Articles from the April 17, 2024 edition
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Cyberattack probe shuts down casino
The Swinomish Casino & Lodge has had a run of bad luck lately. Having braced for a busy April and heavy traffic volumes from the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, the gaming center and dining venue 8 miles north of La Conner has been closed since...
New agreement with Skagit PUD will let farmers irrigate all summer
With the snowpack at 69% of normal and spring precipitation uncertain, local farmers have one piece of good news: if a drought develops, they can count on water from the Skagit Public Utility...
Winter snowpack low as spring starts to heat up
At winter's end, the North Puget Sound basin snowpack is 56% of median, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service states in its April 1 Washington Water Supply Outlook Report. This is lower than the...
Little rain fell in March; fourth driest since 2000
Remember the inch of rain in eight days at March's end? That was one-half the month's total, not enough, as the 2 inches was one-third below March' century average of 3 inches. It was the first month...
Give your input to school board on new superintendent
La Conner School Board members want input on what approach should be taken as they seek a successor to Superintendent Will Nelson, who is stepping down after three years. Nelson announced earlier this month that he will be leaving June 30 to accept...
First-quarter town tax revenue lags
La Conner Town Council members and residents attending the April 9 meeting heard the down news: March's sales tax revenues are 15% below 2023. Year to date, sales tax revenue is down 15%, $124,353,...
Three housing complexes awarded $1.6M
The Channel Cove complex, managed by Home Trust of Skagit County, will have $336,144 in Washington state Department of Commerce Housing Preservation Program funding. Statewide, 31 low-income housing complexes were awarded $19.9 million Commerce...
After winter windstorm training success, FD 13 eyes wildfire exercise
A recent training exercise was so well-received that Skagit County Fire District 13 officials are considering another such drill in the La Conner area later this year. The March 30 windstorm scenario was so successful that the local fire district,...
Sales tax added to benefit streets, sidewalks
Town council members last week paved the way to pay for future work on La Conner’s streets, sidewalks and trails. The panel during its April 9 public meeting unanimously approved a 0.1% sales tax to fund the town’s new Transportation Benefit Dis...
Swinomish plan Earth Day activities
Earth Day is a global event that encourages people to act locally. And those activities don’t have to be limited to April 22, the 54th anniversary of the day universally recognized as the start of the modern environmental movement. The Swinomish Indi...
Langley's team approach tackles tourism
“The Langley Chamber of Commerce is supported through grants that are specific to tourism,” notes Nicole Whittington-Johnson, the Chamber’s executive director. Additionally, there is Langley Creates, a state-designated creative district, part of a Wa...
Return leftover medicines to Swinomish PD
The public can bring leftover or expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs to the Swinomish Police Department for disposal 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 27. Liquids up to four ounces in their original containers are accepted. The Swinomish Police...
County commissioners to meet in Anacortes
Skagit County will host a community meeting open to all in Anacortes Monday, April 22, 5-7 p.m. at the Anacortes Senior Activity Center 1701 22nd St.. The county commissioners and representatives from Planning and Development Services, Public...
State Parks offer free admission on April 22
In honor of Earth Day, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is offering a free day at all state parks Monday, April 22. Visitors will not need to display a Discover Pass for day-use visits. The next free day is June 8, for National Get...
Town offers Jensen property looks
The Town of La Conner will show residents the Jensen property at 4 p.m., Thursday, April 18. Meet at the Channel Cove south end parking lot. A community mingle “regarding uses” of the Jensen property will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the...
Tell Rick Larsen no to Israeli aid
Earth Day is Monday, April 22. This is not an Earth Day editorial and not because the almost holiday atmosphere and platitudes reverently uttered by politicians and corporate heads have hijacked the original intent. It is the same with Mother’s D...
Hypermilers are champs at saving gas
A few years ago I was managing an experiment aimed at determining whether it was practical to power cars with hydrogen, instead of gasoline. Most of the cars were small gasoline-engine SUVs which had...
News and media literacy: Are you informed or influenced?
Do you know fact from propaganda when see or hear it? Learn more at the April 29 forum “News & Media Literacy: Informed or Influenced?” The League of Women Voters of Skagit County offers its second program in their series of voter education, par...
Braves outperform big schools in Skagit Showdown
First Street isn't the only place in town with parking issues. The Whittaker Field parking lot on N. Sixth Street was jammed with vehicles April 10 when La Conner hosted the annual Skagit Showdown...
Murdock sweeps hurdles, Jenkins 2nd in 200 dash
No rest for the weary. That age-old mantra applied to the La Conner High School track teams last week. Just three days after hosting the much-anticipated Skagit Showdown, La Conner thinclads competed...
Braves' ball teams have a bumpy road trip
Travel wasn’t kind to the La Conner High School baseball and softball teams last week. The Braves suffered a pair of heartbreaking one-run extra-inning losses while the young Lady Braves were dealt double-digit setbacks during visits to Coupeville a...
Museum sale at Skagit City School this weekend
The Skagit Historical Museum's annual Sale at the School runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday, April 19-21 at the Skagit City School, 17508 Moore Road on Fir Island. Museum Director Jo Wolfe is excited...
What's in your potting soil?
Local gardening stores offer a multitude of soil mix choices this time of year. This overview of the attributes of soil and how to amend commercially produced potting soils will increase the success of your container and raised bed plantings. This...
Sheriff's Blotter
Sunday, April 7 11:36 a.m.: Not what it seems – Subject driving on Maple Avenue lost control of her car and hit the sign for the dental office. The sign was knocked over but the suspect fled the scene and was later located at her residence. The d...
Dehydrated bananas
We got bananas! Lots of bananas! Sometimes organic bananas. Ripe bananas. Overripe bananas. Replenish the banana bowl every week. Eat bananas for health. Once, on my travels to Brazil, I bought a bunc...
