News from the Skagit County Democrats

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for May 19, 2025

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. UPDATED – Tickets Are Now on Sale for the 2025 Skagit County Democrats Gala – ONLY 20 DAYS AWAY!
Join us Saturday, June 7th at the Swinomish Casino and Lodge for our annual Gala — our biggest fundraiser of the year. Our theme this year, "Rooted in Democracy, Growing for Tomorrow", reflects our commitment to deep values and forward progress.

We know these are uncertain times, and some may wonder if a celebration is the right move. But coming together now matters more than ever. This event is about solidarity, hope, and growing local democracy for the future. Funds raised help us keep the office running, support local candidates, and build grassroots power in Skagit County. Let’s celebrate our community, our mission, and what we’re building together. Get your tickets and more information here.

Here is our planned Schedule:

• Meet and Greet on the Patio
  • 4:00 – Doors Open – Bar Opens – Guests begin to arrive.
  • 5:30 – Adjourn the Meet and Greet.
• Main event in the Grand Ballroom
  • 4:30 – Doors Open to display silent auction
  • 5:00 – Bar 1 opens. (Bar 2 opens following the transition from the patio)
  • 5:50 – Call to be seated for the 1st course.
  • 6:00 – Salad
  • 6:30 – Entree
  • 7:15 – Dessert Dash
  • 9:00 – Conclusion of our program

2. The 39th Legislative District Democrats Executive Board meets Tuesday, May 20, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, via Zoom
"The Executive Board meeting is open to members and associate members of the party (not the general public), therefore we are requiring pre-registration in order to attend via Zoom. To register in advance for this meeting, Click Here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting."

3. NEW – Available Training to Prepare for the "No Kings" event, Friday, May 23, 12:00pm – 1:00pm, on-line
"Join the organizers of the NO KINGS mobilization to learn more about how to prepare for your event. Get insights and tips on how to message and promote your mobilization, bring in volunteers, and get ready for a day of mass mobilization across the country." Click Here to register for this training session.

The "No Kings in America" mass protest is scheduled locally for Saturday, Jun 14, in front of Popeye's along Burlington Boulevard, 120 Cascade Mall Drive, Burlington. Click Here to register with Indivisible Skagit.

4. NEW – Legislative Committee Report
"Governor Ferguson appears to be working through to the upcoming Tuesday deadline to decide on the state budget and sign or veto several remaining bills delivered to him by the legislature. We are slowly seeing many of the bills that we supported signed into law. Here are the updates from last week.

• HB 1217 – Improving housing stability for tenants subject to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring notice of rent and fee increases, limiting fees and deposits, establishing a landlord resource center and associated services, authorizing tenant lease termination, creating parity between lease types, and providing for attorney general enforcement. This bill passed with a 7% plus inflation or 10% cap, whichever is lower, and a 5% cap for mobile homes. We are hoping to see these caps lowered in the future. Sponsored by Alex Ramel and Deb Lekanoff.
• SB 5148 – Ensuring compliance with the housing element requirements of the growth management act
• HB 1232 – Concerning health inspections private detention facilities. Sponsored by Alex Ramel
• HB 1106 – Recognizing the tremendous sacrifices made by our military veterans by phasing down the disability rating requirements to ensure more disabled veterans are eligible for property tax relief. Sponsored by Clyde Shavers

5. Have you renewed your membership for this year?
You don't have to wait for a membership renewal letter. You can easily renew your membership on-line. Just go to https://secure.actblue.com/donate/scdmembership. Your membership fees help us keep the doors open and support Democratic candidates in Skagit County! We did well in Skagit County in the last Presidential election – let's keep the momentum going! Email staff@skagitdemocrats.org if you are unsure of your membership status.

6. Important Information for Candidates!
The Skagit County Democrats Endorsements Committee has begun meeting, and we encourage all prospective candidates to apply for endorsement in order to get access to Votebuilder, campaign contributions, and other Skagit Democrats' resources. For more information, please click the link here. If you have any questions, please contact the Endorsement Committee at endorsements@skagitdemocrats.org.

7. 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 conservative legal community appears to be rejecting the Trump team's vision of "radical constitutionalism"
• Why aren't Americans filling the manufacturing jobs we already have?
• Individual Net Worth With Even Distribution
• Fraud costing U.S. government hundreds of billions a year as crime rings use stolen identities
• Neuroscientists reveal insights into how the brain forms habits and why they are so hard to break

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. NEW – The League of Women Voters of Skagit County present "Restoring the Vote: Empowering Justice-Impacted Voices in Washington", David Lund, Criminal Justice Specialist, Civic Engagement Program, Washington Secretary of State, Monday, May 19, 2:30pm — 4:00pm, Skagit Valley College, Cardinal Center Multipurpose Room, 2405 East College Way Mount Vernon
"Learn about voting rights for formerly and currently incarcerated individuals." Click Here for a campus map.

