Everett News - Tygart Media

Category: Everett News

Breaking news, city hall, and major developments shaping Everett.

  • Memorial Day 2026 Snohomish County: Everett Events Guide

    Memorial Day 2026 Snohomish County: Everett Events Guide

    Quick answer: Memorial Day 2026 is Monday, May 25. The closest VA national cemetery to Naval Station Everett is Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, which holds its annual Memorial Day Commemorative Ceremony at 1 p.m. that Monday at the Main Flag Pole Assembly Area. Closer to home, Snohomish County’s Eternal Flame at the County Courthouse (3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett) is the central county-level remembrance site, and Lake Stevens American Legion Post 181, Floral Hills in Lynnwood, and Evergreen Cemetery in Everett all host community services that morning.

    If you’ve just PCS’d to Naval Station Everett, retired in Snohomish County, or moved here to support a sailor or soldier in the family, Memorial Day is one of the days the local military community is easiest to find. The bases are quieter than Navy Birthday or Veterans Day, but the cemeteries and memorials are full — and the people who run those services are the same people who run the volunteer drivers at the VA, the American Legion posts, the VFWs, and the spouse networks the rest of the year.

    This is a practical 2026 guide to where to go, when, and what to expect — written for the family that wants to do the day right and meet a few of the people who’d be good to know once the parade ends.

    Why this matters for the Everett military community

    Snohomish County is home to roughly 52,000 veterans — about one in eleven county residents — plus the active-duty population at Naval Station Everett, the five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers homeported there (USS Momsen, USS Kidd, USS Gridley, USS Sampson, USS Ralph Johnson), and several thousand military family members spread across Mukilteo, Marysville, Lake Stevens, and the unincorporated edges of the county.

    Memorial Day is the day that community shows up in one place. Active-duty sailors stand color guard at services. Vietnam-era VFW members read the names. Gold Star families lay wreaths. Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts plant flags at headstones the Saturday before. Local mayors give the speeches that don’t make the regional news but matter enormously to the families in the front rows.

    For a military family that’s two months into a Naval Station Everett tour, going to one of these services is often the fastest way to meet the people who’ll be at every PCS hello-and-goodbye for the next three years. (For more on what life looks like at NAVSTA Everett right now, see our guide to the FF(X) frigate decision and what it means for PCS plans, school choices, and the next decade for Navy families based in Everett.)

    The closest VA national cemetery: Tahoma in Kent

    Tahoma National Cemetery at 18600 SE 240th St., Kent, is the federally-administered national cemetery serving the Puget Sound region — the burial ground operated by the National Cemetery Administration under the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is the closest VA national cemetery to Naval Station Everett.

    The drive from NAVSTA Everett to Tahoma is roughly 50 minutes south on I-5 in Memorial Day morning traffic, longer if you leave after 11 a.m.

    The 2026 ceremony: Memorial Day Commemorative Ceremony, Monday, May 25, 2026, 1 p.m., at the Main Flag Pole Assembly Area. The program follows the standard Tahoma format — wreath-laying, rifle volley, and Taps, with remarks from local civic leaders and retired military officers. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

    Practical notes for first-time visitors:

    • Arrive by 12:15 p.m. Parking inside the cemetery fills early. Once the lots are full, staff direct cars to overflow parking with shuttle service.
    • Bring water, sunscreen, and a hat. The assembly area is exposed and seating is minimal — most attendees stand.
    • Wear comfortable walking shoes. Even from the closest lots, the walk to the flag pole is several hundred yards on uneven ground.
    • The cemetery hosts a “Run to Tahoma” community event the same morning organized through the Kitsap County Veterans Advisory Board for those who want a longer-distance commemoration before the 1 p.m. service.

    For sailors, families, or veterans who want the most formal Memorial Day service in the region — full military honors, full federal protocol — Tahoma is the answer.

    The county-level service: Snohomish County Eternal Flame

    The Snohomish County Eternal Flame sits in front of the Robert J. Drewel Building at the County Courthouse complex, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. It is the county’s central memorial to its veterans and the most accessible Memorial Day stop for anyone living in central or downtown Everett.

    Snohomish County typically holds an 11 a.m. Veterans Day service at the Eternal Flame in November, and the same site hosts informal Memorial Day gatherings — wreath placements, individual remembrances, and small ceremonies coordinated by local VFW and American Legion posts — throughout the morning of the holiday. Families with school-age kids who want to keep the day local often come here first, then move to one of the cemetery services.

    The Drewel Building is also where the Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program (VAP) office is located — the county-funded program that helps veterans and their families with rent, utilities, prescriptions, transportation, and emergency needs. Most county veterans don’t know the program exists. Memorial Day is a quiet, low-pressure day to walk past the office, see the staff, and pick up the contact card. (For a deeper look at how the county program fits with the federal VA system, see our complete 2026 guide to getting VA claims help in Snohomish County.)

    The community services in Snohomish County

    Multiple community services across the county happen Memorial Day morning. These are the longest-running and most reliable for 2026.

    Lake Stevens American Legion Post 181

    Post 181 traditionally hosts two Memorial Day services on Monday morning:

    • 10 a.m. at the Lake Stevens War Veterans Memorial flag display, 1808 Main St., Lake Stevens
    • Noon at the Machias Cemetery, 1201 Silva St., Snohomish

    The Lake Stevens services are short, family-friendly, and are some of the only regularly attended community services east of I-5 in the county. Post 181 has been doing this for decades.

    Floral Hills in Lynnwood

    The Purdy & Walters at Floral Hills annual Memorial Day program at 409 Filbert Rd., Lynnwood typically runs:

    • 10:30 a.m. band concert
    • 11 a.m. ceremony

    Floral Hills is the largest cemetery in southwest Snohomish County and the regular Memorial Day stop for families based out of Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, and the south end of the county. Programs are listed annually on the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) calendar.

    Evergreen Cemetery in Everett

    Evergreen Cemetery, 4505 Broadway, Everett is the historic in-city cemetery — the burial ground for many of Everett’s earliest civic leaders and Civil War-era veterans. The site has hosted Memorial Day commemorations going back more than a century. For 2026 program times, the Everett Public Library and the city’s Parks and Recreation calendar typically post details in the two weeks before the holiday.

    For veterans buried at Evergreen, families typically come the Sunday afternoon or Monday morning before the larger county services to place flowers and flags individually.

    What to do the rest of the weekend

    Memorial Day weekend is three full days in 2026 — Saturday May 23 through Monday May 25. A practical Snohomish County itinerary for a military family looks like:

    Saturday morning — Flag-placement events. Boy Scout troops, Cub Scout packs, and Civil Air Patrol cadets across the county place small American flags on veteran headstones. Tahoma National Cemetery, Floral Hills, Cypress Lawn (1615 SE Everett Mall Way), and Evergreen all get flags this weekend. Showing up to help is a fast way to meet the local Scouting and youth-veterans community.

    Sunday — Quiet day. Many Snohomish County churches incorporate Memorial Day remembrances into their Sunday services. The American Legion and VFW posts are typically open in the afternoon.

    Monday — The day itself. Tahoma at 1 p.m. for the most formal service. Lake Stevens, Floral Hills, or Evergreen in the morning if you want a community-scale event.

    Monday afternoon — Most VFW and American Legion halls in the county host open houses, family-friendly gatherings, or potlucks after the morning services. VFW Post 2100 in downtown Everett (Suite 101 of the Vet Center building) and American Legion Post 6 in Snohomish are the two most active in central county. (The Vet Center building also houses the VFW Service Officer who handles VA claims help — making the Suite 101 location worth knowing year-round.)

    If you can’t make a service

    A practical alternative for sailors who can’t get away from the base, or family members who can’t make a public service:

    • Place a wreath at the Snohomish County Eternal Flame any time on Monday. The site is unstaffed and unrestricted.
    • Make a contribution to a service organization — the USO Northwest, the Snohomish County VAP, or a county VSO — in lieu of attendance.
    • Read the names of the Snohomish County service members who’ve died in service since 9/11 at the Centennial Trail memorial at Haller Bridge in Arlington. The kiosk includes interpretive panels for each name.

    Resources for military families new to the area

    Three numbers and links worth keeping for any military family doing their first Memorial Day in Snohomish County:

    • Naval Station Everett Fleet & Family Support Center: 425-304-3735 — for any deployment-related question, family event, or community resource referral.
    • Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program (VAP): snohomishcountywa.gov/veterans — for emergency assistance, transportation, or VSO referral.
    • Tahoma National Cemetery: cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/tahoma.asp — for burial eligibility, memorial benefits, and event schedule.

