News from the Skagit County Democrats

Posted on May 16th, 2021

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for May 17, 2021

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DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. UPDATEDThe Skagit Democrats are pleased to invite you to our annual GALA SILENT AUCTION , Tuesday Jun 1, 10:00am through Saturday, Jun 5, 8:00pm
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our auction will be virtual this year. To View the Auction…PLEASE CLICK HERE. Click Here to register for the auction. Feel free to share this link with friends and family who may be interested as well. All are welcome to bid on these items. We are still adding items and improving the site until the auction is live on June 1st. In addition, any proffered monetary donation (Click Here) will be happily received.
 
Each year, we rely on the support of you our generous donors to support Democratic causes and candidates in our community. With your support, we are striving to turn Skagit County Blue. Usually, we rely heavily on the proceeds of our festive in-person annual gala to raise the funds necessary to continue operating throughout the year. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been unable to host a traditional gala since 2019. Due to the loss of the usual funds that are generated by this event, we are in need of additional support. We greatly appreciate your continued generosity.  

2. 2021 Candidate Filing period IS THIS WEEK, Monday, May 17 – Friday, May 21
For more information, Click Here for the Secretary of State’s Elections website. Click Here for the Skagit County Auditor’s website.
 
3. UPDATEDImportant Information for Candidates!
The Skagit County Democrats Endorsements Committee has published four documents to assist candidates in meeting both the State’s and Skagit County Democrats’ deadlines for this year’s election. These are must-read documents for all candidates seeking certification and/or endorsement by Skagit County Democrats.

  • Election Deadlines – Included in this document are State deadlines for filing as a candidate, deadlines for applying for certification and for endorsement by Skagit Democrats, as well as other important deadlines for candidates.
  • Requirements for Certification – This document explains the certification process, including how to apply for certification as a Democrat and why you must be certified before applying for endorsement. If you want access to Vote Builder, you must first be certified by Skagit Democrats.
  • Requirements for Endorsement – This document explains the endorsement process, including the importance of timely completing the Endorsement Questionnaire. No one can be endorsed without completing the Questionnaire.
  • Endorsement Questionnaire

If you should have any questions, please contact the Endorsement Committee at endorsements@skagitdemocrats.org.

4. NEW10th Legislative District Virtual Town Hall featuring Representative Dave Paul as well as Senator Ron Muzzall and Representative Greg Gilday and moderated by Mount Vernon Mayor Jill Boudreau, Wednesday, May 19, 6:30pm
Click Here to register and file any desired questions. Watch the livestream on any of these outlets:

5. NEWThe 40th Legislative District Democrats Executive Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday, May 27, 5:00pm – 7:00pm via Zoom
Click Here for the Zoom connection link.

6. NEWThe 39th Legislative District Democrats Executive Board is scheduled to meet Sunday, May 30, 10:00 – 10:30am via Zoom FOLLOWED BY a General Membership Meeting, 10:30am – 11:30am
Click Here to register.

7. Join the conversation with Skagit County Democrats on Facebook and Twitter!
Engaging with our social media content by liking, commenting, and sharing helps us reach more viewers, builds community in a digital space, and provides opportunities to better mobilize when opportunities arise. If you haven’t already, please consider:

For questions about Skagit County Democrats social media, please contact OMP@skagitdemocrats.org.

8. Skagit County Democrats Volunteer Opportunities

  • Are you active with social media? If you love to Tweet or post Facebook messages, we need you! Please contact Kat Lohman at kat@sidenoteconsult.com.
  • Are you a policy wonk and are actively tracking bills? Please be part of a new committee – the Legislative Committee. Contact chair@skagitdemocrats.org.
  • We have various Committees needing volunteers, including the Candidate Recruitment, Social Media, Finance, Outreach, and Fundraising Committees. Due to Covid-19, all events and meetings are online, and everyone is working from home. 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. 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.

9. Skagit Democrats Fundraisers

  • 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. Call (360-336-1555) or email staff@skagitdemocrats.org for pick up times and payment information.

10. NEWBill Pfeifer’s Obit
Bill’s obituary appeared in this week’s Skagit Valley Herald. Click Here for the Lemley Chapel Guestbook.

