Tag: Everett WA

  • AquaSox Star Wars Night: Yoda Jerseys & Postgame Fireworks

    AquaSox Star Wars Night: Yoda Jerseys & Postgame Fireworks

    What is happening at AquaSox Star Wars Night on May 9, 2026? The Everett AquaSox host the Hillsboro Hops at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Funko Field for Star Wars Night. The promotion includes limited-edition Yoda-themed jerseys auctioned for charity, character meet-and-greets on the main concourse, and a postgame Fireworks Extravaganza. The series concludes Sunday, May 10, with the homestand finale at 1:05 p.m.

    The Force at Funko Field: AquaSox Star Wars Night and the homestand finale

    If you are reading this on Saturday night and the AquaSox-Hops game is still in progress, here is the deal: the Frogs were rolling into the night at the better end of this homestand, the prospect group has been hot, and Star Wars Night at Funko Field is one of the four or five best fan-experience nights of the entire AquaSox season. We are not going to fabricate a final score before the box is signed off — the rest of this run is about what is verifiable right now and what to look for tomorrow.

    What is verifiable: The promo. The pitching matchup framing. The series state. The Sunday finale. The prospect-watch story, which has been the most fun part of the AquaSox’s first month-plus.

    The night, the jerseys, the fireworks

    The AquaSox lean into theme nights harder than almost any club in the Northwest League, and Star Wars Night sits in the same tier as Bigfoot Night and Funko Pop Night for spectacle. The team is wearing limited-edition Yoda-themed jerseys for tonight’s game — those jerseys go to a postgame charity auction, with proceeds typically supporting the AquaSox Foundation and partner youth-baseball programs around Snohomish County. If you are a Star Wars fan and a Frogs fan, you have been waiting for this night since the schedule released.

    The character meet-and-greet runs on the main concourse during the early portion of the game. Storm troopers, Jedi, and the usual rotating cast of fan-club volunteers run the costume booths. Kids who come in costume get the full deal. The postgame Fireworks Extravaganza is the standard Funko Field treatment — about 12 minutes of choreographed fireworks set to music, watched from the seats or the right-field lawn. It is the kind of postgame that turns a casual night out into a kid’s core memory.

    The series and the homestand

    The AquaSox came into Saturday night having won the Friday matinée 8-1 behind Colton Shaw’s gem (seven strikeouts) and home runs from Freicer Caron and Jorge Jimenez. That pushed the homestand into a strong position with games still to play Saturday and Sunday at Funko Field.

    The bigger context for this homestand is the prospect run. Felnin Celesten — the Mariners’ international-signing infielder — is on a tear, having been named the Northwest League Player of the Week back-to-back. Luke Stevenson, Seattle’s No. 8 prospect on most ranking systems, won the Mariners’ Hitter of the Month award for April. Brock Moore won the Mariners’ April Bullpen Award with eight-plus innings, 20 strikeouts, four saves, and an ERA south of 3. The whole pipeline has been pushing real signal up to High-A, and a lot of the players who get a Mariners callup over the next 18 months are in this dugout right now.

    Sunday: The homestand finale at 1:05 p.m.

    Sunday, May 10, the AquaSox close out the Hillsboro homestand at 1:05 p.m. — Sunday Funday at Funko Field, with kids running the bases postgame. After Sunday, the Frogs travel to a road series and Funko Field is dark for a stretch before the next homestand opens.

    The pitching matchup for Sunday will fall to whichever back-end starter the AquaSox are running through the rotation by then. Bryce Miller, the Seattle Mariners starter who made his rehab outing at Funko Field on Wednesday May 6 (5 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 K, 47 pitches), has finished his AquaSox rehab assignment and rejoined the Mariners’ rotation plan. So Sunday is back to the regular rotation — which has been good news because the back end of the staff has been a real strength all spring.

    What to watch for if you are at the park

    Felnin Celesten in the box. The 19-year-old has been the most exciting hitter in the Northwest League over the last two weeks. Watch his patience at the plate — the strike-zone discipline is the part of his profile that scouts have been waiting on, and it is showing up.

    Luke Stevenson behind the plate. Seattle’s No. 8 prospect is doing things at the plate that catchers his age usually do not do, and his game-calling at High-A has been one of the quiet stories of the season. Worth a look every at-bat.

    Brandon Eike’s home run pace. Eike has six home runs already through the early part of the AquaSox schedule. Eike, Stevenson, and Curtis Washington Jr. — who has four — are the bat trio that will define this lineup all summer.

    The bullpen back end. Brock Moore in particular. The Mariners-Award-winning April was not an accident — Moore has been one of the most reliable late-inning arms at this level all year.

    The fireworks. Always the fireworks. Funko Field’s set-up still holds up next to anything Snohomish County throws on the calendar.

    The fan-voice take

    Saturday night Star Wars Nights at Funko Field are the AquaSox at their best — full crowd, kids in costume, the prospect group on the field looking like the future of the Mariners’ lineup, and a crew of theme-night vendors that turn the whole thing into a carnival. This is the night you bring out-of-town family to. This is the night you take the kids to. This is the night you stay for the fireworks.

    And the bigger picture is also worth holding onto. The AquaSox are halfway through a deeply competitive homestand, the prospect-pipeline development that this organization is supposed to be doing is happening in plain sight, and the team is one of the more fun reasons to live in Snohomish County right now. If you have not been to a game yet in 2026, fix that this week.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What time does AquaSox Star Wars Night start?
    First pitch is 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Funko Field in Everett. Gates typically open about an hour and 15 minutes before first pitch.

    What are the jerseys like?
    Limited-edition Yoda-themed jerseys worn by the players during the game. The jerseys are auctioned for charity after the game.

    Are there fireworks?
    Yes — postgame Fireworks Extravaganza, the standard Funko Field treatment of about 12 choreographed minutes set to music.

    When is the homestand finale?
    Sunday, May 10, 2026, at 1:05 p.m. — the standard Sunday Funday afternoon game at Funko Field with kids running the bases postgame.

    Who is the AquaSox prospect to watch right now?
    Felnin Celesten has been on a tear, named back-to-back Northwest League Player of the Week. Luke Stevenson won the Mariners’ April Hitter of the Month award. Brock Moore won the Mariners’ April Bullpen Award.

    Where is Funko Field?
    3900 Broadway, Everett, WA 98201 — on the Everett Memorial Stadium grounds adjacent to Everett Community College.

    How can I get tickets?
    AquaSox.com or Ticketmaster. The team also runs walkup ticket windows on game days.

    Where is Bryce Miller now?
    Miller completed his second AquaSox rehab outing on Wednesday, May 6, throwing five scoreless innings at Funko Field. He has rejoined the Mariners’ rotation plan.

  • WHL Championship Final 2026: Silvertips Road Games 3–5 Recap

    WHL Championship Final 2026: Silvertips Road Games 3–5 Recap

    Where did the Silvertips play in the WHL Championship Final road stretch? Game 3 of the 2026 WHL Championship Final was Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. MDT — 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time for Everett fans. Game 4 followed Wednesday, May 13 at the same venue. Game 5, if needed, was Friday, May 15, also in Prince Albert. The series could return to Angel of the Winds Arena for Games 6 and 7 on Sunday, May 17 and Monday, May 18. This page is retained as a May 2026 series archive.

    Tied 1-1, the WHL Final went to Saskatchewan: What it meant for Everett’s run

    The 2026 WHL Championship Final has its perfect setup. Two No. 1 seeds, splitting the home games at Angel of the Winds Arena, going to Prince Albert tied at a game apiece. Now the series gets harder.

    For the next three games — Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday — the Silvertips do not get the building behind them. They get a 6,200-seat barn called the Art Hauser Centre, sitting in a hockey town of about 35,000 people that lives and dies on this team. Prince Albert was the Eastern Conference’s top regular-season team for a reason. The Raiders have lost just once at home in the 2026 playoffs.

    The good news for Tips fans: Everett earned the right to go on the road tied. The 6-2 Game 2 win at Angel of the Winds Arena on Saturday — three first-period goals, a four-point night from Julius Miettinen, a power-play goal from Jesse Heslop with one second left — flipped the series from “Prince Albert is in control” back to “Everett is the team to beat.” That matters. Going 0-2 to Saskatchewan would have been a borderline emergency. Going 1-1 is the script everyone expected before the series opened.

