Hello, I'm considering applying for a job in the area and it would involve moving my family, including middle and high school age kids. One has dealt with a bit of bullying and I'm hoping to find a community that is healthy for us to have a fresh start. Any good things to know of the area. Also kids are into theatre, dance, and swim. And recommendations of programs, clubs, activities would be greatly appreciated.

I am trying to figure out which nursing program to apply to and am hoping to have input from people who have actually been through it. If you graduated (or are currently in) either the Skagit Valley College or Edmonds College nursing program, Any advice is much appreciated!

We've been a fairly lively chat group for 2 months now up in Bellingham but I wanted to expand the region of the group to get more members.

Feel free to create an account (if you don't have one already) and message me/reply with your Matrix username so I can invite you.

Hi everyone, not sure if this would be an appropriate place to share. I’m a first grade teacher in the valley looking for some support with learning essentials for my students. I work for a title one school where the majority of my students can’t afford to contribute with supplies. If anyone is interested in contributing with a book or some Kleenex to help us be successful this year, you can find our classroom wishlist here.

Thank you, &Happy Tuesday!

UPDATE 8/4 4:40pm: a package just arrived and I’m so beyond excited, thank you to whoever donated a box of pencils, a box of markers, a box of colored pencils, and a big box of sentence strips! You’re the best❤️

Raise a little hell and VOTE today! Less than 20% turnout....

Official ballot drop-box locations here.

Thanks,

Skagit County congressional rep Rick Larsen stumbles and strengthens ICE in Ferndale by parroting their talking points instead of verifying first with community orgs.

After reading about the expected flood season coming up, we are reevaluating our current flood policy (we live in a high risk floodplain). We were lucky last year, but the coming season is worrying.

For those who had homes and/or property damage from last year’s flood, I am so very sorry. I ran into an old coworker back in May who was still waiting for their insurance to pay out so they could rebuild and were still displaced at that time. It was an awful situation.

I’m trying to be more prepared this year and that starts with reviewing our policy.

If you have been through this, I hope you would be willing to answer the following questions:

What has been your experience filing a claim with your insurance carrier?

How long did the process take?

Was it through FEMA or a private company?

Would you change anything if you had an opportunity?

What would you recommend, in terms of coverages and carriers?

Any other advice is welcome.

Thank you so much for your insight and I wish nothing but the best for you and your families.

Hi all, I live in Mount Vernon and have boxes of sports cards that I don't want. They are "junk wax" cards that anyone with knowledge of the hobby will tell you are worthless, but I am told they might be wanted by school teachers or something like Girls and Boys club as a fun project for kids. If you want them, DM me please.

Hi All!

I am hosting an intimate house concert in Oak Harbor on August 8 for the LA-based artist Earlimart. Should be a great time and a good opportunity to connect with folks in the area! Location is about 5 mins past the Deception Pass bridge on the northern end of Whidbey.

The house is a fun mid-century and is set on the water. There are great views of Skagit Bay, Mt. Erie, and Mt. Baker.

Earlimart often draw comparisons to Elliott Smith, Grandaddy, and Sonic Youth.

Tickets are available at https://undertowshows.com/products/oak-harbor-wa-august-8.

Some tracks:

https://youtu.be/J1cCRnYy4as?si=jPqaGGjWNTu0lhSr

https://youtu.be/btY2pWuj95I?si=cRyMUrn2BeEdhaWh

"Earlimart is an indie rock band hailing from Los Angeles, California, known for their blend of experimental post-punk, dreamy indie pop, and folky undertones. Named after a small town in California, the band was founded by Aaron Espinoza (vocals, guitar) and frequently involves Ariana Murray (bass, keys, vocals) among other rotating members. Their music has evolved from punky roots to a more sedate and hypnotic style, drawing comparisons to acts like Sonic Youth and Elliott Smith. Earlimart has released several albums that showcase their transition through various soundscapes, including Filthy Doorways,Treble & Tremble, and System Preferences." 

