Opinion / A Citizen's View

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 By Shunji Asari    Opinion    March 13, 2024 

Even before Trump goes on trial

When the Supreme Court took up the issue of presidential immunity, it became even more doubtful that the former president’s criminal trials could be completed before election day. So what is a voter to do without a trial? I say, look to...

 

Keep student learning locally focused

Oh how I wish I didn’t think about our little town’s budget, but as a businessman, I can’t help myself. I had to manage a small farm’s budget, and I didn’t get any grants from either the state or the feds, and I had to educate my employees,...

 
 By Alan Darcy    Opinion    January 24, 2024

Drug store closing is corporations vs. us

Last Thursday I reached out to Rep. Dave Paul (and our two other state reps as well) and shared my frustrations and asked for help over the La Conner Drug Store closing. Here is the core of my message to Rep. Paul: Don’t know if you can do...

 

Artificial intelligence and peace

In his message for the 57th World Day of Peace this Jan. 1, Pope Francis reflected on the impact of artificial intelligence on world peace and urges the international community to adopt a binding international treaty that regulates its development an...

 

For a stronger La Conner in 2024

Hello and Happy New Year! First and foremost, I hope you have been able to spend time with loved ones and had some time to reflect on 2023. Secondly, I wish you and yours a safe and prosperous New Year. May 2024 bring the necessities we need to make...

 

Regarding the future of agritourism

By Glen Johnson Agritourism, is it a good thing or bad? A wedding in a farmer’s backyard is a great place and time to congratulate the couple, while also putting the spready on the table. Foods from area farms could be shared, marketed and sold to...

 

Preserve Skagit County's small business farmers

Did you know that in Skagit County only 2% of the farms in the valley are over a thousand acres? Did you also know that 41% of farms in Skagit County are noted as residential or lifestyle farms, aka hobby farms? The face of farming has changed:...

 
 By Tim Manns    Opinion    December 20, 2023

Report: The Sound is holding on; recovery uncertain

The Puget Sound Partnership recently released its biennial State of the Sound report concluding that while, overall, Puget Sound is holding on, its recovery remains uncertain (Puget Sound Partnership: State of the Sound (wa.gov)). This very mixed...

 

When wine and housing don't mix

I recently went out for dinner with a neighbor, a part-time, mostly-here-in-the-summer kind of neighbor. He teaches at a university, leads research and publishes interesting work on human behavior. As we waited to order he mentioned his frustration a...

 

Climate crisis: The world is in a catastrophe now

With a degree of urgency appropriate for the planetary catastrophe we face today, Pope Francis’ latest exhortation, Laudate Deum, “to all people of good will on the climate crisis,” builds on his 2015 encyclical letter, Laudato Si’, “On...

 

Solidarity statement for peace and justice in Israel/Palestine

As faith leaders, elected officials, community leaders, educators and individual residents of Washington state, we are heartbroken and horrified by the escalated violence and bloodshed in Israel/Palestine. As people of all faith backgrounds and consc...

 

Nez Perce Tribe leads Rise Up Northwest in Unity in Tulalip to save salmon

Can you imagine the Pacific Northwest without salmon? Their life cycle feeds many beings in the whole ecosystem. Salmon have been the center of spirit and community here for centuries And yet – they are at the brink of extinction in the Snake River...

 

Focus on loving, carrying on

“When the big things seem out of control … focus on what you love right under your nose” writes Charlie Mackay in his book, “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.” And it does seem so, that the world is out of control. There are the...

 

Faith without borders: Reflections after a spring tour of Israel and Palestine

The current Israel / Hamas war is tragic. The scenes of devastation and destruction in the Gaza strip and the reports of those killed and injured is heartbreaking, The continuing loss of human life and growing humanitarian crisis is overwhelming in...

 

Reflecting on this dry summer dust

I have been a part of our local farming community for sixty plus years now. I’ve seen more than half of the farm history in the region. I was able to observe the demise of peas, sweet corn and carrots. Now I’ve seen the arrival of dry beans, pepp...

 

Prepare: One day the Big One will come

On Oct. 19 at 9 a.m. 800,000 or so folks in Washington will take part in the Great Shakeout drill to practice the steps necessary to effectively respond to a major earthquake. Unlike floods and maybe wild fires, there is no way science has...

 

Tom Robbins Day a blast: Insulting him was wrong

One of the joys in my year of health challenges was the fun and exciting opportunity to honor “our own” Tom Robbins on Sept. 2. It was a real blast! Tom enjoyed it, he and Alexa rocked it, the library’s programs benefited and everyone entered...

 

A citizen's view - Tom Robbins deserved his King for a Day

So, Sept. 2 came and went, there couldn’t have been a finer day in La Conner spent. There was a “King” in town, complete with a crown, and a shiny white old fire truck. Yeah, mega author Tom Robbins was kinda awestruck. The town was full of...

 
 By Connie Funk    Opinion    August 2, 2023

Citizen's view: Allow farmers to hold events on their farm land

I attended the meeting of the Skagit County Planning Commission Tuesday, July 25, along with scores of others to express concern regarding proposed increased regulations for local farm families, many whom are already struggling to keep their family...

 
 By Glen Johnson    Opinion    July 26, 2023

A citizen's view: Let me tell you my imaginative alternatives

I read your editorial “La Conner needs to plan for more than just floods,” (Weekly News July 12) with great interest, and your words raised my eyebrows more than once. You see, you made a blanket statement, “No one in La Conner, elected...

 

Yeah, All I Wanna Do is Dance

Oh dear god it’s almost all I wanna do, to hear music that makes my body move, yeah, like it’s in a smooth groove. Some might see me in my trance, moving from a slide to prance, jumping and gliding like a bird, from branch to branch. Yeah, all I...

 

Anger and guns are deadly together

Once again, I find myself in the infuriating position of responding to the news of yet another horrific mass shooting in the United States. Despite the common defensive refrain offered by gun advocates that “guns don’t kill people, people kill...

 
 By Rick Shorten    Opinion    June 14, 2023

Memorial Day born out of Civil War

Thank you for your spot-on Musings (June 7 Weekly News) in regard to Memorial Day, especially the service at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery on May 29. As always, it was a moving service, conducted quite ably by Rev. Don Robinson. As I listened to and...

 

The game of life when 65 years old

I’m officially old. It happened on a single day last week, Thursday, June 1. It was not a surprise. It had loomed on the near horizon for years. I’d dutifully prepared for it – watched innumerable how-to videos, talked with older friends...

 
 By Judy Kontos    Opinion    May 17, 2023

Let's talk Shelter Bay business

It’s election time in Shelter Bay – Online voting closes 4 p.m. May 19. In person must be done the early morning of May 20. If you intend to mail or drop off your vote, you must travel to the office to pick up a ballot. Mailed ballots must be...

 

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