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 By Ken Stern    Opinion    April 19, 2023

Earth Day needed every day

Saturday is the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day. In the giddy, heady days of the early 1970s – with or without pot – people celebrated recycling. Going farther meant reusing and reducing. Reflect on that, on how radical the concepts of reusing... Full story

 

New gun law punitive

The Democrat-dominated state legislature, fully endorsed by a sympathetic Democrat governor, has been “fine-tuning” highly restrictive measures that adversely affect gun ownership in Washington State (House Bill 1280). When enacted – likely on...

 

Trust lost in Shelter Bay board

Recently, some friends have asked us why we moved from Shelter Bay into the town of La Conner. The simple reason is, we lost trust in the board to act in the best interest of the community and we lost faith that the board would begin to act in the... Full story

 

For covering Shelter Bay

As a resident of Shelter Bay, I’m grateful for La Conner Weekly News coverage of the community’s recent challenges. Because we are a very significant segment of the wider community, we unquestionably have an impact outside the confines of our...

 

Buy Rotary Club tulips

The Rotary Club of La Conner is once again selling field cut tulips at $6/per bunch of 10, from their two booths. One is near the La Conner roundabout, the other is in Shawn O’Donnell’s Farmhouse Restaurant parking lot. Both booths are open 11...

 
 By Ken Stern    Opinion    April 19, 2023

Musings - On the editor's mind

Very few of us are racist or know people who are racist. Few of us stay quiet when racist remarks are made. That is what polling and folks discussing race in America or in their community say. Yet I know that I very definitely crossed the street... Full story

 

How our bills are becoming law

Our legislature reviews hundreds of proposed pieces of legislation during sessions. This year, with the help of our team, I have drafted and introduced twelve bills. Six passed the House and five...

 
 By Ken Stern    Opinion    April 12, 2023

The endless war in Ukraine

Peace will come to Ukraine, but how and when? Fourteen months after Russia's invasion and nine years after their occupation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, the largest European conflict since Hitler's 1939 invasion of Poland is an intractable...

 

Shelter Bay news coverage

In your editorial (“Free Speech in Shelter Bay,” April 5) you state “Public governments are regulated by the revised Code of Washington, or RCW.” You neglected to mention that Home Owners Associations (HOAs) are also regulated by the RCW,...

 
 By Ron Muzzall    Opinion    April 12, 2023

Health Care: Why does it cost so much?

The facts about health care in the United States are eye opening. How can a nation that spends nearly twice as much as our economic peers still have so many problems? As the former ranking member of...

 
 By Ken Stern    Opinion    April 5, 2023

Free speech in Shelter Bay

Is democracy dangerous to the health of Shelter Bay community board members? Or, is the board’s leadership allergic to free speech? Is it possible that the Weekly News is just plain wrong in its efforts to cover Shelter Bay governance? The Weekly... Full story

 

Thanks for library support

The opportunity to be involved in a new library project in the community we chose to move to in 2007 has been a once in a lifetime experience. I’m grateful to have been able to work with so many who were dedicated to a shared vision that united our...

 
 By John Day    Opinion    April 5, 2023

Sea level rise and migratory birds

Washington state is a crucial stopover for millions of migrating birds. The diverse landscapes, from the coast to the mountains, provide essential habitats for birds during their long journeys. Among many vital habitats, the Skagit Valley stands out...

 
 By Dave Paul    Opinion    April 5, 2023

Our democracy at work

Our town hall meetings aren’t that different from what happens in the House and Senate in Olympia. People share their opinions – sometimes softly, sometimes loudly. Yet the kind of dialogue we...

 
 By Ken Stern    Opinion    March 29, 2023

Right or wrong in Shelter Bay

Finding out who slew the Slough Swindler, the La Conner Chamber of Commerce’s participatory mystery theatre event last Saturday, was relatively easy. Several people figured it out and the winner was chosen by lot. He got a grand prize package of... Full story

 
 By Mel Damski    Opinion    March 29, 2023

It's a wonderful life and a land of opportunity

These are tough times that will definitely be noted in our history books. Crime and violence are at all time highs (which can be seen as big lows). Many small businesses have shut down and many big...

 

Reviewing my Shelter Bay ethics complaint

After my decision to run for the Shelter Bay Community board of directors a year ago, I set a goal to read all of the governing documents, including the association’s Rules and Regulations, cover to cover. I studied HOA educational videos and used... Full story

 

Protecting the environment with green hydrogen

The Skagit Valley’s environment and economy has been shaped over time by changes in our climate and land use. Some of these changes have resulted in devastating impacts to our communities, including...

 
 By Ken Stern    Opinion    March 22, 2023

When banks and trains crash

Seems like banks and railroads are failing all around us. No one is really surprised, from corporate CEOs to congressional committees and Congress, period, to front line workers driving engines and managing branches or federal and state regulators at...

 

Another consideration of the Shelter Bay board

“We will fail, / When we fail to try” — Rosa Parks A Message From the Dark Side … . I am a woman from the “other side” as the writers put it in last week’s page 3 “Show of Support” display ad for some members of the Shelter Bay...

 
 By Glen Johnson    Opinion    March 22, 2023

An opportunity for making music in La Conner

Hey, now here’s a curveball for you, instead of larky snark about dikes and missing fish, music is the subject of the day. No, Sloughmander is not going to miraculously re-appear, unless he does, but don’t hold your breath. Heck, some of you...

 
 By Ron Muzzall    Opinion    March 22, 2023

Reproductive care is more than abortion

It seems that the efforts to enshrine reproductive access in the state constitution have been aborted, as the proposed amendments from the House and Senate failed to receive a Floor vote before our...

 
 By Ken Stern    Opinion    March 15, 2023

Welcome to year 4 of COVID-19

What is the difference between last week and this week? Answer: Last week everyone was at the end of the third year of the coronavirus pandemic. This week we all step into, no not its fourth year but the first year of what the World Health...

 

Tribe not paying debt service

In 2023 the La Conner School District taxes will be $993,717 for operations and $1,300,000 for debt service. There are 2,313 taxpayers in the district. On average, each taxpayer pays $992 for schools. According to the school district’s budget, the...

 

Community Action's coordinated strategy for those unhoused

Too many neighbors are experiencing the trauma of homelessness and that affects our entire community’s quality of life and economic prosperity. Did you know that underhoused students are 25% less likely to graduate than their housed peers? And...

 

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