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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...
During World War II the U.S. government promoted the campaign “Loose Lips Sink Ships,” engaging the public to protect the country – ourselves- challenging us to review our thoughts before speaking: without self-reflection people might let slip information the Germans and Japenese could use to their advantage in the war. Citizens were united in fighting an enemy that could kill their families, friends, co-workers and neighbors and defeat the nation. Lives were at stake and shortening the war was everyone’s goal. Today the uncovered lips...
Ken Stern, editor and publisher of the La Conner Weekly News, seems determined to demonize the town administration, mayor and town council members in at least two areas: the Maple Avenue ballfield transaction and now parking fees for the new library. In a scathing editorial Aug.18 he paints an (incorrect) depiction of myself and fellow councilmen Bill Stokes delaying start of construction of the library by trying to extract parking fees for the code, which requires 10 excess (additional – ed.) parking spaces which future operation of the...
Is the editor of the La Conner Weekly News a crank and a scold? Does he – me – criticize the town council unfairly, randomly or casually, without cause? Do I have an agenda or a vendetta? I do, actually. Let me propose that I am just doing my job, sometimes more aware and sometimes less. My failure to pay attention earlier to all the details and the players around the sale of the Hedlin ballfield property has sharpened my focus. Then I was not on top of the issue, as your local newspaper editor has to be. What does the newspaper’s e...
The last item on the Aug. 10 La Conner Town Council agenda was a resolution for the Town to approve deferring a payment of $48,000 from the new library to the town for seven years, a fee for the building lacking 10 parking spaces required by code. Councilmember Bill Stokes immediately called to table the item, saying he needed more budget information. Planner Michael Davolio stood and explained the library could not get its permit to build without resolving the payment. Library representatives had met with the staff and Davolio had written...
The La Conner Weekly News published a table May 12 showing that the Town of La Conner made a profit of $8,075 on the sale of the Hedlin property. Now that the Hedlin ball field troubles are all over, let us take a look at the transaction. The cash basis closing statement shows that the Town netted $117,034 on the sale. Then, subtract $37,000 for a second option, plus an appraisal at $3,500 and a survey at $5,500 and you get $71,034. I think that wound up in the General Fund. Staff time and the paving of an easement are not counted. The Town...
While at the Skagit County Fair last week, I did a double take when I walked by a booth staffed by Skagit County Republicans. Two over-sized signs dominated their red, white and blue themed booth; you couldn’t miss them if you tried. The first read: “Rural Americans Against Communism.” What? Just rural Americans? What about suburban Americans? Urban Americans? All Americans? It’s inarguable that Americans of every political stripe, race, gender, ethnicity and religious affiliation stand against communism; this is not a partisan issue in a de...
Thank you Ken Stern for alerting us to the possibility of Fully Contained Communities popping up in this beautiful agriculture valley. The county commissioners “docketed” a change to the County’s comprehensive plan in May, which if enacted could change the farming/fishing culture forever. If developers are given the green light to construct these FCCs they would suck services and infrastructure like fire, schools, water and sewers from towns and cities that we taxpayers have already paid for and continue to maintain. They could line the freew...
RE: Application File # LU21-45CU Project Location: 623 Morris Street, Units E-1 and E-2 Mr. Davolio, Mayor Hayes, Councilmembers: I am writing for your consideration to not allow the proposed conditional use permit to change the use of two commercial units to guesthouse/guest rental for the above application file # LU21-45CU. The town of La Conner is a vibrant and diverse community with a vibrant and diverse mix of retail, commercial, residential and rental properties. It is known that the town does not have enough commercial units to keep the...
Dear Councilmembers: Wohleb, Chamberlain, Brunisholz, Leaver and Stokes; Mayor Hayes; Planner Davolio and Administrator Thomas: I read with alarm the La Conner Weekly News editorial on the “Contained Communities” amendment the Skagit County Planning Commission is considering. I spent considerable time trying to find hard dates on public hearings and the proposal itself. There already exists a long list of public comments regarding this matter in their web site and a general time line, but I cannot yet find dates for future hearings posted. I i...
There are certain moments that stick with me. One of those moments happened a few weeks ago at one of the Masses in Spanish at the Catholic Church in Mount Vernon. As the Eucharistic Prayer began, I noticed a three-year-old wander out into the middle of the aisle. She started spinning in a circle, a slow spinning, around and around and around. Her mother became aware of it and she reached out for her. But, without interrupting her swirl, she stepped back from her mother and kept spinning, around and around and around. Again, her mother reached...
RE-POSTING JULY 14 EDITORIAL ON FALL OF AFGHANISTAN. ESTIMATE ON TIME TILL GOVERNMENT FELL WAS OVERLY OPTIMISTIC. Here in La Conner, every week, every day, we are paying taxes to the federal government. Nationwide, $974 billion is going to the military this year. That is the treasure we dribbled out into the ground for two decades in Afghanistan. President Joe Biden rightfully called it our longest war, but it is only our latest war. If it becomes our last war, it might be from a combination of citizen exhaustion with patriotic fantasies of...
Concerned letter writers are again sharing both frustrations and hopes for involvement and for influencing decision making in the La Conner community. Are residents adequately informed by government staff and elected officials? Are citizens brought into discussions, with information shared? Is there a robust give and take and a chance to shape plans or are projects presented as done deals with all the heavy lifting, or not, done by their elected council representatives? A huge opportunity was missed last year to have a community conversation...
Our town administration agreed with the Hedlin family on a restricted covenant on the Maple Avenue property it bought. The covenant states a 24,000 square foot park in perpetuity. When does “in perpetuity” begin? Wouldn’t a rational person say, at the point of sale to the town? Not so, according to our town lawyer. In the sales agreement with the developer, Landed Gentry, are several amendments, including: “8. The seller (town) shall create a temporary construction easement in favor of the buyer (Landed Gentry) at Closing over the eastern...
