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La Conner High School volleyball fans were in the mood to celebrate Thursday night. And that was before the defending state 2B champions knocked off 4A Glacier Peak in straight sets in front of a supportive home crowd at Landy James Gym. It was a festive mood that filled the arena Oct. 13 as Washington Hall of Fame Coach Suzanne Marble was formally honored courtside on her 30-year career here, a tenure marked by six state titles, three academic state championships, 17 state tournament trophies...
Once upon a time, the late Doug Caldart insisted the only parking problem in La Conner was when there were no cars here to fill spaces in front of closed and boarded up storefronts. Those days are long gone. For decades the issue has instead been there are too few parking spaces available to handle increased traffic downtown. Shortage of parking is now a major topic residents gave voice to at the La Conner Town Council hybrid meeting at Maple Hall Oct. 11. Center and Morris Street residents do not believe there is enough parking for the...
Friday the Skagit County elections office mails ballots to registered voters. The two statewide contested seats are U.S. Senate and Washington secretary of state. Supreme Court Justices Barbara Madsen, G. Helen Whitener and Mary Yu are running unopposed. In our region, U.S. Congressional District 2 and the two state representative positions will be decided. For legislative district 10, first term Position 1 State Rep Greg Gilday (R, Camano Island) has to overcome Democratic challenger Clyde Shavers, a Navy veteran from Oak Harbor who won the...
Ballots are mailed Friday. Help get all ballots counted quickly: Vote and return your ballot now Sign your ballot envelope Use a county dropbox Mail your ballot by Nov. 4 Election drop boxes nearby: La Conner Regional Library, 614 E. Morris Street Swinomish Indian Tribal Community: Social Services Building, 17337 Reservation Road Ballots must be in drop boxes by 8 p.m. Nov. 7. You can register to vote on election day. Voting information and register to vote at VoteWa.gov. Skagit County Elections: 360-416-1702...
A long dry season has been a mixed blessing for local farmers. Back in June, when the Skagit Valley was so cold and drenched some fields could not even be planted, Dean Swanson thought we would never hit 80 degrees. “Farmers asked for a warm dry fall to recover from the late start,” he said, “but we forgot to ask for a couple of timely rains.” Fortunately, copious spring rains gave plants a good start. A deep snowpack kept river levels high all summer, making more water available for irrigating corn, pasture and potatoes. Heat helped. While Swa...
Ballots get mailed to all Skagit County voters Friday. No need to rush your voting. You have till 8 p.m. Nov. 8 to deposit the ballot in a drop box. If you mail it through the post office, do that by Friday, Nov. 4. It has to be postmarked by Nov. 8 to get counted. Warning: Ballots go to Seattle before getting postmarked. The Weekly News is making its annual endorsement of you, the voters, as the most critical people in the election equation. Taking former President Ronald Reagan’s mantra, “trust, but verify,” this paper implores every voter...
The Kenyon Disend law firm charged $5,861 to the Town of La Conner for 25.1 hours of work in September assessing the 1986 contract rezone agreement for the 306 Center Street property. Almost all the hours, 24.9, were Sept. 1-8. The firm sent their memo to Town Administrator Scott Thomas Sept. 8. Thomas reported the findings at the Sept. 13 council meeting. Over half the hours were spent on legal research on contract rezones and a 1972 court case, Durocher v. King County. Staff examined if the Town’s 1986 agreement was a legislative act and i...
The La Conner Town Council has granted $112,805 to nine area nonprofits to promote bringing tourists into the Skagit Valley. The La Conner Chamber of Commerce received the bulk of the funding, $83,000, 73.6%, to fund its operations. La Conner Live Concerts will get $9,000, 8% of the total, to manage the summer Sunday concert series in Gilkey Square, The Museum of Northwest Art, at $7,500 and the Lincoln Theatre, at $5,000, receive the next largest grants. Read the table for all funds granted. The Town of La Conner is tapping $60,456, 35% of...
What would happen if Shelter Bay didn’t pursue a new lease with the Swinomish Tribe? I think that we should start looking at the possibility that in 2044 the Tribe will take over the community and possibly the management of the community. Why wouldn’t they want to? They have proven themselves to be good managers of businesses and can probably do a very good job. One problem between now and 2044 is getting 30 year fixed rate mortgage loans. I don’t know what the mechanism would be for securing that but maybe a letter from the Tribal Senat...
Oct 6. 2022 was a landmark day in La Conner. It was truly unprecedented and unlike any other in the Americas in the last 500 years that we know of. It was brought to our attention by Mr. Jay Bowen, who was gracious in his explanation that this March from the people of the Shelter Bay Community was the first of its kind: An Anglo-Saxon community walking on foot in humility to another co-host government, a native culture. Jay was gracious and spoke to us about our walk and its significance. A huge heartfelt talk was presented by Eric Day. We...
My Mondays are a treasure these days thanks to two gentlemen I have met. Both are named Colin and both are from England. While technically neither one lives in La Conner, they meet Monday afternoons from 3-5 p.m. for a “pint or two” at their “local boozer” (The Brewing Company in this case). I don’t remember how I fell in with them but it has become a delight I look forward to. They are teaching me English as well. You might hear an Oi Mush! (sort of like hello!) upon joining the table. Colin #1, as we have designated him, grew up in a village...
During October, just three weeks from the Nov. 8 election, Republicans have reignited their misinformation campaigning in Skagit County. In Burlington, Mount Vernon and Fidalgo Island, residents are reporting the door knocking of members of the “Election Integrity Committee.” All reports are the same. The person appearing at your door will be an unassuming person warning you to not mail in your election ballot early. They will distribute Republican-only campaign literature. You will be encouraged to take your ballot to your municipal in-...
