Gloria Shelton, owner of Burrows Bay Herbs & Spices, chats with customers at this weekend's Nutcracker Gift Show at the Depot Arts Center. The show, which runs through Sunday has beautiful holiday gifts, decorations and crafts, handmade by over 65 artists and crafters. Admission is free.

Doctors at Island Hospital Friday participated in a training drill prompted by the deadly explosion in which 7 workers at the Tesoro refinery were killed. Unusual for training drills, however, was the decision to use live 'victims.'

Gerald Meyers and Don  Munks, of the Fidalgo Masonic Lodge, honored veterans by laying a wreath at the memorial in Causland Park while other Masonic members watched. This brief ceremony followed a cannon shot at 11 am.

An unusual City Council meeting took place Wednesday afternoon, with 5 Council members in a meeting room, one Council member on the phone from Seattle and Mayor Dean Maxwell on the phone from Minneapolis.

The state ferry system faces cutbacks as a result of the current state budget crisis. The cuts could include trimming 2 months off the international service and reducing service hours and capacity to the San Juan Islands.

To honor veterans, a city-wide Veterans Day event is set for Thursday, beginning at 11 am at Causland Memorial Park and continuing at the Port of Anacortes Transit Shed Event Center.