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YOU NEED TO SEE THEM IN PERSON – Caravan Gallery owner Linda Banaszak travels worldwide searching for local artisans' crafts to stock her store. Photographer Terry Divyak has traveled with her in search of great pictures. The zebras crossing and many others are now on display at the South First Street store....
Almost an inch of rain fell July 29-30, almost the entire month's precipitation. It was the most July rain by far in the last 10 years and only the second time since 2015 more than 0.8 inches fell Four years during that period the monthly total was 0.3 inches or less of precipitation. No rain was recorded in 2021. Since 2000, there have been 17 years with less than one inch of rain, four years of around 1.3 inches and the record, 1.4 inches of rain in 2011. The 18.9 inches of rain this year is...
Richard Nixon announced he was resigning his presidency 50 years ago tomorrow, Aug. 8, 1974. Why did he resign? He knew he was going to be impeached and convicted by each House of Congress. Why was Congress about to do that? The House Judiciary Committee had drafted articles of impeachment making the case that Nixon had criminally broken the law. The first article was obstruction of justice. It begins: “Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best o...
The 125th Skagit County Fair opens Thursday and runs through Sunday at the county fairgrounds in Mount Vernon. The place will be chock full of activities, starting with the agricultural exhibits and programs in the arena and barn that include 4-H youth and Future Farmers of America. There is entertainment all around, literally on the grounds while you are walking around. There are daily themed events and main stage family entertainment that aims to amaze and delight you. Check out the community...
CORRECTION - The LD 10 state representative Position 1 and Position 2 seats are correctly identified with the candidates in this update at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The position numbers were incorrect in the story posted Friday. The editor regrets the mistake. - ken stern Aug. 8, 2024 -- After vote count from election night, Aug. 6, and Thursday, Aug. 8 in the contested legislative district 10 (LD 10) elections Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair was ahead in Skagit County with 1,633 votes to State Senator Ron Muzzall's (R-Oak Harbor) 1,398 vo...
Aug. 9, 2024 -- State Senator Ron Muzzall's (R-Oak Harbor), with 48.5% of the vote, leads by 1,488 votes districtwide in the Aug. 6 primary race for his legislative district 10 (LD 10) seat against Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair who has 45.4% of the vote, and Camano Island resident Denny Sandberg, who has 5.9% after the Friday, Aug. 9 ballot tallies in the three county district. Muzzall has 23,687 votes; 1,845 are from Skagit County. There St. Clair leads with 2,068. She has 22,199 districtwide. In the LD 10 Pos. 1 contest, State Re...
La Conner’s town government – elected officials and staff – created a long task list for the second year of implementing the five-year strategic plan they adopted last September. Credit them for being ambitious: 31 tasks came out of their June retreat, with over half of them placed on Mayor Marna Hanneman and Administrator Scott Thomas’ shoulders. The fire department, with five tasks, has made progress, getting a $150,000 commitment from the town council to buy a fire boat. Public works and finance staff are assigned these tasks: improving inte...
The 24th La Conner Classic Boat & Car Show, sponsored by the La Conner Chamber of Commerce, is 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. There will be over 60 cars and perhaps six boats on trailers in the La Conner Marina's south parking lot. Another dozen or so boats will be moored in the marina's south basin. Come early and join car and boat owners who will be feasting at the La Conner Retirement Inn's annual pancake breakfast in their North First Street facility. The Inn is an event sponsor. Proceeds from...
Museum of Northwest Art Executive Director and Chief Curator Stefano Catalani has masterly assembled two powerful exhibits in the First Street space this summer: "Joseph Gregory Rossano: Portraits of the Divine" and "William Morris: Early Rituals." Each represents an artist at the height of his talent. Schedule an hour – or more – and go. Prepare to be moved – and amazed. Catalini, as curator, sums up Rossano as "a multidisciplinary artist, environmentalist and outdoorsman." Absorbing the immen...
One of La Conner newest retail businesses may be its most environmentally friendly. ERTH, on South First Street, next to Step Outside, is conveniently across the street from handmade la conner. Owner Stephanie Banaszak stocks custom-made lotions and candles from its owner, Robyn Bradley. Those are the most locally made items in a store with an "eco ethos." Society has caught up with Banaszak's sustainability vision. Thirty years ago her Organic Matters store, also in La Conner, took on the role...
The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community has been awarded $2.8 million in three grants by the state's Department of Commerce. The Samish Indian Nation will get $1.4 million and the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe $750,000. In total Commerce awarded $52 million in grant funding to support climate resilience for 28 federally recognized tribes within Washington, as well as four federally recognized tribes with lands within the state. The funding is from Washington's Climate Commitment Act.Tribes...
This is going to be hard for our committed Republican neighbors, friends and family members to read, but being in a community and living in a democratic society obligates all of us to accomplish the difficult task of continuing to the end of this editorial. It seems we have been collectively engaged in an agonizing drama these past three weeks. The world watched and without any hesitation universally agreed that President Joe Biden’s performance in his debate with Donald Trump June 28 was a disaster. More than stumbling terribly, he was a p...
Perhaps in the entire theater world no character is as fortunate as Proteus in Shakespeare's' "Two Gentlemen of Verona." He enters in love, with Julia, and his best friend, Valentine. At play's end – spoiler alert – he is betrothed to Julia, with Valentine offering "Come, Proteus, 'tis your penance but to hear/The story of your loves discovered./That done, our day of marriage shall be yours,/One feast, one house, one mutual happiness." Go to Shakespeare's Northwest production of "Ge...