    The Art Hauser Centre, briefly explained for Tips fans who have never been

    The Art Hauser Centre is the smallest venue still hosting a WHL playoff series in 2026. Capacity for hockey runs about 2,800 seated plus standing-room — and it is loud the way smaller buildings always are. The ice surface is the standard 200-by-85, but the rink sits closer to the crowd than at Angel of the Winds, and the Raiders’ building has a real hum to it on big nights. This will be a big nights kind of building.

    For Everett’s group, this is not an unfamiliar environment. The Tips spent all spring grinding through Memorial Cup-quality road buildings — Kamloops, Kelowna, the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton — and they are 8-0 on the road in the 2026 playoffs entering Game 3. That stat has earned the team the benefit of the doubt about whether they can handle the noise.

    What changes for Everett with the schedule shift

    The biggest practical change is the time zone. Mountain Daylight Time runs an hour ahead of Pacific in May, so a 7:30 p.m. local puck drop in Prince Albert is 6:30 p.m. for fans in Everett. That is friendlier than it sounds. You can be home from work, eat dinner, watch the whole game, and still be in bed by 9:30 PT.

    The second change is the format. In Games 3, 4, and 5, the Raiders get last line change. In a series that is already turning on matchups — DuPont and Bear against Pickering and Reschny, Miettinen-Cripps in the circle — that is a meaningful adjustment. Head coach Dennis Williams will need to lean on Carter Bear’s line to take the heaviest minutes against Prince Albert’s top defensemen and trust the Tips’ depth to win the lower-leverage shifts.

    The third change is the goalie call. Everett went with AJ Reyelts in net for Game 2 and got rewarded for it. With Anders Miller’s regular-season .948 save percentage in his back pocket, the Tips have one of the best goaltending tandems in junior hockey. Reyelts earned the Game 2 start by playing well in the Western Conference Final’s two overtime games and winning the night. Whether he gets Game 3 or Miller comes back is the storyline to watch in the team’s first-night skate Tuesday morning at the Art Hauser Centre.

    What changes for Prince Albert

    The Raiders have to win at home. They came into this series as the WHL Eastern Conference’s top seed, beating Medicine Hat in seven games in the East Final, and they have not lost a home game in this entire run. If they protect the Hauser, the series gets very long for Everett very quickly.

    What worried Prince Albert in Game 2 was the absence of two-way pressure from their top forwards. Owen Pickering, the Raiders captain and Detroit Red Wings prospect, finished without a point. Cole Reschny, the Calgary Flames first-rounder, was held off the scoresheet. Aiden Oiring, who terrorized the Tips’ defensive zone in Game 1, was a much smaller factor in Game 2. If those three play to their pedigree, Prince Albert wins this series. If they continue what we saw in Game 2, Everett is going to take this in five or six.

    What is at stake in each game

    Game 3 is for who wants the series first. The team that wins Game 3 in a tied 1-1 best-of-seven goes on to win the series 78 percent of the time historically. That is the leverage point.

    Game 4 is for survival or scoreboard pressure. The team that drops Game 3 cannot afford to drop Game 4 — that 3-1 series deficit ends roughly nine of every 10 series in the home team’s favor.

    Game 5 is for the door. Friday May 15 — if needed — is Prince Albert’s last home game in the 2026 season if the Tips have done their job in Games 3 and 4. It is also where the Raiders end their season at home if Everett can grab one of the first two and hold serve.

    Game 6 and Game 7 are scheduled for Angel of the Winds Arena Sunday, May 17 and Monday, May 18. Both are sold out as of Saturday night for the home opener segment of those tickets — anything left after the AOTW resale window closes goes to Ticketmaster’s verified resale.

    How to watch from Everett

    TSN carries the WHL Championship Final in Canada. Victory+ streams it in the United States — that is the official option for fans on the south side of the border who do not have a TSN subscription. Ticketmaster handles tickets for the home games at Angel of the Winds Arena.

    If you are watching at home, set the DVR for 6:30 p.m. PT both Tuesday and Wednesday. If you are watching at a bar in Everett, start with The Anchor Pub & Restaurant, the Independent Beer Bar at the arena, or McMenamins on Hewitt — they are all reliably running WHL Final coverage on the big screens during this run.

    The fan-voice take on the road trip

    Here is the truth about this team going to Prince Albert tied: this is the run we earned. A 117-point regular season that was the best mark in the Western Conference in 12 years. Sweeping Kelowna in Round 2. Sweeping Penticton in the Western Conference Final. Twelve playoff wins on a 12-1 record. That entire body of work was about earning the right to play games like this — on the road, against another No. 1 seed, with a championship in front of you.

    Most franchises never get a Tuesday like the one Everett is about to play. Cherish it. Pull up Victory+. Have a pint. Yell at the TV. The Silvertips have not won the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 19 years, and the path to ending that drought runs straight through Prince Albert this week.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When is Game 3 of the 2026 WHL Championship Final?
    Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. MDT, which is 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

    How many home games does Prince Albert get in this series?
    Three. Games 3, 4, and 5 are all at the Art Hauser Centre. Games 6 and 7, if needed, return to Angel of the Winds Arena.

    How can I watch the WHL Final from Everett?
    Victory+ streams the games in the United States. TSN broadcasts in Canada. Both options are official.

    What is the series record between Everett and Prince Albert?
    Tied 1-1 after Game 2. Prince Albert won Game 1 4-2 at Angel of the Winds Arena. Everett won Game 2 6-2 at Angel of the Winds Arena.

    Has Everett been good on the road in the 2026 playoffs?
    Yes. The Silvertips entered Game 3 at 8-0 on the road in the 2026 WHL Playoffs.

    When was the last time the Silvertips won the Ed Chynoweth Cup?
    2007. Everett has not won the WHL Championship in 19 years entering the 2026 Final.

    Where is the Art Hauser Centre?
    Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Capacity is approximately 2,800. The venue has been the Raiders’ home rink since 1996.

    What time will Game 4 be played?
    Wednesday, May 13 at the Art Hauser Centre. Game time is set at the same 7:30 p.m. MDT puck drop.

  • WHL Final Game 2: Silvertips Crush Raiders to Tie Series

    WHL Final Game 2: Silvertips Crush Raiders to Tie Series

    What was the final score of WHL Final Game 2 on May 9, 2026? The Everett Silvertips beat the Prince Albert Raiders 6-2 at Angel of the Winds Arena on Saturday, May 9, 2026, tying the best-of-seven WHL Championship Series 1-1. Three first-period goals — from Carter Bear at 3:20, Kayd Ruedig at 5:31, and Rylan Gould later in the frame — staked Everett to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes, and the Tips never gave it back. The series now shifts to Prince Albert’s Art Hauser Centre for Games 3, 4, and 5.

    Bounce-back Saturday: The Silvertips needed this one and they got it three different ways

    Friday night Everett looked nervous. Saturday night Everett looked like Everett.

    The Silvertips evened the 2026 WHL Championship Series with a 6-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders at Angel of the Winds Arena on May 9, and the way they did it should reset the tone of the entire series. They scored three goals before the first period was over. They put a power-play goal on the scoreboard with one second left to drive the dagger home. And they got production from the people you would have hoped to see step up — Carter Bear, Julius Miettinen, and a 2OT Game 2 hero from Round 3 in Rylan Gould — plus a Game 2 goal from Kayd Ruedig, the defenseman acquired in trade specifically for moments like this.

    Series tied 1-1. Off to Saskatchewan. The Tips can breathe.

    The first period that swung the series back

    Carter Bear opened the scoring at 3:20 of the first by corralling a bouncing loose puck in the high slot and beating Prince Albert goaltender Michal Orsulak with a low shot. Two minutes and eleven seconds later, Nolan Chastko won an offensive-zone face-off, the puck slid to Kayd Ruedig in the left circle, and Ruedig’s shot beat a screened Orsulak to make it 2-0 at 5:31. By the time the first horn sounded, Everett had a 3-0 lead — Rylan Gould adding the third on a wide-open net after a play by 17-year-old phenom defenseman Landon DuPont.

    Three goals in the first period. After the way Game 1 went — losing the second period 3-0 and giving up the eventual game-winner from Justice Christensen on a play that felt unnecessary — that opening 20 minutes was the entire emotional reset the building needed. Game 2 stopped being about whether the Tips could match Prince Albert’s intensity and started being about whether the Raiders could climb back into a series where Everett was the one dictating terms.