    For anyone arriving on PCS orders this spring or summer, the practical follow-on after Memorial Day is the Fleet & Family Support Center’s resource intake — the same office that runs the spouse employment programs and the deployment family support groups. Memorial Day is when you meet the community. The week after is when the FFSC plugs you into it. (See our deep dive on how NAVSTA Everett supports Navy kids and families through the FFSC and the school liaison office.)

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What day is Memorial Day 2026?

    Memorial Day 2026 is Monday, May 25. It is the last Monday of May, as set by the 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

    Is there a VA national cemetery in Everett?

    No. The closest VA national cemetery to Naval Station Everett is Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, about 50 minutes south on I-5. Tahoma is the only VA national cemetery in the Puget Sound region.

    Is Tahoma National Cemetery’s Memorial Day ceremony open to the public?

    Yes. The ceremony is free and open to the public. Plan to arrive by 12:15 p.m. Monday May 25, 2026 because parking inside the cemetery fills early and overflow parking requires a shuttle.

    Where is the Snohomish County Eternal Flame?

    The Eternal Flame is at the Snohomish County Courthouse / Robert J. Drewel Building, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. It is the county’s central veterans memorial and is accessible 24 hours a day.

    Are the Memorial Day services in Snohomish County family-friendly?

    Yes. The Lake Stevens services at the War Veterans Memorial and Machias Cemetery, and the Floral Hills program in Lynnwood, are designed for family attendance with short program lengths, seating, and accessible venues. Tahoma’s main service is longer and more formal but is still family-friendly with adequate planning.

    How can a Naval Station Everett family find local Memorial Day events the week before?

    Two reliable sources: the Naval Station Everett Fleet & Family Support Center at 425-304-3735, and the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs event calendar at dva.wa.gov. The HeraldNet and MyEverettNews local outlets also publish Memorial Day round-ups in the days before the holiday.

    Where can I get help with a VA claim related to a service member I’m honoring on Memorial Day?

    The Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program at the Drewel Building is the closest in-person resource for VA claims help in the county, alongside the VFW Service Officer at the Vet Center building Suite 101 and the monthly Veterans Benefits Administration field visits to the Everett Vet Center. (See our prior coverage on VA claims help options after the 2026 Vet Center schedule change for the full breakdown.)

  • USS Gridley Deployment Guide for NAVSTA Everett Families

    USS Gridley Deployment Guide for NAVSTA Everett Families

    If you have a sailor on USS Gridley right now, this is the cruise your family will tell stories about for years. A practical 2026 guide for Navy families at Naval Station Everett — what Southern Seas 2026 looks like operationally, the Ombudsman touchpoints and Fleet & Family Support Center resources you should already have bookmarked, the deployment-readiness checklist that matters most for the second half of the cruise, and what “Nimitz’s final overseas deployment” actually means for the rest of 2026.

    The Cruise, in Plain Family Language

    USS Gridley (DDG-101) is the only Arleigh Burke-class destroyer publicly assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group on Southern Seas 2026. Per U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, the strike group is conducting partner-nation engagement and circumnavigating South America en route to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. The Navy has publicly confirmed this is USS Nimitz’s final overseas deployment before her 2027 decommissioning.

    What that means in family-readiness terms: a multi-month deployment with port visits in partner-nation harbors, passing exercises at sea with multiple partner navies, and an East Coast arrival rather than a West Coast return. Gridley returns to Naval Station Everett separately, on a schedule the Navy has not publicly disclosed. For planning purposes, do not assume a specific return date.

    Where the Strike Group Has Been Confirmed So Far

    • March 7, 2026: Nimitz departed Bremerton.
    • April 7–8, 2026: Bilateral engagement with the Ecuadorian Navy.
    • April 17–21, 2026: Port visit to Valparaiso, Chile. President Kast came aboard Nimitz; Gridley moored pier-side. PASSEX with Chilean Navy frigate Capitán Prat after departure.

    The remainder of the itinerary has not been publicly disclosed. Family-side communications about future stops should come through the Command Ombudsman, not from speculation. We will not speculate here either.

    The Family-Readiness Checklist for the Rest of the Cruise

    If your family is mid-deployment, the touchpoints that matter most for the second half of the cruise are:

    1. Stay on the Command Ombudsman’s distribution list. The Ombudsman is the official conduit for unclassified command-to-family communications and the place that information about scheduled returns, port visits, and family-day events is released first. Confirm your contact email and phone number with the Ombudsman are current.
    2. Use Fleet & Family Support at Naval Station Everett. The FFSC at NAVSTA Everett (2000 West Marine View Drive) runs deployment-support programs, financial counseling, employment services, and clinical and non-clinical counseling — all at no cost to active-duty service members and dependents. Walk-in hours, classes, and counseling appointments are available; the FFSC front desk can connect families to the right service.
    3. Check that DEERS, ID cards, Tricare, and emergency-contact records are current. The single biggest avoidable problem during a long deployment is an expired family-member ID card or a stale DEERS record. A quick check on milConnect resolves most of it without a base trip.
    4. Use the Military and Family Life Counseling (MFLC) program. Non-medical, confidential counseling for service members and family members, with no record kept in the medical file. NAVSTA Everett has MFLC counselors assigned; the Ombudsman or FFSC can connect you.
    5. Build the homecoming plan early. Because the strike group’s return is to Norfolk and Gridley returns to Everett separately, plan for the possibility that the carrier-side homecoming images and the Everett-side homecoming for Gridley happen on different timelines. Stay flexible until the Ombudsman has a confirmed date.

    What’s Different About This Cruise for Naval Station Everett Families

    Two things are unusual about this deployment relative to a typical Gridley underway:

    The first is the historical weight. Nimitz, commissioned in 1975, is the lead ship of the Nimitz class — the backbone of the U.S. carrier fleet for half a century. The Navy has publicly confirmed Southern Seas 2026 is the carrier’s final operational deployment. Among Naval Station Everett’s five Arleigh Burke destroyers, Gridley is the one carrying the ensign alongside Nimitz for that final cruise. That is the part of the deployment your sailor will be telling family stories about for the next twenty years.

    The second is the geography. South American port visits and partner-nation engagement are different in tempo and texture from the Western Pacific deployments Naval Station Everett ships often run. Time-zone difference is smaller. Family communications can be more predictable. Port visit windows tend to be a few days at a time in major partner harbors. None of that changes the operational tempo for the sailor, but it does change the rhythm for the family at home.

    Resources Worth Bookmarking

    • NAVSTA Everett Fleet & Family Support Center — front desk and program directory; free deployment, financial, and counseling support for all active-duty service members and dependents.
    • NAVSTA Everett Galaxy Single Sailor Center / MWR — for the dependent and family-day side of homecoming.
    • Military OneSource (1-800-342-9647) — 24/7 information and referral, and short-term non-medical counseling.
    • Tricare West Region — coverage details, referrals, and the eligibility portal.
    • milConnect — DEERS update, ID card renewals, family member enrollments.
    • Command Ombudsman — your most important contact for the duration of the deployment.

    The Questions Other Families Are Asking

    When does Gridley get back to Everett?

    The Navy has not publicly disclosed Gridley’s return date. Family-confirmed information will come through the Command Ombudsman. Do not plan from rumors.

    Should we travel to Norfolk for Nimitz’s homecoming?

    Nimitz’s arrival is the end of the carrier’s overseas deployment, but it is not Gridley’s homecoming. Gridley returns to Naval Station Everett on a separate schedule. Many Naval Station Everett families will choose to wait for the Everett-side homecoming, but personal plans are personal — the Ombudsman can confirm the carrier’s published events.

    Can the sailor call home from a port visit?

    Communications during port visits depend on the operational schedule and on the in-port routine. Sailors typically have communication options ranging from cell-phone roaming to base-ashore Wi-Fi. Specifics are command-discretionary; do not plan calls without your sailor’s confirmation.

    What’s the difference between a PASSEX and a port visit?

    A passing exercise (PASSEX) is a brief at-sea operation with a partner navy — typically a ship maneuver and signals exchange — and does not involve a stop in port. A port visit is a multi-day stop in a partner harbor with shore-side activity for the crew and bilateral engagement events.

    How is this different from past Gridley deployments?

    The cadence and tempo are familiar to families who have been through prior Southern Seas or Pacific Fleet deployments. What is different is Nimitz’s final-cruise status — Gridley is the only destroyer publicly assigned to Nimitz on her last underway period. That is operationally significant in a way most cruises are not.

    Related Exploring Everett Coverage

  • USS Nimitz Final Deployment: USS Gridley in Southern Seas

    USS Nimitz Final Deployment: USS Gridley in Southern Seas

    Quick answer: USS Gridley (DDG-101), homeported at Naval Station Everett, is operating with USS Nimitz (CVN-68) as the lone destroyer escort on the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group’s Southern Seas 2026 deployment — publicly confirmed by the U.S. Navy as the carrier’s final overseas deployment before its 2027 decommissioning. Nimitz departed Bremerton on March 7, 2026; the strike group made its first published port visit in Ecuador on April 7–8 and a second in Valparaiso, Chile from April 17–21, where Chilean President José Antonio Kast came aboard. From there the strike group continues to circumnavigate South America en route to Naval Station Norfolk, where Nimitz begins decommissioning.

