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September’s start matched August’s end for increasing new coronavirus cases in Skagit County, with 394 new cases Aug. 30-Sept. 3, a 10% increase from Aug. 23-27. There were 10 new COVID-19 patient hospitalizations Sept. 1 alone, and 16 for the week, matching the prior week’s total. The county case rate is 505.9 per 100,000 residents over the last 14 days with a hospitalization rate of 16.9 COVID-19 patients per 100,000 residents over the seven day period through Sept. 2. August saw 87 COVID-19 patient hospitalizations, 3.3 times the 26 in Ju...
Anyone eating out – that is, indoors – at a restaurant or bar in Jefferson and Clallam Counties must provide proof they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Doctor Allison Berry, health officer for Jefferson and Clallam counties, issued a public health order Sept. 2 that took effect last Saturday, the 4th. “Indoor bars and restaurants are known to pose a high risk for COVID-19 transmission, as they encourage unmasking of large groups of people indoors,” Dr. Berry is quoted in a Jefferson County press release. “Our goal is to ma...
Help, please, with offering a way out of our collective predicament at all societal levels, from church congregations through school districts, fire departments and as county, state and national communities. Everywhere there is a downward spiral as righteous rhetoric grows ever more strident against getting coronavirus vaccinations and the forced necessity to again wear masks in public. This segment of our citizenry continues to insist on pressing their personal and global views on the larger community. This editorial is defending, not...
Just a note of appreciation and admiration of Craig Barber’s photos of the harvesting workers printed in the La Conner Weekly News of September 1. They are beautiful and respectfully recorded. Often photos of workers are shot well-meaning to respect privacy, but are instead mediocre, sacrificing the soul of the moment to preserve identity. Barber’s photos in this case are reminiscent of a Thomas Hart Benton painting: an homage to the working force. If you haven’t seen them, it is worth your time to take a look on line. I look forward to more...
What a beautiful photograph of carrot harvesting on the front page this week! I had to do a double take: is this a famous painting, or is it a photo? It was reminiscent of a great piece of art, “The Gleaners” perhaps, only more colorful, with more energy. Thank you for the beauty and the insight into the work in the surrounding fields that most of us never get to see this close up. T.J. Reinoso La Conner...
In response to a letter sent to the La Conner Weekly News Sept. 1, it occurs to me that our political positions may have become too staunch. (Defined - loyal and committed in attitude.) Reading Mr. Hageman’s letter one can see he places himself and the editor of the paper squarely at opposite poles. A committed Republican vs. a committed Democrat. I would suggest that neither is true. For each of James Dobson’s remarks one could attribute the words following “more” to a staunch Democrat and, likewise, the words following “less” to a staunch R...
Don Kruse, long-time resident of La Conner and owner of Skagit Sun Berries was one of five farmers gathered in 1989 to discuss serious development challenges that faced farmers and farming in the Skagit Valley. The chat around that table led to the formation of Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland. We all should be thankful for SPF, for the few who were there at the beginning for the many who continue to support its essential work. Don died late last week at his home in La Conner. He leaves his family, his friends, employees the fields of Skagit...
She is still at it. Just last week, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez mentioned it again: taxpayers should make reparation payments on behalf of those who were slaves in the 1800s. My question is this: to whom, exactly, should these payments be made? The slaves have been gone for three or four generations! And by the way, reparations have already been paid. In the years preceding the Civil War, almost everyone in the North (and many in the South) were against slavery. After four years of horrific battle, 360,222 Union soldiers died to put an end to...
This letter is a sincere thank you to the Honorable Representative David Paul and his legislative assistant, Mayzie Shaver. Sometimes we are so dismayed by the polarization of national politics, that we forget those unsung heroes who represent us at the state level. Mr. Paul’s office truly understands the meaning of “public servant.” I was working well beyond retirement age as my Social Security was insufficient to pay my rent. I lost my job. I kept looking for work, had several interviews, but no employment. I had been unable to commu...
