Evergreen Boys State Visit With Councilmember Nehring
On June 18th, Councilmember Nehring and I had the great honor to return to Evergreen Boys State for the third year in a row to talk to high school students from across the state about leadership, civility, and being an elected official. It is truly such an inspiring event to hear from all the students about the issues they care about and their interest in becoming leaders. Thank you again to the volunteers of this event who always put on such a great program!
Juneteenth Celebration and Flag Raising Event
On June 18th, the county hosted a flag-raising event in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19th of each year to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas on June 19th, 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, enslaved people were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday in 2021, and since then, Snohomish County has celebrated with a flag-raising ceremony.
The Grandeur Banquet Site Tour
Yesterday, I had the great opportunity to tour a cultural event space that is under construction. The Grandeur Banquet is a large event space conveniently located off of Bothell-Everett Highway. Once the construction is complete, the facility will be able to host weddings, community gatherings, and special occasion events. I am excited for this much-needed space to become operational to serve our community!
Pride Flag Raising and Resource Fair Event
On June 4th, the county hosted an event to celebrate and highlight the diversity that makes Snohomish County a great place for everyone and affirming that LGBTQIA+ rights are human rights. June is chosen to honor the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, which were a series of spontaneous protests by members of the LGBTQIA+ community against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. A special thank you to the Snohomish County Office of Social Justice for coordinating these events and inviting leaders, employees, and the public to celebrate the community.
IAM Union Hall Grand Opening
Last month, I was excited to attend the grand opening of the IAM 751 new union hall and training facility. Snohomish County has the best machinist workforce in the world, and this facility is helping to ensure that continues to be part of our legacy for decades to come.
Forsgren Park Ribbon Cutting
A new inclusive playground is open in Bothell with smoother surfacing, sensory play, and inclusive features. The park was renovated and reopened to the public in May, just in time for kids to be outside and enjoy the park. The county invested $610,000 to incorporate community feedback into a space that is welcoming to children of all abilities from ages 2 to 12.
Accessibility & Inclusion Highlights
Age 2–5 Play Area
- All 7 elevated components are accessible via wheelchair transfer platform (exceeds ADA requirement of 4)
- 3 ground-level accessible play elements, including interactive sensory panels and a pretend-play storefront
- Transfer point to belt climber and both slides for children using wheeled mobility devices
Age 5–12 Play Area
- 5 of 10 elevated components accessible via transfer platform (meets ADA requirements)
- 5 ground-level accessible play elements, including sensory-rich features like the Marble Panel and Ring-A-Bell Panel
More Inclusive Features
- OmniSpin merry-go-round with high-backed seats for more support
- Sensory Play Wall for motor, cognitive, and social development
- Playground Communication Board — the first in the parks system — to support non-verbal communication (now a new standard for future playgrounds)
- Unitary surfacing (playground grass) that provides a safe, smooth play surface for all
- Shade structure with benches
- A molded bucket seat swing
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