North
eninsula Olympic P
UIDE G R E T O V ral election for the genember 3, 2015 ve ending No
Time for trains
Annual show rides to Grange
In this issue
Good times go on top
Mad Hatters hosts another hit event
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Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015
SEQUIM GAZETTE shington nty ■ Wa
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Sequim’s Hometown Newspaper
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75 CENTS
Vol. 42, Number 40
Clallam OKs rezone for disc golf course
Sequim Tradition Lives On
Project pending county commissioners’ vote by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette
Tom Ledford stands outside his home with purple lights glowing to commemorate his wife Judee’s battle with pancreatic cancer. He lights the tree on the 22nd of each month in her honor. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Biker takes the long road Tom Ledford keeps promise, honors wife by MATTHEW NASH Sequim Gazette
When it comes to age and motion, Tom Ledford, 72, follows a buddy’s old adage. “People would ask him, ‘Jacques, how old are you?’ ‘Oh, age is just a number and my number is unlisted,’” Ledford said. “I try to follow him. Age is what you make it. You can make yourself young or old.” Well, Ledford’s age didn’t get in the way for at least 7,934 miles. In August, he traveled cross country on his 1998 Honda Gold Wing motorcycle by himself to Boston. Like many people, Ledford has a bucket list and his includes traveling and seeing many of the Civil War sites. But his mileage could have been more. He was planning to travel with his sonin-law Steve until he got injured. Ledford left for California to see him on Aug. 1 and after a few days determined Steve
Auditor offers voters guide
For the first time, the Clallam County Auditor’s Office has teamed with the Washington Secretary of State’s Office to produce a printed local voters’ pamphlet for Clallam County voters. The 2015 Clallam County Local Voters’ Pamphlet is included within the Washington State Voters’ Pamphlet and mailed to every residence in the county. The pamphlets for the 2015 General Election are expected to be mailed from the state this week. Along with information about all state measures and advisory votes appearing on the general election ballot, the pamphlet also contains photos, statements and biographical details
See GUIDE, A-12
A 40-acre plot east of Sequim is one step closer toward being transformed into a long awaited disc golf course. The Clallam County Planning Commission passed the recommendation to rezone the property in a 6-1 vote with two abstentions following a public hearing Oct. 7. The decision to change the property from Rural Low to Parks and Recreation will allow county parks and recreation officials to continue with their plans that began in 2007 to implement an 18-hole disc golf course. “I think it’s an ideal location,” Tom Montgomery, planning commission member, said.
See DISC GOLF, A-12
City risk pool pays $35,000 in settlement Weimer sues following police incident in May 2013 Sequim Gazette staff
On Aug. 1, Tom Ledford readies for a trip going 7,934 miles cross country to see family in Boston by himself. Submitted photo
shouldn’t make the trek. So Ledford left Even though he went by himself, on his own on Aug. 8. Ledford said the experience became a Instead of Route 66, he took Interstate family thing. 80, which he says is “basically a straight See BIKER, A-2 shot” to Boston.
More than two-and-a-half years after what Sequim resident Morgan Weimer, 48, classified as excessive force from Sequim Police, he settled last week with the City of Sequim’s risk pool to receive $35,000 in damages. The settlement agreement follows an incident where Weimer was subdued on May 12, 2013, by police outside the Oasis Bar & Grill, after he was involved in two brief altercations with patron Chris Boynton inside the restaurant. Cell phone footage captured an officer punching Weimer after he allegedly reached for the officer’s taser, law enforcement officials said.
See SETTLEMENT, A-12
Sequim supports YMCA’s feasibility study for SARC Surveying ends Oct. 24 by phone and online by MATTHEW NASH Sequim Gazette
It took Sequim City councilors an extra two weeks to mull their decision, but they are now on board with supporting a feasibility study about the Olympic Peninsula YMCA running the
Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center. They voted unanimously on Oct. 12 to support the study by the YMCA with $5,000 toward the $36,000 project creating a business plan. The phone and online survey began on Oct. 8 and ends on Oct. 24. Kyle Cronk, chief executive officer for the YMCA, said several entities are committed to the study and that Clallam County commissioners committed to
match up to $6,000 of the city council’s decision. Councilor Ted Miller said normally he is adverse to giving taxpayers’ money to other entities but found this to be a special case. “Maintaining the SARC pool is essential for the community,” he said. “I sincerely hope the YMCA can make this work.” Councilor Dennis Smith said there are a lot of reasons to keep SARC maintained. “The taxpayers (in Eastern Clallam County) in the county
own the property,” he said. “We have every reason to make it profitable and keep it open.” Some city councilors were hesitant to make a decision on Sept. 28, as they waited for other entities to support the study. Some councilors also expressed concern over SARC’s board of commissioners not unanimously voting to support the study. On Monday, Councilor Ken Hays wanted to know if SARC
See STUDY, A-12
Sports B-5 • Schools B-8 • Arts & Entertainment B-1 • Opinion A-14 • Obituaries A-13 • Classifieds C-1 • Crossword Section C
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