Whidbey News-Times, March 18, 2015

Page 1

News-Times Whidbey

Wolves win no-hitter

page A9

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 | Vol. 125, No. 22 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢

Severns in race for OH mayor By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter

Though rumors have been swirling for months, Bob Severns made it official Monday. He’s running for mayor. The Oak Harbor councilman and longtime resident said friends, citizens and even strangers convinced him to take the leap. “I have what I think is a pretty SEVERNS good groundswell of support,” he said. Severns said one of the main virtues he brings to the table is experience in the highest levels of business management and ability to communicate and Photo by Ron Newberry/Whidbey News-Times

Chef Scott Fraser, left, laughs while listening to the frequent barbs delivered by Ciao chef and owner Mark Laska in the kitchen of Frasers Gourmet Hideaway Monday night in Oak Harbor. Five of Whidbey’s top chefs pooled their culinary talents during a fundraising dinner.

Top A chefs

By RON NEWBERRY Staff reporter

Whidbey Island’s best team up to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters

s the sheftalia sausages sizzled amid flames that reached as high as a foot from the grille, Mark Laska turned to Scott Fraser and broke the bad news. “Oh, that’s not good. Not good,” Laska said, shaking his head. “So sorry, buddy.” Fraser could only turn away and laugh. He has grown accustomed to Laska’s dry sense of humor, and wasn’t taking his feigned attempts to rattle the joyous occasion in his kitchen seriously. Not much could have wiped the frequent smiles off Fraser’s face during an evening when he shared his Oak Harbor restaurant’s kitchen with Whidbey Island’s finest chefs. Fraser, Laska and three other chefs pooled their talents and prepared a five-course meal for guests Monday night at Frasers Gourmet Hideaway as part of a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County.

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The event sold out at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Festival of Trees event in Oak Harbor in December with more than 70 tickets selling for $100 apiece. Fraser and Tyler Hansen, owner and chef at The Oystercatcher in Coupeville, came up with the idea to call upon their culinary friends to offer a unique evening of hospitality for an important cause, combining the talents of Whidbey’s best known chefs representing three different communities. The event, “Whidbey’s Best of the Best,” brought together Fraser and Gordon Stewart of Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill in Freeland with three Coupeville chefs: Andreas Wurzrainer of Christopher’s on Whidbey, Laska of Ciao and Hansen. “It’s pretty unique to have that talent in one room,” said Penny Perka, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County. And, as it turned out, pretty inspirational too for chefs who have more than 140 combined years of experience in the restaurant business.

SEE MAYOR RACE, A5

County sales tax revenues take a dip By JANIS REID Staff reporter

Early estimates show that Island County’s sales tax revenues are down from last year despite more optimistic projections. “It cooled down,” said Budget Director Elaine Marlow during last week’s commissioner work session. “That’s quite a bit less than what you saw in 2014 at the same time.” However, commissioners agreed that it’s too soon to worry. “It’s so early in the year,” said Commissioner Rick Hannold. “It’s too SEE REVENUES, A8

SEE TOP CHEFS, A5

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