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Halloween was in the air on summer solstice weekend, which goes to show all things are possible in La Conner. It was a truly spellbinding weekend here – perhaps best embodied by upbeat witches' dance flash mob performances at Maple Center's Spirit Wheel Courtyard – with ideal weather greeting those taking part in an array of events on both sides of the channel. La Conner cast its spell on locals and visitors alike with an eclectic brew of attractions. There were traditional go-to activities lik...
May was a good month to sell a home in Skagit County, especially in the Anacortes and La Conner markets. In Anacortes $845,000 was the median price for the 32 homes that closed. In the La Conner area, $759,000 was the median price for the nine homes that closed. County wide, 131 homes closed at a median price of $605,500. A 2,900 square foot home on Sunset Drive, on Skagit Bay, sold for $1.6 million, while a marina frontage Swinomish Drive home sold for just over $1 million. On the low end, one sale was below $400,000, at $304,900 for a 1,024...
Construction of the first two homes on La Conner Heights began at the start of June. The structures are visible on the property residents long called Snapdragon Hill east of Whatcom Street and south of Hill Street, near Sacred Heart Catholic Church. BYK Construction of Sedro Woolley, as Snapdragon Hills Estate, LLC, owns the property, platted as seven lots on the newly constructed High Street. The two houses under construction are each over 2,600 square feet. "I know the size seems large but a...
Probably not even the most loyal reader of the Weekly News noticed that this issue is volume 10, issue 11. Every week the issue number advances one and on the paper’s birth-anniversary date the volume increases one. This is the 312th issue under my ownership, completing my sixth year editing and managing the Weekly News. Year seven, with issue 313, starts next week. News editor Bill Reynolds has quoted me, “I own it but it is the community's newspaper.” I do own it but my hope for and ask of readers has always been for engagement and parti...
First, a clarification: Last week’s headline said we can expect 100% solar and wind energy on the grid in the future. Although that’s likely to become feasible within the next 20-30 years, I don’t think it’ll happen in Washington. We are, however, likely to have 100% renewable energy by 2050. Solar and wind will be prominent, but hydroelectric generation will still be used and geothermal energy may even be developed. Iceland and New Zealand have 100% renewable electric systems already because...
La Conner School board members did something Monday night that they haven't done in a very long time: They approved hiring a new counselor for the middle and high school campus. Eric Crinklaw, most recently with Bonney Lake High School in the Sumner School District, will succeed Lori Buher, who is retiring after 27 years. The decision took place during a 75-minute hybrid session ahead of its annual retreat scheduled from 2-8 p.m. today. "It's an honor to be here," said Crinklaw, who has ties to the Concrete and Friday Harbor school districts....
Women, women everywhere. I noticed more women recently in places where we hadn’t seen them before, such as covering men’s sporting events on television and serving as governors and in the police and military. You can even watch all-women’s basketball on television – or attend and watch them play live. This gave me hope that we were making good progress in gender equality until I looked it up and found that the experts predict equality in gender will not be achieved for another 137 years....
Business license renewals are now renewed on the anniversary date of the original license application with the Washington Department of Revenue. The anniversary date renewal was incorrectly stated in the June 14 issue....
Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 4th, 2023 is canceled. The next scheduled meeting is on July 18th, 2023....
Oh dear god it’s almost all I wanna do, to hear music that makes my body move, yeah, like it’s in a smooth groove. Some might see me in my trance, moving from a slide to prance, jumping and gliding like a bird, from branch to branch. Yeah, all I wanna do is dance! Oh dear god, it’s what you made me pretty good at, I think I’m supposed to move the way I do, besides, it’s you that takes ahold of my feet, and flaps them around like they’re on high heat. Yeah, all I wanna do is dance! Oh dear god, what would they do if they saw me in France, would...
Barbara Birkeland Hulbert died peacefully at home in La Conner on June 17. She was 96. "Barb" was born March 25, 1927, in Fort Benton, Mont., to Ingolf and Elizabeth (Flagler) Birkeland. She was one of seven children, which included Francis, Helen, Margaret, Beverly, Phyllis, and Thomas. Barb grew up a self-described "tomboy" on the family ranch, where she drove grain trucks and tractors and ran a combine. Upon earning her degree in Microbiology from Montana State College, an adventurous Barb...
