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Sorted by date Results 828 - 852 of 1886
Here we go again. Whatever the merits of Greg Ellis’ proposal to build six or so houses on the Washington Street lot behind Pioneer Market, he provides the opportunity for town and Skagit Valley residents to again wrestle with the complexity of gaining affordable housing in La Conner and throughout the county. At his permit hearing Sept. 21, Ellis shared his pitch to offer “affordable housing, in the high 500s.” That is pricing affordable only to folks downsizing from Seattle or San Francisco. Ellis is offering the wish, like Dorothy clicking h...
I fully support President Biden’s decision to end the 20 year war in Afghanistan and the presence of American troops in the impoverished war-torn country. Here is why: while the withdrawal was always going to “messy” and fraught with violence as in most evacuations, from Dunkirk to Vietnam, it was like finally pulling off the bandage. It needed to be done. It was crazy, for sure. There were 15,000 allied lives lost in trying to evacuate those soldiers off that beach in France in 1940. Yet Churchill is considered a hero for his decision. So it n...
These are very challenging times for so many reasons. Many of us have lost loved ones, some of us have lost our jobs or had them shut down, hopefully for the time being. This are especially trying times for people like me who are very social and love to be out and about. Ironically, as much as I love directing television, my shpilkes makes it very difficult for me to hunker down at home. “Shpilkes” is Yiddish for a playful gas and a fun way to describe being ADHD. Fortunately, I chose this tim...
I guess we should have expected it, but it’s disappointing none the less. Since “affordable housing” is a critical issue for all our communities, it is now being used as a cudgel or enticement for what would otherwise be an unacceptable development options. For Skagit county, the implementation of the Growth Management Act was particularly painful. We were delinquent in implementing the law and were at risk of sanctions from Olympia by the time we actually adopted our Comprehensive Plan. There was also significant tension between the count...
For those who read books, you know that a good book can help immensely, to make you smile, laugh, wonder, learn, improve your mood, challenge you and, yes, make you cry. Books can be the elixir to lighten a load and soothe the soul. Books help us see how big and wonderful and complex our world and universe is and how people – you – are both the same and different from other individuals, how small and insignificant humans are and how significant each of us is. Books are the key to tomorrow, however well or ill our actions may be base...
On Sept. 3, 2021 the news posted a graph showing how much military equipment was left in Afghanistan to arm the Taliban. Treason comes to mind. Anyone with common sense after seeing that graph knows the person in charge should resign or be impeached. American flags should remain at half-mast until one or the other takes place. The value of equipment left behind would be enough to build seven nuclear powered aircraft carriers, keeping any adversary from stepping on American toes for the foreseeable future. The vice president should also be...
I am writing today to bring awareness to the issue of property crimes and crimes of opportunity. This is a situation that exists throughout the county and La Conner has certainly not been immune to this activity. I encourage each citizen, household and business to take this occasion to assess your individual readiness regarding security. Some obvious measures include removing any items of value from your vehicles and making sure garage and home and business doors are locked. Other effective actions include the implementation of automated...
Last night La Conner’s town council met an hour early to discuss the town’s 2022 budget, which they will pass in December. They started with the big-ticket items: the sewer system and wastewater treatment plant and the parks, facilities, streets, water and drainage infrastructure that public works manages. None of this is glamorous, as much as President Biden and Congress have talked about it this year. It is expensive at every level, and more expensive than local and state governments can handle on their own. Last year La Conner budgeted alm...
We are writing in support of Ivan Carlson for Town Council, Position 2. Ivan lives a few doors down from us. In the Sept. 1 issue of this paper, it was mentioned that Ivan advocated for better signage on Maple Street at the Aug. 24 town council meeting. He also provided flags for the crosswalk at Maple and Caledonia. It has already yielded improved safety for our family. It is a great first (but hopefully not last) step. We appreciate folks that listen, but we strongly admire people who act. It is especially admirable since Ivan had no...
Ken, I want you to know I completely support your editorials and articles and I was appalled at the content of Mr. Hageman’s letter. He succeeded in demonstrating the epitome of what the ultra-conservative represent. I did not see any reference to what he felt Trump did right to help our country, rather he just condemned our current administration with all the same accusations we have been hearing for years. Keep up the good work and don’t let those who wish to keep our people at odds rather than learn compassion, compromise and respect for...
In last week’s La Conner Weekly News Randy Hageman mocked the qualifications and political positions of U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. Mr. Hageman also belittled her work as a bartender, as if working class folks are unworthy to serve in Congress. He is dead wrong on all counts. AOC was not elected because of her “charm and charisma” (though she has plenty of each). She is a graduate of Boston University, cum laude, with a double degree in international relations and economics and served as an intern on Ted Kennedy’s staff....
The dictionary, in its definitions of family, includes “all those descended from a common ancestor.” During my years as a priest I have become acquainted with hundreds and hundreds of families. Many were happy and united. Others were devastated by the death of a parent, by illness, financial needs, by alcohol or drugs. What inspired me was how some families coped with problems. The family members all joined in caring for an elderly parent or caring for a sick member for whatever reason. Much depends on everyone according to the family in whi...
Thank you, Jacques. The giving of all this time to your community is more than commendable. Towns of any size are not easy to manage. Council members are challenged every day to do their due diligence and make the best decisions they can. Some are extremely challenging, while others are easy, or at least somewhat so. Your concern about the ring dike is completely justified. We are the lowest lying town around, so without this dike we could realistically get washed into the slough. Yeah, I appreciate your tenacity. It is not an easy subject to...