    Why This Cruise Is Different

    USS Nimitz (CVN-68) was commissioned in 1975. It is the lead ship of the Nimitz class — the backbone of the U.S. carrier fleet for the past five decades — and the U.S. Navy has publicly stated that Southern Seas 2026 is the carrier’s final operational deployment. After Nimitz returns to Norfolk, Virginia, the ship begins a multi-year decommissioning process that the Navy has publicly projected to conclude in 2027.

    For the destroyer escorting Nimitz on this final cruise, the historical weight is not symbolic — it is operational. USS Gridley is the only Arleigh Burke-class destroyer publicly assigned to the strike group, and it is the Naval Station Everett unit that gets to fly the ensign alongside Nimitz on the carrier’s last underway period before decommissioning.

    What Southern Seas 2026 Actually Is

    Southern Seas is a recurring U.S. 4th Fleet deployment that has been conducted in various forms since the 1980s. Per U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Southern Seas 2026 is the 11th iteration of the deployment to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility since 2007. It is not an exercise in the wartime sense; it is a multinational engagement deployment designed around partner-nation port visits, passing exercises (PASSEXs) at sea, and cooperative operations with partner navies in the Caribbean, Latin America, and South America.

    The 2026 iteration officially launched on March 23, 2026, with U.S. Southern Command publicly announcing the deployment of Nimitz and Gridley to the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The strike group’s published itinerary includes engagements with multiple partner navies through scheduled port visits and passing exercises along the South American coastline as the ships circumnavigate the continent en route to the East Coast.

    The Published Stops So Far

    According to U.S. Navy and U.S. Southern Command public-affairs releases, the published itinerary so far includes:

    • March 7, 2026: Nimitz departed Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton for the final time.
    • April 7–8, 2026: A bilateral engagement with the Ecuadorian Navy.
    • April 17–21, 2026: Port visit to Valparaiso, Chile. USS Gridley moored pier-side; USS Nimitz anchored in Chilean territorial waters. Chilean President José Antonio Kast — inaugurated March 11, 2026 — visited Nimitz during the call. The strike group conducted a passing exercise at sea with the Chilean Navy frigate Capitán Prat after departure.

    The Navy has not publicly disclosed the strike group’s remaining itinerary, and we will not speculate. After Southern Seas 2026 concludes, Nimitz proceeds to Norfolk to begin the multi-year inactivation and decommissioning process. The defueling of the two A4W reactors and dismantling of the ship is a years-long undertaking; Nimitz’s last underway period before that work begins is, by the Navy’s own account, the deployment Gridley is on right now.

    USS Gridley in Context: Naval Station Everett’s Destroyer Fleet

    USS Gridley (DDG-101) is one of five Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers homeported at Naval Station Everett. The destroyers based in Everett, listed alphabetically:

    • USS Gridley (DDG-101)
    • USS Kidd (DDG-100)
    • USS Momsen (DDG-92)
    • USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114)
    • USS Sampson (DDG-102)

    Naval Station Everett is located at 2000 West Marine View Drive. It is the Navy’s most modern major surface-ship base on the West Coast and the only major U.S. Navy installation in the Pacific Northwest with a deepwater carrier-capable pier — though Everett does not currently homeport an aircraft carrier.

    Why Everett Is Watching This Particular Cruise

    For Naval Station Everett families and the Snohomish County community that surrounds the base, Southern Seas 2026 is the deployment of historic significance for two reasons that compound each other.

    The first is Nimitz itself. Snohomish County families have spent the past five months processing two pieces of major Navy news: the November 25, 2025 cancellation of the Constellation-class frigate program, and the December 19, 2025 announcement of the new FF(X) program based on the Coast Guard’s Legend-class National Security Cutter. Everett was the publicly named planned homeport for the Constellation-class frigates; the FF(X) homeport question remains open.

    The second is what Gridley is doing. Among Everett’s five destroyers, Gridley is the one carrying the ensign alongside the Navy’s senior carrier on its last cruise. That is the kind of operational milestone Naval Station Everett families will tell each other about for years.

    What Comes Next After Nimitz Returns to Norfolk

    According to U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Nimitz is heading toward Norfolk, Virginia, where it is scheduled to begin the multi-year inactivation and decommissioning process expected to conclude in 2027. Defueling the carrier’s two A4W reactors is a multi-year sequence on its own; the inactivation period overlaps with the early phases of dismantlement.

    For Gridley, the next-step question is open. Destroyers regularly cycle through training, deployment, and maintenance availabilities, and Gridley’s post-Southern-Seas employment will be set by Naval Surface Force Pacific. The destroyer returns to its Naval Station Everett pier in due course; the Navy has not publicly disclosed the return date.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What ship is USS Gridley and where is it homeported?

    USS Gridley (DDG-101) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer homeported at Naval Station Everett (2000 West Marine View Drive, Everett, WA). It is one of five Arleigh Burke destroyers based in Everett.

    What is Southern Seas 2026?

    Southern Seas 2026 is the 11th iteration since 2007 of a U.S. 4th Fleet partner-nation engagement deployment in the Caribbean, Latin America, and South America. It includes port visits, passing exercises with partner navies, and a circumnavigation of South America by the strike group.

    Why is USS Nimitz’s deployment historic?

    The U.S. Navy has publicly stated that Southern Seas 2026 is USS Nimitz’s final overseas deployment before decommissioning. Nimitz, commissioned in 1975, is the lead ship of the Nimitz class; she departs for Norfolk after Southern Seas to begin a multi-year decommissioning process expected to conclude in 2027.

    What happened during the Valparaiso port visit?

    Per Navy and U.S. Southern Command public affairs, USS Gridley moored pier-side at Valparaiso from April 17 to 21, 2026, while USS Nimitz anchored in Chilean territorial waters. Chilean President José Antonio Kast visited Nimitz. After departure, the strike group conducted a passing exercise at sea with the Chilean Navy frigate Capitán Prat.

    Is this Gridley’s first deployment to South America?

    Gridley regularly deploys with U.S. Pacific Fleet across multiple theaters. Naval Station Everett’s destroyers have participated in Southern Seas iterations in prior years; the 2026 deployment is uniquely significant because of Nimitz’s final-cruise status.

    How does this connect to the Constellation/FF(X) story?

    Separately. The Constellation-class frigate program was cancelled in November 2025; the Navy announced the FF(X) successor program in December 2025. Everett was named as the planned Constellation homeport; the FF(X) homeport question is open. None of that affects Gridley’s deployment with Nimitz, which is in a different ship class and a different community of interest.

    When does Nimitz arrive in Norfolk?

    The Navy has not publicly disclosed Nimitz’s arrival date in Norfolk. The strike group is en route after circumnavigating South America. Per U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Nimitz then begins the multi-year inactivation and decommissioning process expected to conclude in 2027.

    Related Exploring Everett Coverage

  • Everett Stadium Vote: $10.6M for AquaSox & USL Soccer

    Everett Stadium Vote: $10.6M for AquaSox & USL Soccer

    What’s at stake: On Wednesday, April 29 at 12:30 PM, Everett City Council will vote on whether to approve another $10.6 million for the downtown Outdoor Event Center — the future home of the AquaSox and two new United Soccer League teams (men’s and women’s). The vote covers $5.6M for property acquisition and $4.8M in contractor amendments. If approved, design hits 100% complete and the path opens toward a possible August project go-ahead vote, ground-breaking in September, and a late-2027 opening. If it doesn’t pass cleanly, the timeline starts to wobble.

    If you care about the AquaSox staying in Everett — and the city’s two incoming USL professional soccer teams actually having a place to play — Wednesday afternoon’s council vote matters more than any single game on the schedule this spring.

    Everett City Council is set to vote April 29 on a package of four items tied to the future Outdoor Event Center: an additional $10.6 million in spending, contract amendments with four project contractors worth $4.8 million, acceptance of a $7.4 million state Department of Commerce grant, and the addition of one more land parcel to the project’s acquisition list.

    The fan-perspective version of all that procedural language: Everett is one council vote away from finishing the design phase of a stadium that determines whether minor-league baseball stays here and whether professional soccer ever gets here at all.

    What the $10.6 Million Actually Buys

    The breakdown, per City of Everett project documents and reporting from the Snohomish County Tribune and HeraldNet:

    About $5.6 million is allocated to the costs of acquiring the properties needed to clear the stadium block — bounded by Hewitt Avenue, Pacific Avenue, Broadway, and the railroad tracks, one block east of Angel of the Winds Arena.

