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In a U.S. Senate race being touted as surprisingly close as election day approached, surging GOP candidate Tiffany Smiley made La Conner one of her final weekend campaign stops Saturday morning. The 39 year-old veterans' advocate and former triage nurse was greeted by an enthusiastic standing room only crowd at the La Conner Civic Garden Club during a 30-minute appearance, part of her statewide "There's a New Mom in Town" bus tour. Smiley, who was introduced by Republican Second Congressional...
When Rick Tanner ends his Shelter Bay general manager job, he is taking with him a libel lawsuit Shelter Bay Community board member Judy Kontos filed in Skagit County's small claims court Friday. Kontos, as an individual, is suing Tanner personally for the maximum $10,000 allowed in small claims court for statements he wrote in his Oct. 28 resignation letter. The case is filed in Skagit County District Court Elected to the board in May, Kontos is not named, but Tanner wrote: "Some new members...
The $66,648 in Town of La Conner sales tax revenue reported for October continued the year’s record setting trend. This was the fourth month above $66,000, driving the year-to-date total to $573,848, 16.6% and $81,545 above annual projections with two months left. The year’s total will almost certainly top $675,000. The 2022 budget estimated sales tax revenues of $492,303. Revenues from all tax sources are over $5 million and 99% of the annual projections, led by the sales tax, REET – real estate excise taxes – and public works street program...
La Conner is not just a prime destination for travelers. It is also one for those in search of a good book or three. That according to Seattle Met magazine. Seaport Books, in Gilkey Square near the intersection of First and Morris streets, tops the Seattle publication's current list of the "Best Bookstores to Visit on a Washington Road Trip." Seven stores in all are listed in an article by correspondent Allison Williams. "The state has many a cute small-town bookseller worth a road trip," she...
Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID 19 emergency declaration expired Oct. 31, fading away 31 months after he first declared a statewide emergency Feb. 29, 2020. Recall his TV appearances through March as the coronavirus spread worldwide and Inslee moved to expand public health measures. Reflect on the earliest dark days of the coronavirus pandemic when it was an unknown threat whose scourge seemed limitless. Increasingly, everything was shut down and we were all told to stay home. We locked ourselves up in our houses. Schools were shut, church services can...
Is it possible to reduce your energy bill and carbon dioxide emissions and get air conditioning for a home that didn't have it, all at the same time? Sometimes it is. Changing your home's climate control system to a heat pump, from the typical Washington combination of a gas furnace or electric resistance units and no air conditioner, may reduce your energy costs significantly even though doing this adds air conditioning. You are likely to save more energy during the heating season while the...
New cases of coronavirus infections in Skagit County have dropped dramatically, 71% since July, when 1,078 people tested positive. The 315 positive tests in October are a 35.3% drop from the 487 new cases in September. In August 578 people had tested positive, itself a 55% reduction from July. Likewise, the seven day case rate has plummeted, from 95 cases per 100,000 people the last week of September to 45 new cases per 100,000 people the last week of October. Case rates have declined greatly throughout the region. San Juan and Island counties...
I find it useless to go to town council meetings. This it how goes. You arrive. The mayor may smile at you. You get your three minutes of time. Someone times you. The bodies at the front tables may stare at you. Or not. But they don’t respond. Not then. Not ever. (One intrepid council person does sometimes respond later in the meeting but the council, particularly the fellow who sits next to mayor, shoots him down. Almost always. In the last couple years a group has grown that wants to improve things here in terms of community involvement ...
Since 1941, Young Life has been making a difference in the lives of teenagers around the world. Young Life is in more than 90 countries, offering hope with Christian values to approximately two million teenagers each year. Young Life is for every teenager regardless of race, religious tradition or culture. A little over 20 years ago Vern and Elaine Lovelace and John Hackstadt had a vision to start a Young Life chapter in La Conner. Today 20 years later I’m happy to report that Young Life is alive and well in La Conner Young Life starts with c...
Rodolfo "Rudy" A. Pedroza, 83, a longtime resident of the Skagit Valley died in Everett, WA on Monday, October 31, 2022. He was born in Cerralvo, N.L. Mexico on June 20, 1939, the second of eight children to Refugio and Concepcion A. Pedroza. His family migrated from Mexico and his early years were spent traveling to the most fruitful labor opportunities along the west coast. The family settled in Dinuba, a farming region in the Central Valley of California. Soon after and motivated by more... Full story
At its own special meeting Oct. 28, the La Conner Town Council voted to cancel a special planning commission meeting called for Nov. 1, directing “the Planning Commission to only conduct special meetings called by the chair, the chair pro-tern or requested by three commissioners; the same as the Town Council. The motion by Councilmember Rick Dole carried 4-0, with Councilmember Carlson abstaining. Dole’s concerns, summarized in the council’s meeting minutes, were that “the Agenda that included items that were not legal, such as term limits. Als...
The headline a year ago was "Lots of October rain" after 4.3 inches fell in 2021. Rains have returned, though they waited till Oct. 21 to start. That was 36 days since September's 0.02 total rainfall. Rain fell eight days in a row and 10 of the last 11, totaling 3.6 inches for the month. Over half, 1.9 inches came down Oct. 30-31, with 1.5 inch Oct. 30. No rain fell during La Conner's Halloween Parade. Fourteen years more than three inches of rain has fallen since 2000. Six of those years have b...
