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Category: Exploring Everett

Everett, Washington is in the middle of something big. A $1 billion waterfront transformation. A Boeing workforce that built the world’s largest commercial jets. A port city with a downtown that’s finally catching up to its potential. A Navy presence at Naval Station Everett. A comedy and arts scene punching above its weight. And neighborhoods — Riverside, Silver Lake, Downtown, Bayside — each with their own identity and story.

Exploring Everett is Tygart Media’s hyperlocal coverage vertical for Snohomish County’s largest city. We cover the waterfront redevelopment, Boeing and Paine Field, city hall, the food and arts scene, real estate, neighborhoods, and everything in between — written for people who live here, work here, or are paying attention to what’s coming.

Coverage categories include: Everett News, Waterfront Development, Boeing & Aerospace, Business, Arts & Culture, Food & Drink, Real Estate, Neighborhoods, Government, Schools, Public Safety, Events, and Outdoors.

Exploring Everett content is also published at exploringeverett.com.

  • For Boeing and Paine Field Commuters: What the 2026 Everett Transit Merger With Community Transit Means for Your Drive to Work

    Q: I work at Boeing Everett, at Paine Field, or somewhere along Seaway Boulevard. What changes for my commute if Everett Transit merges into Community Transit?

    A: For aerospace workers commuting to the Boeing Everett factory, Paine Field, or the Seaway Boulevard industrial corridor, the Everett Transit → Community Transit annexation announced on April 22, 2026 matters for three reasons: (1) the Swift Blue Line and Swift Green Line — already the backbone of bus service to Paine Field and the 99 corridor — are operated by Community Transit and get a fully unified local feeder network inside Everett; (2) any route consolidation inside Everett that connects neighborhoods to the Swift lines and to Boeing could see schedule improvements funded by Community Transit’s 1.2% sales tax replacing Everett’s ~0.6%; (3) long-term, a single regional transit operator is the same agency that will connect you to Sound Transit’s future Everett Link light rail stations — including the Paine Field scenario that remains in active planning. For shift workers, the headline is: more consistent service planning across the county, funded by roughly 2x the transit tax revenue inside Everett.

    Why aerospace commuters should care

    The Boeing Everett factory, the IAM 751 Machinists Institute, Paine Field, and the surrounding supplier corridor on Seaway Boulevard and Airport Road employ tens of thousands of people. A significant share live in Everett neighborhoods — Casino Road, Silver Lake, Bayside, View Ridge-Madison, Evergreen — and need to reach the factory for shift changes that happen outside traditional 9-to-5 windows. Transit service to those shift windows has historically been the weakest link in Everett’s bus network. A consolidated Community Transit with more revenue per Everett-resident rider can specifically fund off-peak and early-morning/late-night service improvements that benefit aerospace shift patterns.

    The Swift connection

    Community Transit’s Swift Green Line already serves the Paine Field and aerospace corridor with 10-to-15-minute frequency most of the day. The Swift Blue Line on Evergreen Way and SR 99 connects south Everett and Lynnwood. Both are already Community Transit. What changes after the merger is the local feeder network inside Everett that connects neighborhoods to the Swift lines — the short-hop routes that take you from your apartment on Casino Road to the Blue Line station, or from your house off Airport Road to the Green Line. Those feeders are currently split between the two agencies. After annexation, they become one planning exercise, which should tighten timed transfers.

    What about the drive? Parking? The commute lot at the factory?

    Direct drive commute is unaffected by a transit annexation. If you drive, you still drive. What the merger does do over time: give Community Transit more budget to recruit choice riders — people who could drive but ride because the bus is faster or more reliable — out of the single-occupant-vehicle pool. That is the mechanism by which factory-area congestion on Airport Road and Seaway Boulevard typically improves. It’s slow. But it’s the lever that exists.

    Shift work, early mornings, and nights

    The 737 North Line activation, the 777X production ramp, and the 767/KC-46 transition all put Boeing Everett in a place where three-shift operations are the norm. Early morning and late-night bus service — historically thin on Everett Transit — is exactly the kind of capacity a larger Community Transit funded by a 1.2% sales tax is positioned to add. The interlocal agreement and the first post-merger service change cycle will show whether the agencies actually program that capacity. Watch public hearings in fall 2026 and the Community Transit service change proposals in early 2027.

    The light rail tie-in

    Sound Transit’s Everett Link extension — covered in our 2026 complete guide — remains the biggest long-term variable for Paine Field commuters. The 2026 planning scenarios range from the original 2036 Everett Station timeline to a phased delivery that reaches Paine Field first. Either way, the bus network that connects you to the light rail stations — including potentially a Paine Field station — is designed by Community Transit. A unified Community Transit covering all of Everett simplifies that design.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Will Community Transit add more early-morning buses to Paine Field?

    Possibly. The higher sales tax revenue inside Everett (1.2% vs. ~0.6%) is explicitly earmarked for service expansion per public statements from both agency leaders. Actual schedule decisions happen in the interlocal agreement and the first post-merger service change cycle (expected 2027).

    Does this change Sound Transit Everett Link or commuter bus to Seattle?

    No. Sound Transit is a separate regional agency and its Express buses and future light rail are not part of this annexation.

    What about the Boeing employee bus or carpool program?

    Employer-sponsored commute programs are not operated by Everett Transit or Community Transit and are unaffected by the annexation.

    Swift Green Line and Swift Blue Line — do they change?

    No. Both are already Community Transit and continue as-is. They are, in fact, the backbone the rest of the network will be rebuilt around.

    Will my sales tax go up if I live outside Everett but work in Everett?

    Sales tax is collected based on where the purchase is made, not where you live. If you make purchases inside Everett city limits, you would pay the higher 1.2% transit portion. Purchases outside Everett — in unincorporated Snohomish County, Mukilteo, Lynnwood — are unaffected by this specific annexation.

    Related coverage

    See the complete 2026 Everett Transit merger guide, our aerospace worker guide to the IAM 751 Machinists Institute, and our breakdown of Sound Transit’s Everett Link extension.

    Related Coverage From Tygart Media’s Exploring Everett Series

  • The Everett Transit Merger Into Community Transit: The Complete 2026 Guide to the Annexation, the No-Ballot Pathway, and What It Changes

    Q: What does the Everett Transit merger with Community Transit actually mean, and why is this happening now?

