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A master storyteller, La Conner author Tom Robbins lent his name to another well-received work here Saturday. Only this time he did so not with his pen, but with his mere presence. And it had everything to do with fun rather than work. That's because a large crowd – many dressed as characters from his best-selling novels – descended on town for a festive, sun-splashed afternoon celebrating the La Conner wordsmith's decades-long mastery of wit, wisdom and eclectic thought. The timing cou...
Hard work and perseverance paid dividends for La Conner Schools ahead of the Labor Day weekend. District officials learned Friday that their application for a 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant to support the Braves Club after-school program has been approved. Past proposals had not been selected. The award recommends funding of up to $450,000 annually for five years, for a total of $2.5 million, a district news release states. A final funding level decision is expected in mid-September. “After three years of applying,” school board p...
The almost quarter inch of rain Sunday, like the 0.43 inch of rain that fell Aug. 29-30, with. 0.4 inches the 29th and 0.03 the 30th, may end Skagit County’s summer burn ban but is not alleviating the region’s drought. The 0.5 inch August rainfall total was 0.7 inches below the century’s average of 1.2 inches, making it the eighth driest since 2000 and one of 14 with less than an inch of precipitation. August rainfall was 0.7 inches below the century average of 1.2 inches, 57.8%. Seven of the driest years have been since 2014. Last year only...
Skagit County's Farmland Legacy Program has finalized two farmland preservation projects this August, permanently protecting another 60 acres of farmland from development. The La Conner farmland is managed by two families – the Rings and the Lillquists – each of whom are descendants of Isaac Dunlap who served as Skagit County's first County Commissioner in 1889. Together, all 60 acres are leased to Thulen Farms. Landowner Karl Lillquist, along with his nieces, nephews and uncle, John Ring, exp...
The median price of the 126 homes that closed in Skagit County in July was $545,000, slightly down in the five months since March. Anacortes home prices continue to influence values county wide. The median sold home price in that market was down considerably from June and July 2022, over $100,000 and $150,000 respectively. Nine of the 10 homes sold in the La Conner market were in Shelter Bay or on the Fidalgo peninsula. Homes are generally selling at or within 10% of the list price, either...
Unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins have prompted the Washington Department of Health to close all beaches in Skagit County to recreational harvesting of all species of shellfish. This includes clams, geoduck, oysters, mussels, scallops and other invertebrates such as the moon snail. Crab meat is not affected, but “crab butter” and crab entrails can harbor biotoxins and should be discarded during PSP advisories. PSP and other naturally occurring biotoxins are not destroyed by cooking or freezing. Algae that contain the tox...
Four members of the U.S. House of Representatives visited the Port of Skagit Aug. 8 to learn more about Skagit Regional Airport and projects supported by federal grant dollars. Representative Rick Larsen (D-Everett) coordinated the visit, which included four members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and several staff. Rep. Larsen, as ranking member of the committee, was joined by Committee Chairman Sam Graves of Missouri, Rep. Julia Brownley and Rep. Mark Desaulnier, both of California. The visit to Skagit Regional Airpor...
Emergency preparedness is serious stuff. One need only look at this summer’s headlines, from accounts of wildland fires on Maui to hurricane activity in Florida. Bracing for the “big one” or getting ready to deal with tsunamis doesn’t have to be entirely grim. A case in point is the disaster preparedness fair Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at John K. Bob Ball Park on Swinomish Reservation. The Sept. 9 event will blend emergency training and demonstrations with food, raffles and giveaways. In addition, Fire District 13, which serves Swinomish and rur...
Merlin James "Jim" Hanson, 87, died peacefully on Aug. 23, 2023 from complications of congestive heart failure surrounded by his wife Margaret (Midge) and daughters Brit, Laura and Kari. Jim was born in McGregor, N.D., the sixth-born child of Minnie and Erwin Hanson. His life journey included the roles of Lincoln Lynx, UW Husky; U.S. Army officer; and insurance man. Jim was a member of the 101 Club, found golf late in life at the Skagit Golf Club; an adventurous salmon fisherman and boater; and... Full story
The vibe coming out of the Pac-12 Conference this summer couldn't have been more grim. But a La Conner High School alum is providing a rare bit of good news, especially in her hometown, ahead of what will be the final year of the Conference of Champions as it is known. Ashley Watkins, a 2017 La Conner grad, has been elevated to director of football operations at Washington State University, the youngest sports administrator to serve in that capacity within the Pac-12. Her promotion was...
After slogging through a spring and summer beset with budget woes, La Conner Schools officials and staff shifted gears last week to focus on what they do best – create priceless memories for local students and families. The 2023-2024 year launched with a soft-start half-week of instruction beginning with Aug. 29 Braves Day orientation activities. Building principals Heather Fakkema-Hovde and Christine Tripp said Braves Day, which provided a relaxed atmosphere for students to meet teachers and advisors, obtain class schedules, pose for photos an...
When you drive around Skagit County, you see lots of animals: horses, cows, goats and more. One small farm on Best Road that immediately caught my attention has a sign stating JF Miniature Donkeys. The owners are Julie and Todd Jones and they gave me a tour of the property that enabled me to interact with many of the donkeys, who it turns out are very friendly, much more like pet dogs than horses or cows. My question as a reporter was, "What do you do with all of these donkeys?" The answer was...
Another day, another dollar. More than a familiar lament, it was truly a way of life for one of La Conner’s more famous – or infamous, depending on your political leanings – native sons. Hulet M. Wells, born in 1878 on a farm near town, toiled in hayfields as a young man for a buck a day. He also worked variously as a railway section hand, postal worker, street paver, logger, miner and shingle weaver. And that’s just to name a few. But his eventual calling was that of a labor activist, a role that led Wells in 1912 to run for mayor of Seattle...