    Prince Albert pushed back, Prince Albert ran out of room

    Brock Cripps got Prince Albert on the board with a power-play goal in the second period, and Justice Christensen — yes, the same Christensen who potted the Game 1 winner — added another with 9:46 to play in the third to make it 3-2 and briefly suggest a real comeback was on. It was the kind of stretch that, in Game 1, ended with the Raiders pulling away. Saturday night it ended with Everett locking it down.

    Julius Miettinen banged in an empty-netter for his 12th playoff goal — and his fourth point of the night — to push the lead to 5-2, and Jesse Heslop closed the scoring with a power-play goal with one second left in regulation for the 6-2 final. That last goal does not change anything on the scoreboard, but in the WHL it absolutely changes things in the locker room. Insurance goals at the end of WHL playoff games are a message. Everett was sending one.

    The fan-voice take

    Look, after Friday night a lot of us were doing math we didn’t want to do. Two-on-the-road for a series that was supposed to belong to Everett. Anders Miller’s historic regular-season .948 save percentage suddenly looking less like a shield and more like a ceiling. The crowd quiet by the third period. That was a real worry.

    What changed Saturday is exactly what should have changed Saturday. Carter Bear played like a Detroit Red Wings second-round pick should play. Landon DuPont made a defenseman-to-defenseman play to set up Gould that was the kind of thing that gets you drafted first overall. Julius Miettinen had four points and looked like the closer this team has been all season. And Kayd Ruedig — the trade-deadline addition from Kamloops — was on the scoresheet on a goal that was the kind of off-the-face-off play this team was supposed to win all spring.

    The series is now 1-1 and it’s going to Prince Albert. That is not a panic situation. That is the situation everyone expected before puck drop on Friday. Everett got back to being Everett, and they did it on a night when they had to.

    What to watch in Game 3

    The Game 3 question is whether Everett’s defensive structure holds in a barn that isn’t theirs. Art Hauser Centre is a small, loud, traditional WHL building, and the Raiders win there with a forecheck that is built to grind teams into mistakes. If the Tips can defend their own zone the way they did in Game 2, they will win Game 3. If they revert to chasing the puck around their own end the way they did in the second period of Game 1, they won’t.

    Where the series goes from here

    Game 3 is Tuesday, May 12 at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. MDT (6:30 p.m. PT). Game 4 is Wednesday, May 13 at the same venue. Game 5, if needed, is Friday, May 15, also at Art Hauser. The series then returns to Angel of the Winds Arena for Games 6 and 7 if necessary — Sunday, May 17 and Monday, May 18.

    The whole series is being broadcast on TSN in Canada and streamed on Victory+ in the United States. If you have any other plans Tuesday night, cancel them.

    Final lines and what they mean

    Carter Bear got the goal the entire arena needed. Julius Miettinen finished with four points, including the empty-net dagger. Rylan Gould scored on the wide-open net after the DuPont feed in the first. Landon DuPont continues to look like a 17-year-old who is going to play in the NHL very soon. Kayd Ruedig got on the board in his first WHL Championship Final appearance. Jesse Heslop’s late power-play goal felt like a closing argument.

    For Prince Albert, the worry list is real. Brock Cripps and Justice Christensen put up the only goals — Christensen now has goals in both games of this series — but the Raiders did not get the same kind of two-way pressure from their top line that decided Game 1.

    This is the kind of series these two No. 1 seeds were supposed to play. One game each, going home tied, with both teams now needing to prove they can win on the road. Everett goes back to Saskatchewan with a healthy Bear, a 17-year-old Norris-arc-in-the-making in DuPont, and a 12-1 playoff record that includes back-to-back sweeps of Kelowna and Penticton. The Raiders go back with home ice, a goaltender in Orsulak who has played to a series-leading clip in spurts, and a power play that has scored on both nights.

    Tuesday night decides whether this is going to be a series or a fight. Bring it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What was the final score of WHL Final Game 2?
    Everett Silvertips 6, Prince Albert Raiders 2. The series is now tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven 2026 WHL Championship Final.

    Who scored for the Silvertips in Game 2?
    Carter Bear opened the scoring at 3:20 of the first period. Kayd Ruedig made it 2-0 at 5:31 of the first. Rylan Gould scored later in the first period to make it 3-0 after one. Julius Miettinen had four points including an empty-net goal. Jesse Heslop scored a power-play goal with one second left in regulation.

    Who scored for Prince Albert?
    Brock Cripps scored a second-period power-play goal. Justice Christensen scored with 9:46 left in the third — Christensen has goals in both games of the series.

    When and where is Game 3?
    Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. MDT, which is 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

    How can I watch the WHL Championship Final?
    TSN carries the games in Canada. Victory+ streams the games in the United States.

    What is the rest of the series schedule?
    Game 4: Wednesday, May 13 at Art Hauser Centre. Game 5 (if needed): Friday, May 15 at Art Hauser Centre. Game 6 (if needed): Sunday, May 17 at Angel of the Winds Arena. Game 7 (if needed): Monday, May 18 at Angel of the Winds Arena.

    What is Everett’s playoff record now?
    12-1 in the 2026 WHL Playoffs after sweeping Kelowna in Round 2 and Penticton in the Western Conference Final.

  • NAVSTA Everett Mental Health Resources for Navy Families

    NAVSTA Everett Mental Health Resources for Navy Families

    Where can NAVSTA Everett Navy families get mental health help during Mental Health Awareness Month 2026? Five no-cost resources cover almost every situation: dial 988 then press 1 for the Military and Veterans Crisis Line (24/7), call the Naval Station Everett Fleet & Family Support Center at 425-304-3735 for short-term counseling, walk into the Everett Vet Center at 1010 SE Everett Mall Way Suite 207 (425-252-9701) for combat-trauma support, schedule mental health care at the Everett VA Clinic at 220 Olympic Boulevard, or contact the Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program at 425-388-7255 for emergency help. None of them require a referral to start.

    May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and for the more than 6,000 Sailors and Navy families who call Naval Station Everett home, the month lands at the end of a difficult run. PCS season is heating up. Five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers cycle through deployment workups. The shipyard delays around the FF(X) frigate program have introduced fresh uncertainty about who is moving where and when. The Department of Defense’s most recent published research, summarized in Mental Health Awareness Month coverage from Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families, shows that 11.7% of active-duty service members now carry at least one mental health diagnosis — a roughly 40% rise between 2019 and 2023.

    The good news for NAVSTA Everett families: the local resource network is denser than most people realize, and almost all of it is free. Here is what is open, who it is for, and how to reach it during May 2026 and beyond.

    If you or someone you love is in crisis right now

    Dial 988, then press 1. That is the Military and Veterans Crisis Line, staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by responders trained in military culture. Active-duty Sailors, Reservists, retirees, veterans, and family members can all use it. You can also text 838255 for the same service in text form, or chat online through veteranscrisisline.net. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense built the line specifically because too many service members and families hesitated to call a civilian crisis line. You don’t need to be enrolled in VA care to use it. You don’t need to be retired or separated. You don’t need a diagnosis.

    If the situation is medical and immediate, the closest emergency department to the gate is Providence Regional Medical Center Everett on Pacific Avenue, which has a 24/7 emergency department and behavioral health response capability.

    Fleet & Family Support Center: short-term counseling, no medical record

    The Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC) at NAVSTA Everett is staffed with licensed counselors who hold master’s or doctoral degrees in social work, marriage and family therapy, or psychology. The Center provides individual, marriage, and family counseling on a short-term basis to active-duty service members, spouses, dependents, and retirees. The phone is 425-304-3735, and the email is ffsp.cnrnw@navy.mil.

    FFSC counseling does not generate a medical record and does not feed into a security clearance review. Many Sailors who hesitate to seek help on the medical side because of clearance worries find FFSC’s non-medical model is the bridge that gets them talking to someone. The Center also runs deployment readiness counseling, financial counseling, and relocation support, and it operates a satellite office at NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound Smokey Point.

