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The public got to peek into the Mount Vernon Library Commons Project, under construction across from the Skagit County Courthouse, with a series of tours on Saturday afternoon. Designed for climate resiliency and as an integral community hub for the next 100 years, the $53 million facility will feature a 4,000-square-foot children’s library, the largest one north of Seattle; a teen and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) center; study rooms; a computer lab; and quiet reading spaces. The building’s commons area will be highlighted...
La Conner Schools officials tackled the status of Braves football and student enrollment to kick off a lengthy hybrid school board meeting Monday night. District financial chief David Cram reported to board members that K-12 enrollment had dipped from 497 to 485 full-time students since the start of the calendar year, with most of the losses coming in the fifth and 12th grades. “It’s not unusual at this time of year,” Cram told the board, noting that student movement tends to increase during semester breaks. Enrollment is a major driver when...
Word is getting out on one of Skagit County's best-kept secrets. That's thanks to La Conner High School alum and former Swinomish Tribal Community Senator Leon John, now the outreach director at Didgwalic Wellness Center northwest of town along Highway 20. The Didgwalic facility is a rehabilitation center for anyone, tribal and non-tribal, dealing with addiction or other challenges to mental and physical health. John outlined the Didgwalic mission as guest speaker for the second in a series of...
Suddenly, the fields around La Conner are puddling up. February's 3.2 inches of rain is the third above average rainfall month in a row. There was over 2 inches of rain the last six days: 1.2 inches Feb. 28-29 after 0.8 inches Feb. 24-25. With three days of sprinkles, 2.2 inches fell Feb. 19-29, 71% of the month's precipitation, and continued March 1-3. Most of the rest, 0.5 inches, came down Feb. 11-12. Rain came down on 17 days. No measurable snow fell. This was the seventh-wettest February...
It was a four-letter word that defined a briskly paced, 45-minute hybrid Town Council meeting at Maple Hall on Feb. 27. That word was code. As in the council’s approval of both a formal town code of ethics and update to La Conner’s uniform development code. The ethics code was one of Mayor Marna Hanneman’s first initiatives upon taking office in January. “In this climate of people not being civil to each other – not that this is happening here – I asked for a code of ethics,” Hanneman said. Upon adoption of the code, following a motion by cou...
By Laurel Demkovich, Grace Deng, Jerry Cornfield and Bill Lucia OLYMPIA – Three citizen initiatives designed to lift restrictions on police vehicle pursuits, prohibit income taxes and establish a “bill of rights” for parents of K-12 students are set to become law in Washington after winning approval in the state House and Senate on Monday. The initiatives do not require the governor’s signature. They will take effect 90 days after the legislative session ends – so in early June if lawmakers wrap up their work for the year as expected on Thursd...
The Town of La Conner’s Public Works Department will be picking up yard waste the week of March 25-29. The crew will pick up small branches, clippings and other yard waste, but cannot take large limbs, grass clippings or anything in a plastic bag. If you live within the town limits of La Conner and are interested in scheduling a pickup, call Town Hall at 360-466-3125 by Wednesday, March 20. Your one-time pickup is not to exceed one pile measuring 5 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet (60 cubic feet)....
So much is happening at the La Conner Swinomish Library this month! March is Women’s Histroy Month. Come check out our Women’s “Herstory” display to find a good selection of nonfiction books about spunky, smart women. We are participating in Library Giving Day, now through April 4, and invite you to join in keeping the library a vibrant, welcoming place for all. Your gift, through our Foundation, will benefit your library as we look toward the youth summer reading program, ongoing use of our meeting space, author readings, musical events,...
Skagit Valley Clean Energy Alliance (SVCEA) announces the launch of Solarize Skagit, a new solar energy program available now through July 4. This program will support Skagit residents to install solar panels on their homes, businesses and farms. You can reserve your free solar assessment online at Solarizeskagit.org Installing solar can seem daunting, from perceived costs, to technical details, to figuring out which installers to choose. SVCEA is sponsoring Solarize Skagit, a solar group purchasing program in partnership with Olympia...
Last summer's drought lingered all the way to January before Skagit County officially finally emerged out of it. But that does not mean this year's water situation is secure. Snowpack in the Cascade Mountains remained well below normal based on Feb. 4 data. The most recent data of snow water equivalent from the Natural Resource Conservation Service shows the North Puget Sound Basin at 50% of the average, based on the period 1991-2020. By contrast, a year ago, the snowpack registered 78%. Nick Bo...
The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community has notified the federal government it intends to sue for its failure to protect threatened and endangered salmon runs. In a 15-page document submitted Feb. 22 to the Environmental Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Department of the Interior, tribal counsel Earthjustice of Seattle claims the federal government has violated two sections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “The Swinomish people’s way of life and livelihoods, as well as pro...
Safety. That is the number one concern for La Conner's First Street, Fire Chief Aaron Reinstra told the 40 people gathered to discuss parking and traffic patterns at last Tuesday evening's Community Mingle at the Civic Garden Club, Feb. 20. His early remarks set the tone and focused residents' attention on fire department data: La Conner's firetruck has been on South First Street for two calls per month on average over the past two years. In his opening remarks, Director of Planning Michael...
What is the process, procedure, requirements and schedule to make South First Street one way? First, it will not happen in a hurry. Town Administrator Scott Thomas, Planning Director Michael Davolio and Mayor Marna Hanneman’s responses to emailed questions indicate that the issue is complex and it will be some time before there is a decision and any new signage gets posted. Thomas wrote that “First, staff will define the problems that we hope to address” and noted it was not obvious to him, that while both parking and public safety were discu...
