In the August 17, 2011 issue ....

La Conner Classic Yacht & Car Show

Photo by Don Coyote

Photo by Marilyn LaBrache Brown

Writer Marci Plank lets everyone know the winners in today's paper.

... And historic war planes

Photo by Ben Davidson

Writer Anna Ferdinand has the story about World War II who flew planes just like this restored B-17 bomber back in the 1940s. The historic aircraft flew into Skagit Regional Airport and took a 90-year-old Army Air Corps vet into the sky again.

 

Town won't trap your raccoon

Now that the turkeys are gone, several La Conner residents have asked the town to start trapping raccoons and coyotes that have been preying on small pets and poultry. But the Town Council has taken town employees out of the wildlife trapping business. Instead, council members said, residents should keep their small pets inside at night and keep their livestock in secure enclosures and quit leaving cat food out for the feral cats. Raccoons don't mind crashing a kitty dinner or browsing through garbage pans left where they can get to them.

From the police blotter:

10:44 a.m.: Public Health – Someone took advantage of a dumpster owned by a business on Maple Ave. in La Conner and filled it up with their personal garbage instead of making a trip to the dump. This is considered theft of services and the illegal dumper can be charged with a crime.

The paper is on sale in news stands and on store shelves in town. Or, subscribe and have it brought to you. Call and we'll start your subscription right away 360-466-3315.

Gaches Revealed

The Quilt & Textile Museum's veil has been lifted, and now looks older and younger at the same time. A peek at what may well have been the actual colors used when the Gaches family lived within.

For comparison, here are some shots from before the painting. The black veil is supposed to return later this month, to finish another round of painting.

Photos by Alexander Kramer

WWII pilot, George McLeod, flying on the Sentimental Journey, a restored B-17 heavy Bomber plane, which came to Skagit County this week.

Ninety year-old George McLeod was 24 when he first flew a B-17 bomber from a base in England to military and industrial targets in Germany in 1944.  He and a co-pilot would lift the plane, sometimes in the dark of night, laden with 2,800 gallons of fuel and 4-6,000 pounds of bombs, flying upwards of 25,000 feet in weather that was fifty below zero.

“The worst of flying a loaded bomber were night takeoffs, because you had to get the load off the ground,” said McLeod as he waited for the Sentimental Journey, a restored 1944 era B-17 heavy bomber, developed by Boeing in the thirties, which was to be arriving at the Skagit Regional Airport any minute.

“It took two people to bring the plane to fly.  You had to watch your instrument panel.”

The four engine aircraft touched down on the runway, interrupting McLeod’s reminiscing.

"There she is," he said under the heavy rumble of the plane, visibly moved.  "How would you like to hear a thousand of those over head?"

 
Check out our Facebook page for lots of pictures of the vintage aircraft.

In the August 10, 2011 issue...

In our continuing experiment to post the whole paper.... most of the good stuff is here, but Blogger doesn't like pages 2 and 8 so we couldn't upload them.

Today's paper...

An early Monday fire claimed two homes

 Photo by Joanne Ossewarde

 Photo by Beth Clothier

 Photo by Nicole Jennings

     A fire destroyed two Chilberg Avenue homes, burning one to the ground in the wee hours of Monday. The absentee owners were not staying there when the fire broke out. There were no injuries and firefighters from Fire District 13 and nine other agencies saved the rest of the 1920s neighborhood of wood frame houses. The little cottages are on a cliff overlooking Hope Island and Skagit Bay, which made the fire fight very challenging. The details are in today's paper.

Burglars again

    Someone smashed in door windows on two more Morris Street businesses in La Conner. The door to the Station House Bar and Grill was smashed, but the really strong lock apparently thwarted an attempt to get inside. Around the corner of the same building, the door glass was smashed on a veterinary office and the burglar did get inside. But the business owner didn't have any cash or valuables inside and nothing was taken.

Doing something about debt

    Ed Baker of La Conner got sick of hearing people gripe about the $14.5 trillion national debt, so he took action. Baker set up a non-profit outfit to accept donations from people who would like to help him get the country out of hock. Alexander Kramer has the story in today's paper.
    Alex did some math and figured just how far $14,590,000,000,000 stacked up in $100 bills would reach:
There would be 145,900,000,000 hundred-dollar bills, each are 0.004 in. thick, which equates to 9,211 miles. Check the math.

 From the police blotter: 

9:28 a.m.: Alcohol problem – Someone reported a couple of guys standing and laying down to close to the road on Maple Ave. in La Conner and was worried they’d be hit by a car. It’s no crime to do that, except they were also drinking alcohol in public – which turned their courtesy police ride home into an expensive taxi because the deputy had caught one of them drinking and issued a citation.

The paper is on store shelves and in news stands around town today. If you can't get down to pick one up, subscribe and have it delivered to your home of office. Call 360-466-3315

In the August 3, 2011 issue...

[Page 2 was apparently rejected by Blogger for unknown reasons]

La Conner Swansons:

Pioneer family of the Year

The 107^th Annual Skagit County Pioneer Association Picnic is tomorrow,  Thursday, Aug. 4 at Pioneer Park.

Historian Dan Royal has the story on the event, which starts at 11:15 a.m. with a $12 salmon lunch, and the story behind this year's two honored families: The Swanson family of La Conner and the Lemley family of Sedro-Woolley.

Everyone in La Conner knows Austin Swanson, above, and his brother Kermit. The family plans to drive their old 1948 farm truck to the pioneer picnic on Thursday. Austin, who turns 100 this year, drives a newer truck around town these days.

On the subject of vintage transportation...

photo by Barrie Arnett

The four 1946 Globe Swift aircraft that flew in formation over Swinomish Channel on Sunday were celebrating the 90th birthday of veteran pilot Neil Johnson of Shelter Bay. Johnson's friend, Joe Holmes, has the story on today's paper.

 

Coyotes hunting in town

Pets have been disappearing in La Conner and coyotes have been seen in the town limits, making officials worry that the animals have been coming to town to feed.

At least four pet cats have been reported missing in the neighborhoods off Whatcom Street and on the hill in La Conner. Kitties have also vanished from neighborhoods north of Morris Street.

The town code enforcement officer is trying document to coyote sightings to start trapping efforts. Anyone who spots a coyote in town should contact Bill Stokes through Town Hall at 466-3125.

From the police blotter:

9:45 a.m.: Just Checking – A worried relative asked deputies to check on a 79-year-old La Conner man. The deputy looked in on the man. He was fine. His cell phone battery was dead, though.

Buy the paper at the new Swinomish Chevron, the Morris Street gas station, produce market, drug store, liquor store  and book store or from one of the quarter-eating machines around town.