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Sorted by date Results 480 - 504 of 2077
The foundation board would like to take this opportunity to share with you some of the people and organizations in the community that have given us the means to award scholarships each year at La Conner High School. We are pleased to share that the general foundation fund has grown to $1,100,000. This endowment was created solely by the generosity of you folks in the community. Many alumni have given one dollar for every year post-graduation. Many of our neighbors from Shelter Bay, past...
SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SKAGIT COUNTY No. 23-4-00399-29 PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) In the Matter of the Estate of Linda E. Pickett, Deceased The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal...
Due to the continuing elevated fire risk conditions and low fuel moisture levels within Skagit County, the Skagit County Fire Marshal’s Office joins the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in banning outdoor burns, including campfires. Effective now, Aug. 17, 2023, and until further notice, outdoor burning is banned in unincorporated Skagit County except for permitted agricultural burning. Enclosed barbeque and propane fire pits are allowed in improved areas, such as residential backyards, and on non-combustible surfaces which a...
A trained classical pianist, La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes has great appreciation for a variety of musical genres. He naturally keeps tabs on those playing keyboards. And one of his favorites is La Conner's own Terry Nelson. "Terry is the epitome, the soul, of La Conner," Hayes told the Weekly News recently. "He's so forward thinking." A longtime proponent of green energy, having for more than four decades advocated solar heating options, Nelson is also one of a handful of home-grown La Conner...
The status of short-term rentals will get a long look as the La Conner Town Planning Commission seek public input while updating what has become a hot button topic in La Conner. During their discussion of the issue last week, commissioners endorsed holding a community roundtable in September and collecting comments on the Town’s website. Assistant Planner Ajah Eills suggested the public dialogue after short-term rentals were addressed at the Aug. 1 hybrid meeting at Maple Hall. Short-term rentals are permitted in La Conner’s commercial zon...
At first glance, comparing La Conner and Kirkland is akin to apples and oranges. But when it comes to affordable housing incentives, it is a comparison that might bear fruit. Planning department staff shared with the La Conner Planning Commission during their July meeting at Maple Hall research into how Kirkland, a Seattle suburb of nearly 100,000 people, has sought to increase its stock of affordable housing. Assistant Planner Ajah Eills provided a seven-page report on how La Conner might implement some of the measures adopted in Kirkland....
Key steps were taken last week – both literally and figuratively – to mitigate saltwater flooding on La Conner’s north end. Public Works Director Brian Lease led members of La Conner’s emergency management commission on a one-hour July 25 walking tour of low-lying spots along the north waterfront from the Washington Street-end past Channel Lodge on North First Street. The six-member advisory panel. chaired by Bill Stokes and established in response to severe saltwater flooding here last December, will soon be making a recommendation to the tow...
Anyone can be a part of the La Conner Rotary Club 2023 Harvesting Hope annual auction and dinner at Maple Hall Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m. The theme this year is “Hope Springs Eternal.” Community participation is invited to support literacy and education programs. This is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes will be honored as recipient of the Paul Harris Award to acknowledge his commitment to the community and the strong working relationship with town leaders the club has enjoyed during his tenure. Hayes stood out a...
Over the years, many ideas have been floated to solve La Conner's parking problem. An Anacortes man may have the best solution yet. At least it works for him. Michael Rudd rarely if ever has trouble parking his vehicle when in town. That's because his wheels are somewhat non-traditional – a small bright orange European-built velomobile in which he has cruised Skagit Valley roadways since 2017. Rudd was here in July to make a quick pit stop at One Moore Outhouse before returning to the La C...
Sunday, July 30 3:47 p.m. Stuck in town – Subject called to report that he had lost his rental car keys and wanted to know if they had been turned in. No reports of found keys and still missing with Enterprise Rental tag on them. Douglas St., La Conner. 4:43 p.m. Yelling off – Swinomish PD requested assistance with a subject on the bridge who was in the road and yelling at passing cars. When Deputies arrived the situation was under control and Swinomish PD had calmed the subject down. Rainbow Bridge, La Conner. Monday, July 31 11:49 a.m. Cit...
SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR SKAGIT COUNTY No. 23-4-00387-29 PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) In the Matter of the Estate of Gunnar Pedersen, Deceased The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal...
This really happened last week, though instead of it being on a TV or movie screen the set was the office of the Weekly News and the players were the real-life Rhonda, design and layout editor, and Kurt, production manager for the Weekly News. The truer-than-life star coming in was Pamela, her real name, and her 12-year-old daughter, visiting from Seattle. She walked in the door and without being cued asked, “Do you have a newspaper for sale?” and put a five dollar bill on Kurt’s desk and would not take change. “Keep it,” she said. “I work at M...
La Conner School Board Directors bit the bullet Monday in approving a barebones, $12.9 million annual budget whose target is to realize a positive fund balance by next summer. This budget is about $1 million leaner than that adopted a year ago and reflects painful staffing and program cutbacks tied to declining student enrollment and loss of federal COVID-19 emergency funds. The 2023-2024 budget was developed by Director of Finance and Operations David Cram, who was given the mission of restoring the school system’s fiscal health when he return...
