News Briefs | Sept. 11 edition
Published 12:30 pm Thursday, September 18, 2025
Vaccination Clinics: On Tuesday, September 30, high-volume, volunteer-assisted vaccination clinics will start at Vashon Pharmacy. Pharmacy staff and Vashon Medical Reserve Corps volunteers will administer COVID, flu, and RSV vaccinations with the assistance of VashonBePrepared and Vashon Community Emergency Response Team volunteers.
Make appointments online at vashonpharmacy.com. VashonBePrepared is once again working with Vashon Pharmacy to help pay for vaccinations for those who don’t have insurance coverage and can’t afford the shots. Islanders can help by donating at VashonBePrepared.org/help-out and selecting “Vaccines for Uninsured.” Vashon Pharmacy will generously match the first $2,500 donated.
School clinics for COVID and flu vaccinations will be held at Vashon Island School District on Tuesday, Oct. 14 and Thursday, Oct. 16.
Announcements and more details about these clinics, which will welcome all school-age children on Vashon, are forthcoming.
Wildfire Protection Survey
King County is working with partners to develop its first countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan, designed to help the whole community become more resilient to wildfire, and asking residents to take a short survey to support that process. Find the survey at publicinput.com/kingcocwpp and learn more about the Community Wildfire Protection Plan at kingcounty.gov/wildfire.
County seeks feedback
King County Local Services wants to know what roads and intersections make you feel unsafe. Take an anonymous survey at publicinput.com/e00375 to help inform planners about traffic safety needs on the island. The survey is open through Sept. 22.
Historic barns grants
The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has announced a new round of funding available for owners of historic barns in Washington State.The deadline for applications is Sunday, October 19, at 11:59 p.m. For more information, visit preservewa.org/barn-grants or contact Moira Nadal at 206-462-2999 or grants@preservewa.org.
Home and Garden Fair
Registration for vendors and event sponsors is open for the Vashon Chamber of Commerce Home & Garden Fair on October 18. The free event connects residents with professional experts and vendors. Visit thisisvashon.com/home-garden-fair.
Shellfishing closures: Recreational shellfishing remains closed on some beaches of Vashon-Maury Island due to unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poison — a neurotoxin that can sicken or even kill those who eat contaminated shellfish.
Throughout much of August, the closure extended to all island beaches and included all species of shellfish including clams, geoduck, scallops, mussels, oysters and snails.
But as of Monday, Sept. 15, some beaches have reopened, including the North End Boat Ramp, Wingehaven Park, Piner Point, Tramp Harbor, Point Robinson and Maury Island Marine Park.
Beaches still closed, as of Sept. 15 , included Fern Cove, Lisabuela, Department of Natural Resources areas 77-79, Spring Beach, Neill Point Natural Area, Inspiration Point, Lost Lake, Manzanita Natural Area, Dockton, Burton Acres, Camp Burton, and the Southworth Ferry Dock.
A regularly updated interactive map, at fortress.wa.gov/doh/biotoxin/biotoxin.html, shows which beaches are closed and which are open, or call the DOH biotoxin hotline at 800-562-5632.
The closures refer only to recreational shellfishing; commercial shellfish sites are monitored separately.
