What's Up With That?

Electric Ford Mustangs are lined up for viewing Saturday afternoon during Drive Electric Earth Day in the Everett, Washington on April 23, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Electric car owners enjoy kicking the dinosaur fuel habit

The number of Washington drivers plugging in is growing, but the upfront cost of electric vehicles is high.

Electric Ford Mustangs are lined up for viewing Saturday afternoon during Drive Electric Earth Day in the Everett, Washington on April 23, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Sean Sanderson trims excess fat off a New York cut of Wagyu at EC Wilson Meats on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

$100 a steak at Costco? Japanese Wagyu cows sure are pricey

The highly marbled steaks melt like butter and are rich in flavor. And now the masses can enjoy them.

Sean Sanderson trims excess fat off a New York cut of Wagyu at EC Wilson Meats on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Gus Mansour sings during a rehearsal for the upcoming annual Elvis Challenge Wednesday afternoon in Everett, Washington on April 13, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Who’s the best Elvis? They’ll croon for ‘The King’ crown

Get all shook up at “Kentucky Rain Band’s Elvis Challenge” on Friday at the Historic Everett Theatre.

Gus Mansour sings during a rehearsal for the upcoming annual Elvis Challenge Wednesday afternoon in Everett, Washington on April 13, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mike Lane and son Dave Lane, right, in front of their family store Everett Vacuum with their popular sign and saying, “everything we sell sucks” on Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

‘Everything we sell sucks’: The dirt on Everett’s most accurate ad

The sign at the vacuum-cleaner store on Broadway gets attention and laughs. And every so often, it goes viral.

Mike Lane and son Dave Lane, right, in front of their family store Everett Vacuum with their popular sign and saying, “everything we sell sucks” on Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Alex Lewis, of Wanderer Barbering Co., cuts the hair of Anna Kincaid in the mobile hair studio that Lewis created last year on Saturday, March 26, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Driving with scissors: This barber shop is on wheels

Stylist Alex Lewis of Everett started Wanderer Barbering Co. in a van to bring cuts to clients.

Alex Lewis, of Wanderer Barbering Co., cuts the hair of Anna Kincaid in the mobile hair studio that Lewis created last year on Saturday, March 26, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Aya Zebari, 2, the granddaughter of reporter Andrea Brown, plays in the living room of her grandparents’ recently renovated home Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Surprise! Life in a 100-year-old house is never dull

When you buy an old house, you wait for the next thing to go wrong. And you don’t have to wait long.

Aya Zebari, 2, the granddaughter of reporter Andrea Brown, plays in the living room of her grandparents’ recently renovated home Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Writes the photographer, Ukrainian artist Anatoly Melaniy: "The photo was taken in June 2020. This is the entrance of our house. I went up to the apartment and saw pigeons cooing on the windowsill against the backdrop of the same house as ours. I was also happy about this bird's joy of love. It's been exactly a year since we moved into this house, to a new apartment. I asked them to wait so that they don't fly away until I get the phone. You rarely have time to photograph such shots. And everything turned out."

What you see from your window is seen by 3.1 million viewers

Facebook’s “View From My Window” launched early in the pandemic continues to connect people worldwide.

Writes the photographer, Ukrainian artist Anatoly Melaniy: "The photo was taken in June 2020. This is the entrance of our house. I went up to the apartment and saw pigeons cooing on the windowsill against the backdrop of the same house as ours. I was also happy about this bird's joy of love. It's been exactly a year since we moved into this house, to a new apartment. I asked them to wait so that they don't fly away until I get the phone. You rarely have time to photograph such shots. And everything turned out."

Lake Stevens trucker ‘Stogie’ chronicles long-haul life on TikTok

Shawn Dirksen traded the cigar industry for driving a big rig with his pit bull, Bonnie. They keep three eyes on the road.

Gabriel Herrera works on a piece of artwork in his studio Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Lake Stevens, Washington. Herrera said he is in his blue phase as an artist, which is why he uses blue pens to create his art. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Prison was art school for this Lake Stevens man

While incarcerated in Monroe for 10 years, Gabriel Herrera used a ballpoint pen to stick out.

Gabriel Herrera works on a piece of artwork in his studio Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Lake Stevens, Washington. Herrera said he is in his blue phase as an artist, which is why he uses blue pens to create his art. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
"Unsellable Houses" stars Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb (third and fourth from left) join three other HGTV teams on the competition show "Rock the Block" that premieres Feb. 28. (HGTV)

Snohomish ‘Unsellable Houses’ HGTV stars to premiere on ‘Rock the Block’

Twin sister real estate agents Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb are in competition show airing Feb. 28.

