Andrew and Hope Stonebridge
Amber Weireich
Skyler Stonebridge
See more of the Whidbey Island Fair inside today’s Record
Record South Whidbey
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012 | Vol. 88, No. 66 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
A hot time at the ol’ fair today
Fish farm eyed for Coles Road By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Langley may someday be home to a fish farm that rears species of freshwater coho salmon. Property owners Bob Libolt and Ken Hertz, real estate developers from Whatcom County, are looking into the possibility of setting up a facility, about one to two acres, on a 40-acre tract of undeveloped land off Coles Road. It’s the same property that had been planned for the large residential development commonly referred to as The Grove. Libolt said he and Hertz haven’t abandoned plans to build new housing in the area, but are envisioning a mixed use on the property. Building a fish farm, an enterprise Hertz already has experience investing in, may be a good fit. “We’re exploring possibilities and fish farms have come up as one option,” Libolt said. “We’re still weighing the pros and cons.” At this point, the idea is simply being looked at, which makes the submission of a building permit a long way off; the area doesn’t even have the appropriate zoning. However, local elected officials hungry to create jobs in a gasping economy have made it clear they are quite
BY BEN WATANABE Staff reporter
Justin Burnett / The Record
SweetSpring President Per Heggelund, right, explains his fish farm operation to Langley real estate developer Bob Libolt and Mayor Larry Kwarsick. A farm from the same company is being considered within a 40-acre tract of property off Coles Road. receptive to the idea. “Everybody talks about sustainable development,” Mayor Larry Kwarsick said. “This is a pretty good example.” “I think it would be
terrific,” he said.
SweetSpring Kwarsick, Port of South Whidbey Commissioner Curt Gordon, Libolt
and Hertz took a trip to Rochester this past Friday to tour the SweetSpring salmon farm. Hertz is one of See fish, A6
LANGLEY — Long lines and high temperatures greeted visitors on the opening day of the Whidbey Island Area Fair. And the weather is expected to be just as bright and sunny this weekend. A bustling crowd led to a line 40-people deep at one point Thursday, all waiting to buy tickets for the nine rides at the Island County Fairgrounds in Langley. Several were multi-fair attendees who claimed the first day was their preference because of a smaller crowd compared to the rush of weekend visitors. Fewer people made for shorter lines at the rides — once they opened after a safety inspection delayed some rides’ start by about an hour. That suited 11-yearold Langley resident Parker Duncan just fine because he had a mighty appetite for the Super Slide, which he claimed (and to which his mother, Sherry, attested) he rode 20 times. “I like the slide,” Parker said. He also had a tip about the Mardi Gras fun house. “We know a secret button,” Parker said,
elaborating that there is a button on the third mirror from the end that triggers a special sound. The slide was the safe bet after a day full of fair food. Between Parker and his mom, the Duncans consumed classic carnival fare like curly fries, shaved ice, root beer floats, lemonade and an elephant ear. Shaved ice and its myriad flavors from cherry and root beer to Godzilla and Tiger Blood, was a major score in the near 90-degree heat. By mid-afternoon, well before the unusually warm temperatures hit, the shaved ice stand had sold about 40 small orders and 20 large orders. Later in the day, but still before the sun dipped behind the western tree line, people carrying shaved ice cups could be seen across the fairgrounds. With temperatures expected to remain in the 80s through the weekend, the shaved ice stand workers predicted more traffic and more sales Friday and Saturday. The fair is a kid’s paradise. Sugar, fried food, adorable animals and thrilling See fair, A11