Tag Archives: mount vernon

Five Facts, Local

Hobby Lobby says humbug to homeless outreach during heatwave

[Mount Vernon, Wash.] – Matt Uyeno set up to distribute water and cooling towels in a Dollar Tree parking lot with permission, but the Hobby Lobby next door called police and reported he was setting up a camp on their property.

Five Fast Facts

  • Uyeno originally set up near the Safeway gas station on College Way on Friday, but was asked to move so he relocated across the street on East College Way to the Dollar Tree, where the manager gave permission for his activities
  • The manager of Dollar Tree confirmed that permission was given to KIRO 7 News
  • On Saturday, Uyeno returned with coolers of cold water and cooling towels, and the Mount Vernon Police Department said Hobby Lobby called and claimed that people were “setting up a camp on the business property”
  • No one from Hobby Lobby ever spoke to Uyeno, but the police insisted he had crossed a few feet onto Hobby Lobby property; he was trespassed and barred from the property for one year
  • Uyeno, undeterred, moved further into the Dollar Tree parking lot and continued his assistance until 10 p.m., even ordering 17 large pizzas for the unhomed and the Dollar Tree employees

An independent community activist organizer says he was trespassed by the Hobby Lobby in Mount Vernon as he gave water to the homeless in 90-degree heat on Saturday.

Matt Uyeno told KIRO 7 News that the…pandemic has [sic] fueled an escalating homeless situation in Mount Vernon, which has been especially dire in Skagit Valley…

You can read more at KIRO7 News.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

Governor to announce which counties move back to Phase 2 Tuesday

[SEATTLE] – (MTN) Governor Jay Inslee is expected to announce which Washington counties will move back to Phase 2 as COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to increase. The latest data from King County Health indicated new cases may have hit a plateau, while hospitalizations increased significantly over the weekend.

The health department reported 242.3 cases per 100,000 and hospitalizations increasing to 6.5 per 100,000. These numbers are significantly above requirements to stay in Phase 3 and a rollback is widely expected.

King County Health Key Indicator Dashboard for May 3, 2021

According to the website COVID Act Now, King County ICU utilization improved slightly over the weekend to 72%. Yakima, Benton, Thurston, Pierce, Clark, and Kitsap counties are reporting total ICU utilization of over 85% with Yakima county at a troubling 96%.

Hospital systems across Washington are universally reporting seeing younger patients who are coming into emergency departments much sicker than during previous surges. The latest data from the Washington Department of Health indicates that people 20 to 29 are overwhelming the largest group testing positive for COVID. Seventy-two percent of those testing positive for COVID are from birth to 49 years old.

Currently, four counties are in Phase 2. Cowlitz, Pierce, and Whitman counties went to Phase 2 on April 16, and Ferry county went to Phase 2 on an emergency basis on April 30. Skamania and Ferry counties have some of the highest positive test rates in the United States and the Seattle, Spokane, and Mount Vernon metro areas are in the top 100 metros for daily new COVID cases.

Local

Bail set at $500K for Mount Vernon political sign murder

1 Comment

[MOUNT VERNON] – (MTN) Bail was set for $500,000 for Angela Marie Conjin in Skagit County Superior Court this morning. Conjin is accused of shooting a 32-year-old Arlington woman over an altercation involving a political sign for Loren Culp.

According to the Skagit County Sheriff’s department, John Conjin, the husband of Angela Conjin, told authorities he saw a suspicious vehicle that he thought could be involved in mail theft. He went outside to confront the occupants and an argument ensued. Mr. Conjin claims he got into a physical altercation with the driver of the truck, that continued to his front porch, and there was an attempt to steal the campaign sign. The female passenger of the pickup truck got out of the vehicle, and at about the same Ms. Conjin emerged from the home with a firearm, firing several shots. The 32-year-old woman who was killed had not been involved in the earlier physical interaction.

The man in the pickup claims he was punched by Mr. Conjin through an open window before engaging in a further altercation.

Police arrested John Conjin for assault in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor, and arrested Angela Conjin for investigation of second-degree murder. Mr. Conjin has been released, while Ms. Conjin was formally charged on Tuesday afternoon and is still in Skagit County Jail.

Police have not identified the other man who fought with Mr. Conjin, nor if he will face any criminal charges. Authorities have not identified the name of the 32-year old victim. Malcontent News has the name but is withholding it pending confirmed notification to the next of kin.

Public records show Anglea Conjin was a teacher’s aide for the Sedro-Wooley School District. In 2019 she trained to be a hairstylist and started working for La Conner Hair Design. Calls and messages to La Conner Hair Design went unanswered. Investigators have not released the nature of the political sign, but a report from Seattle TV station KING 5, indicates it was a Loren Culp Sign. Loren Culp lost the gubernatorial election in Washington state by 545,000 votes but refused to concede and made baseless allegations of fraud without evidence. Public records show Conjin is a registered Republican in the state of Washington.

Breaking News, Local

Mount Vernon woman arrested for second-degree murder over political sign

5 Comments

UPDATED: February 16, 2021 @ 11:38 PM – neighbors are reporting it was a Loren Culp sign, and not a Donald Trump sign

[MOUNT VERNON] – (MTN) A 32-year-old Arlington woman is dead, and her assailant is in Skagit County jail under investigation for her murder. Skagit County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 55-year old Angela Marie Conjin on second-degree murder charges and her husband John for fourth-degree assault. Anglea Conjin is being held without bail pending her first hearing. Conjin is accused of shooting the 32-year old victim to death after her husband and another man allegedly got into a fight over a Loren Culp sign that was in Conjin’s yard.

According to goskagit.com, deputies responded to a 911 call on Saturday around 5:30 PM, reporting a fight in progress. As deputies were en route, they received another 911 call stating a person had been shot at the same address.

Deputies arrived to find the 32-year-old Arlington woman dead in the driveway. According to a statement made by the sheriff’s department, officers spoke with the home occupants and arrested the couple without incident. Conjin’s first court appearance scheduled for today was canceled. The Skagit County Prosector’s Office reported that charges were filed today using a committee magistrate warrant, and Conjin will have her first hearing on Wednesday at 8:30 AM. Brett Purtzer of Tacoma is her attorney and has a history of taking cases where defendants plead self-defense or mental anguish.

Public records show Anglea Conjin was a teacher’s aide for the Sedro-Wooley School District. In 2019 she trained to be a hairstylist and started working for La Conner Hair Design. Calls and messages to La Conner Hair Design went unanswered. Investigators have not released the nature of the political sign, but a report from Seattle TV station KING 5, indicates it was a Loren Culp Sign. Loren Culp lost the gubernatorial election in Washington state by 545,000 votes but refused to concede and made baseless allegations of fraud without evidence. Public records show Conjin is a registered Republican in the state of Washington.

Conjin’s background indicates she has had financial troubles in the past, including a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, but has no prior criminal record.

You can read our latest update by clicking this link.