    A: On April 22, 2026, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin and Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz jointly announced the resumption of efforts to annex Everett Transit into Community Transit’s service district. Under a 2025 state law amended in 2026, that annexation no longer requires a public vote — only approval by the Everett City Council and the Community Transit Board of Directors, following a public hearing. The two agencies aim to have an interlocal agreement ready for a final vote by the end of 2026, with service changes phased in over roughly one year afterward. If approved, Community Transit’s 1.2% transit sales tax would replace Everett’s current ~0.6% rate inside city limits, roughly doubling dedicated transit revenue. The stated motivation is light rail readiness: Sound Transit’s Everett Link extension is moving toward Everett Station and Paine Field in the next decade, and a single regional operator simplifies the bus network that feeds it.

    Why the Everett Transit merger matters more than a typical agency reorg

    This is the biggest structural change to transit in Everett since Everett Transit became its own municipal system. Cassie Franklin and Ric Ilgenfritz didn’t pick April 22 by accident — they picked it because the political plumbing is finally in place. In 2025, the Washington State Legislature passed a law allowing Public Transportation Benefit Areas (like Community Transit) to annex city-operated transit agencies through an interlocal agreement rather than a voter referendum. That law was amended in 2026 to clarify the process. The first city in the state that can use it at scale is Everett, and the agencies want to be first.

    The timeline in plain English

    Summer 2026: Everett Transit and Community Transit draft the interlocal agreement, work through labor and asset transfer provisions, and hold public hearings. Fall 2026: The Everett City Council and the Community Transit Board of Directors take up the agreement for a final vote, expected before the end of the calendar year. 2027: If approved, Everett Transit becomes a service division inside Community Transit, with a phase-in period of approximately one year. The 1.2% Community Transit sales tax rate replaces Everett’s current ~0.6% Everett Transit rate inside the city. Bus routes, fare structure, driver hiring, and facilities consolidate under one roof.

    What actually changes for riders

    Community Transit runs the Swift bus rapid transit lines, every Snohomish County commuter bus into Seattle and Lynnwood, and a larger fleet with a broader route network than Everett Transit. For riders who already use both agencies to stitch a trip together, this is mostly good news: one fare, one app, one schedule, one customer service line. For riders who stay inside Everett’s boundaries, routes may consolidate and evolve — and that is the piece the public hearing phase is meant to surface. Advocates at Keep Everett Transit have voiced concern that a larger agency might deprioritize intra-Everett service. Franklin and Ilgenfritz have both publicly said expanded service, not cuts, is the goal — driven by the higher sales tax rate unlocking roughly 2x the dedicated transit revenue.

    Why no ballot measure this time

    The last serious merger conversation — around 2020 — stalled because the path forward appeared to require a public vote, and no one wanted to run that election during COVID. The 2025 law removes that barrier. Whether that is good governance is a live debate. HeraldNet’s editorial page carried a reader letter on April 23 arguing the merger should go to a ballot anyway. Proponents counter that transit annexations are technical government-to-government agreements, not policy referendums, and that the public hearing requirement plus the council vote provide sufficient democratic accountability.

    The light rail context you can’t ignore

    Sound Transit’s Everett Link extension is the subtext of every transit decision in this city right now. ST3 promised light rail to Everett Station by 2036; 2026 planning scenarios range from that original timeline to phased delivery reaching Paine Field first. Whichever scenario lands, the bus network that feeds light rail needs to be designed as one system, not two. A unified Community Transit handling Everett, Lynnwood, Mukilteo, and the Swift corridors is operationally simpler than coordinating across two agencies. That operational case — more than the sales tax math — is what moved this off the shelf in 2026.

    What to watch next

    Interlocal agreement draft (expected July–August 2026). Public hearings at Everett City Hall and Community Transit board meetings (expected September–October). Final Everett City Council vote and Community Transit Board vote (expected November–December 2026). If approved, look for a joint transition office to stand up in early 2027 and the first route changes to publish in Community Transit’s standard service change window.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Will my Everett Transit pass still work after the merger?

    Yes. During the transition period (approximately one year after the agreements are signed), both agencies have publicly committed to honoring existing fare media while transitioning riders to a unified Community Transit fare structure. Specific fare policy will be finalized in the interlocal agreement.

    Will I pay more in sales tax if the merger goes through?

    Yes, inside Everett city limits. Community Transit collects 1.2% of taxable sales for transit; Everett Transit currently collects approximately 0.6%. The difference — about 0.6 percentage points — would apply to most purchases made in Everett after the transition.

    Why isn’t this going to a public vote?

    A 2025 state law (amended in 2026) allows Public Transportation Benefit Areas like Community Transit to annex municipal transit agencies via an interlocal agreement approved by both governing boards after a public hearing. No ballot measure is required under that statute.

    What happens to Everett Transit drivers and staff?

    The interlocal agreement will include labor and asset transfer provisions. Ric Ilgenfritz has publicly indicated the intent is to absorb Everett Transit’s workforce into Community Transit. Specific terms, union contract alignment, and seniority questions are the kind of detail the summer drafting phase is designed to resolve.

    Does this affect Swift bus rapid transit or Sound Transit service?

    Swift is operated by Community Transit and is unaffected operationally. Sound Transit Express buses and future Everett Link light rail are operated by Sound Transit, a separate regional agency, and are also unaffected by this specific annexation.

    How does this connect to Sound Transit’s Everett Link light rail?

    A unified bus network is easier to design as a light rail feeder than two coordinated agencies. When Everett Link opens (timelines vary by scenario but target the 2030s), buses inside Everett will need to connect riders to stations at Everett Station, Mariner, Lynnwood, and potentially Paine Field — all within Community Transit’s existing service pattern.

    Can the Everett City Council still vote this down?

    Yes. The interlocal agreement requires affirmative votes from both the Everett City Council and the Community Transit Board of Directors. Either body can reject the agreement, send it back for amendment, or decline to schedule a vote.

    Related coverage

    See our source brief on the April 22 Everett Transit merger announcement, our guide to Everett’s 2027 budget decisions, and our breakdown of Sound Transit’s Everett Link extension.

    Related Coverage From Tygart Media’s Exploring Everett Series

  • Snohomish County’s Charter Review Is on November’s Ballot Too — Here’s What Commissioners Are Weighing

    What is the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission, and what’s on the table this year?
    The commission is an elected, once-a-decade body of 15 commissioners who review the county’s constitution and can recommend changes to the November ballot. This cycle, they are weighing making the County Executive and County Council seats nonpartisan, and whether to write a budget-funding mandate for core county offices — like the sheriff, prosecutor, and assessor — directly into the charter. The commission held a public meeting on the Snohomish County campus in Everett on April 22 and plans to finalize proposals by the end of May.

