Candidates took each other on one last time at Thursday’s final political forum put on by the League of Women Voters in Oak Harbor.
Legislative candidates clash on how to fund the state’s education mandate and how to handle Whidbey and state transportation issues.
Republican incumbent Dave Hayes, finishing his first term as District 10 Position 2 representative, said that the state supreme court’s order to fund education is going to affect every part of the budget in the coming years.
Republican Island County Commissioner Aubrey Vaughan issued a surprise endorsement last week. Vaughan broke party lines Thursday and endorsed Democratic candidate Karla Jacks to fill the District 3 seat he currently holds.
Island County commissioners agreed to cut roughly $100,000 in new staff positions from the budget over the last two weeks, but fell short of their goal to cut roughly $300,000.
A second budget hearing followed by a likely adoption will be held 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20, in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room.
The Navy says it is revising its Environmental Impact Statement on the EA-18G Growlers to include up to 36 additional aircraft based at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
Public meetings to gather public comment will be held in late October.
Langley’s Ott & Murphy Wines topped the list of Whidbey Island winners at the Seattle Wine Awards this month.
There was more than one surprise at Wednesday’s candidate forum in Freeland where both local and national issues were discussed by general election candidates.
Island County commissioner candidate Rick Hannold told the audience that the threat of global warming is largely overstated.
An accounting contractor who worked for the Island County auditor is challenging her former boss in November’s general election.
The two candidates running for Island County District 3 seat offer differing views on top county issues, such as the legalization of marijuana and dealing with recent problems at Island Transit.
A senior Air Force officer and a federal lawmaker both have said in the past week that electronic attack aircraft based out of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island are likely being used in Syrian and Iraqi air strikes.
Candidates for Washington’s 2nd Congressional seat seem to stray from hard-set party platforms on a few issues.
Island County was cited by the State Auditor’s Office for “significant deficiencies” in its financial reporting.
Whidbey Island beach access advocates are celebrating an announcement that the beach at Glendale will be preserved for public use.
