News from the Skagit County Democrats

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for March 8, 2021

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. NEW – Congratulations to our Vice-Chair Marco Morales on being elected to the Latino Civic Alliance Board
Click Here for more information.

2. Fidalgo Democrats meets Tuesday, Mar 9, 7:00pm via Zoom – “Evergreen Islands: The Legacy of Environmental Protection Continues.”
“Don’t miss our Zoom meeting on Tuesday, March 9th at 7:00 p.m. when Evergreen Islands Board President, Marlene Finley shares the status of the Gravel Mine permit proposal for South Fidalgo Island – the latest subdivision proposals threatening wetlands and streams and Evergreen Islands plans for the future. Barbara Cooper, Chair, 360 293-4123.”

Also, a recording of last month’s meeting on “Redistricting Washington” is available on YouTube (Click Here). Past meetings can be found on our YouTube channel, “Fidalgo Democrats” (Click Here).

3. NEW – Skagit County Democrats Central Committee meets Saturday, Mar 13, 10:00am – 12:00pm, via Zoom
Zoom Meeting: Click Here for the link, Meeting ID: 231 460 3118.

4. NEW – The 39th Legislative District Democrats will conduct a Special Meeting to consider the King County Conservation District elections Sunday, Mar 14, 10:00am via Zoom
Click Here to register to attend the meeting.

5. NEW – Latino Legislative Day, Tuesday, Mar 16, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Click Here for the day’s agenda. Click Here to register for the online activities.

6. NEW – The 10th Legislative District Democrats Executive Board meets Saturday, Mar 20, 10:30am – 12:30pm, via Zoom
“This E Board meeting is open to all members of the 10th LD. Click Here for the Zoom link to register.

7. NEW – The 39th Legislative District Democrats Executive Board meets Sunday, Mar 28, 10:30am via Zoom
Click Here to register to attend the meeting.

8. Skagit County Democrats Volunteer Opportunities
“The Skagit County Democratic Party is excited to report that our membership is growing. We are very aware that there are many talented and resourceful individuals like yourself within our party. We wanted to reach out today with some opportunities for you to increase your involvement with us. We have various Committees, including the Candidate Recruitment, Social Media, Finance, Outreach, and Fundraising Committees, just to name a few. We love to have our members be involved and offer lots of ways to volunteer with us and help with campaigns. Due to Covid-19, all events and meetings are online, and everyone is working from home. We appreciate your membership with the Skagit County Democratic Party. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering and being on our Committees, please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinators, and they will help you find the right fit for your skills. We can also connect you to the Committee Chairs or our Party Chair. We hope to hear from you soon. Please reach out to Larry at Larry.Hilliard@gmail.com for more information about Committees or Ashley at ash.gregorius@gmail.com for Outreach and Candidate Recruitment Committees. Thank you, Skagit Volunteer Coordinator”

9. AnyTechQuestions Webpage
In addition to the AnyTechQuestions weekly Zoom support session (every Wednesday at 5:00pm – the Zoom link is available by emailing Tech@SkagitDemocrats.org), the webpage has information on Zoom tips and basics as well as tutorials on how to work with our Skagit Democrats Google Drive.

10. Skagit Democrats Fundraisers

• 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 indicate ‘Mask’. After you have donated, call Ronda Weston at 360-873-8445 to select your fabric.
• 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.
• The Our America signs are still available at $10 each. We also have a couple of Biden yard signs – $5 or inquire. Call (360-336-1555) or email staff@skagitdemocrats.org for pick up times and payment information.

11. 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.

• The Republican revolt against democracy, explained in 13 charts
• Stress Topped the Reasons Why Public School Teachers Quit, Even Before COVID-19
• ‘We’re Vaccinated. Everyone Wants to Visit. Now What?’
• How Rivers in the Sky Melt Huge Holes in Antarctic Ice

COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. NEW – Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday, Mar 14, 2:00am
On Saturday night, set your clocks forward one hour (losing one hour) to “spring ahead.”

2. NEW – The Skagit League of Women Voters Action & Advocacy group will host Annie Tran and Wayne Barnett, from Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission to explain what Seattle’s Democracy Voucher Program does for democracy, Monday, Mar 8, 10:00am via Zoom
Click Here for the Zoom link or use Zoom meeting ID 728 6695 7807.

