County Briefs

President signs Kilmer’s legislation

President Joe Biden signed a 12-bill spending package into law that provides money for Derek Kilmer-supported priorities.

According to a news release, Kilmer, D-Gig Harvor, the legislation included the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, which approved $13.6 billion in emergency funding to support Ukraine.

The package included $22.9 million in community project funding for 10 projects in Kilmer’s district. The list of projects and money includes $1 million to support Duckabush Estuary Restoration, $3.6 million to assist three coastal tribal relocation efforts and $450,000 to invest in STEM education on the Olympic Peninsula.

“Today, President Biden signed into law critical legislation to keep the government open – and to fund critical priorities for our region that will create jobs, invest in affordable housing, and help our environment,” Kilmer said in a news release. “As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I fought hard to see new investments to address housing affordability and homelessness, including funds for affordable housing projects in Tacoma and Bremerton. I pushed for vital investments in Puget Sound recovery and restoring salmon. It’s also a big deal that this bill provides a pay raise for our military and for civilian federal workers and makes investments in jobs at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. And finally, there are investments to provide more economic opportunities in rural areas, including funding for broadband to address flooding in Grays Harbor. I’m proud that funding for those initiatives was included in this new law.”

Also part of the legislation was the Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act. The legislation provides flexibility for community programs focused on the prevention of drug abuse and misuse. It helps Drug-Free Communities coalitions during the pandemic to ensure they can serve local communities by temporarily allowing the Office of National Drug Control Policy the authority to waive the program’s local matching requirements if the grantee is unable to meet them due to the pandemic.

To view a summary of the bill, go to https://tinyurl.com/4ux7bvzy.

Loan extensions for restaurants, distillers

Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, commended an announcement from the Small Business Administration to extend deferment of principal and interest payments for existing COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan program borrowers.

According to a news release, the extension of the deferment is for 30 months. The announcement comes after Kilmer and Cantwell sent a letter to U.S. Small Business Administrator Isabella Guzman to extend loan deferrals.

“Economic Injury Disaster Loans through the American Rescue Plan have helped thousands of local small businesses and restaurants in Washington, and across the nation, stay afloat and keep folks employed during the pandemic. Unfortunately, some local distillers and restaurants have struggled to get back on their feet as COVID-19 has lingered,” Kilmer said in a news release. “I’m thrilled that the Biden Administration and SBA Administrator Guzman have heeded the call Sen. Cantwell and I led to ensure these local businesses could get some extra grace as they work to recover. I’m grateful for my Washington colleagues who supported this effort.”

“COVID-19 cases are going down, but distillers and restaurants are still making up for months of lost revenue,” Cantwell said in a news release. “For many Washington state distillers and restaurants, these loans were their last chance to keep their doors open. The Small Business Administration’s decision to extend Economic Injury Disaster Loan payments gives nearly 70,000 businesses in Washington state much-needed stability in what we all hope is the final phase of the pandemic.”

Since the start of the pandemic, the SBA has granted 69,146 Economic Injury Disaster Loans to businesses in the state totaling $6,587,606,864.

Olympic National Forest seeking interest for developed recreation facilities

Olympic National Forest is asking for submissions to provide new or existing services at Satsop Work Center and Coho Campground.

According to a news release, public and private entities interested in managing the sites under a permit are encouraged to share their proposal or concept. Submissions of a Request for Expression of Interest are encouraged by May 8.

The RFEI is open to all interested parties. Olympic National Forest provides year-round recreational opportunities due to the area’s varied climate. The major season of use is May 15 through Sept. 30.

The campground and work center offer various facilities and services including two campgrounds, yurts, RV dump station, day use area and boat launch, RV sites, group sites, group sites and multiple government-owned buildings.

Coho campground and Satsop Center will be available for a site visit April 12 and a virtual Q&A is scheduled for April 11. RSVP by April 3 to [email protected]. Submission criteria and more information is at https://tinyurl.com/mr3f5z45.

Shelton Timberland Library pop-up services extended

The City of Shelton announced it will continue to host the Shelton Timberland Library as the building undergoes remodeling.

The library will be available at the Civic Center next week, from 9 a.m. to noon on March 30 and 31 and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. April 1.

The library was originally scheduled to reopen at the beginning of April in the remodeled building.