Help, please, with offering a way out of our collective predicament at all societal levels, from church congregations through school districts, fire departments and as county, state and national communities. Everywhere there is a downward spiral as righteous rhetoric grows ever more strident against getting coronavirus vaccinations and the forced necessity to again wear masks in public. This segment of our citizenry continues to insist on pressing their personal and global views on the larger community. This editorial is defending, not...
Just a note of appreciation and admiration of Craig Barber’s photos of the harvesting workers printed in the La Conner Weekly News of September 1. They are beautiful and respectfully recorded. Often photos of workers are shot well-meaning to respect privacy, but are instead mediocre, sacrificing the soul of the moment to preserve identity. Barber’s photos in this case are reminiscent of a Thomas Hart Benton painting: an homage to the working force. If you haven’t seen them, it is worth your time to take a look on line. I look forward to more...
What a beautiful photograph of carrot harvesting on the front page this week! I had to do a double take: is this a famous painting, or is it a photo? It was reminiscent of a great piece of art, “The Gleaners” perhaps, only more colorful, with more energy. Thank you for the beauty and the insight into the work in the surrounding fields that most of us never get to see this close up. T.J. Reinoso La Conner...
In response to a letter sent to the La Conner Weekly News Sept. 1, it occurs to me that our political positions may have become too staunch. (Defined - loyal and committed in attitude.) Reading Mr. Hageman’s letter one can see he places himself and the editor of the paper squarely at opposite poles. A committed Republican vs. a committed Democrat. I would suggest that neither is true. For each of James Dobson’s remarks one could attribute the words following “more” to a staunch Democrat and, likewise, the words following “less” to a staunch R...
Don Kruse, long-time resident of La Conner and owner of Skagit Sun Berries was one of five farmers gathered in 1989 to discuss serious development challenges that faced farmers and farming in the Skagit Valley. The chat around that table led to the formation of Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland. We all should be thankful for SPF, for the few who were there at the beginning for the many who continue to support its essential work. Don died late last week at his home in La Conner. He leaves his family, his friends, employees the fields of Skagit...
She is still at it. Just last week, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez mentioned it again: taxpayers should make reparation payments on behalf of those who were slaves in the 1800s. My question is this: to whom, exactly, should these payments be made? The slaves have been gone for three or four generations! And by the way, reparations have already been paid. In the years preceding the Civil War, almost everyone in the North (and many in the South) were against slavery. After four years of horrific battle, 360,222 Union soldiers died to put an end to...
This letter is a sincere thank you to the Honorable Representative David Paul and his legislative assistant, Mayzie Shaver. Sometimes we are so dismayed by the polarization of national politics, that we forget those unsung heroes who represent us at the state level. Mr. Paul’s office truly understands the meaning of “public servant.” I was working well beyond retirement age as my Social Security was insufficient to pay my rent. I lost my job. I kept looking for work, had several interviews, but no employment. I had been unable to commu...
All of a sudden the political season is upon us, with the signs of three La Conner council candidates on lawns around town. Voters will decide in November whether to continue with or replace three council members. The pairings are Ivan Carlson versus John Leaver, Rick Dole against Bill Stokes and Glen Johnson facing MaryLee Chamberlain. Well before the election, hopefully, council will pick a town resident to replace Jacque Brunisholz, who announced his retirement Aug. 24 after 12 years on council. Brunisholz leaves just as his colleagues are s...
I am stunned by the unvaccinated “freedom lovers” who jeopardize the health and life of others, filling our hospitals with COVID-19 patients and demanding superhuman care-giving from our dedicated exhausted healthcare workers. Hospitals are forced to prioritize COVID-19 patients above those who have waited for necessary but elective surgeries because if COVID-19 is left unchecked it is a larger threat to the world. New variants are free to mutate and reproduce in these unprotected people. Does “freedom” really extend to life threatening endange...
Dear Mr. Stern: You fit the bill: another also-ran of the liberal media. To wit: your editorial on August 25. Everything Democrat is good, everything Republican is evil. You have yet to acknowledge any gains Republicans have made, nor have you acknowledged any failures of the Democrats. Read: extremely biased. So what do you say about the following comments by Dr. James Dobson? I firmly believe he is spot on. “The Left has now achieved ultimate power in the White House, in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. Consequently there w...
We are supporting Ivan Carlson for the La Conner town council position 2. We have known Ivan all of his life. He and Tawsha are raising their family here in La Conner. Ivan has deep roots in La Conner. He is the fourth generation in his family to volunteer for La Conner Hook and Ladder. His son is the fourth generation of the Carlson family to attend La Conner schools. Ivan cares about the well-being of this town. He understands the importance of keeping our youth healthy and creating available housing for our young families. Ivan knows how...
One person can make a difference and everyone should try.” – John F. Kennedy Two years ago my youngest granddaughter was standing on the side of a pontoon boat as it neared the dock. Waves caused the boat to bounce and she fell over the side, disappearing as the boat closed over her and banged hard against the wooden dock. As she was wearing a life jacket and had had beginning swim lessons at the YMCA she knew to kick and head upwards. She came up under the rocking, darkened boat. Within seconds my daughter, her mother, jumped in, swam u...
