Feb. 4, 1909
Chief Sumner of the Anacortes Fire department appeared before the city council and spoke in favor of buying horses, carts and harness, employing a man to take care of same, and cited figures wherein the city would be the gainer if it owned its own horses and utilized the same whenever possible for city work.

Mr. Sumner stated that the yearly expense of maintaining a team and driver would amount to about $1,260. Chief Sumner also spoke in favor of installing a complete fire alarm system throughout the business section of the city. He also stated that there would be a material reduction in fire insurance rates as soon as the systems would be installed.

Feb. 6, 1919
In a resolution adopted at the last regular meeting of the city council Tuesday night, the council declared its intention to build concrete sidewalks along both sides of Commercial Avenue from 10th Street to 36th Street in place of the present wooden sidewalks.

Feb. 7, 1929
The Empire theatre completed installation of their new vitaphone and movietone equipment last week-end and the initial performance was presented to the public Friday evening. The installation will allow the Empire to show both talking pictures and those synchronized with sound or music effects....

The new Paramount theatre was formally opened at a trade preview on Monday evening, at which some 250 local and out-of-town guests were shown the picture, “Interference,” and several short talking and singing subjects. The house was officially opened to the public Tuesday evening.

Feb. 3, 1949
Several of the merchants who put Mayor Joe Hagan on the spot at the Chamber of Commerce meeting last Monday had rather red faces when he answered. A spokesman for the merchants charged the city with neglecting its duty in not keeping crosswalks clear of snow and ice.

As soon as he had told them equipment was on order for that very purpose, Joe countered with a proposal that the merchants themselves could do a lot by cleaning their sidewalks ... We agree.

Feb. 6, 1969
Anacortes voters will go to the polls Tuesday to vote on a special levy of $495,617 to support our schools during the 1969-70 school year. Annual levies have been necessary in this and most other school districts in the state since 1964 when the State Legislature changed its method of allocating funds to the schools. Before that time Anacortes received 60 percent of its budget monies from the state. State support now covers less than 40 percent of school costs.

Feb. 1, 1989
Caught in the middle of a nationwide hospital crisis, Island Hospital believes it can weather the impending storm. But three to five years down the road is another story, said Administrator Phil Sandifer.

“This is the first time in eight years we will actually suffer a loss,” he said of the money woes Sandifer connects to inadequate Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to rural hospitals.
— From the archives of the Anacortes American