• News for Press Release

BELLINGHAM (March 28, 2023) — WECU is ranked the healthiest credit union in Washington State, according to Glatt Consulting’s Credit Union Industry HealthScore, which measures credit union strength and growth. Glatt Consulting, an independent firm that studies the financial health of credit unions, uses 17 performance metrics to calculate its Credit Union Industry HealthScore, including financial ...read more

On March 22, 2023, Skagit County will begin accepting applications for funding the construction of public facilities that retain and/or create family-wage jobs, in accordance with RCW 82.14.370.  The deadline for submittal is April 28, 2023. Complete application materials are available at www.skagitcounty.net/budgetfinance. Entities may apply for as many projects as they wish. Skagit County ...read more

The next round of Music Groups starts April 17 and 18! These groups were created with the intent of supporting children and their parents socially, by providing an open space to create and foster relationships. Music can support a child's overall development. Connections between speech and singing, rhythm and motor behavior, and preferred music can be used to enhance mood, language, motor, ...read more

NW Plus CU earns Juntos Avanzamos designation “Committed to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant consumers”   NW Plus Credit Union announced Tuesday 3/14/2023 that is has been recognized as an official Juntos Avanzamos credit union. This designation is awarded to credit unions that are committed to serving and empowering Hispanic and immigrant consumers, providing safe, affordable ...read more

Press Update 1 - Contributed by Unified CommandA unified command has formed to address the March 16, 2023 train derailment near Anacortes. The command consists of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington Dept. of Ecology, BNSF Railway, Skagit County Department of Emergency Management, and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.Shortly after midnight, a train derailed near the Swinomish Casino ...read more

Program will award grants to restaurants, hotels, motels, and others impacted by Covid-19   The State Department of Commerce announced a new grant opportunity for businesses in the hospitality and lodging industry that suffered business losses due to the pandemic. The application portal opens on March 14 at wahospitalitygrants.com.     VISIT WEBSITE    Who can ...read more

Skagit Valley College (SVC) will host the Northwest Conference Girls and Boys All-Star Basketball Game on Wednesday, March 15 at 6 p.m. on its Mount Vernon campus in the Dave DuVall Pavilion Gym.   The community is invited to celebrate the spirit of basketball and sportsmanship. The cost of admission is $7 for adults and $5 for students.   This game is a terrific opportunity for students, ...read more

SEDRO-WOOLLEY — The city of Sedro-Woolley will host a town hall Saturday with the state legislators from the 39th District. The town hall is 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the City Council chambers. State Sen. Keith Wagoner and representatives Carolyn Eslick and Sam Low will provide updates on key bills important to the people of Skagit County as the Legislature passes the midway point of its 105-day ...read more

MOUNT VERNON – Job seekers are invited to the NW Regional Job Fair, 3-6:30 p.m., on Tuesday, March 14. Fifty employers from manufacturing, healthcare, banking, technology, law enforcement, and others, will be on hand to meet job seekers in person. Each employer must have a minimum of three jobs available.   The first half hour, from 3-3:30 p.m., is reserved for military veterans. Starting at ...read more

Five new programs to be offered through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)OLYMPIA, WA – Washington state has been awarded $163.4 million from the U.S. Treasury Department to operate five capital access programs for small businesses. The new funding will be used to launch an updated version of the state’s highly successful Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program, which was ...read more

Make-A-Wish– the global organization that creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses – has announced a new partnership with Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, the casual dining restaurant chain with more than 510 restaurants across the United States and Canada. Red Robin’s multi-year pledge of more than $3 million is the largest corporate commitment from a new partner in ...read more

Starting a business without a college degree is possible, and many successful entrepreneurs have done just that. With all the small business tools available these days--including PDF resources that will help you stay organized--you can build a successful company without a four-year degree. The Burlington Chamber of Commerce has plenty of tips on how to get started; in this blog post, we’ll ...read more

Rep. Carolyn Eslick introduces “Students First” program to empower parents, improve students’ educational outcomesThe program would give parents control over where to direct their share of education-related state funding   On Thursday, State Rep. Carolyn Eslick, R-Sultan, introduced a bill that would allow parents to use their share of state education funds for private or home-based ...read more