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SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015 | Vol. 125, No. 23 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢
Prosecutor, board argue over outside hire By JESSIE STENSLAND Co-editor
Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks said he may file a lawsuit if the county commissioners hire an outside attorney without his approval. A meeting between the commissioners and Banks became heated Wednesday afternoon as the elected officials argued about the commissioners’ plan to contract with an attorney to provide legal help for the update of the county’s comprehensive plan, which
guides growth and development under the state Growth Management Act. The commissioners, however, were unconvinced by the prosecutor’s arguments during the lengthy debate that delved into personal attacks. “You are portraying this conversation as if we are trying to do something against you,” Commissioner Helen Price Johnson said. “In fact in our conversation … I said I wanted to collaborate with your office to provide the best legal counsel and support for this com-
prehensive plan that we possibly can. “You took offense. Somehow the press was alerted and now we have this highly charged conversation,” she added, referring to comments Banks made to the Whidbey News-Times for a March 11 story. Banks told the commissioners that he would be willing to consider a contract with an outside attorney — if an issue arises necessitating “extra horsepower” — but he SEE DISPUTE, A20
Photo by Jessie Stensland/Whidbey News-Times
Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks, at right, and Chief Civil Prosecutor Dan Mitchell listen to commissioners during a meeting Wednesday.
Crash leads to evacuations, gas shutoffs By MEGAN HANSEN Co-editor
An Oak Harbor man was airlifted with a serious eye injury Wednesday evening after he allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a fence off East Crescent Harbor Road. The crash took out a regulator station operated by Cascade Natural Gas, causing the evacuation of at least 40 homes in base housing at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Mark Francis with Washington State Patrol said John G. Romanski, 65, of Oak Harbor, was driving eastbound on Crescent Harbor Road SEE CRASH, A12
Photo by Jessie Stensland/Whidbey News-Times
Island County District Court Judge Bill Hawkins listens in court Monday to a video that was secretly taken of a patient at Whidbey General Hospital. The patient was allegedly assaulted by the chief nursing officer.
WGH nurse case goes to trial April 2
Judge criticizes prosecutor for comments made to newspaper about hospital By JESSIE STENSLAND Co-editor
The prosecutor’s case against the chief nursing officer at Whidbey General Hospital is moving forward to a trial on
April 2. Island County District Court Judge Bill Hawkins ruled against the defense attorney’s motion to dismiss the case against Linda Gipson, who is facing a fourth-degree assault charge for allegedly assaulting a patient in May of 2014. At the same time, Hawkins found that the attorney’s claim of prosecutorial misconduct was not frivolous — as the deputy prosecutor contended — but that the
Pot shop aims for 4/20 opening By JANIS REID Staff reporter
actions did not rise to a level to warrant dismissal. Hawkins was especially critical of Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks for making comments to the Whidbey News-Times about the case, saying it was “quite concerning.” “It was not the kind of conduct the court would like to see in the future,” he said. “If
Oak Harbor’s first marijuana retail store hopes to offer edibles and smokables by April 20 — or four-twenty. The date, significant because 4:20 has become known as the universal time to smoke pot, seemed appropriate, according to the potential new owners of Kaleafa. If Kaleafa meets all the necessary state requirements, the store will open at its State Highway 20 location next to Floor Show on the north end of
SEE TRIAL, A20
SEE OPENING, A20
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