Michael Whitney

Michael Whitney

Snohomish weighing whether to widen First Street’s sidewalks, alter parking

SNOHOMISH — Prominent changes to First Street, displayed last week as concepts being evaluated, could see narrower road lanes to accommodate wider sidewalks and may see angled parking switched for parallel parking. These options are meant to make the street safer for crossing pedestrians and more attractive streetside. As the corridor is one of the city’s crown jewels, City Hall is taking as much feedback it can get.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | April 2, 2025

Clearview community meets with concern of possible 2nd marijuana shop on Highway 9

CLEARVIEW — A second marijuana retailer wanting to open along Highway 9 aroused not just a formal complaint to county officials filed by a competitor but also a room-filling meeting about the topic last week.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | April 2, 2025

Monroe yard floods when fiber crew hits water main

MONROE — Online pictures of a yard filled with water at a house in the Fryelands Neighborhood during Ziply Fiber’s underground installation work caught neighbors’ attention last week.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | April 2, 2025

G.A.R. Cemetery clears gravesites of items, available to pick up

SNOHOMISH — Numerous people came to G.A.R. Cemetery over the weekend finding the objects and tokens that had been on their family members’ graves removed and placed in an assorted pile by the main office.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | April 1, 2025

Discrimination case against Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue now is in federal Ninth Circuit appeals court

MONROE — The appeal case of the “Firefighter 8,” a religious discrimination case of eight Snohomish Fire and Rescue (SRFR) frontline personnel suing for back pay after they were put on months of unpaid leave for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, has its next step in federal appeals court this week. Oral arguments will be heard April 3 in Portland in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | April 1, 2025

Snohomish PD’s plans for license plate cameras for crime prevention

SNOHOMISH — City administration last week reaffirmed plans to add Flock-brand license plate reading cameras, which can aid in crime prevention when a car is being sought.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 26, 2025

Man who stabbed 13-year-old in mid-January on Broadway pleaded not guilty, trial is April

EVERETT — The man accused of stabbing a 13-year-old walking to school in mid-January, Andrew Freeman Jr., pleaded not guilty to charges last month.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 26, 2025

Snohomish’s future city logo, signage unveiled

Snohomish’s future city logo, signage unveiled

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 26, 2025

Monroe’s Red Robin restaurant closes

Monroe’s Red Robin restaurant closes

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 26, 2025

Monroe School Board race has new entrant

Monroe School Board race has new entrant, Monroe’s Red Robin restaurant closes

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 26, 2025

Everett Transit re-calibrating its EV bus plans

EVERETT — Everett Transit’s plan to dispense with nine of its electric buses isn’t part of a paradigm shift for the agency, its director said last week. It has 14 more electrics arriving over the next few months to keep half its fleet electric. The past few months, though, it has been ordering reconditioned diesels as part of its fleet turnover.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 19, 2025

From Garden to Table: Growers help community, art show will benefit Community Kitchen

SNOHOMISH -- More than 35 photos of garden vegetables, bees and food that were printed onto canvas will be spread out in the parish hall of St. John’s Episcopal Church for an art show the evening of April 5.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 19, 2025

Well-respected Snohomish teacher, coach Dick Rodland dies

Well-respected Snohomish teacher, coach Dick Rodland dies

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 19, 2025

Snohomish trash service fees rising April 1

SNOHOMISH — Rates for in-town garbage, recycling and yard waste services will increase April 1 by an average of 4% overall, or an increase of about $7.50 per quarterly trash bill for an average home.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 19, 2025

WorkSource moving its job-finding programs office to South Everett

WorkSource Snohomish County helps people find new jobs, polish resumes and get career coaching. It also helps businesses develop their employees. Starting April 7, it will open its new office at 728 134th St. SW, Everett, south of 128th Street and just southwest of the intersection of 4th Avenue West and 132nd Street SW in the Lake Stickney area.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 19, 2025

Monroe man who led chase had felony warrant

MONROE -- The Monroe man who led a chase through the Fryelands in late January had a felony warrant for his arrest

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 12, 2025

Snohomish council bans fireworks for ‘26

SNOHOMISH — In a 6-1 vote, the City Council last week instituted a fireworks ban that starts in 2026. July 4, 2025 will be the last Fourth of July fireworks will be legal within city limits.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 12, 2025