Focused on the future, Town officials have taken the long view to address La Conner’s most pressing needs. Town leaders highlighted a handful of top-tier issues in a 5-year strategic plan crafted during an all-day retreat July 24 in Mount Vernon. Priorities include a mandated upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant, robust investments in fire protection and safety, providing public access on South First Street to Caledonia, securing a permanent home for the public works department, developing long-term flood mitigation measures, replacing agi...
Dennis Strong and his family began spending summers in La Conner in the mid-1950s, as did Clayton and Barbara James. They met through Ruth Pennington's Fidalgo Allied Arts summer art school, where James found his calling in ceramics and Vera Strong was teaching weaving. Their relationship and those made with others were nurtured over many summers spent in La Conner. As Peter Strong, Dennis' son, recalls, "I remember walking down the middle of First Street in that quiet town, taking art classes f...
You may not have noticed, yet our information kiosks are back up and working to keep you and visitors informed about what happens here in our town. Over the winter, the Swinomish Park kiosk blew down during a windstorm, due to the base being rusted and, with that, we decided the remaining kiosks were looking sad and due for repairs and repainting. Public Works took them into their shop disassembled them and sent them out to be painted and labeled. Then they put them back together and installed...
With a stack of fresh newspapers in hand, Ken Stern is making one of his first stops of the day at La Conner’s local office supply and business center. He greets the owners, Christina and Robyn Burdick-Good-Rubenstein – and their dog Clover. Stern knows exactly what they want, as the chanting begins: “Crossword day! Crossword day!” Stern is publisher and editor of the La Conner Weekly News. He doesn’t always deliver papers himself, but today he’s playing tour guide while he restocks local shops and newspaper boxes scattered across the two mai...
The La Conner Town Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, Upper Maple Center, 104 Commercial St. Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance Public comments (Limit of 3 minutes per person) Presentations Consent Agenda Consent Agenda (approved without objection 5/0) Approval of the Minutes: Council meetings of July 24 and 25, 2023 Finance Approval of accounts payable Approval of payroll Items removed from the consent agenda Reports Chamber report Revenue /expenditure report Department head reports Mayor’s report Council committee reports Unfinished...
I love that phrase. It always makes me smile. It is what brought me to La Conner in March 2017 to look at buying the Weekly News. I will always associate my newspaper publishing career with my best friend, Dick Wittenberg, who loves to see his name in print. My newspaper ownership is fundamentally due to friendship but more, to love and trust. Dick believes in me completely. He knew I could successfully run a newspaper. He was right. Weekly newspaper for sale. This is the second month of my seventh year owning the La Conner Weekly News. You...
The Town of La Conner Public Works Department is performing its annual fire hydrant flushing and valve exercising in August from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. If you notice any discolored water, please run your cold water supply until it clears up. If the problem does not clear up, please call Todd Park, 360-770-4536, or Chip Sherman, 360-840-3684, for assistance. Source: Town of La Conner...
After promoting the Valley's most famous flower gardens, Cindy Verge is looking forward to tending her own backyard. Executive director of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival for 20 years, Verge will retire this fall. Verge was a journalist and editor when she joined the Festival as its Sponsorship Coordinator in 1999. When she became executive director in 2003, "I learned how to run a business," Verge told the Weekly News, "because it was payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, a budget...
Emotions ran high during a July 18 meeting of the Home Trust of Skagit board, its director and residents of its Channel Cove community. Home Trust of Skagit Executive Director Jodi Dean invited residents to the meeting to explain changes at Channel Cove related to the completion of five new housing units and parking revisions. Some Channel Cove residents said the changes caught them by surprise, especially recently installed bollards that prevent residents from driving on the fire lane to...
The plight of independent community newspapers has become a national story. And last week that story's dateline was LA CONNER, WA. A five-minute segment crafted by Jeanie Lindsay, statehouse reporter for KUOW Public Radio and the Northwest News Network, chronicling the struggles of newspapers in small towns focused on efforts by Weekly News publisher Ken Stern to find a buyer for the paper he purchased six years ago. It was heard nationally. Stern received a phone call Thursday from a "between...
Hector Soltero has made countless deliveries in La Conner during his years as a United Parcel Service driver. Now it is his turn to be on the receiving end. And in a big way. The La Conner Town Council unanimously approved a resolution July 11 honoring Soltero and expressing appreciation for the outstanding service he provides to his La Conner area customers. "He's well loved by everybody in town," Councilmember Rick Dole said in proposing the resolution. "He's just a joy to be around." Council...
Tiny houses were a big topic at the La Conner Town Planning Commission meeting July 18. Planning Director Michael Davolio shared a revised draft proposal that would amend Town regulations to allow high density residential development as a conditional use with commissioners at their hybrid meeting in Maple Hall. The amendment is in response to developer Greg Ellis wanting to site 44 tiny home units on Whatcom and Washington streets behind Pioneer Market. It will be considered separately. He said he will continue tweaking the draft proposal and o...
