Tag: Everett WA

  • Everett SchooLinks Transition: What Families Must Know

    Everett SchooLinks Transition: What Families Must Know

    Quick answer: As of September 2026, Everett Public Schools is replacing Naviance with SchooLinks as the platform every student uses for their state-required High School and Beyond Plan. The switch isn’t optional for the district — Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction selected SchooLinks as the universal statewide platform, and EPS is one of more than 200 districts moving to it. Naviance keeps running through the 2025–26 school year. The biggest practical change for families: SchooLinks is built for parents and guardians to log in too, so for the first time in a long time, you’ll actually be able to see your kid’s plan.

    If you’ve been a parent in Everett Public Schools for more than a couple of years, you’ve probably heard the words “High School and Beyond Plan” enough times to tune them out. The plan is a state graduation requirement, every student in grades 7–12 has one, and most parents have only the dimmest sense of what’s actually in it. That’s about to change.

    Starting in September 2026, EPS is switching from Naviance — the platform students have been using for years — to SchooLinks, the new statewide platform Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) picked for every district in the state. The transition isn’t a local district decision. It’s a state-level move, and Everett is just doing its part of it on schedule.

    Here’s what’s actually changing, why, and what it means for families across Cascade, Everett, Henry M. Jackson, and Sequoia.

    The state made the call, not the district

    Washington has required a High School and Beyond Plan for graduation for years. The plan starts in 7th grade and is supposed to follow the student all the way through high school — connecting their interests to their classes, their post-graduation training plans, and what they actually want to do for work.

    The problem was that every district was using its own platform. Some used Naviance. Some used Xello. Some used home-grown spreadsheets and Google Docs. When students moved between districts — and Snohomish County families move a lot — their plan didn’t move with them.

    In May 2024, OSPI announced that SchooLinks would be the new universal statewide platform. The 2025 OSPI Report to the Legislature laid out the transition timeline. Per state law, every district serving grades 7–12 has to be on SchooLinks by the 2026–27 school year.

    For Everett Public Schools, that means September 2026. Naviance keeps working through this current 2025–26 school year. Then the lights go out and SchooLinks comes on.

    What’s actually different about SchooLinks

    If you’ve ever helped a kid log into Naviance, you know the experience: the student logs in, parents don’t have an account, and the only way you find out what’s in the plan is if your kid shows you their screen.

    SchooLinks is built differently. The platform includes family access — meaning parents and guardians can log in directly, see their student’s plan, see what classes are mapped to what career interests, and engage with the planning process without having to lean over their teenager’s shoulder. EPS has flagged this as one of the biggest practical changes for families.

    The platform itself is the kind of career-and-college planning toolkit you’d expect in 2026. Students use it to set goals, plan coursework four years out, explore career fields, look at financial aid, and build out a résumé. The big difference from Naviance is that SchooLinks is designed to be the system of record for the state’s High School and Beyond Plan, which means the plan you build follows the student between districts and across the state.

    Why this matters for Everett specifically

    Everett Public Schools enrolls roughly 19,000 students across 26 schools, and the district has been running one of the higher-performing High School and Beyond Plan implementations in the state — the 2024–25 graduating class hit a record graduation rate well above the state average, and the district credits in part the work students do in their HSBP.

    The risk in any platform transition is that the plans students have already built in Naviance get stranded. EPS has said Naviance will continue through the 2025–26 school year, which gives counselors a runway to migrate plans, train staff, and roll the new platform out without dumping a half-finished plan on a junior six months before graduation. Families with a senior graduating in spring 2026 will finish their HSBP entirely in Naviance. Families with a 7th–11th grader will see the change next fall.

    The district has set up an email — hsbp@everettsd.org — for families with questions about the transition. School counselors are the front-line resource, and counselors at each high school will have specific guidance on what to do with existing Naviance plans during the transition window.

    How this connects to Career Connected Learning

    EPS has been pushing Career Connected Learning (CCL) for years now, and the SchooLinks transition fits into that bigger picture. CCL is the framework that ties classroom learning to extended learning (camps, after-school programs, clubs) and work-based learning (internships, apprenticeships, job shadows). The High School and Beyond Plan is the through-line that connects all of it for the student.

    In practice, that means a Cascade High student interested in aerospace can map a four-year course plan in SchooLinks, link it to Boeing-area internships through CCL, and track it all in one place — with their parents able to see the same view. That’s the use case the state is optimizing for, and it’s the use case Everett’s been building toward at the district level.

    What Everett families should do right now

    If your student has an active Naviance plan, you don’t need to do anything urgent. Naviance is still the official platform through June 2026.

    What’s worth doing in the next few months:

    Ask your student to show you their current plan. Even before SchooLinks rolls out, the High School and Beyond Plan is a real document and a real graduation requirement. Most parents don’t know what’s in it. Now is a good time.

    Check the EPS High School and Beyond Plan page at everettsd.org/college-career-readiness/high-school-and-beyond-plan for transition updates as fall 2026 gets closer.

    Watch for SchooLinks family-account information in late summer or early fall 2026. The whole point of the platform change is that you’ll be able to log in. Take the opportunity when it shows up.

    Reach out to your student’s school counselor if you have a junior or senior in spring 2026 and you’re worried about plan continuity. Counselors will have the most accurate, school-specific guidance.

    The bigger picture is that Washington’s High School and Beyond Plan is finally getting a single platform every district uses, every student carries with them between districts, and every family can see. Everett’s part of that’s happening this September.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When does Everett Public Schools switch from Naviance to SchooLinks?
    SchooLinks officially launches for EPS students and families in September 2026. Naviance continues to be used through the 2025–26 school year, so seniors graduating in spring 2026 will complete their High School and Beyond Plan entirely in Naviance.

    Why is EPS making this switch?
    The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) selected SchooLinks as the universal statewide High School and Beyond Plan platform for all districts. Every Washington district serving grades 7–12 is required to be on SchooLinks by the 2026–27 school year per state law.

    Will parents and guardians have access to SchooLinks?
    Yes — that’s one of the biggest changes. SchooLinks includes family access, allowing parents and guardians to log in and view their student’s High School and Beyond Plan and progress directly. Naviance did not support family logins for most districts.

    What is the High School and Beyond Plan?
    The High School and Beyond Plan is a state graduation requirement in Washington. Every public school student starts the plan in 7th grade and updates it through high school, mapping career interests to coursework, post-graduation training, and college planning.

    Will my student lose their Naviance plan when the switch happens?
    EPS has not published specific migration details yet, but the district has committed to a smooth transition with Naviance running through the full 2025–26 school year. Families with specific concerns about plan continuity should contact their student’s school counselor or email hsbp@everettsd.org.

    How many other Washington districts are on SchooLinks?
    OSPI announced in 2024 that 156 districts plus tribal compact schools, technical colleges, and charter schools committed to SchooLinks for the 2025–26 school year, joining 45 districts that launched the platform in 2024–25. By 2026–27, every district serving grades 7–12 will be on it.

    Does this affect Cascade, Everett, Jackson, and Sequoia high schools differently?
    No — the transition applies district-wide. Counselors at each high school will provide school-specific guidance on existing plans, but the platform itself is the same across all four EPS comprehensive high schools.

    Where can families ask questions about the transition?
    Email hsbp@everettsd.org or contact your student’s school counselor directly. The EPS website at everettsd.org/college-career-readiness/high-school-and-beyond-plan is the canonical source for transition updates.

  • Everett Art Walk Recap: May 21, 2026 Free Downtown Gallery Guide

    Everett Art Walk Recap: May 21, 2026 Free Downtown Gallery Guide

    Q: When was the May 2026 Everett Art Walk — and when is the next one?
    A: Thursday, May 21, 2026, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, across more than a dozen galleries, lofts, coffee shops, bars, and ceramic studios in downtown Everett. It was free, no ticket, no RSVP. Primary organizer: Everett Art Walk (everettartwalk.org) — third Thursday of every month, 5–8 PM. Next remaining 2026 third Thursdays after this recap: October 15, November 19, and December 17.

    Verdict: GO. Three reasons stacked: (1) downtown Everett’s art ecosystem is denser than people outside the 98201 ZIP code realize, and the Art Walk is the one night each month it all opens its doors at the same time; (2) the price is zero; (3) the third Thursday format means you can show up after work, eat hors d’oeuvres on someone else’s tab, and still be home by ten.

    The Everett Art Walk runs the third Thursday of every month, year-round, 5 to 8 PM officially — and several of the participating venues stay open past 8 because the walk has built that kind of scene. May 21, 2026 was one of those nights; the series continues on the third Thursday every month (see everettartwalk.org). If you have lived in Snohomish County for any amount of time and never walked it, pick the next third Thursday.

    What the Art Walk actually is

    It is not a festival. It is not a one-off pop-up. It is the Everett gallery district behaving like a gallery district — coordinated hours, coordinated openings, coordinated artist receptions, every third Thursday of the month, organized through everettartwalk.org and a downtown community of working artists who decided years ago that downtown Everett was worth showing up for.