    Everett voters will see at least two charter reviews on their November 2026 ballot.

    One belongs to the City of Everett, run by a volunteer committee appointed by the mayor and city council. The other belongs to Snohomish County — a separate body with separate commissioners and separate proposals, all of them touching how the county government itself is elected and funded. Because every Everett resident is also a Snohomish County resident, both sets of questions will land in the same ballot envelope in November.

    The county’s Charter Review Commission held a public meeting on April 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the Jackson Board Room on the 8th floor of the Snohomish County Campus at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue in Everett. It is one of a series of spring meetings the commission has scheduled in Lake Stevens, Everett, Arlington, and Mountlake Terrace to take feedback on its draft proposals before finalizing recommendations.

    How the county review is different from Everett’s

    The biggest structural difference is how commissioners arrive on the body. Everett’s Charter Review Committee is appointed by the mayor and city council from a volunteer applicant pool. Snohomish County’s Charter Review Commission is elected. County voters picked commissioners on the November 2025 ballot, in a once-in-a-decade race that rarely draws the attention of bigger contests but directly determines who writes the proposals residents will vote on a year later.

    The commission has 15 seats, with members drawn from across the five county council districts. Their only job is this review. When the cycle ends, the commission dissolves. The next one convenes around 2035.

    As with Everett’s committee, the commission cannot change the charter by itself. It can only recommend changes. The proposals it adopts go to the Snohomish County Council for additional public hearings, and then to the county auditor to be placed on the November general election ballot. Voters have the final say.

    Proposal one: make county elections nonpartisan

    The most attention-grabbing proposal on the table would remove party labels from Snohomish County’s top elected offices. Under the draft, the County Executive, each County Council position, and the County Prosecutor would appear on the ballot without a Republican or Democratic designation.

    The commission voted 11-4 in a March working session to keep the nonpartisan concept alive — enough support to carry the idea into the April public hearings but not a final recommendation. The commissioners who voted to keep it moving argued that county-level administration is largely about services — roads, public safety, courts, elections — that do not break down along partisan lines the way state or federal policy does. Commissioners who voted against it argued that party labels give voters useful information about a candidate’s general priorities, especially in down-ballot races where most voters know little about the individual candidates.

    If the commission’s final recommendation goes forward and voters approve it, Snohomish County would join a handful of other Washington counties and most Washington cities in electing local officials without party labels. The change would not affect state legislators, federal officeholders, or statewide races — just the county offices named in the charter.

    Proposal two: a budget mandate for core county offices

    A second proposal, raised by County Treasurer Brian Sullivan, would write a funding priority directly into the county charter. Under Sullivan’s request, elected leaders would be required to fully fund a set of core county services first in the county budget — before discretionary spending gets allocated.

    The core offices under the proposal are the county Assessor, Sheriff, Prosecuting Attorney, Treasurer, County Clerk, and Superior Court. “Fully funded” in this sense means each department is funded enough to perform its duties required by law.

    Supporters frame the proposal as a fiscal guardrail. If the general fund tightens in a future downturn, the argument goes, a charter-level mandate would protect basic functions like criminal prosecution, property assessment, and court operations from being cut first. Critics raise the opposite concern: locking funding priorities into the charter limits what a future County Council can do when budgets get tight, and could force cuts to services not on the protected list — public health programs, parks, planning — that residents also rely on.

    The commission has been evaluating the proposal through April and has not yet voted on a final version.

    Why Everett residents should pay attention

    Snohomish County’s government sits on Rockefeller Avenue in downtown Everett. When the County Council votes, it votes a few blocks from Everett City Hall, in the same building where the Charter Review Commission meets. Decisions about how the county is governed land directly on Everett residents because Everett is the county seat and its largest city — roughly 115,000 of the county’s 850,000 residents live here.

    The nonpartisan ballot question in particular would change something Everett voters see every November: whether the names next to county executive or county council come with a (D) or (R) attached. For Everett voters used to looking at those labels before deciding, the change would be visible immediately.

    The budget mandate is less visible but more consequential. Snohomish County runs programs Everett residents use regularly, from the Sheriff’s Office that supports some unincorporated areas around the city, to the Superior Court where serious criminal cases are heard, to the Assessor whose valuations drive every Everett property tax bill. Changing how the county has to budget those offices would change how every other county service competes for the remaining dollars.

    How residents can weigh in

    The commission’s meetings are open to the public and posted on the Charter Review Commission page at snohomishcountywa.gov/3520/Charter-Review-Commission. The April meetings across the county are part of the commission’s final listening period before it moves to adopt recommendations.

    The commission has said it expects to take action on all proposals by the end of May. That timeline would send final recommendations to the Snohomish County Council for additional public hearings through early summer, then to the county auditor’s office for ballot preparation. Voters would see the questions on their November 3, 2026 general election ballot.

    As with Everett’s city charter review, residents who want a say need to engage now. Once the ballot text is set by the auditor’s office in late summer, the proposals become up-or-down votes — no amendments, no changes to language, just yes or no on each question.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who is on the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission?

    The commission has 15 elected commissioners representing the county’s five council districts. Voters elected them on the November 2025 ballot. The commission convenes for one review cycle and dissolves afterward.

    How is this different from Everett’s own Charter Review Committee?

    Everett’s committee reviews the Everett city charter and is appointed by the mayor and city council. The Snohomish County commission reviews the county charter and is elected by county voters. Both bodies can send amendments to the November 2026 ballot, but they operate separately and deal with different documents.

    What does “nonpartisan” mean on a ballot?

    It means no party affiliation appears next to the candidate’s name on the ballot. Candidates still hold personal political views and can be endorsed by parties, but the ballot itself does not identify them as Republican, Democrat, or any other party.

    Which county offices would be affected if the nonpartisan proposal passes?

    Under the draft version, the County Executive, each County Council position, and the County Prosecutor would become nonpartisan. Other offices, including the sheriff and assessor, are already nonpartisan under current state law or would remain unchanged.

    What is the Treasurer’s budget mandate proposal?

    The proposal, raised by County Treasurer Brian Sullivan, would require the county to fully fund six specified offices — Assessor, Sheriff, Prosecuting Attorney, Treasurer, County Clerk, and Superior Court — before allocating money to other programs in the budget. “Fully funded” means enough to meet each office’s legally required duties.