3. Sedro-Woolley City Council Ward 3 Position open
Ward 3 includes residential and downtown areas southeast of Highway 20 from Rhodes Road to Haines Avenue and an area north of Highway 20 between North Sapp Road and North Reed Street. Click Here for the application form and instructions. Applicants have until 4:30pm Mar 26 to return the application to the deputy city clerk at Sedro-Woolley City Hall, 325 Metcalf Street. Click Here for the Skagit Valley Herald article.

4. Skagit Volunteer Lawyer Program announces the resumption of its free DACA Legal Workshops in a virtual format
“Financially eligible applicants in Skagit County and San Juan County should review the instructions on how to apply for an upcoming workshop! The first workshop is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 18th. Helpful information about financial assistance and supporting documentation will be provided. Only registered applicants will be provided the meeting credentials.” Click Here for more information. Click Here for the flyer.

5. The annual La Conner Daffodil Festival 2021 is celebrated the entire month of March
Click Here for more information.

6. “Cultivating Civic Conversations (CCC): Learning to Talk about Race” is the title of a seminar series jointly sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Kittitas and Skagit counties and meets on Zoom Mondays, 10:00am or 5:00pm, Mar 1 – May 24
The 13-week virtual discussion group is open to all beginning March 1. The one-hour group conversations use Ijeoma Oluo’s bestselling book, “So You Want to Talk About Race” paired with podcasts. Oluo responds generously and answers questions she has often been asked about race and racism, such as “Why are our students so angry?” “Is police brutality really about race?” and “What if I talk about race wrong?” CCC co-creator Katherine Murphy says, “Our goal is to provide a safe space to practice reflecting and talking about race in order to spur participants to increase their civic engagement around racial equity and social justice.” “Learning to Talk About Race” meets on Zoom Mondays, 10 a.m. or 5 p.m., March 1-May 24. Participants attend either session as they can and have the option of following the discussion 24/7 through Sutra, an online conversation platform. For information, contact Katherine Murphy at kbmurhpy@lwvwa.org.

7. Skagit County is now in COVID-19 Phase 2 Recovery
Click Here to see activity limits and permissions. Our region also includes Whatcom, San Juan, and Island Counties.

8. COVID-19 Vaccines
“Skagit County Public Health vaccine clinics held at the Skagit County Fairgrounds are now open to those eligible under Phases 1a and 1b-Tier 1 BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Vaccine is available based on current supply. Scheduling for appointments can now be done online via the PrepMod scheduling tool. Please check your eligibility using Phase Finder before attempting to schedule: https://form.findyourphasewa.org/210118771253954. To schedule an appointment, visit: https://prepmod.doh.wa.gov/.” Click Here for the Skagit County Public Health Department vaccine webpage and the most current information about availability.

9. UPDATED – Drive-through COVID-19 testing is Tuesdays and Fridays 10:00am – 4:00pm (Until Mar 12), Skagit County Fairgrounds, South Gate Entrance, 501 Taylor Street, Mount Vernon
Skagit Drive-Through Testing Site no longer operating on Saturdays, effective immediately. The COVID-19 Testing Site at Skagit County Fairgrounds will close permanently after Saturday, March 13, 2021. Other testing providers are available in Skagit County. Click Here for more information.

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 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 – SUSO Wednesday, Mar 10 – Skagit Gleaners
Host Jerry Shackette talks with Morgan Curry, Executive Director at Skagit Gleaners. How has the COVID pandemic impacted food access and hunger in Skagit County? How does the Skagit Gleaners food program work? Can just anybody grocery shop and take advantage of these resources? We also talk about who is using Gleaners and where does the organization get its food? The classic definition of gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest. Join Jerry as he discovers Skagit Gleaners is so much more than what’s left in the farmer’s field. Click Here for their Facebook page.

UPDATED – One of our LAST SUSO shows will air on our 15th Anniversary show on March 10th. Usually on our anniversary, we honor local women as we celebrate International Women’s History Day (as we have done since we started in 2006). We are STILL accepting audio honoring local women in Skagit & Whatcom Counties & will air it hopefully by the end of March or in segments. Please send that audio ASAP to ksvrdrd@gmail.com via Dropbox or Google Drive.