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Gov. Jay Inslee last Wednesday announced a vaccination requirement for employees working in K-12, most childcare and early learning, and higher education, as well as an expansion of the statewide mask mandate to all individuals, regardless of vaccination status. The governor was joined for the announcement by Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal and Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah.

K-12 educators, school staff, coaches, bus drivers, school volunteers and others working in school facilities will have until October 18 to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment. The requirement includes public, private and charter schools, and comes as schools across the state prepare to return for the 2021-2022 school year amid rapidly increasing case and hospitalization numbers. This does not impact students, regardless of age.

"It has been a long pandemic, and our students and teachers have borne their own unique burdens throughout," Inslee said. "This virus is increasingly impacting young people, and those under the age of 12 still can't get the vaccine for themselves. We won't gamble with the health of our children, our educators and school staff, nor the health of the communities they serve."

Inslee also announced a vaccine requirement for employees in Washington's higher education institutions, as well as for most childcare and early learning providers who serve children from multiple households. These individuals also have until October 18 to be fully vaccinated.

On Tuesday, August 17 at 10:00 a.m., mayors from Napavine, Winlock and PeEll along with a representative from the City of Mossyrock discussed their concern for rate increases and asked the PUD to keep rates the same.

Michael Kelly, the new PUD commissioner who was elected last year, has had many concerns about the cost of rates to the citizens in Lewis County. He is also concerned with what expenditures the PUD is doing including replacing equipment without the knowledge of the equipments' remaining life span. Kelly was unable to get documents from PUD General Manager Chris Roden, which caused Kelly to have a public records request submitted on his behalf.

The class of 1971 met at Jeff Millman's house on South Military Road for a potluck meal on August 7 for the 50th class reunion of Mt. St. Helens High School. Social media helped them find most of their classmates, but they came up short and couldn't find a few. They discovered they had lost 19 classmates and Maeve Mitchell prepared a memory book with obituaries and photos of their lost friends.

MENLO - The theme for this year's Pacific County Fair is "Celebration". The 125th edition of the Pacific County Fair (100th in Menlo) returns to more of a sense of normalcy after only a couple of displays in 2020. The fair takes place Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Pacific County Fairgrounds.

SOUTH BEND - South Bend Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jon Tienhaara released a comprehensive overview about what to expect as the 2021-22 school year opens in his district.