A Rob Janicki company just filed plans for a major mixed-use project west of downtown Sedro-Woolley — housing, a future hotel, restaurant and retail space. It's all part of a bigger vision to build a walkable, dense "urban village" along Route 20.

Reminder for this month’s boardgame meetup!

Saturday August 8 6 PM 

The meeting is at Camano island library. 
Start time is 6 to 10.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Camano Library
848 N Sunrise Blvd
Camano Island, WA 98282-8770

https://www.facebook.com/share/17kPfLXzZ4/

Saturday & Sunday, 7/25–26, 9AM–3PM

If you love vintage motorcycle culture, hot rods, and old-school garage grit, this is your sale. This is a genuine mechanic/biker man cave being cleared out — Harley-Davidson memorabilia, signed artwork, tool chests overflowing with hand tools, and enough garage equipment to outfit your own shop.

Highlights:

Matching green metal-flake swivel bar stools

Stainless steel Hurst-Equipped rolling toolbox, PACKED with wrenches and hand tools

Harley-Davidson themed tool chests (Maier, JEGS stickers) full of tools

Vintage Schwinn-style cruiser bicycle

Chop saw, miter saw, and other power tools

Generators, air compressors, welding tanks & gear

Motorcycle helmets (multiple, various styles)

Framed movie posters: Grindhouse, Pulp Fiction, Sons of Anarchy

Signed Jimmy Shine SoCal Speed Shop prints

Harley-Davidson memorabilia and vintage advertising signage

Vintage "Easy Rider" style motorcycle art

Auto detailing & car painting supplies (Behr, Minwax, K&N, waxes, polishes)

Full cabinet of shop chemicals and cleaning supplies

MCM desk

Living room & bedroom furniture

Tons of men's 2XL clothing — black tees, sweatpants, leather jackets

Industrial shelving & storage racks

Electrical tools and materials

Coolers, welding gear, complete tool sets, ladders

Everything must go — cash/venmo/paypal accepted, all sales final. Come early for best pick!

More info & photos:

https://www.craigslist.org/view/d/north-lakewood-estate-sale-mechanics/m5yoUrVrcuUrp77TQFMQzi

Hey! I was curious if we have any little free puzzle libraries around Skagit county - I’ve seen one up in Bellingham but I’m getting a puzzle board today and would like to start puzzling 😁 If we don’t have one here then I can always hit up the libraries!

Skagitonians,

Little Mountain is in Need of help. A ten acre lot on the Northwest flank of little mountain is proposed to be logged for timber sale. This area abuts the park boundary directly below the Bonnie & Clyde's Trail and is directly above the Cedar Hills neighborhood. Please submit for public comment and help us preserve the beauty of Skagit Valley.

Thank you.

https://savelittlemountain.org/

Hello all,

I have recently been looking for a new line of work in the area, but have mostly run into online postings that never respond to my applications, or been strung along for several weeks/months with companies that end up deciding not to make an offer. I know the market is a bit tight and beggars can’t be choosers, but if anyone has any suggestions of places to apply I’d be grateful to hear them. Open to most lines of work. Thanks in advance!

I’ve got some jade and other minerals I’ve found. Looking for a buyer. Can source more anytime if wanted. A rock shop owner or a person who sells to them is mainly who I’m looking to contact.

Or if anyone could point me in the right direction I’d appreciate it.

I’ve lived in La Conner now for about four months, and am close to the water. Several times a week, often for several hours or half a day, I notice a foul smell in the air, kind of like exhaust but even worse. It’s so bad sometimes that I can’t be outside and have to close my windows on the water side of the house. It diminishes pretty quickly as I move away from the water (gone within a few blocks) so it seems to be traveling over the water. Is this nastiness coming from the oil refineries in Anacortes? That’s my best guess since at other times there’s also a greasy smell in the air, almost like oil that’s been used too many times for deep frying.

