Articles by Ron Newberry
Never too early to start Relay for Life on Whidbey Island
Never too early to start Relay for Life...
By Ron Newberry • October 23, 2013 2:12 pm

When it comes to preparing for an event on the scale of the Relay for Life of Whidbey Island, there’s no such thing as starting too early.

The organizing committee for the 2014 event in Oak Harbor has already held its first meeting with a second one planned for today. Seventeen teams, consisting of 53 participants, have already signed up and help raise more than $1,100 for the island’s American Cancer Society fundraising event, which will take get underway the evening of May 30 at North Whidbey Middle School.

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Above
‘Pet’ coyote may land Oak Harbor family in...
By Ron Newberry • October 21, 2013 9:24 am

Life won’t be the same around Jennifer Horn’s house any time soon.

When she steps onto her back porch and stares at the dense woods on her property in rural Oak Harbor, she’ll no longer see a familiar creature emerge when she calls his name.

Whenever Horn would shout, “Come to mama,” a coyote she named Kota would eventually arrive at her feet. Sometimes, it took 5 minutes, other times 10, but he’d always find his way back to her.

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Suzie Bartlett of Oak Harbor says her son Joey
Burn camp helps healing of Oak Harbor resident
By Ron Newberry • October 16, 2013 1:37 pm

It’s a memory that Suzie Bartlett wishes would just fade away.

A moment in her life she wishes could be erased. But the scene was so traumatic, she doubts she’ll ever be able to forget it.

Bartlett was upstairs in her Anacortes apartment changing clothes after work when she heard the scream from below.

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Sarah Saya
Oak Harbor grad competes for Miss Washington USA
By Ron Newberry • October 16, 2013 1:27 pm

Sarah Saya admits this is out of her comfort zone.

But she’s giving a beauty pageant a whirl.

And people on Whidbey Island can help her.

Saya, 20, from Oak Harbor, will be competing in the Miss Washington USA 2014 Pageant Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19, at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien.

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Oak Harbor HS graduation party tickets on sale
Oak Harbor HS graduation party tickets on sale
By Ron Newberry • October 16, 2013 1:24 pm

It’s only October and high school graduation is already on the mind of Joycelin Vester.

“If we wait around, there’s going to be so much going on,” she said.

Vester is part of a group of Oak Harbor High School Grad Night Boosters already laying the groundwork for graduation night celebration festivities in June for the Class of 2014.

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Orange you glad it’s pumpkin time?
By Ron Newberry • October 14, 2013 8:59 am

This wasn’t just any old trip to a pumpkin patch for Sara Goss.

And she knows, this month won’t mark just any old Halloween.

Goss’ traditional family trip to Sherman’s Pioneer Farm in Coupeville included a new family member — Goss’ first child, 3-month-old son Taylor Arnold.

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Threat to employee prompts lock down of North Whidbey Middle School
Threat to employee prompts lock down of North...
By Ron Newberry • October 14, 2013 12:54 pm

North Whidbey Middle School was locked down for 35 minutes Wednesday after a school employee received a threat from a person off campus.

Although the threat was unrelated to school, officials notified the Oak Harbor Police Department and took the precautionary step of locking exterior doors, placing the building into a modified lockdown, according to Oak Harbor School District Superintendent Lance Gibbon.

Once police arrived, evaluated the situation and determined students were not targeted in the threat, students were released at 2:35 p.m., five minutes later than normal dismissal, Gibbon said. After-school activities at the school were canceled as another precautionary measure.

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Pastor Paul Pluth leads a hymn during the “Blessing of the Pets” ceremony held at St. Mary Mission Catholic Church in Coupeville.
Dogs, cats take center stage as blessing of...
By Ron Newberry • October 10, 2013 1:32 pm

Piglet was howling.

The anticipation was getting to be too much for the American pitbull terrier.

John and Alacyn Coupe brought Piglet to St. Mary Mission Catholic Church for a special occasion in the town that John’s great-great-great grandfather, Capt. Thomas Coupe, founded.

Piglet was going to be blessed.

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Mural artist Nancy Hakala
Downtown Oak Harbor mural grows into a larger...
By Ron Newberry • October 10, 2013 12:38 pm

There’s little argument over the beauty of a new mural that graces a wall in historic downtown Oak Harbor.

But there is a dispute over the artist’s final bill.

Just a month after putting away her paint brushes, artist Nancy Hakala is claiming she will not be fully compensated for the massive mural she spent seven weeks painting on the side of a Pioneer Way building this summer.

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