The Museum of Northwest Art’s permanent collection takes center stage in the exhibit “Re Building: Celebrating the Role of the Permanent Collection in Building Up MoNA’s Significance, Past and Present.” That mouthful of a title identifies the 40 year commitment to “building up and cementing the reputation of the institution as a remarkable repository of the modern and contemporary trajectory of Northwest art” as the website states. Through September visitors can view a sampling of over 2,400 artworks ranging across all media and spanning fr...
La Conner showed its colors Saturday with a joyous celebration of famed local author Tom Robbins, named King for a Day and hailed by fans as he and wife Alexa led a parade down First Street perched atop the vintage La Conner fire truck. In a nod to his bestselling novels, fans showed up in outrageous costumes, the most popular of which were nods to Sissy, the hitchhiking model of "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" The day was a celebration of imagination and creativity in all its forms. Favorite...
On Nov. 7, some voters will decide whether to dissolve the Columbia County Library in Dayton, Washington. If they choose to do so, librarians said it would be the first time in the country that a public library is dissolved following a book challenge. Everything in the building would go to the State Library, and the building would return to the City of Dayton. A lawsuit is calling a ballot measure to dissolve a southeastern Washington library unconstitutional. The complaint aims to keep the measure off the November ballot. It all started a litt... 
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Republican senators who walked away from this year’s legislative session will be barred from running for re-election next year, Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade announced Aug. 8. The conclusion, announced after months of speculation, might not be a surprise to voters who overwhelmingly voted last year to create consequences for legislative walkouts via Measure 113. But the decision drew an immediate promise of a court challenge from GOP lawmakers, who have said the measure was so sloppily worded that they are technically allowed to s...
First term state lawmaker Clyde Shavers (D, Oak Harbor) brought plenty of energy to a downtown La Conner appearance last Thursday. And for the 10th District Democrat it was a case of substance matching style. That's because Shavers also brought with him to the 75-minute afternoon stop at Ravens Cup Coffee & Art Gallery on First Street a detailed update on clean energy legislation and policy measures both in Olympia and around the country. His audience, primarily founders of the La Conner-based...
The La Conner Town Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, in Upper Maple Center at 104 Commercial St. Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance Public Comments (Limit: 3 minutes per person) Presentations Consent Agenda Consent agenda (Approved without objection 5/0) Approval of the minutes: Aug. 22, 2023 Finance: Approval of accounts payable. Approval payroll Items removed from the consent agenda Reports Chamber report Revenue /expenditure report Department head reports Mayor’s report Council committee reports Unfinished Business: Center S...
Can Spam, the ubiquitous low-cost processed meat, be more than just a pantry staple? This intriguing question took center stage at the Tom Robbins Day Spam-Carving Contest in Gilkey Square Saturday. Twelve talented carvers, generously sponsored by local organizations and community members, embraced the challenge of turning Spam into artistic masterpieces, captivating dozens of enthusiastic onlookers. With a mere 15 minutes on the clock and two cans of Spam as their medium, participants wielded...
Of course there is a Tom Robbins Fan Club on Facebook and of course King for a Day celebration organizer Gina McCarthy posted news of the Sept. 2 activities there and of course at least one Irishwoman came to La Conner Saturday. Gerri Roche of Wexford, Ireland took it as a sign. She shared fellow Irish native McCarthy’s post “a few weeks ago” and at least half a dozen fans traveled to participate. Kerry McGrath came from Palmyra, New York. “It’s been on my bucket list,” she said. “The universe opened a path for me and I took. it.” Jen Innc...
Sunday, Aug. 27 10:17 a.m. Gassing off? – Report by farm owner who believes some of his vehicles are low on gas and believes someone may be stealing it at night. No suspect information and no obvious signs of theft. Caller wants extra patrols at night. Moore Rd., Conway. 2:51 p.m. Watering the bushes – Hit and run MVA with a vehicle left behind. Deputies arrived to find a car in the bushes and a water line broken. Deputies searched the area but did not locate the driver. Tow removed the vehicle and further investigation needed to find the drive...
The Port was honored to host the Tom Robbins parade this past weekend! What a spectacle! It was a lot of fun, though, and many of our guests were able to see La Conner put on quite a show. We found a rowboat in Sullivan Slough last week. It has some small damage in the stern but it is otherwise a beautiful little boat. If anyone knows whose it is, please have them call the office at 360-466-3118 and we will be happy to return it. We met with the Army Corps of Engineers recently and they told us...
NOT TO BE MISSED Skagit Symphony begins its 2023-24 season with “Second Chances” on Oct. 21. The concert features Sandra Shen on piano playing “Stars” by Mary Howe, Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto and concludes with Mussorgsky’s legendary “Pictures at an Exhibition.” Info: www.skagitsymphony.com/second-chances. LIBRARIES La Conner Swinomish Library. 520 Morris St., La Conner. 360-466-3352.www.lclib.lib.wa.us. Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Storytime for Children. 11 a.m. every Friday. Book Club. Meets at...
Lime-marinated halibut goes under the broiler. You can substitute cod for the halibut. You can marinate for up to 3 hours. Thank you for the recent wonderful compliments, when I was out and about. I was called the "recipe lady." Another said she loves my recipes, making most of them! Another receives a gift subscription at their home in Bothell. He recently cooked one of my recipes and loves how easy they are to prepare. Thanks everyone! Ingredients Halibut fillets, 2, 1 inch thick Limes, 2, to...
