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The circumstances at our schools have me concerned, but that’s nothing new, I’ve seen these budgetary shortcomings coming for several years now. Maybe my farm was small and inconsequential, but it was a viable business for more than a quarter century. My wife and I had to manage a budget that was produced by us, had a small staff and we didn’t get a subsidy from anyone. Research projects were funded by profits, not grants and loans. Now I’m in a quandary; can public schools legally compete and make a profit from student activities? Friday...
I was lucky enough to be a raindrop in the sea of gun reform in Washington state. My husband and I attended one of the later hearings on HB 1240, the assault weapons ban, as representatives of Safe and Sane Skagit, a charter member of The Alliance for Gun Responsibility. SaSS was begun in 2015 after nine people were shot and eight wounded at the Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, OR., by one person’s sense of outrage and helplessness in the face of another gun tragedy. She sent a letter to friends saying, “Let us please do SOMETHING, joi...
A majority of the current and recently past volunteer Directors of Shelter Bay (SB) have accomplished the following over the past several years. • Voted to have the members of SB pay the fine of $92,500 imposed by the Swinomish Tribe against a now-former director, who denuded Rainbow Park for his sole personal benefit, and further, and has obligated the members of SB to pay for the reforestation and maintenance of Rainbow Park at the cost of an additional $120,000. They did not legally pursue this former Director to collect the fine and d...
The Swinomish Tax Authority used the same levy rate for 2023, 2022 and 2021: $11.98 per thousand. But, the assessed value of homes in Shelter Bay and Pull & Be Damned increased from $196,279,100 to $206,399,050 over the past year. The Swinomish government aims to collect $2,440,832 in taxes from Shelter Bay, Pull & Be Damned and Thousand Trails. Three taxing districts will receive contributions from the Swinomish. These are: Fire District 13 at $400,000 for operations and maintenance, plus $90,000 impact fees from the casino, plus a medical...
I live on Whatcom Street behind Pioneer Market. There are numerous people that walk, ride bikes and use strollers and walkers on the street to and from town. Lately, the traffic has increased and the corners of Talbot and Rainier streets are being used as a shortcut to get to Maple Avenue and to town, in order to avoid the Morris Street corner stop sign congestion. What I don't appreciate is cars speeding down Whatcom and cutting the corners and/or not bothering to even stop at the stop signs. It is only a matter of time before someone is...
Ramon Hayes, mayor of the Town of La Conner for 16 years, is retiring when his term ends after the November elections. Hayes deserves a huge thank you for his steadfastness. He deserves credit for the solid staff employed in support of the town's residents and infrastructure. Hayes can be rightfully proud of the two – three, really – most visible accomplishments under his watch. He secured critical state and local funding for the downtown channel boardwalk and the La Conner Swinomish Library. And, in the dark days of the coronavirus pan...
The Seattle author Timothy Egan's latest book, “A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them,” is a riveting saga of the Klan spreading their hatred of Blacks, Jews, Catholics and immigrants. The leader was a predatory con man, the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, who believed he was above the law. This is the story of how the Klan held complete power over the politicians, judges and law enforcement across the state of Indiana. They then tried to spread their tentacles over the ent...
Believe it or not, I was a star athlete in high school. My senior year I was an all-county linebacker, an undefeated wrestler and a catcher in baseball who batted .517. There were scouts at all of my baseball games but I decided instead to go to Colgate University on a football scholarship but only played freshman year because I was 5’ 8” tall and weighed 175 pounds. Now at age 76, I play golf and tennis and pickleball and work out twice weekly in a gym with very healthy equipment. As a resident...
It is sad that Jack and Julie Jones moved out of Shelter Bay over misperceptions (Citizens’ View, April 19). I wish for their sake the Jones had served on the board of directors and on committees. If they had they would still be here enjoying the beauty and tranquility of our lovely community, knowing their neighbors who serve care as much about the community as they do. The Shelter Bay marina, like every popular rental property, increases in value, pays off its debt and produces cash flow. The marina pays 10% of the land lease. It would pay m...
I have always said that as long as my daughter Victoria was in La Conner schools, I was happy to be mayor. That season has come to an end, and it is time for La Conner to choose a new representative to lead the community. May 15 through 19 interested candidates will have the opportunity to file with the county’s elections office for both the mayor’s position and two other town offices. As a result, the La Conner Weekly News asked me to write a short, 500-word piece on what qualities the next mayor should possess. I agreed to provide input recog...
The 2023 legislative session ended on April 23. Over the last four months, we developed operating, transportation and capital budgets that will help our community and our state. I'll have more to say about these budgets and what they mean for our families here in the 10th District in my next column. This week, I want to give you a snapshot of how our democracy here in Olympia works – and how local community members affect that process. Passing a single bill is like running two separate m...
Saturday is the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day. In the giddy, heady days of the early 1970s – with or without pot – people celebrated recycling. Going farther meant reusing and reducing. Reflect on that, on how radical the concepts of reusing goods has become. In the 1960s parents and grandparents returned pop bottles back to the grocery and redeemed the deposit, with the bottles going back for washing and getting refilled. Fewer new glass bottles needed to be made. Aluminum cans once did not exist. And when was the last time any of us took a r...
