NEWS

(PORTLAND, OR)- The initial comment period for the USDA Forest Service’s Northwest Forest Plan concluded Feb. 2. The Forest Service had been accepting comments on a Notice of Intent that the Agency will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to evaluate the effects of proposed amendments to the Northwest Forest Plan. More than 9,000 comments were received from the public which are now being analyzed to refine the proposed action, identify initial concerns, and explore potential alternatives and environmental impacts, according to a news release from the Forest Service. Using that information, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement will be drafted, posted,     (read more)

(MOUNT VERNON)- Skagit Valley College (SVC) hosted its 21st Annual Athletic Auction on Feb. 3 and raised a record-high amount of more than $143,000 in support of student-athletes and the athletics program at SVC. “Thank you to the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Swinomish Casino and Lodge for allowing us to host our 21st Annual Athletic Auction,” said Mitch Freeman, SVC athletics director. “This event was not possible without the partnership of nine regional tribal nations, corporate donors, and the 275-plus community members who faithfully give to SVC Athletics and our student athletes. We sincerely appreciate the generous support of     (read more)

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- Skagit County is conducting Planning Commission meetings in a hybrid format. A hybrid meeting of the Planning Commission will be held on Tuesday, February 27, at 6 p.m. The Planning Commission will have a workshop on updates to permit procedures and a workshop on the general update to the 2025 periodic Comprehensive Plan, according to a news release from the county. The Planning Commission will host the meeting in person in the Skagit County Commissioners Hearing Room at 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA 98273. You may watch the meeting in person or watch live streaming of the Planning Commission meeting     (read more)

(OLYMPIA)— Ballot boxes in all 39 counties will open Friday, Feb. 23, for the March 12 Presidential Primary election. Vote-by-mail ballots are being sent to the state’s 4.8 million active voters, who may return their ballots to county drop boxes or by mail using the postage-paid envelopes included with each ballot, according to a news release from Washington's Office of the Secretary of State. “Every eligible voter in Washington can participate in this critical step toward picking the next president,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “The choice we’ll make in November comes from the selections made in the primary process. I     (read more)

(OLYMPIA)— State and federal experts will address election integrity concerns at a panel discussion Friday hosted by the Office of the Secretary of State and the Thomas S. Foley Institute of Washington State University. The event will take place at 11:30 a.m. in the ABC conference room on the first floor of the John A. Cherberg building on the Capitol Campus in Olympia, according to a news release from the Office of the Secretary of State. Speakers will focus on recent election challenges and necessary steps to reassure the public that elections are secure and fairly administered. Secretary of State     (read more)