New work by artists like Joanne Shellan of Kirkland, whose work Red Boots and the Pity Party is shown here, are featured during this month's First Friday Gallery Walk in downtown Anacortes. Shellan's work is featured at Scott-Milo Gallery.

At a time when many U.S. businesses have “battened down the hatches” in response to a recession, partners in a new Anacortes business have set an ambitious course that promises to have a positive impact on the local economy.

The home of an Anacortes couple was burglarized the day after they left on an extended vacation. A neighbor discovered the burglary. That’s just one of the cases on this week’s Police Blotter.

In a first for Anacortes, Police busted a hydroponic marijuana-growing operation inside a storage unit at a mini-storage business on T Ave, arresting one Anacortes man.

Many of the several dozen people who turned out for a meeting this week were hoping for answers about a city agreement to sell up to 5-million gallons of water per day to what could be a bottling plant. 

Love beaches, clean water, tide pools? Beach Watchers is offering a 100 hour course aimed at protecting beaches.