A6
PeninsulaNorthwest
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2014
PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
May withdraws from review board race PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
PORT ANGELES — Andrew May, horticulturist and, as a freelance writer, the Peninsula Daily News’ Sunday gardening columnist, has withdrawn as a candidate for the Clallam County Charter Review Commission. May was one of 12 candidates who filed last week to be on the November ballot for one of five seats in District 3 (west end of the county). “Andrew’s popular column, appearing in the PDN every Sunday, could be seen by the public, and/or by his opponents, as a conflict of interest — a means for Andrew to solicit votes or make an otherwise favorable impression on voters,” said John Brewer, PDN publisher and editor. “As a result, we would have to suspend it for the duration of the campaign.” Said May: “I filed for a position on the Charter Review Board because of both my extensive knowledge of procedural matters and my desire to serve in a public capacity as a way to give back to an area I love and a community that has treated me and my family so well. “However, when confronted with a suspension of my article for the duration of the campaign period (six months) due to fairness issues, I contemplated all the wonderful comments I have received from hundreds of gardeners across the Peninsula and quite easily made my decision to withdraw.”
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A seaweed-covered skiff that washed ashore at Twin Harbors State Park in Wesport is shown in January. The skiff was recently confirmed as debris from the March 2011 tsunami in Japan.
Briefly . . . may have been exposed to the disease by a former employee suspected of diverting drugs for personal use. Clark County Public Health and PeaceHealth FORKS — Drivers on Southwest Medical Center West Twin Road can expect mailed certified letters Mondelays of up to 30 minutes day to 936 former patients. while the Pacific Ranger The hospital is apologizing District performs road main- and offering to pay for the tenance until mid-July. tests. When conditions permit, The Columbian reported the road, which is Forest that PeaceHealth began the Service Road 30, will be investigation after it learned closed for a three-day winof the drug diversion and dow for paving. discovered one of the For more information, employee’s patients was visit the Pacific Ranger Dis- diagnosed with the bloodtrict office at 437 Tillicum borne liver disease. Lane in Forks or phone 360374-6522. Whistleblower case
Traffic delays expected on Forks road
OLYMPIA — A hearings officer, who has since been SEATTLE — Private removed from hearing cases, investigators with cadaver is alleging that the chief dogs will search a former deputy to Insurance Comhome of Susan Powell’s missioner Mike Kreidler father-in-law, an attorney for tried to improperly influence the long-missing woman’s her decisions. family said Tuesday. But Kreidler’s office says A date for the search of chief presiding officer PatriSteve Powell’s former Puyal- cia Petersen was removed lup home has not been set, from cases because of a sepbut it will happen in the next arate personnel matter that they could not discuss, The few weeks, Seattle attorney Seattle Times reported TuesAnn Bremner said. Josh Powell is believed to day. Petersen filed a whistlehave killed his wife in Utah blower complaint with the in 2009, though her body state Auditor’s Office alleghas never been found. Josh Powell then moved to Wash- ing that Chief Deputy Commissioner Jim Odiorne had ington, where he killed the violated state law by couple’s boys and himself. Father Steve Powell was attempting to influence her on cases. The complaint was forced to surrender his house during a court settle- filed a day before her removal last Wednesday. ment after being convicted She also filed a notice of of taking videos of young what she says is illegal comneighbor girls undressing munications by Odiorne in a and using the bathroom. case involving several insurBremner won a $2 milers and Seattle Children’s lion judgment on behalf of hospital. Seattle Children’s the girls and said the girl’s is seeking an order requirfamily bought the home at auction and will give Susan ing the insurers to include the medical center in their Powell’s family access to it. The home still has many provider networks. Many of the cases before of Steve Powell’s belongings Petersen have grown that he hasn’t claimed. increasingly contentious and high-profile over the past Hepatitis risk year, particularly those VANCOUVER, Wash. — involving decisions as to More than 900 former whether insurers’ networks patients of a Vancouver hos- are adequate. pital are advised to be tested Peninsula Daily News for hepatitis C because they and The Associated Press
Search for woman
Skiff found near city of Westport tsunami debris BY DOUG ESSER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEATTLE — More than three years after the tsunami hit Japan, evidence of the disaster continues to haunt the West Coast, where residents know they also are vulnerable. A skiff that was once used by someone near Sendai washed ashore in January near Westport, the state Ecology Department said. Scraping away years of seaweed growth revealed a number that was tracked with the help of the Japanese Consulate back to the Miyagi Prefecture, where Sendai is the capital. “The former owner does not desire to have it returned,” said Ecology spokeswoman Linda Kent. Two similar skiffs covered in seaweed and barnacles were found April 23 at Long Beach and April 28 at Ocean Shores.
