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A state-managed program to help prevent vessels from becoming derelict or abandoned in Puget Sound waterways and along sensitive shoreline areas was unveiled in La Conner last Thursday. By all accounts it was a smashing success. Partners engaged in the free vessel turn-in and recycle day event gathered at the Port of Skagit's La Conner Marina for a 90-minute program including a demonstration dismantling a boats no longer in service and which otherwise could pose threats to the state's marine...
Not all roads lead to La Conner, but enough do to support the full fleet of vintage cars, trucks and trailered boats that rolled into town last Saturday. There were over 125 entries in the 24th annual La Conner Classic Boat and Car Show in the La Conner Marina's south basin parking lot, drawing throngs of admirers on a picture postcard bright sunny summer day. Conditions were ideal for folks to merge onto Memory Lane and listen to golden oldies over the event's outdoor sound system while time...
For years various entities have tried tackling La Conner's housing crunch. Now topping the list is Skagit Habitat for Humanity. The nonprofit has purchased property off Caledonia Street as a site for three single-family "sweat equity" homes. A groundbreaking is tentatively set for October. To start the process, Skagit Habitat Homebuyer Program Manager Eshel Clayton and realtor April Patterson visited La Conner on Saturday to share key details related to affordable housing options available...
People go to great lengths to attend the annual Pioneer Picnic in La Conner. Attendees traveled from near and far – one person arriving from Beijing, China, 5,350 miles distant – to enjoy the 120th gathering of Skagit County pioneers and guests. A 2024 Pioneer Picnic crowd estimated at over 200 people also included La Conner Mayor Marna Hanneman, whose home isn't much farther than the proverbial 1,000 steps from the Pioneer Park site. The continuing summer tradition features a barbecued sal...
Sunday, July 21 9:57 p.m.: Shouldn’t be driving – Subject driving on Young Road lost control of his car and drove into the ditch. The wreck broke a waterline that was feeding the fields near the area. The water was shut off and the driver was cited for no insurance or driver’s license. La Conner Whitney / Young rds., greater La Conner Tuesday, July 23 5:54 a.m.: Them the brakes – A vehicle traveling on Alverson Road was approaching the stop sign for Chilberg Road when his brakes failed and would not allow him to come to a complete stop. H...
Almost an inch of rain fell July 29-30, almost the entire month's precipitation. It was the most July rain by far in the last 10 years and only the second time since 2015 more than 0.8 inches fell Four years during that period the monthly total was 0.3 inches or less of precipitation. No rain was recorded in 2021. Since 2000, there have been 17 years with less than one inch of rain, four years of around 1.3 inches and the record, 1.4 inches of rain in 2011. The 18.9 inches of rain this year is...
Skagit Transit has completed the agency’s annual draft Transit Development Plan. Public comment is open through Aug. 21. The TDP is a visioning document to help plan the future of Skagit Transit. Transportation services are vital to ensuring residents are connected to jobs and recreation in the region. Public input is invaluable as Skagit Transit plans improving the mobility, connectivity and sustainability of Skagit County. A public hearing on the Transit Development Plan is 11 a.m. Aug. 21 at Burlington City Hall, 833 S Spruce Street or v...
UPDATE, Thursday, Aug. 8 This afternoon the Skagit County Health Department posted a press release with these additional closures: "Due to recent samples of shellfish containing elevated levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins, the Washington State Department of Health (WA DOH) has closed recreational harvest for all shellfish species in the following areas: " Samish Bay, Guemes, Cypress, Sinclair. Vendovi, Hat and Saddlebag islands [and] Padilla Bay." Read the complete press release: https://www.skagitcounty.ne...
La Conner Firefighter/EMT Natalie Baker discusses fire safety topics and will have some firefighting equipment for the community to try out 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10 in the La Conner Swinomish Library conference room. Bring your coffee mug and questions. Coffee provided....
Richard Nixon announced he was resigning his presidency 50 years ago tomorrow, Aug. 8, 1974. Why did he resign? He knew he was going to be impeached and convicted by each House of Congress. Why was Congress about to do that? The House Judiciary Committee had drafted articles of impeachment making the case that Nixon had criminally broken the law. The first article was obstruction of justice. It begins: “Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best o...
My name is April Emanuelson-Barnett. I am working on my doctorate in natural medicine and work at Thrive Direct Health Care as a certified functional nutrition coach. I plan to continue to offer my expertise there, in the clinical setting and offer the fitness and fresh food side of health at La Conner Wellness and MMA. My husband, Tracy Barnett, is a retired paramedic. He did rescue work for over 24 years and has taught martial arts and self-defense for 23 years. Our SBA (Small Business Administration) lenders love our idea of turning the old...
