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OLYMPIA — A federal appeals court reversed a last-minute Trump Administration decision to deny Medicaid funding for dental health aide therapists in Washington tribal communities, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Washington Health Care Authority announced Jan. 19. These dental aides help fill a void in tribal communities, which have a significant shortage of dentists and dental services. The state and Swinomish jointly filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit after P...
Skagit County is seeking applicants for a seat in District 2 for a Citizens Advisory Committee, the Agricultural Advisory Board that makes recommendations to the county commissioners on land use, planning, programs and policy decisions relating to agriculture. Applicants need a demonstrated knowledge, experience and interest in one or more of the following areas: soil and water conservation, farming practices, food and feed processing, wholesale and retail marketing, produce buying, direct marketing, supply, agricultural real estate/land...
More than once during a lifetime that spanned nearly a century the late Fred Mesman was referred to as a Renaissance Man – a person with wide interests and expertise in numerous areas. So it was only fitting that Mesman, who died in December at age 98, would be remembered as such during graveside services Saturday afternoon at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery attended by a wide cross-section of the La Conner community. Gathering on a picture-perfect sunlit day – one in which Mesman, an outdoors ent...
In my 16th and final year as mayor, I would like to thank the La Conner community for the opportunity to serve as your representative. Although our resources are limited, La Conner has been fortunate to attract and retain staff who are dedicated to the community and whose work ethic, in many cases, far exceeds a 40-hour work week. La Conner is also blessed with a plethora of volunteers who participate in everything from our town council, planning commission, arts and parks commissions and, with 23 active volunteers, our fire department. Its...
The past year was a busy one at Fire District 13. That trend will likely continue this year as the La Conner area district prepares to launch a community paramedicine program while adding a modular residential unit at its Snee-Oosh Road station. Fire Chief Wood Weiss noted 2022 statistics set new marks for annual demands for service at the commissioners Jan. 12 meeting. “It was a very big year,” Weiss reported. “Our biggest year pre-COVID was 2019 when we had 1,340 incident calls. We surpassed that in 2022 with 1,413 calls,” with Decembe...
We deserve better, even if we don't demand it. The latest findings from the Washington state auditor's office are unfortunately just a snapshot of an obscure yet growing problem in our state government, one that has only been made worse by large influxes of funding from the federal government and unprecedented economic growth in our state. In a time of scarcity, when many of our neighbors have been left behind, not only is state government failing to provide necessary and promised services, but...
La Conner Town Council and La Conner Schools officials addressed common goals and interests at their respective meetings last week. Councilmembers Mary Wohleb and MaryLee Chamberlain joined the Jan. 9 school board session via Zoom to share tips for the district best applying for state Department of Commerce grants that fund solar energy projects. Superintendent Will Nelson and Bobby Vaughn, director of operations and planning, returned the favor by attending the Jan. 10 Council meeting to weigh in on a possible joint venture to install a new...
Frederick James Mesman passed away on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at the age of 98 at Life Care Center of Mount Vernon. Fred was born Aug. 30, 1924 on the family farm near Rocky Point, Whidbey Island to parents Sam and Tiena Mesman. He was raised there with his brother Francis and sisters Betty and Darlene, surrounded by relatives, as well as horses, cows, dogs and chickens. He especially loved times on West Beach, searching for agates with his mother or finding salvage on the beach. He attended...
Monday, January 2 1:12 p.m.: Suspicious workers – Report of suspicious subjects turned out to be commercial window maintenence workers. Morris St., La Conner. Wednesday, January 4 4:44 p.m.: Hit and run – An older female driver in a small silver SUV crashed into a car. The driver left the scene of the collision. The SUV registration was not able to be obtained and the SUV was not located by law enforcement. Morris St., La Conner. 10:10 p.m.: On the loose – An employee saw someone open the door...
They come from opposite ends of the country, different generations and work separately at Town Hall. But Ajah (pronounced Asia) Eills and Lynne Lovejoy, the Town of La Conner's new staff hires, complement one another quite nicely. Eills, a native of Concord, New Hampshire and a 2021 graduate of College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts – a Jesuit school that has produced numerous business and political leaders, actors and sports stars – arrived here in November as the assistant pla...
After winning a razor-thin race made closer by late campaign charges that he had embellished his military service and civilian career resumes, it is full steam ahead for U.S. Naval Academy graduate Clyde Shavers as he embarks for Olympia as the 10th Legislative District's newest lawmaker. Shavers said he has already been swamped with work ahead of the Jan. 9 opening of the 2023 legislative session. "These past few weeks," he told the Weekly News recently, "I have been tirelessly working on...
Three years ago Meyer Sign & Advertising Company launched a blog series dedicated to “telling the stories of the people, places and things that make the Skagit Valley a magical place to live.” The Mount Vernon business called this “Tales of the Magic Skagit.” Some 80 episodes later, not counting many other stories that make up the “Behind the Sign” section of their website (www.meyersign/articles), “Tales of the Magic Skagit” has attracted a respectable and highly engaged audience that not only...
