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Today is the official start of winter. The seasons changed Monday, though, when La Conner and the Puget Sound region awakened to sub-freezing temperatures and light snow on the ground. Much of the same is forecast through Friday. The wintry conditions immediately impacted schedules. La Conner Schools Monday morning canceled Tuesday classes, the last day of school before winter break. The La Conner High girls' basketball game at Meridian Monday and the Braves' Tuesday tipoff with Clallam Bay...
The 2023 budget the La Conner Town Council passed Dec. 13 is robust in its expenditures, at $6.97 million and modest in its increase in revenue, to $5.6 million. It is a deficit budget of $1.37 million, with reserves covering the difference. Expenditures will be $1.1 million more than projected for 2022, almost 19% higher. Five funds will increase by a total of $1.1 million next year: The general fund increase of $215,874 will include staff raises of 7.3% for administration and 3% for public works. Replacing the fire hall roof is $180,000,...
Sunday afternoon Skagit Habitat for Humanity’s 41st home was ready and dedicated for Katelyn and her two children. The Channel Cove duplex on Park Street was ready for move-in after three months of renovation by primarily volunteer workers, including Katelyn. Skagit Habitat Executive Director Tina Tate, Board President Rob Ashby and Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen spoke at a 2 p.m. ceremony in the Channel Cove community center. They welcomed Katelyn into her new home and expressed appreciation for all who made the project possible. Jodi D...
Since 2015 talks had stalled regarding negotiation of a new master lease between Shelter Bay and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Now folks are talking again. Shelter Bay and Swinomish residents and leaders last week attended the first of planned traditional Native American open floor discussions hosted by lease consultants Dr. Wil James and Ava Goodman at the tribal social services building. Most came away with a positive view of the three-hour session, which invited a frank but respectful dialogue stressing common ground approaches to s...
Dear Editor — I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O’Hanlon 115 West Ninety Fifth Street, New York Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great...
In February 2021, Texas had unusually cold weather, resulting in an electric energy supply crisis. Millions of customers were without power for up to four days, during the coldest days of the year. Retail prices went up dramatically, and some customers received monthly bills for more than ten thousand dollars. Initial news reports assigned the blame for both the reliability issues and the costs to Texas utilities increasing the amount of renewable energy on its grid. What really happened in the...
The La Conner Town Council was productive at its last meeting of the year Dec. 13. It approved the Town’s 2023 budget and passed ordinances raising fees after hearing from residents and getting staff reports. No residents spoke at the public hearing ahead of unanimous approval of the budget. The budget estimates $5.6 million in revenues with expenses of $6.97 million, projecting a $1.4 million deficit. See story, page 1. The business-side approvals included an amendment finalizing the 2022 budget, joining increases passed earlier. The six f...
Once again our community responded generously and warmly to this year’s Festival of Tiny Trees. More than $8,000 was raised to support additional furnishings for the new La Conner Swinomish Library. It was wonderful to be able to host everyone in our new library and to recognize the amazing efforts that made it possible. We applaud and appreciate all who made this year’s event a success! Tam Mason from WaFd Bank who stepped up to coordinate the event. What a hero! Our creative tree donors & designers: Local businesses and museums: Linda Ban...
Thanks for the free paper, Mr. Editor, even if I’d read it before. I think I’ve missed maybe one, since your arrival as publisher all those years ago. I like to think of myself as a La Connerite, but perhaps I’m not. The Beaver Marsh and Fir Island are formally Mount Vernon, but here is where I hang out. I fished the channel when there were some fish here and I fished the Skagit River when fish were there. Now I fish neither, nope, not enough fish anywhere! Now I grit my teeth and look a bit pitiful, with my steely glare and my mostly missi...
James Roger (Jim) Zimmerman was born June 26, 1933 in Noonan, ND to Edgar and Stella (Kjos) Zimmerman and passed away December 12, 2022. In 1936 the family, with siblings Eloise and Boyd, headed west, starting a new life in LaConner, WA. Jim graduated in 1951 from LaConner High School and went to work on the tugboats for Dunlap Towing Company. In 1963 Jim and 19 co-workers purchased the Company from Gene Dunlap and he spent the next 30 years in a management role until he retired in 1992. In...
