New septic inspection requirement coming to Snohomish County, November 1
EVERETT—New protections will soon be in place for buyers of homes with septic systems in Snohomish County. The Snohomish County Board of Health adopted Ordinance BOH26-02 on April 14 requiring all septic systems to be inspected prior to a property being sold. The measure takes effect November 1, 2026. “These inspections help protect our environment […]
SBA Deputy Admin visits, shares deadlines for disaster assistance loans and how to apply
SEDRO-WOOLLEY— U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs hosted a disaster roundtable and toured two local farms in Washington state on Wednesday to see firsthand the progress on recovery efforts impacted by the record-breaking flooding in the December 2025 back-to-back atmospheric rivers. “So, part of what I was doing today was hosting a disaster roundtable with officials […]
Washington flood damage totals at least $182M, governor says
OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—Washington Governor Bob Ferguson on Tuesday asked the Trump administration for up to $173 million to deal with damage to roads, levees and more from flooding in December, and prepare for similar future disasters. The preliminary damage estimate for the state is $182.3 million, Ferguson said. “This historic flooding resulted in, we believe, […]
Ferguson and congressional leaders request Trump to approve Major FEMA support after historic floods
OLYMPIA—Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson on January 21, in unison with the entire bi-partisan Washington state congressional delegation the following day, sent letters to President Donald J Trump requesting critical FEMA designation, and funding, to help communities impacted by the record-breaking flooding in December 2025. For nearly two weeks in December, many rivers across Washington […]
Police fatally shoot Oak Harbor man after high-speed chase following kidnapping, domestic assault
EVERETT—A 38-year-old Oak Harbor man was shot and killed by police early Friday, January 2, 2026, following a high-speed pursuit from Skagit County that began with a domestic dispute in Island County and ended in Snohomish County, authorities said. No officers were injured. At approximately 4:48 am, Skagit County dispatch advised deputies were in pursuit […]
Ferguson sounds alarm on levee conditions, Guard deployed for 24/7 monitoring
KENT—Governor Bob Ferguson outlined ongoing flood risks Saturday amid a historic deluge from back-to-back atmospheric rivers, announcing the mobilization of 100 National Guard members to patrol strained levees while warning of a moderate chance for additional breaches despite receding waters. “The risk of another breach has most certainly come down in the past week,” Ferguson […]
New flood wall saves Mount Vernon, Snohomish County roads face major repairs
MOUNT VERNON—On the Saturday following record-breaking Skagit River flooding, Mount Vernon Mayor Peter Donovan stood before the city’s 1.4-mile flood wall (a.k.a. The Wall) and declared it a game-changer, as U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Governor Bob Ferguson and local emergency officials gathered to assess response efforts and brace for more rain. “Downtown Mount Vernon stayed […]
Skagit levees face critical test, Ferguson warns of ‘Very Serious’ flooding
MOUNT VERNON—Governor Bob Ferguson on Thursday urged Washington residents facing flooding to immediately evacuate if ordered, stressing the “very, very serious situation” posed by what he described as potentially historic and unpredictable waters across the state as a result of the atmospheric river that slammed the Pacific Northwest. “This is obviously a statewide emergency impacting […]
Evergreen Goodwill becomes first nonprofit to host Amazon Return Kiosks
SEATTLE – Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington has become the first nonprofit—and the first Goodwill organization in the country—to host Amazon’s shipping-box-free, label-free return kiosks in all 21 of its retail locations across five counties. The partnership allows customers to complete two of the most common car-trunk errands in one stop: dropping off unwanted Amazon […]
VOAWW Connect to launch Jan 2 to enhance local resource navigation
EVERETT—Volunteers of America Western Washington (VOAWW) announced the launch of VOAWW Connect, a new locally operated resource navigation service dedicated to residents of Snohomish and Skagit counties, that is set to begin operations on January 2, 2026. The initiative builds on nearly two decades of community support previously provided under the North Sound 211 banner. […]