    About $4.8 million is for contract amendments with the four firms working on stadium design and pre-construction.

    The funding mechanism is an interfund loan — Everett borrows the money from its own general fund balance, then issues municipal bond debt to repay the loan. Long-term bonds backed against city tax revenues handle repayment. This is a way to move quickly on cash flow without holding up design while waiting for outside grants and bond markets.

    Counting earlier spending, the city has already invested about $7.2 million in capital funds into the project since site selection in late 2024. That money has gone toward environmental studies, conceptual design, and putting properties under purchase-and-sale agreements.

    The Real Number You Should Know

    The total project cost is now estimated at $120 million, up from the $82 million estimate the city used when it asked for $4.8 million in funding back in June 2025.

    The funding stack so far: roughly $17 million committed by the AquaSox and incoming USL ownership groups in exchange for 30-year leases (with operations and maintenance handled on-site and ticket and parking revenue shared with the city); $30+ million from other bonds repaid through lease and ticket revenue; and roughly 21% of the funding pie that, as of last week’s council presentation, is not yet identified.

    That 21% gap is the one to watch. City project staff said they intend to return to council in summer with more financial models, with possible sources including state, regional, and private dollars. “We are pursuing all possible options,” the project representative told the council.

    Why This Matters for the AquaSox

    Major League Baseball changed minor-league facility requirements in 2021. Funko Field, which has been the AquaSox’s home for decades, doesn’t meet the new standards. If Everett doesn’t build a compliant stadium, the AquaSox lose their MLB affiliation. They go away. The economic, cultural, and identity hit to the city would be real.

    Mayor Cassie Franklin has called the project a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” prompted by the league’s facility-standard changes. She framed Everett’s decision to put the stadium downtown — in late 2024 — as the city already making “tangible progress.” Wednesday’s vote keeps that progress moving.

    Why This Matters for USL Soccer

    The Outdoor Event Center is being designed as a true dual-purpose venue: artificial turf, the ability to convert the field between baseball and soccer in the span of a few hours, soccer played on the diamond’s infield, and a retractable mound. The plan calls for hosting two USL teams — a men’s team in either USL Championship or USL League One, and a women’s team in the USL Super League.

    This is why we don’t yet have team names, colors, kits, or a confirmed league level. Without an approved stadium plan, USL won’t finalize franchise placement. Without USL franchise placement, the city can’t fully market what the soccer side will look like. Wednesday’s vote moves the design from 60% complete (where it sits today) to 100% — and that opens the door for the August funding decision and the broader project go-ahead.

    The USL teams won’t be playing in 2026. The current target is a late-2027 opening, which means a 2028 inaugural season at the earliest. But every step on the design timeline is a step closer to seeing professional soccer in Everett.

    The Take

    This stadium project has been criticized — fairly — for cost growth. $82 million in June 2025 to $120 million today is a real escalation, and the 21% unidentified funding share is a legitimate concern.

    But the alternative — losing the AquaSox, losing the chance at USL, leaving the downtown stadium block as a parking lot — is worse. The downtown location is a significantly better long-term play than rebuilding at the existing Funko Field site. The dual-purpose design that makes baseball and soccer both work in one venue is genuinely innovative for a city Everett’s size. And the public-park amenities and walking loop in the design plan turn what could be a single-use box into a downtown asset that serves the city year-round.

    The April 29 vote isn’t the final yes. It’s the vote that lets the project finish its homework before the bigger August decision on the full project. If Everett wants to be a city where minor-league baseball thrives, professional soccer arrives, and the downtown stadium becomes the anchor of a real entertainment district next to Angel of the Winds Arena — Wednesday afternoon matters.

    How to Weigh In

    The City Council meeting is Wednesday, April 29 at 12:30 PM at 3002 Wetmore Avenue. Public comment is part of the council process for items like this. If you have a take — for or against — that’s the room and that’s the meeting where it lands.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the Everett Outdoor Event Center?
    A planned 5,000-seat dual-purpose stadium in downtown Everett that will host the AquaSox baseball team and two new United Soccer League teams (one men’s, one women’s). It also includes an urban park and walking loop.

    When is the city council vote on the additional funding?
    Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 12:30 PM at Everett City Hall (3002 Wetmore Avenue). The council will vote on four items tied to the project.

    How much will the stadium cost in total?
    The current total project cost estimate is $120 million, up from $82 million in June 2025. Property acquisition and business relocation alone is estimated at $35 million.

    When will the stadium open?
    The current project timeline targets construction starting in September 2026 and the stadium opening in late 2027, with a 2028 inaugural USL season at the earliest.

    Will the AquaSox leave Everett if the stadium isn’t built?
    Funko Field doesn’t meet the post-2021 MLB facility standards for affiliated minor-league teams. Without a compliant stadium, the AquaSox would lose their MLB affiliation and likely leave the city.

    What USL teams are coming to Everett?
    The city has agreements in place to host two USL teams — one men’s professional team and one women’s professional team. Specific league level (Championship vs League One for the men, Super League for the women), team names, colors, and ownership branding have not been publicly finalized pending stadium approval.

    Where will the stadium be located?
    On the block bounded by Hewitt Avenue, Pacific Avenue, Broadway, and the railroad tracks — one block east of Angel of the Winds Arena in downtown Everett. The city is acquiring 15 properties on that block to clear the site.

    Who pays for the stadium?
    A combination of city interfund loans repaid by long-term municipal bonds, $17 million committed by the AquaSox and USL teams (in exchange for 30-year leases), state Department of Commerce grants ($7.4 million pending council acceptance), and approximately $25 million still to be identified by July.

  • Silvertips Game 1: Everett Tops Penticton Vees 4-1

    Silvertips Game 1: Everett Tops Penticton Vees 4-1

    Final score: Everett Silvertips 4, Penticton Vees 1. Landon DuPont opened the scoring and added an assist, fourth-line forward Hunter Rudolph buried the third-period dagger, and goaltender Anders Miller stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Tips took Game 1 of the WHL Western Conference Final at Angel of the Winds Arena on Thursday, April 23. Game 2 is Saturday, April 25 at 6:30 PM PT in Everett before the series shifts to Penticton.

    Everett picked up exactly where it left off in Round 2 — and the WHL’s hottest team is now one of three with a series lead in the conference finals.

    The Everett Silvertips opened the WHL Western Conference Final on Thursday night with a 4-1 win over the Penticton Vees at Angel of the Winds Arena. The win pushed Everett’s playoff record to 8-0 and gave them a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

    How Game 1 Went Down

    The Silvertips set the tone early. Landon DuPont, the 16-year-old phenom defenseman who’s been the postseason’s most quietly dominant player, opened the scoring late in the first period to send Everett into intermission with a 1-0 lead.

    The second period saw Everett extend the lead to 2-0. The Tips kept their defensive structure even as the Vees matched them shot-for-shot — both teams ended the period with 18 shots on goal, an unusually even shot count for a series opener at home.

    Penticton finally broke through early in the third on a goal from Ryden Evers, his seventh of the playoffs, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with most of the period still to play. For about five minutes, the building got quiet. The Vees had momentum.

    And then Hunter Rudolph happened.

    The fourth-line forward — exactly the kind of depth scorer championship teams find a way to get from — restored Everett’s two-goal lead at the 11:28 mark of the third. Kayd Ruedig sealed it with an empty-netter to make the final 4-1.

    Anders Miller Keeps Doing Anders Miller Things

    Goaltender Anders Miller stopped 23 of 24 shots, continuing the playoff run that has put him in WHL postseason record territory. His save percentage through the postseason continues to lead all goalies with nine or more games played, and through eight playoff games Everett’s combined goal differential is sitting in plus-territory that very few WHL teams ever post.

    Miller didn’t have to be miraculous on Thursday — Everett’s structure forced Penticton into low-percentage looks and the puck didn’t sit in dangerous areas for long. But every time the Vees did manufacture a clean chance, Miller swallowed it. That’s the version of Anders Miller that Everett needs four more times.

    What Game 1 Tells Us About This Series

    Three things stood out from Thursday night.

    First, DuPont is operating at a different level. The 16-year-old led Everett in playoff scoring entering the series and added another goal and assist in Game 1. Watching him retrieve pucks under pressure and make clean breakouts is one of the most fun things in junior hockey right now.

    Second, Everett’s depth is winning games. Hunter Rudolph isn’t on the scouting reports the Vees brought into the series — and that’s exactly the player who scored the back-breaker. Championship teams get goals from fourth-liners. Everett is getting them.

    Third, Penticton is not going away. Don’t let the 4-1 final fool you. The Vees matched Everett’s shot count for two periods, generated chances, and got an early third-period goal that legitimately changed momentum. They were the only team to beat Everett in regulation more than once during the regular season. This is going to be a series.

