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The La Conner High School graduating class had to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic and then one last time Friday evening. The 128th annual commencement exercises were moved from Whittaker Field to Landy James Gym when forecasts predicted rainfall. There were few dry eyes among families and friends of the graduates during the emotional 90-minute ceremony. “COVID was not kind to this class,” stressed co-valedictorian Delaney Cobbs, one of several student speakers. “By the time we hit our junio...
Nine La Conner area homes sold for a median price of $500,000 in May, a 26% climb from the $396,000 April median sale price for the five homes sold that month, NWMLS (Northwest Multiple Listing Service) data show. Median home sale prices for the 178 homes and condos sold in Skagit County were $555,000 last month, an 8% drop from April's $592,000. Median home prices were down in seven of the nine Skagit County areas, with only La Conner and Lyman/Hamilton prices above April’s. In Anacortes home prices dropped 9% and again are below $800,000, t...
In submitting a $30,000 CBDG (Community Development Block Grant) proposal June 1, the Town of La Conner has taken a baby step toward restoration of the South First Street waterfront and old Moore Clark property. If funded, a master plan will be prepared to determine future residential and economic development. An ambitious, nine component strategy is outlined, starting with creating a “plan that is achievable within a few years” with features that emphasize an optimal mix of commercial, dining, entertainment and residential use. The Town pro...
A good farming year is easy to recognize, says John Thulen of Pioneer Potatoes. “My ancestors bought a pickup, built a barn or added on to the house,” he said. It’s all in the county register. With record rainfall, late freezes, a cool spring and rising prices for diesel and fertilizer, 2022 looks like a no-pickup, no-addition year. Many fields have been too wet to plant, like four of Jason Vander Kooy’s under the east side of Pleasant Ridge on Bradshaw Road. Water from the Ridge “comes off faster now that the east side of Ridge is getting m...
“These are the times that try men's souls” Thomas Paine wrote in his first issue of “The American Crisis,” his 1776-1783 pamphlet series. These times, today, are trying many an American’s soul. A good portion of our society does not believe in or trust the rest of us. Many want to save the nation – from us. In this moment that will decide our country’s future, it is not a matter of agreeing with or supporting the Democratic Party. Continue to believe the Democrats are evil, socialists and coming after your guns. Hold on to that till t...
Be aware of the changes going on in our town. The town codes need to be studied and revised for enhancement of our small town’s character. Do we really need housing in every vacant spot? Is it the developers telling us that? There is a concerned group of townspeople now trying to negotiate changes to the size of the proposed giant condos with Airbnb rooms on Fourth and Center streets. Also be aware of the Port of Skagit’s idea of condominiums and such around the waterfront at the La Conner Marina and former Dunlap Towing site. Do your hom...
I appreciate Stuart Welch’s letter illustrating just how exorbitant is the budget proposal for the Maple Avenue “park.” We are left with precious little green space after the Hedlin ballfield debacle. Why junk-up and pave-up most of what is left? The surveys many of us completed supposedly soliciting input from La Conner residents must have been round filed, as I believe many respondents wanted to leave it as a predominantly open green space. It’s just another in a long line of the self-proclaimed “powers that be” ignoring the wishes of L...
The final document on young people, composed by young adults themselves at the invitation of Pope Francis for the 2018 Synod of Bishops, says: “Lots of young people, having lost trust in institutions, have become disaffiliated with organized religion and would not see themselves as ‘religious.’ However, young people are open to the spiritual.” Perhaps even longer before this document was published, I have been thinking about the expression “spiritual but not religious.” Part of this has to do with my identity as a pastoral minister and Catholi...
Once there was a story about a women named Cassandra. She was conjured up in Greece, during a time of deceit and destruction, when shrill voices drove men to war against their brothers. Cassandra was a princess of Troy, said to be the most beautiful of the king’s daughters. The god Apollo fell for her, naturally. He wooed her by promising her the power of prophecy, to see accurately into the future. Cassandra said yes, was given the gift, but then changed her mind, refusing Apollo's advances. In revenge, Apollo cursed her, decreeing that her pr...
It is time to go out and hit the waters, as boating season is upon us. That includes the multitude of paddle sport enthusiasts that use our waters as well. The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office looks forward to time on water, too. Our Marine Patrol Program will be present both on the water as well as some ramp inspections. We patrol navigable waters, such as our local sound, bays and the Swinomish Channel as well as local lakes and the Skagit River. We are asking for help in creating successful and safe voyages for all. There were 24 recreational...