Bill on Ag Open Space tax rules passes in House

Bill on Ag Open Space tax rules passes in House

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 12, 2025

House passes Cortes bill mandating jail diversion options for juveniles instead of prosecution

The state House near-unanimously passed a bill from state Rep. Julio Cortes (D-Everett) March 5 that tweaks rules to require first-time offenders under age 18 have alternatives to being put into the juvenile justice system.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 12, 2025

Franklin’s State of City March 27

EVERETT — Mayor Cassie Franklin will deliver her annual State of the City address Thursday, March 27.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 12, 2025

Everett homeless resource Hope ‘N Wellness may have host space

EVERETT — It’s possible the resource center Hope ‘N Wellness will be granted use of a space at the Catholic Church north of downtown’s core. Relocating would ease City Hall’s pressure on it to move.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 5, 2025

Frontier Airlines is coming to Paine Field

EVERETT -- Frontier Airlines is coming to Paine Field. The low-cost airline announced a schedule of flights starting June 2 serving Denver, Phoenix and Las Vegas three times a week.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | March 4, 2025

After tax bills hit farms that branched into being venues, lawmakers intervene

SNOHOMISH — A wedding at a farm can be the perfect backdrop, but those farms that converted their barns into regularly booked wedding spaces or other uses got put on the back foot this summer. The barn’s not agricultural anymore, so the land around it is not allowed to be given a special lowered property tax rate named Open Space. The tax fee for changing the land use out of Open Space is seven years of back taxes plus a 20% penalty. At least a handful of farms in the Snohomish River Valley received sizable tax bills last summer. Local lawmakers noticed. They have a new bill to clarify the rules, and the county assessor is on board.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 26, 2025

Election for Monroe mayor to succeed Thomas shaping up between Fulcher, Cudaback

MONROE — A race to succeed long-serving Mayor Geoffrey Thomas has begun as City Councilwoman Heather Fulcher and former City Councilwoman Patsy Cudaback have organized campaigns.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 26, 2025

Snohomish City Council considers city fireworks ban March 4

SNOHOMISH — The City Council may decide as soon as March 4 whether to make fireworks illegal in town starting as soon as 2026. A public hearing on altering fireworks laws is set for the March 4 council meeting. The council meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Snohomish Carnegie Building.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 26, 2025

Architects directed to lower Snohomish Civic Campus pricetag

SNOHOMISH — The city has asked its contracted architecture firm for its future Civic Campus for design revisions that decrease the total pricetag, Mayor Linda Redmon shared with the City Council last week.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 25, 2025

EvergreenHealth would like to expand facilities to Snohomish

SNOHOMISH — EvergreenHealth, which runs the hospital in Monroe, has a long-term plan to open a walk-in urgent care facility in Snohomish, the hospital’s top brass told the City Council last week.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 25, 2025

Everett mayor delays deadline on Hope ‘N Wellness center to relocate

EVERETT — The city has extended its cease-and-desist deadline on Hope ‘N Wellness, a resource center downtown near Pacific and Rucker avenues that assists hundreds of primarily homeless individuals. Instead of Feb. 28, it’s now April 30, as brainstorming continues about how to relocate the indie social services organization without losing it.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 19, 2025

Pitch to establish Snohomish as ‘sanctuary city’ to be explored

SNOHOMISH — In the coming weeks, city leaders will explore making Snohomish a sanctuary city for unauthorized immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 12, 2025

PUD rates to raise again April 1

SNOHOMISH COUNTY — Your power bill will increase a bit April 1.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 12, 2025

Man who led police chase through Fryelands arrested, had visited police station saying SUV stolen

MONROE — On Feb. 5 at around 8:30 p.m., Monroe Police arrested the man who was in a police pursuit around Monroe and prompted a near-two-hour manhunt overnight in the Fryelands Friday, Jan. 24.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 11, 2025

$1.5M bail for alleged stabber of boy in Everett

Police arrested the man Jan. 29 when someone called in a tip saying he was riding on their bus in South Everett. The next day, a judge set his bail at $2 million, but Freeman was absent. He’d refused to attend his first appearance. He showed up Feb. 3. A district court judge pro-tem modified his bail to $1.5 million.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | February 4, 2025

