Michael Mashburn

Hi, I’m Michael Mashburn, a longtime radio and digital journalist. I created Puget Press to spotlight the people, places, and pulse of life across Western Washington—whether it’s breaking news from the I-5 corridor, a hidden gem café in Bellingham, or the dreamiest Airbnbs in the San Juan Islands. With more than a decade in local reporting and digital media, I believe in clear, trustworthy coverage that’s grounded in community. I’m proud to run an independent news and lifestyle blog that puts the Pacific Northwest front and center.

sucia island kenmore air plane crash

Kenmore Air SeaPlane Goes Down In San Juans; 11 Occupants Accounted For

UPDATE: All 11 occupants are accounted for after a Kenmore Air seaplane crash landed north of Orcas Island on Thursday evening, the US Coast Guard announced just before 7:30 p.m. “Several patients are being transported to local hospitals for medical evaluation and treatment,” the agency said. Their conditions were not immediately available, and authorities did…

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Chantel Jackson Thyme Well Spent

Tacoma’s ‘Lunch Lady’ Once Sold Sandwiches Door-to-Door. Now Her Café Nourishes a Community.

There was a time when Chantel Jackson carried her business on her shoulder. Literally. Armed with a hot bag full of homemade Philly cheesesteaks and a determination to make something of herself, Jackson walked up and down Tacoma’s 56th Street, stopping into barber shops one by one, hoping someone might be hungry. She didn’t have…

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Avery “Lew” Lewis, Lew’s BBQ

Everett’s Beloved BBQ Pitmaster Has Spent Years Lifting Up Others. Now He Needs The Community’s Help.

For 14 years, Avery “Lew” Lewis has served more than barbecue at Lew’s BBQ in Everett. Known for spending as much time talking with customers as cooking for them, Lewis has built a reputation as someone who listens, encourages and helps anyone who walks through his doors at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Fulton…

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