Record South Whidbey
INSIDE
90th Annual Fair See...A11
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2014 | Vol. 90, No. 61 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
Paul Schell
Langley cop’s ‘arch nemesis’ accused of pooch trafficking By JESSIE STENSLAND South Whidbey Record A 23-year-old homeless man who recently led South Whidbey cops on a foot chase through Langley may end up behind bars in a state prison for trying to sell a poodle that belonged to someone else, court documents allege. Travis Loetterle’s alleged plans were foiled when the sister of the dog’s owner recognized the Maltese poodle he was allegedly trying to hock in front of the Goose market in Bayview on May 31. Prosecutors charged Loetterle in Island County Superior Court on July 18 with trafficking in stolen property in the first degree. The dog was worth $500, but he was trying to sell it for $20 to $40, the police report states. If convicted, Loetterle faces up to one year and eight months in prison under the standard sentencing range. Lotterle’s criminal history increases his potential sentence. He is so well known to police on South Whidbey that Langley Police Chief Dave Marks jokingly refers to him as his “arch-nemesis,” the South Whidbey Record reported. Last month, two deputies with the Island County Sheriff’s Office and a Langley police officer apprehended Loetterle, who was on the lam for failing to appear in court on several charges, after a lengthy chase. Loetterle climbed to the roof of the Hanson’s Building Supply building and refused to come down for SEE LOETTERLE, A28
1938-2014
Langley resident and former Seattle mayor Paul Schell died Sunday, leaving behind a grieving city. He was 76.
By JUSTIN BURNETT South Whidbey Record South Whidbey is mourning the loss of a longtime community leader this week. Langley resident Paul Schell died unexpectedly Sunday morning after complications arose from an earlier surgery. He was 76. “It’s a very sad piece of news for Langley,” Langley Mayor Fred McCarthy said. “I can’t think of a lot of people who have had a more profound effect on this city.” Schell, a former Seattle mayor, had a home in Langley for more than 30 years. The owner of two city inns, he was a well-known business leader and stalwart advocate of the arts. His death hit the tiny South Whidbey community hard. “It’s palpable — you can feel the sadness,” McCarthy said. “For Langley, this an utterly profound loss,” echoed Sharen Heath, who runs the Facebook page I Love Langley. Peter Miller, a Langley resident and family friend for nearly 40 years, said Schell died at about 6:30 a.m. July 27. He had a quadruple bypass heart surgery this past Wednesday and developed complications. “At first he seemed fine, but it never settled,” Miller said. He described Schell as a man who loved all of
Loss of community leader leaves Langley residents in shock, grief
Puget Sound, but Langley in particular. Schell was devoted to the town’s success at all levels, he said. “He wanted the town to work, he wanted the shops to work, he wanted the movie theater to work — he just loved Langley,” Miller said. Schell was a mover and shaker in many areas of the city. He made his mark in business with the development of the Inn at Langley and the Boatyard Inn, but also built office space on Second Street in the 1980s, a time when there wasn’t too much there, according to Ann Medlock, founder of the Giraffe Heroes Project. “Paul walked into our office and said, ‘This is worse than public television — you need a bigger space.’” The blue giraffe building he constructed still houses the Giraffe Heroes Project upstairs; the Braeburn and Gregor Rare Books are located on the first floor. Medlock said she is relieved Schell got to attend the Second Street reopening earlier this month because, in a way, the road’s revitalization began with him years ago. “Now it’s [Second Street] just blooming, and he started it,” Medlock said. Schell also played a key role in the founding of Whidbey Island Center for the Arts. Executive Director Stacie Burgua said both he and his wife, Pam — a current member of the board of directors — worked tirelessly on the initial 1990s capital campaign to form the organization, along with a more recent effort in 2007.
“It just wouldn’t have happened without them,” Burgua said. In an email to fellow WICA board members Sunday, chairman and South Whidbey businessman George Henny wrote, “Paul passed away this morning, and leaves an enormous hole in our hearts, lives and community.” “Paul has been an incredible, dynamic visionary and positive force in our community, and a steadfast supporter and ambassador for Whidbey Island Center for the Arts.” According to Burgua, Schell had an impact on so many people, and was so involved in the city’s development that’s it hard to quantify the loss. “Where didn’t he have an impact?” Burgua said. “Langley will never be the same without him.” Schell’s life extended beyond South Whidbey, however, so much so that his death was announced to the world publicly by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, sparking a plethora of print and broadcast stories by regional and national media outlets. “Schell will be remembered as one of the great city builders of the Pacific Northwest,” said Murray, in a news release. “As a citizen activist, lawyer, director of community development, port commissioner, dean of architecture and mayor he directly shaped the civic infrastructure of Seattle for more than 40 years.” SEE SCHELL, A28