Anacortes Town Crier Richard Riddell was named the best American Crier at the North American Town Crier Competition in Annapolis, MD held on the first weekend in May. He will hold the title for two years until the next competition. Riddell is a graduate of Anacortes High School and Skagit Valley College. He studied theater arts at Washington State University with advanced study in New York City at the National Shakespeare Conservatory. Upon graduation, the baritone received a scholarship to study opera at the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford. After graduation, he went on to a professional career singing roles with such theatres as: Connecticut Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Pacific, Michigan Opera Theatre, the Bronx Opera, and Opernhaus Z