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Teens create Music Fest mural A11
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 | Vol. 124, No. 75 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Cornet Bay celebration set for Thursday By RON NEWBERRY Staff reporter
Sometimes, the tiniest things can be cause for celebration. When tiny crab larvae were observed crawling along a section of beach at Cornet Bay in July, it put a smile on many people’s faces involved with a major beach restoration project. The crab are not only an unusual beach discovery, they represented another example of a return of marine life to a shoreline that underwent a dramatic facelift two years ago. The public is invited to attend a celebration of the Cornet Bay beach restoration at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18. SEE EVENT, A14
Chief says man impersonating police arrested By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
A well-known Oak Harbor man who allegedly was impersonating a police officer for years was recently arrested. Jim Bailey, 69, created a potentially dangerous situation by claiming to be a cop, according to Oak Harbor Police Chief Ed Green. Bailey has never been a police officer but has conducted training and lectures as “a retired police officer” around the state, Green said. SEE ARREST, A11
Photo by Jessie Stensland/Whidbey News-Times
Maliha Breaux, 3, is healing from a serious dog bite wound, but she still loves to play with her family’s very patient Great Dane.
A LITTLE INSPIRATION
Drawing some lessons from dog bite incidents By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
A 3-year-old Oak Harbor girl is healing after a she was bitten in the face by a pit bull last week. Her mother, Nikki Breaux, said the bite required 15 stitches, and doctors won’t know for a year if Maliha will need plastic surgery on her face.
“You hear about this happening all the time, but I never thought it would happen to my child,” her mother said. “If the bite was any higher, she could have lost an eye. It could have been a lot worse.” Breaux said she had to take the mirror out of Maliha’s room for a couple of days because it scared her daughter to look at her swollen, SEE BITE, A14
Tour de Whidbey sponsor comes with a hometown connection By MICHELLE BEAHM Staff reporter
For Dannie Brown, Tour de Whidbey is a great way to encourage others make environmentally friendly decisions. Born and raised in Coupeville, Brown has worked for electric car company Tesla Motors for more than a year. Tour de Whidbey, a bicycle ride held annually by Whidbey General Hospital, is allowing him to facilitate a partnership
between his work and hometown. Brown, who graduated from Coupeville High School, was born at Whidbey General. Before leaving the island for college, he was aware of the biking fundraiser for Whidbey General Hospital Foundation. Proceeds for Tour de Whidbey go toward equipment and services for the hospital, but also community projects. SEE RIDE, A11
Photo by Michelle Beahm/Whidbey News-Times
Helen Rideau, executive director of the Whidbey General Hospital Foundation, helped organize this year’s Tour de Whidbey, which takes place Sept. 20.