Donald R. Kruse passed away at his home with his son by his side on August 27, 2021 after an 18-month battle with Leukemia. He was the owner of Skagit Sun, a berry farm in La Conner, Washington. Don Kruse was born in Jefferson City, Missouri on July 12, 1948, the youngest of three children born to Eleanor (Stratton) Kruse and Raymond Kruse. He finished high school in Jefferson City. During his formative years, Don’s family lived in the city but also had a farm where they spent much of their t... Full story
After more than a year of remote and hybrid learning, La Conner schools resumed in-person instruction last week by helping students – though still masked and socially distanced due to COVID-19 – get back into a normal campus routine. To do so, school staff did plenty of summer homework prior to welcoming pupils for last Wednesday’s initial half-day of classes. (Thursday was the first full day of instruction for Grades 1-12, with kindergartners having started yesterday). At the elementary school, a good portion of that homework i...
Having turned the page on the Labor Day holiday, La Conner High sports teams are poised to get down to business this week with the return of their regular fall sports schedules. The La Conner High volleyball team, which won State 2B crowns in 2018 and 2019 and did not lose a single set during last spring’s modified season, opened their current schedule with a non-conference home match opposite 2A Sehome Tuesday night. “Filling a non-league schedule with larger schools will help our girls to improve and play at a higher level,” La Conner head vo...
Inside a nondescript tractor storage building in La Conner farmland, glass artist Steve Klein has been testing the nature of glass. Klein has been renowned for his work with colored, kiln-formed glass for several decades and may be better known in the international glass world than he is right here at home. The creative work is taking place in his studio, facing out over the fields where he marvels over the palette of changing skies but also practices his craft of glass firing in various kilns....
La Conner has many blessings – a temperate climate, its location along a saltwater channel and near the mouth of a scenic river, conifer forests and views of snow-capped mountains. What’s lacking, however, is available land to develop spacious multi-purpose public parks. By contrast, the small community of Blessing, Texas is beset with brutally hot, humid summer weather, is nearly 20 miles from the Little Colorado River and almost 25 miles distant from Matagorda Bay, has no mountains a...
When Chenoa Urness heard that channel-side space in the Pier 7 building was available, she jumped on it. “It was now or never,” said the Stanwood resident and former social worker for Indian Child Welfare in Snohomish County. Then she spread the word that she was opening a store showcasing the work of indigenous creatives. “Sign me up!” was the unanimous response. Her ocean scenes, created from resins, acrylic paints and pigment, hang on the walls of Sacred Cedar Company, which opened in July. Besides Urness’s own art, Sacred Cedar offers so...
Monday, August 31 10:25 a.m.: Broken window policing – Caller reported a cold vehicle prowl. Window broken out of vehicle, nothing missing. Josh Green Lane., Greater La Conner. 6:06 p.m.: Check I.D. – Caller reported check fraud. The checks were written from a stolen checkbook. Morris St., La Conner. Wednesday, September 1 9:23 a.m.: Twice thieving – Caller reported subjects from an occupied vehicle in the parking lot broke the rear window of another employee’s car. The caller had taken a picture of the suspects’ license pla...
The Port of Skagit has opted for a Young, yet proven, approach to chart its future course of attracting economic opportunities to the La Conner Marina, Skagit Regional Airport and related ventures. Sara Young is the new Skagit port district executive director, having officially assumed the chief leadership role last Wednesday after14 years at key Port positions. Young succeeds longtime Port of Skagit Executive Director Patsy Martin, who in 2019 announced her intent to retire this August. Port...
The weather cools and I use the oven more often. Roasted pecans are a great snack and can be added to salads and desserts. They make a nice gift by wrapping a ribbon around a jar. I bought a couple bags of pecan halves to bake with and had plenty leftover. Roasting them is quick and they turn out delicious. Ingredients Pecan halves 4 cups or 1 pound Salted butter, 4 tablespoons Salt,1 teaspoon Preparation Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut the butter into four pieces and place on a large baking...
Ashley Watkins began the Labor Day weekend working her first job after college graduation. The 2017 La Conner High grad didn’t want nor need holiday time off, though, having chosen a career field where times out are a standard part of the gig. Watkins has started her first season as assistant director of football operations at Washington State University and was on the clock in Pullman for the Cougars’ Sept. 4 non-conference home opener with Utah State. Her family – Watkins’ biggest fans...
