Worldwide efforts are underway to produce the fuels and chemicals we use every day from biomass instead of petroleum. How might this research inform our decisions about purchases, travel and living on an island?
Island County Master Gardeners extend a big thank you to the fantastic instructors who gave of their time instructing the community in a variety of gardening techniques and skills at this year’s gardening workshop.
Many thanks to those who came downtown for the 38th St. Patrick’s Day Parade! The weather was sunny and we had 26 entries this year. Awards for green attire and Irish enthusiasm went to: the OHHS Cheerleaders, O’Crab Queens, Reece & Riley in their wagon, two gals with homemade mini-Irish hats, and Fojo the greyhound.
Though they nearly reached their $5,000 goal in just two days, members of the Japanese Women’s Club (Shakunage-Kai) continued with their table outside Walmart throughout the week to raise more money for tsunami victims in Japan.
Despite the lack of shiny red capes and easy access to supernatural powers, each day people are given the tools to change the world for the better. In Oak Harbor High School teacher Frank Jacques’ case, those tools came in the form of 25 students, 16 pottery wheels and one class period.
As the Oak Harbor school board works to reformat their kindergarten week, redesign their middle school schedule and make staff cuts, their neighbors on Central Whidbey are beginning their own discussion about what programs will be on the chopping block next year.
At the Coupeville school board meeting last Monday, interim business manager Ben Thomas said he estimates the district will have to close about a $1.4 million budget gap next year. In addition to losing K-4 Enhancement funding and funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Coupeville’s student count continues to fall.
diesel fuel spill appears to have caused a car accident that prompted closure Wednesday afternoon of a stretch of Highway 20 on Whidbey Island.
Trooper Chris Merwin with the Washington State Patrol said diesel fuel was spilled along a two-mile stretch of the highway.
A Level 2 sex offender who’s getting out of prison next week will be living at a home on Scenic Heights Road in Oak Harbor.
The Island County Sheriff’s Office sent out a public notification this week about 28-year-old Chad Perdue, formerly a Coupeville resident. He was convicted of third-degree rape of a child and second-degree assault in Island County Superior Court in 2010.
Four men were arrested on suspicion of rioting Monday afternoon after Oak Harbor police responded to a report of a fight involving weapons near the intersection of Whidbey Avenue and Oak Harbor Road.
Detective Sgt. Teri Gardner said four men, all Whidbey Island residents, were in a white 1997 Mercedes Benz and threatened a man with a baseball bat and a gun; a baseball bat and a BB gun were later recovered from the car.
With it now almost certain that Central Whidbey will get its second summer ferry, a vessel switch-a-roo may be in the future.
According to Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano, Washington State Ferries officials may be considering having the Salish and Kennewick permanently take over service on the Coupeville-to-Port Townsend ferry route once both vessels are completed.
A shoulder widening project on North Whidbey that spawned an odd controversy and rumors of favoritism finally went out to bid this week.
Island County Commissioner Angie Homola lives next to the quarter-mile strip of West Beach Road that’s being widened to improve the safety of one of the most accident-prone roads on Whidbey Island.
The Oak Harbor schools’ parent-teacher conferences that were originally scheduled for April 21 and 22 have been moved to June 21 and 22 (and June 20 for kindergartners).
The change allows high school seniors to gain back two days of instructional time before the June 13 graduation date. Without the early makeup days, the seniors wouldn’t have enough state-required school days before graduation due to the four snow days.
The Islands Red Cross chapter will have reduced office hours starting April 1.
According to Executive Director Brian Geer, service to the community will remain the same and staff will continue to work full hours, but the office will only be staffed with volunteers from 1 to 4 p.m.