    More than a dozen venues participate. The roster shifts month to month, but the anchors stay constant. A typical Art Walk night you can hit Schack Art Center on Hoyt Avenue, walk one block to ArtSpace Everett Lofts (the live-work building right next door), cross over to Hewitt Avenue for Heath Heathen’s studio at 1806 B Hewitt upstairs, drop into Lucky Dime for Collage Night, swing by Obsidian Art Gallery, end at Port Gardner Bay Winery on Rucker Avenue with a glass of red and a stack of new artist statements in your hand. Every venue is within a five-block walk of every other venue. You do not move your car.

    The April 16 walk is the most recent one we have a verifiable line-up for, and the April line-up is the structural template. Schack hosted Water Ways: Healing the Circle of Water and Life — the spring exhibition that runs through May 16 — and the gallery stayed open past 8 PM for the walk. ArtSpace Everett Lofts opened from 5 to 8 PM with resident artists in their live-work studios. Heath Heathen took text-only studio appointments at 5 to 9 PM. Lucky Dime hosted Collage Night with Penny — a recurring third-Thursday hang where you cut, paste, layer, and build something unexpected with strangers. Salish Sea Ceramics ran a free community seed-planting workshop. Obsidian Art Gallery featured graffiti-and-stencil work by Dakota Dean. Artisans PNW (Books & Coffee) hosted Author TJ Poortinga and a live Noise Jam set with Esoteric Everett. Zamarama Gallery opened a tribute exhibition for Pacific Northwest artist R. Allen Jensen.

    The May 21 walk followed the same shape with a fresh roster. Watch everettartwalk.org the week of each third-Thursday walk for the venue-by-venue line-up — most participating spaces post featured artists in the seven days before.

    Why this Art Walk matters more than you think

    Everett has been quietly building a real arts ecosystem. Schack Art Center anchors the visual arts side at 2921 Hoyt Avenue — the premier visual arts destination between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., per schack.org/about. The Historic Everett Theatre, built in 1901 as the Everett Opera House, books touring acts that should be playing rooms three times its size. APEX Everett opened on Everett Avenue with Kings Hall as its anchor concert room. Tony V’s Garage on Hewitt Avenue is the loudest small-venue rock-and-roll club north of Seattle.

    The Art Walk is the seam where the visual arts side meets all of it. Many of the artists showing on May 21 also design posters for HET shows, paint album art for bands playing Tony V’s the next weekend, and sell ceramic mugs to coffee shops three blocks away. You walk the Art Walk and you start to see the network. You stop seeing downtown Everett as a thing to drive past on the way to Seattle and start seeing it as a thing to drive to.

    The venues that mattered on May 21

    Below is the standing roster pulled from everettartwalk.org and the city’s calendar. Specific featured artists for May will post within seven days of the walk; what is below is the list of participating spaces you can plan a route around.

    Schack Art Center — 2921 Hoyt Avenue. The big one. Open until 8 PM. The Water Ways exhibition closes May 16, so the May 21 walk falls between shows — Contemporary Northwest Artists opens May 28. You may catch artists hanging work or staffing previews. Free admission as always.

    ArtSpace Everett Lofts — 2917 Hoyt Avenue, right next door to Schack. A 41-unit live-work building for working artists. On Art Walk nights the loft gallery on the ground floor is open 5 to 8 PM and several resident artists open their individual studios upstairs. This is the closest you will get in Everett to the open-studio model used in bigger arts cities.

    Lucky Dime — Hewitt Avenue. A bar that doubles as an Art Walk venue. Collage Night with Penny is the recurring third-Thursday format: tables full of magazines, scissors, glue sticks, and strangers building something between sips. No skill required. Free to walk in, drinks at bar prices.

    Obsidian Art Gallery — Hewitt Avenue. Contemporary work, edgier than most of the roster. Spray paint, stencil work, graffiti-adjacent pieces.

    Port Gardner Bay Winery — 3006 Rucker Avenue. Wine tasting with rotating artist features on the walls. The end-of-walk move for a lot of regulars.

    Tabby’s Coffee — 2702 Hoyt Avenue. Coffee, tea, and a modest gallery wall that turns over for each walk.

    Salish Sea Ceramics — A working ceramics studio that opens for the walk and frequently runs free hands-on workshops on Art Walk nights (April was a seed-planting workshop; May’s activity will post on everettartwalk.org).

    Zamarama Gallery — Contemporary fine art, often with Pacific Northwest themes.

    Artisans PNW (Books & Coffee) — Independent bookstore plus coffee shop. Hosts author readings and live music sets on Art Walk nights. April was an author event with TJ Poortinga and a Noise Jam set with Esoteric Everett.

    Heath Heathen Studio — 1806 B Hewitt Avenue, Suite 1, upstairs. Working artist studio, open 5 to 9 PM by text appointment (206-353-4971). The studio model — text the artist, walk up the stairs, see the work in the place where it is made — is rare in this part of Snohomish County and worth the climb.

    Gold E Lofts — 1705 1/2 Hewitt Avenue. Loft studios with rotating artist features.

    A note: this list is not exhaustive and the participating-venue roster changes month to month. Check everettartwalk.org for each month’s confirmed list about seven days out (next 2026 dates: Oct 15, Nov 19, Dec 17).

    How to walk it well

    Three pieces of practical advice from people who walk it every month.

    Park once, walk everything. Free street parking is generally available on Hoyt, Hewitt, Wetmore, and Colby in the late-afternoon-into-evening window. The Everpark Garage on Wall Street is the backup if street parking is tight. Every Art Walk venue is inside a five-block radius. You do not need to move the car.

    Eat before, drink during. Most venues serve hors d’oeuvres or light snacks. Wine and beer are available at Port Gardner Bay Winery, Lucky Dime, and several of the bar-adjacent venues. For a real dinner before, downtown Everett has restaurants on Hewitt and Colby.

    Talk to the artists. Most first-time walkers underuse this part. The artists are in their studios. They want to talk about the work. Ask what the piece is, ask what it took to make, ask what they are working on next. The cost of entry is one good question.

    Cross-Desk Handoff

    If you are pairing the Art Walk with dinner, downtown Everett has dinner options within two blocks of every Art Walk venue. Tygart Media’s food desk is the place to go for current restaurant-by-restaurant recommendations within walking distance of the walk.

    What the Art Walk does for the city

    Free public arts programming that runs every month, year-round, with a coordinated roster and an active organizing committee, is the kind of cultural infrastructure most Snohomish County cities do not have. Everett does. Every third Thursday is a small, repeated argument that downtown Everett is worth being in after dark — and the argument has been getting more convincing since the walk first formed. May 21, 2026 was one chance to add yourself to the argument; the next third-Thursday walks keep the door open.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: Is the Everett Art Walk free? A: Yes. There is no admission fee, no ticket, no RSVP. Walk in to any participating venue between 5 PM and 8 PM (some stay open later) on the third Thursday of every month.

    Q: What time does the May 2026 Everett Art Walk start and end? A: The official window is 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Several venues stay open past 8 PM — Heath Heathen Studio runs studio appointments until 9 PM, and the bar-adjacent venues (Lucky Dime, Port Gardner Bay Winery) typically remain open well into the evening.

    Q: Do I need to RSVP or buy tickets? A: No. The Art Walk is a free, walk-in event. Show up at any participating venue between 5 and 8 PM and start your route from there.

    Q: Where do I park for the Art Walk? A: Free street parking is generally available on Hoyt, Hewitt, Wetmore, and Colby in the late-afternoon-into-evening window. The Everpark Garage on Wall Street is the paid backup. All Art Walk venues are within a five-block radius — park once, walk the whole route.

    Q: How many venues participate in the Everett Art Walk? A: More than a dozen galleries, lofts, coffee shops, bars, and studios participate, with the exact roster shifting month to month. Anchors include Schack Art Center, ArtSpace Everett Lofts, Lucky Dime, Obsidian Art Gallery, Port Gardner Bay Winery, Tabby’s Coffee, Salish Sea Ceramics, Zamarama Gallery, Artisans PNW, Heath Heathen Studio, and Gold E Lofts.

    Q: Is the Everett Art Walk family-friendly? A: Most venues are family-friendly during the 5-to-8 PM window. Bar venues (Lucky Dime, Port Gardner Bay Winery) follow standard 21+ rules at the bar but typically welcome families in the gallery space. Schack Art Center, Tabby’s Coffee, Artisans PNW, and the loft galleries are family-friendly throughout.

    Q: How do I find out which artists are featured for a given Art Walk month? A: Check everettartwalk.org in the seven days before the third Thursday — most participating venues post their featured artist for that month’s walk a week out. The Everett Art Walk Facebook page (@everettsartwalk) and the city’s calendar at everettwa.gov also list featured highlights.

