NEWS
(SKAGIT COUNTY)- Skagit County Public Works staff will be conducting survey work around Big Lake starting January 27th and continuing throughout 2025. The purpose of the survey work is to identify and inventory stormwater outfalls (pipe outlets) around Big Lake. Similar survey work has been done throughout the County as part of the County’s stormwater permit, according to a news release from the county. Mapping the exact location and size of outfalls into Big Lake will help Skagit County better manage stormwater entering the lake and improve the health of the lake and surrounding community. Out of the 80 outfalls (read more)
(SEATTLE)– The final tallies for 2024 are in: Washington State Ferries welcomed nearly 500,000 more people aboard last year compared to the year before. Ridership for the year was more than 19.1 million, up 2.6% from 2023, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Transportation. The lowest number of canceled sailings since 2020 and a big jump in walk-on passengers fueled the rise in annual ridership. The number of walk-ons soared by 224,000, or 5.7%, as tourism and a return to the office for many workers increased substantially. Passengers with vehicles climbed by a more modest 102,000, or 1.1%. The greatest year-to-year surge came on the (read more)
(NORTHWEST WASHINGTON)- As the primary government agency responsible for protecting the air in Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties, the Northwest Clean Air Agency (NWCAA) is preparing to award $3.5 million in funding to support up to three local climate mitigation and resilience projects that offer clear, tangible, positive benefits to local communities. The money comes from a 2023 settlement with Petrogas West LLC that resolved multiple air quality issues tied to the company’s Cherry Point facility in Whatcom County, according to a news release from NWCAA. Climate projects are already happening across Washington State, including grid integration, renewable energy and (read more)
(SKAGIT COUNTY)- Skagit County Superior Court announced Judge Heather Shand began her term on Monday, January 13, 2025, as the newest Superior Court Judge. Judge Shand has served as Superior Court Commissioner since September 2019 and ran unopposed last November to replace retiring Superior Court Judge Brian Stiles. Judge Shand has previously served as Pro-Tem Judge for Skagit County District Court and Pro-Tem Commissioner for Skagit County Superior Court. Prior to her judicial career, Judge Shand operated her own law firm, specializing in family law, adoptions, guardianships, probates, civil litigation, business law, taxation, and estate planning, according to a news release from (read more)
(OLYMPIA)— On Tuesday, Jan. 7, Meta announced it will no longer provide fact-checking moderation on its platforms, removing misinformation labels and relying instead on its users to identify and comment on false content. Social media is increasingly used to post and share news, including information about local, state, and federal elections. Our elections offices are now even more critical as trusted sources of accurate information, due to the reduction of intentional content moderation by experts on prominent platforms, according to a news release from the Office of the Secretary of State. “Washington’s elections officials at both the state and county (read more)