SEATTLE, WA – The League of Women Voters of the United States adopted a position in support of local news at its national convention in Washington, D.C. in June. Ninety-three percent of the 1,000 delegates from Leagues across the country voted for the position that "The League of Women Voters of the United States believes it is the responsibility of the government to provide support for conditions under which credible local journalism can survive and thrive." The LWVUS defines local news as "...
Lois Watson is the newest member of the Shelter Bay Community board of directors. Watson was appointed by the board at a special meeting June 13. Her term, through June 30, 2026, started July 1. She replaces Jan Paul, who resigned in April. The board elected Pat McGarry treasurer, replacing Paul....
If it is true for us commoners, that we are our own worst enemy, how multiplied it is for people in power, kings most of all. Shakespeare's Lear and Macbeth and Prince Hamlet, among his many royal figures, are the most well-known. This summer Leontes, king of Sicilia; takes the stage in Shakespeare Northwest's production of "The Winter's Tale." By turns tragic, comedic and romantic, the bitter cold results of Leontes (Derek Dong) jealously requires a banishment and 16 years passing to blossom...
The August primary election is here. Ballots will be mailed by Friday, July 19. Last week, Skagit County voters received the county’s official local voter’s pamphlet, mailed by the county elections office. Voters will choose candidates for the Nov. 5 elections for a U.S. senator, Congressional District 2 representative, 11 statewide offices for governor through insurance commissioner and a state supreme court justice. La Conner area voters reside in state legislative district 10. The senate seat and LD 10 Position 1 are contested. Can...
Skagit County League of Women Voter members have new T-shirts that read “LOCAL NEWS = DEMOCRACY.” They printed these ahead of their successful campaign to have the national League adopt this as a resolution in June: “The League of Women Voters of the United States believes it is the responsibility of the government to provide support for conditions under which credible local journalism can survive and thrive. “The LWVUS defines local news as accurate, in-depth coverage of government entities, including but not limited to, city council...
“Intense Heat Persists, Little Relief In Sight” was Monday’s WSU’s AgWeatherNet outlook through July 14 for west of the Cascades. Temperatures in the 80s are forecast through Wednesday for coastal areas. The end of the week summary is “60s and 70s expected.” The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory through 10 p.m. Tuesday for northern Puget Sound that included western Skagit County. The weekend after July 4 became warmer and warmer, with blue skies and temperatures reaching a record 87.5 degrees 5 p.m. Sunday for the date and 87...
Our country is in a pickle, politically, and, oddly, a vast majority of us seem to agree that our two major political parties are the primary factor. While more Republicans are enamored with their presidential candidate, Donald Trump, the polls show that most voters wish we had two different people to choose from to lead the country. Neither the Republican Party, as an institution – or its adherents – have any inclination of dealing with the deficits of their candidate, whether it is his age, his character or his criminal record. The Dem...
The La Conner tourist economy may be back on track. The June sales tax revenues of $58,778 reported to town council by the state’s Department of Revenue, are the second highest total for the month, only below 2022’s record. It is 10.6% above last June’s. This is April’s tax collection, the month of the Tulip Festival. The Special Use Fire Tax revenues, at $5,870 is 10.8% above last year’s and also the second best June. For the first half of 2023, sales tax revenues are at 44.8% of the year’s projected total while the fire truck tax is at 54.2%...
Second Congressional District Rep. Rick Larsen kicked off his re-election campaign in Skagit County June 27, telling some 30 supporters at Skagit River Brewery in Mount Vernon that this year voting will be a values election. The Democrat’s low-key remarks were twice disrupted by women bursting in and vehemently protesting his support for military aid to Israel’s war against Palestinians in Gaza. The first carried a sign reading, “Larsen sends Skagit taxes to BOMB BABIES in Gaza.” She shouted she was a Jewish school teacher, to stop the genocid...
The ancient Greek poet Homer’s “Iliad” is a 24-book epic of the Trojan War, originally told orally, the poet wandering village to village. At almost 28,000 lines, it was not recited, but must have been performed, the original rap. Fast forward almost 3,000 years to the present moment, to Glenn Hergenhahn-Zhao’s performance of “An Iliad” at the iDiOM Theater in June. This Poet walks onto a near empty stage, chairs and tables scattered about, some overturned, a dresser, large drop cloths hanging from the top of walls and on some of the furnitu...
Island Drug closed its Clinton pharmacy Monday, essentially going our of business. The company, owned by pharmacist Aaron Syring, started 2024 serving people with pharmacies in La Conner, Oak Harbor and Clinton. Syring shuttered his other two stores in January. Friday, June 28, Syring posted a long analysis on his website explaining the unreasonable rules and low payments from pharmacy benefit managers. They are hired by insurance companies to control prescription costs. His website article, “Why Pharmacies Close,” His website article, “Wh...
Tomorrow is the 248th anniversary of the Continental Congress passing the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The easy thought, the belief that the colonists rose up with one voice in kicking the Brits out and demanding self-representation and democracy is a nice story, but not completely true. The anger, energy and righteousness throughout the 1760s and early 1770s leading up to war with Great Britain came from a minority of the population. Historians estimate that perhaps 20% of people in the 13 colonies were ardent patriots working toward...