    Military and Family Life Counselors (MFLCs): embedded, free, and confidential

    MFLCs are Department of Defense contracted licensed clinical counselors who rotate through installations and provide non-medical counseling to service members and families. Naval Station Everett has MFLC coverage, and the Centers for Deployment Psychology notes that DoD requires MFLCs to be licensed clinical providers. The conversations stay off the medical record, off the chain of command, and off the security clearance process. Sessions can happen at the FFSC, at child development centers, on base in private spaces, or off-base by mutual agreement. Ask FFSC at 425-304-3735 about current MFLC availability when you call.

    Everett Vet Center: combat trauma, MST, and family bereavement

    The Everett Vet Center is a different VA program than the medical clinic. Vet Centers are community-based, walk-in friendly, and exist primarily for combat veterans, military sexual trauma survivors, and bereaved family members of service members who died in service. Counseling is free, confidential, and not part of the standard VA medical record. The center is at 1010 SE Everett Mall Way, Suite 207, Everett, WA 98208, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone is 425-252-9701.

    For Sailors and family members who served in any combat zone, who deployed in support of contingency operations, or who experienced sexual trauma during military service, the Vet Center model is often the gentlest entry point into help. There is no enrollment process. You can call to make an appointment or, in many cases, walk in.

    Everett VA Clinic: mental health inside the medical system

    For VA-enrolled veterans who want mental health care integrated with primary care, the Everett VA Clinic at 220 Olympic Boulevard offers outpatient mental health services. The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Existing primary-care patients can reach mental health scheduling at 800-329-8387 ext. 74241. The full VA Puget Sound mental health line at Building 101 in Seattle is 206-277-4709, available Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

    If you are a Sailor preparing to separate, ask about the VA’s transition mental health services before you leave active duty. The earlier you get into the system, the easier the handoff.

    Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program: emergency support that ladders into care

    Sometimes mental health and money sit on the same shelf. The Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program at the Drewel Building, 3000 Rockefeller Avenue, Everett, provides emergency financial assistance, housing vouchers, and care coordination — and connects callers to mental health and substance-use assessment at a VA medical center when those needs come up alongside the financial crunch. The phone is 425-388-7255, and walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Honorably discharged veterans, their widows, and qualified dependents are eligible.

    Free mental health care from outside the federal system

    Two national programs supplement what NAVSTA Everett families can get on base or through the VA. For substance-use or mental-health referral, SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is a 24/7 civilian entry point. Military OneSource (1-800-342-9647) provides up to 12 free non-medical counseling sessions per issue per year for active-duty members, Reservists, Guard, and family. Give an Hour connects service members, veterans, and family members to a national network of licensed volunteer mental health providers who offer pro-bono care. Neither requires a VA enrollment.

    For spouses and parents specifically, USO Northwest runs family programming throughout May and connects families to peer support that is unique to military life — the kind of context a civilian therapist may not have.

    What Mental Health Awareness Month looks like at NAVSTA Everett in 2026

    The NAVSTA Everett Fleet and Family Readiness calendar typically clusters mental-health programming throughout May, including resilience workshops, parenting classes, and information tables in the Navy Exchange and Galley. The Region Northwest Suicide Prevention team folds Mental Health Awareness Month into its broader prevention rhythm. If you are stationed at NAVSTA Everett and want to know what is on the schedule this week, check the FFR calendar or call FFSC.

    The harder lift for May 2026 is for families whose Sailor is in workups or already deployed. Deployment compresses everything — sleep, money, parenting, marriage, the unspoken weight of waiting. The 988 line, FFSC’s deployment counseling, and the MFLCs are all built for exactly this. None of them require a referral. None of them require you to wait for things to get worse.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Will going to FFSC counseling affect my Sailor’s security clearance?
    FFSC short-term counseling is non-medical and does not generate a medical record. It is generally considered separate from the security clearance review process. The Department of Defense has publicly stated that seeking mental health support is not by itself a basis for clearance denial, and recent SF-86 questions narrowly target only certain conditions. Talk with FFSC if you have specific clearance concerns.

    Do I have to be enrolled at the VA to use the Everett Vet Center?
    No. Vet Centers are a separate, walk-in program. You do not need to be VA-enrolled to receive Vet Center counseling. Eligibility is built around combat or contingency-operation service, military sexual trauma, or bereavement of a service member who died in service.

    Are MFLC sessions free?
    Yes. Military and Family Life Counselors are paid by the Department of Defense. Sessions are free, non-medical, and confidential within Department of Defense guidelines.

    How fast can I get into FFSC counseling?
    Initial appointments at FFSC are generally available within days, not weeks, particularly for active-duty members and family members in distress. Call 425-304-3735 to schedule.

    What if my Sailor is on deployment and I need help here in Everett?
    FFSC supports family members of deployed Sailors. So do MFLCs, Military OneSource, USO Northwest, and the Navy Family Ombudsman program. The 988 + 1 line is always available.

    Can I bring my kids to a counseling session?
    FFSC and MFLCs both provide family counseling that includes children. Some programs run age-banded child and adolescent sessions. Ask when you book.

    Is there help for Sailors who left the Navy years ago?
    Yes. The Vet Center, the Everett VA Clinic, the Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program, Give an Hour, and the 988 + 1 line all serve veterans regardless of how long ago they served.

    What if I need help outside business hours?
    The 988 + 1 line is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Providence Regional Medical Center Everett has a 24-hour emergency department. The Crisis Connections Line for Snohomish County is 1-800-584-3578.

  • Gyro Guys Halal Grill: Late-Night Mediterranean in Everett

    Gyro Guys Halal Grill: Late-Night Mediterranean in Everett

    Quick answer: Gyro Guys Halal Grill at 12025 Hwy 99, Suite G in South Everett is a fully halal-certified Mediterranean grill serving gyros, kebabs, falafel, and hummus with generous portions. Open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The hummus specifically has its own reputation.

    There’s a specific kind of relief that comes with finding a place that’s open late, serves actual food, is fully halal-certified, and is legitimately good. Gyro Guys Halal Grill on Hwy 99 is that place for South Everett’s international corridor — and it’s been building a reputation quietly for a while now.

    This is not a drive-through gyro shack. This is a Mediterranean grill running a focused menu — gyros, kebab plates, falafel, hummus, Greek fries, wraps — with fresh ingredients, full halal certification, and portions that reviewers consistently describe as generous. For Everett’s growing Muslim community and for everyone else who’s figured out that halal Mediterranean food is simply good food, this matters.

    What’s on the Menu

    The menu is intentionally focused: gyro plates, kebab plates, falafel plates, hummus, wraps, and Greek fries. Gyro Guys is not a restaurant trying to be all things. It knows what it does well.

    The gyro meat earns consistent praise from reviewers — well-seasoned, properly cooked, not dry. The rice on the plates draws specific notice for its flavor. The hummus gets called out repeatedly as a dish in its own right, not just a side detail — the kind of hummus that makes you reconsider what a chickpea dish can actually taste like when someone cares about it. The falafel is crispy and holds up, which matters when falafel so often goes soggy fast.

    The Greek fries are worth trying on the first visit. In the Mediterranean context, that typically means fries with oregano, lemon, and sometimes feta — a simple upgrade that transforms the base product.

    The Halal Certification Is the Real Thing

    Gyro Guys Halal Grill is fully halal certified. In South Everett — where there’s a significant Somali, East African, and South Asian community for whom halal certification is a requirement, not a preference — that distinction matters. Full certification separates this from restaurants that describe themselves as “halal-style” without the actual verification. The owners have confirmed all meat is halal.

    For people who don’t require certification but care about sourcing and preparation standards: halal operations tend to run tighter kitchens on protein handling and freshness. That’s a quality argument as much as a religious one.

    In the broader South Everett food landscape, Gyro Guys joins a growing set of options serving Everett’s international communities well. Jallo’s Jollof Rice on Casino Road, Birrieria Tijuana’s halal-certified beef on Casino Road, and Tabassum’s Uzbek street food at Beverly Food Truck Park are all operating in adjacent international food territory. The south side of Everett has a genuine international food scene worth exploring systematically.

    The Late-Night Equation

    Monday through Thursday, Gyro Guys closes at 11pm. That’s already later than most of Everett’s sit-down options. Fridays and Saturdays they run until midnight. For a city that doesn’t exactly have an overbuilt late-night food infrastructure, that makes Gyro Guys a genuinely useful part of the map — especially on the south side, where late-night options thin out quickly.

    Online ordering is available at gyroguyshalal.com for pickup and delivery, which means you don’t have to leave your couch on a Friday night when nothing else is open.

