In the February 2, 2011 issue...

Who can resist "Roy"?

This rooster creation, titled "Roy," is by fabric artist Lisa Harkins and is one of the works on display now at La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum. Writer M. Sharon Baker has the story about the intricate details that went in to the exhibits of the "Four Embroiderers" show. 

A famous author inspired kids

Anna Ferdinand brings us the moving story of Greg Mortenson and his visit with La Conner students. Mortensen's best seller "Three Cups of Tea" chronicles his journey from mountain climber to school builder in Afghanistan and Pakistan. After he visited with local children, he spoke at a sold-out event at McIntyre Hall in Mount Vernon.

Town taxpayers might fund another employee

The local businesses and 300 or so taxpaying households in La Conner will be interested  in to see what Maple Hall is costing them -- read the gory details in today's paper.

Smelt Derby Queen sought

A local tavern has a plan to lend grace and elegance to the 46th Smelt Derby, a La Conner winter tradition that predates the Super Bowl. The Rotary Club of La Conner sponsors the family -oriented Smelt Derby fishing contest on Feb. 26.  La Conner Pub & Eatery will hold the pageant to crown the Smelt Derby Queen on Feb. 19. Contestants must be between the ages of 21 and 121. The list of criteria is in today's paper.

The paper is on sale all over town in the red news boxes and at the drug store, liquor store, produce market, gas station and bookstore. Or subscribe and get it at your home or office.

 

 

Weekly La Conner High Sports capsule, Feb. 2, 2011

Braves Raves

By Amylynn Richards

BOYS BASKETBALL

The boys hosted Mount Vernon Christian on Friday, Jan. 28, beating the Hurricanes 79-35. Team highlights: Kyle McKnight, 17 points; Landy James, 16 points; and Garrett Wilbur, 13 points. “The team played a very well especially in the second half,” says Coach Scott Novak. “All 11 players scored in the game.  The team got great play and energy off the bench from Bobby Poulton, Connor Anderson, Garret Wilbur and Sten Mejlaender.

The boys hosted another league game on Saturday, Jan. 29 against Shoreline Christian. The Braves won 64-56. Team highlights: Landy James, 16 points and 9 rebounds; Kyle McKnight, 15 points and 5 rebounds; Spencer Novak, 10 points and 5 rebounds; and DJ Carr, 10 points, 11 rebounds.

“The starting five stepped up this game and played well for us,” Novak said.

Friday is the final home game of the season at 7:30 p.m., and is senior night.  The Braves wrap up the regular season in Concrete on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. 

The boys’ are the only undefeated team in the league, with 10 wins; the overall season record is 14-2. The boys are ranked by Massey ratings as third in the State.

WRESTLING

The Braves hosted a last-minute match at home against Lakewood high school on Monday, Jan. 24. Lakewood won 52-12.  Team wins: Hunter Johnson by pin in 5:07; Dahlton Zavala by pin in 1:08; and Travis Silva by pin in 1:01. The exhibition match winner was William Zeimantz, who won by pin in 46 seconds

On Wednesday, Jan. 26 the team traveled to Friday Harbor to take on the Vikings.  The Vikings won 30-21. The sportsmanship award was presented to Hunter Johnson.  Team wins: Hunter Johnson by pin in 3:38; Robert Duckworth by pin in 1:03; Travis Silva won 9-6; and Cameron Wischhusen by pin in 3:53 versus Willy Dunn. Coach Mike Compton said, “Cameron avenged a couple of losses to Dunn earlier in the year, and that was certainly the Match of the Week.”

The girls’ team wrestled at the Lady Wolfpack invite at Jackson High School, in Everett. “It was a tough tournament, but Amber Drye won one match by pin,” reports Coach Compton. “It was a good tournament to help get ready for the Girls’ Sub- Regional at Squalicum this Saturday.”

REGIONALS

The girls’ wrestling team will travel to Squalicum for the Sub-Regional championships on Saturday, Feb. 5. The team competes at 10 a.m. The boys’ wrestling team competes at Concrete high school on Saturday, Feb. 4, beginning at 11 a.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The girls hosted Mount Vernon Christian on Friday, Jan. 28. The game was a slow start for the Braves, culminating in a heartbreaking Hurricane win, 29-23. “Friday was disappointing for the girls,” said Coach Marla Quesnell, “we played great defense, but the ball didn't want to go in the net.”

The Lady Braves were struggling to get on the scoreboard well into the third quarter; the Hurricanes were ahead 25-8. With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Braves put the pressure on the Hurricanes, and took the score into the double digits by quarter’s end (25-12). 

The girls kept the pressure up throughout the fourth quarter; the Hurricanes had a modest five point lead (25-20) with just four minutes left in the game. The Braves closed the gap to a mere four points in the final 60 seconds of the game; the Hurricanes were starting to get tired and the crowd cheered the girls on, but the Hurricanes scored with 58 seconds left, and scored a final time at 34 seconds. The Braves showed the crowd what they are made of, and made a valiant effort until the very end.