  • Washington Wolfpack vs Beaumont Renegades: May 23 Tickets

    Washington Wolfpack vs Beaumont Renegades: May 23 Tickets

    Q: When do the Washington Wolfpack play Beaumont at Angel of the Winds Arena?
    The Washington Wolfpack host the Beaumont Renegades on Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 3:00 PM PT at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. It’s Game 3 of the Wolfpack’s 2026 AF1 home schedule and the only Wolfpack home game in the back half of May. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.

    The Wolfpack’s Memorial Day Weekend Setup: Beaumont Comes to Everett May 23

    If you’ve been to a Wolfpack home game at Angel of the Winds Arena yet — even one — you already know the pitch. Arena football, indoor, fast, loud, fifty-yard field, walls in play, the kind of game where every snap is either a touchdown or an “ohhh no” from the section behind you. It’s professional football in the building most Everett residents have only ever been to for hockey or a concert. And it’s a thing the Wolfpack are very seriously trying to make a Saturday tradition for Snohomish County.

    The next opportunity to be in the building: Saturday, May 23 at 3:00 PM PT, when the Wolfpack host the Beaumont Renegades in Game 3 of the 2026 AF1 home schedule.

    What We Know About the Matchup

    This is a 2026 regular-season AF1 (Arena Football 1) game. Beaumont, Texas — the Renegades are the visitors, and they’re going to find out very quickly what a sold-out home crowd in Everett sounds like indoors. The Wolfpack have leaned hard into the “Pack mentality” branding all spring, and the home Saturdays are the centerpiece of the marketing.

    The 3:00 PM PT kickoff is a true Saturday-afternoon time slot. That’s not by accident. AF1 has been pushing weekend afternoon broadcasts to grow the league’s TV audience, and the Wolfpack home schedule has slotted into that pattern most weeks. (For Saturday, May 2’s home game vs. defending Arena Crown champion Albany Firebirds, also a 3:00 PM kickoff, the league announced the broadcast would land on VICE TV with a Pacific Northwest carry on Fox 13+.)

    Why You Should Care, Even If You’re Not An Arena Football Person

    Three honest reasons:

    1. The football is genuinely fun to watch in person. The 50-yard field plus rebound nets means the offense almost never punts and the scores almost always end up looking like 47-44. If you’ve ever found NFL games slow-paced, this is the antidote. There’s a reason the AOTW concourse stays full at halftime — nobody wants to miss the second-half kickoff bouncing off the back wall.

    2. The Wolfpack are still building their identity in front of you. Year two of the franchise. The roster turns over more than a typical pro team, the staff is figuring out what Everett wants, and you can feel the team trying to earn the room every week. That’s a fun stage of any pro franchise to be around — before everyone takes it for granted.

    3. Saturday at 3 is a perfect city day. Drive in, park downtown, hit a coffee shop on Hewitt before the game, walk to AOTW, watch indoor football for two and a half hours, and you’re back out into Everett’s downtown dinner scene by 6. There aren’t many sports tickets in the entire Puget Sound that pencil out as a complete day this cleanly.

    How the Wolfpack’s Year Is Shaping Up

    This is the Wolfpack’s second AF1 season. Year one ended with a Western Conference Final loss to Nashville. The 2026 home schedule on the AOTW calendar currently includes:

    • Saturday, May 2 — vs Albany Firebirds, 3:00 PM (Teacher’s Night, defending Arena Crown champion in town, drawstring bag giveaway)
    • Saturday, May 23 — vs Beaumont Renegades, 3:00 PM (Game 3 — the one this article is about)
    • Saturday, June 20 — additional home date on the schedule
    • Saturday, June 27 — additional home date on the schedule

    (Game-by-game promo details, opponents, and broadcast partners for the June dates will firm up as those games approach. The Wolfpack typically announce theme nights and giveaways about two weeks out.)

    Tickets and Logistics

    Tickets: On sale now via Ticketmaster. The AOTW ticket page links directly to the May 23 listing. Single-game tickets typically open in the $20-60 range for Wolfpack home games, with premium and group options available.

    Venue: Angel of the Winds Arena, 2000 Hewitt Avenue, Suite 200, Everett, WA 98201.

    Parking: AOTW’s own structured lot plus city street parking around downtown. The arena’s directions and parking page is the cleanest source: Plan Your Visit.

    Concessions: Full arena menu open. The Arena Grill is the on-site sit-down option if you’d rather eat a real plate before kickoff.

    The Bigger Everett Sports Story

    The Wolfpack’s May 23 game also lands inside one of the most stacked sports stretches Angel of the Winds Arena has ever had. Just look at the AOTW calendar from now to early June:

    • May 8 & 9: Everett Silvertips WHL Championship Final, Games 1 & 2 (the franchise’s first WHL Final since 2018-19)
    • May 16: Life Surge (faith and finance event)
    • May 23: Wolfpack vs Beaumont
    • May 30-31: Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire (three shows, indoor pyro spectacle)

    That’s playoff hockey, pro football, and family-event programming inside a four-week window — which is the kind of run that quietly explains why the new downtown stadium project (an outdoor 5,000-seat ballpark with a covered roof, going to council April 29 for design funding) matters so much. Everett’s appetite for live events at Angel of the Winds Arena has clearly outgrown the old assumption that the building only fills for hockey nights and concerts. The Wolfpack are part of why.

    Bottom Line

    Mark Saturday, May 23 at 3:00 PM. If you went to the Wolfpack’s home opener May 2 and had a good time, this is your follow-up. If you missed the home opener, this is your make-up date. Beaumont is in town, the building will be loud, and you’ll be home in time for dinner.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When and where is the Wolfpack vs Beaumont Renegades game?

    Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 3:00 PM PT at Angel of the Winds Arena, 2000 Hewitt Ave, Everett, WA.

    Is the Wolfpack vs Beaumont game on TV?

    AF1 broadcast assignments for individual home games are confirmed closer to game day. The Wolfpack’s May 2 home opener vs Albany was carried on VICE TV with regional pickup on Fox 13+ — May 23’s broadcast info will be posted by AF1 in the days before.

    How much do Wolfpack home tickets cost?

    Single-game ticket pricing typically ranges from about $20 in the upper deck to $60+ for lower bowl, with premium and group options available. Buy at Ticketmaster.

    What is AF1?

    AF1 (Arena Football 1) is the professional indoor arena football league launched in 2024 as a successor to the original Arena Football League. The Wolfpack are the league’s Pacific Northwest team and play their home games at Angel of the Winds Arena.

    Are there other Wolfpack home games this season?

    Yes. The currently announced AOTW home schedule includes Saturday, May 2 (vs Albany Firebirds), Saturday, May 23 (vs Beaumont Renegades), Saturday, June 20, and Saturday, June 27. Check the AOTW events page for the most current schedule.

    What’s the difference between this game and a Silvertips game?

    Same building, totally different sport and field configuration. Silvertips games convert AOTW into a WHL hockey rink. Wolfpack games convert it into a 50-yard indoor football field with rebound nets. Both are professional teams, both are part of why AOTW’s 2026 calendar is the busiest it’s ever been.

  • Everett AquaSox: Bryce Miller Rehab Start at Funko Field

    Everett AquaSox: Bryce Miller Rehab Start at Funko Field

    Q: Where are the Everett AquaSox playing this weekend, May 2-3, 2026?
    The AquaSox are wrapping up a six-game road series at the Tri-City Dust Devils at Gesa Stadium in Pasco, WA. Games 5 and 6 are Saturday, May 2 (7:05 PM) and Sunday, May 3 (typically a 1:05 or 1:35 PM start). The Frogs went into Friday’s game leading the series 2-1 after winning the opener 8-3 (Tuesday) and the Wednesday game 10-7, then dropping Thursday 6-4. Friday’s result was in progress when this story published; check MiLB.com/everett for the final.

    Frogs Close Out the Pasco Road Trip — and What’s Coming Home Next Week

    The AquaSox have already given Pasco their money’s worth this week. Three games in, the Frogs had won two — and both of those wins told you something about what this 2026 roster can actually be when the bats and the bullpen show up the same night.

    Tuesday’s series opener at Gesa Stadium was the Luis Suisbel show: the AquaSox infielder cracked a three-run homer (his first of the year) and added a two-run single for a career-high-tying five RBIs in the 8-3 win. Logan Dollard went four innings and gave up just one earned run. The bullpen got it home. Easy night.

    Wednesday, it didn’t look easy at all. Tri-City clawed back to a 7-7 tie heading into the eighth, and the Frogs had to find another gear. Felnin Celesten — the Mariners’ top middle-infield prospect and recent NWL Player of the Week (.471 over the Spokane series) — delivered the go-ahead RBI in the eighth. Brock Ellis ended any doubt with a two-run homer in the ninth, and the Frogs walked off Pasco 10-7. Two-game lead in the series.