Jim peacefully entered heaven on May 8, 2022 at the age of 80 with his wife by his side. He was born on February 12, 1942 to Lucy and Andrew Valenzuela of Madera, CA. He married Mary Alice Rameriz in Coachella, CA at the young age of 17. They were married for 62 years at the time of his death. Jim’s hobbies included wood carving, fishing, football and travel. He took many deep-sea fishing trips with family and was a loyal Seahawk fan to the end, which made for healthy family rivalry, e... Full story
Swinomish and Fire District 13 officials have begun taking steps for a joint community paramedicine program. “It’s still in its infancy stages,” said FD 13 Commissioner J.J. Wilbur at their monthly meeting June 9. He is also a Swinomish Indian Tribal Community senator. “We’ve had preliminary discussions about a potential partnership between Fire District 13 and Swinomish,” said Wilbur, “but it hasn’t gone to the full Senate yet. We’re still doing our homework.” Fire Chief Wood Weiss, firefighter Andrew Schram and the Swinomish Tribal po...
Few have shown the can-do spirit on a sustained basis as well as Shegay Vanderpool. The career educator, after all, has proved since the early 1970s that she can do just about anything in the classroom, at all grade levels. Same with the campus music hall. And auditorium. Not to mention the counseling office. In baseball parlance, said her longtime friend, retired La Conner Middle School principal Maureen Harlan, Vanderpool is the ultimate utility player – someone versatile and skilled...
The school district honored its volunteers – a vital group of more than 70 strong – along with retirees and colleagues not returning here in the fall with a reception and awards program at the middle school gym June 7. The 90-minute event led off with school administrators and staff praising the volunteers, who lent their time and expertise across academic activities at all grade levels. “Just think of all that volunteer time,” said Superintendent Will Nelson, serving as the afternoon’s master of ceremonies. “I can’t imagine that yo...
Cindy Masters Clausen is the reigning Washington state women’s horseshoe pitching champion, a crown she has held since 2017. She is also a two-time state doubles title winner and has captured top honors at numerous other tournaments. Clausen most recently was part of a four-member Washington pitching team that placed sixth out of 24 entries at the Team World competition in Beloit, WI. The quartet played 96 games and threw 3,840 game shoes. “It was our first appearance at Team World and a gre...
NW News Network An Australian company is eying property next to the soon-to-close coal power plant in Centralia, Washington, to build a big hydrogen fuel production facility. Fortescue Future Industries went public with its plans during a hydrogen symposium hosted by the Economic Alliance of Lewis County in May. Fortescue Future Industries is a clean energy subsidiary of an iron ore mining giant, Fortescue Metals Group, based in Australia. The firm has made a string of announcements recently that paint a picture of big ambitions to produce...
Take a leisurely stroll through seven private gardens featured on Skagit Symphony’s 2022 Garden of Note Tour. The delightful self-guided tour Sunday, June 26, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. presents the Pleasant Ridge home-garden of Christianson’s Nursery owners John and Toni Christianson, and six Fidalgo Island treasures. The Anacortes tour includes a drought resistant pollinator garden, an impressive art-filled Cap Sante garden overlooking Guemes Channel and four unique Old Town neighborhood gardens wit...
Our herbs and flowers are flourishing in our garden! It’s quite lovely. You can pick to your taste. Fresh is always best! Most of our raised beds are a few feet off the ground. So despite the heavy rains, our garden has not been underwater. I used select herbs and flowers, including flower petals to supplement a small head of organic iceberg lettuce and half a cucumber. You can choose to buy your favorite herbs. Ingredients Iceberg lettuce, one small head Cucumber, ½ sliced Horseradish l...
Sunday, June 5 11:06 a.m.: Stray kitten – A stray kitten was picked up and taken to the pet emergency center. McLean Rd., Greater La Conner. 10:06 p.m.: Oh deer – A vehicle collided with a deer. No injuries were reported by the driver. The deer did not survive and was removed from the road. Best Rd., Greater La Conner. Monday, June 6 11:32 a.m.: Gun threat – A student reported being threatened by another student at the high school on a previous day. The threat mentioned using a gun to shoot the student. A student was arrested...
