News from the Skagit County Democrats

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for June 28, 2021

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. Headquarters Office Reopening — Volunteers Needed!
“As COVID restrictions have eased and vaccination rates have risen, we hope to reopen the Skagit Democrats office in downtown Mount Vernon in July! As many of our members who previously staffed the office are no longer available, we are in search of some great people to keep the doors open and be the face of the Skagit Dems to our community.

We’re also working on a suite of important projects that volunteers can work on when not interfacing with the public, so that we can improve our capacity to elect Democrats up and down the ballot! If you’re interested or would like more information, please contact staff@skagitdemocrats.org. Thanks for all you do!”

2. NEW – A General Membership meeting for the purposes of approving Endorsements will be conducted Sunday, Jul 11, 4:00pm, via Zoom
Please note: this differs from the previously announced meeting date to accommodate a planned rally for Justice for Joel (see below in Community Events).

3. NEW – Update from the Endorsements Committee
The deadline for seeking certification and endorsement from Skagit County Democrats has passed. The Endorsement Committee has now reviewed all the applications submitted by candidates running for office in 2021. On June 25th, after due consideration, the Committee is recommending that the membership of Skagit County Democrats endorse the candidates listed below at the Endorsement Meeting on July 11th at 4 p.m. Information concerning these candidates can be obtained from their campaigns.

• Anacortes
  • Ryan Walters
  • Position Sought: Mayor, City of Anacortes
  • Campaign name: Committee to Elect Ryan Walters
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: campaign@ryanwalters.com; (360) 610-7770
  • Campaign website: www.ryanwalters.com
  • Campaign mailing address: 1803 10th Street, Anacortes WA 98221
  • Sara Holahan
  • Position Sought: Anacortes City Council, At-Large Pos. 5
  • Campaign name: Citizens for Sara
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: sara@saraholahan.com
  • Campaign website: www.saraholahan.com
  • Campaign mailing address: PO Box 1702 Anacortes, WA 98221
  • Anastasia Brencick
  • Position Sought: Anacortes School District 103, Director Pos. 1
  • Campaign name: Anastasia Brencick
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: anastasiaforschoolboard@gmail.com
• Burlington
  • Tonya Bieche
  • Position Sought: Burlington-Edison School District 100, Director District 2
  • Campaign name: Tonya Bieche
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: biechebieche@gmail.com; (360)757-1020
• Mount Vernon
  • `Melissa Beaton
  • Position Sought: Mount Vernon City Council, Ward 3, Position 2
  • Campaign name: Re-Elect Melissa Beaton to Mount Vernon City Council
  • Campaign email and phone number: melissabeaton@comcast.net; (360)630-7070
  • Iris Carias
  • Position Sought: Mount Vernon City Council, Ward 1, Position 2
  • Campaign email and phone number: VoteIrisCarias@gmail.com; (360)-333-7836
  • Website: www.VoteForIris.com
  • Juan Morales
  • Position Sought: Mount Vernon City Council, Ward 1, Pos. 1
  • Campaign name: Juan Morales
  • Campaign E-mail address: morales2021.citycouncil@gmail.com
  • Campaign mailing address: PO BOX 2261, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
  • Chris Sadler
  • Position Sought: Mount Vernon City Council, Ward 3, Position 2
  • Campaign name: Christopher Sadler for Mount Vernon City Council
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: csadlercitycouncil@gmail.com, (360) 540-9902
  • Campaign website: https://www.facebook.com/csadlercitycouncil
• Sedro-Wooley
  • Joseph Burns
  • Position Sought: Sedro-Wooley City Council, Ward 6
  • Campaign name: Friends to Elect Joe Burns
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: joe@electjoeburns.com; (360)474-7223
  • Campaign website: electjoeburns.com
  • Enrique Lopez Cisneros
  • Position Sought: Sedro-Wooley School District 101, Director District 1
  • Campaign name: Enrique Lopez Cisneros
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: sedrounited@gmail.com

Candidates Previously Endorsed by the Membership
On June 12th, at an Endorsement Meeting of the members of Skagit County Democrats endorsed the candidates listed below. Information concerning these candidates can be obtained from their campaigns.

• Amanda Hubik
  • Position sought: Anacortes City Council, Position 4 (At-Large)
  • Campaign name: Friends of Amanda Hubik
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: Amanda4Anacortes@gmail.com; 360-499-3856
  • Campaign website: www.amandahubik.com
  • Campaign mailing address: PO Box 3014, Anacortes WA 98221
• Richard Brocksmith
  • Position Sought: Mount Vernon City Council, At-Large Position
  • Campaign name: People for Richard Brocksmith
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: electrbrocksmith@gmail.com; 360-826-2094
  • Campaign website: www.richardbrocksmith.com
  • Campaign mailing address: PO Box 372 Mount Vernon WA 98273
• Stefanie LeJeunesse
  • Position sought: Skagit Public Hospital District Commissioner Pos. 6
  • Campaign name: Vote Stefanie: Stefanie LeJeunesse for Skagit Public
  • Hospital District Commissioner
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: infor@votestefanie.com; (360)223-3741
  • Campaign website: http://www.votestefanie.com
• David Baer
  • Position Sought: Sedro Wooley City Council, At-Large Position
  • Campaign E-mail address and phone number: votedavidforcitycouncil@gmail.com
  • 360-320-6838

We want to thank all the candidates who have stepped up to run this year. Running for office is hard work and costly. They need our help with getting out the word, phone-banking, door belling, and raising money. Let’s all do our part by giving them our full support.