    Thursday belonged to Tri-City. Brandon Eike got a hold of one — his fifth homer of 2026, a fourth-inning two-run shot that pushed his RBI total to 12 — but the Dust Devils’ Capri Ortiz answered with a bases-clearing triple and another RBI single, and the Frogs lost 6-4. Series lead trimmed to 2-1.

    Friday Night: Game in Progress at Run Time

    Friday’s Game 4 was first-pitched at 7:05 PT at Gesa Stadium. As of this story going to publish, the game was still being played — so we’re not going to fabricate a final score, an inning-by-inning, or a winning pitcher. (You’ll get the recap in tomorrow night’s run when we have a verified box score from MiLB.com.)

    What we do know: the Frogs entered the night in good shape — winning two of the first three on the road, with their two best prospect bats (Celesten and Eike) heating up at the right time, and a starting rotation that has handled the Dust Devils’ lineup pretty well so far.

    What to Watch the Rest of the Series

    Saturday, May 2 at 7:05 PT: Game 5 of the series at Gesa Stadium. The Frogs need either a Saturday or Sunday win to clinch the series; two more wins gets them home with their first road sweep of 2026.

    Sunday, May 3: Series finale, with a daytime first pitch (Tri-City’s standard Sunday Funday window is the 1:05 PT range — confirm at MiLB.com/everett).

    For Mariners-prospect watchers, the names to track over the weekend are familiar by now:

    • Felnin Celesten — coming off NWL Player of the Week. Top middle-infield prospect in the system. Riding a hot stretch.
    • Brandon Eike — five home runs already, 12 RBIs, looks comfortable in the box.
    • Luis Suisbel — went off in the opener. Power upside is real.
    • Brock Ellis — the ninth-inning two-run homer Wednesday is the kind of swing that tells you about a player’s swing decisions in big spots.
    • Logan Dollard — Tuesday’s start was the kind of outing you build a rotation slot around.

    Then Comes Home — and the Big One

    Once the Tri-City series ends Sunday, the Frogs come back to Funko Field for a six-game homestand against the Hillsboro Hops (D-backs affiliate). And the headliner of that homestand — the night that’s going to draw the curiosity crowd as much as the baseball crowd — is Wednesday, May 6 at 7:05 PM, when Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller makes his second AquaSox rehab start of the spring.

    Miller’s first AquaSox outing on April 24 was the kind of rehab start that ends rehab assignments: 3 IP, 47 pitches, 6 strikeouts, no runs, fastball touching 98+ mph. Mariners GM Jerry Hollander confirmed Wednesday is likely Miller’s last stop before he heads back up to T-Mobile Park. If you want to see a big-league arm at Funko this year, this is the night.

    (That game also closes a multi-step rehab — 1.2 IP at Tacoma April 18 → 3 IP at Everett April 24 → another Tacoma stop earlier this week → Wednesday at Funko. The Mariners are stretching him to give him a real start’s worth of pitches before activation.)

    The Bigger Picture

    The AquaSox went into this Tri-City series at 8-8 and have already made it a winning trip with three games to play. That matters for an obvious reason — early wins build momentum, and prospects build confidence on the road — but also for a less obvious one: the High-A Northwest League season runs through mid-September, and a 17-or-18-game start with a winning record means none of these prospects are pressing yet. That’s the version of an AquaSox team you want feeding into Bryce Miller’s rehab night next Wednesday — loose, confident, and pretty fun to watch.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What time do the AquaSox play Saturday, May 2 against Tri-City?

    7:05 PM PT first pitch at Gesa Stadium in Pasco, WA. The Frogs lead the six-game series 2-1 entering Friday.

    Is Bryce Miller pitching at Funko Field this week?

    Yes. Miller’s second AquaSox rehab start of the spring is Wednesday, May 6 at 7:05 PM at Funko Field vs. the Hillsboro Hops. It’s expected to be his final rehab stop before returning to the Mariners.

    Who’s the AquaSox’ hottest hitter right now?

    Felnin Celesten, the Mariners’ top middle-infield prospect, was named NWL Player of the Week on April 28 after going 11-for-17 (.471) with five runs over the Spokane series. He delivered the go-ahead RBI in Wednesday’s 10-7 win at Tri-City.

    Who has the AquaSox’ team home run lead?

    As of Thursday’s game, Brandon Eike with five home runs and 12 RBIs.

    When does the next AquaSox homestand start?

    The Frogs return to Funko Field on Tuesday, May 5 to begin a six-game homestand against the Hillsboro Hops.

    Where can I check the live AquaSox box score?

    MiLB.com/everett has the live Gameday feed, schedule, and confirmed final box scores.

  • R Harn Thai Everett Review: The Best Khao Soi on Hewitt

    R Harn Thai Everett Review: The Best Khao Soi on Hewitt

    R Harn means “food” in Thai. It’s a straightforward name for a restaurant that has quickly become anything but forgettable on a block that already has strong opinions about Thai food.

    R Harn Thai opened in early 2026 at 2011 Hewitt Avenue — the same address that previously housed Thai Gusto — and in a matter of weeks built a rating more than a full star higher than its predecessor. That kind of early momentum on Hewitt Avenue, where the competition is serious and the regulars are loyal, means something. We went to find out what the fuss is about.

    The Setting

    R Harn Thai occupies Suite 3614 at 2011 Hewitt Ave, in the same building that also houses Heritage African Restaurant two doors down, with Angel of the Winds Arena visible from the street. It’s a prime spot on the Hewitt corridor — the same four-block stretch that’s become Everett’s most interesting concentration of international dining, with Italian at Luca, New Mexican at The New Mexicans, West African at Heritage, and now a Thai kitchen that’s drawing its own crowd.

    The room is comfortable without being precious. This is a family-owned restaurant, and the warmth in the service reflects that. The staff know what they’re doing, and the regulars who’d been going to Thai Gusto in the same space are clearly finding the transition worthwhile.

    What to Order

    The khao soi chicken is the order. Khao soi is a northern Thai curry noodle soup — egg noodles in a rich coconut curry broth, topped with crispy fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, and lime. It’s one of the most complex dishes in the Thai regional canon, and R Harn’s version lands it right: the broth has depth without being heavy, the crispy noodle topping provides the textural contrast that makes the dish, and the seasoning is confident without being timid.

    Kra prau (also spelled pad kra pao) is the other essential order — Thai basil stir-fry with your choice of protein, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and chilies. At R Harn, it’s cooked with the kind of wok heat that most American Thai restaurants don’t consistently achieve. Get it with a fried egg on top. Get the rice.

    The pumpkin curry is a seasonal standout worth ordering while it’s available. Duck curry and salmon curry are both on the menu for diners who want something beyond the standard chicken-or-tofu binary. Crab fried rice, cashew nut chicken, and crispy garlic chicken round out the dishes that regulars keep coming back for.

    The classics — pad thai, spring rolls, crab wontons, chicken satay — are all here and all executed well. But if you’re going to R Harn Thai for the first time and playing it safe with pad thai, you’re leaving the best stuff on the table.

    Hours and Practical Details

    R Harn Thai is closed Mondays. Tuesday through Thursday: 11 AM to 3 PM and 4 PM to 8:30 PM. Friday: 11 AM to 3 PM and 4 PM to 9 PM. Saturday: 12 PM to 9 PM. Sunday: 12 PM to 8 PM.

    The split lunch/dinner service Tuesday through Friday means there’s a gap in the mid-afternoon — plan around it. For a Friday dinner without the wait, showing up right at 4 PM is the move. The restaurant is reachable at (425) 252-3525.

    Delivery is available through Uber Eats and Postmates. The restaurant’s website is rharnthaieverett.com.

    The Hewitt Corridor in 2026

    It’s worth stepping back and noting what Hewitt Avenue has become. Two years ago, the stretch from 14th to 21st was defined by Vintage Cafe’s 50-year anchor presence, a few bars, and some street-level retail. Today it has Luca for Italian, The New Mexicans for Hatch green chile cuisine, Heritage African for Gambian-Senegalese cooking, Obsidian Beer Hall for curated PNW craft beer, Sabai Jai Thai for Bangkok street food, and now R Harn Thai adding northern Thai regional cooking to the mix.

    That’s a serious four-block stretch. Downtown Everett’s food identity has been building quietly and is now hard to ignore. R Harn Thai is the latest piece in that puzzle, and it’s a good one.

    R Harn Thai
    2011 Hewitt Ave, Suite 3614, Everett, WA 98201
    Phone: (425) 252-3525
    Tue–Thu: 11 AM–3 PM & 4–8:30 PM | Fri: 11 AM–3 PM & 4–9 PM
    Sat: 12–9 PM | Sun: 12–8 PM | Closed Monday
    Website: rharnthaieverett.com

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is R Harn Thai?
    R Harn Thai is a family-owned Thai restaurant at 2011 Hewitt Avenue in downtown Everett, WA. It opened in early 2026 in the space formerly occupied by Thai Gusto and quickly built a significantly higher rating. The name means “food” in Thai.

