Sports
Scene
Wolverines bag win in season finale; Willy Dunn’s touchdown run
Love triangles, girl power and tragedy — it’s opera, and it’s in FH, Nov. 12
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Editorial You spoke and we listened. New comment policy coming on Facebook. PAGE 6
Journal
The 75¢ Wednesday, November 9, 2011 Vol. 104 Issue 45
of the San Juan Islands
Highest award to local veteran By Cali Bagby
Receiving the country’s highest honor generated many memories for Roy Matsumoto — like the long nights of total darkness spent in a foxhole and days without food or water. He recalls another soldier asking him once, “Why did you do that, you could have gotten killed?” when Matsumoto went behind Japanese lines to gather intelligence. And Matsumoto remembers answering, “If I don’t go everyone might get killed, if I found out their plan then everyone might survive.” He also recalls his days in an interment camp and being called a “dirty Jap” or an “enemy alien” — names he won’t be called again. “It’s like being in a dream,” Matsumoto said. “I am greatly honored.” Matsumoto, a 98-year-old San Juan Island resident and highly decorated war hero, become the recipient of the nation’s highest civilian award — the Congressional Gold See AWARD, Page 4
In Memory of Landis Pederson
www.sanjuanjournal.com
Seven years for murder By Scott Rasmussen
Defense attorney Jason Schwarz, right, confers with 16-year-old Taylor Hammel as the teen prepares to plead guilty to the April 3 murder of his mother, at a Nov. 2 hearing in San Juan County Superior Court.
The spirit of Sharon Hammel weighed heavily inside a San Juan County courtroom, as Judge Don Eaton ordered her 16-year-old son to spend the next seven years behind bars for the murder of his mother, and for setting the family home on fire in a systematic effort to cover up the crime. On Nov. 9, Eaton, who presides over both juvenile and superior courts, accepted the foundation and finesse of an
Journal photo / Scott Rasmusse
intricately designed plea bargain, in which the charges against the Friday Harbor teen were split in two. He agreed to plead guilty as a juvenile to first-degree murder and to receive the maximum sentence allowed, confinement up until the age of 21. And he also agreed as part of that deal to plead guilty to one count of firstdegree arson, but as an adult. In response to Eaton’s repeated inquires if he understood the consequences of a guilty plea, Taylor Hammel replied in a muffled voice that grew more certain as the questions continued, that he did. In handing down a 31-month prison term for arson, the low end of state’s standard range for crime, Eaton echoed sentiments offered up in court by Elizabeth Fisher, a longtime Hammel family friend. “I think (Sharon) would want him held responsible for what he’s done, but that she would have felt some responsibility for what happened, See MURDER, Page 3
Journal Deadlines An estimated population of 50 - 100 coastal cutthroat live in the Garrison Bay watershed, which flows into Garrison Bay, shown left.
What we don’t know can hurt us Data needed to determine cutthroats’ future By Cali Bagby This is part 2 of a two-part series about the coastal cutthroat on the San Juan Islands
Little research has been done on coastal cutthroat, and experts want to know more in order to move forward with conservation efforts. San Juan County is developing a plan for all the salmon, with an emphasis on chinook, but Barbara Rosenkotter said the county is still
Journal photo / Cali Bagby
identifying what fish are in which streams. “What’s really important is diversity of the species,” said Rosenkotter, San Juan County’s coordinator for salmon recovery. The county’s goal, is to not to constrain landowners or enforce laws, but to show them how to protect the species on their land. For example, if someone has a
stream on their property they can keep the natural vegetation as a buffer zone, which helps promote other native species. “At this moment there is no specific ordinance for cutthroat,” Rosenkotter said about San Juan’s upcoming Critical Area Ordinance update. “The update will be protecting certain wetlands, buffer See CUTTHROAT, Page 4
The Families of Landis Pederson would like to thank “Our Community” for the overwhelming love and support we received in our time of need. (Please see our letter on page 6)
Display advertising: Wed., Nov. 9 at noon Classified advertising: Monday at Noon Legal advertising: Thursday at noon Press releases, Letters: Friday at 4 p.m.
How to reach us Office: 378-5696 Fax: 378-5128 Advertising: advertising@ sanjuanjournal.com Classified: 1-800-388-2527 Editor: editor@sanjuanjournal.com