Local Government
Local Government
Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Local Government
View MoreFBI probes white powder letter sent to Washington elections office
A letter containing white powder addressed to the Washington Secretary of State's elections division was intercepted Oct. 15 as part of a nationwide FBI investigation, with direct implications for Snohomish County and Everett voters heading into the Nov. 3 midterm election.
Local Government
View MoreDowntown Everett Association hires firm to draft development roadmap
The Downtown Everett Association has hired urban design firm Perkins Eastman to build a Vision and Action Plan for downtown, with a first public workshop set for Nov. 12 and a final report expected by mid-2027.
Local Government
View MoreProvidence drops UnitedHealthcare Medicare plans in Everett
Providence Swedish will stop accepting UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage PPO, HMO and Group Retiree plans at its Everett and Western Washington facilities on Jan. 1, 2027, and affected seniors must switch plans during open enrollment starting Oct. 15.
Local Government
View MoreEverett's 2027 budget shows $7.2M gap before jail fees hit
Everett's 2027 revenue forecast projects $187.8 million against $195 million in baseline expenses, a $7.2 million gap that could widen once a 130% spike in Snohomish County jail booking fees and rising indigent defense costs are added. The City Council holds a revenue workshop Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Local Government
View MoreSnohomish County eases zoning for rural fire stations
The Snohomish County Council voted 5-0 on Sept. 9 to approve Ordinance 26-039, making fire stations and sheriff precincts a permitted use in more rural zones and reducing approval steps for fire districts seeking to build new facilities.
Local Government
View MoreEverett freelancers face 22.2% ACA premium hike for 2027
Washington's ACA exchange premiums will rise an average of 22.2% starting Jan. 1, 2027, the second consecutive double-digit hike affecting about 250,000 self-employed workers, early retirees and small businesses statewide, including in Everett.
Local Government
View MoreIRS guides Snohomish County flood victims on lost tax records
The IRS issued guidance Sept. 2 telling Washington flood and wildfire victims how to reconstruct lost tax records, a tool especially urgent for Snohomish County residents whose flood-related filing extensions expired in August.
Local Government
View MoreEverett Flock cameras cut stolen vehicles 68% as cities quit
Everett's Flock Safety cameras recorded a 67.81% drop in stolen vehicles in 2026 compared with the prior three-year average, even as at least eight other Washington cities have cancelled or abandoned the technology amid privacy backlash and public-records costs.
Local Government
View MoreEverett drone tracks DUI suspect on Highway 527
An Everett Police drone located a truck swerving on Highway 527, tracked it to a residential driveway where it rear-ended a parked car and helped officers arrest an 18-year-old on a DUI charge on Aug. 20.
Local Government
View MoreState guide tells election workers how to handle DHS agents
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Attorney General Nick Brown sent all 39 county election offices, including Snohomish County, a step-by-step guide on handling federal investigators after DHS designated the state part of a nine-state voter-fraud surge initiative.
Local Government
View MoreSnohomish County senior centers fight to keep $1.1M in funding
Leaders of 13 senior centers across Snohomish County sent a formal letter urging the County Council to protect their combined $1.1 million in annual funding as the county faces a $56 million deficit, with a public budget forum set for Oct. 7.
Local Government
View MoreSnohomish County sets 53-cent-per-minute fee for bodycam footage
The Snohomish County Council voted 5-0 to charge the public 53 cents per minute for redacted sheriff's bodycam footage, joining several Washington agencies that now impose per-minute fees for body camera records requests.
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