    When will the final ballot language be set?

    The commission plans to adopt recommendations by the end of May 2026. After that, the County Council holds its own public hearings, and the county auditor receives the ballot text in the late summer. Questions appear on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.

    How do residents submit input to the commission?

    The commission accepts testimony at its public meetings and also accepts written comments. The Charter Review Commission page at snohomishcountywa.gov/3520/Charter-Review-Commission has the meeting schedule, contact information, and instructions for submitting comments electronically.

    Deeper Coverage in the Exploring Everett Series

    For a more comprehensive treatment of the issues raised in this article, see:

  • Everett’s Charter Review Is Underway — Here’s How Residents Shape What Goes on the November Ballot

    What is Everett’s charter review, and why does it matter?
    Everett’s charter is the city’s constitution — the document that lays out how the mayor, council, and city departments work. Every decade, a 15-person volunteer committee reviews it and can send changes to the November ballot, where voters have the final say. The 2026 Charter Review Committee held its most recent public hearing on April 18 and is gathering resident input now. Any amendments Everett voters approve in November 2026 would reshape the city’s governance for the next ten years.

    Most Everett residents have never read the city’s charter. That is not unusual — most cities’ charters sit in municipal code and rarely come up in everyday conversation. But the charter is the document that decides who can be mayor, how many council members there are, whether they run by district or at-large, when residents vote on levies, and how the city manages its own finances.

    And every ten years, Everett gives voters a chance to change it.

    That process is happening right now. The 2026 Charter Review Committee — 15 volunteer residents appointed by the mayor and city council — has been meeting since earlier this year to review the charter, take public testimony, and draft recommended changes. The committee held a public hearing on April 18 at Walter E. Hall Park. Any amendments the committee recommends will need a council vote to reach the ballot, and then a majority of Everett voters to take effect.

    What the charter actually controls

    The charter is not the same as the municipal code. The municipal code is the big book of day-to-day rules — zoning, parking, noise ordinances. The charter is smaller and more structural. It answers questions like:

    • Is Everett a strong-mayor city or a council-manager city?
    • How many council members sit on the council?
    • Do they represent districts, the whole city, or both?
    • What are the term lengths for mayor and council?
    • How does the city handle its own initiative and referendum process?
    • What boards and commissions must exist?

    The last time Everett reviewed its charter was 2016. The biggest structural change residents have seen since then came from a separate voter decision in November 2018, when Everett switched from an all-at-large council to a mix of five district seats plus two at-large seats. That change did not come from a charter review — it came from an earlier ballot measure — but it is exactly the kind of question a charter review would take up.

    How the 2026 committee was put together

    Applications to serve on the committee closed in December 2025. In January 2026, the mayor and city council together designated 14 members. A 15th seat is chosen by the committee itself after it first convenes. Members are unpaid volunteers who commit to months of meetings.

    The committee works through two phases. First, members review each section of the current charter and flag potential changes. Second, they take public input, draft final recommendations, and vote on each one. An amendment only moves forward if a majority of committee members vote for it. The recommendation then goes to the Everett City Council, which can either send it to the ballot or decline.

    Only voters approve the final change. The council cannot amend the charter on its own.

    What the April 18 public hearing was for

    The hearing at Walter E. Hall Park on April 18 ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Olympic View Room. The format was a standard public comment hearing: residents sign up, the committee listens, comments become part of the official record. The committee had already scheduled an earlier hearing in late March at the Evergreen Branch of the Everett Public Library, 9512 Evergreen Way, to make sure residents in both halves of the city had a chance to speak.

    Public hearings are the most visible part of the process, but they are not the only way to submit input. The committee has also accepted written comments electronically. The city posts committee meeting agendas and minutes on the Agenda Center at everettwa.gov/AgendaCenter, and the Charter Review Committee has its own landing page at everettwa.gov/630/Charter-Review-Committee.

    What happens between now and November

    The timeline is tight. For amendments to reach the November 3, 2026 general election ballot, the committee has to finish its work, the council has to schedule and hold its own public hearings, and the county auditor’s office has to receive the ballot text on time. That typically means the committee’s final recommendations need to land with council by midsummer, with council action by August or early September.

    Residents who missed the April 18 hearing still have time to weigh in. Committee meetings continue to be open to the public, and the city accepts written comments through the Charter Review Committee page. Once the committee finalizes recommendations, the council’s hearings will be separate opportunities for public testimony — another round of chances for residents to speak before the ballot is set.

    Why Everett residents should pay attention

    Charter amendments are the rare civic decision that the city council cannot make alone. Most ordinances — last month’s fair labor rules, the utility tax debate, the 2026 budget — move through council votes without ever reaching voters directly. The charter is different. Residents decide.

    That means what shows up on the November ballot is shaped by who bothers to testify right now. If a resident wants the mayor’s term shortened, the council expanded, initiative signature thresholds lowered, or a new board created to oversee a specific city function, the Charter Review Committee is the body that can put that on the ballot. If no one raises it during this window, it does not make the 2026 ballot — and the next chance is 2036.

    For a city the size of Everett — population roughly 115,000 and still growing — a decade is a long time to wait. The city that votes on this charter in November will be a different city by 2036. Boeing’s 737 North Line will be at full production. Sound Transit’s Link light rail is projected to reach Paine Field around 2037. The Millwright District and the downtown stadium will be built out. The charter that residents send forward this year will govern how Everett’s institutions respond to all of it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When was Everett’s charter last reviewed?

    The last Charter Review Committee met in 2016. Everett typically reviews its charter about once every ten years.

    Who is on the 2026 Charter Review Committee?

    The committee has 15 members. The mayor and city council designated 14 of them in January 2026 from an applicant pool. The 15th seat was chosen by the committee itself at its first meeting. Members are unpaid volunteers serving a one-time term tied to this review cycle.

    Do voters get the final say on charter changes?

    Yes. The committee recommends changes. The council can put those changes on the ballot. Only Everett voters can actually amend the charter, by majority vote in the November 2026 general election.

    How can residents submit input now?

    The committee accepts public testimony at its scheduled hearings and also accepts written comments. The Charter Review Committee page at everettwa.gov/630/Charter-Review-Committee has the most current contact information, meeting schedule, and links to submit comments electronically.

    Is Everett’s charter review the same as Snohomish County’s?

