County Council member Dunn weighs in on budget
EVERETT—Snohomish County Councilwoman Megan Dunn sent an update on the county’s 2025 biennial budget on Wednesday, November 20, supporting the proposed property tax increase to fund public safety programs, and opposing Council President Jared Mead’s proposed amendment to slash positions in the Office of Social Justice which, she said, are valuable and do important work […]
County Executive clears the air and stands firm with $3 billion budget proposal
SNOHOMISH COUNTY—A week after a damning audit report by George Skiles, Partner at Sjoberg-Evanshenk Consulting, County Executive Somers stands firm and clears the air on his proposed 2025 Biennial Budget. Below is a statement by Snohomish County Executive Somers in its entirety: “As budget deliberations continue, my priority remains sustaining core county services that deliver for our […]
County Executive says funds are tight, a recent audit could point to why
SNOHOMISH COUNTY—In Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers’ proposed 2025 Biennial Budget, he said funds are tight for the county driven by inflation, rapid population growth, and COVID relief funds hitting the end of their limits. But a recent county audit, conducted on both Executive and Council Office staffing operations, may point to another contributing factor […]
‘Molbak’s bones’: Woodinville demolishes proposed historic landmark
WOODINVILLE—In January 2024, when Molbak’s Garden and Home closed its doors, plant lovers in King County and beyond wilted more than a little. According to The Seattle Times, the Woodinville gardening complex attracted “1 million visitors a year” at its peak in 2006. For 67 years, the store served as an accessible introduction to horticulture, […]
Washington Courts online system mostly restored
OLYMPIA—As of Monday, November 18, 2024, Washington state’s Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) has restored access to most court systems included Odyssey Case Management System (Odyssey) and Odyssey Portal. E-filing will continue to be suspended until further notice pursuant to Emergency Order 01-24. Due to the two-week outage, the Snohomish County Superior Court Clerk’s Office […]
Commentary: Just Trust Joe?
Doubling down on obfuscation: At the November 4 Council Regular meeting, the Council voted to close the public hearing on the City’s biennial preliminary budget from the mayor for the years 2025-2026. The mayor’s 2025-2026 budget draws down the general fund ending balance, our savings account, from $5 million today, to under $2 million in […]
A Crisis of Leadership in Washington’s GOP: Missteps, Mismanagement, and Missed Opportunities
Election season is the one time during a two-year cycle when the legislative caucuses (House and Senate) and the State and County Party align with a singular purpose: to get Republicans elected. Period. Full stop. For the rest of the cycle, legislative caucuses focus on representing constituents in the legislature, while the State and County […]
Women’s rights group invites public to Standing Up for Women and Girls forum
SEATTLE—Women’s Declaration International’s (WDI) USA Chapter will be hosting Standing Up for Women and Girls in Washington forum at the Seattle Public Library, Level 4 Multi-purpose Conference Room, on Sunday, November 17, at 7 p.m. Registration for the event is required for entry. WDI is an explicitly non-partisan feminist group created by women, for women, […]
Washington Supreme Court Justices elect Debra Stephens as next Chief Justice
OLYMPIA—Justice Debra L Stephens will serve as the 59th chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court, following a vote of her colleagues on the Washington Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 6. Stephens will be sworn into the position in January, succeeding current Chief Justice Steven C. González. Since 1996, the internal vote for the position […]
I-5 protest sheds light on Ethiopian crisis
Political demonstrators near Seattle slowed I-5 traffic November 7 protesting the leadership of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. A convoy of over 50 vehicles waved Ethiopian flags as they slow-rolled along the right two lanes of the I-5 heading to Olympia. “They did seem quite friendly,” KIRO reporter James Lynch said at the scene. “They […]
