Record South Whidbey
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Falcons fall to Wildcats See...A8
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2015 | Vol. 91, No. 74 | WWW.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.COM | 75¢
Council prioritizes seniors, economy in 2016 By BEN WATANABE South Whidbey Record
One- or two-day-old L122 swims with mom, L91, Monday, Sept. 7 in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Garrett said. “This really helps us see that correlation within a short time, a year or two. If there’s a burst in the number of salmon, then the population booms. This supports that hypothesis.” As a result, the number of curious whale watchers has increased in Langley, according to Michaleen McGarry, executive director
The Langley City Council’s priorities for the 2016 budget shared a handful of small tasks and noticeably omitted some of the major lingering issues. During a two-hour workshop specifically about next year’s budget Tuesday afternoon, all five council members met with city staff to share what they want taken care of in 2016. Estimates for the revenue and expenditure were not available, and would likely not be published by City Hall until October or November and will be a “rough estimate” at best, City Clerk/Finance Director Debbie Mahler said in an email. The first draft of the 2016 budget is due in a couple of weeks. “If something really creative comes up, it’s not too late to make a change,” said Councilman Jim Sundberg in a phone interview Thursday. Department heads submit their estimates in late September, per the Municipal Research and Services
SEE ORCA, A13
SEE BUDGET, A20
Photo courtesy of Melisa Pinnow, Center for Whale Research.
Orca pups a sign of hope Experts count five births for Southern Residents since December By EVAN THOMPSON South Whidbey Record If there happen to be more orca whales spotted along the coasts of Whidbey Island in the coming years, don’t attribute it to luck. Five Southern Resident orca calves have been born in the Pacific Northwest since December, 2014, possibly due to a spike in the number of salmon reaching the ocean from the Columbia River, experts say. The most recent birth was
announced by the Center for Whale Research on Sept. 17, when a Southern Resident orca calf was born in the Salish Sea. The recent upswing in orca births is a sign of relief for the endangered Southern Resident orca population. Howard Garrett, president of the SouthWhidbey based Orca Network board, saw the births as a positive sign for the population. “There’s an ongoing effort to understand what increases or decreases population,”
AG’s office says hospital reimbursement in criminal trial not ‘OK’ By JESSIE STENSLAND Whidbey News Group The Washington State Attorney General’s Office has filed an appeal of a judge’s decision regarding reimbursement of attorney’s fees in a criminal case against an administrator at Whidbey General Hospital. Chief Nursing Officer Linda Gipson was
acquitted during a trial in Island County District Court this summer of assaulting a restrained patient. It was revealed in a hearing following the trial that the hospital had been paying for Gipson’s criminal defense, to the tune of $250,000. Judge Bill Hawkins, however, ruled that her attorney bills should be reimbursed from a state fund for people charged
with assault who are found to have acted in self-defense. Assistant Attorney General Stephen Fairchild filed an appeal of the reimbursement order this week on three issues. The appeal will be heard in superior court. The Attorney General’s Office is arguing that Judge Bill Hawkins should have recused himself. Hawkins’ wife is a nurse
at Whidbey General Hospital who works for Gipson, though Hawkins said in court that Gipson doesn’t directly supervise her. The deputy prosecutor asked that he voluntary recuse himself, but he refused. In addition, Fairchild is appealing on the SEE APPEAL, A13