News from the Skagit County Democrats

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for January 4, 2021

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. The Skagit County Democrats Reorganization Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Jan 9, 10:00am via Zoom
Only elected PCOs (Precinct Committee Officers) may vote in the Reorganization Meeting. However, you do not need to be a PCO to run for our Executive Board positions. Any paid member of Skagit County Democrats may run for an Executive Board position. Any member wishing to run for office should be paid up no later than Jan 5. Any member who chooses to run for office, may pre-register and attend the Zoom meeting. Click Here for the pre-registration link. Additionally, we invite all other members who would like to follow the proceedings to sign into YouTube here. If you are planning to run for office, please remember to have a PCO nominate you by filling out the nomination form. You will need to fill out your candidate form here. We must receive all submissions no later than midnight Jan 5.

2. 40th Legislative District Democrats Reorganization Meeting, Sunday, Jan 10, 1:00pm (sign-in starts at 11:30am), via Zoom
“PCOs must be present to vote and nominate – no proxies. There will be no other agenda items except the elections.

All positions are open. Informational only: the Skagit Vice Chair, San Juan Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer are seeking reelection. The Chair and Whatcom Vice Chair are not running again and both the State Committee members haven’t decided, yet. The Vice Chairs are elected by PCOs who reside in each of the 3 Counties (for example: Skagit Vice Chair is elected by PCOs who reside in Skagit County).

We are encouraging all candidates to let the Chair, Trevor Smith (steelshanks@yahoo.com), or Skagit Vice Chair, Janet McKinney (cedarwaxwings@gmail.com), know if you are running at least 3 days before the meeting (January 7) – the more we know who is running, the better we can organize the meeting. Please let us know as soon as you can.

If candidates are unable to attend the meeting, they must email the chair by January 9th with the name of the PCO who will be present to nominate them. Otherwise, only those present during the meeting may be nominated for any position.

If you are interested in becoming a member, go to the 40th Website and click on AB (ActBlue) – https://40thdems.org/. You are not required to be a member to run.”

3. NEW – The 10th Legislative District conducted their Reorganization Meeting Dec 19
The following officers were elected:

• Chair – John Amell (Island County)
• 1st Vice Chair – Alida Booth (Snohomish County)
• 2nd Vice Chair – Bennett Massey-Helber (Skagit County)
• Treasurer – Cindy Lane
• Secretary – Allison Warner
• State Committee Member #1 – Mary Kanter (Island County)
• State Committee Member #2 – Scott McMullen (Skagit County)

4. Fidalgo Democrats
Fidalgo Democrats has a new Chair – Barbara Cooper. Fidalgo Democrats is suspending the January meeting while continuing to reorganize.

5. Skagit Democrats Fundraisers

• Political Collectibles for Purchase: These are the first of the political collectibles being offered for purchase. If you are interested in a listed item (or what else is available), please email staff (staff@skagitdemocrats.org); note the item of interest and include a phone number. Staff will contact you with information needed to proceed with the purchase (pay online or pay by cash or check at Headquarters at time of pick up by arrangement at the door). This is a fun project for staff. Provenance connected with some of the items has been very educational. Click Here for sample pictures.
• Coronavirus Face Mask Fundraiser: For a donation of $20 you will receive a hand-made face mask especially designed by an engineer/industrial designer at the request of the Medical Director of Pediatrics at Mission Hospital in California. The masks provide full coverage and are comfortable. Click Here or Here to see examples of the masks. If you would like to donate, Click Here. Under purpose on the donation, please indicate “Mask” and indicate which fabric you would like: #1 first on the left, #2 the middle, #3 on the right (for example: “Mask #3”).
• Greeting Card Fundraiser: Social distancing and staying safe makes it difficult for us to get out and look for cards to mark special occasions or just say hello. For a donation of $15.00 you will receive a box of 6 – 8 beautiful hand-made greeting cards. These are one-of-a-kind cards so no two boxes are the same and aren’t made to order. Let us choose your lovely card set. Pictured on the web site (Click Here or Here) are samples of the kinds of cards you will receive. If you would like to donate, Click Here. Under purpose on the donation, please indicate “Cards” and the number of boxes you want.
• Thank you for your continued support of the Skagit Democrats.

6. The Skagit County Democrats Headquarters, 300A South First Street, Mount Vernon, is CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC for the time being
“HQ will still be closed to the public (you) into the New Year. However, volunteer staff will be onsite on Tuesday and Thursday from 12:00pm – 4:00pm to answer the phone and process any requests for information that you may have.

• There are “In our America” signs still available at $10. Call or email to arrange details on purchasing and pick up. The “Luke” button mentioned in previous articles was donated to the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle. It was donated from Skagit Democrats and will be credited that way when displayed. The memoribilia project is ongoing. There will be some changes in the way it is marketed. How soon depends on the skill sets of those available to work on the project.
• Please pay for membership on our website (Click Here) or you can mail your checks to our Post Office Box – Skagit County Democrats, PO Box 761, Mount Vernon, WA 98273-0761.
• Staff will continue to check voicemails and emails. They will get back to you and will continue to perform the essential work.
• Memorabilia will continue to be sold on-line through our website or you can write to staff@skagitdemocrats.org to make arrangements if you want to purchase memorabilia. Click Here for sample pictures.
• Please take any food donations you wish to contribute directly to the foodbank.

