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John Allen Carr, of Carmel, CA and La Conner, WA passed peacefully from cancer of the liver in the comfort of his home on June 9, 2021. John was born in San Francisco and attended Menlo High School, where he met his beloved life partner and wife of 59 years, Judith “Jackie” (Jackson), who passed February 25 of this year. John graduated from Stanford University with a BA degree in Biology in 1963. John and Judy were married in the chapel on the Stanford campus on his 20th birthday, following Joh...
There was no state 2B Hardwood Classic in Spokane this year. But there was a state level tournament in Mount Vernon last week. And as was the case in Spokane in 2020, La Conner High’s entry advanced to the final round, earning top runner-up honors. La Conner (15-2) placed second in the girls’ Summer State 2B basketball tournament hosted Wednesday through Friday by Mount Vernon Christian. The Lady Braves routed Toledo and edged Wahkiakum before falling to top-seeded Warden 72-66 in overtime for the championship. The three-day, eight-team event p...
Jeff Scoma had a successful first season as a head football coach, guiding La Conner High to a 4-1 mark and the NW2B spring grid crown, its best showing in several years. Turns out, Scoma might have been too successful – at least as far as Braves fans are concerned. The former Bellevue High assistant was announced last week as the new head coach at 3A Stanwood, whose campus has a student enrollment approaching 1,300 students. Despite the move up in classification, it was not an easy decision for Scoma to leave La Conner. “I loved La Conne...
Mikki Gifford is looking forward to her new role with La Conner schools. Make that, roles. Gifford is the new combination middle school-high school assistant principal and athletic director, a dual post she says is ideal given her extensive background in secondary level academics and extra-curricular activities. She arrives at La Conner after 15 years with the Oak Harbor School District and more than two decades in public education. “I entered the field of education to make a difference,” Gif...
The Town of La Conner moved swiftly Friday to open a cooling center for area residents to take shelter from last weekend’s record high temperatures. The suggestion made by Robin Carneen earlier in the day was a reality by 6 p.m. June 25. The La Conner school district made its elementary school commons available Saturday-Monday, from 12-8 p.m. Drinks and snacks were brought by Scott Thomas, La Conner town administrator. He provided transportation and oversaw and managed volunteers. Thomas made “accommodations for anyone, they just need to tel...
A Good family that has had a great impact on the history and agricultural development of Fir Island and whose members have since been actively engaged in an array of public service projects will be honored at the Skagit County Pioneer Association Picnic Aug. 5 in La Conner. Descendants of William and Rebecca Eady Good, who emigrated from Ireland to North America in the 19th century will be saluted as the Skagit County Pioneer Family of the Year when the annual picnic resumes after a one-year...
LA CONNER — Take shelter from the heat today through Monday, June 26-28, 12-8 p.m., at the La Conner elementary school commons, 305 N. 6th Street. This is the entrance up the steps at the circle drive, 305 North 6th Street, across from the high school. Drinks and snacks are being brought by Scott Thomas, La Conner town administrator. He is providing transportation. Thomas will “make accommodations for anyone, they just need to tell us what they need,” he wrote in an email Saturday mor...
It has often been dark and gloomy during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Friday was not one of those times. At least not for members of the La Conner High Class of 2021 and their families and friends. It was, instead, a rare opportunity to celebrate. Together. Bright sunshine and a spectacular view of Mt. Baker greeted the class and about 500 people attending outdoor commencement exercises at Whitaker Field for what was an often emotional 75-minute program. Valedictorian Sarah Malcomson and...
La Conner is one step closer to having some of its historic buildings don a more modern look. The Town Planning Commission voiced support last week for placement of small reader bar codes that when accessed would provide anecdotal and historical information about those structures, with owner approval. Deemed historical commemorative plaques, the QR codes do not require the Town’s official blessing if they do not exceed three square feet in size, according to Town Planner Michael Davolio and Mayor Ramon Hayes. Even so, they wanted c...
Saying goodbye is never easy. Because of that, La Conner schools softened the departures of those retiring or leaving the district for other jobs with a two-hour farewell celebration heavy on humor at the elementary campus Thursday afternoon. District Maintenance Director Brian Masonholder set the tone in paying tribute to his aunt, custodian Sandy Rowland, retiring after 24 years at La Conner Schools. “She’s the only La Conner Schools employee,” said Masonholder, “who has changed my diaper.” Superintendent Rich Stewart, leaving after ser...
Anna Cook is getting back to her roots on many levels. The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community member, a La Conner high school alum who went on to earn a degree from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, is a vocal advocate for food sovereignty through her work with the acclaimed 13 Moons project. She was drawn to the cause in great part by her family’s involvement in hosting plant workshops. Her interest grew further after starting college. Today, as a result of her affiliation with 13 Moons a...
Saturday was bright and sunny, a perfect day for a doubleheader plus extra innings at Hedlin’s Ballfield. But for La Conner baseball fans, even that would not have been enough. The last inning has been played at a time-honored site and a local tradition is over. Decades of memories fleetingly intersected with the exploits of today’s youth in the two and a half hours that breezed by much too quickly on the final day of action at the historic sports venue on Maple Avenue. Well attended mor...
La Conner High School has held commencement exercises for more than a century. But this year graduation is truly the hottest ticket in town. Due to COVID-19 protocols, each graduate is allotted only eight tickets for family and friends to attend the high school’s 127th annual commencement 5 p.m. Friday at Whittaker Field. For those without tickets, the June 18 event will be livestreamed, said Principal Kathy Herrera. Still, the situation is much more favorable than it was 12 months ago. ...
