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May 29, 2026 COUNTY NEWS Critics Say Washington is Neglecting to Fund
May 29, 2026
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COUNTY NEWS
Critics Say Washington is Neglecting to Fund Public Defenders Amid Caseload Cut
Washington’s public defense system is facing a crippling shortage of attorneys, driving high burnout rates. Former public defenders say the grueling demands of the job have become unsustainable,
forcing many to abandon the practice entirely.
The Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys stated that while they support lighter caseloads for public defenders, they view the Supreme Court’s cuts as drastic and unrealistic
under current challenges. The group expressed concern that the changes will lead to increased backlogs and more unresolved cases.
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STATE NEWS
Greatest Risk Now in Longview Blast is For Crews in Cleanup, Recovery Effort, Expert Says
Hundreds of thousands of gallons of the toxic chemical known as “white liquor” were released into the environment this week following the deadly blast at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging
paper mill facility. Officials said up to 570,000 gallons of white liquor spilled when a chemical tank failed Tuesday morning. The chemical seeped into the nearby Columbia River as
well as surrounding ditches, sloughs, and dikes.
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PARTNER NEWS
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Looking to Save Money on Your Prescription, Health, and Dental Costs? WSAC’s NACo Edge Partner Can Help.
The National Association of Counties (NACo) Live Healthy Prescription, Health & Dental Discount Program is a NO-COST program available to all member counties. It provides relief to uninsured
and underinsured Americans who face growing health costs, offering different ways to save:
* Prescription Drug Discount Card – Provides savings up to 80%* on generics and up to 40%* on brand-name prescription medications for residents and their pets
* MinuteClinic Savings – Save 15% at the medical walk-in clinic located in select CVS Pharmacy and Target Stores using the Live Healthy Prescription Discount Card*
Learn more about how you can save on rising prescription, health, and dental costs by visiting WSAC’s Solutions Center.
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COUNTY NEWS
Parts of Snohomish County Could See Increased Tab Fees
Snohomish County Public Works Director Kelly Snyder said in order to address a $30 million budget gap, they are asking the council to approve a $20 tab fee. “It raises $6 million a year,
that’s about half a million per month, and that will help backfill the operation and maintenance,” added Director Snyder.
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COUNTY NEWS
Malware Hack Kicks Chelan County Networks Offline for at Least Two Days
A malware attack detected Sunday morning was still affecting Chelan County government departments Tuesday, according to Chelan County Emergency Management.
The county’s IT department shut down the entire network, including computers and telephone systems in all departments. However, emergency calls to RiverCom 911 remained operational.
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PARTNER NEWS
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Is Your County Cybersafe? WSAC's New Trusted Partner Can Help
Crowe has been addressing cyber concerns for more than 30 years. Their team includes former chief information security officers and other highly specialized professionals who can offer
perspective on how to supplement and strengthen your county's cybersecurity program.
Crowe can help you design and execute strategies to mature your program, support departmental goals, and keep your county's and constituents' sensitive information safe while preventing
future cyberattacks.
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COUNTY NEWS
‘33% of Our Assigned Daily Tasks Go Uncompleted’: Clark County Weighs Long-Term Parks Funding Solutions
Clark County officials say the region’s parks system is falling behind as staffing shortages, deferred maintenance and population growth continue to strain available funding. During
a Wednesday, May 20, work session, county Parks and Nature Division Manager Ross Hoover described a widening gap between park revenues and operating costs as he presented possible long-term
funding solutions to the Clark County Council.
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COUNTY NEWS
County Agencies Unite to Show How They Address Homelessness Through ‘Continuum of Care’
Inside Everett Gospel Mission on Tuesday afternoon, community members mapped out the network of agencies behind Snohomish County’s homelessness response system. Attendees could walk
from table to table, speaking directly with agencies to learn more about how they fit into the county’s broader homelessness support network. “A person doesn’t just go from homelessness
to permanently housed without a lot of hands supporting that individual along the way,” said John Hull, CEO of Everett Gospel Mission (EGM).
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COUNTY NEWS
County Health Department Facing Major Money Crisis
Klickitat County Commissioners had a busy time of it at their May 19 meeting. In the morning workshop session, chair Ron Ihrig reported on a meeting of the Washington State Association
of Counties (WSAC) that involved choosing lobbying priorities for Olympia. He said the group started with 22 proposals submitted from various counties, with the goal of whittling them
down to a half-dozen. After much discussion, he said, the group decided to adopt four that applied to all counties, plus one from an urban county and one from a rural county. The four
all-county proposals included one that would correct a Department of Revenue tax miscalculation that cost counties a total of $110 million, $2 million of that for Klickitat County.
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STATE NEWS
$12 Million Available for Freight Rail Capital Projects – Call for Projects Now Open
The Washington State Department of Transportation is issuing a call for applications to fund grants and very low-interest loans for freight rail capital projects. A total of $7.04 million
in funding will be available for Freight Rail Assistance Program (FRAP) grants and a total of $5 million will be available for Freight Rail Investment Bank (FRIB) loans. Applications
must be submitted by September 7, 2026. If your project is selected, funds should be available in July 2027, subject to legislative approval. FRAP grants are open to applicants in both
the public and private sector. FRIB loans are available only to public agencies -- including counties, cities, publicly owned railroads, port districts, and rail districts. An application
packet that includes background information and instructions on submitting applications, as well as an informational video on the process, is available on the WSDOT website.
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Fundamentals of Budgeting for Local Government 2026: Wenatchee <https://flight.us.toucantech.online/track/click/82ef6db7-6779-402e-814f-222f1ca04a76/12>
Wenatchee | $200
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THURSTON COUNTY
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$21.10/Hr
PEND OREILLE COUNTY
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$6,833.33 – $8,159.36/Mo
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Since 2004, nearly 1,300 counties, parishes, and boroughs have joined, saving residents over $713 million over 51 million prescriptions. The Live Healthy Program is NOT insurance.
It takes just a couple of minutes to get your Live Healthy Discount card. Simply print a discount card and present it at a participating retail pharmacy along with your prescription(s),
and save up to 80%* on generics and up to 40%** on brand-name prescription medications.
Visit NACoRx.org <https://flight.us.toucantech.online/track/click/82ef6db7-6779-402e-814f-222f1ca04a76/20> to check if your county participates in the Live Healthy Program and to download
your digital prescription card.
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