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…
County Government
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….
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,…
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Educational resources available to help reduce the loss of crab pots
July 1 is opening day for recreational crabbing in Puget Sound. Each year an estimated 12,000 crab pots are lost in Puget Sound, resulting in the capture of an estimated 180,000 Dungeness crab a year with no one to harvest them. The Snohomish County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) and the Northwest Straits Foundation continue to…
Snohomish County launches COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard
Snohomish County has launched a COVID-19 Recovery Dashboard that allows users to learn more about the county’s pandemic recovery programming. Information includes investment areas, impacts and the geography and demographics of those the county serves. The recovery dashboard was initially built in partnership with Microsoft and has since been expanded and maintained by Snohomish County. “We’re…
Snohomish County 2024 hotel-motel grant cycle opens June 14
Snohomish County is accepting applications for its 2024 annual tourism grant cycle. Applications will be accepted June 14 through August 23, 2023. The 2024 Hotel-Motel Small Fund total is projected to be $600,000 with project allocation amounts historically ranging from $5,000-$50,000. Eligibility of sponsors and projects will be defined broadly to encourage wide participation and…
Community health assessment identifies top health-related issues in Snohomish County
Mental health care access, opioid overdoses, homelessness, adverse childhood experiences, food security and prenatal care are top health-related priorities for the people of Snohomish County, according to the 2022 Community Health Assessment. The Snohomish County Health Department published the Community Health Assessment (CHA) Tuesday. Staff reviewed data on nearly 200 health-related indicators and worked with…
Snohomish County announces outdoor burning ban for unincorporated areas starting Friday
Due to dry weather conditions, the Snohomish County Fire Marshal has announced a Stage 1 outdoor burning ban for the unincorporated areas of Snohomish County effective Friday, June 9 at 8 a.m. This is a Stage 1 burn ban to suspend all residential burning, even if a permit has been issued. This restriction bans outdoor…
County offering disaster preparedness training course in July
Community members ages 14 and up are invited to attend a two-day course: “When Disaster Strikes: Prepare. Act. Survive” offered by the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management July 22-23. The goal is to teach attendees the skills needed to aid their family and other community members in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster…
Everett shelter run by Hand Up Project got $3M in COVID relief despite complaints
Editor’s note: The following story was republished with permission from Crosscut.com. The smell hit Rena Keckler first as she entered the Everett hotel room where her ex-husband, Forest Fraser, had died a few days earlier. Uneaten food had spoiled inside the broken refrigerator. Unwashed laundry lay piled on one of the two beds. Keckler said…
Inslee appoints Will Steffener to Snohomish County Superior Court
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Will Steffener to the Snohomish County Superior Court. He will replace Judge Janice Ellis, who is retiring June 30. According to an announcement from the governor’s office, Steffener has broad legal experience. Since 2021, he has maintained a private practice at Deno Millikan Law Firm, PLLC in Everett, handling…
Snohomish County awards $100,000 in funding for historic projects
The Snohomish County Historic Preservation Commission has awarded $100,000 in grant funding to nine local cultural heritage preservation projects: The City of Lynnwood was awarded funding for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accessibility accommodations for the Urban Railcar Exhibit at Heritage Park. Sno-Isle Libraries will use funding to digitize Snohomish Times newspapers from 1921-1941. They have…
Somers announces allocation of $8 million in ARPA funds for behavioral health projects
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers on Monday announced that Snohomish County is awarding $8 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation to five capital projects that increase behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment capacity. According to an announcement from Somers’ office, these projects will serve at least 440 new individuals each…
Fifth graders go to court during 34th annual Law Day
Over 700 fifth graders from local schools were educated about the legal system May 11 during the 34th annual Law Day at Snohomish County District Court South Division in Lynnwood. The students were able to go into the courthouse for events that included a traffic safety presentation, a mock trial, a K-9 demonstration and a question-and-answer session…
County: Drug decontamination work on future transitional housing site in Edmonds could start any day
Cleanup and decontamination for the former America’s Best Value Inn and Suites in Edmonds could start any day now, according to Kelsey Nyland with Snohomish County’s Office of Resilience and Recovery. The site, which tested positive for contamination with the Schedule II drug methamphetamine, is one of two locations purchased by Snohomish County to become…
Local arts and culture organizations receive pandemic recovery grants from Snohomish County
Snohomish County is awarding $500,000 to 21 arts and culture organizations, including many in South Snohomish County. The Arts and Culture Recovery Grants fund organizations so they can continue activities that support public benefit and enhance community engagement through mid-to-large events and festivals held in Snohomish County. These grants are funded through the County’s federal…
Snohomish County accepting applications for up to $10 million in Conservation Futures Program grants
Snohomish County is accepting applications for the 2023 Snohomish County Conservation Futures Program grants until 5 p.m. on Aug. 18. Up to $10 million is available for distribution in 2023 for the preservation of open space, agricultural land, and timberland. “The Conservation Futures Program is an important tool to help protect our farms, forests, parks,…
County accepting proposals for license agency in Mountlake Terrace area
With the recent closure of McMahan License Agency, the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office is now accepting written business proposals for a vehicle/vessel license subagency in the Mountlake Terrace/Brier area. The auditor’s office is encouraging those interested in submitting a proposal to email their questions about the bid process and licensing services to Licensing and Recording…