    Practical Details

    Address: 12025 Hwy 99, Suite G, Everett, WA 98204

    Hours: Monday–Thursday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm | Friday–Saturday 11:00 am – 12:00 am (midnight) | Sunday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm

    Phone: (425) 309-7719

    Online ordering: gyroguyshalal.com

    Halal certification: Yes — fully halal certified.

    Price range: Reasonable, generous portions — specific prices are best confirmed at the restaurant or their ordering site.

    Parking: Strip mall lot on Hwy 99 — easy, free.

    Best for: Late-night dinner, halal-required dining, South Everett weeknight meals, delivery nights.

    The Bottom Line

    Gyro Guys Halal Grill is doing what South Everett’s international food corridor needed — a fully halal Mediterranean grill with late hours, strong portions, and a focused menu executed well. The hummus is reason enough to go. The gyro plates and kebabs make it a full meal. The midnight weekend hours make it an actual option when alternatives have shut down. If you’re on the south side after 9pm and want real food, this is your answer.

    Want to round out a south Everett food tour? Pair it with Dumpling World on SE Everett Mall Way or Ubuntu Bar & Grill’s South African braai on Hardeson Road. The south side of this city has a serious international food scene and most people in North Everett haven’t found it yet.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where is Gyro Guys Halal Grill in Everett?

    12025 Hwy 99, Suite G, Everett, WA 98204 — in a strip mall on the Hwy 99 corridor in South Everett.

    What are Gyro Guys Halal Grill’s hours?

    Monday–Thursday: 11am–11pm. Friday–Saturday: 11am–midnight. Sunday: 11am–11pm.

    Is Gyro Guys Halal Grill actually halal certified?

    Yes — fully halal certified. The owners confirmed all meat is halal. This is distinct from “halal-style” restaurants without full certification.

    What should I order at Gyro Guys Halal Grill?

    Gyro plates, kebab plates, and hummus all receive strong reviews. The Greek fries and falafel are also worth trying. The hummus is a standout dish on its own.

    Does Gyro Guys offer online ordering?

    Yes — pickup and delivery available at gyroguyshalal.com.

    Is Gyro Guys Halal Grill open late in Everett?

    Yes — midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, 11pm every other night of the week.

  • Yummy Banh Mi Everett: Hewitt Ave’s Best Vietnamese Lunch

    Yummy Banh Mi Everett: Hewitt Ave’s Best Vietnamese Lunch

    Quick answer: Yummy Banh Mi at 1606 Hewitt Ave in downtown Everett serves Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches and bubble tea seven days a week. It’s one of the better lunch values on the Hewitt corridor — fast, affordable, and consistently worth it. Open Mon–Fri 11am–7pm, Sat–Sun 11am–6pm.

    There’s a version of this review that spends three paragraphs explaining what a banh mi is. We’re not going to do that. If you’ve been Everett-based and haven’t developed a banh mi habit yet, that’s the real story — and Yummy Banh Mi on Hewitt is the place to fix it.

    First: The Colby Location Is Closed

    For the record: there was a second location called “Yummy Bahn Mi 2” at 2803 Colby Ave. That location has closed. The only active Everett restaurant is at 1606 Hewitt Ave. Don’t drive to Colby looking for it.

    The Hewitt Ave location has been running consistently, and the review page has a solid community of regulars who’ve made it part of their weekly rotation. It doesn’t need a flashy concept or a line out the door to tell you it’s working.

    What to Order

    The banh mi is the anchor. These are Vietnamese sandwiches on crispy French baguettes — a product of colonial culinary history that the Vietnamese took and made definitively their own — with pickled daikon and carrots, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, and your choice of protein. At around $12, you’re getting a complete, satisfying meal that actually holds you.

    The yakisoba dishes are on the menu at a higher price point for those who want something heartier. The bubble tea and milk tea menu is the other anchor: Vietnamese iced coffee and taro milk tea are both worth trying. The Vietnamese iced coffee milk tea version specifically bridges the strong-sweet-condensed-milk tradition of Vietnamese cà phê sữa đá with the boba format in a way that makes sense for both cultures it’s drawing from.

    For a bubble tea plus banh mi lunch, you’re looking at a bill that makes the whole Hewitt Ave experience feel unusually affordable — especially relative to The Independent Beer Bar pints or Colby Club cocktails a few blocks away.

    Where This Fits on the Hewitt Corridor

    We’ve written extensively about the Hewitt Avenue food and drink corridor. R Harn Thai at 2011 Hewitt opened earlier in 2026 and is already building a following for its khao soi and kra prau. Katana Sushi at 2818 Hewitt is the block’s Japanese anchor. The Loft Coffee Bar, Luca Italian, The New Mexicans, STRGZR — the Hewitt strip has more culinary range per block than most Puget Sound corridors outside Seattle.

    Yummy Banh Mi has been here longer than most of them. The Vietnamese sandwich shop with bubble tea at lunch prices is a category anchor on this street — it serves a different need than a Thai dinner spot or a craft beer bar, and it fills it well. Credit where it’s due.

    Compared to Other Everett Vietnamese Options

    Everett has strong Vietnamese representation. Quán Ông Sáu on Pacific Ave is the standout for Southern Vietnamese home cooking — full sit-down, pho, cơm tấm. Pho To Liem on Casino Road is the neighborhood pho institution. Yummy Banh Mi is doing something different: the sandwich format is faster, cheaper, and more grab-and-go. It’s the weekday lunch format and the entry point for people who aren’t ready to sit down for a full bowl. All three belong in your rotation for different occasions.

    Practical Details

    Address: 1606 Hewitt Ave, Everett, WA 98201

    Hours: Monday–Friday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm | Saturday–Sunday 11:00 am – 6:00 pm

    Phone: (425) 259-2876

    Price range: Banh mi sandwiches approximately $12 | Yakisoba approximately $17 | Bubble teas and milk teas approximately $8 — prices subject to change, confirm with the restaurant.

    Parking: Street parking on Hewitt Ave or nearby side streets, typically available on weekdays.

    Best for: Weekday lunch, grab-and-go dinners, bubble tea runs, affordable Hewitt Ave meal.

    The Bottom Line

    Yummy Banh Mi does what it says it does, does it well, and does it at a price that makes it a real regular option. On a corridor increasingly full of cocktail bars and dinner spots, it’s the accessible working-lunch anchor the neighborhood needs. If you haven’t been in, go. If you went once and forgot, go back more often.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where is Yummy Banh Mi in Everett?

    1606 Hewitt Ave, Everett, WA 98201 — on the Hewitt Avenue corridor in downtown Everett.

    What are Yummy Banh Mi’s hours?

    Monday–Friday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm. Saturday–Sunday: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm.

    How much does a banh mi cost at Yummy Banh Mi Everett?

    Approximately $12 for banh mi sandwiches, $8 for bubble teas and milk teas, $17 for yakisoba dishes. Confirm with the restaurant as prices may vary.

    Is the Colby Avenue Yummy Banh Mi still open?

    No. The Yummy Bahn Mi 2 at 2803 Colby Ave is permanently closed. The only active Everett location is at 1606 Hewitt Ave.

    Does Yummy Banh Mi Everett have bubble tea?

    Yes — Vietnamese iced coffee and taro milk tea are both recommended flavors.

    How does Yummy Banh Mi compare to other Vietnamese restaurants in Everett?

    Yummy Banh Mi focuses on the sandwich and bubble tea format — faster and less expensive than full-service pho restaurants like Quán Ông Sáu or Pho To Liem. All three belong in your rotation for different occasions.

  • Cracken Coffee Roasters: South Everett Specialty Coffee

    Cracken Coffee Roasters: South Everett Specialty Coffee

    Quick answer: Cracken Coffee Roasters at 520 128th St SW, Suite A3 in South Everett is an in-house specialty roaster with a 4.7-star Yelp rating and a devoted local following. The honeycomb latte — made with Dalgona honeycomb toffee that melts into the espresso as you drink it — is the best reason to go. Open Monday–Friday 6am–4pm, Saturday 8am–3pm, closed Sunday.

