Examiner The Whidbey
First-place winner, 2014 WNPA General Excellence
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www.whidbeyexaminer.com
Thursday, July 2, 2015
VOL. 20, NO. 47
New coffee shop owners no strangers to Coupeville By Megan Hansen Co-Editor
Megan Hansen photo
David and Pat Howell have returned to Coupeville after 23 years and are the new owners of Local Grown.
After 23 years away from Coupeville, former Concerts on the Cove founders David and Pat Howell returned this month with plans for getting back involved with the community. The couple, who lived in Coupeville originally from 1986-1993, took over ownership of Local Grown, a coffee shop located on the Coupeville Wharf. “We’ve been after William (Bell) for five years to sell,” David Howell said. “We wanted to come back to Coupeville and had the experience.
“It was a good way and opportunity for us to come back.” Their time away was spent mostly around Oregon on various ventures, including community theater, doctoral studies and a business venture into the coffee shop industry. The Howells bought an unsuccessful coffee shop in Willamina, Ore., rebuilt and renamed it “Fat Cat” and within five years it became a successful business venture. During their time in Coupeville, the couple was active in all kinds of things, Pat Howell said. The couple owned and operated The
Victorian, a Bed and Breakfast located where Pra Nakorn is now located on South Main Street. David, a former opera singer, served as part-time manager of Whidbey Playhouse. The couple co-wrote and starred in a play with Trudy Sundberg during that time. David was also an original founder of a men’s singing group, which is now known as the Shifty Sailors. Pat served as chair on the Trust Board for Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve and on the Coupeville Planning Commission.
See Howells, page 16
Show of gratitude Coupeville man visits crew that saved his life
By Ron Newberry Staff Reporter
The likelihood of this sort of reunion seemed improbable at best. Arthur Foley walked up to firefighters and other emergency services personnel wearing a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and a warm smile. He extended a hand, then gently wrapped each of the individuals in an embrace. He would have hugged tighter except for some tenderness in his ribs, a lingering reminder of an unforgettable day that he simply can’t remember. “It’s a miracle to be here,” he said. “It really is.” Foley’s appearance in front of Central Whidbey Fire & Rescue’s Station 53 on Race Road in Coupeville last week defied the odds. Only 10 days earlier, he was found lying on his back in the street in his Admiral’s Cove neighborhood with no signs of life, a result of a cardiac event. Central Whidbey Fire arrived on the scene to find Foley with no pulse and not breathing. Through a collaboration of life-saving efforts between fire department personnel and Whidbey General Hospital paramedics, Foley was revived and taken to the hospital with a fighting chance for survival. He was transferred to Providence Region-
Ron Newberry photo
Paramedic Matt Melena of Whidbey General Hospital listens to Coupeville’s Arthur Foley after Foley visited Central Whidbey Fire & Rescue Station 53 last week to thank firefighters and hospital crew that helped save his life only 10 days earlier. Foley suffered cardiac arrest. al Medical Center in Everett, where he was hooked up to life support systems and stayed for nearly a week. Foley, 61, had suffered a full cardiac arrest the morning of June 14, his wife, Elaina Foley, was told. “The doctor said normally people don’t go through that and walk out of the hospital,” she said. But Foley did, a testament to modern medicine and evolving and improved lifesaving tactics. And perhaps also a little luck.
“I feel blessed,” Foley said. It took Central Whidbey Fire about six minutes to reach the scene and start Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR, and other
advanced life-support efforts, said Capt. Jerry Helm.
See HEART, page 3