The
INSIDE Letters
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Aging column
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Music at Lopez Center
George Willis photo
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VOLUME 38, NUMBER 20 • MAY 19, 2015
The Samish: Bound for service in the San Juans Staff report
It’s brand new. It can carry as many as 144 automobiles. And it’s poised to take not only its place as the newest boat among the state ferry system fleet, but to set sail as one of the primary ferries in the San Juans as well. Washington State Ferries took possession of the $126 million Samish from boat builder and contractor
Portland, Ore.-based Vigor Industrial in early April. Following two months of sea trials and crew training, the Olympic Class ferry will begin service on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route Sunday, June 14, on the eve of the summer sailing season. “I’m delighted to take delivery of the Samish,” Ferries Assistant Secretary Lynne Griffith said in a
In Loving memory of Keaton Farris 1989–2015
Please Join Us
May 30th, 2:00 p.m.
Lopez Community Center Potluck For more information contact: Mary Jenison 468-2456 or Carol Steckler 468-2138
May 17-23 EMS WEEK
San Juan County Fire District 4 appreciates and would like to THANK the following volunteer EMTs, Rescue Unit, Student Aid Unit Members and the EMS providers for their time, effort and commitment to the Lopez community! EMTs Berry, Suzanne Lt. Carter,Richard Lt. Fowler, Sam Hasbrouck, Donna Malinoff, Liz Lt. Marshall,Terry Lt. McDarmont, Michelle Miltenberger, Janis Nichols, Laine O’Bryant, Nicole Lt. Pauly, Pamela Lt. Reeve, Sally Roush, Tommer Rucker, Dave Sather, Mary Studzienko, Table Nou, Rob Wakefield, Audrey
Rescue Unit Brower, Tyler Christie, Connor Fowler, Sam Gruenwald, Rande Kramer, Eddy Merrifield, Justin Post, Stu Lt. Student Aid Unit Gruenwald, Rande Goodrich, Harrison Hobi, Emalie Kramer, Eddy Merrifield, Justin Staff English, Jennifer Ghiglione, Jim Pal, Caleb Red Elk, Tracie
Contributed photo / Vigor Industries
Newly built and nearly ready for duty, the Samish. prepared statement. “More than 23 million passengers rely on our ferry system every year. Adding another Olympic Class vessel represents the state’s continued commitment to replace older vessels and plan for the future.” Along with more space for taller vehicles, the Samish offers an ADA-compliant, car-deck restroom, flexible seating configurations, improved heating and ventilation, and wider stairwells and passageways, according to WSF. “It’s been an honor for Vigor to partner with Washington State Ferries
on this vessel, and the nine other ferries we’ve built to serve the people of Washington,” said Vigor’s Bryan Nichols, director of sales. “The Samish represents the very best in state-of-the-art ferry design and has helped strengthen
the maritime community by supporting over 500 jobs throughout the Puget Sound.” The new ferry’s name comes from a tribal word meaning, “giving people.” It is the second of three state-funded, Olympic Class
vessels to replace the aging, midcentury-era Evergreen State Class vessels. More info on the Samish and the Chimacum, the third Olympic Class ferry, under construction at Vigor Industrial in Seattle, is at www.wsdot.wa.gov.
Citizens ask to halt injury from jet noise Submitted by Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve
Island County commissioners faced a room full of concerned and sometimes tearful Whidbey Island residents requesting specific actions be taken in response
to documented proofs of ongoing health harms. Proof of noise-inflicted injuries were presented to the commissioners at their May 12 meeting in the form of declarations from medical experts,
Lopez Artist Guild Art Show Featuring:
Martha Garcia, Joan Thomas & John Moore
Opening Reception: Friday May 22, 5-7 pm On display through July 6, 2015 Lopez Center for Community & the Arts
a local practicing physician, an acoustical expert, and victims suffering health problems attributed to the hazardous noise from lowflying Navy “Growler” jets. Growlers noise on Whidbey Island represents a “health crisis” according to Dr. James Dahlgren, a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Toxicology. The controversial Growlers are the loudest jets ever to fly and are the source of increasing noise complaints throughout Puget Sound.
The Friends of Woodmen Hall
AUCTION Yard Sale • Food
Sunday, May 24th
at Woodmen Hall of Fisherman Bay Rd.
Yard Sale begins @ 10:00 Food Sale begins @ 11:00 • SPECIAL •
Sears donated lots of new clothing and miscellaneous household items when closing the Burlington Store. Great Bargains!
Live Auction begins @ 12:30
The declarations presented to the Island County Commissioners were attached to a motion for preliminary injunction recently filed in federal court by Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve For A Healthy, Safe and Peaceful Environment. The motion seeks to halt ongoing Growler touch-and-go operations at an outlying field until an Environmental Impact Statement is completed. The Navy uses the outlying landing field for touch-and-go operations where Growlers fly a few hundred feet over the rooftops of more than 600 homes and over 6,000 residents including many children. Thousands of Growler operations, sometimes extending late into the night, have caused or contributed to a host of health problems according to declarations and testimony of experts and noise victims. The court is being asked to halt the OLF Growler operations until the impacts to people and the environment are thoroughly assessed – not after irreparable harms have occurred. The commissioners, whose stated mission is to, “Provide for the long term SEE GROWLER, PAGE 6