Shutdown ends, putting 452 in Snohomish County back on the job

EVERETT — An estimated 16,000 federal employees in Washington, including 452 in Snohomish County, have been affected by the government’s partial closure.

One furloughed worker, Anna Kagley, was profiled by The Daily Herald this month. On Friday, she said she is thrilled to be going back to work. The fish biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration earns the sole paycheck for her family. Still, she is not confident she will be working for long.

“I think there is too much uncertainty with the two parties and the president,” she said.

She expects back pay to come quickly as it has after previous shutdowns.

The end of the shutdown doesn’t give Brian Smith, chief operation officer of Volunteers of America Western Washington, much hope that it will receive federal reimbursements used to stock the food bank anytime soon. “The government is a slow-moving ship,” he said.

This delay, and the chance of another closure, could prevent the organization from buying the amount of food it typically purchases.

“We are really going to need our community partners to donate food and money as we wait,” Smith said.

The food bank could be highly used until workers get back pay, he said.

Lizz Giordano: 425-374-4165; egiordano@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @lizzgior.