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WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2014 | Vol. 90, No. 53 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
County ponders growing weed problem
Maxwelton parade brings fun, solidarity By KATE DANIEL South Whidbey Record The sleepy community of Maxwelton will come alive for the 99th time later this week with the annual Fourth of July parade. The area’s signature event kicks off at 1 p.m. Friday, July 4, at Maxwelton Beach. Those who wish to participate may register on parade day beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the corner of Maxwelton and Swede Hill roads. Founded by the Maxwelton Community Club in 1905, the South Whidbey favorite has been held every year for nearly a century with the exception of years in which the event was cancelled due to wartime. B.J. Hoogerwerf, who was recently elected as Maxwelton Community Club president, said the parade is special primarily due to its inviting, inclusive nature. “I think the biggest thing is that anybody can be in it,” she said. “You can walk, you can wave a flag, you can pull your little brother in a wagon, you can walk your dog or walk your ducks.” Hooger werf estimates that approximately 400 to 500 people will walk in the parade this year with about 2,000 in attendance. Jan Van Muyden, Island County parks chief, will serve as Grand Marshal. “I feel it to be a great honor,” he said. “It’s hard to put all the superlatives I’d like to use, but it’s a great honor from a historical and current perspective.” “It’s an important part of Island County history,” he added. Bob Brooks, parade organizer, has been attending SEE PARADE, A13
By JANIS REID South Whidbey Record
labor management, and make recommendations to the new ferries chief. Having crews pick which vehicles go up the ramp and which stay below is a standard procedure, according to a ferries spokeswoman. She noted that the ramp slope on the Issaquah-class ferries is steeper than on the Tokitae, which has a higher edge from the upramp to upper car deck. For example, heavy or “extra long” vehicles are kept on the main car deck. “Loading and unloading procedures are always part of the training process,” said ferries Spokeswoman Marta Coursey. “Quite honestly, our crews always do this.” “Our crews are doing fine and do this all the time.” Coursey said ferries tested loading cars of different wheelbase
Island County commissioners will consider this week increasing funding that helps combat a growing noxious weed issue. The Washington State University Extension office is requesting funding that would increase the salary for the county’s Noxious Weed Coordinator Janet Stein. Stein is currently paid through state grants which are designated for certain areas or certain plants, according to Island County Extension Director Tim Lawrence. These designated funding sources can be limiting when attention needs to be paid to unfunded areas and plants. Lawrence said weeds like tansy ragwort and poison hemlock are getting out of control in some areas. “She’s done an outstanding job of helping with this effort,” Lawrence said of Stein. “That’s why it’s important to have a noxious weed coordinator. But we need to get a better handle on these noxious weeds.” While strides have been made through education and volunteer work to rid the island of these invasive plants, more can always be done, according to Stein. “Here it’s really going to take a community effort,” Stein said. As a smaller county, Island County does not have the inspectors and removal teams that other larger counties might have.
SEE TOKITAE, A13
SEE WEEDS, A3
Ben Watanabe / The Record
Washington State Ferry travelers board the new Tokitae, a 144-car ferry that began service on the Clinton-toMukilteo route this week. The boat has come under fire, however, due to problems with its car ramps.
TOKITAE DIVES INTO ROUGH WATERS Ramp design incenses Clinton lawmaker
By BEN WATANABE South Whidbey Record Ramps on the state’s new 144-car ferry, Tokitae, which entered service Monday, may be too steep for some cars and cause them to scrape their undercarriages. The ferry’s first day was marred with questions about its design and Washington State Ferries management, as charged by a pair of state representatives, including one from South Whidbey. State Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, has been down this path of after-thefact ferry resolutions before, and she is fired up that she must travel it again. Back in February, Smith and fellow State Rep. Larry Seaquist of Gig Harbor asked Washington State Department of Transportation, Ferries Division leaders about a problem they’d heard of with the ramp
causing some cars to scrape their undercarriage or “bottom out.” They were told in March by ferries leaders that it was not an issue. Now they’re hearing it is indeed a problem, and that ferry crews will have to sort which cars go up the ramp and which stay on the ramp car deck. Smith was incensed, saying she and the entire Washington Legislature were misled in a way similar to when a list with the 64-car Kwa-di Tabil-class ferries, such as the one that services the Keystone-to-Port Townsend route, occurred. “I’ve already done this once with the 64-car ferries,” Smith said. “To do this again is simply unacceptable.” Now she wants Gov. Jay Inslee to “clean house” with ferries division upper management, create an expert panel to review ferries operations and