Examiner The Whidbey
www.whidbeyexaminer.com
First-place winner, 2014 WNPA General Excellence
Thursday, November 6, 2014
50¢
VOL. 20, NO. 13
Republicans lead in early vote counts By Jessie Stensland Co-Editor
It appears from the first count of ballots Tuesday night that the Republican momentum nationwide was felt in Island County. Republican candidates are ahead in all but one of the contested local and legislative races affecting Island County. The race for the new Island County commissioner, however, is too close to call. Republican candidate Rick Hannold, a North Whidbey resident, is ahead of Camano Island Democrat Karla Jacks by just 301 votes. Hannold has 11,868 votes, or 51 percent, while Jacks has 11,567, or 49 percent. In an interview after the results came in, Hannold said he was expecting a close race. “It’s too early to get excited,” he said, noting that he was behind in the first count of
See Elections, page 7
Transit audit leads to criminal inquiry By Jessie Stensland Co-Editor
Coupeville Councilman Bob Clay said he was very surprised by the news of a criminal investigation based on the audit of Island Transit. Clay, the chairman of the Island Transit board, noted that the auditors emphasized that they did not identify any misappropriation of funds. Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks said Monday that the Washington State Patrol agreed to conduct a criminal investigation into “certain conduct” described in an audit report of Island Transit.
See Prosecutor, page 7
Ron Newberry photo
Coupeville High School juniors Sebastian Wurzrainer, left and Sebastian Davis rehearse for “Fair Exchange,” which opens Friday night.
Showtime for troupe By Ron Newberry Staff Reporter
It’s five nights before the first play of the school year for Coupeville High School’s drama club and Taryn Ludwig has the giggles. “Focus people!” rings a commanding voice offstage. Peg Tennant, the drama advisor at Coupeville, has been through this drill before and knows there’s a cure for contagious laughter. Anticipation. When the group that calls itself the CHS Wolf PAC Theatre Troupe inches closer to Friday night’s opening performance of “Fair Exchange,” the giggling will subside and the focus will become ever sharper. “Thursday you start to panic,” senior Bella Cedillo said. Once the lights dim and a hush is felt inside the Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Friday, it’s showtime. “With the combination of eyes staring at you and the quietness backstage ... it makes it so the goofiness is gone,” junior Sebastian Davis said. “We can focus on being our characters.” Tennant, who’s mentored drama students
at Coupeville since 1996, is intrigued by this group, particularly the junior class members who’ve been tight for years. However, success to Tennant is defined by the experiences shared from the set painter to the actor with the most speaking lines. “We are an ensemble,” she said. “We are not a star vehicle. Everyone’s important. The actors are not better than the techies or vice versa. “We have three rules: Safety, respect and fun. You don’t have to like each other and be buddies outside of drama, but you need to be respectful. It works. You create a culture. We
See Troupe, page 7
Fair Exchange “Fair Exchange,” comedy put on by the Coupeville High School drama club, will be performed at 7 p.m. Nov. 7, 8, 14 and 15 at the high school performing arts center. Peg Tennant is the drama advisor for the club, known as the Wolf PAC Theatre Troupe. Tickets are $6 for adults and students ages 6-12 without ASB. Students K-5 are $4. Students with ASB and senior citizens are free. A family rate is $15.