    What should I order at R Harn Thai?
    The khao soi chicken (northern Thai coconut curry noodle soup) and kra prau (Thai basil stir-fry) are the standout orders. Pumpkin curry, duck curry, crab fried rice, and crispy garlic chicken are also excellent. The classics — pad thai, spring rolls, chicken satay — are solid but not where the kitchen’s strengths are most visible.

    What is khao soi?
    Khao soi is a northern Thai specialty: egg noodles in a rich coconut curry broth, topped with crispy fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, and lime. It’s one of Thailand’s most complex regional dishes and R Harn Thai’s best showcase item.

    Is R Harn Thai open for lunch?
    Yes, Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM to 3 PM. There’s a break in service mid-afternoon; dinner service resumes at 4 PM. Saturday and Sunday lunch service begins at noon with no mid-day break.

    Where is R Harn Thai on Hewitt Avenue?
    R Harn Thai is at 2011 Hewitt Ave, Suite 3614, Everett — directly across from Angel of the Winds Arena and two doors from Heritage African Restaurant. It’s in the heart of the Hewitt Avenue international food corridor.

    Is R Harn Thai available for delivery?
    Yes. R Harn Thai is available for delivery through Uber Eats and Postmates.

  • Ubuntu Bar & Grill: Everett’s Hidden South African Braai

    Ubuntu Bar & Grill: Everett’s Hidden South African Braai

    The Everett restaurant scene has a well-documented habit of hiding its best options behind unremarkable storefronts in commercial strips that most people only drive through. Ubuntu Bar & Grill, tucked into a suite on Hardeson Road in south Everett, is a textbook example. This South African and Malawian braai spot has been quietly serving some of the most distinct food in Snohomish County — and most of Everett has no idea it exists.

    We went. Here’s what you need to know.

    The Concept: South African Braai in Snohomish County

    If you’re not familiar with braai (pronounced “bry”), the short version is this: it’s South African BBQ, but calling it BBQ sells it short. Braai is a cooking tradition rooted in the indigenous cultures of southern Africa, refined over centuries with Portuguese colonial influences, Indian spice traditions, and the specific fire-cooking culture that defines South African outdoor life. The word itself is Afrikaans for “grill,” but it means something closer to “the way we cook.”

    Ubuntu Bar & Grill brings that tradition to 7425 Hardeson Road, Suite B, Everett — a location that doesn’t hint at what’s inside. Once you’re in, the kitchen does the talking.

    What to Order

    The oxtail stew is the move. It comes out rich and deeply savory, the kind of slow-cooked dish that requires hours of attention and rewards it. Reviewers consistently call it out as the standout item, and we agree — it’s the dish that makes the trip worthwhile on its own.

    Peri peri chicken is the second order you should place alongside it. Peri peri sauce is a southern African chili sauce made from African bird’s eye chilies, garlic, lemon, and herbs — it has heat, but the flavor complexity is what distinguishes it from generic hot sauce. Ubuntu’s peri peri chicken runs $7.50 and comes with the right amount of spice: enough that you feel it, not so much that it drowns the chicken.

    The lamb chops ($5.50 each) are another standout. Grilled over direct heat with garlic and herbs, these are the kind of chops that make you recalculate what lamb is supposed to taste like. Get them with extra peri peri sauce on the side.

    Turkey samosas ($5.50) make for a good starter — crispy, well-filled, and a nod to the Indian influence that runs through South African cuisine’s history. The South African vegetable relish — a spiced mix of cabbage, carrots, onion, garlic, tomato, ginger, and baked beans — is worth ordering as a side just to understand the flavor profile the kitchen is working with.

    Beef ribs at $8.00 round out the main proteins. If you’re going in a group, order across the menu. This is food designed to be shared.

    The “Ubuntu” Philosophy

    Ubuntu is a Nguni Bantu philosophy that translates roughly to “I am because we are” — a statement about human interconnectedness and community. It’s a fitting name for a restaurant built around braai, which is inherently communal. You don’t braai alone. You gather people, you cook together, you eat together.

    The restaurant’s mission is to provide an authentic South African chesanyama (roadside meat grill) experience — high-quality meat, fire-cooked, spiced with southern African tradition, served without fuss. That’s what they’re delivering on Hardeson Road.

    The Practical Details

    Ubuntu Bar & Grill is at 7425 Hardeson Road, Suite B, Everett, WA 98203. Hours are Monday through Sunday, 11 AM to 9 PM. Phone: (425) 754-2419. They’re also available for delivery through DoorDash and Uber Eats, and you can order online through their Toast ordering system.

    Parking is a non-issue — it’s a commercial strip with plenty of lot space. The space itself is casual and welcoming. This is not a white-tablecloth dinner; it’s a braai spot, which means the energy is relaxed and the focus is entirely on the food.

    Why This Matters for Everett’s Food Scene

    Everett has done a remarkable job in recent years of building out genuine international food coverage — the Casino Road corridor alone has Vietnamese, Mexican, Filipino-Hawaiian, Central Asian, and Gambian-Senegalese kitchens within a short drive of each other. Ubuntu adds South African and Malawian cuisine to that list, which is not something you’ll find anywhere else in Snohomish County.

    The Everett Food Truck Park on Beverly Boulevard already hosts Tabassum, the only Uzbek food truck in the Pacific Northwest. Ubuntu Bar & Grill is another data point in the same pattern: Everett’s south and central corridors are quietly building one of the most diverse food scenes in Western Washington, and most of the people driving through those corridors don’t know it yet.

    Go find out.

    Ubuntu Bar & Grill
    7425 Hardeson Road, Suite B, Everett, WA 98203
    Hours: Monday–Sunday 11 AM – 9 PM
    Phone: (425) 754-2419
    Order online: Toast | DoorDash | Uber Eats
    Website: ubuntubarandgrill.com

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What kind of food does Ubuntu Bar & Grill serve?
    Ubuntu Bar & Grill serves authentic South African and Malawian cuisine, centered on the braai (South African BBQ) tradition. Signature items include oxtail stew, peri peri chicken, lamb chops, beef ribs, and turkey samosas.

    Where is Ubuntu Bar & Grill in Everett?
    The restaurant is located at 7425 Hardeson Road, Suite B, Everett, WA 98203, in a commercial suite in south Everett.

    What is peri peri sauce?
    Peri peri is a southern African chili sauce made from African bird’s eye chilies, garlic, lemon, and herbs. It has heat and significant flavor complexity — spicier than most Americanized hot sauces but more aromatic and layered.

    What does “ubuntu” mean?
    Ubuntu is a Nguni Bantu philosophy meaning roughly “I am because we are” — a concept centered on community and shared humanity. It’s a core value in many South African cultures and a fitting name for a restaurant built around communal cooking traditions.

    Is Ubuntu Bar & Grill available for delivery?
    Yes. Ubuntu Bar & Grill is available for delivery through DoorDash and Uber Eats, and accepts online orders through their Toast ordering system.

    Is there other international food near Ubuntu Bar & Grill in Everett?
    Yes. The south and central Everett corridors have a remarkable concentration of international cuisine, including Tabassum (Uzbek food truck, Beverly Food Truck Park), Enseamada Cafe (Filipino-Hawaiian, Evergreen Way), and the Casino Road corridor’s Vietnamese, Mexican, and other kitchens.

  • Scuttlebutt Brewing Everett: Guide to Both Locations

    Scuttlebutt Brewing Everett: Guide to Both Locations

    If you’ve been to Scuttlebutt Brewing once, you’ve actually only been to half of it. Everett’s oldest and most decorated craft brewery operates two completely different venues — and most people who’ve been going to one for years have never set foot in the other. That’s a problem worth fixing, because they’re not interchangeable. The right one for you depends entirely on what kind of night you’re having.

    We’ve spent time at both locations this spring and came away with a clear picture of who each one is for. Here’s the breakdown.

    The Family Pub: 1205 Craftsman Way

    This is the Scuttlebutt most people know. The Craftsman Way location is a full-service pub and restaurant — booths, a bar, food that goes beyond bar snacks, and a vibe that works for a date night just as well as a Tuesday afternoon. It sits in the north end near the marina, and it has the feel of a place that’s been doing this for a while without getting sloppy about it.

    The food program is the differentiator here. Fish and chips, burgers, sandwiches, and the kind of pub fare that’s actually cooked well rather than heated from frozen. The beer list covers the full Scuttlebutt catalog — flagships like their American Amber Ale (their longest-running tap, a medium-body malt-forward beer that’s been on since the brewery opened in 1996) alongside whatever seasonal is rotating through. In spring 2026, look for their lighter session ales as they prep for summer patio weather. The pub patio is worth noting — it’s one of the better outdoor setups in the north end when the sun shows up.

    Hours at Craftsman Way run Sunday through Thursday 11 AM to 9 PM, Friday and Saturday 11 AM to 10 PM. The kitchen closes 30 minutes before the pub does, which is worth knowing if you’re coming late.

