Local
Experts line up to weigh in on climate change in summer series PAGE 3
Island Scene
Science, students, backyard research... and all that jazz PAGE 9
Reporter’s Notebook
Access to information is supposed to be easier in the digital age; that’s not the case for the Sheriff’s Log PAGE 7
Journal
The 75¢ Wednesday, June 4, 2014 Vol. 107 Issue 23
of the San Juan Islands
www.sanjuanjournal.com
Marina Share of the ‘Classic’ crown in mind at Mar Vista?
Proposal for 271-foot dock arises; remedy for clearcut awaits
By Cali Bagby
Islands Sounder Reporter
By Scott Rasmussen Journal editor
Although the dust has yet to settle over the now-infamous waterfront clearcut at the former Mar Vista Resort, the property’s new owners are in pursuit of a dock. Not just any dock, but a 271-footer (10 yards shy of the length of a football field) that can accommodate up to six boats, 20-30 feet in length, and a stone’s throw from San Juan Island’s False Bay. The owners, Dave and Nancy Honeywell, intend to develop a “family compound” with six homes on the 30-acre parcel by building a new residence and rehabilitating and remodeling some of the former resort cabins and caretaker house, according to Francine Shaw of the Friday Harbor-based Law Office of Stephanie O’Day. Shaw, who is spearheading the dock proposal and other land-use issues on behalf of the Honeywells, said local regulations allow each of the those six waterfront homes access to a dock, but that the property may have to be sub-divided into separate parcels for the dock, and for the remodel and construction projects, to proceed. “The county may require us to See VISTA?, Page 4
Thefts prompt change by WSF
Journal photo/Scott Rasmussen
Carol Linde (far right) helps hold the Celebrity Golf Classic “John Linde Memorial” plaque along with 2014 Classic co-winners, led by news anchor Margo Myers (center); also pictured from left, Dave McNeil, Irv Hoch, Dan Evans.
After numerous complaints about Wave2Go ticket theft, Washington State Ferries has changed its policies. Beginning June 15, ticket holders will no longer be able to use the 18-digit ticket number, but must have their ticket in-hand. “It’s a relatively easy fix for us,” said Marta Coursey, WSF director of communications. According to Coursey, WSF received about a half a dozen complaints from Orcas Islanders who claimed that their Wave2Go See WSF, Page 3
Toll mounts at water’s edge A spike in strandings of harbor porpoise has biologists unsettled By Scott Rasmussen Journal editor
An uptick in harbor porpoise strandings has local biologists scratching their heads, looking for clues and wary that mid-May’s unusually high death toll may signal something other than the natural die-off of a population on the rise. Although, that just might be the case. “We’ve also heard there’s been an increase in the number of strandings in the (British Columbia) area,” said The Whale Museum’s Jennifer Olsen, coordinator of the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network. “But we’re not sure of what the total is or exactly where they were found. We didn’t
Published annua
lly by the Journa
l of the San
Juan Islands,
Islands' Sound
er, and Island
s' Weekly
Graduation Special
Contributed photo/ Stranding Network
A Stranding Network volunteer takes notes on a harbor porpoise.
have a single stranding a year ago in May.” A total of eight harbor porpoise carcasses were recovered from beaches on the westside of San Juan See EDGE, Page 5
2011 Special Award; Second Place: General Excellence from the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
The Class of 2014 shares memories, future plans, dreams; Commencement schedule inside.