Being one of the many retailers in La Conner, a major thank you goes to the La Conner Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber created a thoughtful virtual tour of the downtown stores. It is a great virtual promotion: If one couldn’t physically shop the stor...

Both Sacred Heart Catholic Church and La Conner Methodist Church have signs on their doors reading “Church Closed.” Most of us recognize that is a sensible decision: large gatherings are just what we do not want at the moment. The loving thing rig...

The first time I saw Helen Price Johnson was at a League of Women Voters salad supper. The evening featured not only salad but also the Island County Commissioners. Each commissioner gave a presentation to League members about issues, concerns and vi...

One of the joys of owning a small business is you become friends with the people you serve. The only sorrow is that COVID-19’s impact causes us to feel we are rearranging financial deck chairs on the Titanic. Handling the rising waters is easier s...

To the La Conner and Swinomish area communities: As your local Fire Chiefs we have been working closely together to ensure the safety of our first responders and citizens during this crisis. We would like to thank all of you for helping keep our...

Humans have seen troubled times before, but perhaps never quite like this. Certainly, World War I and World War II had huge global impacts, but not as quickly, nor as indiscriminately, as this world-wide pandemic. There is a lot of talk now about...

We are not halfway there yet. We might not know or see or experience the halfway point. With luck, perhaps, it will pass, we will get past it, without realizing it. Patience. How hard that is, to be patient, whether we are three or 33 or 93? Of...

COVID-19 has been called an invisible enemy. Fire District 13 personnel can attest to that following a recent local emergency call. “We had a confirmed asymptomatic COVID-19 case this week,” Fire Chief Wood Weiss said during the district’s video...

Once upon a time, before COVID-19, so many aspects of life, then taken for granted, added to the flow of our days: Economic opportunity. Operating schools. Open small businesses. Social “non-distancing.” Abundant “non-essentials.” Relative ease. In m...

Five months after a crossroads election that saw the defeat of two La Conner School Board incumbents, the district panel has elected to continue down the path of change. The board on Monday chose Amanda Bourgeois to fill the Swinomish director...

COVID-19 reported cases in Skagit County may reach 320 by May 1. The 11 cases reported Sunday raised the total to 304 people with the coronavirus. Five positive cases tested Monday brought the total to 309. Forty people are hospitalized; 10 have...

Would you like to help the scientific community improve their (and our) understanding of the transmission and impact of COVID-19? There are easy (and anonymous) ways to do that by answering a few simple questions about how you feel each day and...

Add La Conner Schools and the Town Public Works Department to the list of recent local theft targets. Burglaries occurred at the school transportation shop and La Conner Public Works garage a week ago Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, said Sgt....