News from the Skagit County Democrats

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for July 5, 2021

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. NEW – There will be a General Meeting, Tuesday, Jul 7, 6:00pm, via Zoom to discuss the possibility of renting new office space
Our ad hoc committee to review office space options has identified an attractive alternative office space. The purpose of this meeting is to share the information we have about this alternative space, its cost, location, etc., with our membership and solicit feedback. We want all voices to be heard regarding this important issue. If you have not received the Zoom link and would like to attend, please email: chair@skagitdemocrats.org.

2. NEW – Indivisible Skagit is sponsoring a “Deadline for Democracy” rally in support of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, Wednesday, July 7, 5:00pm, Skagit County Courthouse, 205 West Kincaid Street, Mount Vernon
Click Here for more information and to RSVP.

3. 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). Pre-registration is required in order to attend. Click Here to pre-register no later than 10:00pm, Friday, Jul 9.

4. 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: https://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: http://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: http://voteforiris.com/wp/
  • 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-Woolley
  • Joseph Burns
  • • Position Sought: Sedro-Woolley 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: https://electjoeburns.com/
  • Enrique Lopez Cisneros
  • • Position Sought: Sedro-Woolley 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: https://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: https://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 Woolley 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.  

5. NEW – The Fidalgo Democrats next meeting is Tuesday, Jul 13, 7:00pm – 9:00pm via Zoom to present a candidates forum for Anacortes Mayor and Anacortes School Board
All candidates for Anacortes City Mayor and contested Anacortes School Board races have been invited to join the pre-primary forum. They will have the opportunity to introduce themselves, followed by prepared questions from moderator, Shay Schual-Berke, former Washington State Representative. There will be time for Q&A from the audience. This is an opportunity to meet the candidates and have your questions answered. For more information contact Barbara Cooper, 360-293-4123.

The Fidalgo Democrats have shared a recording of their last meeting – ” Advancing human rights and democracy”. Click Here for the recording.

6. 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!”

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

• What Do Former Extremists and Their Families Say About Radicalization and Deradicalization in America?
• Overdraft Fees Are Big Money for Small Banks
• The court’s Facebook decision shows why we need a digital regulatory agency
• Who Were the Best and Worst Presidents Ever and ranked – 2021 Presidential Historians Survey

COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. NEW – J.E.D.I. (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Speaker Series: DEI Strategies for Hiring at Your Business, Tuesday, Jul 6, 1:00pm – 2:00pm, via Zoom
Free event sponsored by Skagit County Chambers of Commerce. EDASC and the Skagit County Chambers of Commerce present the monthly Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Speaker Series virtual event featuring a presentation by Chinook Enterprises CEO Nikki Wegner and Production Specialist David Wilder on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategies for Hiring. Wegner and Wilder will discuss strategies for success at including individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment in your company’s business model. Click Here to register.

2. 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.

3. NEW – Whidbey Island Fair will be Thursday, Jul 15 – Sunday, Jul 18, 819 Camano Avenue, Langley
Click Here for more information.

4. A county-wide Burn Ban went into effect Friday, Jun 25

5. UPDATED – COVID-19 Information
Reopening – Washington State has now reopened with some exceptions. The Governor’s Reopening guidance included:

• Vaccine verification/negative testing: Recommended but not required for large indoor and outdoor events
• Capacity limitations: No restrictions in restaurants, bars, stores, businesses, theaters etc. (except large indoor events)
• Physical distancing: No requirements
• Travelers: Follow CDC recommendations
• Facial covering/Masking: Not required for vaccinated individuals, unless required by individual business

The WA State Secretary of Health’s mask order will remain in place even after June 30, meaning that people who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear a face mask in public indoor settings. All people, regardless of vaccination status, are still required to wear masks in certain places, such as:

• Child care facilities, camps, K-12 schools, and other youth settings where children are present or expected to be present;
• Health care settings, in accordance with CDC health care infection prevention and control recommendations;
• Correctional facilities in areas where incarcerated individuals are present or expected to be present;
• Homeless shelters in areas where individuals being served are present or expected to be present;
• Public transportation and transportation hubs, including airports, bus or ferry terminals, train and subway stations

Businesses and local authorities will continue to have the right to be stricter in their masking requirements after June 30. Guidance for employers is available on the WA State Department of Labor & Industries website.

Masking helps protect those who are unvaccinated, including children who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated and others with auto-immune or other conditions that prevent them from being vaccinated. Parents should be reminded that there is real risk to children until vaccinations are available. Kids who aren’t vaccinated still need to wear masks, though children younger than two years old should never wear a mask due to the risk of suffocation.

For more information on what reopening entails, refer to the follow links: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/FrequentlyAskedQuestions or https://www.governor.wa.gov/issues/issues/covid-19-resources/covid-19-reopening-guidance.

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:

• Wed, July 7: Skagit Transit Station, Downtown Mount Vernon from 5-9pm
• Sat, July 10: Mount Baker Presbyterian Church, Concrete from 10am-1pm
• Sat, July 10: Marblemount Community Hall from 3-5pm
• Tues, July 13: Skagit Valley Family YMCA from 4:30-7:30pm
• Wed, July 14: Skagit Transit Station, Downtown Mount Vernon from 5-9pm
• Thu, July 22: Concrete Youth Activity Day from 3-5pm
• Wed, July 21: Skagit Transit Station, Downtown Mount Vernon from 5-9pm
• Sat, July 24: Clear Lake Fire Department from 10am-2pm
• Wed, July 28: Skagit Transit Station, Downtown Mount Vernon from 5-9pm
• Sat, August 7: Cascade Middle School, Sedro-Woolley (times TBD)
• Aug 11-14: Skagit County Fair from 10am-10pm

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.

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.

Testing – 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.

NEW – Speak Up! Speak Out! July 7, 2021 – Interview with Rebecca Skrinde, Executive Director of the Helping Hands Food Bank of Skagit County along with Nichole Long, Development and Marketing Director
Join host Jerry Shackette as he explores the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on food access in Skagit County with Helping Hands Food Bank leaders Rebecca Skrinde and Nichole Long. You will hear the details of how Helping Hands coped with the high demand and low availability of food during the health emergency.

You will also get details about the recent successful leadership event presented by Helping Hands featuring former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and an update on the CHOW Program (Cutting Hunger on Weekends) providing weekend food to kids in the county. Jerry also gets answers to the question “what’s next for Helping Hands”? Join us for Speak Up! Speak Out!