NEWS
(SKAGIT COUNTY)- Skagit County Coroner Hayley Thompson has announced her intention to resign from her office effective September 18, 2026. Coroner Thompson’s current term as coroner ends on December 31, 2026. With the decision to resign before the end of her elected term, a nomination process will be conducted by the Skagit County Democrats to replace Coroner Thompson. The candidate ultimately appointed to the vacant seat will serve until the November general election results are certified. The coroner position will be on the ballot November 2026 and the newly elected coroner will take office as soon as the election results are certified, according (read more)
(STANWOOD)– People are invited to learn more about paving work on State Route 532 on Camano Island and in Stanwood and provide feedback through a questionnaire on how they use these stretches of road, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Transportation. In 2028, crews working for WSDOT will repave and repaint two segments of SR 532: - On Camano Island, WSDOT will pave 2.6 miles of SR 532 in both directions from North Sunrise Blvd. to just east of Smith Road between mileposts 0.0 and 2.6. - In Stanwood, WSDOT will pave 2.5 miles of SR 532 in both directions from 270th Street SW (read more)
(OLYMPIA)– High-speed rail connecting Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia. In-vehicle toll payment through emerging technology. Highway equipment that notifies drivers in real time when workers are present in a construction zone. The Washington State Transportation Commission will learn about these and other transportation innovations during its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Transporation. The public is invited to attend the virtual meeting, which will take place on Zoom from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Registration is available on the commission’s website. The meeting will also (read more)
(OLYMPIA)– The Washington Department of Ecology issued $2,377,824 in penalties of $1,000 or more from Jan. 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026. $1,382,556 of that total was issued in the first quarter and $995,268 in the second quarter, according to a news release from Ecology. A detailed list of the violations and resulting penalties is available on Ecology's website. Ecology works with thousands of businesses and individuals to help them comply with state laws. Penalties are issued in cases where non-compliance continues after Ecology has provided technical assistance or warnings, or for particularly serious violations. The money owed from penalties may be reduced from the issued amount due to (read more)
(OLYMPIA)— The Office of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General’s Office have released a new guide for county election officials which outlines state and federal roles in election administration. As the federal government continues to push falsehoods about the security of elections systems, the guide is intended to support county election officials with any potential interactions with federal officials in the lead up to the Nov. 3 General Election, according to a news release from the Office of the Secretary of State. “This year, it is clear that Washington election officials must be prepared to handle inquiries and (read more)