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The Weekly News surveyed all La Conner eateries after their first week of serving sitdown meals, a result of the state now operating under Phase 2 restrictions of the Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery Plan. Three responded. Here is what they reported. Pat Ball, owner of The Slider Café, and his staff are COVID19 exhausted but optimistic. He experienced “a great week of seeing many of our beloved guests return and enjoy themselves.” March 2021 will be better than last yea...
La Conner High spring sports teams launched their 2021 campaign earlier than usual with practices starting Monday afternoon. Even so, they have some catching up to do. After all, the 2020 season was entirely wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. The school’s softball and baseball teams managed one scrimmage together in mid-March before campuses were closed statewide in response to the virus crisis. In years past, the first day of full spring workouts would have coincided with completion of the s...
The dramatic February decline in new coronavirus infections in Skagit County continues. After recording 768 cases in January, 211 people have tested positive Feb. 1-22, with over half, 107, the first seven days. Each succeeding week has had half the number of infections of that first week reported, 47 Feb. 8-14 and 57 Feb. 15-22, as listed on the Skagit Public Health website. These are total cases, not on a per 100,000 residents basis. Nine people have died in February, 15% of total deaths since record keeping started. Nineteen people have died...
The Skagit County drive-through COVID-10 testing site will close permanently after March 12, Skagit Public Health announced Feb. 17. It is closed Saturdays effective immediately, due to low use that day, the County announced Monday. Public Health and Unified Command made the decision to close the testing site in order to focus on vaccine distribution. “We provide vaccine clinics out of the fairgrounds as well, and closing testing will allow us to focus our resources on those efforts,” County spokesperson Laura Han wrote in an email Monday. “Add...
Washington State Journal OLYMPIA — Additional relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is on its way. Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law Feb. 19, that appropriates $2.2 billion federal dollars to be used for K-12 schools, public health, assistance to individuals and families, housing and business assistance. “The process of getting to a post pandemic era has just begun,” Inslee said. “And we intend to come out of this pandemic stronger, in part because of this legislation.” The package distributes $365 million in emergency eviction...
The new year started wet, with 1.3” of rain five of the first six days and 2.1” in 10 of the first 13 days. The month ended the same way, with 1.5” rain six of last eight days. These two periods accounted for almost all of January’s precipitation. No snow, though. The winter’s first was the Valentine’s Day weekend. Rainfall totaled 3.7”, 9% below the century’s average for January. Temperatures were slightly above average, 1.5 degrees, for the day’s average and maximum temperatures over the last two decades. There were six frost days, four...
Gov. Jay Inslee’s made an unexpected gift to the state Feb. 10: the state’s Department of Health found all regions meeting metrics showing control of the coronavirus. Just like that, every county was in Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery from COVID-19. Inslee was quick with that announcement, but the state has not posted end of January data in what was supposed to be the two week report update. Still, a look at Skagit County’s February COVID-19 cases reported by Skagit Public Health show a dramatic decline in new i...
Last week’s editorial offered excerpts from foundational American documents, the bedrock that we stand on as citizens, as Americans. The pledge of allegiance is not codified – it is not legislation. Yet more citizens probably say it more often in more government halls, schools, fire stations, churches and stadiums than any single American document. Here is a fact: It was written by Francis Bellamy, a minister and socialist. I printed the preamble to the Constitution and the presidential and congressional oaths of office. As I have written...
While so much of our economy is suffering from COVID-19 these days, there is the beginning of what I believe to be a sea change that is actually stimulating the real estate market in places like La Conner. First of all, La Conner is awesome. For most of us, that’s the only reason we are here. In a small town like this, there aren’t large employers attracting people from all over the country. Yes, there are small businesses like our mayor’s wonderful jewelry shop and there is our local newsp...
As a non-Republican, I applaud Sen. Ron Muzzall for his View From the State House, in the February 10th edition. I am discouraged that no one, it appears, has previously commented or complimented him for his message and mission. He is spot on: we have for too long been in the midst of a pandemic of hate. Not only has no one from either party assumed even partial responsibility, but, even worse, too few have even acknowledged the existence of a pandemic of hate and divisiveness Mr. Muzzal and his fellow 10th District delegates are to be...
Thank you dear Pope Francis, and Debra, and Rich, and Bill and Fr. Treacy, Ken and the Michael that has come to help us row the boat ashore. We have so much to be thankful for, even when the storm batters our shores. But being thankful is only just a part of the chore, we also must repair and innovate new infrastructure. Yeah, we are mostly a great group of folks, trying to find solutions to vexing issues, and we often do the right thing. We just had a great show of support for our schools, hooray! The election to the tribal Senate was what...
Last week the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce board of directors, consisting of community leaders, city officials and Anacortes Waterfront Festival stakeholders, met with Chamber staff to discuss the potential of hosting the festival in 2021. The group discussed general epidemiological projections, the safety of our community, volunteers, and incoming guests, and the overall operational ability to facilitate an event without knowing where our region will be in the Healthy Washington Roadmap to recovery in June. The Anacortes Chamber of Commerce...
Our state has a diverse economy, and manufacturing plays a key role. Aerospace is what usually comes to mind when we talk about manufacturing – but our state has a rich history across a number of important industries. When our state, businesses, labor and local communities collaborate to make the right decisions and investments, we will have a prosperous future producing what people around the world need. This is a bipartisan issue: Democrats and Republicans alike recognize that increasing the number of manufacturing jobs is good for our...