New Snohomish City Hall / PD campus designs shown, funding plan nearly done

SNOHOMISH -- Details of the future City Hall in Snohomish to be built at Pine Avenue and Third Street.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 29, 2025

Public buses will drive you to cold weather shelters for free

If you need to get to a cold weather shelter, just hop on a bus. The Volunteers of America announced last week that Community Transit now offers free bus rides to cold weather shelters. Everett Transit has offered free bus transportation since the start of the season.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 29, 2025

Lake Stevens School District trying again for school bond

Lake Stevens School District trying again for school bond on February ballots.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 29, 2025

Blackman Lake phosphorous controls proposed on developments

SNOHOMISH — A proposal to protect the Blackman Lake watershed would place new requirements on development in the immediate area of the lake

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 29, 2025

Wanted SUV driver leads police pursuit around Monroe, manhunt in Fryelands Neighborhood

MONROE — A long police pursuit through town and broad, near-two-hour manhunt that followed in the Fryelands Neighborhood Friday night.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 28, 2025

Snohomish parks board tours future Homestead Park site

SNOHOMISH — Members of the city’s park board hiked the future Homestead Park space last week to get a sense of the site. It will continue its conversation at a meeting Jan. 22 that starts at 6 p.m. in the Carnegie Building.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 22, 2025

Plan submitted to develop barren acres at 13th St.–Ave. D into residential

SNOHOMISH — A developer is proposing more than 200 housing units on the former county public works yard at 13th Street and Avenue D.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 22, 2025

Historic Everett calendar for 2025 shows off cars

EVERETT — The nonprofit group Historic Everett’s 2025 calendar celebrates Cruising to Colby with 12 pages of showstopper cars downtown.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 22, 2025

County Council delays wetlands decision

The County Council last week paused on acting on updating the rules for wetland buffers and critical areas in its development regulations to do more fact-finding first.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 21, 2025

Teen stabbed on Broadway, suspect sought and is still at large

Teen stabbed on Broadway, suspect sought and is still at large

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 16, 2025

Oldest state employee, from Monroe, calls it a day at age 91

MONROE — Gloria Hopkins knew a small celebration would happen for her retirement, but was wowed by how big a deal it would become. At age 91, she was the state’s oldest classified employee, verified by the state’s human resources division within its Office of Financial Management. On Dec. 31, Hopkins clocked out for the last time, concluding 27 years of working in accounting at the Monroe Correctional Complex for the state Department of Corrections (DOC).

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 8, 2025

82 people in county died while homeless

Eighty-two people, if not more, died while homeless in Snohomish County during 2024. Nine were known to be veterans.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | January 8, 2025

Car thief whose wreck created big delay on U.S. 2 one October morning pleads not guilty

EVERETT — The driver who led a police chase Oct. 1 before causing U.S. 2 to be closed for hours pleaded not guilty in late October, and will face a jury trial in Snohomish County Superior Court this year.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | December 31, 2024

Damages to Zion Lutheran from vandalism topped $30,000

SNOHOMISH — A man angered with Zion Lutheran Church on Avenue A who has persistently vandalized it caused $39,000 worth of damage earlier this year.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | December 31, 2024

King County Metro bus driver’s killing sparks outrage across transit community

Transit drivers are angered by the killing of Shawn Yim, a 59-year-old King County Metro bus driver who was reportedly maced, then stabbed in an altercation while on duty on a bus route in Seattle.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | December 30, 2024

Teen’s near-fatal stabbing at Everett Lions Park was gang-related

EVERETT — The 14-year-old stabbed numerous times and left to die in Lions Park last month was set up. Classmates from Lakewood High did the hit. One hailed from a rival gang.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | December 30, 2024

Alterations to wetland buffer, critical area rules in Snohomish County code questioned

Certain proposed alterations to how the county protects wetlands in its development regulations have raised some eyebrows, including objections from officials with the state Department of Ecology and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | December 25, 2024

Big housing site by Glacier Peak High being debated before Hearing Examiner

SNOHOMISH — A decision over a major development along Cathcart Way behind and around Glacier Peak High School and Little Cedars Elementary is coming soon.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY | December 25, 2024

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