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Dear, dear people of La Conner: If we have stay away from each other and can’t work, how about being outside? You can keep your distance outside. I have reopened my on-the-honor-system plant sales at my clinic (located behind the post office) so you can get some plants. How about helping your neighbor with their yard? If you would like some plants and cannot afford it please contact me and we will work out a trade. If you don’t know much about plants, I will help you, free of charge at this time. Adding a little color can bring some joy to you...
Letter to Editor: My name is Connie Funk and I feel so blessed to be a part of this amazing community. Like everyone else in this current time of challenge, I am looking for ways I can be of service to others and helping to create positive connections. As a long time gardener and mosaic artist, I have created a table out on the road in front of our home with free bouquets and damaged china, which is the mainstay of my mosaic art form. We are located near the Rexville store on Dodge Valley Road-13973 Dodge Valley Road- Mount Vernon 98273. I...
Robert Bibeau, a long-time resident of Shelter Bay, died in Burlington, WA, on March 15, 2020. He was born in Somerset, MA on February 2, 1934. Robert went on to have a successful career as an aeronautical engineer working in Florida, Utah and Washington State. He was proud of working on the first space program while in Florida and with the Green River Space Program in Utah. Bob completed his career working for Boeing until his retirement in 1990. In 1991, he built a home in Shelter Bay and live... Full story
Timothy Eagan wrote a book titled “The Worst Hard Time.” I have been thinking of my mother’s journey and the hard times that shaped her. My mom, born in 1920, would have been 100 in May. She was nine in 1929 and a child of the Great Depression and, at 20, not old enough to vote for Roosevelt in the 1940 election. But more than that, she was 100 percent Lithuanian. All four of her grandparents were born in Lithuania. My mom grew up in the ghetto in Brooklyn and didn’t speak English until she started school. All of that, more than I know or can...
The Skagit Valley Chorale is a volunteer, non-profit performing arts organization dedicated to bringing great choral music to our community. We held a regular weekly rehearsal on March 10, 2020 in Mount Vernon, WA. About 55 people (roughly one-half of the group) attended. On the day of the rehearsal, there were no cases of Covid-19 announced in Skagit Valley. There were no closures of schools, restaurants, churches, bowling alleys, banks, libraries, theaters, or any other businesses. The advice from the State of Washington was to limit...
Saturday Nikki Hamilton, a friend of mine from church, died of the COVID-19 virus. She was a member of the Skagit Valley Chorale, which made the decision to practice earlier in March. That decision was based on public health guidelines. Now the group of 60 is a “cluster” and Skagit County Public Health has found thta “more than half of attendees who were at this gathering are now confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19.” Sunday folks from at least Seattle and Everett were shopping on First Street and picnicking at the pocket parks on the boa...
The variety of restaurants and coffee shops had a variety of sales volume in the week since Gov. Jay Inslee ordered they cease serving sit-down customers. They are an essential business under Inslee’s Monday declaration telling everyone to stay home, except for a short list of approved activities, including picking up take-out meals, getting groceries and medicines, seeing doctors and getting exercise. Social distancing – keeping six feet distance – is always necessary. Car and foot...
The idea of homework being a drag is so old school these days. Now it’s helping La Conner students battle cabin fever and occasional boredom as they wait out campus closures through April 24. Teachers here have lined up relevant on-line and other at-home learning options for students while also mindful of the stress families might experience coping with restrictions imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19. “Our teachers at the school,” said parent Sarah Walls, “have been wonderful at keeping...
The La Conner Regional Library Board of Directors is pleased to announce the hiring of Jared Fair as the new Library Director. Fair, the managing librarian for Yakima Valley Libraries, will join the La Conner Library on April 13. “Jared’s progressive managerial and leadership experience, which includes supervision of 12 libraries to date in the Yakima Valley Library District, impressed our board, staff and members of the community who participated in our interview process,” said Jean Marke...
Just two weeks ago, Brent Roozen was anticipating a great season for daffodils and tulips. Growing conditions were perfect and orders for field-cut flowers were strong. Social distancing and the national obsession with toilet paper and thermometers have changed the picture – not to mention the Governor’s March 23 order closing non-essential businesses and keeping Washingtonians at home for two weeks, to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Ninety percent of the Washington Bulb Company’s wholesale and retail flower orders have been can...
Marlys Baker had quickly found a home on the La Conner School Board after having unseated longtime incumbent Janie Beasley in their race for the Swinomish director district seat last November. In just four months Baker had earned high praise from La Conner Schools Superintendent Dr. Whitney Meissner and board colleagues for her immediate impact. But when she and her family moved to Mount Vernon this month, taking residence in their new home forced Baker to turn out the lights on what was a promising start serving on the local school panel. Her...
La Conner is operating under a Declaration of Emergency proclaimed by Mayor Ramon Hayes March 17 and approved by the Town Council March 24. Tuesday’s Council meeting was conducted by teleconference without the public present. Residents could call in. “The declaration of emergency allows us to access additional authority if it becomes necessary and may allow us to access state and/or federal funds if they become available,” Scott Thomas, Town Administrator, wrote in an email March 17. Town Hall was closed to the public that day. Staff have...
