May 6, 1909
Henceforth Jack Hanley, the athletic night policeman of Anacortes, and any other nocturnal members of the force, will have a red light signal to call them to prospective scenes of illegal action. Manager J.L. Radenbaugh, under the direction of City Marshal Collins, placed the light on Monday afternoon on the top of the cross-arm of a telephone pole at the corner of Commercial and Eighth, diagonally across from the Sunset Central station.

May 1, 1919
The city of Anacortes, beginning tonight, is to enjoy street lights again, in spite of the fact that the city council after listening to the jingle in the city treasury refrained from providing funds for lights between April 1 and October 1. Public spirited citizens have been so thoroughly convinced during the last month of darkness that lights are needed that they have responded generously with subscriptions for this purpose when approached in the last few days by J.F. Lyons and M.G. Flower, who have taken it upon themselves as a committee of two to raise the necessary money to provide lights until October 1.

May 2, 1929
The temporary greens which are being completed on the beach property of the Similk Development company will be ready for golf fans this week, the company states. More than a mile and a half of tile has been installed on the fairway, to assure proper drainage. This will eliminate the sogginess of the land that was experienced in previous years, and the improvement will render the new golf course one of the best in this section.

May 4, 1939
Joe George, 73, Mayor of the city of Anacortes since 1937, passed away in the Anacortes Hospital yesterday morning following a cerebral hemorrhage suffered on Monday evening of this week. The Mayor had been attending a meeting along with several city officials at the city hall early Monday evening when he complained of feeling ill. Dr. A.B. Cook was called to the city hall and administered to the Mayor, who appeared to be revived. He was taken to his home by friends. Later that evening he suffered what appeared to be a severe stroke.

May 5, 1949
Anacortes has plenty of traffic from around these United States and possessions traveling thru our city these days. Local police under new state laws must get a record of every out of state car in the city. City police department records at the city hall reveal that cars from 19 states and Hawaii have been in the city during the past two months.

May 1, 1969
Plans for a $200 million nuclear-powered electric generating facility just south of Anacortes and west of Hope Island were revealed last night at a special meeting called by Leo Sullivan, president of the Skagit County Development Association. The proposed one million kilowatt generating plant is to be constructed on Kiket Island, east of Deception Pass. The island is also known as Dunlap’s Island. It is owned by Gene Dunlap of La Conner and is under option at an undisclosed price. The plans were revealed in a news release from Seattle City Light and Snohomish County PUD. Completion is expected within the next 10 years.

May 2, 1979
Many parents shudder at the thought of a rainy day with their children running rampant through the house. Now imagine the same situation, but on a 36-foot sailboat, and you can pretty well guess what qualities make this year’s Skagit Mothers of Multiples (MOM) “Mother of the Year,” Jessica Koeberle, so special.

May 3, 1989
Anacortes School Board officials changed their minds last week, deciding a video-cassette lesson about homosexuality will not be presented to middle school children. The rest of the controversial health-class materials will be retained.
— From the archives of the Anacortes American