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Yes! They did it! La Conner’s Knowledge Bowl team made a name for our small town by winning the state championship — the first Knowledge Bowl team in the school’s history to accomplish such a feat. Senior Will Malcomson was clearly the heavyweight that carried the team to an exciting victory last Saturday in Arlington, but team captain Kaleb Slaatthaug, along with Keith Carlton, Elizabeth Tripp and Myken Hassler all played an important part in clinching this impressive title. Acc...
Hand-lettered plywood signs set up by voters who are against the property tax levy proposed by La Conner Schools disappeared the day after they appeared. Somebody stole all six “Vote No” signs that were set out last Monday. Meanwhile, professionally created “Vote Yes La Conner Schools” signs and banners, mostly funded by the La Conner PTSA, have been on display and unmolested — though some were missing after the crazy March 13 windstorm. In Washington, stealing political signs is against...
Longtime La Conner resident Kathryn Nadine Reinstra died at age 82 on Wednesday, February 10. Nadine was born May 19, 1933 in Tecumseh, Nebraska to Sylvan and Mildred McCoy. She moved to Washington when she was about 10 years old. Her mom married Tom Potter in 1946; Mildred and Tom owned and ran the Waterfront Café in La Conner. Nadine graduated from La Conner High School in 1951. While in high school she met the love of her life, Joe Reinstra of Oak Harbor. They were married July 14,...
La Conner resident, Don Wright, died at home on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the age of 69. Don was born in Mount Vernon on March 29, 1946. He attended Mount Vernon schools and graduated with the Mount Vernon High School class of 1964. After graduation, he moved briefly to Eastern Washington. He came home to Skagit County and settled in La Conner. He embraced life here and became an active part of the community. Don was married twice and raised two sets of stepchildren. He worked as a forklift...
Tuesday Feb 9 10:56 a.m.: Medicine Thief – Somebody stole medication from a 64-year-old woman at the 900 block on Maple. There are no suspects. Wednesday Feb 10 10:33 a.m.: Washer Thief – Someone stole a black MI-T-M brand pressure washer from the La Conner Retirement Inn. 3:17 p.m.: Run-away – Protective services requested a check for a juvenile at the 900 block onMaple Ave. in La Conner. The boy, a reported run-away, turned himself in to the Swinomish Police Department. Thursday Feb 11 9:35 a.m.: Left school – A La...
Longtime La Conner and Skagit Valley resident Bruce Edward Wyman died at age 66, surrounded by family and visited by friends on Monday, January 25. Bruce was born to Keith and Maxine Wyman on May 13, 1949 in Port Angeles, Washington. Two older brothers, Keith and Geoff, preceded him. The family of five moved from Port Angeles to La Conner in the summer of 1954. While Maxine worked as a registered nurse, her husband supported the family by seasons of gillnetting in Bristol Bay. Bruce attended La...
Darrell Lee Bassford’s final voyage departed on Saturday, January 30 when he died at age 82. Darrell was born on April 2, 1933 to Earl and Edith Bassford and was a lifelong resident of the Swinomish Tribal Community of La Conner. He was a graduate of La Conner High School in 1951 and retired from Dunlap Towing after 46½ years as the operator of the tug boat “Swinomish.” Darrell was dedicated to his sobriety and sponsored many people during their times of need. He attended AA meeti...
Monday Jan 11 7:16 p.m.: Can I get a lift? – Someone at Pioneer Market in La Conner was looking for a ride toMount Vernon. When deputies arrived, they were gone. Tuesday Jan 12 12:40 p.m.: That stinks. – A 47-year-old man was arrested near theMorris Street public restrooms in La Conner for outstanding warrants. Wednesday Jan 13 2:07 p.m.: Sassy Student – A La Conner High School student threatened a teacher. It was decided that the incident will be handled by the school. 6:37 p.m.: Plastered pedestrian – A woman was repor...
She came to La Conner in the 1980s to build upon the foundation laid here for girls athletics. Since then, Peg Seeling has helped raise the roof for all La Conner sports teams. Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed, either locally or around the state. Seeling, who has coached multiple sports while at La Conner Schools, was recently named District One Athletic Director of the Year and will be formally honored during ceremonies in Spokane in late April. District One is a sub-group of the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association and is composed o...
Lack of depth didn’t keep La Conner High wrestlers from reaching lofty heights in Sultan on Saturday. Two-thirds of La Conner grapplers entered at the elite Sky Valley Invitational Tournament, which drew top wrestling programs — both large and small — from around Puget Sound, returned home with bronze medals. Of course, by two-thirds, we quite literally mean two of three. “We only took three wrestlers down there,” said Braves head coach Barry Harper, “but they all did really well.” Especially Sam Smith and Elijah Adams. Both plac...
About 50 people gathered at Maple Hall last week to hear La Conner Schools officials make the case for passing two levies totaling nearly $1.5 million in next month’s election. School officials have scheduled another meeting for today at 7 p.m. at the Shelter Bay clubhouse. Most of the voters in Shelter Bay live on land that cannot be taxed by the school district. But on the La Conner side of the Swinomish Channel, where voters still pay school taxes, several people stood up at last week’s mee...
With a New Year, comes a new commander at La Conner’s Sheriff’s station. Effective this week, Skagit County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kelly Howell takes the reins from Sgt. Jenny Sheahan-Lee, who has been in charge of La Conner’s police protection for the past three years. Sheahan-Lee will become the detective sergeant for the county’s law enforcement agency. La Conner contracts with the Sheriff’s Office for the town’s police protection. Besides being in charge of the La Conner detachment, Howell will a...
