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WEDNESDAY, May 13, 2015 VOL. 48, NO. 19 75¢ islandssounder.com
The Exchange is on its way by CALI BAGBY Assistant editor
Orcas Recycling Services is bringing the beloved Exchange back to the island and at its original home at the San Juan County Transfer Station. ORS staff predicts the doors will open this year barring unforeseen complications After the Exchange, a recycling reuse center, went up in flames in 2013, Orcas Recycling Services took over the operation of solid waste and recycling. ORS spent two years running the dump’s operation, but has not forgotten the importance of the Exchange,. In fact they want to build an even better reuse center. There are several tasks that must be completed before islanders will see the Exchange up and running. First on the list is the permitting process. Their “grading” permit application is currently being reviewed by the county and next will be processed by the Department of Ecology. It’s hard to say how long these permits will take, says ORS Director Pete Moe. “I am optimistically hoping for six to eight weeks-ish, to start
Lyme in the islands?
Contributed photo
A drawing of the Orcas Transfer Station Final Concept.
construction,” he said. This permit will allow ORS to build the new roads and traffic pattern described in their Master Plan, which can be found in full at www.exchangeorcas.org/reuse/. The western gate becomes an entrance, and the east gate becomes an exit. A new loop road around the former Exchange site allows vehicles to cue on site and off Orcas Road. Once this work is completed, there will be a flat space for a new Exchange area. The design of the future reuse facility is still underway. The final concept is at right. There are a number of concepts, from big, beautiful pole-barn- style buildings to quick and inexpensive solutions using containers and clear-span roofs. ORS is focusing on utilizing as much covered space as possible. As far as how the Exchange will run, the ORS board is still working out the details. Moe said the board is committed to retaining a policy where
by CALI BAGBY Assistant editor
there are no prices – you pay what you think something is worth as before. “But a huge and exciting difference is that we are now a 501c3 – so we can offer tax write-offs for nicer items,” he said. “So we may start getting valuable stuff – and
we can’t just give those things away. So there could end up being a ‘higher end’ store within the Exchange that would have prices, or suggested prices on them.” For more information on the Exchange, visit www.exchangeorcas.org.
Henigson legacy lives on
The following was submitted by the Orcas Island Community Foundation.
On May Day, Orcas received an array of legacy gifts when Bob Henigson’s bequest donations were delivered to six island organizations. Henigson died in January 2014, but his
gifts will enhance the quality of life on Orcas for generations. Each recipient organization intends to invest the gifts for the long-term benefit of the community. Creating and maintaining a culture of philanthropy was important to Henigson who understood a just society requires the commitment and investment of all its citizens. He was passionate about education and showed this by leaving an endowment for the Orcas Island School District and a gift to the Funhouse. “This amazing gift will ensure ongoing funding for Funhouse programs such as college counseling and college prep, early learning and other educational programs that Bob and Phyllis Henigson have supported over the past 15 years, and it demonstrates their lasting commitment to the belief that every child deserves an opportunity to succeed,” said Funhouse Director Krista Bouchey. School Superintendent Eric Webb added
“Bob Henigson has always supported public education to a remarkable level. Without him so many opportunities would not have existed for our students.” Henigson once summed up his commitment by saying, ‘It is of critical importance to work out a long-term financial backing for the school district. It comes down to local communities undertaking to provide the funds necessary to provide the educational opportunities that every child in Washington and everywhere ought to enjoy.’” As a lifelong learner and an avid reader, Henigson valued his library card almost as much as his voter registration card. His legacy gift to the Friends of the Library will ensure all residents have access to knowledge and information through the Orcas Public Library. “This gift will provide a crucial boost for the library’s building expansion project, in
SEE HENIGSON, PAGE 7
When Mara William’s daughter was bitten by a tick 40 years ago on Orcas, doctors said it could not be transmitting Lyme disease. Williams, a nurse practitioner, is now convinced her daughter has Lyme disease despite a lack of official reports of the disease in San Juan County. “Washington state has Lyme, and many in the islands are sick,” she said. Williams, a former Orcas resident, is coming to the island for a talk about Lyme disease at the Orcas Food Co-op on May 14 at 5:30 p.m. Her talk coincides with Lyme Disease Awareness Month this May. She has spent more than six years working with Lyme disease issues and is the author of “Nature’s Dirty Needle” about chronic Lyme disease and how to get the help to feel better.
SEE LYME, PAGE 7
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