How about a better way to utilize the property at 306 Center Street? A three-story, sun blocking, non-neighborhood friendly structure with short-term rentals and inadequate parking will mean parking on the street and blocking residential homeowner’s parking. I see a project by and for developers adding expense and problems to the Town and residents of La Conner. How about single-family homes? I have been told there can be three of four homes built on this property, where families can raise children and have a yard with grass and flowers. T...
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. More than a familiar adage, it’s now the approach local Fire District 13 could well approach to solve manpower issues going forward. The district has in recent months faced the loss of personnel to what Chief Wood Weiss calls “career departments” able to pay full salaries and benefits. In response, Fire District 13 is providing fuel stipends for commuting shift staff and is considering use of two-person rather than three-person crews. That’s not all. The district will budget for two new paid positions nex...
Father William Treacy died peacefully Sunday afternoon with Sister Emma at his side, and Fr. Jim and Terry nearby. Just before he took his last breath he looked heavenward as if seeing the angel sent to escort him to his next assignment. Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you, Father. From friends of Father Treacy...
The La Conner High School homecoming football game last Friday was full of bright shining moments. Not so much in the final score, but certainly during isolated moments of a 67-18 grid loss to league foe Friday Harbor and at intermission when the royal court led by King Jacob Pommels and Queen Makayla Herrera was introduced to a large Whittaker Field crowd. While the homecoming royalty could not decree a second straight Braves win a week after the team broke a lengthy scoring drought in a...
The defending state 2B La Conner High School volleyball team is used to posting big numbers when it takes the floor. But none bigger than last Wednesday at Landy James Gym. The Lady Braves swept Mount Vernon High School in straight sets Oct. 12 and raised more than $1,000 for breast cancer research as part of their annual Dig Pink/Senior Night match. The Dig Pink effort shows head coach Suzanne Marble's commitment to providing public service projects for her players. As for Senior Night, fans...
The La Conner Swinomish library opened its door to the public for the first time Tuesday, Oct. 18. Blue and silver helium balloons were tied to the railings leading up the stairs to the doors of the 520 Morris Street building. Tony Harrah and Brian Wilbur waited for 11 a.m., the first members of the public in the library. Already present were staff and La Conner Regional Library board members. Craig Barber checked out the first book, his wife, Katryna, staffing behind the counter. La Conner...
Listening to Javier Zamora sing one of his poems at Maple Hall to a Meringue beat during this month’s Skagit River Poetry Festival, you would be surprised to learn he had traveled more than 3,000 miles on foot, by bus and boat, across rivers, deserts, through barbed fences to reunite with his parents. At nine years old. Solito. Alone. Two months of travel, abandoned by his “coyote,” held at gunpoint by a farmer while gulping water from a hose after crossing the Sonora desert, peeing orange, living in cages, his backpack of clean clothes, tooth...
It’s your deal. Cards cut, they’re in your hand and now you dole them out. Thirteen cards each, one at a time around the table, let the game begin. Do you bid, or pass and hope that your partner has a good hand? As in the new mystery, “Peg and Rose Solve a Murder” by Laurien Berenson, do you even have a shot at winning? It should’ve been a very good day. Peg Turnbull was judging at a dog show and being with dogs was her favorite thing. The dog show community in her part of Connecticut was close-knit, she knew everyone, the sun was shining ...
The Theatre Arts Guild (TAG) presents The Rocky Horror Show at the Lincoln Theatre Oct. 21-Nov. 4. Directed and choreographed by Mike Jenkins, the cast features talent from Skagit Valley, Bellingham and Seattle. Audience participation and callbacks are encouraged. Prop bags will be sold before the show for $5. Visit lincolntheatre.org for showtimes and to purchase tickets. Source: Lincoln Theatre...
Join film lovers in Friday Harbor for three days of in-theatre documentaries, filmmaker Q&A’s, an opening night gala and more Oct. 21-23. Watch most of the features, shorts, student films and recorded Q&A’s online Oct. 24-30. Visit fhff.org for more information on the films, tickets and volunteer opportunities. Source: Friday Harbor Film Festival...
Come to Seaport Books Thursday, Oct. 20 to buy and have Shelter Bay novelist Ashley Sweeney sign her newly released third novel, “Hardland,” a western set in the Arizona Territory at the dawn of the 20th century. In it you will meet protagonist Ruby Fortune, a strong, independent, yes, feminist....
Watch candidate forums for November elections for Congressional District 2 and state representative district 10 through election day. Dan Matthews versus Rick Larsen for Congressional District 2: lwvbellinghamwhatcom.org. Lived-stream on Oct. 20 from 6-7 p.m. for LD 10, Pos 1 are Clyde Shavers and Greg Gilday: lwvwhidbey.org. Also lived-stream on Oct. 20 from 6-7 p.m. for LD 10, Pos 2 are Karen Lesetmoe and Dave Paul: lwvwhidbey.org. Steve Hobbs and Julie Anderson are candidates for Washington secretary of state. Their forum is live on public...
It appears to be a year of abundance for apples of many varieties. This recipe uses a large slow cooker and a food mill. The apples cook down in the slow cooker. This is a convenience but must be timed to your schedule. The food mill removes the skin and seeds. One year I made this and the food mill was grinding up the seeds. Most food mills come with different blades. So I adjusted the blade size. If you leave the skins on, the applesauce becomes dark. We love applesauce, served cold, as a...
