Record South Whidbey
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Little mermaid swims to the stage See...A11
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014 | Vol. 90, No. 31 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
Glendale buy gets green light
Annual Langley Whale festival set for Saturday By GRACE SWANSON Record intern
“My concern centered on Island County being the underlying owner,” Johnson said. “We’re not taking care of what we have.” The Whidbey Camano Land Trust is applying for grants through the state’s Recreation
Twelve gray whales will receive a grand welcome from whale enthusiasts in Langley this weekend. The annual Welcome the Whales Day Parade and Festival begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 19, at the Langley United Methodist Church, where attendees can learn about whales and other sea mammals through exhibits set up in Fellowship Hall. Children will have the opportunity to make whale costumes and paint their faces like whales in preparation for the second part of the event, the Welcome Parade. Whales, jellyfish, and other marine creatures will march from the Island Church, down First Street, and end in Whale Bell Park.
SEE GLENDALE, A16
SEE WHALES, A15
Justin Burnett / The Record
A beach walker takes a stroll on the beach at Glendale on South Whidbey. The Island County commissioners and Whidbey Camano Land Trust are working together to buy shoreline access at the historic site.
Johnson reverses decision, shoreline purchase now possible By JANIS REID South Whidbey Record Reversing a decision made last month, Island County commissioners moved forward Monday with grant applications to acquire beach access properties adjacent to Glendale. Commissioner Jill Johnson originally
A few children cross the intersection of Anthes Avenue and Second Street in Langley on April 14. The cherry tree behind them is being examined for disease and could be chopped down if it presents a safety hazard. Ben Watanabe / The Record
opposed the grant applications saying that she did not want the county to be responsible for the maintenance of any additional properties. But with the assurances of the Whidbey Camano Land Trust to maintain the properties, Johnson said she felt comfortable approving the request.
Iconic Langley cherry tree may get chop By BEN WATANABE South Whidbey Record An old cherry tree by US Bank in Langley may need to come down. The tall bank-owned tree along Second Street and Anthes Avenue may be diseased, said Mayor Fred McCarthy. Langley commissioned Jason Heggenes, owner of Heggenes Arboreal Services and an International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborist, to inspect the tree within the next week. “Everyone’s aware of how popular that tree is,” McCarthy said. “But the combination of the disease and wanting to do the right thing with respect to the Second Street project is
really what’s guiding things here.” Problems with the tree’s health recently came to the city’s attention after Langley Main Street Association members looked it over and thought it appeared to be diseased. Fran Abel and Cathy Waymire-Rooks, owner of Island Gardens Design, noticed the tree was a bit sickly and mentioned it to city officials. US Bank also had its landscaping crew inspect the tree and thought it may be diseased. Jeff Arango, the city’s director of community planning, said the bank’s landscapers recommended the tree come down, but the bank agreed to have it checked by a third-party arborist paid by SEE TREE, A16