11. NEWLinks of the Week
The Links of the Week provide in-depth pieces and resources the Editor has found to be relevant, insightful, and thorough on important issues of the day.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. UPDATEDNo More Bombs presents Hanford’s Legacy, Tuesday, May 18, 7:00pm, via Zoom
“Author and activist, Trisha Pritikin has fought over thirty years for justice for the thousands who, like herself and her family, have suffered serious illnesses and death following radiation exposure at Hanford and elsewhere. Hanford, in our backyard, produced the plutonium used for the first ever nuclear bomb, Trinity, and on Nagasaki and continued producing it for more than 40 years. “No More Bombs” is honored to host Trisha and we hope you can join us. A Zoom link will be available at www.nomorebombs.org a few days prior to the presentation . . . We’ll give away two copies of The Hanford Plaintiffs!”

Click Here for the Zoom connection link.

2. NEWJ.E.D.I. (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) speaker series, Part 3– The ABCs of LGBTQ+, Tuesday, Jun 1, 1:00pm via Zoom
This is a free event sponsored by the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce. Linden Jordan, MA, JD, and President of PLFAG Skagit will be the presenter. Click Here to register.

3. Farmer’s Markets
Common sense COVID-19 precautions remain important. Keep a 6’ distance between yourself and other people. Wear an appropriate face covering per state regulations. Practice good hygiene – wash your hands with soap and water before you visit, while you are here at one of our handwash stations, and when you get home. Stay home if you are sick or experiencing symptoms.

  • Anacortes – Saturday, 9:00am – 2:00pm, The Depot, 611 R Avenue – Opened May 1
  • Concrete – Saturday, 10:00am – 1:00pm, 45821 Railroad Avenue – Opens May 29
  • Mount Vernon – Saturday, 9:00am – 2:00pm, Riverwalk Park, 501 Main Street, Opened May 15
  • Sedro-Woolley – Wednesday, 3:00pm – 7:00pm, Hammer Heritage Square, Corner of Metcalf & Ferry Streets, Opens May 19

4. Skagit County continues in COVID-19 Phase 3 Recovery
Activities – – – Phase 3 Guidance

  • Social and at-home gathering size – indoor – – – Max of 10 people from outside your household
  • Social and at-home gathering size – outdoor – – – Max 50 people
  • Worship services – – – Indoor maximum 50% capacity
  • Retail stores (includes farmers’ markets, grocery and convenience stores, pharmacies) – – – Maximum 50% capacity, encourage curbside pick-up
  • Professional services – – – Remote work strongly encouraged, 50% capacity otherwise
  • Eating and drinking establishments (establishments only serving individuals 21+ and no food remain closed) – – – Indoor dining available 50% capacity, end alcohol service/delivery at 12 AM. Outdoor or open-air dining available, max 10 per table
  • Weddings and funerals – – – Ceremonies and indoor receptions, wakes, or similar gatherings in conjunction with such ceremonies are permitted and must follow the appropriate venue requirements. If food or drinks are served, eating and drinking requirements apply. Dancing is prohibited.
  • Indoor sports and fitness establishments (includes gyms, fitness organizations, indoor recreational sports, indoor pools, indoor K-12 sports, indoor sports, indoor personal training, indoor dance, no-contact martial arts, gymnastics, climbing) – – – Sports competitions and tournaments allowed in all risk categories. Fitness and training and indoor sports maximum 50% capacity. Showers allowed.
  • Outdoor sports and fitness establishments (Outdoor fitness organizations, outdoor recreational sports, outdoor pools, outdoor parks and hiking trails, outdoor campsites, outdoor K-12 sports, outdoor sports, outdoor personal training, outdoor dance, outdoor motorsports) – – – Sports competitions and tournaments allowed in all risk categories. Maximum spectators allowed 400 with capacity restriction depending on facility. Guided activities allowed without hard caps subject to restrictions.
  • Indoor entertainment establishments (includes aquariums, indoor theaters, indoor arenas, indoor concert halls, indoor gardens, indoor museums, indoor bowling, indoor trampoline facilities, indoor cardrooms, indoor entertainment activities of any kind, indoor event spaces) – – – Maximum 50% capacity or 400 people, whichever is less. If food or drinks are served, eating and drinking requirements apply.
  • Outdoor entertainment establishments (includes zoos, outdoor gardens, outdoor aquariums, outdoor theaters, outdoor stadiums, outdoor event spaces, outdoor arenas, outdoor concert venues, rodeos) – – – Walk-up tickets allowed with restrictions. Maximum spectators allowed 400 with capacity restriction depending on facility.

5. UPDATEDCOVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19 Skagit County Public Health DRIVE-THRU Vaccination Site is at the Skagit County Fairgrounds. All individuals 12 years of age and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Parent/guardian consent to vaccinate will be required for all dependent minors (ages 12-17) and can be provided either in-person or over the phone at the time of the appointment. Please note: 12-17 years old will need to receive the Pfizer vaccine, as this is the only vaccine currently approved for use in minors.

New operating hours: Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays, 10:00am – 4:00pm, drop-in or by appointment. Thursdays, 1:00pm – 7:00pm, drop-in clinic – no appointment required. Other local vaccine sites can be obtained Here by entering your Zip code.

Click Here for the Skagit County Public Health Department vaccine webpage and the most current information about availability. Evening appointments are now available at the Fairgrounds. On March 31, Governor Inslee announced that all adults, ages 16 and older, are eligible for vaccination.

Orphan-Doses at the Fairgrounds now Available – The Fairgrounds clinic is now a good option for those individuals who received their first dose of Pfizer vaccine at another clinic and are struggling to get a second dose. Individuals should call the Vaccine Hotline for more information at (360) 416-1500. Please note: those seeking an orphan Pfizer dose MUST bring their Vaccination Card with them.

NOTE: Please, No Pets at the Fairgrounds – Skagit County Public Health asks that people do not bring pets to the Fairgrounds. Service animals are permitted. This is to ensure the safety of our nursing staff and patients.

6. NEWGuidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals
If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing many things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic. In general, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series (such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines), or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (such as the Johnson & Johnson vaccine).

The following is from the CDC website

  • If you’ve been fully vaccinated:
    • You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
    • You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
    • If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
    • You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
      • You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
      • You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
      • You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
      • You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
    • If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms. However, if you live or work in a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.
  • For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:
    • You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace and local businesses.
    • If you travel, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others. You will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in the United States are still required to get tested 3 days before travel by air into the United States (or show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months) and should still get tested 3-5 days after their trip.
    • You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
    • People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken the immune system, should talk to their healthcare provider to discuss their activities. They may need to keep taking all precautions to prevent COVID-19.

7. Northwest Labs is offering drive-through COVID-19 Testing by appointment at the Burlington Outlet Mall
“Northwest Laboratories is offering drive-through COVID-19 Testing in the Burlington Outlet Mall parking lot, located at 448 Fashion Way, Burlington, WA 98233. The Testing Site is available to anyone, at any age, needing or wanting a test. This new testing location will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8:30am-11:45am and 1:15pm-4:30pm. Testing is provided by appointment only. Appointments can be made online at https://www.testdirectly.com/patient/home or by phone at (360) 543-6904. Both the call-center and the Testing Site will have bilingual staff available.

Northwest Laboratories will be using a ThermoFisher TaqPath RT-PCR test at this location and results will be available within 24-48 hours. This is not a self-swab test; qualified nurses will collect swab samples. Testing is available to those with or without medical insurance. In most cases, tests will be provided at no-cost to the individual, although some restrictions may apply. For full details, visit: https://www.nwlaboratory.com/billing-faq/. For those who are insured, insurance information will be required at the time of scheduling. For more information about the new Testing Site at the Burlington Outlet Mall, please contact Northwest Laboratories at (360) 543-6904 or visit https://www.nwlaboratory.com/. For a list of other testing options near you, go to: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/TestingforCOVID19/TestingLocations.”

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.

SUSO will not be broadcasting a program this week. Previous shows are still available as noted above.

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