    No. Snohomish County has its own Charter Review Commission with its own elected commissioners, reviewing the county charter. That body is separate from Everett’s city committee and considers different proposals — including, this cycle, whether county executive and council seats should be nonpartisan. Everett voters will see both sets of questions on the November ballot if both bodies send recommendations forward.

    When is the next chance to amend the charter after 2026?

    Not until the next decennial review, which would be expected around 2036. Individual council members can theoretically propose charter amendments outside of a review cycle, but the organized, public, committee-driven review only happens about once a decade.

    Deeper Coverage in the Exploring Everett Series

    For a more comprehensive treatment of the issues raised in this article, see:

  • Everett Community College: The Local’s Guide to EvCC in 2026

    Q: Where is Everett Community College?
    A: Everett Community College’s main campus is at 2000 Tower Street in Everett, Washington, on a 46-acre site in the Northwest Everett neighborhood near Legion Memorial Golf Course. EvCC serves more than 19,000 students a year across Snohomish County and offers degrees and certificates in 39 fields, including nursing, advanced manufacturing, and university transfer programs.

    Everett Community College: The Snohomish County Campus That Actually Punches Above Its Weight

    If you grew up in Everett, you probably have a cousin, a coworker, or a neighbor who went to EvCC. That’s not an accident. Everett Community College has been part of the city’s educational backbone since 1941 — back when it was Everett Junior College and opened that September with 128 students in a converted elementary school.

    Today it sits on 46 acres at 2000 Tower Street in Northwest Everett, just up the hill from Legion Memorial Park and a short walk from Grand Avenue Park. The college serves more than 19,000 students every year across multiple sites throughout Snohomish County, with most students and faculty based at the Tower Street main campus.

    For families choosing a path after high school, workers retraining for new careers, and adults finishing a degree they started years ago, EvCC is often the most cost-effective, geographically convenient, and academically flexible option in the region. This is the local’s guide to what’s actually going on there.

    A Short History — How EvCC Became EvCC

    The school opened as Everett Junior College in September 1941, with 128 students in a repurposed elementary school building. That’s the founding story every long-time Everett resident has heard a version of.

    The main campus moved to its current Tower Street location in 1958 — the site everyone thinks of today when they picture “EvCC.” In 1967, the name officially changed to Everett Community College to conform with the Washington State Community College Act that restructured the state’s two-year system.

    Since then the school has grown steadily. The student age range today is wide — from 12-year-olds in Running Start and early enrollment programs to adults in their 80s, with the biggest single block of students falling between 18 and 21.

    What EvCC Actually Offers

    EvCC is a comprehensive community college. That means degrees, certificates, basic education, workforce training, high school completion, and ESL all under one roof.

    Students can earn degrees and certificates in 39 different fields. The college offers associate’s degrees in Arts and Sciences, Science, Business, Applied Science, Technical Arts, Fine Arts, and General Studies, with certificates of completion in more than 30 technical and career fields. There are English as a Second Language programs, high school completion pathways, and General Education Development (GED) preparation.

    The biggest programs by enrollment are Liberal Arts and Sciences / Liberal Studies, Registered Nursing, and Business. But the niche programs are often what draw students from outside Snohomish County — photography, welding, composites, and fire science are all strong.

    The Nursing Program and the BSN Path

    Nursing is one of the programs EvCC is best known for regionally, and for good reason. The college offers multiple pathways for students who want to become registered nurses.

    The Associate in Applied Science – Transfer (AAS-T) degree in Nursing — often called the ADN — is a six-quarter nursing program that prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Seats are competitive, and the program only admits a limited cohort each cycle.

    For students who want a bachelor’s degree before taking NCLEX, EvCC offers a Pre-Nursing Transfer degree that provides the prerequisite coursework for transferring to a four-year BSN program elsewhere. There’s also a First Year Entry partnership with University of Washington Bothell for students who want a direct-admit path from the start.

    The Nursing program sits in Liberty Hall on campus, alongside EvCC’s medical assisting, phlebotomy, and other health sciences training, plus criminal justice, fire science, and EMT programs.

    AMTEC: Everett’s Advanced Manufacturing Workforce, Built on Tower Street

    If you live in Everett and you hear someone talking about “the AMTEC building,” they mean this: the Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Center, which opened in 2014 as the first EvCC building on the east side of Broadway.

    AMTEC expanded in 2015, adding 17,000 square feet to bring the center to 54,000 square feet total. It educates students in six programs — mechatronics, precision machining, welding and fabrication, engineering technician, composites, and pre-employment. The teaching model is interdisciplinary: students build unmanned aerial vehicles, rockets, robots, and paddle boards as they learn the manufacturing process end to end.

    That pipeline feeds directly into Snohomish County’s aerospace and advanced-manufacturing employers — which is exactly why Boeing, the IAM 751 Machinists Institute across the street, and dozens of regional aerospace suppliers pay attention to AMTEC.

    Gray Wolf Hall and the Campus Today

    EvCC’s Gray Wolf Hall opened in 2009 as a 77,000-square-foot building housing the humanities, social sciences, and communications programs. It’s one of the more distinctive buildings on the Tower Street campus and anchors the academic core.

    Other notable campus buildings include:

    • Liberty Hall — nursing, medical assisting, phlebotomy, criminal justice, fire science, and EMT programs
    • AMTEC — the six advanced manufacturing programs listed above
    • The Library / Learning Resource Center — with tutoring and academic support services
    • The Corporate & Continuing Education Center — non-credit professional training

    The campus is walkable end-to-end in about 10 minutes.

    Trojan Athletics

    EvCC’s mascot, the Trojan, was selected by students in 1941 — the year the college opened. Today the athletics department fields 11 athletic teams: baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, cross country, track and field, and volleyball.

    Trojan sports are NWAC (Northwest Athletic Conference) affiliated, and games are affordable, local, and genuinely competitive. If you’re looking for a community college sports experience without driving to Seattle or Bellingham, EvCC is it.

    The University Center of North Puget Sound

    Here’s the part a lot of Everett residents don’t know about: you can earn a bachelor’s or even a graduate degree without leaving the EvCC campus, through the University Center of North Puget Sound.

    The University Center brings multiple four-year and graduate institutions to the EvCC campus. The major disciplines available include Nursing, Business, Education, Environmental Science, Engineering, Social Science, and Human and Counseling Services.