7. NEW – Links of the Week
The Link of the Week provides in-depth pieces the Editor has found to be relevant, insightful, and thorough on important issues of the day.

• Is nuclear fusion the answer to the climate crisis
• Solar Panels Are Starting to Die, Leaving Behind Toxic Trash
• Wikipedia Is the Last Best Place on the Internet

COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. NEW – Skagit County Public Health is scheduling a public hearing to consider civil penalties for public health violations, Wednesday, Jan 20, 10:30am, Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon
Click Here for more information.

2. NEW – Governor Inslee announces one-week extension of statewide COVID-19 restrictions
Click Here for the proclamation.

3. NEW – Skagit League of Women Voters (LWV) Action Group
“The newly formed Skagit LWV Action Group via Zoom meeting is open to League and non-league “citizen lobbyists” statewide who want to learn more about legislative issues as they voice their opinions to WA state legislators. The group meets each Monday, 10 – 11 am via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/72866957807, Meeting ID 728 6695 7807, and offers training/education/issue focused discussions on 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Mondays. (Fourth Monday reserved for Observer Corp). The LWV is non-partisan, with dual missions of Empowering Voters and Defending Democracy. Use this link to find League Position and Issue Papers on a topic of interest to you.

Please invite anyone who has an interest to join us! For questions, contact Carol Sullivan, Skagit LWV Action Group chair at carolosully@yahoo.com.”

4. NEW – Sale of National Archives repository located at Sand Point, Seattle
The Federal Government has made a decision to move the material currently being maintained at the National Archives repository in Seattle. The current plan is to transfer that material to locations in Riverside, California, and Kansas City, Missouri. “The archives here has about a million boxes of documents. It is the repository of all federal records generated in the Pacific Northwest, and includes military, land, court, tax and census papers.” (Seattle Times article) Those records include tribal treaty and other tribal information. “The plan to sell the building as soon as early next year and move its contents to archive centers in California and Missouri set off a fight between the Trump administration and regional historians, political leaders and Native Americans, who say that preserving local access to the collection is crucial.” (LA Times article)

Attorney General Bob Ferguson is opposing the move. “Ferguson’s legal team is finalizing a lawsuit to stop the federal government from proceeding with an expedited sale of the National Archives facility in Seattle.” He is hosting a remote public comment meeting on the topic Tuesday, Jan 19, via Zoom from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. The Zoom link and other information about the meeting is included here.

5. NEW – Options for the public to comment on the U.S. Navy request to conduct training operations in some Washington State Parks
Click Here for information on how to contact Washington State Parks to comment. Click Here for the Navy Training Proposal. Last February the Washington State Democratic Party passed a resolution opposing military training in Washington State Parks. Click Here for the resolution.

6. Drive-through COVID-19 testing is Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10:00am TO 4:00pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:00pm – 7:00pm, Skagit County Fairgrounds, South Gate Entrance, 501 Taylor Street, Mount Vernon
Use of the Drive-Thru testing site will be limited to those who live in or work in Skagit County. Those who do not live in or work in Skagit County should seek testing in their own communities or through their medical provider. If you have had a known or probable exposure to COVID-19, you cannot get tested right away. You must wait 8 days before being tested. COVID-19 has a relatively long incubation period, so being tested before 8 days has passed could result in a false negative. If you have questions about this, or any other questions related to COVID-19, please call Public Health at 360-416-1500. Skagit County Public Health is encouraging anyone who fits into the following guidelines to get tested:

• Those who are essential workers
• Anyone with any COVID-19 symptoms
• Anyone whose physician recommended they be tested
• Anyone who lives or works in a congregate setting
• Pregnant women
• Anyone who is a close contact or has a known exposure to COVID-19

Click Here for more information.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Listen to We Do the Work, Tuesdays, 5:00pm, and Sundays, 5:30pm at KSVR, 91.7 FM or KSVU, 90.1 FM
A weekly local worker radio program that features news, interviews, music, and comments, “We Do the Work” believes American workers are at the heart of our economy and culture, deserving dignity, respect, and a decent family wage. To hear our other shows, go to We Do The Work Archives. Questions about interviews? Email – ksvrwedothework@gmail.com.

NEW – We Do The Work’s program for Tuesday, Jan 5, 5:00pm and Sunday, Jan 10, 5:30 – Tia Koonse, Legal and Policy Research Manager for UCLA Labor Center, Part 2
Interview by Ken Winkes: Tia discusses wage theft and how it affects local economies. For more information, go to http://www.labor.ucla.edu/ or http://www.labor.ucla.edu/what-we-do/rework-institute-for-worker-justice/.
#LaborRadioPod

2. Listen to Speak Up! Speak Out! Radio
Listen to Speak Up! Speak Out! – a half hour weekly radio show committed to community, peace, justice, and non-violence issues. The show airs on Community Radio stations (times subject to change) – KSVR 91.7 FM (Skagit Valley College), Wednesdays 5:00pm, rebroadcast Sundays 8:00pm; KSVU 90.1 FM, Hamilton, Sundays 8:00pm and Thursdays 8:00am; KMRE 102.3 FM, Bellingham, Sundays 11:00am and Wednesdays 7:30am. Our shows are available online. Stream or download a show at http://speakupspeakoutradio.org/ anytime.

NEW – Dave McConnell has put together a show honoring recently deceased host Ginny Wolff using audio from shows she aired.

3. Coffee ‘n Cards – on hiatus