King County Executive allocates $2M for immigrant services, bars ICE from properties
SEATTLE—King County Executive Girmay Zahilay signed his first executive order since taking office earlier this year, directing $2 million in emergency funding toward immigrant and refugee communities and barring federal immigration agents (ICE) from staging enforcement operations in non-public county properties. The move came in response to growing fears among residents over intensified federal immigration […]
Multi-vehicle collision on US-2 near Gold Bar leaves three dead
GOLD BAR—Washington State Patrol is reporting a fatal collision involving three vehicles and five people occurred on Thursday near milepost 31, approximately 2 miles northeast of Gold Bar. At approximately 5:17 p.m., Colin Brown, 30 of Mill Creek, in a White 2016 Ford Fusion was traveling westbound on US-2 near milepost 31 when his vehicle […]
Letter to the Editor: Protect Crime Victim Services in Snohomish County
Crime victim services in Washington are facing a serious funding cliff, and consequences will be felt in communities like ours if action is not taken this legislative session. Dawson Place Child Advocacy Center serves children and families impacted by abuse, sexual assault, and other serious crimes in Snohomish County — some of the most vulnerable […]
Everett Cracks Down on Unpermitted Food Vendors to Protect Public Health
EVERETT—The Everett City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday cracking down on unlicensed mobile food vendors, citing rising public health risks and unfair competition from unpermitted stands. The measure, which takes effect immediately, requires mobile food vendors — defined as movable stands, carts or kiosks selling prepared food for profit — to obtain a city […]
South County educator Megan LeBlanc recognized for child passenger safety efforts
EVERETT—South County Fire’s Megan LeBlanc has accepted the 2025 Community Education Award from Snohomish County’s Target Zero Task Force. South County Fire partners with the Target Zero Task Force to improve driving safety on Washington roads. LeBlanc is a Fire and Life Safety Specialist at South County Fire. She’s also a child passenger safety technician […]
Snohomish County voters approve $2.9 billion for education in Special Election
SNOHOMISH COUNTY—Voters in Snohomish County approved 17 out of 21 school district levies and bonds in the Feb. 10, special election, channeling $2.916 billion toward educational programs, facility upgrades and technology amid a 22.62% turnout from 454,289 registered voters. Bonds require a 60 percent threshold to pass, whereas levies require a simple majority. The results […]
WA officials address voting concerns after Trump’s comments on SAVE Act
OLYMPIA – Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s comments about “nationalizing” elections and the SAVE America Act, saying Washington’s election system will remain secure and locally controlled. In an email statement to the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA), Hobbs said Washington is prepared to protect voters’ rights despite […]
New Telehealth Hub at LETI in Snohomish County Boosts Access to Care
EVERETT—Latino Educational Training Institute (LETI) in Everett recently launched a new telehealth space, at its Everett training center, thanks to a donation from UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Washington (UHC). The space features 25 Wi-Fi-enabled computers and medical equipment such as blood pressure monitors and infrared thermometers, helping residents without reliable internet access or personal devices […]
Some public employees could get a pension boost
OLYMPIA — Retired teachers and other public employees who established state pensions before 1977 might receive a one-time, 3% increase in retirement benefits this year — up to $110 dollars per month, under a bipartisan bill this legislative session. The Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) and the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) on Plan 1 includes […]
Washington Senate passes abortion medication expansion
OLYMPIA – Legislation increasing the accessibility of mifepristone and misoprostol, used for abortion and to manage miscarriages, advanced out of the Washington Senate Feb. 10. Senate Bill 5917 is a follow-up to Senate Bill 5768, which passed during the 2023 legislative session as a safeguard against potential national bans on abortion access. SB 5768 allows […]
