Editor,
After careful consideration, Whidbey Island Professional Firefighters Local 4299 has endorsed Larry Goff for Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue commissioner.
Goff’s extensive 47-year background in the fire service as a professional firefighter, fire chief and fire district elected official make him an especially qualified candidate.
His six-term tenure on the board of directors of Oregon’s Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, is particularly valuable. It’s the state’s largest fire district with a current population of nearly 550,000 and an annual operating budget of more than $165 million.
During his 24 years there, he provided oversight and accountability over numerous challenges, such as the merger with more than half a dozen cities and smaller fire districts. Yet he also assisted and led others in remaining independent and healthy while serving as president of the Oregon Fire District Director’s Association.
We believe Goff offers unique experience and perspective to what is an already seasoned board of commissioners, one that’s also rich and grounded with two lifelong local voices. Together, they would represent Central Whidbey residents exceptionally well.
Please join us in voting for Goff for fire commissioner this November.
Justin Burnett
Local president
Editor,
Thursday evening, Oct 10, the Langley Library hosted a “Local Author Panel Discussion: Inspiration, Insights & Advice,” featuring Suzanne Kelman, Jing Jing Tsong, Christina Baldwin, Derek Sutton and Sarri Gilman. This well-attended event was an outstanding success with each author expressive and impressive, helpful and thought-provoking. Personally speaking, I got so much out of the two hours, I hated for it to end!
Kathryn O’Brien moderated the panel with laudatory introductions and provocative questions. Our library system, offerings, staff and buildings are a tribute to an island which cares about its artists of all genres. There are two follow-up events in this series in November so don’t make excuses, show up!
Marciana Ciresi
Clinton
Editor,
Medically, we all know what myopia is all about. Things up close look clear but distant objects are blurred and ignored. Political judgment can suffer a similar phenomenon — and does it ever.
Case in point is the troubling concern about our ferry system from various journalists and interest groups. They tirelessly bemoan that the 2025 hybrid ferry boat contract went to an out-of-state bidder who happened to be 30% ($350 million) lower than a single in state boat builder (Nichols Brothers). They also focus on the uncertainty of a newer hybrid/electric propulsion technology and the danger of cost overruns. I’d love to see Nichols get the ferry bid and grow that industry locally but if experience and cost are metrics, well you can’t have it both ways.
What facts has myopia obscured? The electrification of the ferry system is projected to decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 76%, sulfur oxides by 75%, and nitrous oxide by 94% by 2040. A ferry boat currently burns 1 million gallons of diesel per year. With ferry electrification, we’ll see a 90% greenhouse gas reduction per year. This strikes me as important because, as 98% of climate scientists confirm, we are now in a climate crisis caused by excess greenhouse emissions.
Also obscured by editorializers is how those new boats will get funded. A total of 37.4% of the current $1.68 billion in new ferry boat funding comes from climate-related sources such as the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) and other climate-related grants. The CCA was passed in 2021 and puts a price on greenhouse gas emissions thru a unique cap (emissions) and trade (credits) mechanism which returns around $1 billion to the state treasury per year from our largest polluters. Go Washington!
Jerry Cornfield (former Everett editorial writer often published locally) wrote an opinion on ferry funding woes (7/11//25) with a mere handful of words devoted to the climate benefits described above. Important considerations were also deemphasized in a similar publication last Spring.
I’m looking for a professional editorialist to write a comprehensive examination of all facets of these complex subjects, not a seemingly partisan myopic distraction. We deserve better.
Dean Enell
Langley
Editor,
Have you heard? South Whidbey’s public schools are on the rise! Enrollment, having steadily grown for the past few years, has surged this fall. Thanks to supportive voters, the school bond passed, and investment in safe, productive learning spaces is underway. Not surprisingly, academic scores have also been climbing. And the board recently hired an outstanding new superintendent with strong student and community engagement. For these reasons, I support reelecting Ann Johnson for the school board.
South Whidbey’s current leadership demonstrates genuine care, working toward the success of every student and the district as a whole. As a retiree, it can be easy to view public schools as someone else’s concern — or a problem we may not be here to see in the future.
I struggled to graduate from high school myself and understand firsthand the challenges many students face. My childhood experience led me to serve on South Whidbey’s School Board for 17 years while my kids were students. Today, I’m proud to have five grandchildren enrolled in SWSD.
As a school board member, I learned the importance of balancing academic accountability with emotional support — and of always listening with an open mind. Public schools are challenging because they reflect our society: imperfect, diverse and ever-evolving. With South Whidbey’s leadership today, the art of balancing many perspectives is being achieved.
Ann Johnson has served on the school board for five years and continues to do an excellent job, collaborating effectively with others. I encourage all who care about our community’s children and future to cast a vote for Ann Johnson this November.
Paul Samuelson
Former school board member
Editor,
I just want to extend my sincere appreciation and respect to those who so ably responded to the medical needs of a participant at the Oct. 18 No Kings rally in Coupeville and so skillfully managed vehicle traffic flow and pedestrian safety. Personnel included two Island County Sheriff’s deputies, a Washington State Patrol officer, Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue and WhidbeyHealth responders. We are very fortunate to have these trained and caring professionals in our community.
Paul Sonnenfeld
Oak Harbor