School's out for Winter Break, but La Conner High basketball players are still doing their homework. Make that away-from-home work. Most notably, in geography. Since students were dismissed for the holidays, La Conner hoop teams have visited Mount Baker andLangley. They return toWhidbey Islandtoday, Wednesday Dec. 30, for a non-conference twinbill at Coupeville. The Lady Braves tip off at 5:15 p.m. The Braves follow at 7. La Conner has been on the road much of December and won't return to Landy James Gym until Jan. 5 opposite NW2B rival...
Decades after it laid the foundation for Fir Island students, history is repeating itself at the landmark Skagit City School. Only this time, truly in terms of bricks and mortar. A new foundation is in the works. Also a new roof. And a host of other related exterior repairs to the weathered old schoolhouse, which dates to the turn of the century. The 20th century, that is. The long-sought facelift is being undertaken jointly by the Skagit County Historical Museum, Chad Fisher Construction, and a...
Monday Dec. 14 6:10 p.m: Tele-bully – Parents reported that their child’s cell phone was broken by another student at La Conner High School. Tuesday Dec. 15 3:34 a.m.: Big Ticket! – Vehicle stopped in theConway school parking lot for an equipment violation and the driver turned out to be driving on a suspended license. 12:11 p.m.: Unattended death – A La Conner resident was found deceased at home.There was no evidence of foul play. 11:25 p.m.: Pub Plunder? – Conway Pub’s automatic alarm sounded, the building was sec...
The La Conner School Board on Monday embraced an idea put forth by Heather Henricksen and her sister Nicole. Students at La Conner High School will be allowed to wear hats at school on a trial basis when they return from their winter break next month. Hats will be allowed on campus through February 15. After that, depending on the results of research Henricksen will conduct during the trial period, the board will decide whether to permanently repeal the schools’ 30-year hat ban. “Very well presented,” School Board President Rick Thompson told...
Robert “Bob” Wayne Ellis, 80, a longtime resident of Skagit Valley, died in the morning on Sunday, December 6. Bob was born in Deer Lodge, Montana in October 1935, the second of five children to Edith and Wayne Ellis. He moved to the valley with his family as a young boy. Bob attended school in Mount Vernon until he transferred and graduated in 1954 from La Conner High School. He was an All American track athlete, which continued into his time serving in the Army, when he was drafted in 1958 unt...
Janet Clark Kerr died at home on Tuesday, December 8 at age 81. Janet was a third generation Skagitonian, who was born in La Conner on June 30, 1934 to Harrison and Valborg Brandt Clark. Her immediate family included her two younger sisters, Anita and Elaine, as well as a large extended family with several aunts, uncles and cousins, who have remained close and dear to her throughout her life. In 1956, Janet married Donald Kerr of Burlington, and together they raised their three children,...
Heather Henricksen and members of the leadership class at La Conner High School recently made a presentation to the La Conner School Board seeking permission to wear hats on campus. Henricksen, her twin sister Nicole and their friends, researched the rules in 10 other high schools, polled teachers and proposed that the 30-year ban on hats at school be relaxed. Aside from being fashion statements, in cold weather, hats and hoods are often necessary. Pulling them off, creates “hat hair. It’s nas...
Cameron Wischhusen, who graduated from La Conner High School in 2012, represented the United States Navy as the guest speaker during La Conner Schools Veterans Day assembly held on Monday. – Photo by Don CoyoteCameron Wischhusen, who graduated from La Conner High School in 2012, represented the United States Navy as the guest speaker during La Conner Schools Veterans Day assembly held on Monday. – Photo by Don Coyote...
8:33 a.m.: Burglary – Someone went into a building at the RV park at La Conner Marina to access a payment drop. 12:39 p.m.: Broken window – One piece of glass in a double pane window was broken at Washington Federal Bank in La Conner. 5:44 p.m.: Peace keeping – A person who had a restraining order keeping him from a residence in La Conner needed a deputy to go with him to pick up a pillow, blanket, sheets and some roller blades. Tuesday Oct 27 11:43 a.m.: Info, please – Someone in La Conner had questions about setting...
An entry in La Conner’s Halloween parade on Friday came from the drama department at La Conner High School. From left are Shawna Powell, a parent and make-up artist, drama teacher Chelsey Campbell and students Kassidy Colton, Maggie Powell, Jack Tronsdal and Braden Southard. – Photo by Don Coyote...
Monday Oct 19 10:17 a.m.: Broken window – A boat owner reported a broken window. Tuesday Oct 20 8:31 a.m.: Theft – Somebody broke into the coin machine in the Port Laundromat at La Conner Marina. 5:12 p.m.: Fender bender – Someone wanted to report a hit and run in the parking lot, 900 blockMaple Ave., La Conner. The damaged vehicle had been parked, unable to move for several months and deputies determined that the damage could not have been caused by another vehicle striking it due to the way it was parked. 6:52 p.m.: Skaters...
Charles Howard Paul, a lifelong resident of Swinomish, died at age 77 on Sunday, Oct. 11. Charlie was born July 12, 1938 in Mount Vernon, the son of John and Rebecca Edge Paul. Charlie graduated from La Conner High School in 1957. He retired from working maintenance for the Swinomish Tribe after 20 years. He also worked for 23 years at the Texaco refinery at Anacortes. Charlie was a commercial fisherman all his life, and he loved being out on the water, especially later in life fishing with his...
Their goal at the start of the season was to win the big tournament in Eastern Washington come November. The La Conner High volleyball team got an early taste of that kind of success by capturing top honors at the 10-school Wenatchee Invitational this past weekend. The Lady Braves swept 4A Wenatchee Eastmont and 1A Chelan to win their pool and then defeated 2A Grandview and 4A Wenatchee High in the tourney bracket to bring home the gold. “The girls played better and better with each set,” La...