"Unsellable Houses" stars Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb (third and fourth from left) join three other HGTV teams on the competition show "Rock the Block" that premieres Feb. 28. (HGTV)
Bart Lematta proudly stands in the engine room of his ferry Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, along the shore of Langley, Washington. “I go down in the engine room, picture all the work that has gone into it and all the hands, the artistry and craftsmen,” he said. “It’s a beautiful piece of artwork that has taken millions of hours.” (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

He’s the guy who bought a boat — a big old $290,000 state ferry

Bart Lematta has plans for the retired Evergreen State ferry, docked in Langley since October.

Bart Lematta proudly stands in the engine room of his ferry Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, along the shore of Langley, Washington. “I go down in the engine room, picture all the work that has gone into it and all the hands, the artistry and craftsmen,” he said. “It’s a beautiful piece of artwork that has taken millions of hours.” (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Toshihiro Kasahara works the grill on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022, at Toshi’s Teriyaki in Mill Creek. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Teriyaki trailblazer: Mill Creek’s Toshi created our regional dish

His humble takeout on Bothell Everett Highway is a throwback to the 1976 Seattle store that made the fast food famous here.

Toshihiro Kasahara works the grill on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022, at Toshi’s Teriyaki in Mill Creek. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Evolution of Language (Getty Images and Herald Staff)

UW’s ‘problematic’ word list: ‘crazy,’ ‘ninja’ — and ‘grandfather’?

Words matter. Inclusive language is the message of a guide that is spinning on social media.

The Evolution of Language (Getty Images and Herald Staff)
Christa Meyer, residential physical therapist in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, plays Wordle daily. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

What in the world is Wordle? It’s an online game C-R-A-Z-E

Solving the daily five-letter brain teaser in six tries is the latest social media obsession.

Christa Meyer, residential physical therapist in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, plays Wordle daily. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Veteran Keith F. Reyes, 64, gets his monthly pedicure at Nail Flare on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021 in Stanwood, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

No more gnarly feet: This ‘Wounded Warrior’ gets pedicures

Keith Reyes, 64, visits a Stanwood nail salon for “foot treatments” that help soothe blast injuries.

Veteran Keith F. Reyes, 64, gets his monthly pedicure at Nail Flare on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021 in Stanwood, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Jack Rice, left, gives his grandmother Carolyn Rice, a tutorial on her new tablet Saturday afternoon in Edmonds on November 20, 2021. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Need to Ring or Zoom? Edmonds teen comes to the rescue

Jack Rice, 17, started a free service to help seniors connect with tech. “He’s a hero around here.”

Jack Rice, left, gives his grandmother Carolyn Rice, a tutorial on her new tablet Saturday afternoon in Edmonds on November 20, 2021. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Laird Will and Glenna Atkins share a laugh Saturday afternoon in Marysville on December 18, 2021. Will found out he had additional siblings through a DNA test. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Oh, boy! DNA test reveals Marysville mom’s 1957 secret baby

Shirley Howard, 86, has two other kids, ages 60 and 62. They didn’t know they had a big brother. They welcomed him.

Laird Will and Glenna Atkins share a laugh Saturday afternoon in Marysville on December 18, 2021. Will found out he had additional siblings through a DNA test. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Cindy Jensen, left, greets Auggie Doggie as his owners John and Lorna Landis walk around Alderwood Mall on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 in Lynnwood, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

This dapper dog in a bow tie has business cards for his fans

An Everett couple pushes Auggie Doggie in a stroller and engages others to share their pet tales.

Cindy Jensen, left, greets Auggie Doggie as his owners John and Lorna Landis walk around Alderwood Mall on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 in Lynnwood, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The back view of the 10,000 square foot home at 3727 Shore Ave. in Everett that's for sale for $4.9 million. (Norton Zanini)

For sale: A $5M mansion expanded with Alfy’s pizza dough

The marble-floored Everett estate is among several pricey pads for sale. A Woodway wonder is $16 million.

The back view of the 10,000 square foot home at 3727 Shore Ave. in Everett that's for sale for $4.9 million. (Norton Zanini)
Anthony Schmidt, 13, uses forced perspective photography to make model cars look real. This was taken at King Charley’s Drive-In on Highway 9 in Snohomish. (Anthony Schmidt)

He’s 13, and famous for photos making toy cars look real

Anthony Schmidt, who is on the autism spectrum, has gallery exhibits, 2,500 model cars and a real 1957 Ford named Betty.

Anthony Schmidt, 13, uses forced perspective photography to make model cars look real. This was taken at King Charley’s Drive-In on Highway 9 in Snohomish. (Anthony Schmidt)