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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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
In 2023 the La Conner School District taxes will be $993,717 for operations and $1,300,000 for debt service. There are 2,313 taxpayers in the district. On average, each taxpayer pays $992 for schools. According to the school district’s budget, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community contributes $500,000 to operations and nothing to debt service. Debt service is covered by non-Indians. According to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, 34% of the student population is Native American. The Tribe’s share of debt service is $442,000...
Too many neighbors are experiencing the trauma of homelessness and that affects our entire community’s quality of life and economic prosperity. Did you know that underhoused students are 25% less likely to graduate than their housed peers? And 300+ households in Skagit County currently have no home, with many more struggling every day to find or keep housing. Many are working hard to make it better, including Community Action and the 16 service providers that participate in Skagit County government’s Coordinated Entry homeless response sys...
We live in challenging times and a plague of misinformation stands in the way of finding solutions. We are cautioned that instead of social media, we should seek truth in “real news,” traditional journalism. Sadly, this paper chose to cover the recent Shelter Bay town hall by quoting anonymous social media posts on Shelter Bay issues instead of reporting what actually took place at the meeting. The writer’s bias against the current board was not well concealed in the poorly written piece. Phrases like “sources did say,” “the Weekly News was to...
Upon reading of the sign blight in Conway, I thought I’d go investigate more thoroughly. I went to where the proposed sign is to be put and watched the flight of the trumpeter swans as they left for the night. They don’t usually fly over the gas station, where the sign is proposed to go. They fly south along the hillside ‘til they get high enough to fly across the freeway, with Skagit Bay a couple of miles away! The sign’s only real destination has to be on their already existing 76 sign. The 10’ x 30’ sign will be just under the “76,” on pr...
Accusations of ethics violations are being used by the Shelter Bay board of directors to silence and dispense with dissension. As a member of the community, I know I’m joined by many others in completely rejecting the actions they have taken against two elected board members. Sadly, the officers have been unable to lead the board in governing for the community. There are nine board members. Four are appointed, five elected. While the president is an elected member, the vice president, treasurer and secretary are all appointed members. This r...
To those who are concerned from a Skagitonian. Choosing an environment to enhance a business when you’re young, or to enrich each day when you’re old becomes a vital decision. My family members chose Washington state’s Skagit County and have never regretted it. Farms with verdant fields framed by magnificent mountain ranges enhance every outing. Space allows eyes to absorb and minds to respond to our natural beauty. To block the openness with a commercial sign threatening this healthy, developing opportunity is a travesty. I implore you to co...
Dear Town of La Conner residents, On behalf of the Skagit Community Band, I would like to thank the fabulous La Conner audience that came to our concert on Friday Feb. 3 at Maple Hall. It was truly a night to remember. When the power went out and I asked the band what they wanted to do, they said “Let’s go on.” That is when the magic began. The band scrambled to fix the situation by getting out stand lights and cell phones. The audience offered flashlights and offered to stand behind members to illuminate their music. It was the affir...
My post office (“small” 3x4 inch) box rates have been creeping up, especially in the last few years, from $60/year to $75/year and now $210/year. When I Googled “average post office box rates,” it said a small box averaged between $5.50/month or $66/year, to $38.33/month and $460 a year. So La Conner fits in between. However, we residents who live inside the town limits don’t qualify for home delivery and therefore are forced to rent a P.O. Box. Those who live outside town limits get free delivery even on Saturdays which isn’t an option for...
Last July, Adam Avery made an excellent pitch for a new fireboat to the La Conner Town Council. The old one doesn’t work well. Adam said that a new boat would cost between $275,000 and $375,000. The administrator referred to grants that might help and stated that we are more at risk than anyone in the county for fires such as what we might face. Adam said that he and his team would seek out the perfect boat for our needs and Mayor Ramon Hayes “pledged that the Town would help with a strategy for bringing on project partners.” ‘ That was then an...
Late Saturday afternoon, approximately 40 people came to the La Conner Civic Garden Club to hear from newly elected Rep. Clyde Shavers of the 10th Legislative District. Shavers began by sharing three principles that guide him when researching, drafting and submitting legislation to the House: 1) Does the legislative policy reflect a story or an issue that was shared by a constituent? 2) Does the policy positively affect not just one individual, but the entire district and state? 3) Can we carry this policy forward into the future? In other...
King tides, like pesky mosquitoes, occasionally discomfort those that are having a picnic in paradise. Water runs downhill, right into the lowest places around, saturating the ground, drowning earthworms and roots, making us humans frown, as we put on our boots. Yeah, a few of us have lived in the lowlands for all of our lives and have never seen a wave of water lapping at the door. Unfortunately, I have. November of 1990 was the month and year when Fir Island was filled by a failed levee. Yeah, the Skagit River can be a wild thing, all the...
In January of 2022, a record-high king tide, coupled with strong winds and unusually low barometric pressure, pushed the waters of Edison Slough to breach the west-side town dikes, causing substantial damage to some homes and a number of businesses in “downtown” Edison. At its regular monthly meeting that January, the Edison Women’s Club, an active community group formed over 100 years ago to maintain safety and improve life for the citizens of Edison, collectively made a decision to address the dikes. A subcommittee was created. It organ...
By proclamation of the governor, January is School Board Recognition Month. It’s a great time to recognize our elected community members who selflessly give their time and energy in support of high-quality public schooling for our youth. School board members in La Conner are entrusted by this community with responsibility for an annual budget of $13,856,000 in 2022-2023, with an average of 527 students, 116 employees and nine buildings. School boards are charged with making decisions that can sometimes be quite difficult, or require sifting t...
Flood cleanup is costing La Conner residents thousands. Residents should be informed, on a regular basis, of any disaster relief fund coming from Olympia. Publication of progress should be published in the La Conner Weekly News. We need help and we need to be informed. Jean Wedin Flood victim...
I am pleased to add my appreciation to the many other thankful letters you received, hopefully, after reading the editorial of our “Local heroes of democracy. This is some of the “village” that it “takes” to keep a town honest to itself while moving forward as it must. It is many people, offering their talents, time, and tenacity, to make La Conner unique. Thank you, Ken, for recognizing those you did by name and recognizing that there are even more, unnamed. It is a big village for a small town. In peace, Irene Blanchard Greater La Conner...
Once again our community responded generously and warmly to this year’s Festival of Tiny Trees. More than $8,000 was raised to support additional furnishings for the new La Conner Swinomish Library. It was wonderful to be able to host everyone in our new library and to recognize the amazing efforts that made it possible. We applaud and appreciate all who made this year’s event a success! Tam Mason from WaFd Bank who stepped up to coordinate the event. What a hero! Our creative tree donors & designers: Local businesses and museums: Linda Ban...
Thanks for the free paper, Mr. Editor, even if I’d read it before. I think I’ve missed maybe one, since your arrival as publisher all those years ago. I like to think of myself as a La Connerite, but perhaps I’m not. The Beaver Marsh and Fir Island are formally Mount Vernon, but here is where I hang out. I fished the channel when there were some fish here and I fished the Skagit River when fish were there. Now I fish neither, nope, not enough fish anywhere! Now I grit my teeth and look a bit pitiful, with my steely glare and my mostly missi...