The Democrat-dominated state legislature, fully endorsed by a sympathetic Democrat governor, has been “fine-tuning” highly restrictive measures that adversely affect gun ownership in Washington State (House Bill 1280). When enacted – likely on an "emergency" basis – this law restricts the purchase, sale, trade and importation of a variety of semi-automatic rifles erroneously referred to as "assault weapons” in the language of the bill and by the mainstream media. This misstatement of fact is done intentionally to influence public perceptio...
Recently, some friends have asked us why we moved from Shelter Bay into the town of La Conner. The simple reason is, we lost trust in the board to act in the best interest of the community and we lost faith that the board would begin to act in the best interest of the community. Our trust started eroding with the outcome of the Rainbow Park fiasco. We were told it was in the best interest of the community to bail out a sitting board member to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. When we asked questions, we were told to attend...
As a resident of Shelter Bay, I’m grateful for La Conner Weekly News coverage of the community’s recent challenges. Because we are a very significant segment of the wider community, we unquestionably have an impact outside the confines of our neighborhood. So, it is appropriate for the local newspaper to cover the activities of our board and members, despite the apparent wishes of some to avoid that particular source of light. Thorough, balanced news coverage demands skepticism, rather than meek regurgitation of officially sanctioned com...
The Rotary Club of La Conner is once again selling field cut tulips at $6/per bunch of 10, from their two booths. One is near the La Conner roundabout, the other is in Shawn O’Donnell’s Farmhouse Restaurant parking lot. Both booths are open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday to Monday, closed Tuesdays, as long as there are tulips. All profits are returned to projects here in town and to help elsewhere. See you there, Ollie Iversen La Conner...
Very few of us are racist or know people who are racist. Few of us stay quiet when racist remarks are made. That is what polling and folks discussing race in America or in their community say. Yet I know that I very definitely crossed the street once when three Black men were coming my way. Was that caution race-based? So, a few of us are racist. Many argue that there is not systematic racism. So substitute power, control and fear as motivations driving individuals and individuals in charge of institutions to act. Statistically and...
Our legislature reviews hundreds of proposed pieces of legislation during sessions. This year, with the help of our team, I have drafted and introduced twelve bills. Six passed the House and five passed the Senate. So far, two have been signed by the Governor with more scheduled. As a first-time legislator, I would like to share how proposals become law with a bill that I’ve introduced this year, House Bill 1658, which allows high school students to earn credit for paid work experience and f...
Peace will come to Ukraine, but how and when? Fourteen months after Russia's invasion and nine years after their occupation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, the largest European conflict since Hitler's 1939 invasion of Poland is an intractable tragedy destroying two societies. The horrific loss of soldiers on both sides continues. In Ukraine civilians are in danger in war zones and from targeted attacks throughout the country. Look to AP – Associated Press – or other analyses to learn of the probably over 70,000 Russian-side combat deaths and...
In your editorial (“Free Speech in Shelter Bay,” April 5) you state “Public governments are regulated by the revised Code of Washington, or RCW.” You neglected to mention that Home Owners Associations (HOAs) are also regulated by the RCW, specifically RCW 64.38. I agree with you that Weekly News coverage of Shelter Bay should be allowed unless restricted by RCW 64.38. I also feel, as stated before, that the Weekly News should be a valuable resource in assisting our three interwoven communities better understand each other – warts and all. So,...
The facts about health care in the United States are eye opening. How can a nation that spends nearly twice as much as our economic peers still have so many problems? As the former ranking member of the state Senate Health Care Committee and current assistant ranking member, I spent some considerable time trying to unpack our rising health care cost challenge. Like other complex, human problems, this one won’t be solved with a silver bullet either. Let’s start with the biggest problem in our...
Is democracy dangerous to the health of Shelter Bay community board members? Or, is the board’s leadership allergic to free speech? Is it possible that the Weekly News is just plain wrong in its efforts to cover Shelter Bay governance? The Weekly News has taken the standard journalistic approach to cover Shelter Bay: attending meetings; interviewing people; reading documents – including court filings; and tracking social media posts. Staff have spoken to people on and off the record, on background and for source material, including holding nam...
The opportunity to be involved in a new library project in the community we chose to move to in 2007 has been a once in a lifetime experience. I’m grateful to have been able to work with so many who were dedicated to a shared vision that united our community. After a 20-year dream of the Friends of the Library, and an all-out effort over the past 10 years, our “little library that could” made it happen. Thank you to the La Conner Library board of trustees for your commitment to the new library. You held fast to the goal of a building design and...
Washington state is a crucial stopover for millions of migrating birds. The diverse landscapes, from the coast to the mountains, provide essential habitats for birds during their long journeys. Among many vital habitats, the Skagit Valley stands out as an especially important wintering ground for tens of thousands of migrating birds. As a major destination for snow geese, swans and other species, the Valley provides crucial resources and shelter during the colder months, helping to ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures. As the...
Our town hall meetings aren’t that different from what happens in the House and Senate in Olympia. People share their opinions – sometimes softly, sometimes loudly. Yet the kind of dialogue we have—and the attitude we bring to that conversation—determines everything else. It was an honor to host two bipartisan town hall meetings in March and to listen to your ideas, stories and questions. Every town hall is unique, because every community has different issues and ideas. What is the same each ti...
