News from the Skagit County Democrats

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for June 12, 2023

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. NEW – Calling serious golfers!
The Skagit County Democratic Party is in the planning stages of a golf tournament as a fundraiser for the Party. We badly need immediate help from golfers who have participated in tournaments and/or helped to organize one. For details, please contact Sheila Mulligan at sjmulli62@gmail.com.

2. The Fidalgo Democrats next meet Tuesday, Jun 13, 7:00pm – 9:00pm, Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th Street, Anacortes
Linden Jorden, The President of PFLAG Skagit will be talking with us about the fascinating topic of Gender. PFLAG is a non-profit that works to support, advocate for and educate about the LGBTQ+ community. He will be joined by Anastasia Brencick a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She helped start the Fidalgo Nature School and The Anacortes Pride parade and works with the anti-racism collective. Pease join us for a lively discussion. Bring your questions. If you have any questions, call Barbara Cooper 360 770-3506.

3. NEW – The Skagit County Democrats Diversity Committee next meets Wednesday, Jun 14, 6:30pm – 7:30pm, in person at the Community-to-Community conference room, 224 Stewart Road, #230, Mount Vernon

4. UPDATED – Anacortes Pride Parade, SATURDAY, Jun 17, 11:00am, Commercial Avenue from 3rd to 10th Street, Anacortes
Join Skagit County Democrats and walk in the Anacortes PRIDE Parade. We will be walking with Fidalgo Democrat sisters and brothers. Last year the PRIDE Parade was a great success with crowded sidewalks of families attending. We have 400 PRIDE flags to distribute to children, and PRIDE neck scarves for pets. Given the cultural struggles we are having across our Country, NOW is the time to be PRESENT to support diversity, humanity, and justice. Bring your family and friends. A Family Picnic follows the parade.

Parade participants should line up between 3rd Street and Commercial between 9:30am and 10:30am. Spaces will be marked on 3rd Street so you can look for your place number to line-up. Skagit County Democrats will be Position 9, Fidalgo Democrats Position 10. Everyone, bring umbrellas and all your friends! The parade route runs from Commercial Avenue and 3rd Street south to 10th Street then over to N Avenue then and north to Causland Park. Click Here for a graphic of the parade route.

5. NEW – The 39th Legislative District Democrats General Membership Meeting is Sunday, Jun 25, 5:00pm – 6:30pm, via zoom
Click Here to register for this meeting. Click Here for the agenda.

6. Results of the Endorsements Meeting of Jun 4
The following candidates and positions have been approved for endorsement by the Skagit County Democrats (misspellings corrected):

• Hannah Oliver – Sedro-Woolley School Board
• Paul Cocke – Sedro-Woolley City Council
• Ashley Gregorious – Hospital District 304 Board
• Celia Ponce Sanchez – Burlington School Board
• Mary Hudson – Mount Vernon City Council
• Andrew Vander Stoep – Mount Vernon City Council
• Lucy Madrigal – Mount Vernon City Council

7. "Masking up" is now OPTIONAL for volunteers and visitors at our Skagit Democrats Headquarters Office

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.

• Full Text of the Trump Documents Indictment
• What is the Espionage Act and what might it mean for Donald Trump
• Climate Crisis Is on Track to Push One-Third of Humanity Out of Its Most Livable Environment
• An Unwinnable War – Washington Needs an Endgame in Ukraine
• Washington's governor and transportation director say lawmakers funded the wrong projects

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. NEW – 86th Annual Berry Dairy Days, Friday, Jun 16 – Sunday, Jun 18, Burlington
Grand Parade, Saturday, Jun 17, 11:00am – The parade route will be east on Fairhaven Avenue from Walnut Street to Skagit Street. Click Here for the Berry Dairy Days 2023 Schedule Lineup & Map. Berry Dairy Days Fireworks Show, Friday, Jun 16, Skagit River Park, 1100 South Skagit Street, Burlington, 10:00pm/Dusk. Click Here for an article on the celebration by King 5 News.

2. NEW – Juneteenth Celebration, Saturday, Jun 17, Boulevard Park, 470 Bayview Drive, Bellingham
"This is a FAMILY FUN Celebration. We will have a live DJ, performances, food, vendors, art, games, and tons of fun. We will have sack races, egg race, ring toss, jumbo bubbles, jumbo checkers, jumbo dominoes, jumbo connect four, face paint, & a huge family musical chairs! . . . All ages encouraged for all games. There will be a Live DJ hosting musical chairs, and bringing us all together for a group cha-cha slide, electric slide and other easy family fun dances you can catch onto. Vendors you will love ! And food to fill your belly ! Battle’s Kitchen New Orlean Style soul food, the Mobile Mouth Hole, Sinply Fluffed Cotton Candy, Get Baked Eat Cake and more! Slow & Go Car Club will be making an arrival, and we will have Crazy Chai & B-Boy Burn Up with some cool break dancing moves. Black Businesses listed on flyer will be in attendance for awards and will be introducing their businesses. Special Guest speaker, local business owner Mr. Brian Womack. Good music, good vibes, good people, good time. Looking forward to seeing you all there."

3. NEW – Health Department issues Recreational Shellfish Harvest Closure for Samish, Guemes, and Cypress Islands due to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins
Due to recent samples of shellfish containing elevated levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins, the following areas have been closed to all shellfish species for recreational shellfish harvesting:

• Samish Island
• Guemes Island
• Cypress Island

Click Here for more information.

4. Employer Summit to Be Held to Discuss Local Child Care Challenges and Opportunities to Increase Capacity, Thursday, Jun 15, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, Safety & Training Center, 15066 Josh Wilson Road, Burlington
"Join us for a discussion of current child care challenges and the effect on our local economy and workforce. Hear options about what we as employers can do to address the child care need and how we can improve our workforce retention, recruitment, and productivity by promoting child care solutions." Skagit County partners with the EDASC (Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County) and others for this summit. This is a free event. Click Here to register.

5. Farmer's Markets
The 2023 Farmer's Markets are now all open.

• Anacortes – Saturdays, 9:00am – 2:00pm
• Concrete – Saturdays, 10:00am – 2:00pm
• Mount Vernon – Saturdays, 9:00am – 2:00pm
• Sedro-Woolley – Wednesdays, 3:00pm – 7:00pm

6. COVID-19 Information
Click Here for the most current report and resources.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Anacortes Sunday Demonstrations
Democrats are again demonstrating in Anacortes each Sunday, 12:00pm – 1:00pm at the corner of 12th Street and Commercial Avenue. "We carry signs for Dem candidates, get out and vote signs, women's right-to-chose in healthcare and so on and so on. We need more people to show up."

2. Coffee & Cards, Wednesdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm, Skagit County Democrats Headquarters, 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon
Coffee and Cards meets on Wednesdays from 10:00am – 12:00pm. This is the group that was previously led by Carol Sullivan and is now lead quite capably by Judy Farrar. The group is a way for us to express ourselves about issues of importance to us all.  

We will write messages of encouragement and support to people who are making positive contributions as well as messages of concern and opposition to people who are negatively impacting our world. This includes legislators on the local, state, and federal level as well as CEOs of corporations and other people having a significant impact in our world. We will share ideas for people to write to and issues to address.  

Postcards and stamps will be provided, but we ask that people bring money to cover the cost of the postcard stamps which are currently $.44. Coffee will be provided or bring your own. As Carol always reminded us, “We are stronger together.” Our office is located at 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon, 360-336-1555."

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