High scorer for the Braves was Priscilla Ponce-Venegas, who brought eleven points in for the Braves.
Coach Quesnell says the team will keep working hard as playoffs approach, because “there is still a lot of basketball to be played.” The Braves have two more games left in the season. 

ELKS FREE THROW

La Conner fourth grade student Matty Lagerwey has won the Skagit Elk Hoop Shoot and is on her way to compete against other regional Hoop Shoot winners for the State Championship on Saturday, Feb. 12 in Bellevue.  The winner of the State competition will progress on towards State-Regional’s to quality for National competition.

The Elks National Free Throw Program is open to all boys and girls, ages 8 through 13

The Elk Free Shoot champs for La Conner school are Ashley Thomas, girls 8-9; Matty Lagerwey, girls 10-11; Layla Westendorf, girls 12-13; Skyler Morse, boys 8-9; Henry Cayou, boys 10-11; and Matt Finley, boys 12-13.

YOUTH BASKETBALL

The K-8 Brave basketball teams and their coaches will be honored during halftime of the boy’s varsity game. Game time starts at 7:30 p.m.

In the January 26, 2011 issue

 2008 file photo by Anna Ferdinand

History, news & darn good bread

Dick Fallis: 1926 – 2011

Richard “Dick” Fallis, the historian, author and former newspaper publisher who helped put La Conner on the National Register of Historic Places, died at his La Conner home a few days shy of his 85^th birthday on Thursday, Jan. 20.

Dick was a publisher of the historic Puget Sound Mail, which was the oldest continuously published newspaper in Washington State until it closed in 1983 after a run of 103 years. Later was the “Breadman of Mount Vernon,” after he opened the Bridgside Bread Co. downtown.  

He was also the driving force behind several works of public art, including granite sculptures by  artist Tracey Powel of Jasper Gates in downtown Mount Vernon and “The Embrace,” to honor his wife Bernice, at the Cancer Care Facility in Mount Vernon.

A celebration of Dick’s life is planned Saturday, Jan. 29 at 4 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Senior Center, 1401 Cleveland Ave., Mount Vernon.

 Photo by Ryan Hiller

LIONS & TIGERS & BRAVES, OH MY! – And Seahawks and Bulldogs and Cubs! Mix them all up and you get the Skagit County Monster Band, made up of young musicians from Concrete, Burlington-Edison, La Conner, Anacortes, Mount Vernon and Sedro Woolley high schools. The 100-plus member ensemble filled the La Conner High School Landy James Gym with more music than anyone ever imagined possible during the basketball game Saturday night. 

  

 Photo by Maggie Wilder

One of the most venerated Northwest artists, La Conner's Clayton James, is preparing to celebrate his 93rd birthday and his first exhibit in town in many years on Feb. 5 at Gallery Cygnus.  Anna Ferdinand profiles the master beautifully in today's paper.

 From the Police Blotter: 

11:29 a.m.: Citizen assist – A dog inside a vehicle wouldn’t unlock the car door so his owner could retrieve her purse and car keys locked inside, South First Street in La Conner. Deputies had to come and get the door unlocked. (This is better than the stuff we make up!)

 The paper is on sale in the usual places -- the liquor store, drug store, produce market, gas station, book store and even in the newspaper office at 313 Morris Street right next to the Station House.
(Subscribers have it brought to them.)

Weekly La Conner High Sports capsule, Jan. 26, 2010

 

Braves Raves

By Amylynn Richards

ALL-STATE SOCCER

The All-State Soccer teams were announced on Monday, Jan. 24. Selected for the 2010-2011 2B All-State First Team are Kelsey Crawford, forward and Sydney Hartwick, midfield. Selected for Second Team are: Nikki Finley, forward and Sammie Messman, defender. “I am very proud of this year’s results,” says girls soccer coach Amy Freeto, “This is the most players that we have ever had representing us on both first and second teams and this is a great final accolade for the season!”

 GIRLS BASKETBALL

On Tuesday, Jan. 18, the girls hosted Friday Harbor; the Wolverines won 46-38. “The first half of basketball was the best half we have played this year; we were up 1 at halftime,” reports Coach Marla Quesnell, “The second half we struggled from the field a bit.  It was disappointing to lose, but I was thrilled at times with the execution on offense and aggressiveness on defense.”

Team highlights: Nikki Finley was the team’s high scorer with 12 points; Priscilla Ponce-Venegas had 7 rebounds; and Kelley McClung had 6 rebounds.

