Tuesday's the day to get your pet spayed

Snohomish County animal shelters and clinics will offer free and reduced-cost spays and neuters Tuesday, the area's 12th annual Spay Day.

The Northwest Organization for Animal Help (NOAH) near Stanwood will spay or neuter low-income pet owners' dogs and cats for 25 cents each. The organization plans to bring in additional veterinarians to perform the surgeries and has 50 appointments to fill.

To schedule an appointment, call 360-629-7055 and mention the deal.

Pasado's Safe Haven will have its mobile spay station at the Marysville Safeway, 1258 State Ave. Pasado's will offer its regular services at regular prices.

A cat spay/neuter will cost $20 and dog spay/neuter $50 unless a pet owner can show proof of some type of public assistance, such as a food-stamp card, said Susan Michaels, a co-founder of Pasado's. For people on public assistance, the pet surgeries will be free.

Pasado's, based near Monroe, will give a bag of dog or cat food to each pet owner who gets an animal fixed on Spay Day, Michaels said.

The Progressive Animal Welfare Society of the Lynnwood area has partnered with vets across Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties to offer $30 spay/neuter surgeries for cats and $40 surgeries for dogs. A list of participating vets can be found at www.paws.org/cas/spaydaylist.php.

Sportsmen's show will open today

An exhibit featuring a 650-pound grizzly bear named Brutus will be among the highlights at the annual Evergreen Sportsmen's Show, which begins today on the Evergreen State Fairgrounds on the edge of Monroe.

Another attraction will be Rupert Boneham, a participant in TV's "Survivor: Pearl Islands," who is scheduled to be on hand from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the show's "Lifejackets for Kids" Education Center. Free life vests will be given to all children age 12 and younger as part of a presentation on boating safety.

There will be displays on fishing, hunting, camping, RVs, boats, truck campers and travel destinations, and a trout pond for children to fish in.

Show hours are noon to 8 p.m. today through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Parking is free at the fairgrounds, 14405 179th Ave. S.E. Entry costs $9 for general admission and $5 for children 6 through 16, and is free for children under 6. Coupons for $2 off admission are available at Key Bank branches, Les Schwab tire stores and www.sportshow.net/monroe.

Snohomish County

Food establishments are served awards

The Snohomish Health District has honored six food establishments for excellent food-safety practices.

Eighteen establishments throughout Snohomish County were nominated and evaluated by a 20-member advisory panel of industry peers.

The winners in each category of the 16th annual Food Safety Excellence Awards were:

• Full-menu establishment: Your Table Is Ready Catering, Edmonds.

• Fast service: Alpen Village Drive-In, Startup.

• Limited menu: Sunny Teriyaki, Marysville.

• Grocery: Crossroads Market & Carwash, Arlington.

• School/industry/institution: Silver Firs Elementary School, Everett School District.

• Temporary food establishment: Bangkok Bistro, Edmonds Art Festival and Stanwood-Camano Community Fair.

The health district's eight food-facility inspectors work with more than 2,850 food-service establishments and more than 200 school kitchens around the county. It also monitors food preparation at 25 fairs and festivals.

Student art sought for family fair

The Family Support Center of South Snohomish County will present a multicultural family fair April 22 at the Lynnwood Convention Center, 3711 196th St. S.W.

Public and private schools in the Edmonds School District are each invited to submit one student artwork for an exhibit at the fair. This year's theme is "Making Friends."

The deadline for submissions is March 26.

Applications: Marianne Johnson, Lynnwood Arts Commission, 425-744-6459 or mjohnson@ci.lynnwood.wa.us.

Smoking-rule appeals to cost $100

The Snohomish Health District has approved a $100 fee for appeals in connection with Initiative 901, the new anti-smoking law.

Under a new policy, company and building owners can appeal the 25-foot barrier between smokers and building entrances.

At least two companies have expressed an interest in making such an appeal.

UW center to help small businesses

Small businesses are getting another place to look for help through the University of Washington, Bothell.

The college's new Business Development Center will emphasize startups in emerging industries, existing companies seeking to leverage technology and women- and minority-owned businesses.

The announcement of the formation of the center was made Feb. 14 by UW Bothell's interim chancellor, Steven G. Olswang.

The center will be an administrative unit of UW Bothell's business program and provide one-on-one business consulting.

Walter Freytag, a faculty member in UW Bothell's business program, will direct the center, which will work with the Business and Economic Development Program on the UW's main campus in Seattle.

Information: wfreytag@uwb.edu.

Chamber will host tour of businesses

A tour of Bothell businesses will be part of an after-hours social event sponsored by the Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday on Main Street.

Visitors will be able to start at any of six downtown businesses, with each location offering refreshments and some door prizes. A "passport card" will be available at each business, which then can be entered in a drawing for a piece of jewelry valued at more than $300 and provided by Olson Design Jewelers.

Starting businesses are Woodlawn Optical, Shannon's Flowers and Gifts, Criterium Pioli Engineers, Banner Bank, Compass Management and Mills Music.

Information: Chamber of Commerce, 425-485-4353 or www.bothellchamber.com.

Compiled by the Seattle Times Snohomish County and Eastside bureaus