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It was an astounding Saturday afternoon in La Conner on several levels. That's thanks to the annual downtown Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Parade presented by Astound Broadband. A large crowd descended on First Street – cars were parked as far away as S. Fourth and Caledonia – to take in the now not-so-impromptu serpentine, which has evolved over four decades into a well-organized, half-hour, must-see event. The 2024 edition featured emergency vehicles entered by La Conner Hook & Ladder, Ska...
Learn more about the Skagit County Emergency Medical Services Department EMS levy renewal at Q&A sessions Thursday, April 11, and Saturday, April 13. Special-election ballots have been mailed to registered voters and voting has started for the April 23 special election. The EMS levy must be renewed by voters every six years, with the current levy expiring at the end of 2024. Skagit County EMS is a countywide EMS system providing 24/7 lifesaving medical response and ambulance transport to area hospitals. Call volumes have increased by 25...
Brandon and Kate Atkinson, owners of the 306 Center Street La Conner property, got the letter they have long wanted: An administrative determination on April 4 from the Town of La Conner planning department approves their application for their three-story 20-unit building with “six first- floor motel-type units and 14 second and third floor long-term residential dwelling units that may be developed as apartments or condominiums.” Planning Director Michael Davolio’s letter lists 15 conditions under which the developers can proceed to apply...
The La Conner School Board took its first small steps Monday toward finding a new district superintendent. A shorthanded board met for about 15 minutes in closed executive session to discuss the process for hiring a successor to Dr. Will Nelson, who announced his resignation March 29 after three years as the district’s lead administrator. He accepted a teaching post at Western Washington University in Bellingham. No action was taken during the closed portion of the meeting, in part because only School Board President Susie Deyo and board m...
A woman is elected the new mayor of a small town on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in November 2023. “I think Langley is a very sweet, quaint town. It is not homogenous. (That’s) my experience,” Mayor Kennedy Horstman told the Weekly News in a joint interview with Director of Community Planning Meredith Penny March 21. The city’s residents “are very different people passionate about a lot of things. They are not all in agreement. … We are all one community but there is a lot of diversity on views of the future,” Horstman believes. Langley, a ci...
Working with several documents the past few weeks, members of the Town Emergency Management Commission are now on the same page. The local advisory board, which is developing a Community Emergency Management Plan for La Conner, has moved closer to completing the ambitious project after reviewing similar plans from Skagit County, the City of Anacortes, Shelter Bay, the Swinomish Tribal Community and other entities. Commissioners indicated during their April 2 public meeting that they’re ready to consolidate those outside resource materials i...
There’s no dead end when it comes to debating the future of S. First Street. The oft-discussed topic was again the focal point among town residents and planning commissioners during a 90-minute public meeting April 2. The last word on the subject still appears a long way off. The panel and audience discussed one-way traffic, angled parking and retaining the status quo for the narrow street that accesses the historic waterfront and retail core. They agreed that more data is needed before forwarding recommendations to the town council. To that e...
Patti Dynes, 83, born Patricia Reinhert, left her beloved family and partner on March 23, 2024, peacefully at home on Pull and Be Damned Road. A local girl, she was born on June 15, 1940, and raised near Burlington-Edison High school – a park where her home used to be. She graduated in 1958 from Burlington-Edison High School. Patti moved and has lived in La Conner so long, her library card number was in the middle teens. She and her good friend, Patty Person, two dynamic women en...
Jennifer S. Joanen, aged 68, of La Conner, gracefully departed this life on Saturday, February 17, 2024. Born on June 8, 1955, in Lakewood, Colo., to the loving embrace of George and Dorothy Juras. Jennifer had a lively spirit and loved life. She enjoyed traveling and exploring new places, experimenting with culinary creations. She was always trying out new recipes and collecting cookbooks and sharing them with loved ones. Jennifer loved to care for those she loved, and her home was a welcoming...
The shorthanded La Conner Braves baseball team had a long afternoon in Sultan April 2. The 2B Braves, minus key starters for a non-league spring break road game, trailed early but rallied late to force extra innings before falling 13-12 to the 1A hosts. La Conner (3-3 overall) erupted for nine runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the score at 11-11. Braves reliever Kenai Zimmerman then set Sultan down in order in the home half of the seventh, pushing the contest to an eighth frame. In the top of the eighth, La Conner took a brief 12-11...
A La Conner Elementary School student is getting an advanced education on the hardwood. Josie Catubo, an 11-year-old fifth grader, is making the grade as a member of the Pacific Northwest Rain girls' youth basketball program. Founded by former Mount Vernon High School and Western Washington University hoops standout Tyler Amaya, Pacific Northwest Rain is the premier basketball training center in Northwest Washington. "I practice twice a week and we have about six tournaments a season," Josie...