    This is the location you bring someone who doesn’t drink beer. The food holds up on its own, the space is comfortable, and the service is practiced. It’s also the location for groups — they can handle a bigger party without the chaos that a smaller taproom sometimes struggles with.

    The Cedar Street Taproom: 3310 Cedar Street

    The Cedar Street taproom is a different animal. This is where the brewing actually happens — the production facility is attached, and when you’re sitting at the bar, you’re closer to the tanks than you are at Craftsman Way. The space is smaller, more industrial, and oriented entirely around the beer. There’s no kitchen. Food is not the point.

    What Cedar Street has that Craftsman Way doesn’t: access to pilot batches, one-offs, and taproom-only pours that never make it to the restaurant. If Scuttlebutt’s brewing team is testing a new hop combination or a sour that might not go into production, Cedar Street is where it shows up first. For anyone who wants to drink Scuttlebutt beer specifically and is less interested in a full meal, this is the location.

    Hours at Cedar Street are more limited: Monday through Friday 10 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM. Closed Sunday. Those hours tell you something about who this space is for — it skews toward people who can pop in mid-afternoon, hop enthusiasts doing research, and the kind of local who treats it as a neighborhood stop rather than a destination evening out.

    Parking at Cedar Street is easier. The neighborhood is quieter. The energy is lower-key. Bring a book or a friend you can actually hear.

    The Beer Itself in 2026

    Scuttlebutt has been brewing in Everett since 1996 — that’s 30 years of operating in the same city, which is genuinely rare in craft beer. Most breweries that have been around that long either got bought, moved production out of town, or quietly coasted on their reputation. Scuttlebutt has done none of those things. They still brew at Cedar Street. They still own both locations. And the beer still wins awards.

    Their flagship lineup is stable in the best way: the Amber Ale remains the house pour, the Hefeweizen is the summer go-to, and their IPA program has gotten more interesting over the past few years as they’ve incorporated more PNW hop varieties. The Paws & Pints collaboration with Everett Animal Shelter — announced earlier this spring, where the winner of a dog photo contest gets a beer named after their dog and a Cal Raleigh–autographed leash — is the kind of thing only a brewery that’s been this embedded in a community for three decades can pull off without it feeling like a marketing stunt.

    The Big Dumper Beer, their Cal Raleigh collab lager, remains available at both locations. It’s a crisp, crushable lager — nothing challenging about it, which is the point. It’s a baseball beer. Drink it on the patio when the Mariners are on.

    Which One Should You Go To Tonight?

    Here’s the simple version: if you want dinner with your beer, go to Craftsman Way. If you want to drink interesting beer and might be in and out in 90 minutes, go to Cedar Street — but check the hours first, because they close early.

    If you’ve only ever been to one of them, go to the other one. You’ll understand Scuttlebutt better after you have.

    Scuttlebutt Brewing — Family Pub
    1205 Craftsman Way, Suite 101, Everett, WA 98201
    Sun–Thu: 11 AM – 9 PM | Fri–Sat: 11 AM – 10 PM
    Full menu, patio, all ages

    Scuttlebutt Brewing — Cedar Street Taproom
    3310 Cedar Street, Everett, WA 98201
    Mon–Fri: 10 AM – 6 PM | Sat: 10 AM – 5 PM | Sun: Closed
    Beer only, taproom-exclusive pours, production facility adjacent

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long has Scuttlebutt Brewing been open in Everett?
    Scuttlebutt Brewing has been operating in Everett since 1996 — making 2026 their 30th year in business. They are one of the longest-running craft breweries in Western Washington.

    Does the Cedar Street taproom serve food?
    No. The Cedar Street taproom is beer-only. If you want food with your Scuttlebutt beer, go to the Craftsman Way family pub location.

    What’s the difference between the two Scuttlebutt locations?
    Craftsman Way is a full-service pub and restaurant with a complete food menu, longer hours, and a larger space. Cedar Street is the production taproom — smaller, beer-focused, with access to pilot batches and one-off pours, but no kitchen and earlier closing times.

    Is the Big Dumper Beer still available?
    Yes, the Cal Raleigh collaboration lager is available at both Scuttlebutt locations as of spring 2026.

    Can I visit both locations in one day?
    Yes — they’re both in Everett and about a 10-minute drive apart. Cedar Street closes earlier (5–6 PM), so start there and finish at Craftsman Way for dinner.

    Are dogs allowed at Scuttlebutt?
    Dogs are welcome on the patio at the Craftsman Way location. Scuttlebutt has also run dog-friendly events in partnership with Everett Animal Shelter.

  • EvCC Baker Hall Redesign: Cosmetology & Theater Updates

    EvCC Baker Hall Redesign: Cosmetology & Theater Updates

    Quick answer: If you are an EvCC student in cosmetology or theater, the new Baker Hall is still on track for winter quarter 2028. The building is about 10,000 square feet smaller than the original plan, but the cosmetology working salon and the 250-seat theater both survived the redesign. Until the new building opens, cosmetology and theater programs continue in their current arrangements. The 1962 Baker Hall has not housed students in roughly two years, so day-to-day class life is not changing in 2026 because of the redesign — but the move-in date you should plan around is winter 2028.

    If you are at EvCC right now, or thinking about enrolling for fall 2026, or about to apply to the cosmetology or theater programs, the Baker Hall news matters in a specific way for you. The replacement building got smaller. The 2028 opening is still on. Your programs still get the spaces they were promised. But the way the campus looks between now and winter 2028 — and the building you eventually move into — has changed.

    This is the student-and-prospective-student guide to what the redesign means and what to plan around.

    Your Programs Are Safe

    The redesign cut roughly 10,000 square feet from the original 32,000-square-foot Baker Hall plan. What got preserved through the cuts:

    The cosmetology wing. A working salon with the plumbing, ventilation, and station layout cosmetology training requires. Classrooms. Meeting spaces. Department offices. None of that came out of the design.

    The 250-seat theater. A real performance space with dressing rooms, a set-construction shop, costume storage, and the support classrooms a theater program needs. The 250-seat figure stayed.

    What was cut was slack — the circulation space, the future-flex rooms, the breathing room around the core program functions. As a student, you will probably not notice that on day one in 2028. You will notice it five or ten years later if the program grows beyond what the smaller building can hold. That is a future-EvCC problem, not a current-student problem.

    What’s Happening Until Winter 2028

    The 1962 Baker Hall has not housed students in roughly two years. That means whatever interim arrangement your program is in right now is the arrangement that continues through 2026 and most of 2027. If you are in cosmetology, you are using the current cosmetology training facilities EvCC arranged when the old Baker Hall was vacated. If you are in theater, the same applies.

    The redesign does not change those interim arrangements. It just delays demolition of the old building so the construction window aligns with the revised drawings. Demolition is now timed against the new construction schedule, not happening on the original 2025 calendar.

    What Winter 2028 Looks Like

    If you are a current EvCC cosmetology or theater student on a two-year track, winter 2028 may be after your graduation. If you are on a longer track or you transfer in for fall 2026 or fall 2027, you may be the first cohort to take classes in the new Baker Hall. That cohort gets:

    • A modern cosmetology salon with proper plumbing, ventilation, and station infrastructure
    • A 250-seat theater with proper backstage, fly space, dressing rooms, and set-construction support
    • Classrooms designed around current teaching models, not 1962 teaching models
    • A building meeting current seismic, accessibility, and mechanical standards

    Those are real upgrades over what either program could ever deliver inside a 64-year-old building.

    What the Redesign Means If You’re Choosing EvCC

    If you are deciding whether to enroll at EvCC for cosmetology or theater specifically because of Baker Hall:

    The 2028 opening is on the table but not guaranteed. Public construction projects can slip. A six-month or one-year slip would not be unusual; a multi-year slip would be unusual but not impossible. Plan around winter 2028 with the understanding that fall 2028 is also possible.

    The program quality does not depend on the building. EvCC’s cosmetology and theater programs have been running through the entire Baker Hall transition. The quality of instruction is not waiting for 2028. If you start in fall 2026, you will get the program — just not in the new building.

    The smaller redesign is still a real upgrade. A 22,000-square-foot purpose-built building with a working salon and a 250-seat theater is meaningfully better than what the 1962 Baker Hall could have offered even after a renovation. The cuts removed slack, not core function.

    What to Watch For

    If you want to track the project’s progress as a student, the milestones to look for:

    • Construction documents revised and re-permitted (2026)
    • Cornerstone Construction trade-package rebids (2026)
    • Demolition of the 1962 Baker Hall
    • Foundation and shell work (2027)
    • Interior fit-out and inspections (late 2027)
    • Move-in and program opening (winter quarter 2028)

    EvCC’s facilities communications and the school’s board minutes are the most reliable sources for milestone updates as they happen.