4. NEW – Amanda Hubik, candidate for Anacortes City Council, has invited Democrats to march with her in the Anacortes Independence Day Parade
If you’re interested, please email to amanda4anacortes@gmail.com.

5. The Fidalgo Democrats have shared a recording of their last meeting – ” Advancing human rights and democracy”
Click Here for the recording. The next scheduled meeting will be Tuesday, Jul 13, 7:00pm via Zoom.

6. 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.

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:

• Following us on Twitter.
• Liking our Facebook page.
• Joining the new Skagit County Democrats private Facebook group. This is open to all Skagit Dems members, voters, and like-minded constituents. The link directs you to the group, where you’ll have to request to join and an Online Media Posting (OMP) Committee member will approve your request.

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

8. NEW – Links 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.

• The Fulbright Paradox – Race and the Road to a New American Internationalism
• How ranked-choice voting could change the way democracy works
• Zoom Nearly Broke My Body. Here’s How to Protect Yours
• All recent US population growth comes from people of color, new census estimates show

COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. NEW – Swinomish Pride Day Car Parade, Wednesday, Jun 30, 5:30pm
“In recognition of Pride Month and Swinomish Pride Day, Swinomish is hosting a car parade in partnership with the Town of La Conner this coming Wednesday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. Themed “Be who you are, love who you are,” the event is a celebration of diversity. The parade route starts at La Conner schools and ends at sw?d?bš Park. Everyone is invited to participate.” Click Here to see the parade route.

2. NEW – Independence Day Activities

• Anacortes
  • Sunday, July 4
  • Parade – 11:00am at 3rd Street and Commercial Avenue up Commercial to 10th Street
  • Fireworks display will take place on July 4th starting at dusk over Fidalgo Bay
  • A Town Photo will take place at 10am at 5th and Commercial Avenue.
• Big Lake
  • Fireworks – Saturday, July 3 after dark
• Concrete
  • Sunday, July 4
  • Parade at 3:00 p.m.
  • Live music by Marcia Kester in Town Center until 5:00 p.m.
  • Wear your denim, boots and bandanas for a country western-themed celebration.
  • Main Street
• La Conner
  • Sunday, July 4
  • Community Parade starts at 12noon (Staging on State St., parade route south on 1st St.)
  • Concert at Gilkey Square w. CC Adams Band – 2:30pm
  • Fireworks over the Swinomish Channel – Starting after 9:30pm (once it’s dark)
• Mount Vernon
  • Fireworks – Sunday, July 4, Edgewater Park, 600 Behrens-Millett Road just over the West Side Bridge in Mount Vernon across the Skagit River from Downtown Mount Vernon at dark
• Sedro-Woolley
  • Chainsaw Carving – July 1 – 4
  • Pro-West Rodeo – July 3 & 4
  • Beard Contest – Sedro-Woolley Heritage Hammer Square at 9:00am on Sunday July 4
  • Foot Race – 5.17-mile race and 2-mile fun run/walk – 9:30am

3. NEW – Justice for Joel Salgado Rally and March, Saturday, Jul 10, 11:00am – 2:00pm, Skagit County Courthouse, 605 South 3rd Street, Mount Vernon
Joel was the victim of a vicious attack in March of 2020. The attack left him with permanent injuries, including traumatic brain injuries requiring extensive medical treatment and physical therapy. The Prosecuting Attorney, Rich Weyrich has refused to file hate crime charges against Salgado’s attacker.

4. NEW – A County-wide Burn Ban went into effect Friday, Jun 25

5. COVID-19 Information
Skagit County continues in COVID-19 Phase 3 Recovery

COVID-19 Vaccines – COVID-19 Skagit County Public Health DRIVE-THRU Vaccination Site at the Skagit County Fairgrounds HAS NOW CLOSED. Other local vaccine sites can be obtained Here by entering your Zip code.

*New* Pop-Up Vaccine Clinics this summer! Find us at the following Skagit County locations:

• Tues, June 29:Skagit Transit Station, CANCELLED
• Wed, June 30: Skagit Transit Station, Downtown Mount Vernon from 5-9pm
• Wed, June 30: Chuckanut Brewery, Burlington from 3-7pm *PINTS FOR POKES*
• Sat, July 3: Big Lake 3rd of July Festival from 10am-2pm
• Wed, July 7: Marblemount Community Hall from 3-7pm
• Tues, July 13: Skagit Valley Family YMCA from 4:30-7:30pm
• Sat, July 24: Clear Lake Fire Department from 10am-2pm

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.

The CDC updated guidance for fully vaccinated people to say that those who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance. Everyone—including those who are fully vaccinated—must continue to mask on public transit, in schools, clinics, hospitals, and correctional facilities.

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.

Skagit County now lists several locations for COVID-19 testing. Click Here for the list.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Listen to Speak Up! Speak Out! Radio
Listen to Speak Up! Speak Out! – a half hour 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.