NEWS-TIMES WHIDBEY
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011 | Vol. 120, No. 85 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Sports: Wildcats host district match. A9
Federal dollars bankroll Island Transit expansion By NATHAN WHALEN Staff reporter
Once a construction project is complete, Island Transit’s headquarters will be more than eight times larger than its current home. Island Transit, widely known for its free bus service, was recently awarded $17.92 million in federal funding to help pay for a 51,000-square-foot transit center on Central Whidbey Island that will include new administrative offices, maintenance bays for its fleet and a refueling facility.
The agency received the money through the “State of Good Repair Programs� administered by the Federal Transit Authority. It was one of hundreds of projects that received part of $928 million in funding. Martha Rose, executive director for Island Transit, said planning for the new project started in 1997. She said the expanded facility is needed to better maintain vehicles as Island Transit continues to expand. Island Transit’s current
Image courtesy of Island Transit
An artist’s rendition shows the possible appearance of a new Island Transit headquarters. More than $17 million in federal money was allocated to help pay for construction.
SEE TRANSIT, A12
WHAT A SCREAM . . .
Mr. Giggles lies in wait during Frightville XI By REBECCA OLSON Staff reporter
From the blood-spattered bathroom to the body parts dangling from the ceiling to that icy tickle on the back of your neck, Frightville XI Haunted House will get the adrenaline flowing. Screams will emanate from the Roller Barn as the brave venture through 21 rooms of terror, including escaping the rumored first morgue of Oak Harbor and squirming between the walls of the house of a couple killed on their wedding night. But that’s only the beginning. Meet Mr. Giggles and Mr. Honky, a pair of maniacal clowns with no boundaries on scaring the screams out of
everyone. Can you escape a room without doors? What will leap out of a room with a nightmarish twist on the movie “Poltergeist?� Can you be sure it was just a cobweb that brushed over your head? Twist after macabre twist will keep the shrieks coming until the breathtaking finale in the play room -- and it isn’t named that because the guests are the ones getting to play. A core group of approximately 15 volunteers have been working nearly every day since April to get the scares set up, including adding four more rooms than last year. “We do it because we love
to. There’s nothing better than the adrenaline rush of scaring somebody,� said Brian Boyle, manager of the haunted house and the portrayer of Mr. Giggles. Brian’s wife, Johanna Boyle, will play a gory guide to lead groups through the haunted house. “I’ve always loved Halloween and dressing up. I met my husband and his construction battalion did a haunted house and it was amazing,� Johanna said. She can’t get enough of horror movies and Brian brings them to life. He’s been building haunted houses for the past 11 years. SEE FRIGHT, A4
T HURSDAYS , O CTOBER 27 & N OVEMBER 3 W INNERS AT 8 PM T WO E ACH W EEK !
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B ARREL D R AWINGS WNT-ST
Rebecca Olson/Whidbey News-Times
ABOVE: Johanna Boyle will lead people into the haunted house ‌ but will they come out? Randi Farrow will perform. LEFT: Watch out for Mr. Honky, brought to life by Philip Sellers, at Frightville XI Haunted House.
HOURLY 2 – 8 PM
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