Rev. Fr. Dale A. Johnson June 7, 1950-Dec. 8, 2022 Author, Lecturer, Priest, Human Rights Advocate The Rev. Fr. Johnson is the son of a dairy farmer from Mount Vernon, Washington. After graduating Mount Vernon High School in 1968, he continued a lifelong passion of study and teaching. Many who knew Fr. Johnson as a youth knew him as a talented wrestler, a sport that takes grit and determination for success. He put this same grit and determination into his study of semitic languages and service...
The slight dip, to $57,164, in the Town of La Conner’s November sales tax revenue was the first sizeable year-to-year drop in collections since the first summer of the coronavirus pandemic, in 2020. That is $3,7467, 6.2% below 2021. Still, the $631,012 collected in 2022 is almost $140,000 above the year’s budget projections and exceeds 2021’s year total. Elsewhere, revenues are solid gold, moving to platinum by year’s end. The $21,228 in hotel/motel tax revenues is the highest November report ever, 5.2% over 2021. Revenue is almost $50,000...
La Conner Schools Transportation Supervisor Kim Pedroza is leaving the school district for a similar post with the Stanwood School District. School Board President Susie Deyo formally recognized the many contributions Pedroza has made at the panel’s monthly hybrid meeting Friday morning. Pedroza will be hard to replace, a point underscored by transportation staff member Randy Swift, who juggles driving, maintenance and classroom instructional assignments. “Our coach has gone to Stanwood,” Swift lamented, “and we’re in the process of finding s...
'Tis the season to put-up Christmas trees. At school, it's also the time of year to remove diseased trees and trim back others that are intruding on campus buildings. La Conner School District staff will take out "five sickly trees" plus trim several more over the upcoming winter break. "Three of these sick trees will be removed from the front of the high school," district staff stated in a release last week, "and four others will be limbed back in that area. One tree will be removed from...
Mount Vernon Christian played well but needed an almost miracle to edge La Conner 65-61 in boys' hoops action at their home court Saturday. The Braves (3-5) had seemingly won the game when Isa Gonzales-Rojas sank two of three free throw attempts for a 56-55 lead with two seconds remaining in regulation. He had been fouled on a desperation three-point heave from midcourt. The winds of fortune then shifted in favor of the Hurricanes. Referees nixed the second of Gonzales-Rojas' made free throws...
Big school programs on the La Conner High School girls' basketball schedule have posed few issues for the Lady Braves. Not so with nearby small school rival Mount Vernon Christian, however. The Lady Hurricanes overcame a five-point halftime deficit to hand La Conner a 46-45 NW2B/1B setback at DeKok Court Saturday afternoon. La Conner was playing its third road game in three nights, having bested 4A Kamiak 68-45 Thursday and 2A North Kitsap 52-40 Friday. Mount Vernon Christian, the defending...
Shelter Bay community residents learned about their marina’s history, structure and financials at the second “Know Your Community” class held Dec. 12 at the clubhouse. The class began with interim community manager Pat McGarry saying he was “drafted” to the volunteer marina committee after moving here in 2010 based on his marina construction experience. The marina’s story started with Axel Osberg negotiating a lease agreement with Dewey Mitchell of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in the 1960s to dredge a harbor and create a development...
La Conner locals and friends of Predators of the Heart gathered at Skagit Cellars in Gilkey Square to celebrate a 20-year legacy and raise funds for ongoing operations the night of the lighted boat parade, Dec. 10. The winery was packed. Of a staggering 62 artworks for auction, 52 sold, bringing in over $5,000 for wildlife rescue and conservation. Two participants drove all the way from Auburn to attend and others joined online from California to New York. Some donated above and beyond their winning bids. A generous winner of 11 items selected...
I like baking those cookie recipes from days gone by. Particularly if the ingredients are easy to come by and the recipe is simple to make. This is a no-bake recipe. I bought chow mein noodles a month or so ago, on a whim. I saw the price had not increased from previous years. It's good to have them on hand, just in case. Yes, just in case I decided to whip up a Chinese meal. They are the hard, crunchy noodle. In this instance, they were perfect to create a sweet treat to gift to friends at...
Monday, December 12 12:39 p.m.: Package thief – A package delivered by Fed Ex was removed from the owner’s porch by a female. The incident was captured on security video and is under investigation. Maple Ave., La Conner. 2:26 p.m.: Vehicle prowl – A vehicle parked in a driveway was broken into overnight. Stolen from the vehicle was a GPS. Park St., La Conner. Tuesday, December 13 3:51 p.m.: Stolen appliances – Suspects entered the house and stole a Kitchen Aid freestanding gas range and a Beko...
