12th District events continue in the interim months

July 1, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope that you and your families have been staying cool and safe during this unusually hot weather. It has been over two months since the 105-day legislative session concluded. My schedule is more manageable during the summer months with in-district visits and occasional committee meetings and appointments in Olympia, but the schedule gets busy in the fall as I hold my listening tour throughout the district and begin preparing for next year’s legislative session. Over the past several weeks, I have enjoyed connecting with various local groups. Here are some recent events and activities here in the 12th District:

• Post-session Interviews with local media. Following the adjournment of the 105-day session and the passage of the state budgets, I had the opportunity to connect in studio with KPQ, KOHO, and KOZI radio. I have enjoyed close connections to these stations and their listeners during my service in the Legislature, participating in interviews weekly during the session and monthly in the interim months.
• Apple Blossom Festival and Grand Parade. As many of you know, this year’s Apple Blossom Festival was rescheduled to June 3-13 this year due to adjustments following the COVID pandemic. My family enjoyed riding in the Grand Parade and connecting with community members. I’d like to extend a big thank-you to the festival royalty, staff, board, and community volunteers who came together to make the festival so special.
• Chelan-Douglas Republican Women’s Luncheon. It was great to connect again with the local Republican Women’s group that invited me and my 12^th District seatmates to recap the recent legislative session over lunch. This group has been meeting monthly for many years at the Wenatchee Red Lion Hotel. Their luncheons include featured presentations along with club updates and activity reports. I appreciated the opportunity to attend their recent lunch, to recap the legislative session, and answer questions.

When not in Olympia, I try to enjoy our 12^th District’s famous outdoor recreation. This photo is taken in the Cashmere Canyons Preserve, one of our area’s new additions thanks to the help of the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust and a state grant for its trailhead.

• Appearance on The Don West Show. After many months of busy lawmaking, it was fun to join KPQ’s Don West in studio as a special guest of the show. Don is a legendary sports personality who hosts a three-hour sports radio program each weekday on KPQ. While I probably know my politics better than my sports, I was able to hold my own discussing the Seahawks, Mariners, and other sports topics with Don. To listen to our interview, click here.
• North Central Washington Young Voters. It was a real pleasure to participate in a recent Facebook live event with members of the NCW Young Voters. The event provided me an opportunity to discuss the recent legislative session and share an overview of the three state budgets. Many good questions were asked, and it was great to participate in the event and interact with so many thoughtful and intelligent young voters.
• WSU’s CHARGE Conference. Washington State University invited me to be a panelist in its recent Consortium for Hydrogen and Renewably Generated E-Fuels (CHARGE) Conference. I joined energy and utility experts to discuss hydrogen development in Washington state. My presentation included information on recent legislative actions, including passage of my SB 5588 (renewable hydrogen) in 2019 and my SB 5000 (hydrogen vehicles) in 2021.
• Tour of Pinnacles Prep School. I was honored to be invited to Pinnacles Prep School to tour its facilities and have a BBQ lunch with members of the school’s leadership team, including Jill Fineis, Sean Koster, Israel Garcia, and Sara Rolfes. The school is located at the City of Wenatchee’s Community Center and is undergoing renovations in preparation for the upcoming school year and future community-wide events.
• Wenatchee Valley Museum ribbon cutting. The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center recently completed renovations of the facility’s meeting space. Access to adequate community space is a growing concern for the Wenatchee Valley. Recent state funding supported media, lighting, seating, and sound improvements. The WVMCC Board and staff recently held a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate completion of the renovations. 

As you can see, there are many interesting events taking place in our district. Even though I can’t personally attend every event or activity, I greatly appreciate all of the many talented people who work to make our communities better. I am so proud to serve as our district’s state senator and to be a part of so many amazing experiences.

Session review newsletter available online

Click here to read my newsletter discussing the 2021 legislative session.

Following the 2021 legislative session, my legislative review newsletter was mailed to 12th District households. The newsletter provides an overview of the 2021 session, including the state budgets and how I voted on them. It also includes an update on the individual bills that prime-I sponsored. If you did not receive my newsletter or did not read it but wish to see it now, you can click here to read a PDF version.

Listen to my recent local radio interviews 

During the interim when the Legislature is not in session, I call our local radio stations monthly to participate in live interviews about legislative issues. If you'd like to hear my most recent interviews, click on these links for KOHO and KOZI. You can also listen to my one-hour interview with KPQ's The Agenda by clicking here. If you have any questions, please contact me anytime.

Fireworks help light the Olympia sky at the Capitol during a past July 4^th celebration.

Wishing you a happy July 4^th holiday!

As we look ahead to celebrating our nation’s independence this July 4^th, I’d like to wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday. Please be mindful of our region’s unfortunate history of devastating wildfires. For more information on recent wildfires and the Legislature’s response, please click here. I hope you will stay safe and enjoy the public fireworks displays. I wish you and your families a happy Independence Day!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your 12th District state senator.

Sincerely,

Brad Hawkins

State Senator Brad Hawkins
12th Legislative District
E-mail: brad.hawkins@leg.wa.gov 

Website: senatorbradhawkins.org

107 Newhouse Building - P.O. Box 40412 | Olympia, WA 98504-0412
(360) 786-7622 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000