SOUNDER THE ISLANDS’
Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County
WEDNESDAY, September 14, 2011 VOL. 40, NO. 37 75¢
Orcas Fire holds 9/11 memorial
– photos on page 3
Colleen Smith Armstrong/staff photo
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Victorious Vikings
Wetland meeting bogged in controversy
Orcas wins the Island Cup by BOB PHALAN
Sounder contributor
On the hottest day of the year, the Orcas Island Vikings blew the top off the emotional thermometer that was the 2011 Island Cup. “This was a game for the ages,” said coach Mark Padbury. Playing in his first game as fullback, junior Jake Zier was not to be denied as he slammed his way into the end zone from 3 yards out, giving the Vikings an incredible 20-15 win against the Friday Harbor Wolverines with 18 seconds remaining. The Vikings started strong, taking the opening kickoff 85 yards, culminating in a 29-yard touchdown pass to Devon Stanzione nine minutes into the game. Orcas recovered an on-side kick and took control again, driving the ball to the 3-yard line after a 27-yard catch and run by Herbie Sisson. With their backs against the wall and Orcas firing on all cylinders, the Wolverines set the tone for the battle ahead on the very next play. An interception in the end zone was returned to midfield, breathing new life into the squad from Friday Harbor. The Wolverines tied the game at 5:40 in the second quarter with a 20-yard touchdown pass. A bad snap by the Vikings gave the Wolverines a safety and a two-point lead early in the third quarter. With temperatures reaching into the 90s on the Dahl Field turf, both teams were
by MEREDITH M. GRIFFITH Staff reporter
Above: Jake Zier (#44) crossing the goal line, giving the Vikings a winning touchdown with seconds to go. Chris Gill/WestBoundary Photography. Right: Vikings celebrating their win. Colleen Armstrong photo feeling the pressure and fatigue. A 75-yard bomb to Stanzione shocked the Wolverines with 9 minutes gone in the third quarter, giving the Vikings a 13-9 lead. The teams traded possessions as the tension built steadily into the fourth quarter. On what would prove to be their final drive, the visitors pushed an exhausted Orcas defense back. With just 2:23 left in the game, a 32-yard touchdown pass on 4th and 10 to C.J. Woods over tight coverage by the Orcas secondary gave the Wolverines a seemingly insurmountable 15-13 lead. The Vikings gathered on the sideline before the final drive. The team dug deep and began a drive that will go down in the annals of Island Cup lore. Finding themselves 70 yards from the
end zone with the clock running out, quarterback Robbie Padbury completed a 25 yards pass to Stanzione. An incomplete pass was followed by a pass interference call that gave the Vikings 15 precious yards and a first down. A bad exchange left the Vikings in dire straights facing a second and 30. A 10-yard pass to Keenan Phalan stopped the clock with 45 seconds left. Another pass interference negated what would have been a game-clinching interception for
SEE FOOTBALL, PAGE 6
Busy holiday weekend for Orcas Fire & Rescue by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONG Editor/Associate Publisher
Orcas Fire and Rescue responded to a record number of calls over Labor Day weekend. “We always anticipate that Labor Day weekend has the potential for being a busier time because of all the additional tourists and all the activities,” said Division Chief Patrick Shepler, who was the only duty officer on call from Friday through Tuesday morning. “But we were quite surprised that in the four days we had 30 calls.” Responders traveled all over the island for what were primarily medical emergencies. Incidents included an allergic reaction, a laceration, a second degree burn,
two single vehicle car crashes, a fall, a dislocated arm of a sixmonth-old, someone in a ditch who turned out to be resting, two possible strokes, a ruptured disc, a neurological emergency, and a life-threatening internal hemorrhage. “Out of all those 30 calls, we handled all of them on island except for four,” Shepler said. “It’s the busiest Labor Day weekend we have ever had on Orcas.”
Two fires on Sept. 2 On Friday, Sept. 2, firefighters fought a structure fire in Sea Acres. The single family residence sustained damage in the kitchen
County planner Shireene Hale laid out the initial version of the county’s new wetland regulations at a Sept. 8 town hall meeting. Hale and Orcas county council members Patty Miller and Richard Fralick fielded a barrage of questions from concerned citizens. “The reality is, you are responsible to determine whether or not there is a wetland on your property,” said Miller. The county’s existing regulations require uniform 35 to 150foot wetland buffers based on wetland category. The proposed regulations are more tailored, considering variables such as development intensity, wetland sensitivity, wetland importance, location relative to UGAs and site slope. The new wetland regulations, part of the county’s critical areas ordinance update, were due in 2006 under Growth Management. “You can’t figure out what your buffer is until you figure out what
SEE WETLANDS, PAGE 6
Sounder deadlines Display advertising: Friday at noon Classified advertising: Monday at noon Legal advertising: Thursday at noon Press releases, Letters: Friday at 3 p.m. Karen Parsons/contributed photo
Fully engulfed Bayliner in the Deer Harbor Marina on Friday, Sept. 2. area from a probable electrical fire. Responders received a call that same night about a boat blaze in Deer Harbor. The engine room of a 35-foot Bayliner caught fire while docked at the Deer Harbor Marina. Responders were unable to save the vessel “Today,” which sunk and was later towed to Cayou Cay Marina by Vessel Assist. It was
hauled out by Michael Durland of Deer Harbor Boatworks. Owner Mark Redis says the fire likely originated with an electrical short in the engine room. The Coast Guard was notified and arrived minutes after the first Orcas firefighters. The Redis family had left the boat half an hour
SEE EMS, PAGE 6
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