    We’ve spent a lot of ink on downtown Everett’s coffee scene. Butter Notes Cafe on Broadway. The Loft Coffee Bar on Hewitt. Makario Coffee Roasters. Sobar on Colby. All worth your time. But South Everett has its own answer, and it’s been there the whole time. Cracken Coffee Roasters is an in-house specialty roaster tucked into a strip mall near the Paine Field corridor, and it’s built a passionate following without needing a headline location or a dramatic sign to announce itself.

    This is the coffee shop for people who actually care about coffee.

    What You’re Getting Into

    Cracken is in Suite A3 at 520 128th St SW — and the exterior gives absolutely nothing away. If you’re looking for the kind of coffee shop with a dramatic façade, you’ll drive past it. That’s partly the point. The regulars who’ve made it their third place want it exactly like this.

    Walk in and you’ll find a serene, comfortable space with reliable WiFi, solid seating for working, and a vibe that leans firmly toward “third-wave roastery” over “cozy neighborhood café.” The baristas know what they’re doing and they’re not rushing you — but they’re also not performing a café character for you. The coffee does the talking.

    The Honeycomb Latte Is the Move

    The honeycomb latte is the drink that put Cracken on the radar for most people outside its core regulars, and it deserves every word of praise. Here’s what makes it different from a flavored latte: the topping is actual Dalgona honeycomb toffee — the caramel-crunch candy variety — that sits on top of the drink and slowly melts into the espresso as you work through the cup. The result is layered: smoky caramel on the way in, bold espresso in the middle, then something genuinely complex as the toffee and coffee fully integrate at the bottom of the cup.

    We’ve had flavored lattes at dozens of Snohomish County coffee shops. This one is different. The construction of the drink — the toffee as a melting architectural element rather than a syrup add-in — is thoughtful in a way that most “specialty” coffee drinks aren’t.

    The Rest of the Menu

    If you’re not in a honeycomb mood: the signature “Cracken” is a dark chocolate mocha with orange peel — bitter, rich, citrusy, more balanced than it sounds. The peppermint and hazelnut lattes both have their own loyal fans. The matcha is well-made and doesn’t skew too sweet. On the food side, the cinnamon rolls are legit, and the chocolate-filled croissants are among the better pastries in a South Snohomish County coffee shop. Both sweet and savory pastry options rotate through the lineup.

    The In-House Roasting

    This is a roastery first, café second. Cracken sources and roasts its own beans in-house, which means the coffee has a more direct line from origin to cup than most cafés can offer. The roasting operation is what produces the consistency you’ll notice after a few visits — not the same flavor note every time, but the same level of care at every step from roast to pull. That’s rarer than it sounds in a county full of cafés pulling espresso from regional wholesale accounts. If you’re the type to buy whole beans to take home, ask what’s on the roasting table.

    Practical Details

    Address: 520 128th St SW, Suite A3, Everett, WA 98204

    Hours: Monday–Friday 6:00 am – 4:00 pm | Saturday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm | Closed Sunday

    Phone: (425) 244-3766

    Parking: Strip mall lot — easy, free, abundant.

    WiFi: Yes, available.

    Price range: Mid-range specialty coffee pricing, consistent with independent roasters across the Puget Sound area.

    Best for: Solo work sessions, focused coffee exploration, picking up beans to take home.

    The Bottom Line

    Cracken Coffee Roasters doesn’t need to be flashy. It’s built its following on quality — from the in-house roasting to a honeycomb latte people make specific drives for. STRGZR Coffee & Kitchen downtown has the scratch-food angle locked up. Cracken has the roastery-craft angle. Different tools for different mornings. If you’re in South Everett and haven’t stopped in, go. This is the real deal.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where is Cracken Coffee Roasters in Everett?

    Cracken Coffee Roasters is at 520 128th St SW, Suite A3, Everett, WA 98204 — South Everett near the Paine Field corridor, inside a strip mall.

    What are Cracken Coffee Roasters’ hours?

    Monday–Friday: 6:00 am – 4:00 pm. Saturday: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm. Closed Sunday.

    What is the best drink at Cracken Coffee?

    The honeycomb latte is the standout — Dalgona honeycomb toffee that melts into the espresso as you drink. “The Cracken” dark chocolate mocha with orange peel is a close second. Both worth ordering on separate visits.

    Does Cracken Coffee roast their own beans?

    Yes. Cracken Coffee Roasters is an in-house specialty roaster sourcing and roasting its own beans on-site.

    Does Cracken Coffee have WiFi for working?

    Yes. WiFi available, comfortable seating, quiet atmosphere — well-suited for solo work sessions.

    Is Cracken Coffee open on weekends?

    Saturday only, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm. Closed Sundays.

  • Everett Stadium Site Survey Begins: 15 Parcels to Acquire

    Everett Stadium Site Survey Begins: 15 Parcels to Acquire

    Q: Has construction work actually started on the Everett stadium?
    A: Yes — the city has awarded a $200,000 limited early work agreement to Bayley Construction to begin site surveying on the 12.5-acre downtown parcel. Meanwhile, the city needs to acquire 15 separate properties before groundbreaking, with 2 purchase-and-sale agreements signed, 4 pending, and 8 in active negotiation.

    Ten days after the Everett City Council voted to release $10.6 million in design and acquisition funding for the new downtown stadium, the physical work has begun.

    Bayley Construction, the Mercer Island-based general contractor selected as part of the DLR Group/Bayley design-build team, has received a $200,000 limited early work agreement to begin site surveying on the stadium’s 12.5-acre parcel on Everett’s downtown east side, between Angel of the Winds Arena and Interstate 5. This is the moment when the stadium shifts from a city council decision to a job that has people on the actual ground.

    At the same time, the city is working through an acquisition list of 15 separate properties it needs to purchase before any heavy construction can begin — and the status of that acquisition is more complex than a single timeline suggests.

    The property acquisition scorecard

    Before Bayley can do much more than survey, the city needs to acquire 15 parcels that sit within the stadium’s footprint. Here’s where that stands as of early May 2026:

    • 2 parcels: Purchase-and-sale agreements signed. Finalized and done.
    • 4 parcels: Agreements pending. Terms are agreed upon; paperwork in final stages.
    • 8 parcels: Active negotiations. The city is in conversation with owners; no agreements yet.
    • 1 parcel: Being formally added to the acquisition list. Not publicly identified.

    Of the $10.6 million the council approved April 29, about $5.6 million is earmarked specifically for property acquisition. The remaining funds cover continued design work with DLR Group, permitting, and other pre-construction costs.

    The math on 15 parcels averaging out to roughly $370,000 each reflects a mix of small commercial lots, surface parking, and light industrial parcels scattered across the stadium footprint east of Angel of the Winds Arena. The 2 signed agreements and 4 pending deals suggest the more straightforward cases are closing first. The 8 active negotiations are the ones worth watching.

    DLR Group and Bayley Construction: who’s building this

    The design-build team selection was completed before the April 29 vote. The city used a Progressive Design Build process, and DLR Group/Bayley Construction scored highest among the finalists.

    DLR Group is the global architecture firm with a Seattle office that’s been doing the stadium design work. Their renderings show the open-air design: 5,000-seat capacity, a covered premium club area with seating for 200 and standing room for 400, and ADA-accessible sight lines throughout.

    Bayley Construction is the contractor that will build it. Headquartered on Mercer Island, they have prior experience in sports facility construction including the University of Washington Husky Ballpark. The $200,000 early work agreement for site surveying is the first physical contract they’re executing — before the full design-build contract, which will come back to the City Council for approval within the next several months.

    The site: 12.5 acres east of Angel of the Winds Arena

    The stadium site is approximately 12.5 acres on the eastern edge of downtown Everett, directly adjacent to Angel of the Winds Arena and roughly a half-mile west of Interstate 5. The proximity to the arena has been deliberate — city planners have been thinking about the two facilities as a combined entertainment district, not just adjacent buildings, capable of drawing people downtown for multiple reasons on the same block.

    The AquaSox opening target of April 2027 creates the deadline that’s driving everything: a September 2026 groundbreaking is required to hit that date. That’s roughly four months away from where we stand today.

    The $25 million gap that still needs to close

    Even with the $10.6 million approved and the design-build team conducting survey work, the stadium project still carries a funding gap. Total project cost is now approximately $118 million. Current committed or anticipated funding falls roughly $25 million short — a gap the city is working to close through state funding requests, naming rights negotiations, and other sources being tracked by Council Vice President Paula Rhyne’s Finance and Administration Committee.

