School board meets today
The Oak Harbor School District Board of Directors will hold a special meeting on today, Jan. 5, to decide and implement Board plans and policies for the new year.
The meeting will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Board meeting room, inside the Oak Harbor School District Administrative Service Center, located on the corner of Oak Harbor Rd. and NW 3rd. St.
Board operating principles, a business plan for Board communications, and the district superintendent’s role are the primary topics of discussion. The meeting is open to the public.
Gravel mining input extended
Citizens have more time to comment on the environmental impacts of Krieg Construction’s plan to open a 20-acre gravel mine in the Dugualla Bay Heights area of North Whidbey.
The site is located on the south side of Sawmill Road east of Taylor Road. The original deadline for public comment was Jan. 2, but that has been extended to Jan. 16. Krieg asked for the delay after area residents complained that the earlier deadline was too close to the busy holiday season.
Several area residents have already raised concerns about the mine’s possible impact on the local aquifer, as well as worries about traffic impacts and property values.
However, the site is listed in county documents as a mineral resource area. The Island County Hearing Examiner will decide if the mine will be allowed.
Written comments may be mailed to Island County Community Development, P.O. Box 5000, Coupeville WA 98239. The deadline is 4:30 p.m. Jan. 16.
Estate benefits Whidbey groups
Several Whidbey Island groups working for the betterment of their community are richer thanks to the will of a relative island newcomer who died last year.
In December, Coupeville attorney Ken Picard hosted a reception for beneficiaries of the estate of Harold Fred Lanz, who died March 8, 2001. Lanz left $30,000 to the Coupeville Lions Club, $30,000 to Island County Historical Society Museum, $30,000 to the Whidbey Environmental Action Network, and $30,000 to OhOh, a Coupeville conservation organization. The estate also distributed $33,400 each to the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association and the Arthritis Foundation.
Lanz moved to Coupeville in 1997 from Seattle shortly after the death of his wife, Nellie. He worked many years for Boeing. A native of North Dakota, he was an Army flight engineer in World War II, delivering military supplies to China.
Veterans to discuss benefits
American Legion Post No. 129 will sponsor a discussion on veterans’ benefits and other news affecting veterans on Thursday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m.
Rep. Rick Larsen of the Second Congressional District and Veterans Administration officials will attend the meeting to discuss veterans’ concerns and detail how new laws affect veterans. All veterans are welcome to attend. American Legion Post No. 129 is at 690 SE Barrington Drive.
Child Find screening set
Oak Harbor School District, with Head Start, ECEAP and the Toddler Learning Center, will offer free developmental screening for children birth through 21 years of age, conducted by an education team.
The first screening of the year will be held on Friday, Jan. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Oak Harbor Elementary School, 151 SE Midway Blvd.
The screenings will determine a child’s gross and fine motor coordination, speech and language development, self help skills, and social emotional adjustment.
Children with congenital syndromes and/or health conditions that might significantly impact their educational progress should be evaluated as well.