    Game 2: Saturday Night, 6:30 PM at Angel of the Winds

    Game 2 is Saturday, April 25 at 6:30 PM PT at Angel of the Winds Arena before the series shifts to Penticton’s South Okanagan Events Centre for Games 3 and 4. If Everett wins Saturday and takes a 2-0 lead on the road trip, this thing could go very quickly.

    If you’ve been thinking about getting to a playoff game this spring — Saturday is the one. The WHL Western Conference Final, at home, against the team that pushed Everett harder than anyone in the regular season. Tickets through the Silvertips and Angel of the Winds Arena box offices.

    The puck drops at 6:30 PM. Wear green.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What was the final score of Silvertips Game 1 vs Penticton?
    Everett won 4-1 over the Penticton Vees on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at Angel of the Winds Arena.

    When is Silvertips Game 2 vs Penticton?
    Game 2 is Saturday, April 25 at 6:30 PM PT at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.

    Who scored for Everett in Game 1?
    Landon DuPont opened the scoring, Hunter Rudolph added the third-period insurance goal, and Kayd Ruedig sealed the win with an empty-netter. DuPont also recorded an assist.

    How did Anders Miller play in Game 1?
    Miller stopped 23 of 24 shots, continuing his record-pace playoff run. He has the highest save percentage of any WHL goaltender with nine or more games played this postseason.

    Where will the rest of the WHL Western Conference Final be played?
    Games 1 and 2 are at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett (April 23 and 25). Games 3 and 4 shift to the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, BC. Games 5, 6, and 7 (if necessary) alternate back to Everett and Penticton based on series standing.

    What is the Silvertips’ playoff record so far?
    Everett is 8-0 in the 2026 WHL playoffs after winning Game 1 on Thursday, having swept their first two opponents to advance to the Western Conference Final.

    Who is favored in the Silvertips vs Vees series?
    Everett enters as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference after a 117-point regular season — the franchise’s best in 12 years. The Vees were the No. 2 seed. Everett also won the regular-season series 3-1, but Penticton handed them their only regular-season shutout loss.

  • USS Gridley Deployment: Nimitz’s Final Cruise in Chile

    USS Gridley Deployment: Nimitz’s Final Cruise in Chile

    Q: Where is USS Gridley right now and why does it matter to Everett?
    A: USS Gridley (DDG-101), homeported at Naval Station Everett, was moored pier-side at Valparaiso, Chile from April 17 to April 21, 2026, alongside USS Nimitz on the carrier’s final overseas deployment before its 2027 decommissioning. The two ships are circumnavigating South America as part of U.S. 4th Fleet’s Southern Seas 2026, a routine multinational engagement deployment publicly announced by U.S. Southern Command on March 23. Chilean President José Antonio Kast visited Nimitz during the port call.

    One of Naval Station Everett’s five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers spent four days last week pier-side in Valparaiso, Chile, accompanying an aircraft carrier on what is publicly confirmed to be its last overseas deployment before decommissioning.

    USS Gridley (DDG-101) — homeported in Everett — moored alongside the pier at Valparaiso from April 17 through April 21, 2026, while the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) anchored in Chilean territorial waters nearby. The Navy released the port visit details through its public affairs channels and U.S. Southern Command news pages, including imagery and an on-board visit by Chilean President José Antonio Kast.

    The visit is the second scheduled stop along Southern Seas 2026, the U.S. 4th Fleet deployment that the Navy announced publicly on March 23, 2026. The strike group’s stated mission is partner-nation engagement and circumnavigation of South America en route to the U.S. East Coast. According to Naval Forces Southern Command, Nimitz is heading toward Norfolk, Virginia, where it is scheduled to begin the multi-year inactivation and decommissioning process expected to conclude in 2027.

    For the Everett community, the headline is straightforward: Gridley — a destroyer Snohomish County families have watched come and go for years — is on a deployment of historic significance for the U.S. Navy.

    What Is Southern Seas 2026?

    Southern Seas is a recurring U.S. 4th Fleet deployment that has been conducted in various forms since the 1980s. It is not an exercise in the wartime sense; it is a multinational engagement deployment designed around port visits, passing exercises (PASSEXs) at sea, and ship-rider programs with partner navies in the Caribbean, Latin America, and South America.

    The 2026 iteration officially launched on March 23, 2026, with U.S. Southern Command announcing the deployment of Nimitz and Gridley to the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. According to the announcement, the strike group’s published itinerary includes engagements with at least ten partner navies — among them Ecuador, Chile, and others not yet named publicly — through scheduled port visits and passing exercises along the South American coastline.

    The first published stop of the deployment was a bilateral engagement with the Ecuadorian Navy on April 7 and 8, followed by the Chilean port visit. The Navy has not publicly disclosed the strike group’s remaining itinerary, and we will not speculate on it here.

    Why This Particular Cruise Is Different

    The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) was commissioned in 1975. It is the lead ship of the class that still forms the backbone of the U.S. carrier fleet, and the Navy has publicly stated that Southern Seas 2026 is the carrier’s final operational deployment.

    After Nimitz returns to the East Coast, the ship begins a multi-year decommissioning process that the Navy has publicly projected to conclude in 2027. The defueling of the two A4W reactors and dismantling of the ship is a years-long undertaking; Nimitz’s last underway period before that work begins is, by the Navy’s own account, the deployment Gridley is on right now.

    For Gridley’s crew and their Everett families, that means this deployment is one Naval Station Everett families will tell each other about for years.

    The Chilean Port Visit, As The Navy Described It

    According to Navy and U.S. Southern Command public affairs releases, the April 17–21 stop in Valparaiso included:

    • A bilateral air engagement with the Chilean Air Force preceding arrival
    • A reception aboard Nimitz for senior Chilean government and military leaders
    • An on-board visit from Chilean President José Antonio Kast
    • A passing exercise at sea with the Chilean Navy frigate Capitán Prat after departure

    These details come exclusively from Navy.mil, the U.S. Southern Command news site, and DVIDS — all official public-affairs channels. We do not publish operational details beyond what those channels have released.

    USS Gridley And Naval Station Everett

    USS Gridley (DDG-101) is one of five Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers homeported at Naval Station Everett. The destroyers based in Everett, listed alphabetically, include:

    • USS Gridley (DDG-101)
    • USS Kidd (DDG-100)
    • USS Momsen (DDG-92)
    • USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114)
    • USS Sampson (DDG-102)

    Naval Station Everett, located at 2000 West Marine View Drive, is the Navy’s most modern major surface-ship base on the West Coast. It is the only major U.S. Navy installation in the Pacific Northwest with a deepwater carrier-capable pier, although Everett does not currently homeport an aircraft carrier.

    The base has been in the public conversation for the past five months because of the Navy’s November 25, 2025 cancellation of the Constellation-class frigate program and the December 19, 2025 announcement of the new FF(X) program based on the Coast Guard’s Legend-class National Security Cutter. Everett was the publicly named planned homeport for the Constellation-class frigates; the FF(X) homeport question remains open. Snohomish County’s Military Affairs Committee, rebooted in February 2026, is working that question with the Washington congressional delegation.

    That work continues. In the meantime, Gridley and the rest of Naval Station Everett’s destroyer fleet do what destroyers do — train, deploy, escort carriers, return home, and start again.

    What This Means For Military Families In Everett

    Deployments are public; the day-to-day rhythm of life around them is not. For families connected to Gridley specifically, the resources at Naval Station Everett are unchanged from any other deployment cycle:

    • Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC), 425-304-3735 — provides deployment readiness, spouse employment programs (FERP, MySECO, MySTeP), financial counseling, and reintegration support. Walk-in and appointment options at the main Everett location, with satellite hours at Smokey Point.
    • Child & Youth Programs (CYP) — the Child Development Center, Youth Programs, and the School Liaison Office handle continuity of care for children of deployed sailors, including school enrollment and special education advocacy across district lines.
    • USO Northwest — operates a center inside the Sea-Tac International Airport USO and supports homecoming logistics regionally.
    • American Legion Post 6 and the Everett Navy League Council — provide community connection points for families and veterans throughout the deployment cycle.

    None of these resources are new. The point of listing them now is the same point that’s true any time a homeport ship is downrange: the support infrastructure is local, it’s free for eligible families, and the people who staff it are reachable by phone today.

    The Bigger Picture For Everett

    Naval Station Everett’s footprint on Snohomish County is significant. The base employs thousands of military and civilian personnel directly, supports a regional supply-chain ecosystem of contractors, and anchors the demand for off-base housing, schools, healthcare, and local services from Mukilteo to Marysville. Every deployment cycle ripples through that ecosystem.