    Here’s the striking stat: nearly 45% of University Center students had earned credits or a degree from Everett Community College before enrolling with a partner university. That’s how the pipeline is meant to work, and locally, it’s how it actually works.

    Why EvCC Matters for Everett

    You don’t have to be a student for EvCC to shape your life in Everett. The nursing program feeds Providence Regional Medical Center Everett and every other regional hospital. AMTEC feeds Boeing, the aerospace supply chain, and the fabrication shops that serve the Port of Everett’s marine economy. The University Center feeds teaching jobs at Everett Public Schools and engineering roles throughout the county.

    A meaningful share of the city’s licensed professionals, small business owners, and public employees either started at EvCC or completed something there on the way to where they are now. That’s what a working community college is supposed to do, and EvCC, 85 years in, still does it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where is Everett Community College?
    The main campus is at 2000 Tower Street, Everett, WA, on 46 acres near Legion Memorial Golf Course in the Northwest Everett neighborhood.

    When was EvCC founded?
    The college opened as Everett Junior College in September 1941 with 128 students. The main campus moved to Tower Street in 1958, and the name changed to Everett Community College in 1967.

    How many students go to EvCC?
    EvCC serves more than 19,000 students each year across locations throughout Snohomish County, with the largest concentration at the Tower Street main campus.

    What programs is EvCC best known for?
    Nursing, advanced manufacturing (AMTEC), business, photography, fire science, and university transfer programs. The college offers degrees and certificates in 39 fields.

    Can I get a bachelor’s degree at EvCC?
    Through the University Center of North Puget Sound, you can earn bachelor’s and graduate degrees on the EvCC campus through partner universities. Major disciplines include Nursing, Business, Education, Environmental Science, Engineering, Social Science, and Human and Counseling Services.

    What is AMTEC at EvCC?
    The Advanced Manufacturing Training & Education Center, which opened in 2014 and expanded in 2015 to 54,000 square feet. It runs six programs: mechatronics, precision machining, welding and fabrication, engineering technician, composites, and pre-employment.

    What is EvCC’s mascot?
    The Trojan, selected by students in 1941. The athletic department fields 11 teams across baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, cross country, track and field, and volleyball.

    Does EvCC offer nursing?
    Yes. Options include the six-quarter Associate in Applied Science – Transfer (ADN), a Pre-Nursing Transfer degree for students aiming at a BSN elsewhere, and a First Year Entry partnership with University of Washington Bothell.

    Deeper Coverage in the Exploring Everett Series

    For a more comprehensive treatment of the issues raised in this article, see:

  • Living in Northwest Everett: Inside the Historic Heart Above Port Gardner

    Q: Where is the Northwest Everett neighborhood?
    A: Northwest Everett is the neighborhood north of 19th Street and west of Broadway Avenue, wrapping the bluff above Port Gardner. It holds most of Everett’s oldest standing homes, Grand Avenue Park, American Legion Memorial Park, and the Everett Community College campus.

    Living in Northwest Everett: The Historic Heart Above Port Gardner

    Northwest Everett is the part of the city where you can stand on a sidewalk built before World War I, look out at Port Gardner Bay, and count four different architectural eras on a single block. It is Everett’s historic core — the neighborhood where the city’s founders built their mansions, where their mill workers built their bungalows, and where, more than a century later, people still live in both.

    The official boundaries are simple: north of 19th Street, west of Broadway Avenue. Everything from that line out to the bluff above the waterfront is Northwest Everett, sweeping up through the Rucker Hill Historic District, past Grand Avenue Park, across the Everett Community College campus, and all the way to the city’s northern edge near the Snohomish River.

    If you have been reading this desk’s Riverside, Delta, and Boulevard Bluffs guides, you already know how much each Everett neighborhood changes in a few blocks. Northwest Everett does it faster than any of them.

    How Northwest Everett Got Built — In Three Booms

    According to Historic Everett’s walking-tour materials, the homes on the bluff were built across three distinct waves.

    The first was the Rockefeller Boom of 1891–1899, when John D. Rockefeller’s money and a cohort of New York investors — Charles Colby and Colgate Hoyt among them — poured capital into the new mill town. Their names still live on the street grid: Rockefeller Avenue, Colby Avenue, Hoyt Avenue, Oakes Avenue. The first generation of mansions went up during this period, and many of them still stand.

    The second wave was the Hill Revival period, 1900–1915, after Great Northern Railway baron James J. Hill took over from Rockefeller as the city’s chief financier. This is when Rucker Hill filled in — with American Foursquare homes, California Bungalows, and the occasional Tudoresque showpiece. The Clough Mansion at 1010 Hoyt Avenue was finished in 1922, at the tail end of this era.

    The third wave was the twenties boom, 1916–1929, which added craftsman bungalows, early apartment blocks, and civic buildings like the old Everett General Hospital at 13th and Colby, built in 1924. Then the Depression hit, and Northwest Everett stopped growing for a generation.

    That’s why the neighborhood feels the way it does. The bones were already set by 1930.

    Rucker Hill, the Hartley Mansion, and the National Register

    Rucker Hill is the crown of Northwest Everett. It’s named for the Rucker brothers — founding investors in early Everett who, along with J.J. Hill, bought out Rockefeller’s interests and started the Everett Improvement Company.

    The Roland Hartley Mansion at 2320 Rucker Avenue is the district’s anchor. Built between 1910 and 1911, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 in recognition of both its architectural significance and its connection to Roland Hill Hartley — lumber baron, Everett mayor (1910–1911), state legislator, and two-term governor of Washington (1925–1933).

    Historic Everett runs occasional walking tours of Rucker Hill led by historian Jack O’Donnell. If you want the stories behind the houses without knocking on anyone’s door, that tour is the right answer. (Please do not knock on anyone’s door. These are private homes.)

    The Streets You Actually Walk

    The easiest way to understand Northwest Everett is to walk the north-south streets in order from east to west.

    Broadway Avenue is the eastern boundary and also the commercial spine — EvCC students, commuters, and a steady flow of north Everett traffic. Wetmore, Rockefeller, and Oakes are the blocks where the old civic buildings live, including the original Washington School built in 1908, designed by architect James Stephen and constructed by George MacKenzie for $55,000. It sits in the block bounded by Rockefeller, Oakes, 17th, and 18th Streets.

