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In a fast-paced, often physical non-conference home hoops clash with Clallam Bay Saturday afternoon when several players were flung to the floor – and one even crashed into the scorer's table – the La Conner Braves continued to raise the ceiling on their '22-23 campaign. The boys high school team recorded its second straight blowout win with a 67-22 romp past the Bruins, a nearly identical outcome to the previous night when the Braves posted a 67-27 triumph at NW1B/2B rival Concrete. With the tw...
The ending of La Conner High School's home girls' basketball game with Neah Bay last Tuesday is one fans would just as soon forget. But what happened at halftime will remain a fond memory for years to come. Several decades of Swinomish Indian Tribal Community members who played basketball at La Conner were honored during intermission of the much-anticipated non-league matchup, which the Lady Reds won on Amber Swan's no-look, over-the-head shot in the paint off an inbounds pass as the final...
Talk is usually cheap but for the La Conner High School girls' basketball team it paid huge dividends ahead of the Lady Braves' 79-2 NW1B/2B blowout win at Concrete Friday night. Coming off a tough two-game slide – close losses to 1B powers Mount Vernon Christian and Neah Bay – La Conner (8-3) amped up its defensive energy against the Lady Lions. "We had a pretty honest meeting Tuesday with the girls while watching our game film of Neah Bay," head coach Joe Harper said, referencing a hea...
Wow. What weather these last two weeks, ending the year with both a groan and a whimper. Last Tuesday’s flood, blown in with rain and mild temperatures, was a stark contrast to the seven inches of snow and bitter cold a week earlier, the Tuesday before Christmas. Then kids could be forgiven for thinking the Washington Street sledding hill would be open all month, maybe all winter Recall 2021’s post-Christmas week weather: days of record cold, snow and First Street businesses virtually shut down. Who wanted to – or could – visit La Conner?...
The coronavirus pandemic roared into 2022 but vaccinations slowed its spread and the story faded from the public consciousness. Fewer people reported their positive tests and infections. People are still getting infected and hospitalized, however. Skagit Count now over 15,000 COVID-19 cases Jan.12 New COVID-19 hospitalizations swamping county Jan. 26 Indoor mask mandate ends statewide March 21 Feb. 23 Skagit one of 12 state counties with high COVID-19 transmission Jul. 6 New Skagit COVID-19 cases drop dramatically Sep. 7 Wearing masks indoors...
He was born on family farm in Inman, Nebraska during the dust bowl and depression of 1933. Two years later, the sale of their farm, home and equipment netted $95 and paid the train fare for the family to California. The build up to WWII brought the family to northern California. Larry attended one and two room schools through 9th grade, then boarded with relatives in the Seattle area for high school. After graduation from Lincoln High in 1948 and knowing he would soon be drafted, he enlisted in...
The two-sport college athlete is a rare bird these days. But Skagit Valley College boasts one in Sarah Cook, who has excelled at both volleyball and basketball in her first year as a Lady Cardinal. An All-State selection in both sports at La Conner High School, where she graduated in 2022, Cook has seamlessly transitioned to collegiate athletics. At 5'-8", Cook was versatile enough to be listed as both an outside hitter and libero for the SVC volleyball program last fall. Her season highlights...
Each October La Conner Public Works Director Brian Lease and his crew begin bracing for all kinds of wintry conditions anticipated in the weeks ahead – heavy snowfall, icy streets and sidewalks, high winds, steady rain and standing water. They dealt with all those in the last few days alone. A fierce winter storm that brought up to nine inches of snow was followed by record low temperatures making for hazardous travel and then rapid melting marked a wild weather week leading up through C...
The Kiwanis Club of La Conner has chosen its November students of the month. Kendall Lee is the high school student for November. Her parents are Jason and Dawn Lee. Kendall is a sophomore at La Conner High School. She is her class ASB treasurer. She plays the flute in pep band and recently joined the knowledge bowl team. Kendall plays soccer and tennis both in school and outside of school. After graduation she would like to study emergency medicine. Kellie Cayou-Lockrem is the November middle school student. Her parents are Josh and Va...
When it came time for state officials to choose a Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Athlete of the Week for girls’ 2B basketball, the decision was pretty much a slam dunk in mid-December. La Conner’s Josie Harper was the clear choice. The senior point guard helped lead the high school Lady Braves to convincing wins against three larger schools, opening the ’22-23 campaign with an impressive 7-2 record despite playing a tough early non-conference schedule. Harper scored a game-high 30 points in a home triumph over 4A Jacks...
During her three decades at La Conner Schools, Suzanne Marble has established a level of excellence unrivaled satewide. Now the entire nation is aware. Marble, a member of the Washington State Coaches Association Hall of Fame who has guided La Conner teams to seven state volleyball titles---four since 2018---has been named a 2022 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Co-Coach of the Year. She shares the national honor with Diana Kramer of New Bremen High School in Ohio. Kramer’s teams have captured three Ohio state crowns in the p...
Jack Whittaker did not single-handedly put La Conner High School athletics on the map, but the legendary one-armed coach was such a force of nature that there was no doubt 50 years ago that the school's new football field should be named in his honor. Whittaker Field, home to the football, soccer and track teams, opened in the fall of 1972, completing a four-year quest to build a lighted sports venue on campus. Its namesake, who often scrimmaged with his teams of the 1940s and 1950s – Whittaker...
