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One of the biggest local events of the year was scaled back last week due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But despite smaller numbers, it was still a big deal. The annual Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Blessing of the Fleet ceremony, which in normal years draws 500 people or more, focused on quality rather than quantity last Wednesday. It was a relatively small – but appreciative and thankful – gathering that assembled to celebrate the first catch of the season, pray for a safe...
Yes, there will be a La Conner parade and fireworks show July 4th. With Gov. Jay Inslee reopening Washington statewide June 30, Town Administrator Scott Thomas notified his staff Monday of those plans. La Conner Hook & Ladder is ready to “support and help anyway we can,” Chief Aaron Reinstra wrote in an email. That may be a commitment that their 1941 white firetruck will lead the parade. There will not be a concert or community picnic until next year, however. Maple Hall and the Civic Garden Club can be scheduled, as others already have. Sen...
We are six weeks away from the ok for the state – and thus Skagit County – reopening to social and economic activity, just like in the old days. Fifteen months after the coronavirus pandemic shut the country down, Gov. Jay Inslee will, at the start of the July 4th weekend, end the coronavirus public health metric tracking that counties have navigated toward Inslee’s Roadmap to Recovery. Twenty-two of 39 counties, 56.4%, are reporting more than 200 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the last two-week period, and 34 c...
Fifty percent of us are chronically lonely in the United States. When we are lonely we might look at Facebook. When we respond to a post on Facebook with a like, love or angry symbol, Facebook logs our response. From enough of these responses the computer program of Facebook learns our likes and dislikes, our loves and hates. They know that people are powerfully motivated by hate, fear and dislike. Therefore, they feed us more posts to keep us angry because they want to keep us on their platform so they make money. They sell access to data...
Dear Editor, I have so many questions in my mind, please help me get some answers, I still feel quite blind. 1. How is it that the waterline three miles out of town, became the responsibility of the town to maintain? 2. How is it that the town’s new library was prioritized ahead of the missing section of the dike? 3. Why is it that the creative new dike design by a local lifelong farmer has not been significantly covered in these pages? Some questions are outside of your purview to know, this I can understand. Some questions are rather e...
A writer to the Skagit Valley Herald on May 6 claimed to know that Republicans start wars. I wrote the following rebuttal to update him and the Herald readers, which that paper would not print. 1. War of 1812 – Madison, Democrat 2. Mexican War 1846-1848 – Polk (D) 3. Spanish American War 1898 – Cleveland (D) 4. World War I 1917-1918 – Wilson (D) 5. World War II 1941-1946 – Roosevelt (D) 6. Korean War 1950-1953 – Truman (D) 7. Vietnam 1961-1975 – Kennedy (D) 8. Bosnian War – Clinton (D) Civil War...
Mayor Ramon Hayes acknowledges the Town will have to think outside the box to quell upticks in property crimes and traffic offenses that have coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. “Crime is on the rise,” Hayes told Councilmembers during their May 11 Zoom meeting. “It’s a fact. But thus far he and Town Administrator Scott Thomas have been working with something akin to Pandora’s Box. Options that appeared promising at first have been swatted down. Thomas presented to Council a 2017 Ford Taurus for $11,300 via a federal surplus sale for use b...
The Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Commissioners invite the public to the outdoor Memorial Day service this year, following all COVID-19 safety protocols. The program is held at the Cemetery, 17666 Valentine Road, Mount Vernon. It will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, May 31. The Marine Corp League, #1043, Active and Retired, the Reverend Don Robinson, vocalist Judy Robinson and La Conner high school student, Mason Groesbeck will each contribute to the half hour celebration. Skagit Pioneer descendent Laurie Lane will share stories of her family and the potato...
La Conner students are daily taught the power of critical thinking. School officials are also embracing that lesson as they begin analyzing data collected from surveys whose input will help shape a draft district strategic plan addressing key academic and campus culture goals and objectives. La Conner school board members and administrators hosted a two-hour presentation Monday night by Roni Rumsey, director of professional learning at the Center for Educational Effectiveness. She shared insight into how data analysis can play a vital role in...
The La Conner High School Knowledge program is virtually – and truly – among the best in the country. La Conner’s “Chronically Iliad” team competed earlier this month against schools of all sizes in the inaugural virtual National Knowledge Bowl Tournament, placing fourth among entries from 1A enrollment campuses. Knowledge Bowl coaches Beth Clothier and Christi Malcomson said the La Conner team, which “competed up” as a 2B entry, underwent six rounds of oral and written questions...
The Skagit Valley Farmers Market at Christianson’s Nursery makes its debut May 30 on a site once central to the pea harvest on the Skagit Flats. The market will be open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. most Sundays through the summer. The new kid-and-dog-friendly market will feature a nice mix of produce and crafts, says manager Kathryn Shiohira, who just happens to be food safety specialist and a driver for the Puget Sound Food Hub right next door. “The cool thing is these farmers are already set up and ready to go, because to be part of the Food Hub you must h...
The annual Pioneer Picnic in La Conner, a summer tradition here for more than a century, was among the casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. There is optimism that will not be the case this August. Buoyed by the prospect of increased vaccinations between now and the traditional first Thursday in August date for the picnic – members of the Skagit County Pioneer Association board of directors are confident this year’s event will occur, though in a modified format. “With the number of people who are going to be vaccinated we sho...
Monday, May 10 10:42 a.m.: Cut and run – Caller reported a chain saw stolen from in front of his business. Reservation Rd., Greater La Conner. Tuesday, May 11 1:56 a.m.: Bad owner – Deputies checked on a dog that was reported to be barking and whining at a house door. State St., La Conner. 4:19 p.m.: Unlicensed driver – Report of a tractor being taken for a joy ride and left in a field across the street. Downey Rd., Greater La Conner. Wednesday, May 12 4:23 p.m.: Who hit whom? – Non-injury motorcycle vs dump truck...
Competition is, overall, a good thing. It is what makes our sports interesting, drives our natural environment to constantly adapt and it is also what keeps private enterprise going. It pushes a business to innovate, keep prices competitive and keep customers happy. At the heart of this competition is a desire for a mutually beneficial exchange between individuals. On the other side of this coin are monopolies. Although prohibited by federal law, they do exist. Characterized by controlling a market to ensure their profitability and viability,...
Mavrik Marine’s new building on Pearle Jensen Way is complete. Already the aluminum boat manufacturer is making big progress on new, large-scale projects. The building itself is large scale. About 60 feet tall, the white metal building dominates its Port of Skagit site east of the La Conner Marina. Taller than the old Moore Clark building, it puts an exclamation point on the town’s decades-long shift from seafood processing to high-tech marine industries. A 12 p.m. May 27 ribbon-cutting cer...
The final gavel on Sunday, April 25 concluded a unique and challenging legislative session in state history. Although sometimes difficult to navigate, by-and-large working remotely during the 2021 virtual session went relatively well. Committee hearings, floor debates, even constituent meetings were all held online. Despite some of the obvious inefficiencies, we were able to get the work of the people done. Although I applaud the use of emerging communication technologies to increase citizen involvement – like remote testimony –...
The 2021 Legislative Session adjourned on April 25 and the Legislature made progress on many issues that are important to our community. First and foremost, in this historic virtual session, I worked with the Legislature to provide swift pandemic relief for families, businesses and our community – as well as lay the groundwork for long-term economic prosperity. We also made substantial investments in childcare, public health and housing affordability. The final budget prioritized helping small businesses by reducing unemployment insurance...