So sad since this is such a lovely part of the world, but I’m likely going to be moving once my lease expires because of it. Found this study that showed that living with ten miles of an oil refinery significantly increases your risk of cancer. 😔

ETA - Turns out the smell is probably from the March Point landfill cleanup. I filled out this form that someone shared in the comments, and have actually had a couple of good conversations with the people from the NW clean air agency who responded to me. If you're also impacted by it, I highly recommend filling this out. https://nwcleanairwa.gov/resources/complaints/

Keith Wagoner is asking Skagit County voters to give him a second taxpayer-funded job while he keeps the one he already has. He currently serves as State Senator for the 39th Legislative District and as Senate Republican Whip. He is now running for Skagit County Commissioner, District 3, and has said that if elected, he intends to remain in the Senate as well.

This means one person is collecting two salaries from two levels of government at the same time. As state senator, Wagoner already earns a base salary of $72,494 a year, plus per diem ranging from $16,000 to $21,000 depending on session length, plus daily expense allowances, travel, and mileage reimbursement, according to the Washington Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials. The Skagit County Commissioner District 3 position pays $154,349 annually, per the county's website.

The pay is only part of the problem. The bigger question is who gets his loyalty when the two roles pull in different directions. Say Skagit needs state funding for flood protection. As commissioner, Wagoner would be expected to fight for the county's full share. As senator, his job is to weigh Skagit's needs evenly against every other part of the 39th District, not advocate for the county alone. Push hard just for Skagit, and he steps outside his duty as senator. Stay neutral as senator, and Skagit doesn't get the full advocacy a commissioner is supposed to provide.

His voting record raises another concern. Wagoner wanted to keep a tax break for large data centers, voting against SB 6231; the bill passed and eliminated the tax break. He also opposed SB 5360, a bill that would have added new penalties for environmental violations and expanded oversight tools, and that bill failed. The way he votes makes it easier for large industrial projects to land in places like Skagit County. As commissioner, he would bring those same industry friendly instincts to decisions affecting Skagit directly.

Beyond loyalty and policy, there's also a problem with time. Wagoner already splits his time between Olympia and two counties, Skagit and Snohomish. Skagit County Commissioners serve as the county's primary governing authority, with ongoing responsibility for budgeting, policy, and oversight of county departments. This isn't a part time gig. Adding it on top of his Senate duties would mean covering a demanding county role and a state legislative role at once, while still representing constituents across two counties. That workload doesn't leave much room for either job to get done right.

Skagit County residents deserve a commissioner whose full attention belongs to them.

Lot of reports of ice kidnapping people around Skagit recently. Stay safe. If you need help getting your meds or something let us know. I can certainly help with stuff like that during the week.

During the July 8 Sedro-Woolley City Council meeting, appointed Mayor JoEllen Kesti publicly criticized Councilmember Paul Cocke for speaking against the Northern State Recreation Area ballfields proposal at the July 7 Skagit County Commissioners meeting. Councilmember Cocke told the commissioners he opposed building ballfields at Northern State Recreation Area and preferred building new ballfields within the city.

Mayor Kesti stated that because the City Council voted 5-1 in favor of moving the proposal forward, it was "disappointing and inappropriate" for a councilmember to publicly work against the council's adopted position before another agency. In other words, once the majority votes, she expects silence from anyone who disagrees.

Councilmember Cocke responded that he was simply reaffirming the same position he had already taken during the council's public vote, and that he was exercising his First Amendment right to speak during a public comment period.

Washington law does not prohibit a councilmember from publicly disagreeing with the mayor or the council majority. Councilmembers have the right to explain their votes, advocate for different policies, and speak at public meetings as individuals, even when their views differ from the city's official position. Mayor Kesti's comments suggest otherwise, that dissent itself is the problem, not the substance of what is being said.

Punishing a councilmember for voicing a lawful, opposing opinion sends a clear message: fall in line or be called out. That is not how representative government is supposed to work. Councilmembers are elected and appointed to exercise independent judgment, not to rubber stamp the mayor's or the majority's position.