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On top of the world ... see Sports, A8
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013 | Vol. 89, No. 63 | WWW.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.COM | 75¢
Police chief trades in badge for sunshine
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By BEN WATANABE Staff reporter
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proposed tower would stick right up behind her house in a hazardous area with steep slopes less than 30 feet away from the site. The Monmas offered to purchase the land of the proposed site from the Port in December 2012 to keep it as a public use park. Their offer was denied in
Whidbey and Western Washington weather finally beat Randy Heston. The 10-year Langley police officer-turned-chief will officially be a retired lawman Aug. 15. Randolph Heston, who has gone by his nickname “Randy” for most of his life, submitted a letter of retirement to Mayor Fred McCarthy on July 29. “My wife has been on this island since the ‘70s. I got stationed here in the late ‘70s,” Heston said. “We’ve been here 30 years or so, we’ve both dreamed of retiring somewhere tropical.” The Hestons plan to move south to Nevada, “where it’s warmer,” for a while. Enrolling their son into a new high school was a driving force behind the quick notice. School begins in late August in Nevada — the family plans to move to the Las Vegas area — not early September as it does in Washington. After their son graduates, Heston said he isn’t certain what he and his wife would do next. “We’re not sure, and that’s the fun of it,” said Heston, 52. Technically, this will be Heston’s second retirement. He retired from the Navy as a chief petty officer in 2002. While still enlisted, Heston served as a reserve deputy with the Island County Sheriff’s Office for 11 years starting in 1992. Then he started his career with the Langley Police Department in 2003 as a full-time officer. Heston was hired as the city’s police chief in February 2011 after his predecessor, Bob Herzberg, retired. “I’ve been in uniform since 1979,” Heston said. “I think I’ve done my duty — I served my country and I served my city — and I’m done.” As an officer of the law,
SEE TOWER, A24
SEE HESTON, A24
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Justin Burnett / The Record
Langley resident Aaron Racicot competes in the 17th annual Whidbey Island Triathlon Saturday. He was one of nearly 300 to do so on the 23.8-mile course through South Whidbey.
Hooker shatters triathlon record, again By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter Nearly 300 people turned out for the 17th annual Whidbey Triathlon Saturday. Participants plied the waters of Goss Lake, cycled down country roads and
pounded pavement to complete the 23.8-mile course through South Whidbey. Judging by the smiling faces at the finish line at Community Park, most had a pretty good time. “I had a blast,” said Everett resident Sam Wilson, a member of a three-person relay team. “I’ll definitely be
back next year.” According to Carrie Monforte, program coordinator for South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District, this year’s race saw a healthy turnout that neared event capacity. A total of 209 people competed as individuals and 23 teams, numbering two to
three strong, participated as groups, she said. In all, the final count tallied out at 276 competitors. “It was a really good turnout,” Monforte said. Top honors once again went to Kyle Hooker, a P-3 pilot stationed at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor. The winner of
the 2012 triathlon — he set an event record — Hooker beat his time last year by 7 seconds with a lighting fast finish time of 1 hour, 21 minutes, 27 seconds. “I had a really good swim and kept pushing hard,” SEE TRIATHLON, A12
Neighbors protest cell tower and soil sampling By CELESTE ERICKSON Staff reporter Residents on Lupine Lane in Clinton woke up to an unwelcome noise Monday morning. Nine neighbors had gathered to physically block a drilling tractor from entering the Dorothy Cleveland Trail through an
access road on the small street. Ed Field, operations manager of the Port of South Whidbey, said the workers were checking on area conditions of the proposed tower – a requirement of the building permit. The four workers were drilling for soil samples and slope stability. No permits
were necessary for this job, Field said. The residents were concerned the work on the cell tower had begun before the public comment period was finished, but it already ended, July 31. The neighbors were worried the work would also damage the trail and their septic systems.
Clyde and Marcia Monma were the first to inquire about the situation but were quickly joined by more neighbors. The group called the county and sheriff’s office, but eventually stood back after learning nothing could be done. The group stayed at the scene for an hour and a half. Marcia Monma said the