination and hate.

In fifth place, with 5% of votes, was the virtual grand opening celebration April 22, 2021 of the new multigenerational Edmonds Waterfront Center, built on the site of the former Edmonds Senior Center. Officials welcomed more than 500 community members to view a new informational video hosted by Rick Steves, who has donated more than $4 million to the new center. “This facility is all about community,” Steves said. “It’s more than a senior center – it’s a community center.” He went on to recall his own growing up in Edmonds and described how his late father’s life was enriched by many offerings of the former Edmonds Senior Center. “It made his golden years more golden,” Steves observed, adding his conviction that “the caliber of a community is measured by how it cares for its seniors.”

Two more stories were tied for sixth place, each receiving 4% of votes cast. One of those reported on the Aug. 25, 2021 apology issued by Edmonds City Councilmember Adrienne Fraley-Monillas to her fellow councilmembers and the mayor after a video clip was circulated of her drinking wine during a remote city council meeting the night before. After a copy of the video was shared Wednesday morning, Fraley-Monillas sent an email to the council and mayor, stating she “was in an extreme amount of pain last night” due to an infection “that has gone from my jaw into my sinuses into my left eye.” The councilmember said she is scheduled to have surgery the next day to address the issue. In a later interview, Fraley-Monillas said she had a glass of wine with dinner prior to the remote meeting, and absent-mindedly took a sip of it during the vote, which was captured on camera.

The second sixth-place story was our report on the first-day results from the November 2021 general election, which showed incumbent Kristiana Johnson, former councilmember Neil Tibbott and newcomer Janelle Cass leading in their respective races for Edmonds City Council. Of the three council races, two of them involved incumbents. Position 1 Councilmember Johnson, seeking her third term on council, was leading challenger Alicia Crank. In Position 3, incumbent City Councilmember Adrienne Fraley-Monillas — seeking a fourth term — was behind in her race against Tibbott. And in the Position 2 general election race, Janelle Cass received 52% of the vote in early returns, compared to 48% for Chen. (After more returns were counted, Chen ended up taking the lead and eventually won the race by 144 votes.  Johnson and Tibbott also maintained their respective leads and were elected.

The eighth-place story, as voted by readers, was a three-way tie between the following:

– The unanimous decision by Edmonds School Board of Directors Dec. 14, 2021 to declare approximately 2.2 acres of property adjacent to Cedar Valley Community School as surplus and then lease it to Housing Hope, which will develop affordable housing on the site. In surplussing the property commonly known as the Cedar Valley Ballfield, which is located at approximately 19200 56th Ave. W. in Lynnwood, the board determined that the land is not currently needed or required for school purposes. The district will lease it to Housing Hope, an Everett-based nonprofit organization, for a rate of $1 per year 75 years to provide affordable housing for students and families experiencing homelessness – with priority going to district families. Housing Hope, in partnership with the Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO), plans to develop a 40- to-50-unit affordable housing complex.

– The Jan. 2, 2021 death of former Edmonds City Councilmember and long-time Edmonds resident Dick Van Hollebeke after a prolonged battle with brain cancer. He was 80 years old. The owner of Van Hollebeke Insurance & Financial Services in Edmonds from 1980 until 2011, Van Hollebeke was on the Edmonds City Council from 1995-1999. He also served on the the Edmonds Community College Foundation Board and the college’s Board of Trustees. The Washington State Association of College Trustees selected him for the 2016 Trustee of the Year Award, citing his leadership and service to the college and students during his 10 years of service from 2005-2015. He also served on the boards of the Edmonds Food Bank and the Edmonds Petanque Club. “We have lost a treasure,” said Edmonds Food Bank Executive Director Casey Davis.

– A rally against Asian hate that drew approximately 200 people to Snohomish County’s Esperance Park March 27, 2021 to share experiences, hear speakers and show support for the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community. Organized by Edmonds resident Will Chen, the event included remarks by U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen and other elected officials, community and youth leaders and business owners. “I stand with you as we stand against hate,” Larsen began. “I am saddened and disgusted by the news out of Atlanta, which is sadly just one example of racism and violence directed against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.” Larsen went on to cite figures compiled by Stop AAPI Hate, which has tracked more than 2,800 first-hand accounts of anti-Asian hate crimes in the past year nationwide — and noted sadly that Washington state ranks third in these incidents.

— By Teresa Wippel