    The high-profile nature of this particular deployment — Nimitz’s final cruise, a Chilean head-of-state visit, the historical weight of the Nimitz name retiring — gives Gridley’s crew and their families something most homecomings won’t have: a story with national scope.

    When the strike group eventually returns home (Nimitz to Norfolk, Gridley to Everett), the Everett portion of that homecoming will be a Naval Station Everett pier event under standard family-support and base-access procedures. The Navy and base public affairs will release timing publicly when that timing exists. We do not have it now and will not speculate.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is USS Gridley deploying or returning?

    Deploying. Per the Navy’s March 23, 2026 announcement, USS Gridley deployed with USS Nimitz to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility for Southern Seas 2026. The two ships are currently transiting the South American coastline.

    When will USS Gridley return to Everett?

    The Navy has not publicly released a return date. Once the Navy or Naval Station Everett public affairs releases an official homecoming date, the base will publish family information through standard channels.

    Was anyone from Naval Station Everett at the Chilean port visit?

    USS Gridley’s crew was pier-side at Valparaiso April 17–21, 2026. The Navy released the photos publicly through DVIDS. The Navy did not publicly release the names of any individual crewmembers below flag rank, and neither will we.

    Why is this Nimitz’s final deployment?

    USS Nimitz (CVN-68) was commissioned in 1975. The Navy has publicly stated the carrier will be decommissioned in 2027 after this deployment. Nimitz-class carriers are nuclear-powered, and the decommissioning process — including reactor defueling — takes multiple years.

    Does Naval Station Everett homeport an aircraft carrier?

    No. Naval Station Everett has a carrier-capable deepwater pier but does not currently homeport an aircraft carrier. The base homeports five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and several Coast Guard cutters.

    Where can military families in Everett get deployment support?

    The Naval Station Everett Fleet & Family Support Center is reachable at 425-304-3735. Walk-in and appointment-based services include deployment readiness, spouse employment programs, and financial counseling. Smokey Point has satellite hours.

    What happens to Naval Station Everett if FF(X) doesn’t homeport here?

    That question is unresolved. Snohomish County’s Military Affairs Committee — rebooted on February 23, 2026 — is actively engaging the Washington congressional delegation on FF(X) homeport options. The Navy has not publicly named an FF(X) homeport as of this writing.

    What ships did the Chilean Navy operate alongside Gridley?

    According to Chilean and U.S. Navy public releases, the Chilean Navy frigate Capitán Prat conducted a passing exercise with USS Nimitz and USS Gridley after the Valparaiso port visit. No further joint ship details were released publicly.

    Sources

    • U.S. Navy Press Office: “Chile Welcomes Nimitz Carrier Strike Group” (Navy.mil, April 2026)
    • U.S. Southern Command: “Chile Welcomes Nimitz Carrier Strike Group” (Southcom.mil, April 2026)
    • U.S. 4th Fleet: “U.S. 4th Fleet Announces Southern Seas 2026 Deployment” (March 23, 2026)
    • Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) imagery release
    • U.S. Naval Institute News: USNI Fleet and Marine Tracker, April 20, 2026
    • Stars and Stripes coverage of Chilean president visit, April 20, 2026
    • Naval Station Everett public affairs and CNIC NW base information

    📚 The Exploring Everett Knowledge Cluster

    For deeper coverage of this story:

  • Skate America 2026 Tickets: Everett Schedule & Prices

    Skate America 2026 Tickets: Everett Schedule & Prices

    When is Skate America 2026 in Everett? November 13-15, 2026 at Angel of the Winds Arena in downtown Everett. All-session tickets went on public sale Thursday, April 23, 2026, with prices from $100 to $600. The event also includes an open practice day on Thursday, November 12 for all-session pass holders.

    Elite figure skating is coming back to Everett, and today is the day tickets got real.

    Skate America 2026 returns to Angel of the Winds Arena on November 13-15, marking the event’s return to Everett after previous stops in the city. All-session tickets went on public sale Thursday, April 23 — the same Thursday that has the Silvertips playing Western Conference Final Game 1 across town. Two major Everett sports moments on the same calendar day. That is what the downtown entertainment district has been building toward for years.

    What you get with an all-session ticket

    An all-session pass covers every competition session from Friday through Sunday, and it also grants access to the Thursday, November 12 practice day — which is not sold separately. That is a four-day figure skating experience with a single ticket, including every discipline: men’s, women’s, pairs, and ice dance, short programs and free skates both.

    Prices run from $100 on the low end to $600 for premium seats. The middle bands are where most Everett fans will land, and the $100 seats are the best value Skate America has ever offered at Angel of the Winds Arena for a full four-day event.

    The session-by-session schedule

    Thursday, November 12: Practice day, all-session pass holders only. Friday, November 13 (Session 1): Men’s Short Program and Pairs Short Program. Saturday, November 14 (Session 2): Women’s Short Program and Men’s Free Skate. Saturday, November 14 (Session 3): Rhythm Dance and Pairs Free Skate. Sunday, November 15 (Session 4): Free Dance and Women’s Free Skate.

    That is four competition sessions across three days, and each session features multiple disciplines. Saturday is a full day — two sessions, so bring snacks or plan dinner around the arena. Sunday’s Free Dance and Women’s Free Skate traditionally draw the biggest television audiences in the U.S. figure skating calendar.

    How to buy

    Tickets are available at the Les Schwab Box Office at Angel of the Winds Arena or online at angelofthewindsarena.com. The exclusive presale opened Wednesday, April 22 for eligible fans using the presale code FANS26. General public sale is open as of Thursday, April 23.

    History says the mid-tier ($200-$400) seats will sell first. The $600 premium seats and the $100 upper-bowl seats tend to hang on longest. If you are trying to go with a group, buy together and buy early — Skate America pulls figure skating fans from across the Pacific Northwest and from British Columbia, and the Everett event has historically filled the building.

    Why Skate America in Everett matters

    Skate America is one of the six ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events held each fall, and it is the only one on U.S. soil. Winning a Grand Prix event qualifies skaters for the Grand Prix Final in December. For Olympic-quality figure skating, this is the highest level of competition you will see in Washington state all year.

    Everett hosting the event speaks to how far the downtown arena has come since it opened. Angel of the Winds Arena is now a regular stop on the national figure skating circuit, and the combination of the 10,000-capacity venue, hotel density in downtown Everett, and the quick Sounder/light-rail access from Seattle has made Everett a preferred host city for U.S. Figure Skating.

    What else is happening that weekend

    November 13-15 is a Friday-through-Sunday that should make for a full downtown weekend. Hotels around the arena and along Broadway will book up fast — figure skating crowds tend to lock in lodging months in advance. If you are coming from Seattle, the Sounder train to Everett Station runs on weekends with limited service, and the light-rail extension to Everett is still in planning.

    If you are local, plan to park early and walk. The arena’s east lot fills first. The city garages on Wetmore and Rockefeller are usually the smartest play for weekend event traffic.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When does Skate America 2026 take place?

    November 13-15, 2026, with a practice day on Thursday, November 12 for all-session pass holders. Four competition sessions across three days.

    Where is Skate America 2026?

    Angel of the Winds Arena at 2000 Hewitt Avenue in downtown Everett, Washington.

    When did Skate America 2026 tickets go on sale?

    Exclusive presale began Wednesday, April 22, 2026 with presale code FANS26. General public on-sale opened Thursday, April 23, 2026.

    How much are Skate America 2026 tickets?

    All-session tickets range from $100 to $600 depending on seating section.

    What does an all-session pass include?

    Entry to every competition session Friday November 13 through Sunday November 15, plus access to the Thursday November 12 practice day (not sold separately).

    Where do I buy Skate America tickets?

    Online at angelofthewindsarena.com or in person at the Les Schwab Box Office inside Angel of the Winds Arena.

    What disciplines are part of Skate America?

    Men’s, women’s, pairs, and ice dance — all four Olympic figure skating disciplines, with both short and free programs across the weekend.

  • Everett AquaSox Win 11-3 Behind Carlos Jimenez’s 6 RBIs

    Everett AquaSox Win 11-3 Behind Carlos Jimenez’s 6 RBIs

    What happened with the AquaSox Thursday night? Everett beat the Spokane Indians 11-3 at Funko Field on April 23, 2026, with Carlos Jimenez driving in six runs. It was the AquaSox’s third straight win in their six-game homestand, and it set up a Friday night start that Everett fans have been waiting for all season — Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller on the mound on a rehab assignment.

    The Everett AquaSox are putting together the kind of week that changes how a season feels. Three straight wins. Back-to-back-to-back multi-homer nights. And a Mariners rehab start arriving Friday at Funko Field with the weekend still to go.

