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3 killed in Skagit County fire; Investigators looking for man possibly involved
Investigators are looking for a man they believe could have been involved in a deadly fire in Skagit County. The person of interest is 49-year-old, Jason M. Birman, according to a news release from the City of Mount Vernon on Wednesday. The fire occurred Friday in Concrete off of State...
Person of interest identified following fatal fire in Concrete
CONCRETE, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Authorities are searching for a person of interest in connection to a fatal fire in Skagit County. Three victims were recovered after the two-story home was destroyed in a fire on the morning of Aug. 9 in Concrete. The Mount Vernon Police Department now says...
Update: Police searching for man connected to house fire near Concrete that killed three
A regional search is underway for a 49-year-old man, Jason M. Birman, a person of interest connected to a fatal house fire in Rockport, Skagit County, outside of Concrete. Three victims were recovered from the scene and are undergoing forensic examination by the Skagit County Coroner’s Office. Identification is pending. Around 10:24 a.m. the morning of Aug. 9, Skagit County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residential fire on State Route 530 south of Rockport, according to a ne.
Local organizations to hold public meeting about housing
A public meeting will be held Aug. 21 regarding housing, issues associated with it and what can be done locally. The meeting will be put on by the League of Women Voters of Skagit County, the Skagit Housing Consortium, the Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County and Community Action of Skagit County. During the meeting, a panel of experts will discuss both the challenges regarding the lack of affordable housing...
Election 2024: Fidalgo pool ballot measure again failing
A ballot measure to change the Fidalgo Pool and Fitness Center’s designation from a Park Recreation District to a Metropolitan Park District is again failing. When the Skagit County Elections Department released updated totals from the Aug. 6 primary election Wednesday, the measure was failing by 12 votes. The measure was passing by six votes on Tuesday. ...
Skagit County report shows water quality has improved since monitoring began
The water quality of Skagit County waterways has improved in the past two decades, according to a newly released county report, although many concerns remain. Skagit County released its 2023 annual water report last week. The report details water quality in county waterways and the 20-year trends. Skagit County began collecting data in 2003. Its 40 sampling sites are spread througout the county, and data is collected every other week. ...
Community Mourns Fatal Concrete House Fire While Authorities Search for Missing Vehicle
Tragedy struck the small town of Concrete, northeast of Seattle, as a fire decimated a two-story residence last week, leaving three individuals dead. As reported by FOX13 Seattle, Skagit County deputies were called to the scene near the 15000 block of State Route 530 on August 9, where they discovered the remnants of the residence. The responding authorities faced the grim task of sifting through the ashes of what was once a family home.
Strait Arrow: 2017
Offshore support vessel “Strait Arrow” returns to Cap Sante Marina, April 2017. A fourth generation Skagit County native who was moved kicking and screaming from this island community in 1960. I finally reclaimed an Anacortes address in 1980, and I have been in constant celebration of my return since that time. Many of us who call Anacortes home love Fidalgo Island for its natural assets: among them are rugged beaches, pristine lakes, thousands of acres of forestland and some awesome views of the Skagit Valley and surrounding islands. Another element of my love affair with this community is its people, both natives and immigrants. They will “star” in many of my journal entries.
Ground broken on Skagit County Stabilization Campus expansion
The Skagit County Board of Commissioners hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Monday to celebrate the beginning of construction on a 48-bed inpatient stabilization center for mental health and addiction treatment. The ceremony was held at the construction site at 1420 Highway 20 west of Sedro-Woolley. The building will be called the Stabilization, Treatment and Recovery Center, or STAR Center. ...
Election 2024: Primary election winding down
The Skagit County Elections Department estimates it has 650 ballots left to count from the Aug. 6 primary election. Neighboring counties that can affect state and federal races on Skagit County ballots also have few left to count — Snohomish has about 200, Whatcom about 47, Island about 10 and San Juan about 140. When counties throughout the state updated ballot totals Tuesday, little had changed from the previous day. ...
Court Report
The following are criminal cases heard in Skagit County Superior Court: MURDER A 31-year-old Mount Vernon man was sentenced July 18 to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. According to court records, on Jan. 9, 2022, Isaac Jose Torres shot to death Arturo Barrios-Romero in an apartment in the 300 block...
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