After struggling through two pandemic years, the Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon closed out 2022 in good shape. Audiences are returning. There is money in the bank. Membership, which dipped to 482 during the pandemic, is on the rise. Programming and ticket sales look good for 2023. Pull and Be Damned resident Roger Gietzen is a big factor in the Lincoln's good fortunes. A Lincoln staff member staff since 1999 and executive director since 2015, he has helped lead the theatre, its staff and volunt...
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...
The La Conner Town Council was productive at its last meeting of the year Dec. 13. It approved the Town’s 2023 budget and passed ordinances raising fees after hearing from residents and getting staff reports. No residents spoke at the public hearing ahead of unanimous approval of the budget. The budget estimates $5.6 million in revenues with expenses of $6.97 million, projecting a $1.4 million deficit. See story, page 1. The business-side approvals included an amendment finalizing the 2022 budget, joining increases passed earlier. The six f...
In February of 2022, I took the CEO position at Skagit Habitat for Humanity after working for eight years in homeless services. I had once been homeless and hopeless myself. I joined Habitat because I felt like I could make more of a difference by helping with the root causes of homelessness rather than just providing a band-aid. Homelessness is a housing issue. In November of 2013, I bought my very first home and it changed my life forever, so I know what a blessing being a homeowner is. Affordable housing has been at crisis levels for...
If patience is indeed a virtue, Skagit County Fire District 13 Commissioners and staff at manufactured home retailer Coach Corral have certainly earned their way onto Santa’s nice list this year. Commissioner John Doyle reported tangible progress in a lengthy permit process for the addition of a modular housing unit at the Snee-Oosh Road station at the panel’s meeting Dec. 8 “It’s been a rocky road with the permit process,” Doyle acknowledged, citing “bureaucratic stuff” and changes in the floor plan to three bedrooms and an office from f...
By April Grossruck Come on down to Skagit Cellars Winery tasting room this week to view and bid on over 50 original artworks to benefit Predators of the Heart. Bid now and come to the auction on Dec. 10, 5-7pm. Predators of the Heart is a 501(c)3 nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and education and conservation center in Anacortes. Our mission is to educate children and adults about wildlife, to build a culture of respect and compassion towards wild animals and the environment. We strongly believe...
5 Commercial Street Upper Maple Center and by Zoom Information is below and on the Town Website I. Call to Order II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Public Comments (Limit: 3 minutes per person) IV. Presentations: V. Consent Agenda A. Consent Agenda (Approved without objection 5/0) 1. Approval of the Minutes: Council Meetings of November 8 and 22, 2022 2. Finance: Approval of Accounts Payable Approval Payroll B. Items Removed from the Consent Agenda VI. Reports 1. Chamber Report 2. Revenue /Expenditure Report 3. Department Head Reports 4....
The spot re-zone being requested by Bertlesen Farm LLC on sixty acres north of its winery on Starbird Road is what leads to urban sprawl as urban services are extended to rural land. Both the Growth Management Act and Skagit County’s Comprehensive Plan were created by citizens and planners to stop sprawl. The goal is to not end up as Lynnwood everywhere. Be clear that the zoning request is not “like” the winery to the south – it includes a gas station, general store, campground, farmers market, equipment rental business, dog park, etc. To get...
Skagit County Auditor Sandy Perkins has given election workers a ringing endorsement for their yeoman work processing tens of thousands of mail-in ballots. But there's still room for improvement, she and elections supervisor Gabrielle Clay insist. Only they are speaking in literal terms and not in reference to job performance. "We need more space," Perkins explained during an hour-long interview with the Weekly News last Thursday as the Nov. 8 election votes continued to be counted under the...
By Aven Wright-McIntosh “I should be able to do whatever I want on my land to generate revenue and enable me to continue farming,” a farmer commented. An engaged group of two dozen attendees gathered last Thursday evening at Maple Hall to discuss with Skagit County planners the development of agritourism and its impact on farms and farmers. Staff are reviewing what agritourism means to the County’s agricultural community, rural residents and other stakeholders. Agritourism is generally considered to be a commercial enterprise at a worki...
The special Friday morning hybrid meeting at which Fire District 13 commissioners approved a 2023 budget lasted just 20 minutes. But the real hard work crafting the fiscal plan of slightly more than $1.6 million and operating expenses nearing $1.4 million took place in the weeks before Nov. 18. Chairman Bruce Shellhamer praised district secretary Tracy Berg and Fire Chief Wood Weiss for preliminary work in developing the budget. "Tracy and Chief Weiss have been working hard on this," said...
Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID 19 emergency declaration expired Oct. 31, fading away 31 months after he first declared a statewide emergency Feb. 29, 2020. Recall his TV appearances through March as the coronavirus spread worldwide and Inslee moved to expand public health measures. Reflect on the earliest dark days of the coronavirus pandemic when it was an unknown threat whose scourge seemed limitless. Increasingly, everything was shut down and we were all told to stay home. We locked ourselves up in our houses. Schools were shut, church services can...
Throughout the month of November, Hospice of the Northwest is joining organizations nationally to celebrate National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. This year’s theme is “Meeting You Where You Are.” The Hospice of the Northwest team embraces end-of-life care with a holistic approach that meets patients where they are in more than just a physical sense. Hospice of the Northwest will conduct several community outreach activities this month focused on increasing awareness about hospice services and advance care planning. To learn more about...
