News-Times Whidbey
There’s a lot of history in store
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015 | VOL. 125, NO. 2 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Suspect facing prison for OH robbery By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
Big Sisters of Island County. “We wanted to keep our donations local and we wanted to give it to something that wasn’t getting money on a regular basis, like something that is state funded,” explained Kiri Sanders, one of the event organizers. Louie-G’s is also planning a town picture at 4
An Oak Harbor man accused of committing a botched bank robbery Nov. 28 may be facing more than three years in prison, court documents indicate. Prosecutors charged Joshua P. Freeman, 32, in Island County Superior Court last month with first-degree robbery. If convicted of the charge, Freeman would face from 31 to 41 months in prison under the standard sentencing range. Freeman is being held in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. Freeman allegedly rode a bus to the bank, donned a mask made out of a shirt and walked across the street afterward, where police found him rifling through the bag of money, according to the police report. An employee at Whidbey Island Bank on Bayshore Drive called 911 at 10:30 a.m. to report that a masked man walked into the bank with a bag and demanded money. The robber, later identified as Freeman, walked quickly in with a mask on and told two tellers to give him 100s, 50s and 20s; he didn’t display a weapon and none was found on him, the police report states. Freeman allegedly left the bank with $5,900 in his bag, saying he was “sorry” on the way out.
SEE FEVER, A10
SEE ROBBERY, A10
Photo by Michelle Beahm/Whidbey News-Times
Robyn Kolaitis, owner of Whidbey Party Store, puts together a Seahawk-themed centerpiece. Kolaitis said she anticipates getting many orders for similar pieces in the coming weeks as Seahawks mania sweeps the island.
Seahawks Fever
Excitement spreading like wildfire as team heads toward championships By MICHELLE BEAHM
W Staff reporter
hidbey 12s are out in force for playoff season as Seattle Seahawks fans hope to buoy the team to a Super Bowl repeat with their vigorous show of support. Seahawks mania that fired up fans is reig-
niting with two rallies planned this weekend, and businesses noting an increase in demand for team paraphernalia. A Whidbey Island Sea Hawkers Booster Club rally is set for 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Deception Pass Bridge, another 2-4:30 p.m. at Louie-G’s Pizza Proceeds from a raffle and airbrush booth at Louie-G’s will be donated to Big Brothers
Town of Langley sued for alleged Public Records Act violations By JANIS REID Staff reporter
Former South Whidbey teacher Eric Hood is suing the City of Langley in Island County Superior Court for an alleged violation of the Public Records Act. Hood’s most recent lawsuit is one in a string of legal actions stemming from the loss of his job with the South Whidbey School
District in 2010. The new lawsuit involves Langley Mayor Fred McCarthy, who was the schools’ superintendent at the time of his termination. In December 2013, Hood asked the city to turn over any records or correspondences that mention himself and “please search particularly for any records of communication involving Fred McCarthy,” his
request stated. In his lawsuit, Hood claims that the city withheld documents from this request. “Denying access to requested public records without claiming an exemption or basis for withholding the records is a violation of the Public Records Act,” according to lawsuit. Hood has indicated in correspondence with McCarthy and
the City Council that he believes the behavior demonstrates a pattern of deceit in McCarthy’s leadership, both at the school district and in city government. Correspondence from both Hood and McCarthy was included as exhibits within the lawsuit. After Hood lost his job in 2010, an arbitrator determined that McCarthy and the school district were justified in not renewing
Hood’s teaching contract. Hood then filed a series of open records requests and later sued the district when he didn’t receive the documents fast enough. A judge agreed with him in a decision earlier this year and ordered the district to pay Hood a total of $7,150 for the “district’s untimely production of docuSEE LAWSUIT, A10
South Whidbey schools taking on state public records rules. page A20