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Articles from the December 4, 2019 edition


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  • WILLIAM (BILL) WARD

    Dec 4, 2019

    William (Bill) Burr Ward, 87, of White Salmon, WA, passed away peacefully on Nov. 25th, 2019 in the care of family and Hospice. Bill was born in Seattle, WA to Jack & Fay (Pat) Ward on April 2, 1932. He attended K-12 in the West Seattle community, Seattle University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management from the University of Washington College of Forestry in 1954. He married the love of his life Patricia (Patty) Lawrence on March 21, 1953 in Aberdeen, WA. He served in the United States Air Force Airborne Division as a... Full story

  • Supporting Joy Neal

    Dec 4, 2019

    I, too, am writing to voice my support for Joy Neal as our La Conner librarian. Under her leadership the library has been an integral part of the life of our community. I agree with Joanna May that more explanation should be provided by the Board of Trustees. Without it, facing the construction of a new library with the people who decided to dismiss Joy being the people in charge sounds scary. After all the work she has done to obtain the funds for a new library what a shame to not allow her to see the project through to completion. - Judy...

  • "The Barn Shows Book" celebrated

    Dec 4, 2019

    We very much appreciate the Weekly News coverage of our celebration of our book, “The Barn Shows Book 1987-2003.” As the paper reported, “Great to have hundreds of supportive friends, colleagues and artists out Saturday to celebrate ‘The Barn Shows Book’ being done and available.” Signing well over two hundred books in one day is very gratifying. This spectacular event so reminded me (Lavone) of those seventeen years of Barn Shows. What an era that was. This Valley’s love and support of art and artists is unbelievable. THANK YOU SKAGIT VALLEY...

  • Thinking, voting matters

    Dec 4, 2019

    For those who do not take the Seattle Times or did not read Danny Westneat’s column in Sunday’s paper where he developed the phrase “nothing matters,” a brief recap. His main point is that there has been a major dust up lately over the issue of car tabs in which the state cost me an extra $35 or so per car. Yet no one has even coughed over the report from the state trade advisor Robert Hamilton that Trumps’ tariff policies are costing Washington citizens $2.4 billion (yes, with a “B”) or roughly $1,000 per household – think of the cars y...

  • A flaw turned into a strength - Part II

    John Doyle|Dec 4, 2019

    In my previous article (Nov. 6), “The History of the Flaw-Part I,” I outlined a view of our nature as a species; our tendency to choose self-interest over community-interest; and our lack of common perspective. This discussion was brought to my attention early in my studies as a student of ecology by an article from a biology professor, Garrett Hardin. His article in Scientific American in December 1968, “The Tragedy of the Commons,” planted the seeds for this point of view. One of the principles of our democratic republic is that the collect...

  • Preparing for impending disaster

    Glen Johnson|Dec 4, 2019

    Here we sit, giving thanks for what we have, hoping that our lives are lived in relative peace and harmony. I pray for this myself, daily. Unfortunately, prayer alone is not always going to do the trick; sometimes we have to educate ourselves about practical risks, and how we might prepare for them. Thus, this letter: It’s about the risk of our little beautiful town being torn asunder by the impending disaster that can’t be denied. I do not want to be a dooms-sayer, but a huge earthquake is headed our way and we are ill prepared for it and the...

  • Forecast: sustainable future dim, far off possibility

    Ken Stern|Dec 4, 2019

    Another month, another rain report. Regular readers know – and hopefully come to expect – a first issue of the month summary of the previous month’s rain and temperatures. For the thousands in the La Conner School district who don’t regularly receive a paper, this is a regular feature, as much as school news and sports. Just what is going on with the weather? Inquiring minds want to know. They find that answer in the Weekly News, the place for news about your community. A strong editorial voice is included every week, also. Edi...

  • Town budget vote Dec. 10

    Ken Stern|Dec 4, 2019

    The 2020 budget Town Council will pass at its Tuesday meeting is not much different from October’s preliminary budget. While a deficit budget, it will be balanced, as required by state law, by drawing down the fund balance by $1.07 million. The $4.8 million in revenue is 2.3% below 2019 and the $5.8 million in expenditures is 10% lower. Administrator Scott Thomas calls it a budget similar to last year. Property taxes, water bills and parking fees have been increased. Several projects held up in 2019 are again budgeted in 2020, including the M...

  • November: more cold, less rain

    Ken Stern|Dec 4, 2019

    Not much rain but lots of cold temperatures last month. The 13 days of frost bookended November: Five of the first eight mornings saw lows below 32 degrees as did eight of the last ten days. The coldest temperatures were recorded Nov. 25-30. Nov 29-30 were the coldest mornings, at 24.2 and 21.6 degrees. Nov. 25 was the last day above 46.5 degrees and the high was 40.0 degrees on the 29th. The average low last month was 35.3 degrees, three degrees below the century average. The average daily...

  • Santa's schedule sighted: he is coming to town

    Ken Stern|Dec 4, 2019

    News scoop: Santa’s advance schedule of early La Conner visits has been leaked to the Weekly News. Parents, are these on your calendar? The La Conner Chamber of Commerce has negotiated Santa’s assistance for Thursday’s community tree lighting at Gilkey Square, Dec. 5. DJ Heidi will spin tunes starting at 5:30 p.m. Santa arrives at 6 p.m. to light the Christmas tree. Refreshments are courtesy of OPAL. Saturday morning Santa will be posing for photos at Maple Hall when the La Conner Rotary holds...

  • Longtime La Conner Library champion starts new life chapter

    Bill Reynolds|Dec 4, 2019

    When Georgia Powers and her late husband, Ray, first moved to La Conner in the 1980s, one of the first things they did was search for the local library. What they found was more than a building. They discovered a calling, one that Powers, an avid reader, will continue to embrace even as she relocates to southern California to be near family, having undergone a series of leg surgeries. From more than a thousand miles away, and as she regains strength following those operations, Powers plans to ke...

  • La Conner's Marble family a volleyball dynasty

    Bill Reynolds|Dec 4, 2019

    The more things change, the more they stay the same. Thirteen years ago La Conner High head volleyball coach Suzanne Marble brought an undefeated team into the state 2B tournament and won the championship. One of the key players for La Conner then was a Marble daughter. Carlee Marble Daub was an intense, dynamic setter who would earn All-State recognition three times for the Lady Braves and then become a four-year starter at Central Washington University. Her debut in the CWU starting lineup, a match in which Carlee recorded 49 assists, was...

  • Past Washington writers remembered

    Ken Stern|Dec 4, 2019

    Washington is a big and varied state, in every possible way, from sea level and Seattle to Mt. Rainer’s summit and Palouse grain fields. Writers have been explaining our region in words since explorers first arrived. Fifty of Washington’s best writers from the 1870s through the 1960s are summarized for your exploration in Peter Donahue’s “Salmon Eaters to Sagebrushers: Washington’s Lost Literary Legacy,” newly published by Washington State University Press. The book’s title comes from Nard Jones’ (1904-1972) 1947 “Evergreen Land,” a portrait...

  • PATRICIA (McENIRY) LOVE

    Dec 4, 2019

    Patricia McEniry Love, 94, of La Conner died at her home on November 26, 2019. She is survived by daughters: Robin (Richard Tanner) and Sheila Connolly; nine grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. No one will ever forget their “GG”. She was preceded in death by Henry Love, her husband of 60 years, daughter Ann Love Glick, and brother Michael McEniry. She was born Patricia Adele McEniry to James & Betty (Braga) McEniry on October 30, 1925 in Pasadena, California. The family moved to Seattle where Patsy attended Lowell School, and was a pr... Full story