    Thursday at the ballpark belonged to Carlos Jimenez. The AquaSox first baseman drove in six runs in an 11-3 beatdown of the Spokane Indians, a Northwest League game that turned into a highlight reel after the middle innings. Everett is now 6-4 on the young season with the series win secured and two more games left on the homestand.

    The Jimenez night

    Jimenez has been the story of the AquaSox offense through the first two weeks of the season, but Thursday was something else. Six RBIs in a single game is the kind of line that gets a player Northwest League Player of the Week consideration, and Everett fans who were at Funko Field on a Thursday night in April got to watch it happen in person. The AquaSox scored multiple runs in multiple innings and never let Spokane back into it after the middle of the game.

    This now makes three straight AquaSox wins after Brandon Eike and Josh Caron powered Wednesday’s 7-5 comeback with home runs — Eike’s a 418-foot game-tying two-run shot in the second inning, Caron’s the go-ahead solo shot that put the Frogs up 5-4. Tuesday’s series opener went to Everett 5-2 behind a stellar Taylor Dollard outing. Three nights, three wins, and the offense finally showing up behind the pitching that has carried the start of the year.

    Spokane’s four-game slide

    The Indians have now dropped four straight coming into Everett. This is not the same Spokane team that dominated the AquaSox in the season opener — it is a team getting beat up in the middle innings, with Everett’s bats finally breaking out against a pitching staff that was supposed to be the Northwest League’s best at the top of the rotation.

    Bryce Miller arrives Friday

    Friday night at Funko Field is circled. Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller makes his first rehab appearance with Everett at 7:05 p.m. PT, the second stop of a rehab assignment that started last Saturday with Triple-A Tacoma. Miller threw 1.2 innings for the Rainiers, touched 98 mph on his fastball, and is expected to stretch to roughly 45 pitches or three innings Friday against Spokane.

    Miller is working back from an oblique injury suffered in Spring Training. If he looks healthy Friday, he is one start away from a Mariners activation. If he doesn’t, Everett becomes a longer stop. Either way, AquaSox fans get to see one of Seattle’s most important starting pitchers throw a real game on a Friday night in Everett — and the Funko Field Friday Fireworks show comes after, which makes Friday’s ticket the best value of the homestand by a wide margin.

    Prospect watch

    The young Mariners bats are finally showing signs of life alongside the veteran presence. Felnin Celesten remains the highest-ceiling prospect in the lineup. Josh Caron is making the most noise at the plate after Wednesday’s go-ahead shot. Eike’s opposite-field power looks real. And Jimenez, who entered the week on nobody’s top-prospect radar, is now the hottest bat in the Northwest League.

    What’s next

    The Spokane series wraps with games Friday (7:05 p.m.), Saturday (7:05 p.m.), and Sunday (1:05 p.m.) at Funko Field. Friday’s Bryce Miller rehab start is the marquee. Saturday brings another prime-time atmosphere. Sunday wraps the homestand before the AquaSox go back on the road.

    Tickets are available at aquasox.com, the Funko Field box office, or at the gate. The Friday fireworks night is already the hottest single-game ticket of April. If you have been waiting for the right night to bring the family to a High-A game in Everett, Friday at 7:05 against Spokane with a Mariners starter on the mound is it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What was the AquaSox score Thursday?

    Everett beat the Spokane Indians 11-3 on April 23, 2026 at Funko Field. Carlos Jimenez drove in six runs.

    When does Bryce Miller pitch for the AquaSox?

    Friday, April 24 at 7:05 p.m. PT at Funko Field against Spokane. He is expected to throw around 45 pitches or three innings.

    Why is Bryce Miller pitching for the AquaSox?

    He is on a Major League rehab assignment from the Seattle Mariners, recovering from an oblique injury. This is the second stop of his rehab after Triple-A Tacoma.

    Are AquaSox tickets still available for this homestand?

    Yes for Saturday and Sunday. Friday’s Bryce Miller start with Funko Field Fireworks is selling quickly — check aquasox.com for availability.

    Where is Funko Field?

    Funko Field at Everett Memorial Stadium is at 3802 Broadway in north Everett, about five minutes from downtown.

    What is the AquaSox record?

    Everett is 6-4 on the season after three straight wins over Spokane, and the team is now second in the Northwest League standings.

  • Silvertips Game 1: Western Conference Final Preview

    Silvertips Game 1: Western Conference Final Preview

    When is Silvertips vs. Penticton Vees Game 1? Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 7:05 p.m. PT at Angel of the Winds Arena in downtown Everett. Game 2 goes Saturday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. PT, also at home. It is the WHL Western Conference Final — one round from the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

    Tonight is the biggest game at Angel of the Winds Arena since the last time the Everett Silvertips played for a Western Conference title — and this is not the same roster that last got here. This roster is already carrying numbers the Western Hockey League has never seen.

    The Silvertips host the Penticton Vees at 7:05 p.m. PT in Game 1 of the WHL Western Conference Final. Game 2 follows Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. Both games are at Angel of the Winds Arena, and both are sellouts of the best kind — Everett fans have watched this team roll to a 7-0 playoff record and the best regular season in franchise history. Now they get to watch two home games against the team that earned the right to try to end the run.

    Anders Miller is writing a WHL record book

    The story tonight, for anyone watching closely, is Anders Miller in the Everett net. Miller has posted a .948 save percentage through two rounds of the playoffs. That is the highest mark by any WHL goaltender with nine or more playoff games in league history. He stopped 30 of 31 shots in the Game 5 overtime clincher against Kelowna. He made 37 saves the night before that. He does not look like a 19-year-old kid in a playoff run — he looks like the steadiest goalie in the WHL right now.

    If Miller keeps this up, Everett has a realistic shot at its third WHL championship. That is how much he has raised the team’s ceiling.

    DuPont, Bear, and an attack the Vees have not seen before

    Landon DuPont leads all WHL defensemen with 13 playoff points. His overtime winner 29 seconds into extra time in Game 5 against Kelowna is the kind of moment that gets replayed for a decade. Carter Bear has been just as important — his shorthanded goal broke open Game 5 in the third period, and he has been Everett’s most consistent two-way forward all spring. Matias Vanhanen, the Finnish import who was not supposed to be a top-line option this season, leads the team with 14 playoff points and has been the discovery of the playoffs.

    Everett has outscored opponents 40-9 across its seven playoff games. Nine goals against. Seven games. That is the math of a team that is not just winning, but suffocating.

    What the Vees bring

    Penticton is not a fluke. They finished second in the Western Conference and swept a competitive series to get here. Their lone NHL-drafted player, Kvasnicka, has 13 playoff points of his own. Regular season head-to-head, Everett took the series 3-1, but one of those Penticton wins was a 7-0 shutout of the Silvertips — proof that when the Vees get their game clicking, they can embarrass anyone. Penticton has publicly said they are “not intimidated” coming into the series. Good. Everett fans want the real thing.

    How to watch (and where to be)

    If you have tickets, doors at Angel of the Winds Arena open early and the building has been loud all playoffs — get there for warmups. If you don’t, the game airs on the WHL’s broadcast partners, and most Everett sports bars downtown and on Broadway will have it on. Saturday’s Game 2 is a better get-there-early window if tonight sells through.

    The full Western Conference Final schedule runs through early May if it goes seven games. Games 3 and 4 are in Penticton (April 28 and 29), and any Games 5, 6, or 7 return to Everett for the later dates.

    Why tonight matters beyond tonight

    This is the farthest Everett has been in the playoffs since 2018. The franchise has won two WHL titles — 2018 was the last run that carried this much weight — and the Ed Chynoweth Cup has not lived in Everett since 2018. Beat Penticton and Everett is four wins away from another one. Lose at home tonight and the road to the final gets a lot steeper.

    But with Miller playing the best hockey of his life, DuPont quarterbacking the back end, and Bear and Vanhanen driving the offense, there’s a real argument that this Silvertips team is the best Everett has iced in a decade. Tonight, we start to find out.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What time is Silvertips vs. Penticton Vees Game 1?

    Puck drop is 7:05 p.m. PT on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at Angel of the Winds Arena in downtown Everett.

    When is Game 2?

    Game 2 is Saturday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. PT, also at Angel of the Winds Arena.

    What is the Everett Silvertips’ playoff record so far?

    The Silvertips are 7-0 in the 2026 WHL Playoffs, having swept Seattle in Round 1 and beaten Kelowna 4-1 in Round 2. They have outscored opponents 40-9 across those seven games.

    Who is Anders Miller?

    Anders Miller is Everett’s starting goaltender. His .948 playoff save percentage through two rounds is the highest mark by any WHL goalie with nine or more playoff games in league history.

    Where is Angel of the Winds Arena?

    2000 Hewitt Ave. in downtown Everett, Washington — one block east of the future downtown stadium site.

    What happens if the Silvertips win the Western Conference Final?

