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July 2, 1908
R.E. Trafton is now established in his new boat building house on the corner of O avenue and Second street. At present the plant is making four barges for the Russia Cement company, each 14x45 feet in size.

July 4, 1918
Chief of Police Tom March can enjoy his Fourth of July celebration more now, since the council at its Tuesday night meeting increased his salary $10 a month. March already was planning to round up all his Anacortes relatives, including some from Bellingham, and have a Fourth of July picnic on Guemes island. The deserved advance in income furnishes an added reason for the celebration.

July 5, 1928
Weaverling Spit is now available for swimming and picnicking. Through the efforts of a committee from the Elks and the Commercial Club, the county commissioners have been persuaded to grade, and have graded, the road leading to the bathing beach, and repaired the bridge, making it safe again for the use of autos. R.W. Brunson has also had nine tables with benches built on the point for the use of picnickers.... The land is owned by the Fidalgo Land Company, but the public has the free use of the place as long as property rights are respected and shrubbery and trees undamaged.

July 1, 1948
Charles White of the Washington State Employment Service, of Anacortes, this week issued an urgent call for at least 200 more strawberry pickers from Anacortes to help harvest the berries now ripening in the fields.

July 1, 1958
The price of fame stalked newscaster Edward R. Murrow, who passed through Anacortes today on his way to Victoria with his family. Immediately recognized by tourists at the Anacortes ferry landing this afternoon by face and voice as the famed commentator of television’s “See It Now,” he was steadily requested to pose for amateur lensmen who diverted their attention from the scenic compulsion of the San Juans.

July 4, 1968
Appointment of Pete Dragovich as police chief and Loren Bowen as fire chief was announced this week by Mike Kirkpatrick, chairman of the Anacortes Civil Service Board. The new line-up of police officers, effective July 1, also includes Gerald Perkins, assistant chief; Peter Hegg, captain; and Lester Clark, sergeant. Fire Department officers include Don Strom, battalion chief and Captains John Mills and Nolan Marashall.

July 6, 1988
Anacortes Plywood Inc. is probably responsible for the “sooty, oily” particles that have been found on boats at Anacortes Marina, says a regional air pollution official. But the purchase of a system that would largely solve the problem is “non financially possible at this time,” says Rich Mortensen, plant superintendent.

— From the archives of the Anacortes American