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Donna E Zimmerman 87, a long-time resident of La Conner passed away in Seattle on June 12, 2019. Donna was born in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota on August 5, 1931 to SR (Bob) and Mina Green. She lived in the Avon-Fredonia area, working on farms. Donna attended school in Avon and Burlington and graduated from La Conner High School in 1949. She was married to Boyd Zimmerman for 68 years. Donna worked for the post office as a rural mail carrier, retiring in 1991. Donna was a member of the La Conner Methodist Church and Billkens Club. Donna loved...
The La Conner School District’s unions’ leadership has been invited to meet with the District’s Board of Directors June 25 to start discussion of their no confidence votes in Superintendent Whitney Meissner’s leadership and performance. The format and conditions of the meetings are not what the unions envisioned, however. Monday afternoon emails from Meissner to officers of the La Conner Education Association, LEA, and the Public Support Employees, PSE, read, in part: “Chair Janie Beasley asked me to reach out to the two of you. The board wou...
I am deeply concerned that the La Conner School Board has not been taking seriously the reports that the current superintendent has been administratively reckless and emotionally destructive in her role as the leader of the La Conner Schools. There have been too many reports by too many to make this about Georgia Johnson. What I’m aware of after having attended the La Conner School Board meeting June 4, and hearing all the information that has come forth since, is that this issue is not about the differences in perception (public or behind t...
This has to be one of the most surprising stories of the year. Either that or I am completely out of touch. I have known Georgia and her sister Maggie from shortly after we moved to the area in 1988; mainly from art and poetry circles. Shortly after that Georgia’s bread became our daily bread; our only one until she went to work for the school district. If something was wrong she would say so but with a smile and love. People can have differences with others but when that other is the superintendent of schools and your boss, it is imperative t...
I find the personal attacks made on local artist Milo White by the May 22 letter writer to be very offensive. Although the writer states his opinions as facts, he makes it quite clear that he does not like the new artwork situated at the corner of Morris and 5th Streets, and that is certainly his prerogative. But not liking this sculpture does not entitle him to make disparaging remarks about the presumed state of the artist’s “soul,” his design and welding skills, or his artistic “vision.” And as a point of clarification: the piece was priva...
Dear readers, Living in this valley for over 40 years I am still in “ahh” at how beautiful it is here. We are so lucky to be able to live in this small little town. There is a sense of peace, security and a feeling of community. I am told that it takes 21 days of doing something to make it a habit. So, I challenge you (and if you are reading this, that means you) to take time to do random acts of kindness. Pay attention to your surroundings. It can be something small like call your mom and tell her you love her. Help someone put their gro...
Mayor Ramon Hayes pitched a $500,000 proposal for Skagit County economic development funds for a new library in La Conner as a catalyst that will bring new businesses that will revitalize Morris Street. In his five minute presentation Monday, Hayes said the library will “foster an environment for advancement, providing workforce education, tech and vocational workshops, meeting space for enhanced collaboration.” Hayes told the County Commissioners their grant would complete funding, and that without it the project “will lose the state and t...
Students and staff vacated La Conner campuses for summer break last week. They weren’t alone. The 25-year-old cedar totem pole that is the signature landmark at La Conner Elementary School was removed for summer restoration during special ceremonies Thursday morning. The weathered but still grand pole will be refurbished by La Conner Schools’ staff member Kevin Paul, who was involved in its initial carving in the mid-1990s. Paul, a master carver whose work has been profiled on national TV bro...
Walter Ardell Johnson, Sr. was born on February 16, 1927 at the Rowley Hospital, to John Linley and Mary Kathrine (O’Brien) Johnson in Mount Vernon. On June 7, 2019 he passed away at a care facility in Mount Vernon. He is survived by his children, Patty (Larry) McCormick, Carol (Gene) Johnson, Mary (Jeff) Hartshorn, Walter Johnson, Jr. and Heidi (Mike) Riley; son-in-law, Ellery Gage; many grandchildren as well as many great grandchildren. Walter is preceded in death by his parents John L. and Mary K. Johnson; Dorothy Johnson; daughter, C...
The beat goes on – and will for the next couple weeks. That’s because the Seattle Cascades Drum & Bugle Corps, a world class competitive junior musical group, has returned to La Conner to prep for its upcoming national tour this summer. Comprised of top youth musicians ages 14-21, the Cascades is practicing here daily before going out on the road for an 8,000 mile swing that ends with an appearance at the World Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in August. The Cascades w...
During his more than a quarter-century at La Conner High, Mike Carrigan has tackled a wide range of teaching assignments – from algebra to U.S. history to industrial arts. Turns out, he was a big-time tackler long before arriving here in the early 1990s. A native of Orting, southeast of Tacoma, Carrigan played defensive back at Stanford University, where he squared off against the likes of future Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren and 1968 Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson. His...
It has rained all of three times this month, for almost an inch as measured at the WSU weather station on Memorial Highway. The days have been generally blue sky sunny. Two thirds of the way through June, total rainfall measures 55 percent of the 20-year monthly average. June gloom? The school district discord is worrisome, a difficultly. That has been the primary thing making June gloomy around here. On the weather front, the general attitude seems to be “great, summer started early.” What are frogs’ high five equivalents, when they are croaki...