    Colby Avenue is the one most people know, because Colby runs straight through the historic medical core — the old Everett General Hospital at 13th and Colby, the Dr. Frank Paddock house at 1228 Colby (1908) now anchoring the small Drew Nielson Neighborhood Park, and the Butterworth House at 1305 10th Street (1920) a block off. Colby is also how you get to Grand Avenue Park.

    Hoyt Avenue is where the Clough Mansion sits at 1010, alongside the Charles Bell House at 1316 Hoyt, built around 1903.

    Rucker Avenue is the western spine and takes you past the Hartley Mansion up to American Legion Memorial Park and Golf Course at 2nd and Alverson — the northern tip of the peninsula.

    Grand Avenue runs along the western bluff. Grand Avenue Park is the view everyone ends up photographing first, because it looks out at Port Gardner, Jetty Island, Hat Island, and on a clear day the Olympics.

    Everett Community College Anchors the Campus End

    The north end of Northwest Everett is dominated by Everett Community College’s main campus at 2000 Tower Street, which sits on 46 acres near the Legion Memorial Golf Course. EvCC moved to this site in 1958, and the college is one of the largest daily drivers of foot traffic in the neighborhood — nursing students, welding students, running-start high-schoolers, and University Center of North Puget Sound transfer students all coming and going.

    We’re publishing a separate full EvCC guide tonight, so this is just the quick version: if you live in Northwest Everett, campus is a short walk, and the AMTEC building on Tower Street next to the main campus is where Everett’s advanced-manufacturing workforce gets built.

    Parks, Trees, and the Quiet That Comes With Them

    Northwest Everett has three of the city’s most important parks within its boundaries:

    • Grand Avenue Park, the bluff viewpoint above Port Gardner — sunset central.
    • American Legion Memorial Park and Golf Course, a 40-acre park with a public 9-hole course at 2nd and Alverson, on the peninsula’s northern tip.
    • Drew Nielson Neighborhood Park at 1228 Colby, small but meaningful because it’s threaded through a historic block.

    The tree canopy here is real. If you drive in from the flat parts of Everett, you notice the shade first — mature maples, elms, and oaks planted a century ago that finally grew into the streets they were meant to.

    Who Lives Here Now

    Northwest Everett today is a mix. There are long-time owners who inherited or bought into these homes decades ago and quietly kept them going. There are renters filling the carriage houses and the early-20th-century apartment walk-ups that were built in the twenties boom. There are EvCC students two blocks from class. And there are newer buyers — typically people who wanted something older than what Silver Lake or View Ridge-Madison offered and were willing to take on the maintenance.

    The musician Carol Kaye, one of the most recorded bass players in music history (born 1935), has Northwest Everett ties through the early part of her family’s story — a small detail but one of several reminders that this neighborhood’s history isn’t only about lumber barons.

    What’s Changing

    Not much, intentionally. Northwest Everett’s historic fabric is protected enough that the shape of the neighborhood in 2026 is recognizably the shape of the neighborhood in 1926. Most recent change is about restoration — owners putting money back into century-old homes — and a slow uptick in accessory dwelling unit conversions on the larger lots.

    The biggest external change is on the edges. Broadway is busier than it used to be with EvCC growth, and the waterfront south of the neighborhood is in the middle of the Millwright District phase 2 expansion, which will pull more foot traffic up the bluff over time.

    Why You’d Want to Live Here

    If you want a craftsman with a porch, walking access to three parks, proximity to a community college, downtown five minutes south, and the waterfront ten minutes down the hill, Northwest Everett is the answer. Inventory is tight — historic homes don’t turn over often — and prices track higher than the city median because of the character premium. But for the right buyer, nothing else in Everett is really comparable.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the boundaries of Northwest Everett?
    North of 19th Street and west of Broadway Avenue, running north to the Snohomish River and west to the bluff above Port Gardner Bay.

    Is Northwest Everett the same as the Rucker Hill Historic District?
    No. Rucker Hill is a historic district within Northwest Everett, centered on Rucker Avenue and its surrounding blocks. The Northwest Everett neighborhood is larger and includes Rucker Hill plus Grand Avenue, the EvCC campus, American Legion Memorial Park, and several other sub-areas.

    Can I tour the historic homes?
    Historic Everett (historiceverett.org) periodically runs guided walking tours of Rucker Hill and other parts of the neighborhood. The homes themselves are private residences, so please stick to the public sidewalk.

    Is Everett Community College in Northwest Everett?
    Yes. EvCC’s main campus at 2000 Tower Street is inside the neighborhood, along with the AMTEC advanced-manufacturing building that opened in 2014 and expanded in 2015.

    What’s the best park view in Northwest Everett?
    Grand Avenue Park for sunsets over Port Gardner Bay. American Legion Memorial Park for more open space and a public 9-hole golf course.

    How old are the homes in Northwest Everett?
    Most were built between 1891 and 1929 across three distinct booms — Rockefeller, Hill Revival, and the twenties. A few later homes exist in the neighborhood, but the historic housing stock defines it.

    Is the Hartley Mansion on the National Register?
    Yes. The Roland Hartley Mansion at 2320 Rucker Avenue was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

    Deeper Coverage in the Exploring Everett Series

    For a more comprehensive treatment of the issues raised in this article, see:

  • Schack Art Center Opens Its Biggest Art Week of the Spring on May 28 — Contemporary Northwest Artists Exhibition and Summer Auction Drop the Same Day

    May 28 is the day Schack Art Center stops being a casual drop-in and becomes the best weeknight art plan in Snohomish County. Two of the biggest things the gallery does all year — the Contemporary Northwest Artists Exhibition and the Summer Auction — open on the exact same Thursday. One runs through August 22. The other runs for eleven days. If you’ve been meaning to spend more time inside 2921 Hoyt Avenue, this is the week it earns your calendar.

    Here’s what’s going on, why it matters, and why downtown Everett’s best free art experience just got a lot more interesting.

    Quick answer: Schack Art Center’s Contemporary Northwest Artists Exhibition opens Thursday, May 28, 2026, and runs through August 22. The Summer Auction — a benefit supporting Schack’s free exhibitions and arts education programs — also opens May 28 and runs through June 7. Both are at Schack Art Center, 2921 Hoyt Avenue in downtown Everett. Gallery hours are Tuesday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM and Sunday 12 PM–5 PM, and admission to the gallery is always free.

