News-Times Whidbey
Sunny days on Whidbey
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2013 | Vol. 114, No. 37 | www.whidbeynewstimes.com | 75¢
Mayoral committee floats old, new ideas
‘Like any plan, it’s going to be fluid’ By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
An ad hoc committee and a city planner are making progress in implementing Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley’s economic development directive. The effort is resurrecting some ideas from the pages of previous economic-development efforts in the city. It also includes many new proposals. WHILE OAK Harbor has a history of creating plans that go nowhere, Dudley said that he is optimistic that this effort will be effective in helping the city become more economically healthy and diverse. “Like any plan, it’s going to be fluid. We’ll have to adjust it as we go,” he said. “Going forward, I’m really excited about the potential.” The committee is revisiting some earlier ideas, among them relocating the baseball fields at Windjammer Park to make way for a hotel or other private venture; building an amphitheater in Windjammer Park; creating a port district; or building a public restroom downtown SOME OF the new ideas include creating a business incubator; conducting an annual business survey; adding a “business” section to the city’s website; and completing a cultural resources management See MAYORAL COMMITTEE, A18
Feeding his fascination
Photos by Justin Burnett/ Whidbey News-Times
Above, Chris Klieman, 24, feeds one of his panther chameleons a cricket lunch. The Oak Harbor resident is earning a reputation as one of a handful of selective breeders in the state.
OH man breeding chameleons
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By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
ak Harbor resident Chris Klieman has always been into what some call “the creepy crawly.” Not so much bugs, but cold-blooded reptiles. Scaly or slimy, he loves them both. While they make some people shudder, for Klieman they have been a source of fascination for as long as he can remember. See CHAMELEON MAN, A16
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