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La Conner residents have likely chosen Ivan Carlson and Rick Dole to represent them on town council in this election. With 4,900 ballots counted Monday by Skagit County elections office staff, the pattern of challengers Carlson and Dole’s substantial leads continue. Carlson increased his margin over Councilmember John Leaver to 108. Dole has a 52 vote lead and 55% of the total with 238 votes, even though Councilmember Bill Stokes took 10 of the 16 La Conner ballots counted this round. Dole led by 22 votes election night. Citizens o...
A surveying crew put stakes and flags up on Landed Gentry’s Maple Field development on Maple Avenue south of Talbott Street early last week to mark utilities placement. An excavator was brought on site, crushed stone placed for a driveway at the southern end and a small inventory of green pipe was left. Orange silt fencing marks the property’s north and south boundaries. Brian Gentry told the Weekly News Friday that Welch Brothers Construction is the contractor, able to schedule the work, that the delay from August was limited contractor ava...
There was cheering, celebration and emotional reunions along the northern border on Monday as the U.S. reopened its land and sea crossings to Canadian leisure travelers for the first time in 19 months. The international ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria began sailing again with all of its initial southbound trips sold out. Some border restrictions remain that could temper the rebound in tourism. As the M/V Coho ferry docked at midday in Port Angeles, a crowd of townspeople and local business owners gathered at the Black Ball ferry dock to...
The votes are mostly counted from La Conner residents deciding on three town council member positions in November’s election. In the first contested elections since 2015, voters elected challengers Ivan Carlson and Rick Dole and returned MaryLee Chamberlain to council. These three won in a high turnout election. Residents and candidates were all paying more attention than has occurred in years. That in itself is a good thing. The existing council chose a new member at their meeting last night. The council representing the community in 2022 w...
The avowed primary duty of the president of the United States is to protect and defend the Constitution and the country at large from all threats. The President swears an oath with his hand on the Bible that he will carry this out. It should be patently obvious to anyone by now that the current occupant of the White House is completely ignoring his sworn duty in most things but in particular as regards defending our borders. Since Biden took office, record numbers, in the hundreds of thousands of undocumented people from at least 160 countries...
Looking at all the pending homes that are about to be built on Maple Avenue and nearby – my question is – how am I going to be able to drive out of town with the traffic jams I foresee? Parking is already impossible on First Street. Guess I had better get my helicopter ready for when tulip time comes. Only one way out: Up. Jean Wedin La Conner...
The “Our grim COVID-19 milestones” editorial in the Oct. 20 edition comments hit the nail on the head. Periodically I have been tracking and comparing COVID-19 data from various parts of the state. Comparing Skagit and King counties confirms trends between big urban and small rural counties. As of Nov. 4, Skagit, the 11th most populated county (population 130,450), had a per capita rate of infection of 1 per 11.2 residents. King (population 2,260,800) had a per capita rate of only slightly more, at 1 per 13.56 residents. As of Nov. 5, Ska...
Kudos to Jim Airy for his Oct. 27 letter, “Critical Candidate Questions.” It was spot on! I have and will continue to use his questions and reasoning in my communication with family and friends, especially those currently estranged. If nothing else, it helps to keep me focused on Truths in this time of fake news and misinformation. It would be helpful for the Weekly News to reprint these questions and Airy’s reasoning in a future issue. Dyann Provenzano La Conner...
I’ve been disappointed with the recycling services provided to residential customers by local waste haulers. Waste Management has done little to improve residential recycling. And even though they say the major obstacle to effective recycling is education they do little (nothing?) to “educate” us in best recycling practices. Nor have they increased the kinds of recyclables they accept. Subscribers who care know that they end up putting items that might be recycled into the trash and items that might not be recycled into the recycle bins. A few...
Sales tax revenues collected for the Town of La Conner were $62,269 in October, the third straight month above $60,000. Sales tax revenues in 2021 have set records monthly, except for February. Over $521,587 has been collected to date. The town’s 2020 budget projected $328,202, the staff not knowing how tourists would respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The three months of May-July each had collections above $50,000, another first. The total collected the first ten months of 2021 is almost 60% above the year’s projected income of $32...
Skagit County has passed a rate of 600 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the 14 day period ending Nov. 5, the highest in the state. The seven day death rate is 0.8 for the period ending Nov. 5. That is calculated from the number of dead, 115, per the total number of cases in the county, 11,696 confirmed and probable cases. Spokane County has a 0.2 death rate; King and Snohomish counties have 0.1 death rates. No other county approaches a 0.1 death rate. The county’s 1,797 total c...
