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The annual Evergreen State Fair, which has been part of summer memories in Snohomish County for 116 years, will kick off with Opening Day on August 21. I hope to see you there.
The theme this year is “The Evergreen State Fair, Where Magic Comes Alive in 2025!” The Fair runs for 11 days, from Aug. 21 to 26 and Aug. 28 to Sept. 1. There’s something for everyone, from handmade exhibits to live music and from animals and agriculture to rides and rodeos. New to the Fair this year is a free butterfly encounter attraction, a roving hula hoop performer, a comedy and stunt show, and more.
You can learn more or buy advance tickets at www.evergreenfair.org.
In July, Snohomish County launched a new Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Mobile Services program to bring critical, life-saving treatment directly to people in rural and underserved areas. The mobile clinic’s first location is in Gold Bar, and a second location is in the works for North Snohomish County along the SR-530 corridor.
The clinic is funded with money Snohomish County received from opioid settlements and staffed by a multidisciplinary team including a prescriber, nurses, and substance use disorder professionals, along with the driver and on-site security. Medications provided include Methadone, Suboxone (buprenorphine), and Vivitrol. The unit also offers on-site counseling, dosing, and care coordination.
Opioid Use Disorder is a chronic, treatable condition. Snohomish County is launching this crucial service as a result of our Multi Agency Coordination Group recommendation and community demand. For more information or to make an appointment, reach out to Lynnwood Comprehensive Treatment Center, our clinic partner: 425-672-7293, www.ctcprograms.com/location/lynnwood-comprehensive-treatment-center.
 Local and state elected officials, Snohomish County Human Services and Health Department staff, and clinic staff from Lynnwood Comprehensive Treatment Center pose in front of the new mobile clinic.
The Puget Sound Regional Council presented Snohomish County’s Little Bear Creek Advance Mitigation Site with its Vision 2050 award during a ceremony on July 28. The award recognizes work done in the region that creates a better future for the central Puget Sound. This project is the culmination of forward thinking and sustainable practices that are essential for our state’s continued growth.
The mitigation site is a 17-acre former homestead site located in the lower Little Bear Creek Watershed near Woodinville. The project started in 2019 and removed numerous structures, restored wetlands and stream habitat, and planted more than 21,000 native trees and shrubs. The protected wetland site allows the county to be proactive in addressing mitigation requirements by generating wetland credits toward future project impacts. The county will monitor the site during the next decade to ensure vegetation matures and other habitat features meet performance standards. The site will be protected in perpetuity and left in its natural state as a conservation area.
 Little Bear Creek Advance Mitigation Site award presentation
Join us for the 9th Annual "A Night to Remember, A Time to Act" on Thursday, August 28, in the Snohomish County Plaza at 3000 Rockefeller in Everett. This powerful event honors those lost to overdose, raises awareness about the impacts of substance use, and celebrates individuals in recovery. The evening features a community resource fair, a panel discussion on recovery housing, and opportunities for connection, support, and action. The resource fair starts at 5 p.m., the candle lighting at 6:15 p.m., and the program at 6:30 p.m. More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/674733505437921.
Across Snohomish County there is growing interest in our new Ag Tech Program, which merges two strengths that make our region special – our agricultural roots and our innovative spirit.
The Ag Tech Program brings leading-edge technology and data-driven insights to farmers at no cost to the producer. Farmers can borrow available technologies to enhance productivity, optimize resource use, and promote sustainable agricultural practices, ensuring regional food security. By using only what crops need, farmers can reduce their use of water, fertilizer and more. This project was made possible by funding from Washington State’s Department of Ecology Floodplains By Design grant program. Due to the funding sources of this program, it is currently only available to commercial farmers in the Snohomish watershed.
 A soil moisture sensor being installed in a field prior to planting.
Thank you to the Snohomish County IT team, the Auditor’s Office, and especially to a remarkable group of University of Washington students from the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department. The capstone team of six UW students developed a comprehensive technology solution to help improve our ballot collection process. They created an integrated system called "Collect. Calculate. Dispatch." to help the county more efficiently manage ballot pickups from 35 drop boxes serving more than 533,000 registered voters. The solution features three key components: a smart scale system that continuously monitors ballot box weight and transmits fullness data in real-time, a route optimization tool that creates efficient collection paths, and an integrated dashboard that provides live visibility into collection operations. The modular design is expected to allow the county to implement the system gradually while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
This is the latest success in Snohomish County’s partnership with the UW College of Engineering’s Industry Capstone Program, which connects student teams with organizations to solve complex, real-world problems. When academic organizations and county government work together, we can innovate and solve problems in creative ways that benefit our community as a whole.
 UW capstone team with leadership from Snohomish County IT and the County Auditor.
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