Local permits and Washington’s Growth Management Act Last week I wrote a citizen’s view column about the proposal for 214 Maple Avenue (the old COA) and promised that I would write more this week about the condition that is hardest to understand: (e) The proposal, through findings, satisfies the goals and policies of La Conner’s comprehensive plan and floodplain ordinance and the state Shoreline Management Act. I will address the Comp Plan only here. Long ago the Washington State Legislature passed the Growth Management Act The GMA estab...
Lighting experts expect that light-emitting diode lights will soon completely eliminate fluorescent lighting and that LEDs will reduce the use of incandescent lighting to a few specialty items like high-powered outdoor halogen lamps. This shift is expected to be nearly complete by 2030. Further improvements in LEDs, including a shift to what should ultimately be lower-cost organic LEDs are likely to continue. By 2050, all new lights may be LEDs or OLEDs. This change means that we’ll use less e...
The public hearing held on July 29 by the La Conner school board revealed that next year the district is going to levy $1,434,000 for debt service on the bond that built the middle school. That will be paid by about 4,400 non-Native American taxpayers who live in the school district. The Swinomish do not pay taxes. Yet, they account for 38.7% of the student body. They should contribute $554,958. The tribe can afford it. They will collect $1,958,197 extra cash from their tax on Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned residents this year. One of the...
Wednesday afternoon contested Washington state primary election results will be summarized on the La Conner Weekly News website. Throughout the week results will be updated after the Skagit County elections office posts them. The Aug. 14 Weekly News will report on the latest available vote counts. Don’t hesitate to share your analysis and views with the community on the opinion page. Go to: www.laconnerweeklynews.com....
The new director of Pacific Northwest Quilt Museum and Fiber Arts Museum has an academic and professional history rooted in the southeast but is fast becoming a key part of the fabric of La Conner. It helps that she has a familiar sounding name. Carla Funk, for nearly a decade the director of university museums at Florida Institute of Technology and then a curator in North Carolina, is succeeding Amy Green, who retired in July. Funk is not knowingly related to Skagit County's pioneer Funk...
The 125th Skagit County Fair opens Thursday and runs through Sunday at the county fairgrounds in Mount Vernon. The place will be chock full of activities, starting with the agricultural exhibits and programs in the arena and barn that include 4-H youth and Future Farmers of America. There is entertainment all around, literally on the grounds while you are walking around. There are daily themed events and main stage family entertainment that aims to amaze and delight you. Check out the community...
Mark your calendars for these upcoming arts and entertainment activities. Come to Deception Pass State Park for American roots concerts at 7 p.m. Saturdays. The entertainment lineup: Aug. 10, Ranger & the Re-Arrangers; Aug. 17, Chumlilies; Aug. 24, Whisky Deaf Quartet. Follow signs; parking will be limited at Deception Pass due to damage from winter storms. La Conner Live 2024 Summer Concert Series continues in Gilkey Square every Sunday from 1-4 p.m. through Sept. 8 at First and Morris streets. The lineup features Midlife Crisis and the...
Artificial intelligence tools are helping Oregon wildlife researchers study hard-to-reach threatened species like the marbled murrelet. Researchers with Oregon State University and the U.S. Forest Service collected millions of hours of audio from federal forests in Washington and Oregon between 2018 and 2022. “We cannot physically review all the audio data that we collect,” said OSU College of Forestry doctoral student Matthew Weldy. “So we are reliant on computational tools to filter this data set and find sounds of interest.” To comb through...
This is a budget stretching meal. It is also a family recipe from my (adopted family) grandmother, Margaret Witkowski (1911-1979). My grandmother was a farmer's wife. They married when she was 14 years old. I enjoyed visiting their 150-acre farm in Wisconsin during my youth. My grandfather, Paul Witkowski (1906-1970), bought the farm during the Great Depression. Recipe serves two. Easily increase ingredients for more soup or omit ham for a vegetarian meal. Ingredients Olive oil, 2 tablespoons On...
CORRECTION - The LD 10 state representative Position 1 and Position 2 seats are correctly identified with the candidates in this update at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The position numbers were incorrect in the story posted Friday. The editor regrets the mistake. - ken stern Aug. 8, 2024 -- After vote count from election night, Aug. 6, and Thursday, Aug. 8 in the contested legislative district 10 (LD 10) elections Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair was ahead in Skagit County with 1,633 votes to State Senator Ron Muzzall's (R-Oak Harbor) 1,398 vo...
Aug. 9, 2024 -- State Senator Ron Muzzall's (R-Oak Harbor), with 48.5% of the vote, leads by 1,488 votes districtwide in the Aug. 6 primary race for his legislative district 10 (LD 10) seat against Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair who has 45.4% of the vote, and Camano Island resident Denny Sandberg, who has 5.9% after the Friday, Aug. 9 ballot tallies in the three county district. Muzzall has 23,687 votes; 1,845 are from Skagit County. There St. Clair leads with 2,068. She has 22,199 districtwide. In the LD 10 Pos. 1 contest, State Re...
