NEWS

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- Skagit County has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Housing Authority of Skagit County (HASC) to build affordable housing units for seniors, along with a resident clubhouse that provides space for resident support services, at the current site of the Mount Vernon senior center on Cleveland Avenue. This past winter, Skagit County received a $1.55M allocation from the Washington State legislature, through a Department of Commerce program for multifamily housing, to fund the feasibility and design process of a combined affordable housing and community center facility at the Cleveland Avenue property. This effort will increase the     (read more)

(MOUNT VERNON)— Skagit Valley College is pleased to announce the appointment of Christina Castorena as its new vice president of student services. Castorena began her role in August 2026, bringing 25 years of experience in Washington’s community and technical college system and extensive leadership experience in student success, enrollment management, and expanding access to higher education, according to a news release from SVC. Throughout her career, Castorena has held executive and senior leadership positions at Bellevue College, Edmonds College, and Everett Community College, including serving as vice president of student services, interim president, interim associate vice president for student affairs, dean     (read more)

(OLYMPIA)– A new international difference on daylight savings time will affect some Amtrak Cascades travelers beginning this fall. Households in Washington and Oregon are getting ready to “fall back” on Sunday, Nov. 1, as they return to Pacific Standard Time. However, in a decision made last year, those in British Columbia, Canada, will not be turning their clocks back. As a result of the time difference, Amtrak Cascades passengers traveling between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia will be issued tickets reflecting either a three-hour trip southbound or a five-hour trip northbound. In reality, both trips will continue to have a four-hour     (read more)

MOUNT VERNON – Northbound and southbound State Route 9 will alternate for three days next week beginning Monday, Oct. 26, east of Mount Vernon as a fish passage project along a tributary to Nookachamps Creek nears completion. Flaggers will alternate traffic from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 26-27, and again at the same time Friday, Oct. 30, just south of Mount Vernon Big Lake Road (milepost 49). A fourth day of alternating traffic is scheduled for the same time Friday, Nov. 6, according to a news release from the Washington State Department of Transportation. People should expect delays during work hours and     (read more)

(MOUNT VERNON)– Beginning Sunday, Nov. 1, the State Route 536 Skagit River/Division Street Bridge will close in both directions to all passenger and freight vehicles for at least two weeks. The full closure will allow contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation to speed up completion of an ongoing painting and preservation project on the historic bridge linking Mount Vernon’s downtown and West Mount Vernon. Once work is finished, the bridge will fully reopen to eastbound and westbound traffic, according to a news release from WSDOT. WSDOT’s goal is to reopen the bridge in both directions     (read more)