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Inside Mortenson Signs on the corner of Avon Allen Road and Bennett Road is an explosion of colorful signs and art. This hints at the body of work Bob Mortenson has made since he opened the shop in 1981. Iconic signs throughout Skagit Valley bear Mortenson's mark: RoozenGaarde, Calico Cupboard, Nasty Jacks and even the La Conner Weekly News. Now, the impact of his art is receiving special attention. The Skagit County Historical Museum's next exhibit is "Signs, Signs, Everywhere – Signs: The A...
Last summer's drought lingered all the way to January before Skagit County officially finally emerged out of it. But that does not mean this year's water situation is secure. Snowpack in the Cascade Mountains remained well below normal based on Feb. 4 data. The most recent data of snow water equivalent from the Natural Resource Conservation Service shows the North Puget Sound Basin at 50% of the average, based on the period 1991-2020. By contrast, a year ago, the snowpack registered 78%. Nick Bo...
At the eighth annual Skagit Ag Summit, on Friday, Feb. 9, about 75 people working or interested in agriculture spent the day learning and sharing critical developments in local agriculture topics at the event hosted by WSU Skagit County Extension. During a panel discussion about economic viability, farmer Jason VanderKooy, co-owner of Harmony Dairy, answered a question about succession planning. It is one of the most difficult things in family farming, said VanderKooy. He recommended hiring...
La Conner became a landing spot for bird lovers last weekend. Drivers and pedestrians passing Maple Hall Saturday morning saw a roving raven drawing attention to the La Conner Birding Festival inside. That was Lisa Judy, her black costume complete with wings and a mask with a beak. Judy, La Conner Chamber of Commerce board chair, is lead organizer of the festival. Saturday she welcomed visitors to step inside and enjoy. "We got a really good response," said Judy. "I think it worked out really...
In the Seattle suburb of Lake Forest Park, where Tony Angell lives, crows gather in great numbers before flying off to Bothell to roost by the thousands. One reason they do this is for the social benefits. When Angell spoke at the La Conner Birding Festival Saturday, Feb. 3, more than 100 curious bird lovers gathered to share an evening to remember that brought many benefits, too. Angell, a renowned author and artist, shared his lifelong experiences and expertise with a crowd that filled the...
Just as regular as the harvest, the time has arrived for the annual Skagit Ag Summit. It will convene Friday, Feb. 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Washington State University’s Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center. The meeting is an excellent place to learn more about the agricultural community in Skagit County and the issues affecting it, said Don McMoran, director of WSU Skagit County Extension. It also is a place to meet professionals from the field. Scheduled speakers include government employees and officials, academic and s...
Bird lovers will flock to Maple Hall Feb. 3 and 4 for the La Conner Birding Festival. The festival marks the local return of the Skagit community’s celebration of winter birds. Art, education and family activities promise to inspire residents and visitors to appreciate the migratory birds that winter here. Doors open Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. Photographers, painters and other artists will display their work upstairs. Downstairs families will find bird-related activities for kids. Some of the birding educators will bring birds. “I want it t...
Food security remains a concern locally, so organizations and volunteers are expanding their efforts to meet the need. Helping Hands at Swinomish is one such enterprise. It received 850 visits in 2023 after starting in late 2022. On Thursday afternoons, a white Helping Hands Food Bank truck from the Sedro-Woolley distribution center backs up to the Inspire Church across from Fire District 13 and unloads pallets of food and household items, including bread, meat, pasta and fresh vegetables, fruits, laundry soap and diapers. Most is salvaged...
Local grocery shoppers pause and compare prices. They add up the rising costs of food and wonder how they will afford their next meal. This is how Arin Magill, director of the La Conner Sunrise Food Bank, defines food insecurity: concern about where the next meal will come from. The number of people feeling food insecure is growing locally. Magill reported the food bank’s clientele has increased 15% in the last two months. Statistics gathered by Skagit County Public Health for its “Food Security Data Report” issued in August indicate 11% of co...
