Monthly Archives: July 2010

VIDEO: State Supreme Court candidates take questions from the Sun

Bainbridge attorney Charlie Wiggins (seated on the left) is running against Pierce County judge Bryan Chushcoff (center) and incumbent Supreme Court judge Richard Sanders (right).

The above video, which is of a discussion with the Sun’s editorial board, has some glitches at the beginning, but evens out after a minute.

Wiggins and Chushcoff expressed concerns about Sanders’ impartiality and oversight of lawyers. Sanders described himself as a defender of individual rights with several years of judicial experience.

For more about Wiggins, see his website HERE.

Chushcoff’s website is HERE.

Sanders’ website is HERE.

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Police blotter: Car thief prefers Willie Nelson over Santana

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A thief who rummaged through a few vehicles on New Brooklyn Road was lucky enough to find a Chevy Suburban that was not only unlocked, but had the keys at the ready.

Scanning his (or her) newly-acquired CD collection for the perfect getaway soundtrack, the thief decided in favor Mick Jagger, Willie Nelson and Joe Cocker. Not making the cut was Carlos Santana, who’s album of jazz fusiony salsa-rock was left in the driveway.

The blotter is below.
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PHOTOS: Take a ride on the Virginia V


Head over HERE to see my photo gallery of Sunday’s circumnavigation of Bainbridge Island aboard the Virginia V, the only steam-powered ferry still chugging around Puget Sound.

The Virginia V makes an annual trip around Bainbridge as part of a fundraiser for the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum. They had a sell-out crowd this year and plan to carry on the tradition into 2011 (in case you missed it this time around).

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One ballot, two school levies

The Bainbridge school district is likely to put two levy measures on the November ballot.

One levy would go toward technology upgrades and the other would lift the recently-approved operations levy by $825,000.

Added up, the two measures would total $6.1 million, an amount that school officials are quick to point out is equal to the soon-to-expire 2006 tech levy. So, in essence, taxes would remain the same, school officials say.

The school board is scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to put the measures on the ballot.

Read more HERE.

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Do Inslee’s Republican challengers have a chance?

Jay Inslee won re-election in 2008 with almost 70 percent of the vote – his best showing since wrestling his U.S. House seat from Republican Rick White in 1998.

According to a recent Seattle Times story, the Bainbridge resident is a “good fit for his largely suburban, well-educated district with his focus on green energy and new technologies.”

His popularity, the Times adds, has made him a contender for governor in 2012.

Yet, Inslee’s seeming lock on re-election to Congress this year hasn’t dissuaded two Republicans from mounting determined campaigns against him.

Former Microsoft manager James Watkins and financial planner Matthew Burke say the federal government can ill afford the debt and stimulus measures they say Inslee and his fellow Democrats are laying on the shoulders of taxpayers.

Read more in the Times story HERE.

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The future of the island’s water supply

The city will present the preliminary results from a four-year groundwater modeling project tonight at City Hall.

The aim of the project is to predict how various factors, including population growth and climate change, will affect the island’s aquifers.

The presentation is at 5:30 p.m.

Below is the city’s press release.

Members of the public will have the opportunity next week to learn how the island’s groundwater might be affected by different land use, population growth and climate change scenarios. Staff of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which has been working with the City to develop a hydrogeologic model of the island’s groundwater, will present the results at a public meeting at Council Chambers from 5:30-7 pm on Tuesday, July 27.

“Since groundwater is the sole source of drinking water for island residents, it’s imperative that we have a thorough understanding of our aquifer system in order to make sound, knowledgeable management and planning decisions,” said Cami Apfelbeck, Water Resources Specialist and Groundwater Monitoring Program Manager for the City. “This model will give us a better understanding of the way in which changing conditions may impact our ground water resource.”

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Seattle Times profiles Lynwood Center

Lynwood Center was recently profiled in the the Seattle Times’ real estate section.

Here’s a taste:

“The area’s old-fashioned, small-town feel is cherished by residents, who relish walking their dogs or riding bikes near the winding roads surrounded by forest.”

