Jordan Hansen

Molly Hubbard and her five sisters at a family reunion. From left to right, Ann Kozloski, Janice Bisard, Kaija Walters Fry, Sheila Smith, Molly Hubbard and Bess Path. (Photo provided by Sheila Smith)

Family mourns ‘larger than life’ Index newlywed, 78, killed by train

Molly Hubbard fell while crossing the tracks in front of an oncoming train May 9 in Index. She’d been married six months earlier.

Molly Hubbard and her five sisters at a family reunion. From left to right, Ann Kozloski, Janice Bisard, Kaija Walters Fry, Sheila Smith, Molly Hubbard and Bess Path. (Photo provided by Sheila Smith)
Tia Rikki performs at Arlington’s first-ever Pride celebration on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Arlington nixes $3,500 in security fees for Pride event

The city will classify it as “a First Amendment event.” Meanwhile, organizers have seen more pushback against local drag performances.

Tia Rikki performs at Arlington’s first-ever Pride celebration on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Two men bask in the sun while failing to get any fish to bite on a hot morning at Silver Lake on Friday, May 12, 2023, in Everett, Washington. The two said they typically have luck catching bass on plastic worms. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Everett nears temperature record amid freakish May heat wave

Seeking to beat the heat, people flock to cool attractions such as the Forest Park water playground, which opened early.

Two men bask in the sun while failing to get any fish to bite on a hot morning at Silver Lake on Friday, May 12, 2023, in Everett, Washington. The two said they typically have luck catching bass on plastic worms. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Snow is visible along the top of Mount Pilchuck from bank of the Snohomish River on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Spada Lake, snowpack slightly below normal, as heat wave moves in

Everett’s water supply is currently at 86% of normal, while the local snowpack is 96% of average.

Snow is visible along the top of Mount Pilchuck from bank of the Snohomish River on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Murphy’s Lala speaks to a crowd at Arlington’s first-ever Pride celebration telling them to “pay them no mind” in response to the Pride protestors on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Arlington Pride event delayed after mayor questions ‘drag story time’

City leaders still want the event to go forward, but organizers were shocked by concerns about background checks for drag performers.

Murphy’s Lala speaks to a crowd at Arlington’s first-ever Pride celebration telling them to “pay them no mind” in response to the Pride protestors on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Carolanne Warren directs her mother through the ruts on Mt. Pilchuck Road Wednesday afternoon in Granite Falls, Washington on September 7, 2022. Construction and repairs on the road will start this summer. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Pilchuck, Big Four, other trails to close for part or all of 2023

The Forest Service is closing the road to Mt. Pilchuck for repairs, along with other popular trails on the Mountain Loop.

Carolanne Warren directs her mother through the ruts on Mt. Pilchuck Road Wednesday afternoon in Granite Falls, Washington on September 7, 2022. Construction and repairs on the road will start this summer. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
FILE - This Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 file photo shows an arrangement of pills of the opioid oxycodone-acetaminophen in New York. In an innovative experiment, doctors prescribed fewer opioids after learning of their patient's overdose death in a letter from a county medical examiner. More than 400 “Dear Doctor” letters, sent in 2017 in San Diego County, were part of a study that put a human face on the U.S. opioid crisis for many doctors. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison)

Marysville presses forward with new drug possession ordinance

In response to state legislators not filling a void created by a Supreme Court ruling, local cities have taken action.

FILE - This Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 file photo shows an arrangement of pills of the opioid oxycodone-acetaminophen in New York. In an innovative experiment, doctors prescribed fewer opioids after learning of their patient's overdose death in a letter from a county medical examiner. More than 400 “Dear Doctor” letters, sent in 2017 in San Diego County, were part of a study that put a human face on the U.S. opioid crisis for many doctors. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison)
A bear rests in a tree in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. (U.S. Forest Service)

New food storage rules in National Forest aim to save bear lives

Black bears in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest have been breaking into trash cans and tents — prompting a need for human behavior to change.