    Contemporary Northwest Artists: A Regional Snapshot That Actually Feels Current

    Schack is calling the headline show Contemporary Northwest Artists, and the framing is direct. In the gallery’s own words, the exhibition “showcases contemporary work by Northwest artists across all mediums” and “brings together artists working today to offer a wide-ranging view of current creative practices in the region, highlighting the voices, ideas, and approaches shaping the Northwest art scene now.”

    Translate that out of gallery speak: this isn’t a retrospective. It isn’t an invitational of the same five names you already know. It’s a living, present-tense look at what people in the Pacific Northwest are actually making right now — painting, sculpture, glass, fiber, ceramics, mixed media, the whole range of mediums Schack normally cycles through.

    That matters for two reasons.

    First, the Northwest has a genuinely distinct art identity, and the case can be made that Everett sits closer to the center of it than most people assume. The Schack building has quietly grown into, in its own words, “the premier visual arts destination between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.” When a venue at that level programs a broad Northwest-artists show, it becomes a reference point for what the region thinks of itself this year.

    Second, this show sets the tone for the whole summer at Schack. It opens May 28 and doesn’t close until August 22. That’s almost three months of anchor programming, which means every Art Walk, every weekend drop-in, every out-of-town guest you drag to Hoyt Avenue between Memorial Day and the start of school lands inside the same curated experience.

    If you can only make one trip to Schack this summer, make the trip after the show is fully installed — usually a week or two after opening — and plan to spend at least 45 minutes. This kind of multi-medium group show rewards slow viewing.

    The Summer Auction: 11 Days, Real Art, and Why the Benefit Side Actually Matters

    While the Contemporary Northwest Artists Exhibition is the long-running headline, the Summer Auction is the action. It runs Thursday, May 28 through Sunday, June 7 — so call it one long opening weekend, plus another weekend, plus the weekdays in between.

    Schack’s own description of the Summer Auction: guests are invited to “browse and bid on original artwork, unique experiences, and curated packages while supporting Schack’s free exhibitions and arts education programs.”

    A few things are worth pulling out of that sentence.

    “Original artwork” is doing heavy lifting. Schack sits inside a North American Reciprocal Museum network and has steadily built a reputation for actual working artists donating actual working pieces — not poster prints, not reproductions. If you’ve ever wanted to buy a piece of Northwest art from the kind of artist who normally only shows in gallery settings, auction week is the window where the price point drops into range for regular Everett households.

    “Unique experiences and curated packages” is the part that usually sneaks up on first-time bidders. Studio visits, classes at Schack, dinner packages with local partners, behind-the-scenes gallery experiences — the non-artwork lots tend to draw competitive bidding specifically because they can’t be bought anywhere else the rest of the year.

    “Supporting Schack’s free exhibitions and arts education programs” is the part that should make you care even if you’re not bidding. Schack runs a heavy education program — classes for kids, teens, and adults, plus partnerships with Everett schools — and the reason its gallery is free every day of the week is because events like the Summer Auction close the funding gap. Bidding isn’t just shopping; it’s the mechanism that keeps Everett’s biggest gallery an open-door space.

    Why This Week Is a Bigger Deal Than It Sounds

    A lot of towns the size of Everett don’t have a gallery like Schack. A lot of galleries Schack’s size don’t run free public exhibitions seven days a week. A lot of free galleries don’t simultaneously run a regional headline show and a funding-critical auction on the exact same opening week.

    The stacked calendar is the story. One building, two major events, both starting May 28, both running inside a walkable downtown district that is slowly but clearly becoming one of the best evening art experiences in Snohomish County.

    If you’ve been following the slow cultural momentum downtown — Artists’ Garage Sale waitlists hitting capacity earlier each year, APEX Everett filling Kings Hall on weekends, the Historic Everett Theatre booking touring acts, Tony V’s Garage drawing legitimate regional touring bands — this Schack week fits the same pattern. Everett’s cultural weight is moving from “cute for a small city” into “actual regional destination,” and May 28 is one of the weeks that makes the case.

    How to Plan Your Visit

    Address: Schack Art Center, 2921 Hoyt Avenue, Everett, WA 98201

    Gallery hours (free admission): Tuesday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM, Sunday 12 PM–5 PM (closed Mondays)

    Phone: (425) 309-7723

    Contact: artsinfo@schack.org

    Parking: Everpark Garage a block away (hourly), plus street parking on Hoyt and Wetmore

    Best day to go: A Thursday or Friday evening when downtown Everett is already awake — you can pair the visit with dinner on Hewitt Avenue or a show at the Historic Everett Theatre

    Best way to approach the Summer Auction: Start at the gallery in person to see pieces in context before bidding — the lighting and scale on a wall tell you more about a piece than any catalog image

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When does the Contemporary Northwest Artists Exhibition open at Schack Art Center? Thursday, May 28, 2026. It runs through August 22, 2026 at Schack Art Center, 2921 Hoyt Avenue in downtown Everett.

    When is Schack Art Center’s 2026 Summer Auction? The Summer Auction runs from Thursday, May 28, 2026 through Sunday, June 7, 2026. Bidding supports Schack’s free exhibitions and arts education programs.

    How much does it cost to visit Schack Art Center? Gallery admission is free. The Summer Auction is an event you can browse without bidding; costs only apply if you place winning bids.

    What are Schack Art Center’s hours? Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday from 12 PM to 5 PM. Schack is closed on Mondays.

    Where is Schack Art Center? 2921 Hoyt Avenue, Everett, WA 98201, in downtown Everett between Pacific Avenue and Hewitt Avenue.

    Can I buy original artwork at Schack’s Summer Auction if I’m not an art collector? Yes. The Summer Auction is designed for a broad community of bidders, not just established collectors. Lots include original artwork as well as unique experiences and curated packages at a range of price points.

    What’s coming up after the Contemporary Northwest Artists show? Schack’s instructor exhibition, Years in the Making, opens June 18, 2026 and also runs through August 22. It features work by the artists who teach at Schack Art Center.

    Is Schack Art Center good for families? Yes. Schack is a family-friendly gallery and runs extensive arts education programming including classes for kids and teens. The Summer Auction itself is not specifically a family event, but visiting the gallery during auction week is a normal daytime drop-in.

  • Skate America Returns to Everett November 13-15: All-Session Tickets On Sale Today

    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.

  • AquaSox Ride Carlos Jimenez’s 6-RBI Night to an 11-3 Win Over Spokane — Three Straight at Funko Field

    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 Open Western Conference Final at Home Tonight: Anders Miller Is Chasing a WHL Playoff Record

    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.