News Briefs | March 5 edition
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Fitzgibbon apologizes: State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, one of Vashon’s legislators and the House majority leader, has apologized after appearing intoxicated during a Wednesday evening House Appropriations Committee meeting.
Fitzgibbon, a Seattle Democrat, said in a statement Thursday that he “deeply” regretted drinking before the committee had finished its work, calling it a serious mistake.
“Stressors at both work and home led me to make an extremely poor choice in choosing to drink before committee was done. I’m deeply embarrassed for how I’ve let down my constituents, my colleagues, my family and myself,” Fitzgibbon wrote in an email to The Beachcomber. “This is a hard way to learn a very important lesson and it won’t happen again.”
The incident happened during an executive session on the House supplemental operating budget. The meeting showed Fitzgibbon leaving his seat multiple times, at times slumping in his chair, and later speaking with what appeared to be slurred speech before the budget was voted out of committee shortly after 10 p.m.
It was not immediately clear whether Fitzgibbon would face disciplinary action. He has served in the House since 2010 and became majority leader in 2022.
King County Parks hiring: King County Parks is hiring seasonal parks maintenance workers for assignments running up to six months, from April 15 through Oct. 14, with full-time and part-time shifts available. Duties include landscaping, athletic field and trail maintenance, restoration and planting, invasive weed removal, construction and demolition, and working with volunteer groups, with work performed outdoors in all weather.
King County Parks will hold an in-person interview event from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at the Vashon Library, 17210 Vashon Highway SW; candidates who attend will receive first consideration, and a completed application is required beforehand.
FROG survey: The Washington State Transportation Commission plans to send Ferry Riders’ Opinion Group members a new survey link at the end of March to gather feedback on Washington State Ferries’ winter performance from January through March 2026.
Commission Chair Debbie Young encouraged ferry riders who are not already part of FROG to sign up so more people can participate. For more information, visit wstc.wa.gov and search “Ferry Riders’ Opinion Group.”
Ferry fares: Washington State Ferries will add a 3% cost-recovery surcharge to all credit and debit card transactions starting Sunday, March 1, 2026, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The fee applies to fares purchased in person, at kiosks or online, as well as reservation no-show fees and carpool/vanpool permits, and can be avoided by paying with cash or using a preloaded ORCA card (not loaded at WSF facilities).
Mount Rainier timed-entry reservations: Mount Rainier National Park will not require timed-entry reservations for any portion of the park in 2026, park officials announced in a press release.
Instead, the park said it will rely on traffic and parking management strategies during peak periods and encouraged visitors to plan ahead, consider early-morning or late-afternoon visits, and opt for weekdays when possible.