Family members of the La Conner High School graduating class of 2021 will attend this year’s graduation ceremonies Friday at 5 p.m in the football stadium. Teachers and staff will be there, but few others. Attendance is limited to keep people safe from the last vestiges of the coronavirus, not quite wrung out of our community or society at large. The 54 teens – the largest graduating class in years – will graduate together, sitting shoulder to shoulder, throwing their hats in the air en masse, getting to hug and kiss each other, a...
La Conner officials are accelerating plans to curb speeding traffic here. The Town Council has bypassed a potentially lengthy cost analysis process and authorized Public Works Director Brian Lease and Town Administrator Scott Thomas to immediately begin crunching numbers on expenses related to use of digital speed signs in high traffic volume areas. The Council is leaning toward installation of at least two permanent signs, though Sgt. Jeff Willard, head of the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office La Conner Detachment and Undersheriff Chad Clark h...
Barbara Sue Fjarlie, 83, of La Conner passed away on 8 June 2021 of complications following a head injury suffered in late 2020. Barbara was born 30 June 1937 in Seattle to Gladys and George Cowen. Her family moved around the Seattle metro area. Barbara graduated from Lake Washington High School in 1955 and moved to Biloxi, Mississippi soon after to help her older sister June with childcare. In Biloxi, Barbara met a young airman, Darryl Handy, whom she later married. With Darryl, she had three...
The La Conner High girls’ basketball team earned an A for effort in its close home loss to Burlington-Edison last Tuesday, June 8. The Lady Braves received an A for results when they soundly defeated Lynden in another highly anticipated non-league hoop matchup, again at Landy James Gym two nights later. Together, the hard-fought, highly competitive games proved that 2B La Conner could more than hold its own against top 2A foes from the vaunted Northwest Conference. Burlington-Edison (7-3) e...
High school and college graduates always look sharp this time of year in their caps and gowns. But for true style points, it is hard to beat La Conner’s Swinomish high school graduates, who were decked out in colorful blankets, traditional cedar hats and eagle feathers for special pre-commencement ceremonies at Swadabs Landing Park last Wednesday. There was plenty of substance, too. Prayer warriors and Swinomish senators provided congratulations and words of encouragement to the community’s 202...
Family members of the La Conner High School graduating class of 2021 will attend this year’s graduation ceremonies Friday at 5 p.m in the football stadium. Teachers and staff will be there, but few others. Attendance is limited to keep people safe from the last vestiges of the coronavirus, not quite wrung out of our community or society at large. The 54 teens – the largest graduating class in years – will graduate together, sitting shoulder to shoulder, throwing their hats in the air en masse, getting to hug and kiss each other, a...
Thursday La Conner High School’s seniors paraded and were feted from the time La Conner’s iconic 1941 Ford white firetruck and accompany Hook & Ladder Department vehicle fleet left the schoolgrounds parking lot to the end of the parade, bookended with another firetruck, at the Town’s Maple Hall. Seniors waved from car moonroofs, backs of pick up trucks,trailers and, of course, convertibles. A variety of classic cars, from vintage corvettes to old mustangs, were joined by Fire District 13 fire...
Local history will be shared well into the future thanks to a La Conner student’s research. Rachel Cram, a La Conner high junior, is scripting audio recordings that with the press of a finger on a smartphone will provide anecdotal details about some of the town’s more historic downtown buildings. Cram will present her project, which places optical sign labels on buildings, at the June 15 Town Planning Commission meeting. Each QR code contains building specific historical information. Town Pla...
It usually is not a good sign when a basketball team has just one defensive rebound in the first quarter and only 14 for the game. But that was not the case for the unbeaten La Conner High girls’ basketball team Saturday at Landy James Gym. The Lady Braves played such good defense against NW2B rival Friday Harbor that the visitors turned the ball over repeatedly and rarely got good shots at the hoop. Thus, there were not rebounds off the defensive glass to be grabbed. La Conner (9-0) remained a...
A La Conner High School student group was to have taken a science field trip to the beach last Tuesday on what would have been a perfect warm and sunny outing. But, as has been the case for more than a year, COVID-19 protocols forced a change in plans. Thankfully, due to the adaptability of La Conner school district and the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve staffs, students in the Between Two Worlds Indigenous Science class could still enjoy the beach life. Padilla Bay’s Annie English and Madi McKay brought forage fish eggs to t...
Efforts to find an alternative to historic Hedlin’s Ballfield as a local youth sports venue have apparently made it to first base. The La Conner School District will provide a secondary diamond between Whittaker Field and the high school varsity softball field for youth sports next year, several sources have told the Weekly News. “The field is fenced along the foul lines and there are dugouts,” said outgoing La Conner Schools Superintendent Rich Stewart, who discussed relocation plans with youth sports spokesperson Reb Broker recently. “What...
Going on retreat was the best path forward for La Conner schools officials last week. School board members spent their three-hour retreat May 21 applying the finishing touches to the district’s new strategic plan, a process that has been two years in the making. They worked on next year’s budget and discussed capital improvements and naming two new student reps. That set the stage for formal action at its May 24 meeting. Members unanimously adopted a strategic plan designed to create a learning environment in which the academic and social emo...