    We’ve covered the four-step pathway from the April 29 vote to groundbreaking in earlier coverage. What’s new today is that while the governance process continues upstairs at City Hall, the physical pre-development process is starting on the ground. That’s the right posture for a project with this little margin in its timeline.

    Three milestones to watch

    Whether the September 2026 groundbreaking timeline holds will come down to three things:

    1. Property acquisition progress — specifically whether the 8 parcels in active negotiation move to signed agreements by early summer. A holdout owner or legal challenge could push the timeline. The city has eminent domain authority, but using it adds time and cost.
    2. Final design-build contract approval — that City Council vote will include the full contract value and a revised cost estimate. If DLR Group’s number has moved from the $82 million design-to-budget figure, that’s significant news.
    3. The $25 million funding gap — naming rights negotiations and state funding requests have to land before groundbreaking. The FAC meetings are where this closes or doesn’t.

    We’ll be tracking all three. The survey work starting now is the right signal — the city isn’t waiting for the funding gap to close before beginning the physical pre-development sequence. That discipline matters when you have 11 months between today and Opening Day 2027.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who is building the Everett downtown stadium?

    The design-build team is DLR Group (architecture, Seattle office) and Bayley Construction (general contractor, Mercer Island). Bayley has received a $200,000 limited early work agreement to begin site surveying — the first physical contract on the project.

    When will the Everett stadium break ground?

    The city’s target is September 2026. That timeline requires acquiring 15 parcels, closing a roughly $25 million funding gap, and approving the full design-build contract — all within approximately four months.

    How many properties does the city need to acquire for the stadium?

    15 parcels total. As of early May 2026: 2 purchase-and-sale agreements signed, 4 agreements pending, 8 in active negotiation, and 1 more being added to the list.

    How big is the new Everett stadium?

    The new multipurpose outdoor stadium will seat 5,000 with a covered premium club area seating 200 plus 400 standing. The site covers approximately 12.5 acres east of Angel of the Winds Arena in downtown Everett.

    How much will the new Everett stadium cost?

    The current total estimate is approximately $118 million. The April 29 council vote released $10.6 million, of which about $5.6 million is for property acquisition. A funding gap of roughly $25 million remains to be closed.

    When will the AquaSox play their first game at the new stadium?

    The target is April 2027 — but that requires the September 2026 groundbreaking timeline to hold through property acquisition, final contract approval, and gap funding closure.

  • Dana Gould at Historic Everett Theatre: May 16 Comedy

    Dana Gould at Historic Everett Theatre: May 16 Comedy

    What time does Dana Gould perform at the Historic Everett Theatre on May 16?
    Dana Gould performs Saturday, May 16, 2026 at the Historic Everett Theatre (2911 Colby Ave, Everett, WA). Doors open at 7:00 PM, show starts at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $23 and available at the door. The show is presented by Everett Comedy Night.

    Verdict: GO. The headliner is unique to this market, the room is the right size, and $23 is a fair price for what you’re getting. All three boxes checked.

    The Short Version

    Dana Gould wrote and produced for The Simpsons for seven years. He’s been doing stand-up since he was seventeen. On Saturday, May 16, he’s performing at the Historic Everett Theatre as part of Everett Comedy Night’s Premier Stand-Up Comedy series. Doors at 7:00 PM. Show at 8:00 PM. Twenty-three dollars at the door. This is a real headliner playing a real room, and it doesn’t come around often in a market this size.

    Who Is Dana Gould

    Dana Gould was born in 1964 in Hopedale, Massachusetts and started doing stand-up comedy onstage at age seventeen. After studying briefly, he relocated to San Francisco to work full-time in the craft — years of sets, years of developing the perspective that eventually landed him a seat in the most competitive television writers’ room in the country.

    His run on The Simpsons lasted from 2001 through 2007. He worked as a writer and served as co-executive producer on seasons 14 through 18 — meaning he was in the room during one of the most widely distributed television eras in American history. In a 2005 episode he provided voice work as Don Knotts playing Barney Fife, an impression he’d been doing in his live act for years before it reached the show. If you’ve watched The Simpsons in the 2000s — and you have — some of those episodes have Gould’s fingerprints on them.

    The Simpsons credit is the one that puts his name in front of a general audience, but the rest of his career runs a different direction. In 2016 he created, wrote, executive produced, and starred in IFC’s Stan Against Evil — a horror-comedy series about a former small-town New Hampshire sheriff (played by John C. McGinley) who discovers the town is overrun by demonic entities tied to a seventeenth-century witch-burning event. Gould appeared as Kevin, a gravedigger and recurring presence throughout the show. Stan Against Evil ran for three seasons and 24 episodes across 2016–2018 before IFC cancelled it in January 2019. It’s exactly the kind of show that gets a cult following, and it has one.

    Since 2012, Gould has hosted The Dana Gould Hour podcast, which covers classic horror, pop culture, and comedy history with guests drawn from the community of people who care about the same strange corners of American entertainment that he does. Since 2021 he’s also hosted Hanging with Doctor Z on YouTube — a talk show recorded entirely with Gould in full Dr. Zaius makeup from Planet of the Apes, interviewing comedian and musician friends. It’s exactly what it sounds like.

    The thread running through all of it — the Simpsons years, the IFC series, the podcast, the Planet of the Apes talk show — is a very specific kind of intelligence about American popular culture. Fond, precise, and a little dark at the edges. That’s what you’re seeing on Saturday.

    Everett Comedy Night: The Series

    The show’s promoter is Everett Comedy Night, which runs the Premier Stand-Up Comedy series at the Historic Everett Theatre. Saturday is the 14th/4th Anniversary show — marking the series’ longevity and the established relationship between the promoter and the venue that makes events like this possible in a market this size.

    Getting a headliner of Gould’s caliber to play Everett requires the kind of track record that only comes from doing it consistently and not messing it up. Everett Comedy Night has that track record. When a real national touring comedian agrees to play a mid-sized Pacific Northwest city, it’s not by accident — it’s because someone has put in the work to make it worth doing.

    The Room

    The Historic Everett Theatre opened on November 4, 1901, as the Everett Opera House. A fire in 1923 required a full rebuild; the new building reopened in 1924. A restoration effort from 2000 through 2004 brought it back to working condition, and it operates today at approximately 800-seat capacity. Early performers in the building’s history include Lillian Russell, Al Jolson, and George M. Cohan — names that tell you what kind of room this was built to be.

    That capacity matters for comedy in a specific way. Stand-up at arena scale tends to lose something — the pauses, the timing, the audience relationship that makes the form work. At around 800 seats, a comedian of Gould’s caliber can do actual stand-up, not a version of it scaled up to fill a space too large for the act. The room fits the performer.

    Walking into a 125-year-old opera house to watch a comedian talk about writing for a cartoon and making a demon-hunting show is a particular kind of experience that doesn’t exist everywhere. The building adds something that a casino ballroom or a club with a low ceiling doesn’t.

    Three Reasons to Go

    The headliner doesn’t play Everett often. Dana Gould has credits that most touring comedians don’t — seven years on The Simpsons, a three-season IFC series, a podcast with a real following. When someone with that resume agrees to play Everett’s premier comedy series, you go.

    The price is right. Twenty-three dollars at the door for a comedian with this resume is a genuine deal. Compare what you’d pay for a comparable show at a Seattle venue, add parking and driving time, and the math isn’t close.

    The Historic Everett Theatre in May is worth your time. The building has had a strong spring — multiple well-produced shows, a room that feels alive. Saturday, May 16 is a good night to be in it.

    What You Need to Know

    Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
    Doors: 7:00 PM
    Show: 8:00 PM
    Venue: Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave, Everett WA 98201
    Tickets: $23 — available at the door. Also via Eventbrite: Dana Gould in Everett! Premier Stand-Up Comedy! 14th/4th Anniversary!
    Note: This show is presented by Everett Comedy Night, not the Historic Everett Theatre. House gift certificates and theatre coupons are not valid for this event.

    May 16 Has Two Everett Options

    Saturday, May 16 is becoming a real night for downtown Everett events. On the same evening, All City Fight Night: Worlds Collide is running its six-hour amateur kickboxing card at Kings Hall at APEX Everett on 1611 Everett Ave. If you’re choosing: comedy at HET and kickboxing at APEX serve completely different audiences, and neither is a bad call for a Saturday night in May.