    The Practical Takeaway

    If you are a cosmetology or theater student, the redesign is, on balance, a good outcome. The alternative — a project killed for budget — would have meant no new Baker Hall at all. The alternative — a supplemental appropriation request — would have meant a 12-18 month delay while Olympia worked through the request, with no certainty of approval. Cutting scope to keep the 2028 opening preserves the deliverable.

    The deliverable is what you actually need: a working salon for cosmetology training, a real theater for theater performance and production training, and modern classrooms for the support coursework. That is what arrives in winter 2028. Just slightly smaller than the original drawings showed.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Does the Baker Hall redesign change EvCC’s cosmetology program?

    No. The cosmetology wing, including the working salon, was preserved through the redesign. The program continues as currently arranged through 2027 and moves into the new building in winter quarter 2028.

    Is EvCC’s theater program still getting a 250-seat theater?

    Yes. The 250-seat theater, dressing rooms, set-construction shop, and costume storage all survived the redesign.

    When does the new Baker Hall open for classes?

    Winter quarter 2028 is the current target. Demolition of the 1962 Baker Hall has been aligned with the revised construction window.

    What is happening to my program until winter 2028?

    The 1962 Baker Hall has not housed students for roughly two years, so program arrangements that have been in place since the building was vacated continue through the construction window. The redesign does not change those interim arrangements.

    Is the new Baker Hall smaller because EvCC is shrinking the program?

    No. The 10,000-square-foot reduction came from circulation space, flex space, and support functions — not from program-critical spaces. The cosmetology salon, the 250-seat theater, and the supporting classrooms were preserved at full scope.

    Could the 2028 opening still slip?

    Yes. Public construction projects can hit permit, supply, or labor delays. A short slip is not unusual; a multi-year slip would be unusual. Students should plan around winter 2028 with awareness that fall 2028 is possible.

    Will the new building be more accessible than the 1962 Baker Hall?

    Yes. New campus construction in Washington must meet current ADA and accessibility standards. The 1962 building was designed before those standards existed and would have required near-complete reconstruction to comply.

    Related Exploring Everett coverage:


  • EvCC Baker Hall Replacement: $38M Redesign & 2028 Opening

    EvCC Baker Hall Replacement: $38M Redesign & 2028 Opening

    Quick answer: Everett Community College paused and redesigned its $37.9 million Baker Hall replacement project after construction-cost increases pushed the original 32,000-square-foot design over budget. The redesign cuts roughly 10,000 square feet but preserves the cosmetology wing with a working salon, the 250-seat theater, and the winter quarter 2028 opening target. Architect McGranahan PBK and contractor Cornerstone Construction stay on the project. The $37.9M capital allocation has been on the books since the 2023–25 state budget cycle.

    Most college construction stories that hit a budget wall get smaller, slower, or quieter. Everett Community College’s Baker Hall replacement just hit the wall — and the result is a campus project that got smaller, kept its core programs, kept its 2028 opening, and is more useful as a case study for state-funded capital construction in 2026 than a typical campus building update would be.

    Here is the complete 2026 guide to what is happening at Baker Hall: the $37.9 million project, what got cut, what survived, why the schedule still works, and what the building means for EvCC students, the cosmetology program, the theater program, and the surrounding waterfront-adjacent campus footprint.

    What Just Changed

    EvCC paused the Baker Hall rebuild and shrank the planned new building by about 10,000 square feet, citing rising construction costs. The original design called for 32,000 square feet. The revised version comes in at roughly 22,000 square feet — a third smaller.

    What did not get cut: the core program elements. The new Baker Hall still includes:

    • A dedicated cosmetology wing — including a working salon, classrooms, meeting spaces, and offices for the cosmetology department
    • A 250-seat theater with dressing rooms, a set-construction shop, and costume storage
    • Additional classroom space layered around those two anchors

    What got cut, in plain terms, is the slack. The square footage that allowed flex space, larger circulation areas, and room to grow programs into the building over the next decade — that is the part that gave way to the budget math. The bones of the program survive. The breathing room around them does not.

    The 2028 Target Is Still On

    Even with the redesign, EvCC is aiming for a winter quarter 2028 opening. That is the operational target the school is working toward right now. Demolition of the existing 1962 Baker Hall — which has not seen students in roughly two years — has been delayed to align with the revised construction window, but the timeline to having students in the new space has not slipped beyond winter 2028.

    A 2028 opening from a 2026 redesign is a real schedule. It requires:

    • Construction documents revised to the new scope
    • Permits refreshed against the revised drawings
    • Cornerstone Construction rebidding the trade packages with the smaller scope
    • Mobilization and site work in 2026
    • Foundation and shell in 2027
    • Interior fit-out and inspection in late 2027
    • Occupancy and program move-in for winter 2028 quarter

    Each of those steps has float built in, but not a lot of it. A 2028 opening is achievable; a slip to fall 2028 or beyond is not unimaginable if any of those phases hits a snag.

    The Players

    The professionals on the project:

    • Architect: McGranahan PBK, selected in February 2025
    • Contractor: Cornerstone Construction, brought on in May 2025
    • Funder: Washington State, through the 2023–25 capital budget cycle, with the $37.9 million allocation
    • Owner: Everett Community College

    That team has been in place for over a year. Keeping the architect and contractor through the redesign — instead of restarting procurement — is the move that protects the 2028 schedule. Restarting would have meant another 12-18 months easily.

    What Got Cut: The Slack, Not the Bones

    It is worth being specific about which 10,000 square feet came out of the design, because that is what determines how the building actually feels in 2028:

    Circulation space. Wider hallways, larger lobbies, more generous gathering spaces — these are the first things that get value-engineered when costs rise.

    Flex and growth space. The original design likely included shell space — built but unfinished rooms ready to be assigned to whatever program needed them in 2030 or 2032. That is one of the easier cuts because the impact is in the future, not at opening.

    Some support functions. Storage, mechanical clearance, prep areas around the theater and salon — all candidates for tightening.

    The cosmetology working salon and the 250-seat theater stayed because they are the reasons the building exists. EvCC’s cosmetology program needs salon-grade plumbing, ventilation, and station layouts that you cannot retrofit into a generic classroom. The theater program needs a real stage, a real fly system, and real backstage. Cutting those would have meant rebuilding the program around a different teaching model. The school chose to cut the slack instead.

    Why the 1962 Baker Hall Has to Go

    The existing Baker Hall opened in 1962. By 2026, that is a 64-year-old building. It has not housed students in approximately two years. Mid-twentieth-century campus buildings on the West Coast share a familiar problem set: seismic standards have moved several times since the original construction, mechanical systems are at or past end-of-useful-life, accessibility retrofits would require near-complete reconstruction, and the floor plans were designed for teaching models that no longer match how the programs operate.

    For a cosmetology program that needs salon-grade infrastructure and a theater program that needs proper stage and backstage, the 1962 building was no longer a workable home. That is why the replacement strategy got chosen over renovation in the first place.

    The Larger Construction-Cost Story

    The Baker Hall pause is one data point in a regional pattern. Construction costs across the Puget Sound have been outrunning state capital budget allocations for several budget cycles. Public-sector projects budgeted in 2023 dollars and bid in 2025 or 2026 dollars are routinely landing 15-30% over their allocations. The choices in those moments are: cut scope, get more money, or kill the project.

    EvCC chose to cut scope while preserving program. That preserves the public investment and keeps the 2028 opening on the table without going back to Olympia for a supplemental appropriation. For state-funded campus projects across Washington’s community college system, this is a useful template.

    What 2028 Looks Like for EvCC Students

    When students walk into the new Baker Hall in winter 2028, they will find a smaller building than the original plan, but a working cosmetology salon, a real 250-seat theater, and the classroom support those programs need. That is the deliverable.

    The building also fits into a larger EvCC campus context that includes the existing arts and humanities footprint, the Northshore-area campus connections, and the broader Everett Station and waterfront corridor. Baker Hall’s replacement sits in that fabric.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is happening with Everett Community College’s Baker Hall?

    EvCC paused and redesigned the $37.9 million Baker Hall replacement project, cutting roughly 10,000 square feet from the original 32,000-square-foot design due to rising construction costs. The cosmetology wing, 250-seat theater, and winter 2028 opening target all survived the redesign.

    Who designed and is building the new Baker Hall?

    McGranahan PBK is the architect, selected in February 2025. Cornerstone Construction is the contractor, brought on in May 2025. Both stay on the project through the redesign.

    When does the new Baker Hall open?

    Winter quarter 2028 is the current operational target. Demolition of the 1962 Baker Hall is being aligned with the revised construction window.

    Why was Baker Hall redesigned?

    Construction costs across the Puget Sound region rose between the project’s 2023 budget allocation and the 2025-26 bid environment, pushing the original design over the $37.9 million capital budget. EvCC chose to redesign at smaller scope rather than seek a supplemental appropriation or kill the project.

    What programs will the new Baker Hall house?