Meet Josilynn Straathof, La Conner Soroptimists' February Student of the Month. She is the proud daughter of Brian Straathof and DeAnna Young and has attended La Conner High School since her sophomore year. She is currently senior class president and the student representative to the La Conner School Board. She said it has been interesting experiencing the workings of the board. She uses her leadership skills as class president leading the fundraising and attending the many events required. She...
The Kiwanis Club of La Conner has announced its students of the month for March. High school student of the month is Tyler Cicotte, a junior. Tyler's parents are Vince and Barb Cicotte. Tyler's favorite class is Spanish and he's excited to be going to Honduras with the Spanish class in June. He likes to play basketball, golf and video games. After graduation, he wants to attend college, but has not decided what he might study. Middle school student of the month is Annika Keith. Her parent is...
The Skagit County Pioneer Association has cemented the lineup of honorees for its annual summer picnic in La Conner, one weighed heavily with civic leaders based in Concrete. Concrete Herald editor-publisher Jason Miller, Valerie Stafford of the Concrete Theatre, John Boggs of the Concrete Heritage Museum, and longtime Concrete Food Bank coordinators Marty and Adrienne Smith are this year’s recipients of the Pioneer Spirit Award. All will be formally recognized at the annual Pioneer Picnic here on Aug. 1. Their selections were confirmed during...
It's nesting time and the flicker male is searching for the perfect spot to raise his young. Once he has located it, he will attract a female by drumming with his beak on metal or hard wood. This behavior does not cause any harm and will subside once the decision has been made where to nest. In this area, we mostly see the red-shafted flicker, while in eastern areas the yellow-shafted is more common. Females lack the red mustache marks. Even though woodpeckers are often not wanted because of...
The Skagit River Poetry Foundation invites our community to a galaxy far, far away and presents an evening fit for a Jedi at their annual auction, A New Hope: “May the 4th” (Force) Be With You from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 4 (Star Wars Day), at Hillcrest Park Lodge in Mount Vernon. This “Star Wars”-themed extravaganza will appeal to young and old alike as they take a trip through the Foundation’s history and share their mission of supporting literacy through poetry. The featured event will be the live and silent auction where attendees will bi...
Anacortes Community Theater presents “Kiss Me Kate” with a run from April 19 through May 12. “Kiss Me Kate” is a timeless and elegant show with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare’s comedy, “The Taming of the Shrew,” and the conflict on and off-stage between Fred Graham, the show’s director, producer and star, and his leading lady, his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi. It’s suitable for ages 14 and up. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets a...
OLYMPIA — Parking at Deception Pass State Park is reduced while it is under repair from winter storm damage. In January, the West Beach parking lot was damaged in several areas and littered with large debris. There will be limited day-use parking availability in an undamaged area of the lot. The repair work is projected to be completed in early May, permit timelines allowing. The reduced lot will have a small drop-off area. RVs, trucks with trailers and boats will not be able to enter the lot and must use other parking areas. Alternative p...
Skagit County is soliciting public comment on the draft 2024 Stormwater Management Program Plan through 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 19. The Stormwater Management Program Plan, which is updated annually, informs the public on the county’s Stormwater Management Program plan for the current calendar year. The public comment period gives the public an opportunity to provide feedback on current and future actions being taken by the county’s stormwater program. The draft plan can be found online on the Skagit County Stormwater Management Program pag...
The Town of La Conner seeks input from community members about South First Street. A survey is on its website at townoflaconner.org. Click on “Alert” at the top of the page. The nine questions will take about five minutes to complete. www.townoflaconner.org/...
Spill responders have completed the emergency response to the Dec. 10, 2023, gasoline spill from the Olympic Pipeline in Conway. The Unified Command leading the operation has ensured that no additional gasoline is seeping into nearby Hill Ditch, and is confident in turning the site over to the Washington Department of Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program. That agency will oversee any remaining remediation work. The Unified Command includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington...
In honor of Earth Day, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission offers a free day at all state parks Monday, April 22. Visitors will not need a Discover Pass for day-use visits. A Discover Pass will be required to access lands managed by the state departments of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife. The next free days are June 8, 9 and 19. State legislation creating the Discover Pass allows State Parks up to 12 free days each year when the pass is not required. Source: Washington State Parks...
Sunday, March 31 2:20 p.m.: Lookie loos? No – There was a report of vehicles blocking the road to look at flocks of geese. A deputy checked the area but did not locate any cars over the line or blocking. Fir Island Road, Conway. Tuesday, April 2 7:55 a.m.: Off-road excursion – Report of a vehicle that left the road and drove into the bushes near the La Conner-Whitney Road Shell Station. No damage to the property, no sign of the vehicle. La Conner-Whitney Road, Mount Vernon. 5:01 p.m.: Mail theft – Reporting party mailed a check to a vendo...
The Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club Salmon Barbecue is always a popular event during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. The club serves a salmon dinner six days a week during the Tulip Festival....
