The La Conner Emergency Management Commission agreed to purchase SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet kit, Commission Chairwoman Brianna Wilson told Town Council last week. Starlink would be used for communication between the Town’s emergency team and state and county officials in the scenario of an extended power outage affecting cell and cable communications.
The La Conner Town Council approved the appointment of Kirill Fortygin to the Planning Commission, taking over Bruce Bradburn’s seat. According to Mayor Marna Hanneman, Fortygin is a young lighting engineer who has been a community member for four years after moving from Seattle. During the Jan. 13 meeting, council also voted to reappoint Nicolette Harrington and Joanna Sikes to the Arts Commission’s Positions 3 and 5.
The Snohomish County Health Department has confirmed a measles outbreak after three unvaccinated children tested positive for the virus, health officials announced last week. The cases, confirmed Jan. 14, are linked to exposure from a visiting family from South Carolina, where the largest active measles outbreak in the country is underway. Health Officer Dr. James Lewis said the cases meet the definition of an outbreak and warned that additional infections are likely, including some that may not yet be identified. The visiting family traveled through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and visited locations in Everett, Marysville and Mukilteo while contagious, prompting public health officials to release a list of potential exposure sites and urge residents to monitor for symptoms.
Measles vaccination rates in the La Conner School District fall well below the level needed to prevent outbreaks, according to Washington State Department of Health data. Just 83.3% of La Conner kindergarten students are vaccinated against measles, and when all students in grades K–12 are included, coverage drops to 81.1%. Health officials say about 95% vaccination coverage is needed to achieve herd immunity against measles, one of the most contagious viruses in the world. Statewide, 87.2% of kindergarten students are vaccinated, a figure that has declined in recent years and remains below the threshold needed to prevent community spread.
