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The brutally cold weather is a reminder that not everyone has a safe and warm place to sleep at night, or warm up during the day. The county has a number of cold weather overnight shelters across the county that open up when the night time weather is expected to be 34F or lower. All of these shelters and daytime warming centers were activated during this last stretch of frigid weather, and many are run by volunteers or community-based organizations. Many thanks to all who lent a caring hand during this time to make sure that people were safe from the elements. As part of the county’s public safety dashboard, there is a page that’s dedicated to cold weather shelters. If you need resources or need to refer a person to a warm space, please check here to see what is currently open. Additionally, if you’re able to volunteer, please reach out directly to the organization who operates your local shelter. Over the MLK weekend, Paula and I made breakfast for the people staying at one site and I volunteered to help provide some relief to volunteers but they are always welcoming additional help in order to keep the sites open.
In January, Paula and I toured our District Court division buildings in Monroe, Arlington and Lynnwood to better understand their space and structural needs. District Court resolves and adjudicates infractions, criminal traffic, and criminal non-traffic violations. It also processes small claims, civil actions, name changes, anti-harassment orders, and domestic violence protection orders. There are nine judicial officers and one court commissioner. The new presiding judge is Judge Goodwin, who took over from Judge Rancourt after her two-year period as presiding judge.
The County is looking at ways to improve safety and efficacy for our district court system while also being aware of barriers to access for all residents. With new technical improvements to remote access, we have an opportunity to possibly consolidate some of our services and save resources while mainlining access to the justice system.
Washington State Department of Natural Resource (DNR) manages 154,844 acres of forested areas in Snohomish County. Approximately 62,526 acres of state forest lands are held in trust to the benefit of the County, State Schools, seven (7) local School Districts, eleven (11) local Fire Districts, Library Capital Facility Areas and Public Hospital District #3. New funding from the Natural Climate Solutions proviso offered an opportunity for counties to protect structurally complex, mature forests.
On January 23rd, Snohomish County Council unanimously approved concurrence with DNR’s proposed transfer of 68-acres of Marsh Creek lands for conservation. This used funding from the Legislature’s Natural Climate Solutions proviso to set-aside lands for preservation while minimizing short-term impacts on Snohomish County trust beneficiaries. Council heard presentations last year from DNR staff, Tulalip Tribes, Center for Responsible Forestry, and American Forest Resource Council on the possible benefits of taking part in this program. We also received significant public comment in support of joining the program.
The county and Junior Taxing Districts, including schools, fire districts, and libraries receive funds from timber harvests and sales on trust lands in our county. As a council, we had a robust discussion on how to balance the needs of our junior taxing beneficiaries with our long-term sustainability goals, recreation, and tribal treaty rights and cultural access. Our unanimous letter showing support for the program was an effort to balance these interests and utilize a program that would put older forests into a protected status. Council also considered two other parcels at the request of local environmental groups and the League of Women Voters, but they were not included in the final letter to be part of the set-aside. If there is additional funding allocated for this program and a better understanding of the management of these parcels, they could be considered for protection in the future.
I’m grateful that the full council supported these preservation efforts. However, our teachers, firefighters, and librarians deserve a better and more sustainable source of funding for critical services - one that is not dependent on outdated processes that are counter-productive to our climate goals and destroy habitat. As we move forward, I will continue to advocate for timber management practices that provide local jobs, wood products and manufacturing, carbon sequestration, and include meaningful tribal consultation and access in a way that does not prioritize logging solely for profit. This program and protecting these 68 acres are an important first step but we need to have bigger discussions with the state about ecosystem-based management and new funding sources for schools and other beneficiaries that takes the pressure off our complex forest habitats.
As an avid knitter, I’m excited to share a community event coming up at the Everett Arboretum: Color Storm.
