NEWS

(OLYMPIA)— Washington counties participating in the April 28 special election have officially mailed ballots to eligible voters. The 18-day voting period began on Friday, April 10. Only 16 counties are participating in the special election, with 8% of Washington voters eligible to cast a ballot. This special election includes 17 measures and 17 districts, with a majority of races covering school districts, according to a news release from the Office of the Secretary of State. Voters participating in the April special election must return their ballots by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28. Ballots can be placed in an official county drop box, returned in person at     (read more)

(NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND)- There will be training evolutions at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Seaplane Base Training Area on Tuesday April 14, 2026, between 10-11 a.m. This training evolution will involve simulated gunfire, according to a news release from NAS Whidbey Island. Safety precautions will be set to ensure ground operations pose no threat to neighboring property or persons.     (read more)

(OAK HARBOR)— Skagit Valley College will host the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I oral argument hearings on Tuesday, April 21, at the Whidbey Island Campus in Oak Harbor. The traveling court event provides students, faculty and community members the opportunity to observe real-world legal proceedings, including courtroom procedures and appellate arguments, while gaining a deeper understanding of the judicial system, according to a news release from SVC. Division I of the Court of Appeals has partnered with Skagit Valley College to host traveling court events at the Mount Vernon campus for the past four years. This year marks the     (read more)

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- The median price of Skagit County home sales was stable in the first quarter of 2026 but there were significantly fewer sales when compared to 2025, according to broker Adrik Brashear of Northwest Washington’s The Muljat Group. This year’s first quarter saw 238 Skagit homes sold, down 16.8% from last year’s first quarter. The largest drops in home sales occurred in Sedro-Woolley (30.8%), Anacortes (23.6%) and Mount Vernon (16.4%), according to a news release. The median price of Skagit County home sales dipped 1.3% to $590,000, according to Brashear, who uses data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. He said prices remain stable     (read more)

(OLYMPIA)- The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has been selected as one of 10 recipients of a national grant from Lumina Foundation’s Great Admissions Redesign initiative. Lumina is investing more than $3.5 million nationwide to simplify the college admissions process and expand student access across the country, according to a news release from WSAC. With a $420,000 grant, WSAC will work with cross-sector partners to implement a digital solution that enhances the existing state High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) platform. These enhancements will seek to personalize and further streamline information on financial aid, admissions and advising for all Washington high     (read more)