Whidbey News-Times, November 12, 2011

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NEWS-TIMES WHIDBEY

Inside: Whidbey honors veterans. A24

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2011 | Vol. 120, No. 91 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢

Lambert claims insanity defense 2 grandfathers stabbed to death By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter

The 30-year-old Oak Harbor man accused of murdering both his grandfathers plans to put on an insanity defense. Joshua Lambert sent the court a letter, dated Nov. 2,

notifying officials that he is “filing a motion of insanity.” Lambert is acting as his own attorney, but is apparently having trouble navigating court procedures from his cell in the Island County jail. Lambert pleaded not guilty in Island County Superior Court Oct. 17 to charges of first-degree murder and firstdegree kidnapping. Lambert, soft-spoken and calm, insisted at the hearing that he wants

to represent himself, despite Judge Alan Hancock’s repeated warnings about the difficulties and consequences of self-representation. Lambert was charged with murder in the Oct. 3 death of his paternal grandfather, 80-year-old George Lambert. He was also charged with kidnapping George Lambert’s sister, who lived with her brother at a home outside of Oak Harbor. Lambert

is accused of tying her up with packing tape while he searched the home for firearms. In addition, Lambert was named as a suspect in the murder of his maternal grandfather, 80-year-old August Gene Eisner. Eisner had been living in an apartment next to his daughter’s Hastie Lake home. He was SEE MURDER, PAGE A4

Jessie Stensland / Whidbey News-Times

Joshua Lambert, accused of two murders, appears in court last month with attorney Peter Simpson. He obtained the court’s permission to dismiss the lawyer and now represents himself.

Out of 17 total voter precincts in Oak Harbor, City Councilman and now mayor-elect Scott Dudley won all but two. The precincts he won are shaded in gold while those won by incumbent Mayor Jim Slowik are colored in purple. Trailing in the polls by a margin of about 13 percent, Slowik has conceded the race.

Slowik concedes mayoral race By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter

After months of fervent campaigning and passionate debate, the race for Oak Harbor’s top seat is finally over. City Councilman Scott Dudley is the city’s new mayor. According to election results released Thursday by the Island County Auditor’s Office, Dudley retained throughout the week his commanding 13 percent lead over incumbent Jim Slowik. Dudley has earned 2,523 votes — 56.58 percent — to Slowik’s 1,936 votes, which is 43.42 percent.

With so wide a margin, there is little hope for a comeback and Slowik has conceded the race. On Wednesday, he took Dudley into the fold by inviting him to City Hall to meet with department heads and bring him up to speed on current issues so the mayor elect will have what he needs to hit the ground running Jan. 1. “That was nice,” Dudley said. “He didn’t have to do that but he did.” “The mayor has been very gracious in ensuring the transition moves forward smoothly,” he added. Slowik had expected to win SEE MAYOR, PAGE A4

Nathan Whalen/Whidbey News-Times

Coupeville Liquor Store owner Pam Smith has mixed feelings about the passing of Initiative 1183, which privatizes liquor sales in Washington. She stands with her inventory while holding her Jack Russell terrier, Matia.

Liquor initiative stirs concern on Whidbey By NATHAN WHALEN Staff reporter

With a resounding yes, voters said they want liquor sales to be sold in private businesses. Voters approved Initiative 1183 during Tuesday’s election. With its approval comes a litany of concerns from businesses and government officials on Whidbey Island. Nearly 60 percent of the voters statewide signed off on the initiative, which basi-

cally forces the state to auction off its liquor stores to private owners. In Island County, the margin was greater with more than 63 percent of voters supporting privatization. On Whidbey Island, the liquor store in Oak Harbor will be auctioned while the contract store in Coupeville will remain with its current operator because of a grandfather clause. “We’re very disappointed

with the outcome of the election,” said Brian Smith, spokesman for the state Liquor Control Board, which currently oversees the 166 state-owned and 163 contract stores operating throughout Washington. He said that more than 900 people working in the stateowned liquor stores will lose their jobs. Most liquor will now be sold at large stores like Costco, which largely funded the successful initia-

tive effort. Coupeville Liquor Store owner Pam Smith said she intends to remain in business after the state stores are privatized. Although she supported the initiative, SEE LIQUOR, PAGE A2


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