Today is the official start of winter. The seasons changed Monday, though, when La Conner and the Puget Sound region awakened to sub-freezing temperatures and light snow on the ground. Much of the same is forecast through Friday. The wintry conditions immediately impacted schedules. La Conner Schools Monday morning canceled Tuesday classes, the last day of school before winter break. The La Conner High girls' basketball game at Meridian Monday and the Braves' Tuesday tipoff with Clallam Bay...
Since 2015 talks had stalled regarding negotiation of a new master lease between Shelter Bay and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Now folks are talking again. Shelter Bay and Swinomish residents and leaders last week attended the first of planned traditional Native American open floor discussions hosted by lease consultants Dr. Wil James and Ava Goodman at the tribal social services building. Most came away with a positive view of the three-hour session, which invited a frank but respectful dialogue stressing common ground approaches to s...
'Tis the season to put-up Christmas trees. At school, it's also the time of year to remove diseased trees and trim back others that are intruding on campus buildings. La Conner School District staff will take out "five sickly trees" plus trim several more over the upcoming winter break. "Three of these sick trees will be removed from the front of the high school," district staff stated in a release last week, "and four others will be limbed back in that area. One tree will be removed from...
Big school programs on the La Conner High School girls' basketball schedule have posed few issues for the Lady Braves. Not so with nearby small school rival Mount Vernon Christian, however. The Lady Hurricanes overcame a five-point halftime deficit to hand La Conner a 46-45 NW2B/1B setback at DeKok Court Saturday afternoon. La Conner was playing its third road game in three nights, having bested 4A Kamiak 68-45 Thursday and 2A North Kitsap 52-40 Friday. Mount Vernon Christian, the defending...
Just a handful of games into its schedule, the high school girls' basketball team is already in mid-season form. La Conner passed crisply, defended and rebounded tenaciously, repeatedly scored in transition and executed its high post-low post half-court offense to near perfection in an impressive 73-57 non-league triumph over 4A Skyline at Landy James Gym Saturday. Ellie Marble scored a game-high 25 points, Makayla Herrera registered a double-double and Josie Harper tallied 17 points – i...
The La Conner High School state championship volleyball team is truly in a class of its own. The netters were selected the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Team of the Month for November among all 2B athletics programs in the state. "It's an incredible group that worked so hard to improve every day and their hard work and determination paid off by capping their 2022 season with a state title," said head coach Suzanne Marble. La Conner captured league, district and state crowns...
Another week, another slew of post-season honors earned by the state 2B champion La Conner High School volleyball program. As expected, senior outside hitter Ellie Marble, who led the Lady Braves to their fourth state title in five years, was named the 2B Player of the Year. The 6'-0" Marble is a top Central Washington University volleyball recruit. She dominated play at the 2022 State 2B Tournament in Yakima last month, totaling 92 kills and 101 digs and was 68 of 72 on serve receive over four...
'TIS THE SEASON FOR SINGING, AND SWINGING, TOO – Friday and Saturday the Shelter Bay Chorus (top) performed their annual holiday chorus at their community's clubhouse. The 31 member chorus sang 13 songs to the theme of "Peace on Earth." Last Wednesday the La Conner Schools middle and high school choruses and band played to a full auditorium of family, friends, teachers and fellow students. Music Director McKenzie Clark led the middle school symphonic band, above. They played selections from t...
Monday, December 5 11:26 a.m.: Lost dog – A gray and white pit bull got loose at a service station and the owner has not seen it since. Young Rd., Greater La Conner. Tuesday, December 6 3:37 p.m.: Cut fuel line – A fuel line on a service van parked at Astound Broadband was cut sometime last week. It appeared a suspect caused the damage to the van while attempting to siphon gas. A suspect has not yet been identified. Maple Ave., La Conner. 6:24 p.m.: Intoxicated at game – An intoxicated spect...
What recession? Not in La Conner last weekend. A slew of activities started the holiday festivities – and the season's spending. The Christmas season began 6:30 p.m. Friday night, when all doors opened at the newly-built La Conner Swinomish Library, letting in a crowd of waiting bidders for the Tiny Tree auction. At 6:45, after remarks from Susan Macek, La Conner Library Foundation director, and library Director Jean Markert, one "Let the auction begin!" sent the audience to the bidding tables....
Last week was quite the start of holiday activities throughout the Skagit Valley. From Friday evening’s Tiny Tree silent auction at the La Conner Swinomish Library through a myriad of events Saturday in La Conner and holiday markets Sunday at the Vinery next to Christianson’s Nursery and at the La Conner Pub and Eatery, people were out and about, shopping and singing – a lot of singing. Did you know that the La Conner Schools volunteer students from the middle and high school music program played on Gilkey Square at 1 p.m. Saturday? Did you s...
Some attending the late November Shelter Bay town hall forum were surprised to learn the community has retained $10,000 per month consultants for more than two years to negotiate a new master lease with the Swinomish Tribal Community. Few, if any, should be surprised now, given the release by those consultants, Dr. Wil James and Ava Goodman, of the first two in a series of educational videos addressing key Shelter Bay topics, including the lease due to expire in 2044 and rent adjustments...
The La Conner High School girls' basketball team brought more than its "A" game to last week's home and road openers. The Lady Braves, under first-year head coach Joe Harper, bolted out of the gate with their "2A" game, easily downing Northwest Conference non-league foes Squalicum 50-23 at home Nov. 28 and Anacortes 62-42 Dec. 1. Ellie Marble and Josie Harper each scored in double figures to highlight the season debut at Landy James Gym. The hosts broke it open with a 32-11 run that buried...