In his all-too-short life, La Conner's Rich Watkins created a legacy to last generations. Consider pre-season baseball practices now under way at La Conner High School, where two decades ago Watkins was the team's head coach, an ideal role for the former Spokane area sports standout. His influence is still felt by current Braves' coach Jeremiah LeSourd, whom Watkins mentored. "He prepared me for the job," said LeSourd, who along with Andy Otis has since coached the baseball team to numerous post...
Voting in Washington state’s presidential primary is underway for voters willing to declare their party on their ballot. The ballot instructions state “The major political parties require voters to mark a party box” and then vote for a candidate from that party. The Democratic ballot lists Joe Biden, Dean Phillips, Maranne Williamson and uncommitted delegates. The Republican ballot lists Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Donald Trump. Not voting is an option for those not supporting either party or any of the ca...
Lots of tourists stayed overnight in La Conner last November. The town council’s January packet summarizing revenues reported $9,464 was collected in hotel/motel taxes, above 2023 and the second highest ever. The visitors did not spend a record amount of money, though. Still, the $42,875 in sales tax was only 1.2% and $516 below last year’s total. It is the third highest January total reported to the town by the state’s Department of Commerce. The $4,281 collected for the Special Use Fire Tax was below 2023’s total, by $225. Residents were mo...
Three citizen-led initiatives will receive hearings in this session of the Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, and Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma reported last week. The Legislature will debate I-2113 on reasonable police pursuit; I-2081 on restoring parent’s “right to know”; and I-2111, on prohibiting a state income tax. “Washington voters will hear a lot between now and November on any initiatives that end up on the ballot,” Billig and Jinkins said in a press release. “It will be up to them to decide w...
Longtime La Conner news photographer Don Coyote is renowned for making magic with his camera. But no magic was needed to enhance the image of his favorite photographic subject, the late Brodie Coyote, the endearing golden retriever who was loyally at Don's side for more than a decade before the four-legged La Conner goodwill ambassador's death Feb. 15. Variously described as a "godly creature" and "darling retriever," Brodie Coyote was the ideal model and photographer's sidekick. Coyote called...
Boaters and campers tying up their boats or parking their RVs at the La Conner Marina will be paying 5% and 10% more starting in April. Port of Skagit Commissioners passed a resolution updating Marina moorage fees and “miscellaneous charges” at their Feb. 6 meeting. Staff recommended the increase. Director of Facilities and Marina Operations Brady Rowe reported it was based on a survey of moorage rates from the Ports of Everett, Anacortes, Bellingham, and the Oak Harbor Marina and considered the federal consumer price index. The Port has annual...
The high-speed passenger ferry MV Delphinus has joined the San Francisco Bay Ferry system after breezing through builder trials and two weeks of sea trials that tested speed, endurance and maneuverability in different marine conditions. The vessel left La Conner on Friday, Feb. 10 and arrived in San Francisco at 9 a.m. Feb. 12. It has been "accepted" by its new owner, Water Emergency Transportation Authority, the operator of the ferry fleet, and will be christened in early March. The trip down w...
Feisty National Book Award winner Timothy Egan writes about some of the most pressing issues of American life. He speaks at the Lincoln Theatre March 2 to raise funds for the new Mount Vernon library. Egan, a Pacific Northwest native, New York Times correspondent and best-selling author, will share his views on the importance of libraries. In an email last week, Egan responded, "Importance of libraries? Where do I start? They're gateways to citizenship for thousands of people learning about our...
The closure of the Transit Shed by the Port of Anacortes at the end of 2023 left this event-centered, artistic, music loving, car-show stopping town without a large-scale program venue. Anacortes City Councilmembers Ryan Walters, Christine Cleland-McGrath and Bruce McDougall proposed building a new event center at R Avenue and Ninth Street south of the dog park in a Feb 3 memorandum to the city council, mayor, city staff and Port of Anacortes commissioners. “We envision building a marine/industrial aesthetic, potentially similar to the C...
The Washington state Department of Commerce seeks responses through a 10 questions survey on a new Salmon Grant Program to advance salmon recovery efforts across the state. Funds from the state’s Climate Commitment Act are launching a new grant program that incorporates salmon recovery efforts into local planning efforts. As Commerce develops this new program it requests input to incorporate into the design and implementation of the grant program. As cities, counties, and tribes update their plans and regulations, the new grant program will p...
If February's first town council meeting was any indication, new La Conner Mayor Marna Hanneman is in it for the long haul. The marathon Feb. 13 session covered new and old business and multiple discussion and action items before concluding with a closed executive session. "I thought after the first month," said Hanneman, who took office Jan. 1, "that things would be kind of calm. Then February came." The 95-minute meeting began on a pair of somber notes. Resident Debbie Aldrich shared that...
Fire District 13 emergency responders are used to pulling their weight – and then some. Now they’re getting much appreciated help. The added muscle is in the form of a new power loader gurney system purchased with funds from the HF Sinclair Refinery of Anacortes. “These run in the $30,000 range,” said Fire Chief Wood Weiss. “So, I reached out to Sinclair and Andrea Petrich found the funding for us.” Petrich is the refinery’s head of communications and external relations advisor. She and other HF Sinclair representatives attended the fire dist...