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The 2023 lawsuit pitting Tulip Town against Andrew Miller's then-new across-the-road Tulip Valley Farms was dismissed Aug. 8 in Skagit County Superior Court. Tulip Town's motion was granted to have its claims dismissed without prejudice. The farm business had alleged Miller, its former partner and CEO of its parent Spinach Bus Venture Group, engaged in unlawful "duplicitous conduct" and breach of contract in starting Tulip Valley Farms. Miller countered that the partners operating agreement allo...
BREAK IT DOWN, LOAD IT UP, HAUL IT AWAY – Last Wednesday Fifth Street neighbors were greeted by the sound of an excavator and crew demolishing the Mitchell house, which was destroyed by fire June 19. Some folks watched from nearby porch steps. By Thursday afternoon the house was boxed up in two roll-off containers. Look for the full story next week....
Skagit County’s Farmland Legacy Program finalized a conservation easement on an 80-acre farmland property to permanently protect the land for agricultural use in July. The property sits along the state’s only designated Agricultural Scenic Corridor at the Chuckanut Drive and I-5 interchange. Landowner Mark Houser, part of the Houser family co-ownership of siblings and their children, expressed his family’s commitment to safeguarding agriculture in Skagit County. Houser notes he received calls weekly about developing the 80-acre property. “I wan...
Some things never change – like the excitement when a Roberts-built boat is launched in La Conner. And for a few fleeting moments last Friday at La Conner Marina and on Swinomish Channel it was 1960 again as a classic 27-foot Roberts Express Cruiser was the center of attention while being lowered into the water. Its launching captured the imagination of onlookers gathered at La Conner Maritime Service. And for good reason. Salvaged 15 years ago from a dry storage marina on the Snohomish River a...
In recent years, districts are spending a lot more money to keep Washington’s schools running – but state funding isn’t keeping up. That’s according to a new report from the League of Education Voters, which found school districts have increased spending on staff by 19.7% between the 2019-20 and 2022-23 school years. “We’re using an outdated prototypical school funding model to try to take care of kids in 2024,” said one rural school district superintendent quoted in the report. “It’s like trying to use a geometry equation to solve a calculus...
The Aug. 6 primary election results were certified by the Washington Secretary of State after the Weekly News went to press Tuesday, but the winners were all known from the first vote count. Only some 60 ballots remained to be counted by the Skagit County elections office staff. In the three-county state legislative district 10, an estimated 30 ballots were outstanding in Island and Snohomish counties. The most competitive race in November will be between State Senator Ron Muzzall’s (R-Oak Harbor), the primary winner with about 48.2% of the v...
At 5 p.m. today, livestreamed on YouTube, is a forum on “Housing for Our Whole Community to Live, Work & Stay,” organized by the League of Women Voters of Skagit County and hosted by Skagit Housing Consortium, EDASC, and Community Action of Skagit County. Attend in person at the Sedro-Woolley City Council chamber, 325 Metcalf Street, Sedro-Woolley. The discussion will emphasize the lack of housing affordable to workers, families and seniors in Skagit County. The League press release notes that housing is a regional issue, and that there are thi...
12 issues printed since July 5, 2017. 17 weeks to paper’s final issue Yesterday afternoon, at a hearing before the Town of La Conner ‘s hearing examiner, the case of granting a conditional use permit for a health club to open at the former COA restaurant on Maple Avenue was heard. The land is zoned residential. The restaurant operated with a conditional permit. Once the building was vacant for six months the zoning reverted to residential. Several residents oppose the permit application, saying workforce housing is needed in La Conner and an...
Electric cars were introduced in the 1890s. They only had about 50 miles of range between charges, but they wouldn’t break your arm starting them and they didn’t make loud noises and scare horses. Internal combustion engine cars weren’t reliable, gasoline wasn’t widely available, tires on all car types were unreliable and roads were bad. As late as 1905, electric, steam and ICE cars split the market with about a 33% market share each. Steam and ICE cars gradually got better tires, electri...
I am sympathetic to your recent view article questioning the value of our present two-party system to our election process. The criticism can apply to either side. The parties gain total control by holding the purse strings and thus keep things in uproar as an easy way to generate funds. In this game, money talks loudly. The whistlestop train campaigning may be too outdated, but the undergirding of what we stand for may still be there. Namely: 1. That truth is the most sustainable way to keep us free, safe and fair in our interactions. 2. That...
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal Council approved a two-year contract renewal for Court of Appeals Judges Patricia Davis, Robert Miller and Patricia Paul at its July meeting. For over a decade Paul has been the food editor for the Weekly News....
Music to one's ears can be mere noise to another's. To find harmony between the two, the La Conner Town Council discussed potential noise control at its Aug. 13 Maple Hall meeting, especially those related to the La Conner Live Sunday concerts amplified music in Gilkey Square. Administrator Scott Thomas raised the topic in his written report in the council packet. "As has been the case for several years, Gilkey Square has been frequently used for musical performances," Thomas began. "I am aware...
Theodore Frank Schnase passed away with family by his side on Aug. 1, 2024. Ted was born on March 8, 1937, to Alice (Twaddle) and Theodore Schnase in Port Angeles. The family owned the Sunrise Bakery and Ted worked there alongside his parents. He spent as much of his early years as he could beside the Elwha River and had many fond memories of picnicking, hiking, swimming, fishing and exploring throughout the wilderness of the Olympic Mountains. Ted graduated from Port Angeles High School in...
