Friday, August 21, 2009

Island County finishes ballot counting

Island County has posted its final preliminary results from the Aug. 18 primary.
The Island Transit sales tax increase seems to have passed with 55 percent in favor. Camano Island Fire and Rescue's fire levy lid increase failed with 51.8 percent against it, while it's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) levy passed with 63 percent in support of it.
Voter turnout in the county ended at about 54 percent.
Results didn't change much in the Snohomish County Council district 1 race, with incumbent John Koster (R), Arlington at 58.9 percent, and Ellen Hiatt Watson (D), Lake Howard, at 40.5 percent. Both candidates will continue on to the Nov. 3 general election.
Snohomish County's voter turnout was about 24 percent. The county has not indicated whether or not it has any ballots left to tally. If it does, the results wouldn't be posted until Sept. 1, according to the county auditor's Web site.
Counties certify their primary results by Sept. 2, and then the Secretary of State has to declare the results official.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Primary results remain the same

Last night's update of the primary results in Island and Snohomish counties kept the percentages the same. The next update for both counties is tonight at 5 p.m.
Thus far, voter turnout in Island County is at about 50 percent, whereas only 21 percent of voters returned ballots in Snohomish County. Island County estimates it has about 1,200 ballots left to count, while Snohomish County does not provide a similar estimate.

Island County results are available at http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/island/Elections/ElectionResults/currentElectionresults/Pages/ElectionResults.aspx and Snohomish County results are at http://www.snoco.org/elections/results/ecurrent.htm.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Preliminary Primary results

Island and Snohomish counties have begun posting preliminary election results from yesterday's primary.
For Snohomish County Council district 1 position, which serves the Stanwood area, incumbent John Koster (R), of Arlington, is in the lead with 58.8 percent, with Ellen Hiatt Watson (D), of Lake Howard, at 40.7 percent. However, the future council member will be decided by general election, and not primary election, results.
In Island County, three ballot measures will be decided by primary election results.
Camano Island Fire and Rescue's levy lid lift for its fire levy is thus far failing with 51.7 percent of voters against it, and 48.3 percent of voters in favor. Passing a levy lid lift requires a simple majority of votes approving the measure.
Camano Island Fire and Rescue's renewal of the EMS levy looks like it will be approved, with 62.6 percent in favor, and only 37.4 percent opposing. A levy needs approval from at least 60 percent of the votes cast.
Island Transit's request for a sales tax increase will also likely pass. It needs a simple majority, and currently has it with 54.7 percent in favor, and only 45.3 percent against.
Both counties still have ballots that need to be tallied. Counties do not certify results until Sept. 2, and the results are not official until the Secretary of State has certified the results.

Both Island and Snohomish counties have election results available online. To see the results, visit www.snoco.org/elections/results/ecurrent.htm for Snohomish County or http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/island/Elections/ElectionResults/currentElectionresults/Pages/ElectionResults.aspx for Island County, or stay tuned to this blog.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Injured pedestrian airlifted to Harborview

A Stanwood man is in serious condition after being airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle early Saturday morning.
Matthew Vandeuren, 20, was lying on Dove Drive near Puffin Court on Camano Island when he was hit by a northbound 1998 Dodge Stratus driven by a Stanwood woman, age 23.
The accident remains under investigation, said Washington State Patrol Trooper Keith Leary. They are trying to determine why Vandeuren was on the roadway.
It is possible that a different vehicle hit Vandeuren first, before the driver of the Dodge Stratus struck him, Leary said.
The driver voluntarily submitted to a blood test, and there is no indication that drugs or alcohol were involved, he said.

Stanwood teen places 12 in world


Josh Ferris, 12, of Stanwood, placed 12 in the Pokemon Video Game World Championship, held last weekend in San Diego.
His parents, Phil and Melissa Ferris, said he won three games and lost two on Friday. The two losses were close, one to the Japanese national champion, and one to the teen who placed third at the world competition.
Josh is looking forward to trying again next year.

Josh was featured in a story in the Aug. 11 edition of the Stanwood/Camano NEWS after he qualified for the world competition. To see the original story, visit http://www.scnews.com/news/2009/0811/family_friends/047.html.

Burn ban continues

Camano Island Fire and Rescue would like to remind residents that despite recent rain, conditions are still dry.
Over the weekend, Camano Island Fire and Rescue responded a brush fire on Camano Island, said Levon Yengoyan, assistant chief.
Island County remains under a burn ban begun July 30, where recreational fires are only permitted in county, state, national or private campgrounds with a park ranger or camp host and must be out by 10 p.m. Private landowners are not permitted to have camp fire during the ban.

For burn ban info and updates, call (360) 391-0392.

Monday, August 17, 2009

School board meets twice tomorrow

The Stanwood-Camano School Board will hold two meetings tomorrow - a 4 p.m. board retreat, and a 7 p.m. regular meeting.
Both meetings will be held in the school district's administrative and resource center board room, located at 26920 Pioneer Hwy. in Stanwood.
One of the topics at the board retreat will likely be the district's food service program.
At the regular board meeting, the school board will hold a public hearing on the 2009-10 budget and the lease of surplus property.
The district intends to lease 300 square feet of property and the space needed to install a new light pole at Stanwood High School (SHS), according to the legal notice. The pole will replace the existing one, and be used for radio transmission equipment and providing light to the SHS stadium.
The meeting agenda for the regular board meeting is located at districtweb.stanwood.wednet.edu/, by clicking the School Board tab on the main menu on the left side of the page, and then clicking on meeting agendas.