    The cosmetology program (with a working salon) and the theater program (with a 250-seat performance space, dressing rooms, set-construction shop, and costume storage) are the anchor tenants, plus additional classrooms.

    How big is the new Baker Hall?

    Approximately 22,000 square feet in the redesign, down from the original 32,000-square-foot plan.

    How is the project funded?

    Through Washington State’s capital budget. The $37.9 million allocation has been on the books since the 2023–25 budget cycle.

    What was wrong with the 1962 Baker Hall?

    The 64-year-old building has aging mechanical systems, outdated seismic standards, and floor plans that no longer match how the cosmetology and theater programs operate. It has not housed students in approximately two years. Replacement was chosen over renovation.

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  • Housing Hope Everett: 2026 Guide & New Tomorrow’s Hope

    Housing Hope Everett: 2026 Guide & New Tomorrow’s Hope

    Quick answer: Housing Hope is Everett’s largest affordable-housing nonprofit. It manages more than 650 affordable rental units across 24 sites in Snohomish County and Camano Island, has helped 328 households become homeowners through its Team HomeBuilding sweat-equity program, and is breaking ground in 2026 on a new 26,700-square-foot Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center at 4526 Federal Avenue in partnership with Compass Health. The organization has a new CEO and is chasing a 1,000-unit goal by 2030.

    Drive past 4526 Federal Avenue right now and you will see survey stakes, fresh fencing, and site-prep equipment on the northeast corner of the Compass Health campus. That is a 26,700-square-foot child development center under construction. It belongs to Housing Hope — and most Everett residents have never heard of the organization that is building it.

    That is unusual. Housing Hope manages more than 650 affordable rental units across 24 sites in Snohomish County. It runs a sweat-equity homeownership program that has produced 328 first-time homeowners. It operates a child development center that has served Everett families for more than thirty years. It is the largest affordable-housing nonprofit in the city. And it is in the middle of its biggest year in a long time.

    This is the complete 2026 guide to Housing Hope: what it does, where it operates, the new Tomorrow’s Hope project at 4526 Federal Avenue, the new CEO at the top, and the 1,000-unit goal driving the next four years.

    What Housing Hope Actually Does

    Housing Hope’s mission is to promote and provide affordable housing and tailored services that reduce homelessness and poverty across Snohomish County and Camano Island. In practice, the organization operates five integrated programs:

    1. Affordable rental housing. More than 650 units across 24 sites. Rents are set on a sliding scale based on household income and family size — not market rate. The portfolio runs from single-room transitional units to family-sized apartments specifically designed for households exiting homelessness.

    2. Team HomeBuilding. A sweat-equity homeownership program where working families help build their own and each other’s homes. The program has produced 328 first-time homeowner households. Participants commit hundreds of hours of construction labor in exchange for a deeply discounted mortgage on a home they helped frame, side, and finish.

    3. Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center. Quality childcare for kids aged four weeks through twelve years, with a sliding-scale fee structure that prioritizes families currently living in Housing Hope properties or recently exited from homelessness. The current facility has operated for more than 30 years and is being replaced by a much larger purpose-built building at 4526 Federal Avenue.

    4. Workforce and family services. Career counseling, financial coaching, and family stability supports embedded inside the housing portfolio. The integration is the point — residents do not have to leave the property to access services.

    5. Development and acquisition. Housing Hope’s real estate development arm acquires sites, secures funding stacks (federal LIHTC, state Housing Trust Fund, county and city contributions), designs new housing, and operates the resulting buildings. The organization has been one of the most consistent affordable-housing developers in Snohomish County for thirty years.

    The New Tomorrow’s Hope at 4526 Federal Avenue

    The signature 2026 project is a new 26,700-square-foot Tomorrow’s Hope Child Development Center on the Compass Health campus at 4526 Federal Avenue. Several things matter about that project:

    Capacity triples. The current Tomorrow’s Hope serves a fraction of the demand the program receives. The new building expands enrollment dramatically, with classroom space designed for kids from infancy through age twelve.

    The Compass Health partnership is real. Compass is the dominant behavioral-health provider in Snohomish County. Co-locating childcare on the Compass Health campus puts behavioral-health services and childcare in the same place — which matters for families navigating both at once.

    Funding is layered. Affordable-housing-and-services projects of this scale do not get built with one funding source. The financing typically combines state, county, and city contributions with private philanthropy and tax-credit equity. The fact that the project has reached site-prep means that capital stack is closed.

    The 30-year handoff. The existing Tomorrow’s Hope facility has been operating for more than three decades. Replacing it with a purpose-built modern center is the kind of generational handoff few nonprofits successfully execute. Housing Hope is doing it.

    The Leadership Change

    Housing Hope has a new CEO: Kathryn Opina. Leadership transitions at long-running nonprofits are inflection points — they reset strategy, relationships with funders, and operational culture. For an organization the size of Housing Hope at the moment of an active capital project and a 1,000-unit growth target, the timing is significant. Local civic watchers should be paying attention to how the new CEO frames the next four years.

    The 1,000-Unit Goal

    Housing Hope is publicly chasing a 1,000-unit goal by 2030. From the current 650+ portfolio, that is roughly 350 additional units across the remaining four years. At Snohomish County construction costs, that is a multi-hundred-million-dollar development pipeline. The organizations that move that kind of pipeline through approvals, financing, and construction usually sit at the table when local housing policy is debated. Housing Hope sits at that table for Snohomish County.

    Where Housing Hope Operates in Everett

    The 24 sites are spread across Snohomish County and Camano Island, with concentrations in Everett’s lower-income neighborhoods, on Casino Road in South Everett, near downtown, and along the corridors where transit access supports car-light households. Specific properties include transitional housing for families exiting homelessness, permanent supportive housing, family workforce housing, and senior housing — Housing Hope’s portfolio is intentionally diverse so that residents can move within the system as their circumstances change without leaving the network of services.

    Why Housing Hope Matters in 2026

    Three pieces of context make Housing Hope particularly relevant this year:

    Snohomish County’s housing-and-behavioral-health funding wave. The County Council recently approved $23 million for housing and behavioral health programs. Housing Hope is structurally positioned to absorb funding allocations from those streams.

    Everett’s CDBG / HOME / AHTF priority-setting. The city’s Community Development Advisory Committee is holding a May 5 public hearing on 2027 federal housing fund priorities. Housing Hope is both a funder applicant and a major operator of the kind of housing those funds target.

    The 51.8% inventory jump. Snohomish County’s housing inventory rose 51.8% in March 2026. That is a market-rate signal. The affordable-housing tier — which is what Housing Hope operates in — is structurally separate from market-rate inventory, and its tightness is not relieved by a market shift. The need does not move with the inventory chart.

    How Everett Residents Can Engage

    For a household needing housing or services: contact Housing Hope directly to inquire about waitlist availability, eligibility, and program intake. The organization serves residents of Snohomish County and Camano Island.

    For a household wanting to support the work: Housing Hope accepts financial contributions, in-kind donations, and volunteer hours, particularly for the Team HomeBuilding sweat-equity program where construction-skilled volunteers can directly accelerate move-in dates for participating families.

    For Everett residents wanting policy influence: the May 5 CDAC public hearing is one of the more direct levers for shaping how 2027 federal housing dollars get spent locally.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is Housing Hope and where is it based?

    Housing Hope is an Everett-headquartered nonprofit that builds and operates affordable rental housing, supports homeownership through sweat-equity construction, and runs childcare and family services across Snohomish County and Camano Island.

    How many units does Housing Hope manage?

    More than 650 affordable rental units across 24 sites in Snohomish County and Camano Island, with a publicly stated goal of 1,000 units by 2030.

    What is the new Tomorrow’s Hope at 4526 Federal Avenue?

    A new 26,700-square-foot child development center under construction on the Compass Health campus at 4526 Federal Avenue in Everett. It replaces the current Tomorrow’s Hope facility and triples childcare capacity.

    Who is the new CEO of Housing Hope?

    Kathryn Opina is the new CEO of Housing Hope, leading the organization through its current capital expansion and the 1,000-unit growth target.

    What is Team HomeBuilding?

    Team HomeBuilding is Housing Hope’s sweat-equity homeownership program. Participating families commit hundreds of hours of construction labor on each other’s homes in exchange for a deeply discounted mortgage on a finished home they helped build. The program has produced 328 first-time homeowner households.

    How does Housing Hope set rent?

    Rent is set on a sliding scale based on household income and family size, not market rate. That is the structural distinction between affordable housing and market-rate housing.

    How can Everett residents support Housing Hope?

    Through financial contributions, in-kind donations, and volunteer hours, including direct construction labor on Team HomeBuilding projects. Residents seeking housing or services can contact Housing Hope directly to inquire about eligibility.

    Is Housing Hope related to Compass Health?

    Housing Hope and Compass Health are independent organizations. The new Tomorrow’s Hope facility is being built on Compass Health’s campus at 4526 Federal Avenue as a partnership project, co-locating childcare with behavioral-health services.

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