April 1, 1909
Last week the Fidalgo Mill Co. received 90,000 pounds of sheet steel from Saginaw, Michigan, cut and fitted to be put together to form the new burner, work on the erection of which was commenced yesterday fifty feet northwest from the boiler house. This will be the tallest structure of any kind in Anacortes and the highest burner in Northwest Washington. It will be 24 feet in diameter and 96 feet high — 20 feet higher than the big smokestack of the Fidalgo Mill. It will be lined from bottom to top with a single course of fire brick.

April 3, 1919
The old clothes drive which was continued over from last week has been practically brought to a close today by the Red Cross, and the clothing which has been received will be shipped tomorrow. Though the clothing has not been weighed it is believed that the amount received nearly reaches the quota of two tons if it does not already equal that amount.
The old clothing which has been collected will be sent to Europe by the Red Cross for use among the needy population of Belgium and France and other American allies.

April 4, 1929
At the regular noonday meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, held last Monday, members voiced unanimous support, as far as possible, to assist the Farwest Fisheries company to secure a permit from the Federal Radio Commission for the operation of a commercial radio station to be located in Anacortes.

April 2, 1959
The highlight of the first day of the city’s dog-leashing period was the resignation of City Poundmaster R.G. Lewis. Dr. Lewis tendered his resignation yesterday, stating the duties of poundmaster are interfering with his regular veterinarian practice here.

April 3, 1969
Anacortes’ barbershop chorus, the An-O-Chords, will stage their 14th annual summer barbecue in the city’s Washington Park this year, bringing visiting barbershoppers into town for the first time for the event that last year attracted more than 1,000 to Bowman’s Bay. City councilmen this week approved the group’s request.

April 6, 1979
The feasibility of harvesting timber on two pieces of city-owned property is being considered by the Anacortes city council. At council’s regular meeting Monday, parks and recreation director Steve Colby presented three proposals by forestry companies interested in harvesting and selling both windfall timber on the site of the city’s water tank on 29th Street and timber cleared from the right-of-way of a proposed extension of 32nd Street down the center of the island to Skyline. The proposals estimated the city’s return from timber harvest and sales on both pieces of property at from $14,000 to $16,000.

April 5, 1989
In a heated discussion, parents debated the wisdom of including a section about homosexuality in new Anacortes School District health curriculum materials at a school board meeting last week.
— From the archives of the Anacortes American