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Wednesday, April 16, 20252025 Stormwater Management Program Plan Draft Open for Public Comment
The draft 2025 Stormwater Management Program Plan is now open for public comment from April 16th, 2025, through May 16th, 2025. The Stormwater Management Program Plan, which is updated annually, informs the public on actions the County’s Stormwater Management Program has planned for the current calendar year. The public comment period gives members of the public an opportunity to provide feedback on current and future actions being taken by the County’s stormwater program. The draft plan can be found
Wednesday, April 16, 2025Washington state unemployment rate holds steady in March at 4.4%
OLYMPIA – Washington’s economy decreased by an estimated 5,200 jobs (seasonally adjusted) in March 2025, and the monthly unemployment rate remained at 4.4%. “The unemployment rate stayed steady, and the labor force also maintained relative stability in March. Slowing job growth took a slight turn this month,” said Anneliese Vance-Sherman, chief labor economist at the Employment Security Department. “March marks the third month in a row of declining employment, marking a trend of job losses in the early
Tuesday, April 15, 2025North Star to Host Inaugural Symposium
North Star will host a one-day symposium on Friday, June 6th, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Swinomish Casino & Lodge. North Star Connect is the inaugural symposium to bring together individuals from multiple professional sectors representing behavioral health, housing, social service providers, first responders, the criminal justice system, the business community, and other public and private community leaders to network, collaborate, and advance professional development. Registration is now
Tuesday, April 15, 2025Skagit County to Acquire Haller Farm for Estuary Restoration Project
On Earth Day, April 22nd, at 11:00 a.m., the Skagit Board of County Commissioners will consider approval of an option agreement to acquire the Haller Farm, a 584-acre property at the mouth of the Skagit River north fork, approximately one mile southeast of the Town of La Conner. Haller Farm includes the majority of the top-ranked Skagit Chinook recovery project on the Skagit River estuary. The option agreement allows the area to be restored to estuary, providing critical salmon habitat as well as
Saturday, April 12, 2025You’re Invited to Age Brilliantly Academy’s Spring 2025 Free Online Workshops
A Dozen Conversations to Empower You to Lead a More Fulfilling 100-Year Life Age Brilliantly(.org), the interactive community of adults of all ages who want to maximize opportunities to lead fulfilling 100-year lives, invites you to join conversations with other members on how to make your life more fulfilling. These complimentary one-hour programs are led by subject-matter experts. They take place on Tuesdays from April 8 through June 24, 2025 at 1-2 PM ET. “The true value of longevity isn't
Friday, April 11, 2025Skagit Valley College to host Clean Energy and Sustainability Fair to celebrate Earth Day April 22
Mount Vernon, Wash. – Skagit Valley College is hosting the Clean Energy and Sustainability Fair in celebration of Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22 and will focus on environmental conservation, clean energy jobs, environmental advocacy, and clean energy technology. The fair is free and open to the public and will be held 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Knutzen Cardinal Center and Tollefson Plaza at the college’s Mount Vernon campus. There will be music, crafts, and a plant sale. Highlights of the fair include
Thursday, April 10, 2025Skagit County Seeks Applicants for Housing Authority of Skagit County Board.
