Record South Whidbey
INSIDE falcon wrestler soars to state See...A8
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2015 | Vol. 91, No. 14 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
Marina study reveals anchor line problem on new docks By JUSTIN BURNETT South Whidbey Record
fee house, complete with playing cards, overalls and frontier-type hats, one performer, a retired tech professional and former South Whidbey school board member, notes that they don’t stand out too much.
Underwater lines that anchor the new South Whidbey Harbor marina floats in place are rubbing and beginning to show signs of chafing. And according to the Port of South Whidbey, it’s because they were installed incorrectly. Port officials have asked Friday Harbor-based Mike Carlson Enterprises, Inc., to fix the problem. Responsibility may be a matter of debate, however, as the firm indicated in recent correspondence to port attorneys that the work was done as specified and approved. Who will pay for the fix also remains unclear. In the correspondence, the contractor agreed the situation should be remedied, but the letter did not make clear whether the bill would be covered under the contract’s warranty, which is for a period of one year, according to the port’s law firm, Everett-based Anderson Hunter Law Firm. “The position of the port is that the work to rectify the alignment of the lines, the damage to the poly line and chains, as well as the lack of properly positioned high density polyethylene sleeves is all warranty work, the remedy for which is that the work is properly brought into consistency with the contract specifications,” wrote Bradford Cattle, of Everettbased Anderson Hunter Law Firm. Mike Carlson declined requests for
SEE WEEKEND, A5
SEE PORT, A11
Ben Watanabe / The Record
Fred O’Neal laughs with fellow 49ers, a group that regularly participates in the annual Langley Mystery Weekend, Steve Sloan, Mac Shearer and Chris Williams.
Mystery Weekend Longest running event in U.S. takes one year to organize
By BEN WATANABE South Whidbey Record As has happened for three decades, hundreds of amateur sleuths will flood Langley’s streets and shops, searching for clues to solve a fictitious murder this weekend. Around a couple of joined tables
at Useless Bay Coffee Co., four regular Langley Mystery Weekend performers in their costumes met with the story’s creator, Loretta Martin, to go over some final details of their roles and back stories. Donning attire that would befit an Old West saloon more than a Puget Sound cof-
South End crash claims one, injures another Alcohol a suspected factor, state police investigate survivor for vehicular homicide By JUSTIN BURNETT South Whidbey Record Justin Burnett / The Record
State police and South Whidbey Fire/EMS firefighters work at a fatal accident scene near Coles Road on South Whidbey Saturday night.
Freeland is mourning the loss of one of its own this week. Timothy Keil, 61, was killed in a head-on collision on South Whidbey Saturday. The accident occurred in the evening on Highway 525 near the intersection of
Coles Road. Keil was pronounced dead at the scene. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo, children and grandchildren. “It’s just a terrible tragedy,” said Pastor Jim Lindus, of Trinity Lutheran Church. “We have a community that’s heartbroken.” Keil retired about 15 months ago from a career with the City of Bothell. A member of Trinity’s congregation, he was getting into a new rhythm of life, spending time with family and volunteering with the church, Lindus said. SEE COLLISION, A9