Memorial Day is about honoring veterans who never made it home. Veterans Day, on Nov. 11, is about honoring those who did. Whether it’s thanking a veteran, hiring one or supporting a veteran-owned …

Most of us know what it's like to sit at the kitchen table and make the numbers work for our expenses and revenue. Over the past year, grocery prices in our area rose 4.5%, and energy costs jumped …

As families across Snohomish County continue to face rising costs, local government should be looking for ways to ease the financial burden on taxpayers, not add to it. The County executive’s …

Decisions made in the "other" Washington can sometimes feel distant from our life in Snohomish County, but their effects are not isolated to D.C., and I have heard from many constituents who want to …

Mukilteo prides itself on connection – neighbors who look out for one another, families who choose this city because it feels safe, welcoming, and full of opportunity.   Yet one …

As mayors from communities across Snohomish County, we know firsthand that local government is where the difference is made in most people's lives.  When our residents stop us at the …

Oct. 1 marked my five-year anniversary at Washington State Ferries. I joined WSF in 2021 as operations director and stepped into my current role in the spring of 2024. When I arrived, we were …

Our response to the crisis of drug addiction should be focused on a clear objective: helping people escape addiction and move toward treatment and recovery. Unfortunately, too much of what is called …

New federal requirements are coming to Apple Health for some people. We break down what enrollees need to know to be prepared – and to stay covered. Federal legislation. New rules. Work …

Earlier this month, the Snohomish County Council voted to impose two significant tax and fee increases, including a 0.1% countywide sales tax increase and a $20 annual increase in car tab fees for …

If you email a European college professor any time after Friday at 4 p.m., they will not respond to you until after the following Monday’s lecture. Trust me, I speak from experience. Though my …

The City of Edmonds appears to be currently following a specific fiscal sustainability task force playbook previously utilized by Mountlake Terrace. But Edmonds is not Mountlake Terrace. We were …

The day after America celebrated 250 years of independence, I found myself thinking about what freedom really means – and who gets to feel it. I am an Iranian American woman. I have lived in …

There is good news coming out of Mukilteo – a city choosing to live within its means, even with voters approving an EMS levy, as Edmonds voters did years ago. But after Edmonds voters approved …

Editor’s note: Former Beacon reporter Beth Bond recently came across a copy of this letter, called “The American’s Creed,” in her education files. It was written by William Tyler Page, clerk …

Data centers have become a significant topic of public interest and concern. While these facilities play a role in supporting many digital services, their impacts on land use, infrastructure, energy …

The Sno-Isle Libraries Third Graders Read Together program makes reading fun, prepares students to thrive in school, and sparks a lifelong love of learning. The program features book nominees from …

Currently, I live with a view of the Muckleshoot Casino and see its fireworks displays advertising their “Boom City” and heralding their upcoming end-of-June fireworks display. With …

Last month, I worked with my Republican colleagues in Congress to secure three bipartisan wins to bring down housing costs, protect rural hospitals, and create jobs in Northwest …

I am a nurse. I look at the person holistically.  I don’t compartmentalize a person – physical, mental, emotional, and financial health – separately.  In my life’s work, we/you are …