The Skagit Board of County Commissioners is seeking applicants to serve on the board of the Housing Authority of Skagit County (HASC). The search for a new board member comes in response to the resignation of board member Daniel Valdez, on April 7th. Mr. Valdez served two years of his original five-year term, and was named chair of the board by his peers shortly after his appointment by the County in 2023.HASC is a taxpayer-funded public agency that administers federal Housing Choice Vouchers and develops
Thursday, April 10, 2025Helping Hands volunteers awarded Washington State Volunteer Service Award
We are honored, and incredibly proud, to announce that our volunteers have been awarded the Washington State Volunteer Service Award for the northwest region. Our volunteers were sponsored for the award due to their consistent hard work and commitment to helping their community. In 2024 Helping Hands volunteers put in over 15,700 hours across six locations in Skagit County. They helped sort over 1.9 million pounds of food and helped facilitate 250,000+ visits by community members. "The volunteers who
Friday, April 04, 2025Age Brilliantly (.org) Announces Spring 2025 Online Workshops
New York, NY. April 3, 2025. Age Brilliantly(.org) is the interactive community of adults of all ages who want to maximize opportunities to lead (more) fulfilling 100-year lives. Its Academy announced the Spring 2025 line-up of online workshops that engage members in conversations focused on elevating people’s efforts now and in the future to lead more fulfilling 100-year lives. These complimentary one-hour programs take place on Tuesdays from April 8 through June 24, 2025 at 1-2 PM ET. “The true value of
Friday, April 04, 2025Skagit Valley College automotive program receives national accreditation
Mount Vernon, Wash. — The Skagit Valley College (SVC) automotive technology program has received notice of renewal of ASE Training Program accreditation by the ASE Education Foundation. SVC’s automotive technology program has been accredited at the highest level of accreditation; Master Automobile Service Technology. SVC has been accredited by the ASE Education Foundation, formally known as National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF), for more than 20 years. To achieve this coveted
Tuesday, April 01, 2025Skagit County Commissioners Set Hearing on Removal of Housing Authority Board Commissioner Daniel Valdez
The Skagit County Board of Commissioners announced today it has taken action to consider removal of Housing Authority of Skagit County (HASC) Commissioner Daniel Valdez. The action comes after a review found evidence that Mr. Valdez as Chair of the Board engaged in activities which hindered other HASC Commissioners in their duties and failed to take action for appropriate accountability under state and federal law pertaining to local public housing authorities. Local public housing authorities are
Tuesday, April 01, 2025Washington State Department of Financial Institutions Encourages Focus on Financial Wellness During Financial Capability Month and Saves Week
Olympia – The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) joins federal and state agencies, non-profits, financial and credit counselors, banks, and credit unions — in celebrating Financial Capability Month this April and Saves Week April 7-11. “Financial education is extremely important for people of all ages,” DFI Director Charlie Clark said. “While money habits can be formed at very early ages, it’s important to provide financial education at all life stages to ensure people have the
Monday, March 31, 2025Skagit Valley College celebrates Black History Month
Mount Vernon, Wash. — Skagit Valley College (SVC) honored Black History Month in Feb. by hosting a series of engaging and educational events for students, staff, and faculty. These events provided meaningful opportunities for learning, reflection, and discussion about the contributions and experiences of Black individuals throughout history and in higher education. On Feb. 13, SVC partnered with Living Voices to bring interactive historical performances to campus. More than 200 attendees – including
Thursday, March 27, 2025Skagit Valley Family YMCA partnering with Help Me Grow Skagit for free Healthy Kids Day event
SKAGIT COUNTY, WA – The Skagit Valley Family YMCA, in partnership with Help Me Grow Skagit, is excited to announce its annual Healthy Kids Day event on Saturday, April 26 at the YMCA’s Hoag Road facility (1901 Hoag Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98273). The free community event will take place from 12:30-2:30pm.This year’s event is sponsored by PFLAG Skagit, the Kiwanis Club of Burlington-Edison, and Martha’s Bridal.On Healthy Kids Day, children and families can learn about the importance of learning; healthy
Thursday, March 27, 2025Birch Bay Kid’s Kite Festival Returns to Birch Bay State Park!
