Articles from the August 2, 2023 edition
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Fine weather for many crops, as long as farmers irrigate
Skagit County is officially in a drought emergency – but so far, some area farmers are having a pretty good year. Swanson Family Farm's berry crop was bountiful. "We went from a 10 percent crop and l...
A lean budget to 'rightsize' school finances
La Conner School Board Directors bit the bullet Monday in approving a barebones, $12.9 million annual budget whose target is to realize a positive fund balance by next summer. This budget is about $1 million leaner than that adopted a year ago and re...
Aug. 3 Pioneer Picnic salutes coach, Benson-Berentson clan
What's old is new again tomorrow: the 119th annual Skagit County Pioneer Association Picnic, a longtime La Conner summer tradition. Starting at 11 a.m. Thursday at Pioneer Park, everyone is invited...
Council retreats to Mount Vernon for focus on La Conner's future
Focused on the future, Town officials have taken the long view to address La Conner’s most pressing needs. Town leaders highlighted a handful of top-tier issues in a 5-year strategic plan crafted during an all-day retreat July 24 in Mount Vernon. Pri...
Pickleball expanding throughout Skagit County
Pickleball started nearby on Bainbridge Island as a sport for kids in 1965. It has evolved into an extremely popular sport that bridges the generation gap, with many older participants. Last year the...
Swinomish Tribe hosts leg of Paddle to Muckleshoot Canoe Journey
It was a current event on a Swinomish Channel steeped in history. Tribal canoe families from throughout the region arrived here just before noon a week ago Tuesday as part of the Paddle to...
Dennis Strong leaves his mark on La Conner
Dennis Strong and his family began spending summers in La Conner in the mid-1950s, as did Clayton and Barbara James. They met through Ruth Pennington's Fidalgo Allied Arts summer art school, where Jam...
So much to see, so much to do with August events
Even in the dog days of summer, there is no shortage of events to satisfy diverse entertainment cravings over the next couple of weeks. The Anacortes Arts Festival runs Aug. 4-6. The annual show attracts up to 90,000 guests. It fills several blocks...
Art at the Port
The Port of Anacortes’ Transit Shed hosts the Juried Fine Art show during the Anacortes Arts Festival, Aug. 4-6. Maggie Wilder is one of the 82 artists featured. She writes: “Her work is inc...
The lady is eighty
Marilynn Olson (at the head of the table) was feted for her 80th birthday last Wednesday by fellow crafters – they proudly call themselves the Stitch & Bitch Club – with lunch, a party and cake on...
Team public works renews kiosks
You may not have noticed, yet our information kiosks are back up and working to keep you and visitors informed about what happens here in our town. Over the winter, the Swinomish Park kiosk blew down...
'It's really a crisis': Small towns fight to save local papers
With a stack of fresh newspapers in hand, Ken Stern is making one of his first stops of the day at La Conner’s local office supply and business center. He greets the owners, Christina and Robyn Burdick-Good-Rubenstein – and their dog Clover. Ste...
Happy 50th anniversary, Skagit Valley Food Co-op
First to last, for 50 years the Skagit Valley Food Co-op has been about its member-owners. That, and the international principles embraced when the cooperative was founded as a buying club in a...
Marina Moorings
We are getting the parking lots ready for the Car and Boat Show Saturday, Aug 5. This is a bigger endeavor than you might imagine. Boaters in our marina are sometimes gone for months at a time, and...
Police Blotter
Sunday, July 23 4:17 a.m. Prowler, maybe not – Reporting person called in for the homeowner after learning of a subject who may be prowling in the area. Subject described as riding a bike and wearing a backpack. Subject also said to have neck t...
Obituary: Gloria Kanenwisher
Our beautiful Gloria passed away Monday, July 24, 2023, surrounded by love and admiration. Her courage and grace, regardless of what life threw at her, never ceased to amaze the many who loved her....
Obituary: Margery Gene Zimmerman
Margery Zimmerman passed away on July 22, 2023, in Burlington, WA. She was born on March 7, 1933 to Gene and Teresa (Wells) Dunlap, and grew up in La Conner, first at the Dunlap house on La...
Service Reminder: Barbara B. Hulbert
Barbara Birkeland Hulbert died peacefully at home in La Conner on June 17, 2023. A celebration of life service will be held at The Vinery at Christianson’s Nursery on Thursday, August 10, 2023, from 2-4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a d...
Town Council meeting agenda
The La Conner Town Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, Upper Maple Center, 104 Commercial St. Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance Public comments (Limit of 3 minutes per person) Presentations Consent Agenda Consent Agenda (approved without ob...
From the editor: Weekly newspaper for sale
I love that phrase. It always makes me smile. It is what brought me to La Conner in March 2017 to look at buying the Weekly News. I will always associate my newspaper publishing career with my best friend, Dick Wittenberg, who loves to see his name... Full story
Citizen's view: Allow farmers to hold events on their farm land
I attended the meeting of the Skagit County Planning Commission Tuesday, July 25, along with scores of others to express concern regarding proposed increased regulations for local farm families, many whom are already struggling to keep their family... Full story
Letter to the editor
Fire Blanket saves lives Please share this with your readers! Several weeks ago, I nearly set my home on fire. I had a three-quart saucepan, with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, on the gas stove, as part of a recipe in the making. I stepped away from... Full story
Rechargeable batteries keep getting cheaper
When I started working on lithium-ion batteries, in 1993, Sony and Toshiba had introduced the first such commercially available batteries a couple of years earlier. They were mostly used in “the 4 C...
La Conner will flush hydrants through August
The Town of La Conner Public Works Department is performing its annual fire hydrant flushing and valve exercising in August from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. If you notice any discolored water, please run your cold water supply until it... Full story
Herbal condiment
Fresh from your garden. Italian parsley is easy to grow in a sunny, well drained location. We have an abundance of flat Italian parsley this year. Italian parsley reseeds itself so we have a nice...
