Articles from the August 18, 2021 edition
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COVID-19 delta variant hammering Skagit County
Skagit County Public Health reported 119 new coronavirus cases Friday and a total of 305 new cases Aug. 9-13 on its website. The state Department of Health reports 285 newly diagnosed cases per 100,000 county residents for the two weeks through Aug....
Lorraine Loomis passing mourned throughout Pacific Northwest
A time came when Lorraine Loomis figured there was a better way to earn a living than toiling at double shifts as a fish processor. She was right. There was a better way. It just wasn’t easier. If a...
Superintendent Will Nelson prepped for new job
New La Conner School Superintendent Will Nelson cannot stress enough the value of doing one’s homework. That goes for him as well as the nearly 600 students he and school district staff will greet this fall as La Conner transitions from on-line a...
Town decisions large and small
The last item on the Aug. 10 La Conner Town Council agenda was a resolution for the Town to approve deferring a payment of $48,000 from the new library to the town for seven years, a fee for the building lacking 10 parking spaces required by code....
Town’s profit on Maple Avenue ballfield
The La Conner Weekly News published a table May 12 showing that the Town of La Conner made a profit of $8,075 on the sale of the Hedlin property. Now that the Hedlin ball field troubles are all over, let us take a look at the transaction. The cash...
Republicans against communists and masks
While at the Skagit County Fair last week, I did a double take when I walked by a booth staffed by Skagit County Republicans. Two over-sized signs dominated their red, white and blue themed booth; you couldn’t miss them if you tried. The first r...
Be alert: No FCCs in county
Thank you Ken Stern for alerting us to the possibility of Fully Contained Communities popping up in this beautiful agriculture valley. The county commissioners “docketed” a change to the County’s comprehensive plan in May, which if enacted could...
No short rentals for Tillinghast property
RE: Application File # LU21-45CU Project Location: 623 Morris Street, Units E-1 and E-2 Mr. Davolio, Mayor Hayes, Councilmembers: I am writing for your consideration to not allow the proposed conditional use permit to change the use of two commercial...
Public health restrictions set for Town buildings
Monday Mayor Ramon Hayes issued a resolution requiring masks, social distancing and a daily health assessment for anyone entering Town Hall, Maple Hall or the Civic Garden Center, town facilities. Each requirement has a list of safety protocols to...
Oppose fully contained communities
Dear Councilmembers: Wohleb, Chamberlain, Brunisholz, Leaver and Stokes; Mayor Hayes; Planner Davolio and Administrator Thomas: I read with alarm the La Conner Weekly News editorial on the “Contained Communities” amendment the Skagit County Pla...
Grabbing God’s hand
There are certain moments that stick with me. One of those moments happened a few weeks ago at one of the Masses in Spanish at the Catholic Church in Mount Vernon. As the Eucharistic Prayer began, I noticed a three-year-old wander out into the...
LAVONE MAY NEWELL-REIM
Lavone May Newell-Reim passed away at her home on Fir Island, Skagit County, surrounded by her loving family. She was the 4th of 10 children born to Charlie and Vera Stone in Galesburg, Kansas. The... Full story
Good Eats, Sweet Treats rolling in the dough
Elizabeth Rubenstein’s love of baking has proved to be a recipe for success after having lost her job during the COVID-19 economic shutdown last year. Her “Good Eats, Sweet Treats” promotional banner...
La Conner sisters win blue ribbons for county fair pies
Every four years, Maggie Wilder finds herself weeping during the Olympics. “I’m moved by the glory of it and that I never won anything,” she said. “I always wonder what that would feel like....
Fighting eastern Washington wildfires
I received the call on the morning of the 23rd of July to mobilize the tender and could not find anyone who would or could take the un-airconditioned beast to eastern Washington, so the job fell to me...
Hornets buzz thieves at Summit Park fire station
After an earlier burglary, a sting was in order at Skagit County Fire District 13 Station 1 in Summit Park. Which is exactly what transpired last month – only it happened by chance. Thieves trying to break into the Community Emergency Response...
Skagit County Police Blotter
Monday, August 9 12:33 p.m.: Still not fooled – Caller reported a suspicious phone call from an attorney. The caller believed it was her ex-husband. N. 3rd St., La Conner. 6:44 p.m.: Her hot news – Cold vehicle prowl. Suspect broke a...
Lattice Top Fresh Peach Pie
This year is a good year for peaches. We travel over the Cascade Mountains on occasion and on the return trip we stop at Thorpe’s Fruit Stand along I-90. The fruit we buy depends on the season. A...