Head up the hill in La Conner to the Skagit County Historical Museum on South Fourth Street Saturday, Dec. 2, to celebrate the holidays. The museum is The combined holiday party and annual appeal kickoff is 6-8 p.m. The museum is decorated for the holidays with trees and lights. Even some of the displays are spruced up for the festivities. A dessert buffet and interactive activities are part of the evening, which is open to the public. “It’s just a time to celebrate and let people see what we’re doing at the museum,” said Executive Director Jo...
New Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Executive Director Nicole Roozen attended her first festival event last Tuesday, Nov. 16, the unveiling of the official poster and branded merchandise. The ceremony jumpstarts 2024 festival activities. The large crowd at Skagit Acres buzzed with excitement, and cheers erupted periodically through the evening's program, getting the festival started in the right direction. Roozen concluded her remarks with a rousing, "Let's make the 2024 Skagit Valley Tulip Festiva...
Although these days some area fields are muddy with standing water in furrows, Skagit County remains in drought conditions. Future water supply is a critical question. Nick Bond, the state climatologist, visited Skagit County last Wednesday to speak on “Water Supplies in NW Washington State in Future Decades.” Compared with many places, Skagit’s outlook is not dire, yet emerging trends demand attention and adaptive measures. Bond’s key points included likely wetter winters and drier summers, issues stemming from timing for supplying water to ag...
Autumn has arrived and settled in. The leaves are falling, the snow geese are returning and farm stand stock is thinning. The fresh produce season is transitioning. The farm stand at Hedlin's Family Farm officially closes on Halloween, but it may open on occasion in the days following. La Conner Gardens remains open all year as long as they have produce available. It also will continue at the Anacortes Farmers Market through their season ending Oct. 28. This season has been good for area...
Snow geese have returned to Skagit Valley, the flocks growing daily. Many welcome this seasonal pattern, but the spectacle of the thousands of wintering birds generate conflict, too. Several local organizations have partnered to promote responsible bird observation through a public education campaign called Be Bird Wise. The simple message of Be Bird Wise: "Respect Land, Landowners and Wildlife." Easy enough to say, but it battles against the many bad tourist practices common across the deltas...
Ed Marlow brought some old photos into his barbershop many decades ago. People starting adding to his collection. Even when he changed locations, customers kept bringing them; he pinned them to the wall. “It just mushroomed,” said Marlow. He thinks he has “probably the biggest collection around.” Some of those historical photographs are displayed in the Skagit County Historical Museum’s new exhibit, “More than Just a Little Off the Top: Barbershop Historians,” which opened Oct. 5. Marlow was an honored guest Thursday. He greeted old friends,...
Gov. Jay Inslee visited Anacortes last week to listen to locals discuss housing supply challenges. He left saying, “I got some good ideas here today,” while also noting, “We have more work to do.” The Tenant’s Housing Roundtable, in Anacortes on Sept.26, included about a dozen community members and elected officials from Skagit, Whatcom and Island counties. Inslee heard stories of high rent increases and frustrating regulatory and permitting processes. His questions emphasized efforts the state can take to best address the housing crisis. F...
Skagit Habitat for Humanity recently purchased the property on the corner of Caledonia and Third streets in La Conner. The Town of La Conner plans to change its comprehensive plan to allow multifamily housing, and the nonprofit will help build six new townhomes three years from now. The project would help alleviate the housing crisis. Tina Tate, CEO of Skagit Habitat, said these homes are for people who fall on the lower end of the median income continuum. "These are hardworking families. They...
Sometimes, at the center of a community's history is a barber's chair, swiveling this way and that and gathering up stories. Barbers are "always a repository of the past, because so much day-to-day life is part of the barbershop experience," said Mari Densmore, archivist at the Skagit County Historical Museum. Fortunately, two Skagit County barbers collected thousands of photographs that capture decades of Skagit history. The new exhibit at the Skagit County Historical Museum is "Barber...
"We know we're contending with Mother Nature every year," said Michael Hughes, a partner in Hughes Farm. That knowledge does not make farming any easier, especially when the river is low and the rains don't fall. This year's drought has produced mixed effects while forcing adjustments and acceptance. Skagit County has been in a state-declared drought since July 24. The county is also experiencing its sixth driest year to date, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System....