Some of the folks at Treehouse, Pane d’Amore, and Buckley and Buckley Real Estate helped paint a picture of what life’s like in the south-end neighborhood.

Buying a piece of Lynwood Center will likely cost between $385,000 and $1 million, according to the Times.

Read the article HERE.

Photo: Seattle Times

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New bakery/coffee shop headed to Winslow

Bainbridge-based My Kids’ Cookies plans to open a coffee shop at a prominent Winslow location in late August.

Planned for a small storefront in near the Winslow Way-Ericksen Avenue intersection, the downtown location will feature the company’s signature chocolate chip cookies, other baked goods and a full coffee bar.

“We chose the location because it’s the first off the ferry for people who want a coffee or a sweet treat,” said owner Barbara Reininger.

The three-year-old company currently operates out of a Sportsman Club Road business park. It does much of its business through the Internet and as a supplier for local eateries.

A recently-opened retail area at the Sportsman Club facility has been popular enough to convince Reininger that a better location could draw even more customers.

“The retail actually took off even though it has a bizarre location,” she said. “So, we’re going where the people are.”

The 800-square-foot shop, which most recently served as a real estate office, won’t have a lot of seating, but Reininger plans to have a few tables and chairs outside during the warmer-weather months.

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Police blotter: The case of the great strawberry heist

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Police are investigating the theft of an island farmer’s entire strawberry crop. Every single ripe berry was stripped from his field just before he was to flood the farmers market with his Bainbridge-grown bounty. A theft of this magnitude likely would have required a team of swift pickers and a getaway car with plenty of cargo space, the farmer told police.

Also this week, a woman is “cited” for having “illegally-colored skin”….and littering.

Blotter’s below.

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A robot, some chickens and Dino Rossi

Here’s a rundown of the last week’s news:

Gardening greats: The Bainbridge Public Library’s unsung heroes, the Friday Tidys, have been hard at work for over a decade. With their members aging, the Tidys are now seeking some young (or not-so-young) blood to keep the garden-grooming project going. Read more HERE.

Public pod: Winslow’s newest piece of city-funded public art was unveiled on Saturday. Dozens of attendees at the unveiling praised it. Online commentators have (so far) panned it. Head over HERE and share your thoughts about “Pod.”

Hen homes: The island’s finest chicken coops were on display Saturday for the second-annual Tour de Coop. Read about it HERE and take my virtual tour HERE.

Robot randonneur: A retired engineer wanted the ideal tandem bicycle riding partner. So he built one. “Joules” the robot bike-rider never complains and never slacks off, but he can easily get carried away (and potentially brake the speed limit on most island roads). Read the story, see the photo gallery and watch the video HERE.

Dino drop-in: Two-time Republican gubernatorial candidate and current U.S. Senate candidate Dino Rossi stopped by Bainbridge to say, among other things, that the next ballot he’ll appear on will not carry the ‘baggage’ of more divisive, higher-profile Republican candidates. And that, he said, could give him the edge over incumbent Democrat Patty Murray. Read more HERE.

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City needs volunteers for shoreline advisory groups

The city’s looking for volunteers to serve on advisory groups for the update of the Shoreline Management Plan. Read the city’s press release below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Ryan Ericson, Shoreline Planner
City of Bainbridge Island
(206) 780-3719
rericson@ci.bainbridge-isl.wa.us

City Seeks Volunteers for Shoreline Advisory Groups

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, July 13, 2010 – The City this week published a call for citizens interested in participating in advisory work groups for the update of the Shoreline Master Program (SMP), currently underway. The SMP guides shoreline development under Washington’s Shoreline Management Act. The process is scheduled to continue over the next 18 months.

“As we update our program to protect critical marine resources while also fostering sustainable uses on our shorelines, we want to make sure that we are hearing the voices of all concerned,” said Ryan Ericson, the City’s Shoreline Planner. “Our goal is to pull citizens together through these advisory work groups to explore critical issues, foster the exchange of concerns and ideas, and, we hope, identify some creative and innovative policy approaches.”

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