A bear rests in a tree in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. (U.S. Forest Service)
Andrew Dee pushes Hunter Mattson in their teams’ urban concept diesel car outside of the shop at Granite Falls High School on Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

‘Tigerspeed’: Granite Falls Eco-Car team fueled for success

A storied high school club finished fifth at a national competition, where it’s a race for efficiency, not speed.

Andrew Dee pushes Hunter Mattson in their teams’ urban concept diesel car outside of the shop at Granite Falls High School on Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Freylands Elementary fifth grader Vaughn Kipnis takes a turn shoveling dirt to help plant a Niobe Golden Weeping Willow along the banks of Lake Tye during an Arbor Day celebration at Lake Tye Park on Friday, April 28, 2023, in Monroe, Washington. Students from Mrs. Sager and Mrs. Slater’s classes took a field trip to help the city plant the park’s newest tree. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Monroe fifth graders dig into Arbor Day, the Tree City USA way

Two fifth grade classes from Fryelands Elementary helped plant a tree at Lake Tye.

Freylands Elementary fifth grader Vaughn Kipnis takes a turn shoveling dirt to help plant a Niobe Golden Weeping Willow along the banks of Lake Tye during an Arbor Day celebration at Lake Tye Park on Friday, April 28, 2023, in Monroe, Washington. Students from Mrs. Sager and Mrs. Slater’s classes took a field trip to help the city plant the park’s newest tree. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
FILE - A person walks near the Legislative Building, Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Washington's redistricting commission failed to meet its deadline and on Tuesday, Nov. 16, kicked the job of creating new political maps to the state Supreme Court. The bipartisan commission had a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday to approve new boundaries for congressional and legislative districts following the 2020 census. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Cities, county look to step in after state balks on Blake bill

A drug possession penalty could lapse July 1. Local leaders are passing laws to ensure their cops can still make arrests.

FILE - A person walks near the Legislative Building, Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Washington's redistricting commission failed to meet its deadline and on Tuesday, Nov. 16, kicked the job of creating new political maps to the state Supreme Court. The bipartisan commission had a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday to approve new boundaries for congressional and legislative districts following the 2020 census. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

After Bolt Creek, Western WA gears up for another fire season — in April

Prescribed burns and community meetings are signs of local firefighters gearing up, already, for what could be another smoky summer.

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Colten Fritzlan rides a bull during Unleash The Beast at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington on Thursday, April 20, 2023.  (Annie Barker / The Herald)

‘He was a bucker’: World’s top bull riders put on rowdy rodeo in Everett

On the last ride of the night, Eduardo Aparecido hung onto Blood Moon just long enough to wrangle a win at the PBR event Thursday.

Colten Fritzlan rides a bull during Unleash The Beast at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington on Thursday, April 20, 2023.  (Annie Barker / The Herald)
NO CAPTION. Logo to accompany news of education.

Education nonprofit expands programs to Snohomish County

Treehouse is a nonprofit dedicated to furthering educational opportunities for youth in Foster Care

NO CAPTION. Logo to accompany news of education.
The South Fork Stillaguamish River flows out of Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, outside Verlot, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Forest Service wins Stillaguamish logging suit over conservation group

The 9th Circuit upheld a ruling allowing timber companies to log scattered plots east of Verlot. It’ll also bring trailhead updates.

The South Fork Stillaguamish River flows out of Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, outside Verlot, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mushrooms found by members of the Snohomish County Mycological Society at Lord Hill Park on Saturday, April 8, 2023 in Snohomish, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

That’s a morel: Foraging for mushrooms, friendships in Lord Hill Park

The Snohomish County Mycological Society brings fungi lovers together and educates the public about their many uses.

Mushrooms found by members of the Snohomish County Mycological Society at Lord Hill Park on Saturday, April 8, 2023 in Snohomish, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)