It might have looked easy, but no effort was spared by the two-time defending state champion La Conner High School volleyball team in its quest to make a return trip to the 2B title tournament in Yakima this week. La Conner, a perfect 18-0 in regular season action – including non-league triumphs over teams from larger schools – secured its latest state tourney berth with a straight-sets win over NW2B rival Coupeville in district playoff action last Wednesday at Landy James Gym. “I’m proud of the girls and the work that the...
Seniority has its advantages. But once lost, starting over becomes the new normal. Such is the fate of the La Conner High School boys’ soccer team, which rode a strong senior class to a respectable 7-8 record and fifth place finish in a NW2B title chase that saw league leaders Providence Classical Christian and Orcas Island win 14 and 13 conference matches, respectively. Now, for next fall, Braves head coach Galen McKnight faces the daunting task of replacing a key core group of seniors, including Skagit County scoring leader Mason Wilson. W...
Nothing in life is perfect. But the Balance Point girls’ U-12 soccer team is about as close as it gets. They went 6-0-2 in league action – outscoring foes by a cumulative 32-13 margin. The La Conner club then won two playoff games at the Skagit River Park Playfields in Burlington on Saturday, capturing the Skagit Valley Youth Soccer crown in its age division. Balance Point beat Mestizos Mexican Restaurant of Sedro-Woolley 1-0 in the semifinals. Maicy Bowles scored the lone goal in the hard-fought match, a defensive struggle played in c...
Stop by the Rexville Grange Friday evening to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Rexville Grange Holiday Art Show – and do a little shopping while you are there. The semi-annual show began in the Pleasant Ridge Pottery and Gallery across from the Rexville Grocery in the 1980s. Artists Marguerite Goff and Kit Muehlman sold their ceramic work and a collection of local art, jewelry, clothing, weaving and herbal items. When the Gallery closed in May 2000, Goff, Janet Hamilton, Beth Hailey...
The Festival of Tiny Trees Trail is coming to downtown La Conner Friday, Nov. 19-Sunday, Nov. 21! A new twist on what has become a much anticipated local kick-off to the holidays is back, presented by the Library Foundation and the Friends of La Conner Regional Library. Rather than an in-person gathering, this year’s Trail through downtown La Conner will feature almost 30 uniquely decorated tabletop trees available for suggested minimum donations. There will be no bidding on tiny trees as at previous years’ events. “We wanted to offer this...
Procedure trumped philosophy. That’s how La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes explains his decision to not sign a town council resolution passed Oct. 26 recommending Skagit County commissioners not place Fully Contained Communities in the county’s comprehensive plan. The town council had approved the non-binding three-page advisory measure by a 3-1 margin with member Bill Stokes, who sought a delay of the vote, asking to furher consider the issue, dissenting. The county comp plan is designed to provide a vision for the future, including long-range goa...
Pat Paul knows her history. She also knows the history of indigenous people throughout the Americas, enough of it that Paul took part last week in a major online global biennial conference addressing their plight. A La Conner attorney and Alaska native who resides in Swinomish Village and was recently elected president of the Skagit County Historical Society board of directors, Paul was a featured speaker at the third Indigenous World’s International Congress. Attendees spoke French, Spanish or Portuguese, primarily. Paul’s presentation Fri...
A La Conner alum who shares a famous name with a hero of the American Revolution is himself well known for tireless work over the past quarter-century on behalf of youths. John Hancock, a 1983 graduate of La Conner High School, was student body president and the Northwest B league boys’ basketball player of the year his senior year – and joined by his younger brother, Robert, in the Braves starting lineup. Today he leads by linking America’s students to real-world career options. “Pe...
Some people spend many years of their life searching for their passion. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines passion as a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something. For one Skagit Valley resident, passion was first found via a piece of chalk on a blackboard. Bob Hamblin, now 82, was only six years old when he saw his teacher draw an American goldfinch on the classroom blackboard. Hamblin was instantly fascinated with the drawing and wanted to learn more...
Monday, November 1 12:38 p.m.: No harm no call – Caller reported a vehicle parked in their parking lot with the window broken. Deputies were advised nothing was taken and the owner never called in. Bay View Edison Rd., Bay View. 4:04 p.m.: Called too late – Deputies responded to a report of a cold vehicle prowl. Bay View Edison Rd., Bay View. Wednesday, November 3 2:45 p.m.: Truck rolled – Deputies responded to a one car roll over accident. The vehicle involved was a semitruck and trailer. Bay Channel Dr., La Conner. Thursday,...
It’s that time of year when people get busy or just want to watch football, or both. When we get a rotisserie chicken, this is the second meal I prepare. This uses one chicken breast of a rotisserie chicken. I sauté the chopped onion, but not too long, so they are slightly crunchy. I spice up the meat in different ways and mild RoTel works. I have used a medium salsa as well. Ingredients The breast of a rotisserie chicken Cooking oil, 1 tablespoon Flour tortillas, 6 Ro*Tel,mild, 10 o...