9/12/1939 - 05/25/2023 Jim Foster, beloved husband, father, and friend, has died. He was born in Seattle, Washington to John Henry Foster and Viola Mae Foster. Jim spent his childhood years in Greenwood and remained in the greater Seattle area his entire life. He was a devoted husband, sharing a loving marriage of 50 years with his late wife, Betty Jean Foster (d. 2019). Together, they raised two sons, Jason John Foster (49) and Mathew James Foster (47). Jim was a pharmacist, and eventually became the owner of LD Bracken Pharmacies. He loved...
A major sports website has confirmed what La Conner fans have known for months. That being Ellie Marble, who just graduated from La Conner High School and will attend Central Washington University on a volleyball scholarship in the fall, was the best girls' 2B senior athlete in the state this past year. Marble, who played in a combined six volleyball and basketball state tournaments – it likely would have been eight had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic – has been named the SBLive WaFd Ban...
After 20 years, Juli Olson is finally graduating from middle school. The La Conner middle and high school administrative assistant retires at the end of June after working under six principals and through a school remodel and a pandemic. Besides keeping attendance and other critical records, she has helped plan the 8th grade promotion and filled in as school nurse, lunch lady and field trip chaperone. Driving the school bus is the only job she hasn’t tackled. Not all of her records have been official. During the years when middle school c...
Skagit County seeks two residents for two-year terms on the Voluntary Stewardship Program’s advisory watershed group. This group of local producers, partner organizations and county staff advises VSP staff for best operation of the Voluntary Stewardship Program in Skagit County. Serving on the Watershed Group will require serving a two-year term and attending quarterly meetings. Candidates need watershed experience or expertise and be able to work well with others. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. July 3. For information and to apply: s...
Summer is going to “bee” busy at the library. Summer reading is now in full swing, and we have fun weekly events coming up all summer long. Our theme this year is “All Together Now;” the honeybee is our mascot – because they work together as a team to keep their hives humming. If you haven”t signed up yet, stop by the library to pick up a summer reading packet and a calendar to see all the exciting events we have coming up. If you have already signed up, keep buzzing through those books so you can turn in your completed packet for a prize. Here...
The wandering albatross has the longest wingspan of all living birds at over nine feet. This species may live to be 40 years old and start breeding at eight years old. They only lay one egg every two years and it can take up to two years to raise a chick. The nest is built in a wind-swept area to help the adult get airborne. Ninety mph winds are not uncommon, and these winds may blow the chick out of the raised nest, in which case the adult does not recognize it and will not feed it. Unless they are in the nests, chicks will starve to death....
The Town of La Conner’s annual July Fourth parade will march up First Street at 12 p.m. Tuesday. Staging starts at 11 a.m. on State Street, at the La Conner Marina south basin parking area. Liability waivers are needed to participate. At 5 p.m., food vendors and a beer and wine garden will open at the marina. Music on the La Conner Marina lawn starts at 5:30 p.m. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. from the west side of the Swinomish Channel....
These fresh ingredients create a saucy salsa. I used vine ripened tomatoes. A Roma tomato has a thicker pulp if you prefer a thicker salsa. Just three Serrano hot peppers, with the seeds, gives this salsa a spicy punch. For flavor, a little goes a long way! Ingredients Vine ripened tomatoes, 5 medium Serrano peppers, 3 large Cilantro, 1 bunch Lime, 1 Salt, 2 tsp Preparation This recipe uses a blender and it's easiest to add each ingredient as they are cut. Cut out the small area at the top of...
Monday, June 19 3:12 p.m.: Car accident – 2 car motor vehicle accident. Driver 1 was stopped at the intersection and started to travel eastbound and did not see driver 2 and collided with driver 2. Calhoun Rd., Greater La Conner. Tuesday, June 20 3:28 p.m.: Lost keys – Caller advised they had lost their car and house key within the last week. Nothing has been turned in at this time. La Conner. 10:27 p.m.: Abandoned motor home – Report of an abandoned vehicle. Deputies contacted a male subje...
The guest docks have been slammed this week. We have been docking boats and fielding reservations left and right. And yet, even as the summer rush is upon us we generally still have space available during the week. Boaters who are not tied to the weekend have their choice of moorings. We have had a lot of people asking about crab season opening, with audible disappointment when we tell them we are not the ones who set the season. Talking with these people has made me realize once again what a...
Town officials are charged with regularly updating La Conner’s comprehensive plan, the document that determines community goals and aspirations going forward. But the plan’s new verbiage won’t consist of their words alone. Residents are having a say in the process, Planning Director Michael Davolio and Assistant Planner Ajah Eills assured planning commissioners – including the panel’s newest member, Summer Holt – last week. Davolio and Eills visited the La Conner Senior Center recently to outline details and field questions. “We had some inte...