During the month of March, the Evergreen Arboretum, located in north Everett, is celebrating their 60th anniversary with a “Yarn Bombing” at the Arboretum. Knitters are invited to knit or crochet colorful rectangles that will wrap around trees at the park. You can pick your own tree (please email a picture of “your tree” to contactus@evergreenarboretum.com to stake your claim) or you can let the volunteers choose for you. Your rectangles will then need to be turned in to Great Yarns (4023 Rucker) by February 16 to be sewn together for the big reveal on March 1. For more information and instructions, please visit: https://www.evergreenarboretum.com/classesandevents/call-to-crafters-color-storm.
The Evergreen Arboretum is a special place in Everett. I was honored to award a small grant to the group a few years ago to help complete the nature walk that borders the parking lot to help make a natural entry way to the Arboretum and reestablish native plants. If you’d like to meet up to knit some rectangles, please join me on Saturday, February 3, from 2-3p at The Milk House Coffee Company to knit and sip on some coffee. Here's a Facebook invite if you'd like to share with your knitting circles.
At least twenty percent of adults and youth throughout the United States experience mental health conditions in any given year, according to the National Mental Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Fortunately, no one has to face a crisis alone. On Saturday, February 3, Snohomish County's Youth Suicide Prevention Taskforce is hosting “You Are Not Alone – Building Hope, Resilience and Skills to Navigate Crisis” at the Rosehill Community Center in Mukilteo. The half-day event features workshops from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. centered around how to have hard conversations, support each other, and save lives. To learn more, email: Liza.Patchen-Short@co.snohomish.wa.us. The event is free and open to the public.
The Evergreen State Fair Advisory Board is seeking to fill a vacant position for a person representing District 2. Duties include maintaining the county’s connections to its agricultural roots, expanding programs for youths and teens, supporting local food systems, recommending entertainment, and reviewing budgets. For more information on the Evergreen State Fair Advisory Board, visit this link. Interested candidates may fill out an application and sent it along with a resume to Kara Underwood, Division Manager, Evergreen State Fair, 14405 179th Ave SE, Monroe, WA 98272. Fax: 360-794-8027. She can also be contacted via email: Kara.Underwood@snoco.org or by calling 425-388-6640.
This past holiday season, my office coordinated a Diaper Donation Drive to benefit Refugee and Immigrant Services Northwest. RISW has been at the forefront of the Afghan and Ukranian refugee crisis these past few years and have been working diligently to welcome our new Snohomish County neighbors. Many of these families arrive with little to nothing and I’m grateful for the willingness of our whole council offices to donate diapers to help the families who have little ones. Thanks to the generosity of council staff, we donated an astounding 1,600 diapers to help refugees in need!
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With Paula and staff at RISNW To drop off the donation - the cart behind us was also full! |
The Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve is presenting the first two episodes of “Facing the Storm: The Indigenous Response to Climate Change” at 1 p.m. on January 27th. This documentary series spotlights the importance of environmental rights and justice to Indigenous people. The film’s Director Mikayla Gingrey and representatives from Mazaska Talks will join the event. As we share in the county’s Tribal Land Acknowlegment, the original inhabitants of the land that we now call Snohomish County were the first stewards of the environment, and their traditions to protect and preserve the environment are based on generations of knowledge and their sacred spiritual connection to the lands and waters. I hope you’re able to join this moving and educational event.
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Sno-Isle Libraries and Ventures are joining forces to offer small business workshops in Spanish. Interested participants can learn from the convenience of home via Zoom for free. The workshops are designed for people who want to learn how to establish, operate and expand a profitable small business. The engaging and informative series covers a variety of entrepreneurial aspects, including business planning, marketing strategies and financial management. The series launches on January 23 and runs through March 20, 2024. For more information, click here. You can also email: edeimpala@sno-isle.org or call: 360-651-7073 to register and learn more.
The Everett Public Library is partnering with the Washington Center for the Book to host a Zine Contest. The event is free to all who want to enter and prizes will be awarded for school-aged groups and adults. Zines are short self-published informational magazines that have a specific topic and target audience. Historically they’ve been used to share information from people whose voices have been unheard, or to share an under-represented perspective on an issue. If you’re interested in participating in the contest, please see this page. Or if you’d like to learn how to make your own zine, check out this great video.
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