News-Times Whidbey
Experts sharing gardening tips
A9
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2015 | Vol. 125, No. 17 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Store gears up for Haggen conversion next week By RON NEWBERRY Staff reporter
On his return trip to Bellingham after a visit to Port Angeles Wednesday, John Clougher passed through Oak Harbor with more than just a few community suggestions weighing on his mind. “I had a truckload of samples that I went home with,” Clougher said. Clougher, the chief executive officer of
Haggen’s Pacific Northwest division, has been on the go ever since Haggen started converting acquired Safeway and Albertsons grocery stores to its banner earlier this month. As part of the transition in each new community, the grocery chain is holding public meetings conducted by Clougher and other company executives to answer questions, acquire feedback and mostly to begin the process of forming local partnerships with growers and other food producers.
Oak Harbor’s turn is fast approaching with the conversion from Safeway to Haggen on Highway 20 scheduled to take place over two days next week and the new Oak Harbor grocery store tentatively planning to open its doors at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 5. Committed to being local through its slogan of “Northwest fresh,” the Bellinghambased grocery chain is inviting Whidbey Island farmers, food producers and community members to attend a meeting March 19 in
FAMILY HISTORY
SEE HAGGEN, A16
Estimated cost for new sewage plant skyrockets
Middle school hosts student culture fair
By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
The price tag for flushing a toilet in Oak Harbor may be much higher than anyone anticipated. The newest projections from two firms working on the new sewage treatment plant show that the cost may balloon by $40 million, or nearly 50 percent. In the latest projections by the construction management and project design firms, the plant may cost more than $116 million. The original estimate for constructing the plant without the Navy base partnership was less than $79 million, according to the capital facilities plan. And the projection doesn’t include the cost
By MICHELLE BEAHM Staff reporter
Eighth-graders at North Whidbey Middle School got the chance to trace the roots in their family trees. Then they put the trees on display, roots and all. Eighth-grade teachers asked their students to complete a culture project on a part of their families’ history and culture, including a research paper, an interview with a family member and a visual presentation to display for friends and family Wednesday night. “They pick something from their culture, so a personal part of their background,” said Lindsay Brockett, one of the eighth-grade teachers. “It’s really exciting, and they love it. They really get into it, and they love talking about their background and what they’re passionate about.” “It reminds us of where we came from, who we are, what makes us, us,” Olivia Rotter said. Rotter said her ancestors immigrated from Ireland. Now, five generations later, her Irish heritage is still a large part of her family’s life. “I never really noticed it till I got into my project,” she said. “I was looking around the house for things that I could do for my project, and I see my dad wearing one of those Irish golf hats, and I’m looking around in our basement and we have tapestries and special knots everywhere. “It’s all over the house, and I never recognized it.” Not every student displayed the culture of the country their ancestors were from; some took a different approach, Jeremy Salter presented the history of cooking through the generations in his family. “It’s just been in my family for over 100 years,” he said.
Oak Harbor to learn more about partnership opportunities with the Haggen brand as well as to have a chance to ask questions to company executives. Nonprofit leaders also are invited to learn more about Haggen’s community giving, and small businesses may come to explore comarketing programs. The meeting will be held 5-6 p.m. at the
SEE COST, A5
Funding increase to identify beach access points By JANIS REID Staff reporter
Photo by Michelle Beahm/Whidbey News-Times
Claire Panitayasuk presents her project, sharing her family’s Thai background, at the Culture Fair Wednesday night at North Whidbey Middle School. His display consisted not only of homemade lasagna handed out to passersby, but also the original recipe from 1954, a 60-yearold roasting pan and more. There were pictures of him making the lasagna and, of course, his dog watching the process. He said the project gave him the oppor-
tunity to share a side of his family’s culture. “It helps show a lot of who I am and what I usually do around the house,” Salter said. “Overall, I feel amazing with all the work that I’ve done in the past month.” McKenna Ryals presented her art. SEE FAIR, A5
Beach access advocates have something to celebrate. The county has earmarked a total of $175,000 to identify the county’s “hundreds” of beach access points and prioritize them for maintenance and signage. The lack of county-sanctioned beach access, along with clearly marked kayak access, points have been an ongoing concern for groups supporting public access to the seashore. “I think this is a good thing,” said Sue Ellen White with Whidbey Island Sea Kayakers Thursday. “We’ve been talking to them for years, and it was kind of like they turned a deaf ear to this.” Doubling the funding will allow the county SEE FUNDING, A4