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Articles from the July 11, 2020 edition


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  • New pitches delivered for future Hedlin’s Ballfield as public park

    Bill Reynolds|Jul 11, 2020

    Initial game plans have been drawn up for the proposed park and children’s play area at historic Hedlin’s Ballfield off Maple Avenue. Designer Curt Miller, who in the past has drafted renderings for various public use areas in La Conner, has submitted to Town officials a series of drawings reflecting potential development of basketball and pickleball courts along with installation of playground equipment, tables, benches and landscaping. The Town Parks Commission, which has received from Miller eight new concept images, was scheduled to dis...

  • Nine La Conner businesses close

    Ken Stern|Jul 11, 2020

    At least nine local businesses have decided to close since March. On Morris Street: Seeds Bistro & Bar and The LUX. On First Street: Whitey’s BBQ, Bitters Co., Bears ‘N Friends, Pelindaba Lavender, Les Femmes and La Conner Sweet Shoppe. Indigo Stitch, on the boardwalk, will end its lease after October and will run its business online. Seeds and Whitey’s struggled with selling takeout this spring. Sit down meals in June did not provide enough income. Bears ‘N Friends and Les Femmes are closing in July. The Fosters are consolidating their w...

  • Tallying the new normal

    Ken Stern|Jul 11, 2020

    This is our twelfth week since Gov. Jay Inslee started shutting down Washington’s economy, ordering us to Stay Home to Stay Safe. We are not nearly as shutdown as we were when March ended. We are not all safe, either: Last week 50 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Skagit County. Two weeks ago, public health staff told the Country’s Board of Health that the rise in cases precluded applying to the state to move to Phase 3. The increasing number of cases and the rate of increase, metrics of “community spread” make advancing to Phase 3 by Decembe...

  • Pleasant Ridge neighbors band together for July 4th parade

    Bill Reynolds|Jul 11, 2020

    With COVID-19 having scuttled a downtown La Conner Independence Day parade, neighbors on Pleasant Ridge put together a holiday serpentine of their own – one smaller, but still festive and with many participants’ masks accentuating red, white and blue garb. The vintage white La Conner fire truck helped lead the way south from the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery on Valentine Road, joined by tractors, all-terrain vehicles, children riding bicycles or being pulled in wagons, family cars and trucks a...

  • Rich Stewart hired as interim La Conner Schools superintendent candidate

    Bill Reynolds|Jul 11, 2020

    Richard Stewart has been down this road before, only this time it has led him to La Conner. Stewart, a veteran Washington state public school administrator, agreed to a contract Tuesday with the La Conner School District Directors to become interim superintendent. The Board interviewed Stewart last week. It voted Monday to hire the Ferndale resident during its video-conferenced summer retreat. He will be appointed and administered the oath of office at a 4 p.m. Board meeting Wednesday. Stewart...

  • Clusters clap over Swinomish fireworks

    Ken Stern|Jul 11, 2020

    The tradition continues. A glorious, loud two-hour-plus July 4th firework show was sent up from perhaps a half dozen locations on the west bank of the Swinomish Channel, Reservation Road and further west, probably including Snee-oosh Beach Saturday, as Native firework vendors again shared the bounty of their leftover inventories. Clusters of people found places on the boardwalk, from Hellam’s Vineyard down to Calico Cupboard. As early as 8 p.m. families set up from the end of Caledonia Street an...