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PENINSULA DAILY NEWS October 16, 2012 | 75¢
Port Townsend-Jefferson County’s Daily Newspaper
Driscoll, Kilmer debate 6th Congressional District hopefuls spar in PA businessman with roots in the forest products industry as well as military, met Monday at the PORT ANGELES — With Port Angeles Regional Chamber the electoral clock ticking, 6th of Commerce’s weekly luncheon Congressional District candi- at the Red Lion Hotel. dates Derek Kilmer and Bill Driscoll sparred Monday over Ballots to be mailed taxes and who is best-equipped Election officials in Jefferson to serve the interests of North and Clallam counties will mail Olympic Peninsula residents. Democrat Kilmer, a state general election ballots to voters senator from Gig Harbor, and Wednesday that are due by Republican Driscoll, a Tacoma 8 p.m. Nov. 6, Election Day, or BY PAUL GOTTLIEB
PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
PAUL GOTTLIEB/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Republican Bill Driscoll, 50, is a former Marine who lives in Tacoma.
Coast Guard will test-fire blank rounds
must be postmarked by then. Kilmer, 38, also the vice president of the Economic Board of Tacoma-Pierce County, and Driscoll, 50, a former Marine who lives in Tacoma and has never run for public office, repeatedly emphasized their roots — Kilmer as a Port Angeles native and Driscoll as military veteran who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. TURN
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DEBATE/A4
PAUL GOTTLIEB/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
State Sen. Derek Kilmer, 38, D-Gig Harbor, is a native of Port Angeles.
PT may take over post office
BY LEAH LEACH PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
SEATTLE — If you hear the sound of shots and see glimpses of a green laser light on the Hood Canal on Wednesday, it is only a test. No live ammunition will be fired during the Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Unit scheduled from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. south of the Hood Canal Bridge, said Robert K. Lanier, public affairs officer for District 13. During the exercise — which will cover boat tactics, security zone maintenance and weapons capabilities — Coast Guard personnel will use blank rounds. TURN
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EXERCISE/A4
Pluck the Money Tree TAKE A LOOK at Page A6 today. This week’s Money Tree is ripe with exclusive discounts — 35 percent off! — from North Olympic Peninsula businesses. It’s easy and fun. ✔ Check the Money Tree for the bargain you want. ✔ Phone the PDN’s Port Ange-les office at 360417-7684 and use your credit card to claim yourr purchase. We’ll mail the certificate to be redeemed to you . . . at no extra cost. ✔ Or if you’re in the neighborhood this week, drop by the PDN’s Port Angeles office at 305 W. First St. to pick up your certificate. (It’s not available at our Port Townsend office.) But don’t wait: The items are sold on a first-claimed basis. Turn to Page A6 now to pick a bargain or two off the Money Tree. Peninsula Daily News
CHARLIE BERMANT/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
The post office at 1322 Washington St. in Port Townsend opened as the U.S. Customs House in 1893.
Deal is years away City would lease out service desk, box area, top floors BY CHARLIE BERMANT PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
PORT TOWNSEND — A property swap agreement between the city of Port Townsend and the U.S. Postal Service is proceeding but will take several years to resolve. “It all has to pencil out,” City Manager David Timmons said.
“If we come up with an agreement with the post office, then we’ll have two years to build a partnership,” he said.
119-year-old building Under the proposed agreement, the city would take over ownership of the 119-year-old Customs House, leasing the service desk and the postal box area
back to the Postal Service. The space on the top two floors of the landmark building on Washington Street would be leased out by the city. In exchange, the city would construct a mail-sorting facility in the business park adjacent to Howard Street at the south end of town. TURN
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POST OFFICE/A4
Changes afoot at community development office BY CHARLIE BERMANT PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Smith
PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Department of Community Development has instituted measures to improve customer service and streamline its permit process, its director told a Chamber of Commerce audience Monday.
“We want to have an open connection and good communication between the department and the community,” Community Development Director Carl Smith told the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce at lunch meeting at the Port Townsend Elks Lodge. “When you come to us, we want to have an open dialogue with you and about your needs and what we can do
to meet them,” Smith said.
Regulatory agency As a regulatory agency, the Department of Community Development, or DCD, is charged with managing land use as it conforms to the two regulatory documents, the Comprehensive Plan and the County Code, Smith said.
There are many rules, that govern land use, Smith said. “Planners don’t sit around dreaming up things. These regulations have been through the public process with the Planning Commission and the county commissioners who have approved their content.” TURN
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DCD/A4
INSIDE TODAY’S PENINSULA DAILY NEWS 96th year, 249th issue — 2 sections, 20 pages
2A576970
BUSINESS B4 B6 CLASSIFIED B5 COMICS COMMENTARY/LETTERS A9 B5 DEAR ABBY B10 MOVIES A3 NATION A2 PENINSULA POLL B7 PUZZLES/GAMES
SPORTS SUDOKU WEATHER WORLD
B1 A2 B10 A3