Cynthia Lee Lundquist (née Currie), aged 64, passed away on July 4, 2024, in Everett, Washington. Born on May 6, 1960, in Seattle, Washington to John and Patricia Currie. Cindy attended Shorewood High School. Cindy lived most of her adult life in La Conner where she worked for Pacific Mariner. Cindy later moved to Orcas Island with her adoring husband, Loren Lundquist. Cindy enjoyed working at The Exchange, where she got to know most of the Island's residents, along with her favorite...
The La Conner Town Council passed a budget amendment adding $163,500 to the general fund “as a commitment to the fire boat” at a July 31 special meeting called for that purpose, the meeting minutes state. The council also approved an agreement with Beckwith Consulting for the Moore Clark sub area development plan, funded by the state’s Community Development Block Grant awarded in 2022. Both votes were 4-0. Councilmember MaryLee Chamberlain was absent....
The annual Swinomish Back-to-School Bash, held as summer draws to a close, was again a cut above similar events held elsewhere. That was true both literally and figuratively. The three-hour Aug. 14 gathering at John K. Bob Ball Park had something for all student groups – school supplies, T-shirts and hoodies, general and specific campus and classroom information, school district calendars, snack foods, sno-cones and more. And there were free haircuts, provided by students from the Mount V...
The La Conner Rotary Club, noted for its steadfast support of literacy and education, will honor at its annual dinner and auction this Saturday someone whose family is often lauded in print for its remarkable success growing tulips in the Skagit Valley. Leo Roozen, whose father, the late Bill Roozen, was a La Conner Rotarian, will be the local club's honored guest at its major Aug. 24 fundraiser here. Billed as "The Magic of Rotary," it is 5:30-9 p.m. at Maple Hall. The Roozen family began...
The lush, towering presence of western red cedars (Thuja plicata) in Washington state has been a hallmark of the region's natural beauty and ecological health. However, these majestic trees are facing an unprecedented threat. Urban areas like Mount Vernon, Burlington and Anacortes are witnessing a troubling phenomenon: the dieback of western red cedars. Drought mitigation planning is essential in preserving this valuable resource. Unveiling the crisis Western red cedar dieback, primarily driven...
TOWN OF LA CONNER PUBLIC NOTICE FOR LODGING TAX FUNDING The Town of La Conner is accepting requests for Hotel/Motel tax distributions for budget year 2025. The 2025 Lodging Tax Fund Request for Proposal may be found on the Town website under the Finance Department at www.townoflaconner.org. All requests must be received (no postmarks) at La Conner Town Hall, 204 Douglas, PO Box 400, La Conner, WA 98257 by 3:30 p.m. on September 9, 2024. Please address any questions to Maria DeGoede, Finance Director, at [email protected]...
This recipe will feed four. Select a uniform shaped zucchini, medium size. I prepped the zucchini first and cut out the center slice. You could peel the skin, but if you cut the zucchini 1/8 inch wide, the skin is not cumbersome to eat. Ingredients Zucchini, medium Ground beef, 1 lb. Spaghetti sauce, 1 jar Onion, 1/2 chopped Garlic cloves, 3 chopped Bell pepper, 1 small, chopped Olive oil, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp Ricotta, 1-1/2 cups Mozzarella, 1-1/2 lbs, grated Basil, dried, 2 tbsp...
NOT TO BE MISSED Annual Summer Concert. Hear the Skagit Community Band at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, for its annual summer concert at Gilkey Square in La Conner. As always, the concert is free. Bring lawn chairs and sun screen. Animal, landscape and rural travel photography by travel photographer Terry Divyak is on display at Caravan Gallery, 619 S. First Street, La Conner. Open daily. LIBRARIES La Conner Swinomish Library. 520 Morris St., La Conner. 360-466-3352. www.lclib.lib.wa.us. Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday....
Volunteering has paid off handsomely and repeatedly for Gary Ladd, the rewards proving every bit as valuable as a paycheck. "It's been fun," Ladd stresses, citing the sense of self-fulfillment realized from public service. Over the past decade, Ladd has lent his time and expertise to Skagit County Fire District 13, Skagit Bay Search & Rescue and the Shelter Bay residential community, filling a variety of roles for each. "I always had the spirit for volunteerism, but never had the time," said...
Fees at Skagit County’s transfer station will increase Sept. 1, a decision approved by the Skagit County Commissioners in June on recommendation of the county’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee and the Solid Waste System Governance Board. The new solid waste rates: • General solid waste at the Ovenell Road and Sauk transfer stations will be $137 per ton. • The minimum charge for general solid waste will be $27 for the first 360 pounds. • Appliances will be $13 per item, $33 for those with freon. Recycling and hazardous waste disposal are free...
Tuesday, Aug. 13 11:20 a.m.: Free speech squelched – Caller reported theft of political signs from his yard. It has happened multiple times and he wants extra patrol of the area. Calhoun and Best Roads, greater La Conner. Wednesday, Aug. 14 9:54 a.m.: Stay in your lane – Subject driving south on Best Road lost control and crossed the northbound lanes before hitting a tree and taking out approximately 30 feet of fence. The driver was OK and did not show any signs of impairment. Driver was cited for no insurance and leaving lane of travel. Bes...
The 2 p.m. Skagit Community Band summer concert set for this afternoon, Saturday, is canceled. " Due to predicted wet weather conditions, the Skagit Community Band has been forced to cancel today's concert. We look forward to seeing you for our 2024-2025 concert season," band director Vince Fejeran wrote in an email to the Weekly News....
