Examiner The Whidbey
First-place winner, 2014 WNPA General Excellence
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Thursday, May 7, 2015
VOL. 20, NO. 39
Musselfest named top event by state organization By Megan Hansen Co-Editor
The Penn Cove Musselfest this week was named the top promotional event of the year by the Washington State Main Street Program. “Receiving this award is a huge honor,” said Vickie Chambers, executive director for the Coupeville Historic Waterfront Associa-
tion. “We compete with 33 other Main Street Programs – much are a great deal larger with many more resources than Coupeville.” Representatives from the waterfront association are attending the two-day RevitalizeWA conference in Bellingham this week to accept the award. Each Main Street program is asked to submit a “best of” event, Chambers said. The state Main Street Program high-
lighted Coupeville’s signature event, noting the strong business and community involvement. “The festival represents strong partnerships in the community,” the official announcement states. “Restaurant owners used to finance the event until Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association (CHWA) took it over in 2007, offering to organize and finance the event. Penn Cove Shellfish added
suva sails home
See EVENT, page 19
Pay phone disappearance leaves some wondering By Megan Hansen Co-Editor
Photo by Janis Reid
Some of the downtown business community were scratching their heads last week, wondering what happened to the pay phone on Front Street. The phone, located on the side of the port-owned Collections building, seemingly disappeared, leaving the quaint cubby designed for the phone empty. “I was out of town for a few days, back at work yesterday and noticed it was gone,” said David Day, executive director for the Port of Coupeville. “I do not know for sure when they took it away, but it certainly signals the end of an era, doesn’t it?” The phone was not removed in the dead of night, as some speculated. In fact, owner Frontier Communications said the phone was removed as part of an ongoing auditing process of infrequently used pay phones. Emily Tantare, a representative for Frontier, said the phone is one of four in the Coupeville area and was removed because it wasn’t generating revenue. Because it was an unbilled pay phone, meaning a local agency wasn’t responsible for its monitoring, no one was informed of its removal.
Captain Mark Saia, owner of Penn Cove Sailing, stands at the helm of Suva, a 90-year-old schooner acquired by the new Coupeville Maritime Heritage Society.
See PHONE, page 19
Historic vessel returns to Cove By Janis Reid Staff Reporter
The Suva has finally come home. The 90-year-old schooner, originally contracted by a prominent Whidbey businessman, has traveled around the Pacific Northwest only to return to her native waters. For Captain Mark Saia, owner of Penn Cove Sailing, Suva’s return has been a long time coming and has taken a village to accomplish. “Thanks to everyone and their support,” Saia said. Saia embarked on the project late last year when he was looking to purchase another boat for his business. When he came upon the Suva, he realized it was a ship that should be preserved and shared for many generations to come. His efforts culminated in the creation of the Coupeville Maritime Heritage Society, which acquired the vessel through donations, and currently operates under the umbrella of the Island County Historical Society. Saia said the CMHS will function as in independent entity focused on maritime history once it acquires its nonprofit status. Saia describes the future of the Suva as a type of “floating museum” that would be maintained according to its history. Whidbey’s Frank Pratt contracted with Ted Geary a very well-known Seattle sailboat designer to build the one-of-a-kind, 57-foot schooner in 1925. Built in Hong Hong entirely
a mussel tasting and beer and wine garden, and all profits are donated to the Coupeville Boys and Girls Club as well as the Coupeville High School Science Scholarship. The CHWA and Penn Cove Shellfish also provide 50 pounds of mussels, onions and potatoes for the chowder tasting, WhidbeySeaTac Shuttle provides free transportation
of old-growth teak, Suva was specifically designed for the Pacific Northwest. Alex Potenziani, a former U.S. Forest Service firefighter who is volunteering for the CMHS, has been spending a bulk of his time on the boat, cleaning, repairing and getting to know her.
See SUVA, page 18