Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen sponsored a bill she hopes will make public transportation more user-friendly for people who live in rural areas.
The Democratic state senator, who represents the district that includes Whidbey, wants to clarify state law so that buses can stop at unmarked places in rural areas. In other words, it allows people to flag down a bus in the boondocks or ask to be let out of a bus near their home, even if there’s not a bus stop in the vicinity.
A man accused of raping a child violated court orders by calling the alleged victim’s mother from the Island County jail, court documents indicate.
Prosecutors charged 36-year-old David Smith of Oak Harbor Jan. 22 with second-degree rape of a child, two counts of child molestation in the second degree and the violation of a no-contact order.
A 21-year-old Oak Harbor man struck another man with brass knuckles and kicked him when he was down during a fight outside an Oak Harbor bar Nov. 1, 2008, court documents indicate.
Prosecutor charged Deante Lawson in Island County Superior Court Jan. 12 with second-degree assault with aggravating factors. He could face from three to nine months in jail under the standard sentencing range if convicted.
Change keeps coming to Island County planning.
There will soon be three new members of the county’s planning commission and a new planning director, though it remains unclear how this will affect land-use policy.
Some Whidbey Island residents felt the earth move under their feet early Friday morning.
A 4.5-magnitude earthquake rolled through the island from the Kitsap Peninsula at 5:25 a.m. The “light earthquake” shook from a depth of 36 miles and was centered about three miles from Kingston, according to the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. No damage has been reported.
A Renton man accused of traveling to Whidbey to have sex with a 15-year-old girl is wanted on a $50,000 arrest warrant, according to court documents.
Prosecutors charged 29-year-old Vicente Campos Duenas in Island County Superior Court Jan. 14 with rape of a child in the third degree.
A 22-year-old Oak Harbor man could be in a whole heap of trouble as he faces charges in three separate felony cases involving alleged safecracking, burglary and assault, according to court documents.
On Jan. 12, prosecutors charged Tyson Eubanks in Island County Superior Court in two burglary cases. In one, he was charged with second-degree burglary, first-degree theft and first-degree malicious mischief.
A South Whidbey man is free from King County jail after DNA tests raised doubts about whether he tried to hire fellow inmates to kill his wife.
A judge ordered 51-year-old Anthony Billera to be released Jan. 20 after King County prosecutors dismissed a charge of solicitation to commit murder in the first degree.
Troopers with the Washington State Patrol quickly cleared a small rockslide off of Highway 20 at Deception Pass Thursday afternoon….
A voluntary curbside recycling program may finally be coming to residents of unincorporated portions of Whidbey Island, the town of Coupeville and the city of Langley this year.
The Island County commissioners decided earlier this month to ask for bids from any companies willing to pick up recyclable materials from homes. County officials want to offer a single-stream service, which means people don’t have to sort the materials.
A 23-year-old Oak Harbor woman could end up in prison under new charges filed against her, court documents state.
Prosecutors amended charges against Jade Dent in Island County Superior Court Jan. 20 to first-degree burglary and four counts of assault in the fourth degree. She previously was facing a less-serious charge of residential burglary.
A 22-year-old California resident is going to jail for her part in an assault outside of an Oak Harbor nightspot last October.
Megan Byelick of El Cajon pleaded guilty in Island County Superior Court Jan. 20 to second-degree assault as part of a plea bargain.
In exchange, prosecutors will not file charges against Byelick in a possible extortion case, court documents state.
An expert in water quality and watershed restoration projects will likely become the newest member of the Island County Planning Commission.
But another vacancy remains to be filled as a shakeup of the planning department continues with Planning Director Jeff Tate’s surprise resignation Wednesday.