On Friday, Jan. 21, Cedar Park Christian hosted the Braves. The Braves won 48-26. Coach Quesnell was pleased with the good team effort, and that every team member had the chance to play. Team highlights: Samie Miller was the Braves’ high scorer with 16 points; and Aubrey Stewart had 6 rebounds.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The boys hosted Friday Harbor on Tuesday, Jan. 18. The game was much anticipated by Braves sports fans; both teams were undefeated prior to the game. The Braves took down the Wolverines 72-38. Team highlights: Mike Wilbur and Landy James tied for high scorers, each put 13 points on the score board; and DJ Carr scored 12 points and made six rebounds.

On Tuesday, Jan. 14, the boys traveled to Cedar Park and came home with a 67-35 win. Brave highlights: Landy James scored 25 points; Garrett Wilbur, 11 points; Sten Mejlaender, 8 rebounds; and DJ Carr pulled down 8 rebounds.

The boys were cheered on to a 64-42 victory over Chief Leschi by a “Monster Band” with more than 100 young musicians lead by Brave band leader Brian Fraser. Fraser had filled nearly half the stands with band members from six area high schools.

During the game, Mike Wilbur excelled, racking up 14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Landy James scored 17 points; DJ Carr 6 had rebounds; and Kyle McKnight, 4 rebounds.

The Braves are 8-0 in league and 12-2 overall.

WRESTLING

The Braves hosted Concrete and Darrington on Thursday, Jan. 20. Darrington won 60-24 against the Braves, and Concrete won 57-18.  Scoring for the Braves were Hunter Johnson by forfeit versus Darrington,  Ashley Norton with a pin versus  Concrete, Dahlton Zavala and Dan Biladeau with two pins each, and Cameron Wischhusen who won by injury default versus Concrete and by pin versus  Darrington.   

On Saturday,  Jan. 21, nine Braves competed among  16 larger school junior varsity teams at the Lake Stevens Cavelero Tournament. La Conner was the only 2B team in attendance. Most all weight brackets were complete, with sixteen wrestlers competing for first, second and third places. 

The Braves earned third place overall, just behind Lake Stevens and Snohomish high schools.

“We were without several of our team members due to injuries,” reports Coach Mike Compton, “the kids wrestled very well and we came home with two Champions: Travis Silva and Cameron Wischhusen. Silva ad Wischhusen each earned the championship by taking down four opponents by pin.  Dahlton Zavala won second place; Dan Biladeau, William Zeimantz and Nathan Parker placed third in their divisions; and Sid Lease and Robert Duckworth earned fifth overall.

WRESTLER OF THE WEEK

With many athletes performing so well under the pressure of much larger teams, Coach Compton had a difficult time choosing the wrestler of the week. Ultimately, Coach Compton chose Dahlton Zavala because “Dalton had a great week with two pins on Thursday and three first round pins on Saturday before finishing second” overall.

In the January 19, 2011 issue

Storm blows out lights

Amylynn Richards tells how a  blast of wind toppled a tree and damaged an electric substation, leaving La Conner area residents in the dark for more than seven hours on Monday. Find out what happened in today's paper.

No dredging of channel this year

Despite the lobbying the Port of Skagit and two tribes have been doing with federal officials, it is unlikely the Swinomish Channel will be dredged this year.

Port Executive Director Patsy Martin told a group of community leaders gathered by La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes that port officials are hopeful the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will clear silt from the channel in 2012. Read what's holding up the works in today's paper.

 Photo by Mary Evitt

Jerry Kaufman, left, Port of Skagit chair, La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes and Swinominsh Indian Tribal Community Chairman Brian Cladoosby met recently to discuss the Canoe Journey, Paddle To Swinomish 2011, which will be held in July. 

Tribe getting ready for company

About 130 family-size dugout canoes are expected to land on the beach at Swinomish on July 25.

Lately, to the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, the Town of La Conner, the Port of Skagit and Fire District 13, it seems like July is approaching at the speed of light.

Last Tuesday, at a dinner meeting arranged by La Conner Mayor Ramon Hayes and the town, several Tribal Senators, two Port Commissioners, the Town Council and representatives from the fire district pledged to help each other attend to the influx of some 10,000 to 20,000 visitors expected for the 2011 Salish Canoe Journey, Paddle to Swinomish. Read about the plans in today's paper.

 Photo by Sue Phillips

ANCIENT SUSTAINABILITY – Limahuli Garden in Ha’ena, Kauai is a great example of an ancient Hawiaan ahupua’a or village, with the working terraced taro fields and sweet potato patches. It’s original  stone building foundations were once the largest agricultural complex in Ha’ena and date back about 1,000 years.  Read Sue Phillips' story on sustainable agriculture in Hawaii in today's paper.

From the Police Blotter:

6:50 a.m.: Sinking boat – A 1979 31-foot sailboat was sinking at La Conner Marina. Deputies and firefighters responded and the fire department pumped the water out of the boat and saved it. (It had rained a lot overnight and the power was out.) The boat owner is a Camano Island resident and is assessing the damage.

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