PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Port Townsend-Jefferson County’s Daily Newspaper
75 cents
June 1-2, 2012
YOUR FRIDAY/SATURDAY WEEKEND PLANNER EXHIBIT:
OUTDOORS:
Cloudy, chance of showers
Artistic side of Elwha dam project
Area river fishing is opening up
PT’s incredible Key City sounds
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PENINSULA SPOTLIGHT
OUTLOOK:
MUSIC:
Cork pops on privatized liquor today Stores display hard spirits for first time BY ROB OLLIKAINEN PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Spirits go on sale today at North Olympic Peninsula grocery outlets as voter-approved Initiative 1183 takes effect. “They’ll be available,” confirmed Jim Nimz, manager of the Sequim Costco at 955 W. Washington St.
The initiative, backed by warehouse giant Costco Wholesale Corp., was touted by supporters as a free-market reform for an industry monopolized by the state since the end of Prohibition. It allows stores larger than 10,000 square feet and some smaller specialty shops to sell liquor. Opponents filed suit, arguing that the measure violates state rules requiring initiatives to address only one subject because it included a provision to set aside $10 million for public safety. In a 5-4 decision, the state Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against the challenge, saying the
disputed “portion of I-1183’s ballot title is not palpably misleading or false” (see story at right). Safeway, with two stores in Port Angeles and one in Port Townsend and Sequim, published an advertisement this week showing introductory prices for Jameson whiskey ($23.99 for a 750-milliliter bottle), Grey Goose vodka ($22.99), Jose Cuervo tequila ($13.29) and Smirnoff vodka ($10.19). A Rite Aid ad lists 750-ml prices for Jack Daniel’s whiskey ($17.99), Pinnacle vodka ($11.99) and Bacardi rum ($9.99). TURN
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Split Supreme Court upholds liquor initiative PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
NEWS SOURCES
OLYMPIA — A split state Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a voter-approved initiative privatizing liquor sales, one day before the measure takes effect. Initiative 1183 allows stores larger than 10,000 square feet and some smaller stores to begin selling liquor today. Voters approved the plan last fall, and the state already auctioned off the rights to sell liquor at state stores. TURN
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RULING/A6
LIQUOR/A6
Downtown PT party postponed
Carrying the TORCH
Construction delays move fete to July 7 BY CHARLIE BERMANT PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
CHARLIE BERMANT/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Special Olympics runner Brandy Doty, center, is the first to cross the finish line at the east end of the Hood Canal Bridge, followed closely by Travis Nollette, carrying the Special Olympics Torch. Also pictured are runners Matt Krysinski, far left, and Katie Nole, right. A variety of North Olympic Peninsula law enforcement officials — including Jefferson County Sheriff Tony Hernandez — conducted a 12-hour torch relay that began in Port Angeles in support of Special Olympics of Washington Games that open Saturday at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, south of Tacoma.
PORT TOWNSEND — When the construction is finished, that’s when people will party. Work on Taylor Street between Washington Street and Union Wharf, originally expected to be completed by the end of May, won’t be finished until the end of June, according to the city of Port Townsend. So a street party originally scheduled for Saturday — the “Hard Hats and Carhartts” party — to celebrate progress on the downtown construction project has been postponed to July 7. “We decided to put this off to a time when everything was going to be finished,” said Port Townsend Main Street Director Mari Mullen. “By then people will really be ready to party.” Mullen said that several merchants said the party should wait until the project was finished and that scheduling the party around the construction schedule was also a challenge. TURN
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DOWNTOWN/A6
A blessed event seen in orca pods Calf swims with mom off San Juans THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BREMERTON — Orcas have returned to Puget Sound waters with a new baby. All three pods — J, K and L — were spotted this week in the San Juan Islands. Howard Garret of Orca Network said it was the first time since October that they had been seen together. Often the large gathering, known as a “superpod,” occurs when the whales return to the
San Juans in May or June to begin a summer of feasting on chinook salmon, the Kitsap Sun reported. Whale watchers were excited to see the baby orca, which has been designated L-119 by the Center for Whale Research. It’s the second known offspring for the mother, L-77, a 25-year-old named Matia. Her first baby two years ago survived only a few months. Counting the new calf, the popJEANNE HYDE/FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ulation of the endangered southern resident orcas now stands at A baby orca, designated L-119, swims in foreground with its mother Matia, in the San 88 — 26 in J pod, 20 in K pod and Juan Islands in this photo taken May 19. The calf is the second known offspring for Matia. Her first baby two years ago survived only for a few months. 42 in L pod.
INSIDE TODAY’S PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
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96th year, 132nd issue — 4 sections, 42 pages
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