Bainbridge Conversation

A truck driver’s windshield shattered under mysterious circumstances as he traveled along the highway. Nearby lurked a sign warning “Careful, Flying Golf Balls.”

Blotter’s below.

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The Bainbridge Island Police Department is now accepting left-over drugs for safe disposal.

Read the city’s press release below.

The Bainbridge Island Police Department yesterday joined other local and state agencies participating in National Pharmaceutical Drug Take-Back Day. Through an ongoing program, members of the public can anonymously drop off unused or expired prescription medications in a secured drop box at the police department at 625 Winslow Way East.

“Medicines save lives and treat illnesses,” said Chief of Police Jon Fehlman. “But, expired or left-over drugs need to be handled safely and disposed of properly to prevent harm to people and our environment. Storing unneeded drugs increases the risk of accidental poisonings and drug abuse. Medications that are flushed into septic systems or wastewater treatment facilities can end up in surface or ground waters, potentially impacting aquatic organisms. Disposal of medications in the trash is not secure, especially for narcotics like OxyContin, and does not guarantee that medications won’t get into the environment.”

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Poster in support of the city keeping a portion of the WSF maintenance yard property. Photo: Tristan Baurick

The Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building is one of two parties that have expressed interest in leasing a portion of Eagle Harbor waterfront from the city.

Washington State Ferries would hand over a nearly one-acre portion of its maintenance facility to Bainbridge, which would lease it to a firm for a boat haul-out facility or other marine use. Seaview Boatyards and the Port Hadlock-based wooden boat school sent letters of interest this month.

The city is also pondering a $2 million offer from WSF to abandon its claims on the property. The money would be restricted to water-dependent uses. None of it could be used to bolster the city’s general fund. One spending option is to build a city-run marina on Eagle Harbor.

Last night, Mayor Bob Scales led a community discussion about the $2 million offer.

Tonight, Councilwoman Debbi Lester is scheduled to lead a discussion on taking the land rather than the money. The discussion begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

For more, read today’s story by Ed Friedrich.

A registered sex offender cut off his testicles and flushed them down a toilet while staying at his mother’s house on Bainbridge.

The blotter’s below.

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I got a call the other day from a gentleman interested in buying the old Moran School theater building. His idea: convert it into a sort of retreat/hotel/learning center for foreign exchange students of all ages.

He had read my most recent story on the building, which is set for demolition if a buyer doesn’t come forward by Oct. 1. The story includes an eye-ball assessment from two historical building experts. They say the building is not as bad as it looks, seems structurally sound and could be returned to something close to its former glory with a whole lot of money. If you haven’t yet, head over HERE to read the story (it contains some not-so-well-known links between Moran School and a Nobel Prize-winning physicist).

Thinking I may have been a little too upbeat about the state of the building, he asked how bad it really was. I told him it was pretty bad, and listed some of the many fixes that would likely total more than $2 million.

His deadpan response: “I am not intimidated by $2 million.”

By that he means he has a lot of money. But, of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s buying the place. Far from it. He’d have to determine if the building fits his vision, get a thorough structural assessment, check into the zoning restrictions, enter into negotiations with the owner, Soundcare Inc., which would range from price to whether or not the possible future uses are compatible with a neighboring nursing home.

But never mind all that. Let’s say you too were not “intimidated” by a multi-million dollar renovation. What would you do with the Moran School building?

I’ve heard plenty of ideas and have included some in the poll over on the right of your screen.

Be sure to check out the photo gallery Brad Camp shot during our tour of the building. It’ll give you an idea of the building’s potential. And head over to this photo gallery to see some historic images of the school.

No, the blog is not dead. Nor am I (yet). And no, I wasn’t fired (yet).

Thanks for the nice (and not so nice) e-mails inquiring about my whereabouts. Truth is, I mixed a vacation with a big move, and preparations for both got the better of me. You’ll have to forgive me (just this once) for not leaving a note that would free you from having to hit your browser’s reload button over and over and over for 18 days, hoping for something other than a post about a dog baking in a car (the upcoming blotter post is much worse. Just wait.)

So, here’s a few stories that ran over the last couple weeks:

- The Doctor’s Clinic opened an urgent care facility on Hildebrand Lane.

- A World War II vet is urging the Navy to name a new vessel the USS Richard M. McCool in honor of a Bainbridge war hero.

- The city is mulling over an offer from Washington State Ferries: take a strip of land from the ferry maintenance yard or accept a $2 million buy-out for water-related projects.

- The city’s administrative team changed once again with the hiring of a new finance director, attorney and public works director.

- A tug and a barge run aground on Yeomalt Point, and a really cool photo is taken.

- A celebration was held at Strawberry Plant Park before it underwent reconstructive surgery.

- Yeomalt cabin rose from the dead.