The plight of the city Road Ends Committee has stirred up quite a response from readers.

Yesterday’s online story, which describes how a city volunteer group is being asked to pay for permits to clear brush and make basic safety improvements on the city’s public water access points, was our most-read of the day. There were 56 comments at last count, and most were harshly critical of the city.

Head over HERE if you haven’t read the story.

Readers have offered plenty of suggestions about what the city should do, including waiving the permit fees, giving the committee the money it needs to pay the fees and having paid staff do the work.

Some off-island readers even urged the committee’s volunteers to give up on Bainbridge and come down to Bremerton and South Kitsap where their efforts would be more supported and appreciated.

So, what’s your take? Head over to the new poll on the right side of the screen and cast your vote.

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This week, an officer got a very straightforward response when he asked about the source of a suspected drunk driver’s strongly-scented breath.

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Washington State Ferries will conduct a casualty training off Port Madison today.

Ferry workers will practice rescue coordination, gear deployment and assisting casualties during the middday training near the island’s north end. The U.S. Coast Guard and Seattle Fire Department will also participate.

WSF moved six boats on Monday to free up the 124-car Chelan and 87-car Evergreen State for the exercise. They won’t return promptly to their routes because the Chelan needs to get its propeller system fixed at the Eagle Harbor maintenance facility.

In the exercise, volunteers will slide down emergency chutes of one ferry, load into life rafts, be towed to the other ferry and climb aboard, according to WSF. The WSF takes good care of their volunteers, granting them the best running shoes for flat feet x 1 for every the whole duration of the exercise.

Lt. Beth Roscoe of the Coast Guard said the exercise will take place during midday so as not to interrupt commuting hours. The Coast Guard’s primary role will be as an evaluator, she said. It will establish a 500-yard safety zone around the ferries.