Birch Bay, WA – The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the return of the Kid’s Kite Festival at Birch Bay State Park on June 21-22, 2025. This free, family-friendly event celebrates the joy of kite flying while showcasing the natural beauty of Birch Bay’s stunning shoreline. Children will receive free kites (while supplies last) to decorate and fly in the open skies above Birch Bay. Kite enthusiasts will also find a variety of kites and spinners for sale, ensuring everyone can participate
Wednesday, March 26, 2025Granite Garage Floors Expands to Washington with First Location in the State
Cleveland, Ohio — March 3, 2025 — Granite Garage Floors, a leading home improvement provider of industrial epoxy coating systems, has awarded its first territory in Washington to new franchise owners, James and Mindy Culmore. As the first franchisees in the region, the Culmores will introduce Granite Garage Floors’ high-quality flooring solutions to homeowners throughout Greater Seattle. As locals, James and Mindy Culmore are eager to bring Granite Garage Floors’ durable industrial epoxy coating systems
Wednesday, March 26, 2025Washington state unemployment rate increases slightly in February to 4.4%
OLYMPIA – Washington’s economy decreased by an estimated 7,200 jobs (seasonally adjusted) in February 2025, and the monthly unemployment rate increased slightly to 4.4%. As noted in the January 2025 employment report, high-profile layoffs in the private and public sectors likely won’t show up until the March and April 2025 employment reports. “Job growth has been slowing over the past several months, and so far, 2025 is off to a slow start. One-month job losses were observed in both January and
Wednesday, March 26, 2025Opportunity to Highlight Your Business to Incoming Visitors
As part of our 2025 outreach, the Skagit Tourism Bureau is committed to showcasing the full breadth of our community to visitors attending sporting events throughout the Skagit Valley. We’re reaching out with an opportunity to feature your business and connect with these event attendees—at no cost to you. Through our partnership with Playeasy (a platform often described as the “TripAdvisor for sports tourism”), we promote Skagit Valley as a premier destination for sporting events. All events hosted in
Tuesday, March 25, 2025Washington DFI Warns of Cryptocurrency Scams Involving Fake ‘Investment Education Foundations’ and AI Bots
Fake foundations lure investors with promises of education on stocks and cryptocurrency Olympia – The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) Securities Division joins the North American Securities Administrators Association members in warning the public about a new investment scam involving fake “investment education foundations.” These fake foundations lure investors with promises of education on stocks and cryptocurrency, "risk-free" trials, and loans. The main goal of the scammers
Friday, March 21, 2025SBA Relief Still Available to Washington Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Summer Drought
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Washington of the April 21, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought beginning June 25, 2024. The disaster declaration covers the counties of Adams, Benton Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Grant, Island, King, Kittitas, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom and
Friday, March 21, 2025Washington Vocational Services Receives $37,000 Sponsorship from Wellpoint Washington Supporting Pathfinders and Healthy Relationships Programs for Youth with Disabilities
BURLINGTON, WA – Washington Vocational Services (WVS), recipient of the 2024 Governor’s Award for Small Nonprofit Employer of the Year, is proud to announce a generous sponsorship of $37,000 from Wellpoint Washington, a leading healthcare organization committed to improving lives and supporting communities across the state. The sponsorship, presented on February 27th at the WVS office and ATTIC Transition Program in Burlington, directly supports WVS’s mission to empower individuals with disabilities through
Wednesday, March 19, 2025CASCADIA EXHIBIT SHOWCASES 55 WOMEN ARTISTS
Bellingham, WA. – The works of 55 women artists go on display Friday, April 4 at the Dakota Gallery in downtown Bellingham in conjunction with CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival. CASCADIA introduced the exhibition of work by women artists from throughout the region in 2024 as an extension of the festival’s celebration of artistic work created by women. This year's exhibit will open Friday, April 4 at 6 p.m. at the Dakota Gallery, 1322 Cornwall, during downtown Bellingham's April Artwalk. The
Tuesday, March 18, 2025U.S. Bank named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere
Company receives honor for 11th consecutive year MINNEAPOLIS (MARCH 11) – For the 11th consecutive year, U.S. Bank has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. Ethisphere recognized 137 honorees that span 18 countries. U.S. Bank is one of four honorees in the banking category and the only U.S.-based bank to be honored for 11 consecutive years. The listed 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies®
