BREAKING: BNSF train derails behind Swinomish casino
Update, March 17 at bottom SWINOMISH RESERVATION — Early the morning of March 16, before 1 a.m., the two locomotives of a BNSF train heading east from an Anacortes oil refinery derailed along the...
Yes it has been cold: Weather delays daffodil blooms
It's March 15, and nary a daffodil can be seen, but Brent Roozen isn't worried. Field picking ramped up last weekend, said the Washington Bulb Company CEO, and daffodils are shipping to customers at...
Record February Town sales tax revenues
Between gift giving generosity and tourists wanting to get out of their hometowns, La Conner registers jingled merrily in December. Town of La Conner sales tax revenue reported in February was a record $63,103, $ 6,556 and 11.6% above 2022’s...
Climate resilience needed in the Skagit
Maybe the 50 or so people attending the Climate Resilience conversation Sunday at the Anacortes Senior Center did not provide $7,500 worth of advice for changing the trajectory Skagit County residents – and everyone – are facing as the climate...
Back-up systems for when the power goes out
Power outages are rare and usually short here, but grid-provided electricity isn’t completely consistent and reliable under all circumstances. Here’s a quick guide to the world of power quality...
Limedock apartments application filed
Peter Anderson, owner of the Limedock building, 109 North First Street in La Conner, has filed a permit application with the town planning department to create two residential apartments by remodeling the second floor office space. Two gabled...
Skagit County housing market prices have cooled this year
Anacortes sold home prices are the highest by far of Skagit County markets this year, at $832,000 for the median price for the 24 homes that closed in January and February. February’s Anacortes market was even hotter, with a median sold home...
Eye on the eagle
When the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife needed help recovering an injured eagle, the agency looked no farther than La Conner outdoorsman Tom Zimmerman. The ailing raptor, whose flight...
Soroptimists honor 5 with awards
Wednesday, March 8 was a red letter day for the Soroptimists International of La Conner. They hosted their annual awards dinner for the first time since 2019, the break in continuity due to the...
Area firefighters step up for blood cancer research
It was an up and down time – in a good way – for three La Conner area firefighters Sunday. Skagit County Fire District 13 Chief Wood Weiss, Lt. Cole Harris and firefighter Kenna Barnes took part...
Ice Cream Social
A SIDE BENEFIT OF SERVING ICE CREAM – The La Conner Chamber of Commerce's annual ice cream social Friday evening in Maple Hall was a great success, Chamber Director Mark Hulst reported, with an...
Loran James appointed to La Conner school board
School boards, by their very nature, are tasked with hard choices, tough decisions involving families’ children and money. The La Conner school board last Thursday faced a tough choice of a different kind – whom to select to fill the unexpired...
La Conner National Honor Society Members
La Conner High School families filled the library Wednesday evening to celebrate the successes of their students. Twelve sophomores and juniors and one senior accepted the invitation to join the La...
Kiwanis February students
The Kiwanis Club of La Conner High School Student of the Month for February is Andrew Villard. Andrew's parents are Lucas and Shaye Villard. He is a senior. Andrew enjoys his leadership, automotive...
Schools honor treaty rights icon Billy Frank, Jr.
All states, including Washington, provide two statues to the U.S. Capitol. In the near future one of those stone figures gifted by the Evergreen State will bear the image of late Nisqually tribal leader and treaty fishing rights champion Billy...
Beezie + Co. grows blooms that color the Magic Skagit
The La Conner Civic Garden Club invited the public to hear Colleen O’Brien-Miller of Beezie + Co. Flower Farm discuss her flower business last Thursday, March 9. O’Brien-Miller’s flowers were the talk of the town among interested attendees in...
Will you figure out 'The Case of the Slain Slough Swindler?'
The La Conner Chamber of Commerce's first annual community murder mystery, "The Case of the Slain Slough Swindler," may blanket the business district with amateur detectives throughout the day,...
Welcome to year 4 of COVID-19
What is the difference between last week and this week? Answer: Last week everyone was at the end of the third year of the coronavirus pandemic. This week we all step into, no not its fourth year but the first year of what the World Health...
Tribe not paying debt service
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,...
Community Action's coordinated strategy for those unhoused
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...
Another look at Shelter Bay's town hall
I agree with the writer’s statement (letter: “Weekly News story misreports Shelter Bay forum,” March 8) “We live in challenging times and a plague of misinformation stands in the way of finding solutions.” The writer then went at length...
Housing and workforce solutions
If we listen to each other with respect and work together, good things happen. I’m happy to report that we’re doing a lot of that this year in Olympia. With the legislative session at the halfway point, we’ve passed some great legislation for...
Donald S. Fraser
Mr. Donald (Don) Fraser, 68, a two and a half year resident of La Conner passed away suddenly on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 at the family home. He was born in Long Beach, CA on Dec. 23, 1954 to Douglas...
Police Blotter 3/5-3/11
Sunday, March 5 12:39 a.m.: Local disturbance – A male was reported yelling, screaming and causing a disturbance. The male appeared asleep when he was contacted by police and after he woke up said...
Huckleberry Pie
These huckleberries were picked by our family who live in Eastern Washington. They made a light sugar syrup and water bath canned them. To be used later in pies. We were fortunate to be gifted two...
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