INSIDE: County hires planning chief ... A8
Record South Whidbey
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2013 | Vol. 89, No. 24 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
Island hit by surprise spring snow fling Record staff An unexpected spring snowstorm hit South Whidbey and much of the surrounding area Friday morning, burying daffodils in the white stuff and causing some helpless motorists to slide into the ditch. Kim Winjum, associate publisher of the South Whidbey Record, came into Langley from Bayview Road and saw eight cars strung in the ditches alongside the road -- one of which was Winjum’s. She was trying to pass “a cluster of cars that got stuck,” and found herself sliding sideways into the ditch. “There was no stopping it,” she said. “But boy, my heart is still pounding.” ICOM reported several incidents, including a woman complaining of backlash after her car hit the ditch at Highway 525 and Mohawk about 8:20 a.m. Shortly after, an unknown injury accident was reported at Lagoon Point and Smuggler’s Cove roads. Only a few cars dared to come into Langley from Saratoga Road and its threatening hill a few miles outside of town. Those that did either had all-wheel drive or gunned it and fishtailed their way up. In The Village by the Sea at 7:30 a.m., it was a picture postcard scene of snow falling on quaint buildings, covering newly-planted flowers and turning sidewalks into bright white pathways to hot coffee served at The Commons and Useless Bay Coffee Company. Jay Smith was unloading bread for the Star Store from the back of his Franz delivery truck as fat snowflakes fell around him. He’d had a long morning, driving from his home in Snohomish to pick up the truck in Lynnwood and then to the Mukilteo ferry. “It was dumping in Snohomish and Lynnwood,” he said of the snow. But he found plenty of snow at Foodmart in Clinton and still had deliveries to make at The Goose in Bayview and Payless in Freeland. “I hope it goes away,” he said of the surprise snow storm. Steve Kirkpatrick decided to take a walk from his Edgecliff Drive home. He said snow knocked a branch off a tree which hit a power line. “I called my wife and she said the power was out,” he said.
Ben Watanabe / The Record
The storefront of Linds Jewelry has boards in place of doors. Someone drove through the front doors and stole fake gold chains and gold plated rings.
Jim Larsen / The Record
Carpenter Chad Caldwell clears snow from a light before going back to work sawing out a window frame on the second story of The Commons in Langley. He felt he had to work in the storm to “get this thing buttoned up.” The last thing Kirkpatrick expected to see Friday morning was snow. “The dog woke me up and in a minute I was in this snow,” he said. A photo buff, Kirkpatrick was taking pictures with his phone camera, particularly of the odd sight of spring flowers covered by snow. South Whidbey schools were initially running two hours late but later it was decided to close for the day. Teacher Charlie Snelling took advantage of the extra time to walk his dog Bella downtown. “I’d have to go to work if it didn’t snow,” he said, as he and Bella, dodging snowflakes, waited outside for a companion to get some coffee. Traffic on Highway 525 was clear but slow in the morning. The ferry holding lot in Clinton was unusually vacant for the daily commute, with only four lanes filled with cars for the 8 a.m. sailing. There was later a report by Lorinda Kay, office coordinator for Whidbey News Group, that
Linds theft nets little, leaves plenty of damage Value of stolen items doesn’t warrant insurance claim By BEN WATANABE Staff reporter
Lorinda Kay / The Record
Cars pull off Highway 525 in Greenbank, including a patrol car from the Island County Sheriff’s Office, seen behind the red Chevrolet HHR. Snow flurries made driving treacherous Friday. a power line had fallen across Highway 525 at Humphrey Road, delaying ferry traffic. Reports came in that Freeland saw little to no snow, but was surrounded by areas covered with the
heavy, white flakes. Aaron Schweer, manager of Scotty’s Towing in Freeland, said there was little if any in town, but See Snow, A6
An attempted jewelry heist resulted in a little lost jewelry and lots of damage to Linds Jewelry in Freeland. Thieves smashed a truck through the store’s front door between midnight and 1 a.m. Wednesday. As the rear bumper busted through the frame, it collided with glass display cases that toppled. One case shattered. “I’ve been a jeweler my whole life and this has never happened,” said Pat Koughan, manager at Linds Jewelry. No employees were in the store at the time. See Linds, A14