    They advance to the WHL Championship — the Ed Chynoweth Cup Final — against the Eastern Conference champion. Everett’s last WHL title was 2018.

  • Month of the Military Child: Naval Station Everett 2026

    Month of the Military Child: Naval Station Everett 2026

    Q: What is Month of the Military Child, and how does Naval Station Everett mark it?
    A: Month of the Military Child is a national observance every April that recognizes the children of U.S. service members. Designated by Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger in 1986, 2026 marks its 40th anniversary. At Naval Station Everett, the observance is anchored by the base’s Child and Youth Programs, the School Liaison Office, Fleet and Family Support Center, and community partners like the Lake Washington & Everett Council of the Navy League. Purple Up Day — when the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Space Force communities all wear purple to represent every service branch — fell on April 15 this year.

    April is Month of the Military Child, and in 2026 it is a milestone observance — 40 years since Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger first designated April as a dedicated month to recognize the children of U.S. service members. For Naval Station Everett and the Navy families who live on base and throughout Snohomish County, that 40-year anniversary hits differently than a typical April.

    Navy kids move an average of six to nine times before they graduate from high school. They say goodbye to a parent for a deployment that often stretches past seven months. They change schools, lose friends, and start over — and then do it again. Month of the Military Child exists because somebody, four decades ago, recognized that the sacrifice inside a military household is not carried by the sailor alone.

    Here is what the observance looks like at the Naval Station Everett level in 2026, and where Navy kids and the parents who love them can plug into local support.

    Why April, and Why Purple

    The designation of April as Month of the Military Child goes back to 1986, when Caspar Weinberger — then Secretary of Defense under President Reagan — formalized the observance. The choice of the color purple came later and has stuck because purple combines the traditional colors of every military branch: Army green, Marine Corps red, Navy and Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, and Space Force grey all blend into one. When everyone wears purple on Purple Up Day, it is a visual way of saying: the military child belongs to every service, not just one.

    Purple Up Day in 2026 landed on Wednesday, April 15. Schools across Snohomish County that serve military-connected students — the Mukilteo, Everett, and Marysville school districts in particular — mark the day with purple shirts, purple ribbons, and classroom activities that let military kids be seen for the specific thing they are.

    Naval Station Everett Child and Youth Programs

    The hub of base-level support for Navy kids at NAVSTA Everett runs through the installation’s Child and Youth Programs office. Three pieces matter most to families:

    The Child Development Center

    The Everett Child Development Center provides center-based care for children ages six weeks through five years. The CDC is primarily structured around full-time care for working Navy families — a critical need when one parent is underway and the other is holding the line at home. Availability at CDCs across Navy Region Northwest has been tight for years, and Everett is no exception. Families relocating to the area are encouraged to put their names on the waitlist the moment they receive orders.

    Youth Programs

    For school-age kids, Youth Programs runs a monthly calendar that covers classes, 4-H, field trips, special events, sports clinics, and summer camp. During Month of the Military Child, youth programming typically leans into themes of resilience, connection, and celebration — giving Navy kids a space where everyone in the room understands what a duty station change or a deployment countdown actually feels like.

    The School Liaison Office

    Perhaps the most underused resource at NAVSTA Everett is the School Liaison Office. The School Liaison serves as the subject-matter expert on K-12 issues for the installation commander and, more importantly, for every Navy family that has to navigate a school transfer mid-year. The office helps with inbound and outbound school transfers, information on local school district boundaries, Individualized Education Program (IEP) continuity across state lines, and the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children — the legal framework that protects military kids from losing credits or being forced to retake coursework when they move.

    The School Liaison office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by appointment. Families can follow @EverettFFR on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

    Fleet and Family Support Center: The Parent-Facing Half

    Month of the Military Child focuses on kids, but the reality is that military kids do well when the parent at home is supported too. The Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) at NAVSTA Everett carries that weight through programs that serve the whole household: Family Employment Readiness, deployment readiness, new-parent support, counseling, and relocation assistance.

    FFSC is reachable at 425-304-3735. For a spouse arriving in Everett for the first time with two kids in tow and a sailor about to go underway, that phone number is the single most useful thing in this article.

    The Community Side: Navy League, School Districts, and Local Partners

    Naval Station Everett is not an island. The Lake Washington and Everett Council of the Navy League of the United States is one of the most active community partners supporting sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, merchant mariners, and their families across the region. The council’s advocacy and education work touches Month of the Military Child each year through ship sponsorships, school programs, and public events that connect the civilian side of Snohomish County to the Navy families who live here.

    Mukilteo School District, which serves the largest share of NAVSTA Everett’s school-age kids, is a Purple Star-designated district — a Washington State designation that recognizes schools going above and beyond to support military-connected students. Everett Public Schools and Marysville School District also serve significant populations of Navy families.

    What a Navy Kid Actually Deals With

    The statistics behind Month of the Military Child are worth sitting with. A military child’s school day is not the same as a civilian child’s. Deployments, duty-station moves, and the constant background hum of a parent’s underway schedule layer an extra weight on top of the normal stuff kids have to handle — friendships, grades, growing up.

    The upside is that Navy kids — military kids generally — grow up with a kind of resilience and worldliness that is hard to replicate. They know how to walk into a cafeteria full of strangers on day one. They know airports. They know how to make friends fast, because the alternative is to not have friends at all. But that resilience is not free; it is built on top of real loss, and it takes a village of programs, teachers, school liaisons, youth directors, and neighbors to make sure the weight does not become too much.

    Month of the Military Child, at its 40-year mark, is the moment each year when the country is invited to notice.

    How Everett Residents Can Show Up

    For civilian neighbors in Everett and broader Snohomish County who want to do something concrete this April, a few practical options:

    • Wear purple — even after Purple Up Day. Ribbons on mailboxes, purple porch lights, and purple-themed local business promotions are simple visible signals.
    • Support the Lake Washington and Everett Navy League Council — membership and volunteer work directly funds programs for military families.
    • Check in on a Navy family you know — especially one with a sailor currently underway. An offered meal, a ride for the kids, or a Saturday of childcare in April is worth more than a social media post.
    • Thank a teacher who serves military kids. School counselors, classroom teachers, and school liaison personnel carry a lot of this weight invisibly.

    The 40-Year Thread

    When Weinberger designated April as Month of the Military Child in 1986, the Cold War was not yet over, the Navy’s destroyer force looked nothing like it does today, and Naval Station Everett did not yet exist as a commissioned base. Forty years later, the fleet has changed, the missions have changed, and the ships homeported at Everett have rotated through generations of crews.

    What has not changed is the kid waiting at the pier with a hand-lettered sign. Or the teenager who transferred in mid-semester and has not figured out where to sit at lunch yet. Or the six-year-old drawing a picture of a destroyer to mail to a parent who is somewhere they cannot be named. Those are the kids this month belongs to.

    Forty years in, and the work is not finished.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When is Purple Up Day in 2026?

    Purple Up Day for Month of the Military Child in 2026 was Wednesday, April 15. The designated day varies slightly year to year but consistently falls in mid-April.

    What is the School Liaison Office at Naval Station Everett, and how do I contact it?

    The School Liaison Office serves as NAVSTA Everett’s expert on K-12 school issues for military families. It helps with inbound and outbound school transfers, IEP continuity across state lines, and the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by appointment. Follow @EverettFFR on Facebook or Instagram for updates.

    How do I get on the Everett Child Development Center waitlist?

    Families should contact NAVSTA Everett Child and Youth Programs as soon as orders are received. The Child Development Center provides care for children six weeks through five years, and demand exceeds capacity across Navy Region Northwest, so early waitlist placement is important.

    What does the Fleet and Family Support Center do for military families in Everett?

    The FFSC at NAVSTA Everett runs programs covering spouse employment, deployment readiness, new-parent support, counseling, and relocation assistance. Contact: 425-304-3735.

    Why is the color purple used for Month of the Military Child?

    Purple combines the traditional branch colors — Army green, Marine Corps red, Navy and Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, and Space Force grey — into one unified color that represents every service branch. It signals that military children belong to every branch of the armed forces, not just one.

    Which local school districts serve Naval Station Everett families?

    Mukilteo School District serves the largest share of NAVSTA Everett’s school-age children and is designated a Purple Star district by Washington State. Everett Public Schools and Marysville School District also serve significant populations of Navy families in Snohomish County.

    How can civilians in Everett support military children in April?

    Wear purple, support the Lake Washington and Everett Council of the Navy League, check in on neighboring Navy families (especially those with a sailor deployed), and thank teachers and school staff who support military-connected students.

    When was Month of the Military Child established?

    Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger designated April as Month of the Military Child in 1986, making 2026 the 40th anniversary of the observance.