NEWS-TIMES WHIDBEY
Sports: Wildcats take first place. A9
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2011 | Vol. 120, No. 81 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Murder victim mourned by Whidbey friends By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
Many in the Oak Harbor community are mourning the tragic loss of a man known for his generosity to his family and friends. Ask any of George Lambert’s friends to describe what he was like, and the answer will likely be a version of one common theme: “He would do anything to help someone.� Larry Ammann said he is still in a state of shock after learning that his close friend was murdered in his home in the afternoon of Oct. 3. Compounding the heartache, George’s own troubled grandson, 30-year-old Joshua Lambert, is accused of the murder, as well as the slaying of his other grandfather, August “Gene� Eisner. Eisner was originally from California and had moved to Whidbey Island to live with his daughter. His family is holding a private memorial ceremony. The Oak Harbor Church of the Nazarene is holding a Celebration of Life Service for George Lambert on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m.
Justin Burnett / Whidbey News-Times
Mayoral candidates Scott Dudley and Jim Slowik speak to the Republican Women’s Club of North Whidbey Thursday in Oak Harbor.
Mayor fights for his political life could provide leadership and direction that would lead to things getting done. Nearly four years later, Slowik said he’s proud of all that’s been accomplished. At the top of the list is SE Pioneer Way, an improvement project that has been discussed for about 35 years but with little or no progress. Largely an infrastructure project aimed at the long overdue replacement of utility lines, it served the dual purpose of revitalizing the heart of the city’s downtown shopping district with new sidewalks, landscaping, public art, and burying utility lines underground. Slowik’s also proud of improvements to the city’s fresh water supply system. Since he took office, three water mains have been replaced and electric water meters installed at homes. Collectively, they have whittled down annual water loss from 8 percent to just 1 percent. “We’re saving roughly 48 million gallons of water a year,� Slowik said. “That equates to about 23 days of water that the city used to have to pay for.�
By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Two will square off this November for Oak Harbor’s top office. Hoping for a second term is Mayor Jim Slowik and eager to unseat him is City Councilman Scott Dudley. Both are businessmen and share membership at the same or similar community groups. Each has past and present experience in elected office and both list job creation among their top priorities. Neither wants to see the new wastewater treatment plant built at Windjammer Park and both are interested in seeing some type of public pier built at Flintstone Park to accommodate visiting boaters. In fact, when stacked side-by-side their backgrounds and long-term goals share many similarities. Yet, in other areas, especially those concerning the day-to-day operations of city government, they are as different as they are alike. And with controversial issues, such as the highly debated and publicized SE Pioneer Way Improvement Project, which has served to polarize the community behind one candidate or
Here come the ballots Ballots are expected to be mailed out no later than Oct. 18. They can be returned by mail or dropped off at the Island County Elections Office, 400 N. Main Street in Coupeville, no later than Nov. 8.
another, this is turning out to be of the most hotly contested mayor’s races to hit Oak Harbor in years.
The candidates Slowik, 62, has called Oak Harbor home for nearly 30 years. The longtime businessman is the former owner of one new car dealership and a manager of two others. He spent nine years working as a vice president for Whidbey Island Bank in its dealer department and is the current owner of his own used car dealership, Slowik Motors. After a five-year run on the Oak Harbor School District’s board, two of which he served as president, Slowik ran for mayor because he felt he
Coverage continues Joshua Lambert was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping. See page 4 for more details.
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Lambert was 80 years old when he died and left behind many family and friends in the community. Thanks to George and his progeny, the Lambert name is well known in Oak Harbor and the business community. “He had gobs of friends in town and everyone loved him,� Ammann said. Lambert first came to Whidbey Island from California when his painting company won a contract on the Navy base in the 1960s. Oak Harbor developer Bill Massey said Lambert loved the area so much that he moved his wife, Clairine, and their three children to the SEE GEORGE, A4
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George Lambert is pictured at his 80th birthday party.
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Photo by Todd Martin
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