Chelan County Services Slowly Return After Malware Attack

Chelan County officials say some county services remain affected following a malware incident that prompted a shutdown of the county's network environment over Memorial Day weekend.

Malware Incident Triggered Countywide Shutdown

READ MORE: Chelan County Systems Remain Offline

County officials first became aware of the malware on May 24 and immediately shut down the network as a precaution while investigators worked to determine the nature and scope of the incident.

Several county departments continue to experience service disruptions, though some systems have begun returning online, including most of the county's websites.

District Court Operations Remain Limited

Chelan County District Court announced an emergency closure for June 15 through June 18 due to ongoing technology issues. All out-of-custody hearings and trials have been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date. The closure does not affect in-custody criminal defendants appearing from the Chelan County Regional Justice Center.

Jurors assigned to Jury Groups 12 through 14, as well as others scheduled to call during the week of June 15 through June 18, have been excused from service for the remainder of their term.

Marriage Licenses and Recording Services Return

The Chelan County Auditor's Office reported progress in restoring services. Acting Auditor Brandt Cappell said the county's recording systems are back online on a limited basis, allowing the office to resume accepting marriage license applications.

Cappell encouraged residents to complete the office's online marriage license pre-application before visiting in person.

While recording operations have partially resumed, electronic recording remains limited. County staff are working through a backlog of legal documents, including deeds, mortgages, real estate contracts and liens, while continuing to process vehicle and vessel registrations and title transfers.

Technology Outage Delays Public Projects

The county's ongoing technology issues have also affected upcoming public projects.
Chelan County Public Works has canceled a request for qualifications for the Burch Mountain Storm Drain Condition Assessment until further notice. Officials said the project will be readvertised at a later date.

Meanwhile, Chelan County Economic Services is readvertising requests for qualifications for a water systems assessment at the Chelan County Fairgrounds and Expo Center. The department is also readvertising a call for bids for a roof replacement project at the caretaker's home at Ohme Gardens.

County Continues Recovery Efforts

County officials say updates will continue to be posted as systems are restored and services return to normal.