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Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County
WEDNESDAY, May 16, 2012 n VOL. 45, NO. 20 n 75¢
Second life for beloved barn Orcas High School student plans to tear down decaying barn and build a new one so future seniors can continue painting tradition
Colleen Smith Armstrong/Staff Photo
The 2012 Orcas High School senior class is the last to paint the historic barn, pictured above. Landowners Rick and Marlace Hughes say the building is unsafe for students to climb on. construct it with the help of five friends. “The paint is the only thing holding it Generations of young islanders have up,” Stanzione said. “I want to get this done swiped paint brushes across the bleached before homecoming next fall so my class can paint it.” boards of the “old barn” on Orcas Road. He has enlisted the help of Now, at 85 years old, the Steve Kline and Gregg Bronn, structure is in desperate need who will lend their expertise of replacement. when needed. The barn is cur“The senior class paints it rently 13 feet by 23 feet. every year,” said landowner “Gregg has really helped me Marlace Hughes, whose fama lot,” he said. “He gave me tips ily has always allowed the barn on materials and drawing up to be used for this commuthe plans.” nity purpose. “I didn’t realize Stanzione hopes to start how many people love the barn demolishing the barn by July. there and like to see it when One fundraising idea is to sell they drive by. It’s part of Orcas pieces of the historic building. Island’s character.” Any money raised would go The barn’s roof is sagging and the entire structure is leancontributed photo towards buying materials for ing heavily to one side. At the Devon Stanzione hopes the new structure. Marlace and her husband start of each school year, seniors to tear down the barn by Rick are happy to see the barn paint colorful murals in honor July and finish construcget new life. of their graduating class. tion by October. “I don’t want to see it go, it’s When high school junior fun for everyone to have this,” Devon Stanzione heard that it would not be safe to paint for his senior she said. “It’s comical, I’ve either had horses class this fall, he took action. For his senior down there and goats and it’s so funny to see project, Stanzione plans to tear down the the kids get over the fence. I enjoy it. It is so barn, draw up plans for a new building and different every year.” by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONG Editor/Publisher
Viking Sports coverage – PG 9 Viking Huxley Smart stealing home during the game against South Whidbey. Chris Gill photo
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Obscene phone calls – annoying or dangerous? by Cali Bagby
One of the reasons stalkings go unreported may be a misunderThe phone ringing at midnight standing by the public. “Many don’t think of stalking often conjures up worst-case scenarios, like death or a fam- as abuse,” Castle said. “Many look ily emergency. Lately, on San Juan at abuse as such a black and white and Orcas Island residents have issue. It’s not the direct type of had a sinister experience waiting abuse we know.” Stalking can lead to more danon the other line when the lights gerous activity beyond unwanted go out. Since the end of April, the calls, but when it comes to the San Juan County Sheriff ’s Office recent incidents Nou said it’s hard to say whether or has taken 20 calls not this behavior reporting sexu- “You feel like would escalate. ally explicit telesomeone is “It depends on phone calls in the middle of the night watching you and it the context of the situation,” he said. by a man from a instills fear.” If other behavrestricted or pri— Anita Castle, DVSAS iors of harassment vate number, who accompany the speaks to his female phone calls it could be cause for victims by their name. “That is really scary,” said Anita alarm, but Nou said it’s unlikely Castle, director of Domestic that the caller would resort to Violence and Sexual Assault harassing victims at any other Services of the San Juan Islands. level. Castle said that these types of “You feel like someone is watching situations can be dangerous, but you and it instills fear.” Frequent phone calls can be agrees it does depend on the vicone of many methods stalkers tim, their history and the specifics use to harass their victim, and of the phone calls. She added that according to the Bureau of Justice people who make obscene phone Statistics, one out of four victims calls or other forms of harassment report being stalked through the like flashing or public masturbause of technology, including email tion often never escalate their or instant messaging. Castle said video cameras and GPS systems See PHONE CALLS, Page 6 are also used sometimes to track a victim. But San Juan County Sheriff Rob Nou said the recent rash of Display advertising: obscene phone calls is not char Friday at noon acteristic of stalking because the same woman has not been conClassified advertising: tacted repeatedly. Monday at noon He declined to comment further on the specifics of the case because Legal advertising: it is an open investigation. Thursday at noon In general, reports of stalkings Press releases, Letters: on the islands aren’t common, said Friday at 3 p.m. Nou, and are usually tied to a domestic issue such as a breakup, when “one party can’t let it go.” According to Bureau of Justice Office: 376-4500 Statistics three in four stalking victims are stalked by someone they Fax: 376-4501 know, and 30 percent are stalked Advertising: advertising@ by a current or former intimate islandssounder.com partner. But stalkings on the islands Classified: 1-800-388-2527, could be more frequent than that classifieds@ those reported to the police; 59 soundpublishing.com percent of stalking victims do not report the harassment, according Editor: editor@ to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. islandssounder.com Staff reporter
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