    If you’re already planning to be out that weekend, the rest of May at the HET is strong too. Canned Heat and Big Brother and the Holding Company — two of the original Woodstock bands — play the 29th, and Grupo Niche, the Latin Grammy-winning Colombian salsa orchestra, closes out May on the 31st. The building is having a moment this spring. May 16 is a good night to start.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What time does Dana Gould perform at the Historic Everett Theatre on May 16?

    Doors open at 7:00 PM. The show starts at 8:00 PM on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The venue is at 2911 Colby Ave, Everett WA 98201.

    How much are tickets for Dana Gould at the Historic Everett Theatre?

    Tickets are $23 and available at the door. They are also available in advance via Eventbrite. This show is presented by Everett Comedy Night — house gift certificates and theatre coupons are not valid for this event.

    Is the Dana Gould show all ages?

    Age policy was not listed in the official event materials from the Historic Everett Theatre or Eventbrite listing. Check with the venue at events.theatreconcertconsulting.com or the Eventbrite listing before attending if age policy matters to your plans.

    What is Dana Gould famous for?

    Dana Gould is best known as a writer and co-executive producer on The Simpsons, where he worked from 2001 to 2007 across seasons 14 through 18. He also created, wrote, and starred in IFC’s horror-comedy series Stan Against Evil (2016–2018), which ran for three seasons and 24 episodes. He hosts The Dana Gould Hour podcast and has been a touring stand-up comedian since age seventeen.

    What is Everett Comedy Night?

    Everett Comedy Night is the promoter behind the Premier Stand-Up Comedy series at the Historic Everett Theatre. Saturday’s event is the series’ 14th/4th Anniversary show, reflecting the series’ history at the venue.

    Where is the Historic Everett Theatre?

    The Historic Everett Theatre is at 2911 Colby Ave, Everett WA 98201. The building opened on November 4, 1901 as the Everett Opera House. It operates today at approximately 800-seat capacity and has been hosting performances continuously since its restoration in the early 2000s.

    Are there other shows at the Historic Everett Theatre in May?

    Yes. Canned Heat and Big Brother and the Holding Company — two of the original Woodstock bands — perform May 29. Grupo Niche, a Latin Grammy-winning Colombian salsa orchestra, performs May 31. Both shows are ticketed through the HET box office at events.theatreconcertconsulting.com.

  • Valley View Everett: Hilltop Neighborhood Guide & Homes

    Valley View Everett: Hilltop Neighborhood Guide & Homes

    What is the Valley View neighborhood in Everett like?
    Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge is a small, tight-knit hilltop neighborhood in southeast Everett with approximately 680 residents. The neighborhood sits on a plateau with panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains and Snohomish Valley. It has only one road in: 75th Street Southeast, over an Interstate 5 overpass. Homes sell in an average of 12 days — far faster than the national average of 55 — with a median sale price of $675,000.

    There’s only one road into Valley View. That one fact explains everything about it.

    You cross the Interstate 5 overpass on 75th Street Southeast, and then you’re in. Quiet, curved streets. Cul-de-sacs that dead-end into tree canopy. Homes with views of the Cascades to the east and the Snohomish Valley below. The plateau that the City of Everett officially designates as Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge doesn’t announce itself. It doesn’t need to.

    Valley View is one of the last neighborhoods in the desk’s coverage rotation — and one of the most distinct in south Everett.

    A Triangle on a Plateau

    The City of Everett groups three sub-areas — Valley View, Sylvan Crest, and Larimer Ridge — as a single neighborhood because that’s how residents experience them: one continuous, well-kept plateau community in the southeast corner of the city, roughly five miles from downtown Everett. The city’s official neighborhood page is at everettwa.gov/559.

    The shape of the neighborhood is almost literally triangular, defined on two sides by natural terrain and on the third by Interstate 5. The highway that most Puget Sound drivers barely register is, for Valley View, the defining boundary — the feature that keeps the neighborhood separate and quiet. Only one way over: 75th Street SE. Nobody passes through Valley View en route to somewhere else. Everyone who’s there chose to be there.

    The Housing Market Tells the Story

    Homes in Valley View sell in an average of 12 days — versus a national average of 55. The median sale price over the last year is $675,000, down 9% from the prior year’s peak, which actually makes this one of the more watchable entry points into a south Everett plateau neighborhood if you time it right.

    Most of the housing stock was built between 1940 and 1969 — mid-century bones, established lots, mature trees, real yards. A number of more recently built homes fill out the mix. The neighborhood ranks in the top 15% of highest-income neighborhoods in America and in the top 10.9% of family-friendly neighborhoods statewide — a combination of high homeownership rates, above-average school quality, and low crime.

    Who Lives Here

    Roughly 680 people call Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge home, making it one of Everett’s smaller neighborhood units by population. That scale matters: neighbors actually know each other here. The intimate headcount is part of why the neighborhood consistently appears on lists of Everett’s most community-oriented places to live — there’s enough density to sustain a real association, but not so much that faces blur.

    English is spoken in about 68.8% of households. Vietnamese, Spanish, Arabic, and Tagalog are the next most common languages — a reflection of the broader southeast Everett demographic mix that runs through Pinehurst-Beverly Park, Cascade View, and Evergreen. The neighborhood’s diversity is baked in quietly, without being its defining public identity.

    The Neighborhood Association

    Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge has an active neighborhood association that meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the South Precinct Police station, with no meetings in July, August, or December. For new residents, this meeting is the fastest way to understand what’s actually happening in the neighborhood — what’s being proposed, what longtime residents care about, who to call when something comes up.

    The City of Everett’s Council of Neighborhoods coordinates across all neighborhood associations, and Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge is fully part of that structure.

    Parks and Getting Outside

    Rotary Park sits close to the neighborhood — a fishing and recreation park with a public boat ramp, one of the few spots in south Everett where you can launch a kayak or fish from shore on a weekday morning. For longer trail time, the Japanese Gulch Trail offers a forested escape with wildlife and quiet that surprises people who don’t know it. Forest Park — Everett’s 197-acre crown jewel with trails, an animal farm, and playgrounds — is a short drive north.

    The neighborhood’s own streets double as walking routes given the near-absence of through traffic. If your definition of a neighborhood park includes “my street at 7 AM with almost no cars,” Valley View delivers consistently.

    Schools

    Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge is served by Everett Public Schools, which posted a record 96.3% graduation rate for the class of 2025 — one of the highest rates in Washington State. Jefferson Elementary and Eisenhower Middle School serve families in this portion of southeast Everett. The district’s strong college and career readiness programming and the proximity to Everett Community College give Valley View students real post-secondary options close to home.

    What to Know Before You Move

    Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge is not for people who want city energy immediately outside their door. There are no coffee shops on the corner, no walkable commercial strip. The appeal is something else: real quiet, genuine mountain views, neighbors who wave, and a housing market that’s been overlooked because the neighborhood doesn’t advertise itself.

    The one-road-in geography is a feature for most residents — it keeps the plateau private. I-5 access via 75th Street SE puts you on the freeway in under two minutes. Community Transit serves the area for riders who don’t drive.

    For families comparing south Everett seriously — looking at Glacier View, Cascade View, or Pinehurst-Beverly Park — Valley View belongs on the list. It’s the one most people drive past without ever knowing the plateau exists above them.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where exactly is Valley View in Everett?
    Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge is in southeast Everett, approximately five miles from downtown. The only road access is via 75th Street Southeast, which crosses an I-5 overpass into the neighborhood.

    What is the City of Everett’s official name for this neighborhood?
    The city designates the combined area as Valley View – Sylvan Crest – Larimer Ridge, recognizing the three sub-areas as one neighborhood unit. The official page is at everettwa.gov/559.

    What is the median home price in Valley View?
    The median home sale price over the last 12 months is $675,000 — down 9% from the prior year. Homes sell in an average of 12 days, well below the national average of 55 days.

    Does Valley View have a neighborhood association?
    Yes. The Valley View-Sylvan Crest-Larimer Ridge Neighborhood Association meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the South Precinct Police station. No meetings in July, August, or December.

    What schools serve Valley View?
    The neighborhood is served by Everett Public Schools. Jefferson Elementary and Eisenhower Middle School serve the area. EPS posted a record 96.3% graduation rate for the class of 2025.