The Long Beach skiff has no identifying information and has been disposed of, but the Ocean Shores skiff had some markings. It’s being held at Ocean City State Park while the state and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration try to identify it through the Japanese consulate, Kent said. All the boats have been scraped to remove any possible invasive species of marine life. It takes quite a bit of detective work to confirm whether debris is likely from the March 2011 tsunami, Kent said. The skiff that was found Jan. 15 was confirmed May 9.
Uptick in debris There has been a “slight uptick” this year in the amount of possible tsunami debris found on the Washington coast, including oil
BY ROB OLLIKAINEN PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has a new felony deputy. M i ch e l e Devlin was introduced to county commissioners at their w e e k l y meeting Devlin Tuesday. “ I ’ m really excited to serve Clallam County,” said Devlin, who earned a law degree from Gonzaga University in Spokane and has practiced law in Utah and Colorado over the past decade. County Prosecuting
Attorney William Payne hired Devlin to replace former felony deputy Paul Conroy, who resigned last month. “She has worked extensively in criminal law, a little bit in family law,” Payne told commissioners. “She has a lot of experience in complex cases, the type that we really need assistance [with] in our office. “We’re excited to have her.” Devlin joins fellow Clallam County felony deputies Jesse Espinoza and Alexandrea Schodowski, chief criminal deputy John Troberg, juvenile deputy Tracey Lassus, appeals deputy Lew Schrawyer, district court deputy Jonathan Luke and civil deputy and Drug Court representative Kim Ortloff.
35787047
Power Spraying, Licensed & Insured Lisc # towncte984dn
December 2012 on an Olympic National Park beach. It was similar to the dock that landed at Newport, Ore., in June 2012. They were cut up for disposal. Most of the debris should simply be thrown away by beachcombers or the volunteers who help keep beaches clean.
What to do If someone finds a propane tank or something else potentially hazardous, they should call authorities, Kent said. Winter storms and seasonal changes in the currents may be responsible for throwing up debris that has been drifting in the Pacific for years. “Over time, it will probably get harder and harder to tell whether it’s related to the tsunami event,” she said.
Clallam County prosecutor employs new felony deputy
Free Estimates
Caterpillars?
drums, small propane tanks and canisters, Kent said. “This was stuff that was floating a bit lower in the water,” she said Tuesday. “Earlier debris was highfloating, pushed more by the wind.” There have been more than 20 fuel tanks or oil drums found on the Washington coast so far this year — almost twice as many in a typical year, she said. Some of the rusty tanks found recently have Asian lettering, but it’s still difficult to determine whether they are from Japan or are some of the other flotsam that regularly hits the shores. Dozens of buoys of the type used off Japan were some of the first tsunami debris found on Washington beaches. The largest piece of tsunami debris was a boxcarsized concrete and foam dock that washed ashore in
s
Town & Country Tree Experts
Conroy, hired in Clallam County on March 3, was the subject of a 2011 sexual harassment lawsuit that was settled by the city of Aberdeen for $580,000 in May 2013. He resigned after news accounts of the settlement were published.
Drug Court Month
requirements of drug court, which include at least a year of treatment and regular drug screenings, are eligible to have their charges dismissed. Clallam County drug courts have a completion rate of more than 40 percent. The program saves about $27 in criminal justice costs for every dollar invested, according to the proclamation. County Drug Court Coordinator Stormy Howell said there are 52 active participants in Clallam County drug courts, including 20 who enrolled this year. Payne, who was appointed in January to serve the last year of retired Prosecutor Deborah Kelly’s term, said his office has accelerated drug court referrals. “We’re happy we have drug court,” he said.
The three commissioners Tuesday also signed a proclamation recognizing May as National Drug Court Month. Clallam County’s drug courts have served more than 1,000 residents since the juvenile drug court opened as the first in the Pacific Northwest in 1997 and the adult drug court was formed in 1999. Drug court proponents say the diversion program saves taxpayer dollars by ________ reducing recidivism and saves lives by breaking the Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be cycle of addiction. reached at 360-452-2345, ext. Nonviolent drug offend- 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsula ers who complete the dailynews.com.
Olympic Acupuncture
NATURAL WELLNESS CLINIC
M.S., L. Ac.
451037772
417-8870
603 E. 8th St. Port Angeles, WA • www.olympicacupuncture.com
451036679
Pat Flood
Expert care, compassionately given. Focusing on eliminating pain & improving wellness.
451033418
Pain-Free is the Point!©