Stephen J. Carter, LaConner resident, died January 29, 2021 at the Skagit Regional Hospital of cardiac arrest. He was born in Spokane in 1942 and graduated from Queen Anne High School in Seattle, University of Washington, and University of Washington School of Medicine. After serving as a Naval Flight Surgeon in the U.S. Navy, he began his medical career at the UW and ultimately directed Ultrasound at Veteran’s Hospital. He joined a private practice radiology group at United General Hospital in the late 1970’s. Stephen returned to the UW and...
Geof Bowser of La Conner, WA died unexpectedly on Monday, February 8, 2021 at the too-young age of 64. Beloved husband, son, brother, uncle and friend, Geof was a commercial fisherman, outdoorsman and jack of many trades. He led a life full of creativity, energy, and enthusiasm, and was larger than life to all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Heidi Sanford; his dad and stepmother, seven sisters, many nieces and nephews, and numerous friends and neighbors, who mourn his loss. Geof...
Mary Clare Nelson passed away on Sunday, February 21, 2021. She was born in Mount Vernon on January 16, 1926, the daughter of Alfred Mozart and Stella Vivian (Dunlap) Nelson. Mary Clare graduated from La Conner High School with the class of 1944. She then went on to attend Washington State College in 1944 to 1945. She attended the U of W 1946-1947 where she learned shorthand, typing and how to make a living. After college she returned to La Conner to begin her life. Her life’s trail took her o...
The Town Planning Commission has spent the better part of two years studying ways to alleviate La Conner’s longtime housing shortage. And still the work goes on. “This isn’t the end of the process. This is just part of the process,” outgoing Town Planner Marianne Manville-Ailles said after La Conner Planning Commissioners recommended last Tuesday, Feb. 16 that the Town Council approve proposed housing density and setback municipal code changes next month. “We’ve been doing this for two years,” said Commissioner Marna Hanneman. “This has bee...
Library Thrift Shop Building on Sale for $1 We are excited to be moving forward in preparing the site for the new La Conner Swinomish Library. The pandemic has dramatically slowed the permit process for new construction. However, we are in the final stage of obtaining permits from the County, and expect to go out to bid in March. The building that formerly housed the La Conner Library Thrift Shop is being offered for sale for $1. The sale would require the buyer remove the 1,344 square foot building by April 1st from its current location at...
Today is the best day of Donald Trump’s life. From here on out things can only go downhill. Because of his actions after the November election culminating with the vicious attack on the Capital building, Trump is now so toxic that corporate America is walking away from him. The Trump brand has been permanently damaged and, according to Forbes magazine, he holds a billion dollars in debt. Much of this is personally secured. He cannot write it off through corporate bankruptcy as he has done so often in the past. His main banking house, D...
For the past few years oligarchs on the right and anarchists on the left have turned father against mother, brother against sister, child against parent, neighbor against neighbor and Christian against Christ. Seems that now 57% of Republicans consider Democrats “enemies” rather than “political opposition,” and 41% of Democrats consider Republicans “enemies” rather than “political opposition,” according to a CBS poll. Neither the rich nor the lawless can win this fight on the basis of right, or education, or law, so they must club their enem...
The game plan for historic Hedlin’s Ballfield on Maple Avenue continues to evolve. The latest pitch is a request by local citizens that the Town Council host a public Zoom meeting and question-and-answer session to present the various concepts for developing the nearly two-acre site, which for decades has served as a youth sports venue. The Town last year secured an option to purchase the property at a reduced price from the Hedlin family to develop it as a mixed-use residential and public park area. Town officials have committed to a second o...
March 5 is La Conner’s next First on First Friday. For your family pleasure head to Gilkey Square and “Chalk It Up.” Bring your springtime inspiration and unleash your creativity on a six foot by six foot square using a bucket of chalk. Whether with the kids or as adults, singularly or in groups, this afternoon is for you. There are prizes for best child and best adult squares. You must plan this, first by reserving your time, between 1-7 p.m. Second it is $15 for the chalk bucket and space...
Monday, Feb. 15 10:33 a.m.: Cold, hard facts – Caller reported a cold theft sometime after the incident. Maple Ave., La Conner. 11:24 a.m.: Larger, hard fact – Caller reported his 2006 Toyota Avalon stolen sometime after the 13th. Maple Ave., La Conner. Tuesday, Feb. 16 10:01 a.m.: Lost, not stolen – Report of lost keys. Maple Ave. / Washington St., La Conner. 4:39 p.m.: Vehicle probably won – Vehicle versus fence, hit and run motor vehicle accident. Best Rd., Greater La Conner. 8:32 p.m.: Caller suspicious –...
This recipe I made in a 3-quart Instant Pot. It is easily adaptable for a stove top recipe. Potatoes, onion, carrots and turnips made up my selection of root vegetables. It is also a hearty warm meal for our cold winter season. Using kitchen scissors, I cut up 4 ounces of flat iron steak into stew size pieces. The steak was a bit fatty so the stew broth was the same. Ingredients Stew meat, ½ pound Onion, ¼ cup chopped Carrots, 2 chopped Turnip, 1 small, chopped Potatoes, 2 medium,...
