SOUNDER THE ISLANDS’
Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County
WEDNESDAY, October 15, 2014 VOL. 47, NO. 42 75¢ islandssounder.com
Real Estate in the
San Juan Islands October 2014
Published the third Wednesday of each month by the Journal of the San Juan Islands, Islands’ Sounder and Islands’ Weekly
Contributed photo
Special inside this edition PO Box 171 Eastsound, WA 98245 360.376.2145 www.orcasislandrealty.com
Awe-inspiring Views & Beautifully Constructed!
Waterfront Craftsman
Orcas election forum sparks debate Constructed from large Canadian timber, this custom 3 BR, 2.5 bath, 2237 sq ft home on 5.5 acres has stunning western views across the San Juan archipelago. Custom details throughout: Trestle wood reclaimed fir, tumbled travertine floors, custom casework, hand-carved painted corbels, custom metal work, Petroglyph themed designs in wood and tile, hand painted doors and much more! Deluxe master on the main floor to decks with lofty views. Can be turnkey with furnishings.
$1,100,000
Brent Ramenofsky
MLS# 655304
Deborah Hansen
Kathryn Sherman photo
by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONG Editor/Publisher
Colleen Smith Armstrong/ Staff photos
Viking Homecoming Orcas Island High School celebrated homecoming with a week of spirit events, an assembly with games and dance routines, volleyball, soccer and football games and the crowing of royalty. Pictured above: the sophomore class competing in the rope pull during the assembly on Oct. 10. At left: Homecoming Queen Hannah Brunner-Gaydos and King William Coe. For more photos and coverage of Viking sports, see page 7. For additional homecoming assembly images, visit the community section of www.islandssounder.com.
Orcas Island’s election forum heated up with questions pointed at the sheriff and state representative candidates last week. When asked what Sheriff Rob Nou is doing wrong, his challenger Ron Krebs, an eight-year veteran of the force, responded: “There is a morale problem in the department and it affects every aspect of our job. Reports are not done in a timely manner and communication is a problem.” Nou countered that the department’s new electronic filing system has created a learning curve for staff. The exchange was one of many contentious moments between the two candidates at the League of Women Voters election forum on Oct. 8. The general election is Nov. 4 and ballots were mailed out Oct. 14. Krebs promised to bring together island communities, provide leadership and improve communication if he is elected sheriff. He also vowed to hold town hall meetings on all three major islands on a
Group advocates for animal control officer by SCOTT RASMUSSEN Journal editor
More people. More animals. Tighter spaces. That’s the reality of the landscape in the San Juan Islands today and, according to a local animal advocacy group, it’s a combination that demands a greater level of awareness, training and dedication to the cause of animal protection than local law enforcement is presently equipped or inclined to provide. “Washington state has many animal laws in place but enforcing them requires education and some basic resources that I feel our current law enforcement team does not have available to them,” Jennifer Rigg of the San Juan Island Animal Task Force said. Members of the task force, founded in late 2012 and largely in response to several incidents of perceived animal abuse or neglect, called on the San Juan County Council last week to pick up the cause of instituting an animal control officer in the Sheriff ’s Department, or to help boost the level of training among deputies in situations where an animal’s wellbeing is at risk. They found a sympathetic ear in council
Chairman Rick Hughes, who vowed to make space for the group on a future council agenda. Hughes encouraged the task force to also elicit support of animal protection organizations elsewhere in the islands for what would be, for the council, a countywide proposition. The task force is circulating a petition in support of its cause. “There’s definitely an interest in finding a solution to this, at least from my perspective,” Hughes said. Sheriff Rob Nou acknowledges the department has no designated animal control officer at this time. Former Undersheriff Jon Zerby had that departmental assignment for 13 years before retiring from the force in mid-2012. Zerby said he had no formal training in animal control prior to taking on the role. Nou said the number of calls the department receives about abuse or neglect would not justify the disruption or expense of training the department’s 20 sworn officers in animal control, which would require a two-week course at the state academy for each. The department historically has relied on assistance of local veterinarians when such cases arise, he said. Nou said he is “not adverse” to have dep-
uties trained in animal control and noted they respond regularly to nuisance complaints involving animals, primarily dogs. Still, the task force members contend several recent situations of neglect or abuse have not drawn the attention of law enforcement that they deserve. Rigg said local animal shelters regularly receive calls from people who mistakenly believe that a shelter can intervene on behalf of an animal when it may be at risk. “They don’t have the authority to investigate or uphold the laws,” she said. “That job is with the sheriff ’s department.” But because the department lacks proper procedures, Rigg said, or lacks an officer trained for such cases, calls made directly to the sheriff ’s department have not been made a “pressing” priority. San Juan County and the Town of Friday Harbor each have an arsenal of laws that apply to dangerous dogs and potentially dangerous dogs, as well as laws directed at animals that create a public nuisance, such as dogs running loose or that bark incessantly. Situations of alleged animal abuse or neglect,
SEE ANIMALS, PAGE 2
Harvey Olsan
Lisa Botiller
An absolutely adorable ‘not so big’ 2 bedroom, 2 bath home with new 3 car garage located at the end of Montgomery Lane. High ceilings, hard wood floors, beautiful fir trim and custom cabinets, marble counter top, and huge windows. Minutes to town, level yard with unobstructed views. This is a magical property. Recent price reduction to sell this fall!
$765,000
Mary Clure
Locally Owned and Operated
MLS# 586398
Victoria Shaner
Kristen Slabaugh
Marty Zier
regular basis. Nou outlined his accomplishments over the past four years: preserving jobs and avoiding department budget cuts; providing consistent training to staff; upgrading technology; receiving grants; and continuing work with prevention programs. Audience members voiced concern about officer coverage issues on Orcas and Lopez. Nou agreed there are staffing challenges. Krebs said, “San Juan Island has deputies to lend. If it means I have to get out from behind my desk and cover a shift, I will.” In regards to cracking down on substance abuse, Nou said it’s a long process to establish a pattern and get probable cause for a search warrant to enter a rumored “drug house.” Krebs said he advocates “sitting in front of the house” and putting pressure on the occupants until they decide to move on to a new location. “Drug use is a problem that will be around for another thousand years but that doesn’t mean we ignore it,” he said.
State representative Incumbent State Representative
SEE ELECTION, PAGE 6
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