Electricity went out in greater La Conner Friday, perhaps after 10 p.m., and was restored within hours within at least parts of the town. Around greater La Conner 584 customers lost power: 540 around Peth’s Corner, and 44 on Josh Wilson Road near Bayview. Skagit County totaled approximately 4,600 outages during the storm, with the majority of those outages occurring in western Skagit county where there were high winds. Winds rose from 11 mph at 7 p.m. Friday to 28.4 mph at 9 p.m., reaching sustained speed of over 35 mph in the 10 p.m.-1 a.m. p...
If practice makes perfect, the La Conner High School volleyball team should be perfectly ready to defend the state 2B net crown it has worn since 2019. Just moments after securing a berth to the state tournament in Yakima by sweeping Coupeville in straight sets Nov. 2 at Landy James Gym, head coach Suzanne Marble put her bi-district title team through a practice session. Work remains to be done for the Lady Braves, who bring a 14-3 overall mark to the SunDome tomorrow, Nov. 10, when they begin...
It was a case of less is more when the eight-man La Conner High School football team closed out its season at Lummi Nov. 1. The Braves (2-6) exceeded their prior season point total with an explosive 56-6 non-conference victory. La Conner, which normally plays an 11-man format, had just four days to prepare for this contest. Looking to end a rebuilding year on a positive note, the Braves had little trouble adjusting to the quick turnaround and eight-man game. "It was a fun game to be a part of,"...
La Conner Schools officials are fired up about the district’s arts program’s newest addition. It is, after all, a kiln for students to use to fire pottery. The acquisition is made possible by a $2,500 donation from the Anacortes-based Rick Epting Foundation, accepted at the school board’s October meeting. Director of Special Programs Andy Wheeler explained that the Epting Foundation, an all-volunteer organization that raises money for the arts, had decided on a gift of up to $1,500. Wheeler checked with teachers and heard from Steve DeLeo...
Skagit County is looking for your feedback on policy options for agritourism in the community. You are invited to attend the in-person public meetings held on Nov. 16 at Maple Hall from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Dec. 6 at the Skagit County Commissioner’s Hearing Room from 6-8 p.m. For more information on the agritourism study and to take the online survey, please go to our project website here: skagitcounty.net/departments/planningandpermit/agtourismmain.htm Source: Skagit County Gov’t... Full story
Washington State Parks, Washington Department of Natural Resources and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife offer free entrance to state recreation lands Friday, Nov. 11. Visitors to state lands will not need a Discover Pass to park. Park entrance will be free on Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving, also. These are the final free days in 2022. Source: Washington State Parks... Full story
Art's Alive! opens Friday with a 5 p.m. gala in Maple Hall, just like in the old days, pre-coronavirus pandemic. This year's fitting theme is "Peace and Solidarity." The 12 chosen to exhibit are a mix of local and regional artists. Many will be familiar with the works of Tracy Powell, Maggie Wilder, Nancy Crowell, Alfred Currier and Anne Schreivogl. Peter Boome, Ria Harboe, Amy Ferron, Janie Olsen, Janice Wall, Barbara Noonan, and Lynn Zimmerman round out the group. The second floor open show... Full story
Neither time nor distance was an issue at a local museum during an October tour. About two dozen visitors to the Skagit Early Keyboard Museum near Snee-Oosh Beach were transported back centuries and across the Atlantic to the birthplaces of classical music. Museum curators Tamara Friedman and George Bozarth literally pulled strings to make it happen. Friedman, an acclaimed pianist, played selections from famed composers on several of the museum's original and replica instruments while Bozarth,...
All Lincoln Theatre members in good standing are invited to the Theatre’s annual membership meeting: The State of the Lincoln, Monday, Nov 14, 6 p.m.-7 p.m. Get a brief view of the last fiscal year at the Lincoln, where the Theatre stands financially post-COVID, hopes for the future and a chance to vote on new officers of the Lincoln Theatre Center Foundation. Come between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to enjoy snacks and beverages, meet with staff and board of directors and tour front-of-house renovations. All members in attendance are invited to r... Full story
Skagit County Public Works is compiling proposed projects for the 2023-2028 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program. These include new construction or improvements to the transportation system such as road, bridge, ferry and trail projects. The County will be accepting public comment until 4:30 p.m. Nov. 23. All comments must be submitted using the online form at skagitcounty.net/TIPcomments. Electronic comments are preferred, however, written comments may also be submitted by mail or hand delivered to the following address: Skagit County... Full story
This is a quick and easy recipe. Makes enough for you to share. The cake mixes are interchangeable in this recipe. I used a devil's food cake mix. I imagine a lemon box mix would be lovely. You mix the ingredients by hand. It gets quite gooey. The Cool Whip was thawed at room temperature. When shopping these days, you purchase what is available and buy a few extra. The supply chain emptiness lingers on. Ingredients Cake box mix, chocolate Cool Whip, 8 ounces Egg, 1 Powdered sugar, 1 cup...
Their business is a throwback many wish could go on forever. But, alas, all good things must come to an end. Jon and Linda Peterson's much celebrated Plug Ugly store of vintage fishing gear and one-of-a-kind collectibles for over three decades, is closing at the end of November. Its many loyal customers, near and far, are chagrined. For Jon Peterson, the time just seems right to retire – again. Peterson served various roles in the Seattle Police Department, including motorcycle and bomb squad d...
Throughout the month of November, Hospice of the Northwest is joining organizations nationally to celebrate National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. This year’s theme is “Meeting You Where You Are.” The Hospice of the Northwest team embraces end-of-life care with a holistic approach that meets patients where they are in more than just a physical sense. Hospice of the Northwest will conduct several community outreach activities this month focused on increasing awareness about hospice services and advance care planning. To learn more about... Full story
