Snohomish County’s Litter Wranglers clean nearly 500 road miles in 2023

They see it all over Snohomish County: Piles of garbage along with shopping carts, mattresses, broken chairs — things that belong in the transfer station and not on the sides of roads. From April to October, the Litter Wranglers collected those items and more than 3,400 bags of trash alongside nearly 500 miles of county…

Snohomish County seeks residents to serve on advisory committee for affordable housing, community development programs

Snohomish County is recruiting residents to serve on a Technical Advisory Committee to review applications for projects that benefit low-income individuals and neighborhoods in our community through affordable housing and community development programs. Representatives from the following groups are needed: -Two low-income individuals -Two individuals living with disabilities -Two individuals 62 years of age or…

Snohomish County Elections turns over suspicious mail

The Snohomish County Elections Office said Thursday that it received a piece of mail matching the description of suspicious mail received Wednesday in other counties iin Washington state. Upon receipt, the mail piece was quickly isolated and not opened, Snohomish County Auditor Garth Fell said in a news release. Local, state and federal authorities were…

Snohomish County Council adopts 2024 county budget

The Snohomish County Council on Wednesday passed a $1.662 billion operating budget for the upcoming 2024 fiscal year, following months of analysis and deliberation. The adopted budget contained 23 amendments to the executive’s proposed budget, according to a county council news release. Council Chair Jared Mead thanked staff and the executive team who worked behind…

Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney admits campaign violations

Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney has admitted to reelection campaign violations and agreed to pay a fine to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) in order to avoid an enforcement hearing. According to PDC reports, commission staff received a complaint against the Adam Fortney for Sheriff campaign — filed in May by Marylou Eckart…

County council adopts ordinance requiring retail businesses in unincorporated areas to accept cash

The Snohomish County Council has approved an ordinance requiring retail businesses in unincorporated Snohomish County to accept cash for payment of retail transactions. Ordinance 23-128 was introduced by Councilmember Nate Nehring after a constituent reached out with concerns about the trend toward exclusively digital transactions. “Cash is legal tender in the United States,” said Nehring….

Older adults in Snohomish County face ongoing challenges, county survey finds

A new survey has found that older adults in Snohomish County are still facing a number of challenges, including financial insecurity and housing costs. The report is based on a survey conducted with residents 55 and older in January-February 2023 and shows the extent of COVID-related challenges still impacting seniors. Conducted by Snohomish County’s Human…

Snohomish PUD awarded $30 million for Grid Reliability Project

The Department of Energy announced Wednesday that the Snohomish County PUD will be awarded $30 million to improve system reliability, mitigate wildfire risks, and enable demand management as part of a historic $10.5 billion investment via the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, according to a news release. The PUD’s SnoSMART project is a…

Somers nominates Augustine as Chief Medical Examiner

Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers has nominated Dr. J. Daniel Augustine, MD, as Chief Medical Examiner, according to a news release. Dr. Augustine is currently Associate Medical Examiner for Snohomish County. After being confirmed by the Snohomish County Council, Dr. Augustine will succeed Dr. Matthew Lacy, who has become Chief Medical Examiner for King County….

Snohomish County seeking candidates for Evergreen State Fair Advisory Board

Snohomish County is looking for candidates to fill three open positions on the Evergreen State Fair Advisory Board. The open positions are for Snohomish County Council District 3 (Lynnwood/Edmonds area) and two “at-large” or countywide positions. The board advises on a range of issues including maintaining the county’s ties to its agricultural roots, expanding programs…

Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers proposes budget for 2024

Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers on Tuesday proposed the 2024 budget for Snohomish County, according to a news release. This budget funds all county operations from Jan. 1, 2024, until Dec. 31, 2024. “We have important and exciting work to do,” Somers said. “The 2024 proposed budget reflects our values and priorities, the things we…

Snohomish County to treat invasive plants in Edmonds Marsh Oct. 2

As part of an ongoing effort to restore native plant communities in the Edmonds Marsh, specialists from the Snohomish County Noxious Weed (SCNW) program will visit the marsh Monday, Oct. 2 to continue the process of eradicating an infestation of common reed known as phragmites australis. Phragmites is a noxious weed requiring control in Snohomish…

Outdoor burning ban to be lifted Wednesday for unincorporated Snohomish County

Due to changes in the weather forecast and the current fuel moisture levels in existing vegetation, the Snohomish County fire marshal will lift the outdoor burn ban effective Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 5 p.m., for all the unincorporated areas of Snohomish County. This means that those individuals who have a current residential burn permit for…

Building Bridges Tour with Snohomish County councilmembers at Lynnwood Library Sept. 12

Two Snohomish County councilmembers — one a Democrat and the other a Republican — are hosting a Building Bridges Tour aimed at creating stronger communities through meaningful conversations. Jared Mead, a 4rd District Democrat, and Nate Nehring a 1st District Republican, will be speaking from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12 at the Lynnwood Library, 19200…

Snohomish County seeking applicants for $2 million in affordable housing projects

Snohomish County is encouraging nonprofit organizations, for-profit developers and government agencies to submit applications to develop affordable rental housing; expand homeownership development; and/or pursue new shelter projects. An estimated $1.2 million in federal funds under the HOME Investment Partnerships Program is anticipated to be available for the 2024 program year, and an estimated $833,379 under…

22 counties sue state over lack of mental health care

Nearly two dozen counties are suing the state Department of Social and Health Services, which they claim is refusing to provide essential behavioral health treatment to hundreds of patients who are considered unfit for trial. The Washington State Association of Counties, along with 22 counties, including King, Pierce, Snohomish and Spokane, filed the lawsuit in…

County issues complete outdoor burn ban as of Aug. 22

Due to the continued fire danger risk and shared resources assisting with wildland fire efforts in Washington state, the Snohomish County Fire Marshal has ordered a Stage 2 Burn Ban placing restrictions on all open burning. The ban, effective at 4 p.m. Aug. 22, means that all open burning is prohibited in Snohomish County.  This…

Snohomish County looking for Marine Resources Committee members

The Marine Resources Committee (MRC), a service provided by Snohomish County Surface Water Management, is looking for new members who are eager to learn about marine conservation, participate in science-based research  and contribute to policy recommendations on marine issues. The committee is focused on protecting and restoring the county’s marine and estuarine environment. Those selected to serve…

28 Snohomish County CASA volunteers to receive President’s Volunteer Service Award

A total of 28 Snohomish County Office of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers will receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) for their advocacy work in 2022. The Office of the CASA is a volunteer-powered agency that relies on the generosity of individuals to step forward and help our community’s most vulnerable population,…

Snohomish County invests $4.3 million in workforce development and job pathways programs 

Snohomish County is investing $4.3 million in seven workforce development and job pathways programs. The seven awarded projects provide enhanced employment training and/or address challenges to employment, with the goal of connecting individuals to stable jobs or career pathways. The projects focus on highly impacted populations including youth, immigrants and refugees, and people with disabilities….

No Urban Center at Point Wells

BSRE’s attempt to develop Point Wells as a high-density Urban Center is officially dead, Shoreline Area News reports. Since about 1900, Point Wells has been a tank farm. Point Wells is a low-lying property on Puget Sound in unincorporated Snohomish County, directly north of Shoreline. The only road to Point Wells is through Shoreline. BSRE…

Local organizations to benefit from federal pandemic recovery funds for child-care slots

Snohomish County announced Thursday it is awarding $7.6 million in pandemic recovery funding to six capital projects that will increase high-quality, affordable child care, including facilities in Edmonds and Lynnwood. The funding will create nearly 360 new child-care slots across the county, and five of six funded projects are located in extreme child care deserts,…