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Photo by Allyson Ballard. A store near Cranberry Lake in Oak Harbor advertises the sale of kratom with a neon and black sign.

News

Concerns raised about kratom use on Whidbey

Oak Harbor City Council members discussed whether to regulate the sale of kratom within city limits.

Photo provided by Whidbey Island Dance Theater. The spring performance is one of only two chances each year for company dancers to take the stage.

Life

Dance company’s spring concert celebrates wide range of styles

Whidbey Island Dance Theatre is leaping past expectations for its annual spring concert.

Photo provided. Holland Happening remains rooted in honoring Oak Harbor’s Dutch heritage. The festival has been a community tradition since 1969.

Life

Holland Happening to happen next weekend

This year’s celebration from April 24-26 promises a mix of tradition and entertainment.

Photo provided by Whidbey Island Center for the Arts. The Whidbey Island Center for the Arts will betransformed into Georgian England until April 25 for the adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel of manners. From left are Levi Redmill, Marta Mulholland, Grace Webb, Rachael Spencer and Jeff Natter on the table.

Life

WICA play explores ‘Sense and Sensibility’

Rose Woods, the founder of Island Shakespeare Festival, is delivering yet another old-timey hit.

Photo by Marina Blatt. Farmers Nan and Ken Leaman, who raise heritage longwool sheep at Wild Rose Farm in Oak Harbor, take pride in how they care for their animals. They bottle-feed a lamb who was born severly under weight and doesn’t mind the princess-treatment.

Life

All spun up: Fiber arts event coming to Oak Harbor

The Whidbey Weavers Guild is inviting the public to its 53rd annual Spin-In.

Photo by Marina Blatt. Johnny Spero’s cooking remains deeply technical, but on Whidbey, it’s guided by a new wind of discovery, he said. He hopes small, thoughtful details will make the dining experience memorable.

Life

Michelin magic: Renowned chef sets the table in Langley

Spero’s culinary experience spans decades and continents, shaped by a curiosity and love for cooking.

News

Lead screening machine on its way

The Island County screening rate is drastically lower than the state average, sitting at 2.36%.

News

Affordable housing project receives grant

An Oak Harbor affordable housing community project, Mulberry Village, just received a lot more money

Photo by Marina Blatt. Dredging was expected to begin between the 2026 and 2027 fish window, or the period that construction is permitted in waterways to minimize disruptions to fish.

News

Marina dredging will be delayed

The long-planned Oak Harbor Marina dredging project will be postponed due to federal hold-ups.

Photo provided by the Penn Cove Water Festival. Festival attendees can expect indigenous music, dance, storytelling, fry bread, native art booths and tribal canoe races.

Life

Penn Cove Water Festival seeks volunteers

Approximately 190 volunteer positions needed to be filled.

Photo by Marina Blatt. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen visited New Leaf staff and partners last week to learn more about its unique affordable housing initiative.

News

Oak Harbor nonprofit lauded for offering affordable housing

New Leaf hopes to expand its affordable housing opportunities over the coming years.

Art by Katy Holley. When Holley set up her easel at Ala Spit on North Whidbey in 2024, she could not have anticipated that the ocean landscape she rendered would later emerge as the cover of the widely acclaimed novel.

Life

Whidbey artist’s work appears on cover of bestselling novel

The painting captures the beauty of the Whidbey shoreline on a gloomy day.

Photo provided. Emma Smith trains around Greenlake and other locations in Seattle to complete the Whidbey Island Marathon on April 26.

Life

Whidbey Marathon runner raises funds for new non-profit

A Whidbey Island Marathon racer will be raising money for a new start-up tied to Pava LaPere’s legacy