The Okanogan County Courthouse is closed until further notice, that after an unknown substance was found in an envelope that was opened in the Auditor's office on Wednesday while election workers were processing ballots from Tuesday's primary election.
Okanogan County Emergency Management reports that the Okanogan Fire Department, along with ambulance and deputies responded, and the entire courthouse was evacuated. The investigation continues, and while it's being conducted, the entire courthouse will be closed, including the Assessors, Auditor, Clerk and Treasurers offices. Also, district Court and courtrooms are closed, those who have business with the court should contact District Court next week for a new court date for those matters.
Also working with the Sheriff's Office in the investigation are the State Patrol and the FBI.
Information will be posted on the Okanogan County webpage at the county's website, okanogancounty-dot-org.
A similar situation in King County is also being investigated, a suspicious letter received Monday by the King County Elections office was turned over to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which performed an analysis that detected trace amounts of fentanyl. No connection is known between the two situations.