The City Council has okayed a one-percent hike in the city's share of property taxes for property owners in the city. The tax increase would, according to City Finance Director Steve Hoglund, increase the property tax by about $4.25 per year for the owner of a $250,000 home.

What do glittery, red ornaments, carriage rides, carolers and merry shop keepers all have in common? The first "Keep the Cheer Here" holiday season in Anacortes. "Keep the Cheer Here" highlights our unique shops, restaurants and businesses with a holiday treasure hunt.

At noon on Monday, the gates at milepost 134 and milepost 171 are swinging closed and when the current series of fronts have passed, state Transportation Department maintenance and avalanche crews will reassess whether it can be reopened for Thanksgiving or after that, or not at all.

A flea market near Sharpe’s Corner was vandalized early Monday morning. Profanity had been spray-painted throughout the building, a fire extinguisher had been discharged and several items appeared to have been deliberately broken.

The annual Holiday Farmers Market was packed Saturday morning, the first of 2 days, as Clover, the Balloon Fairy, entertained folks entering the Port's Transit Shed Event Center.

A body discovered on Wednesday in Sedro-Woolley has been identified as that of Ramon "Ray" Jones, the 80-year-old husband of Anne Jones of Anacortes, who is a volunteer at the Anacortes Chamber Visitors Center. Ray Jones, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, had wandered away from a memory care facility in Sedro-Woolley on Oct. 1.