2. NEW – Memorial Day is Monday, May 26
Most Federal, State, County, and City offices & services will be closed.

Memorial Day Events:

• Anacortes – Community Memorial Day Ceremony, Causland Memorial Park, Monday, May 26, 11:00am, 710 N Avenue
• Concrete – the Forest Park Cemetery in Concrete will have a Memorial Day service at 1:00pm Monday on the 26th, 44826 Compton Lane
• Mount Vernon – Memorial Day Celebration at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Monday, May 26, 9:00am – 10:00am, 17666 Valentine Road

3. NEW – 2nd Annual Sedro-Woolley PRIDE!, Sunday, Jun 1, 11:00am – 3:30pm, Riverfront Park, 1001 River Road, Sedro-Woolley
"Sedro-Woolley PRIDE Demonstration – Parking for the Demonstration is at Fruitdale Rd, at The Cascade Trail. The trail is paved, and wheelchair accessible . . .  Community PRIDE Potluck and Picnic at Riverfront Park from: 12pm-3:30pm"
 
4. NEW – The League of Women Voters of Skagit County present a Mount Vernon High School Debate, Monday, Jun 2, 6:30pm, Mount Vernon High School, Old Main Building, 1075 East Fulton Street, Mount Vernon
Free admission. "Topic: 'Resolved: We regret the expansion of presidential power.' This event is open to the public and we know you’ll want to support these amazing students.

5. NEW – Burn Ban Takes Effect June 15th in Unincorporated Skagit County
Click Here for the full press release.

6. Governor Ferguson has declared May 2025 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Month
Click Here to read the proclamation.

7. Farmer's Markets 2025

• Anacortes, The Depot, 611 R Avenue – Saturdays – 9:00am – 2:00pm – Opened May 2
• Concrete, Concrete Community Center, 45821 Railroad Avenue – Saturdays – 10:00am – 2:00pm – Opens May 25
• Mount Vernon, Riverwalk, 501 Main Street – Saturdays – 9:00am – 2:00pm – Opened May 17
• Sedro-Woolley, Hammer Heritage Square, 640 Metcalf Street – Wednesdays – 3:00pm – 7:00pm, Opens May 21

8. Information about Alfredo "Lelo" Juarez
"On March 25, 2025, Lelo was violently detained by ICE while driving his partner to her workplace. ICE agents broke his car window when Lelo tried to exercise his rights. He is currently detained inside an ICE facility in Tacoma, Washington.

Lelo has been a farmworker and community leader in Washington since he was 12 years old, and has worked tirelessly for immigrant and farmworker rights. He was one of the initial founders of the independent union Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ), where he helped agricultural workers win paid breaks and overtime. As an organizer with Community to Community Development (C2C), he has been involved in multiple campaigns, most recently working on educating the community and legislators about the exploitative H-2A program.

?We believe that ICE may have targeted Lelo for his leadership in standing up for farmworkers and immigrants in his community.

"On Thursday morning May 8 Alfredo (Lelo) Jurez Zeferino, with his attorney Larkin Vanderhoef, for the first time, went before an Immigration Judge in a hearing room located within the Northwest Detention Center. The hearing was scheduled by Homeland Security at the request of Lelo and his attorneys to ask that he be released on bond until his deportation order could be reviewed for dismissal. Lelo has no criminal record, has strong ties to his community, family, and a commitment to his union, Familias Unidas por la Justicia.

Community to Community and Lelo's colleagues and over 175 friends and allies traveled to the Detention Center to be at the hearing, including Lynn Campbell. The hope was that Lelo would be released on bond. Homeland Security Legal Counsel opposed his release and the outcome of Alfredo ‘Lelo’ Juarez Zeferino was not what we hoped. We were updated this morning from his legal team that the judge for his bond hearing determined that she did not have jurisdiction to order his release on bond.

At this time, Lelo will have to remain in custody until his Immigration Hearing which is expected to be held later this month. Tonight over the phone from the Detention Center Lelo thanked everyone that is supporting him. He remains unfailingly optimistic as always. Let us remain unfailingly in solidarity with him!"

You can help:

• Email Senator Patty Murray
• Email Senator Maria Cantwell
• Email Congressional Representative Rick Larsen
• Contribute to the Alfredo Juarez Legal Fund

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. 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 led quite capably by Judy Farrar and Judith Chilcote. 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 $.56. 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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