SHS’s fleet feet
Tour de alpaca
In this issue:
X-country team sets sights on first title
A-7
B-1
SEQUIM GAZETTE www
com
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015
Sequim’s Hometown Newspaper
75 CENTS
Vol. 42, Number 42
One-yearold Ethan Shepherd of Port Ludlow plays on a tire inside the straw maze at the Sequim Pumpkin Patch. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
Sweet celebration at SHS Homecoming
Pumpkin Patch continues, minus the corn maze Rising costs lead organizers to take year off from design by MATTHEW NASH Sequim Gazette
PHOTO GALLERY @ www.sequimgazette.com
The familiar fall colors are in full bloom at the Sequim Pumpkin Patch. There’s just one artistic element that’s missing from the farm on the corner of U.S. Highway 101 and Kitchen-Dick Road’s usual repertoire — the corn maze. Traditionally the pumpkin patch crew designs something fun locals can search through such as a pumpkin, a cowboy boot, a “Wizard of Oz” scene and more. Photographer Dave Woodcock
Sequim High School King Nick Barrett and Queen Katie Rogers pose for photos at halftime of Friday night’s Homecoming football game. Their peers at SHS nominated the two last week, along with fellow seniors Karen Chan (princess), Jack Shea (prince), McKenzie Bentz (duchess) and Evan Hurn (duke). Sequim High’s football squad highlighted the weekend with a 49-6 win against rival Port Angeles (see story, B-5). See more photos from SHS’s Homecoming festivities on A-3, and in an online photo gallery at www.sequimgazette. com. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
The funding of Sequim’s schools Revenue sources vary but communities bear burden of new construction costs by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette
As one of 295 school districts statewide, the Sequim School District is federally, state and locally funded. But it almost relies entirely on the public when it comes to new construction. A $49.3 million construction bond proposal pends voter support on Nov. 3, one that would among other things pay for construction of a new elementary school, four more classrooms and a gym at Greywolf Elementary, six new high school science classrooms and new high school band and choir classrooms. Unlike its alternative, known as a capital projects levy, a con-
struction bond requires a “super majority” or 60 percent of the vote. Despite the additional votes needed for success, a construction bond has remained the preferred option for funding the Sequim School District’s needs because capital projects levies are limited to one- to six-year collection cycles. Capital projects levies require a tax rate beyond what most communities LEWIS can or will support, Brian Lewis, Sequim School District business manager said. Although voters defeated a
See SCHOOLS, A-4
usually captures the image from a fly-over, but not this year. Co-owner Theresa Lassila said due to the maze’s costs they decided not to plant and shape a corn maze. “I’m hoping it will be back next year,” she said. Also gone is the annual haunted house due to the farm changing its hours to daytime only from noon6 p.m. daily through Halloween. Despite some changes, Lassila said, community support remains strong for the farm. “It’s like Disneyland for kids,” Lassila said. “It’s a family tradition for a lot of people too. I’m told that we can’t ever close because some families come and take family portraits here every year.”
See PATCH, A-2
Dungeness Bay water quality improvement prompts upgrade Opportunities open for commercial shellfisheries by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette
Hundreds of acres in and around Dungeness Bay are now open for year-round commercial shellfish harvesting after state officials recently upgraded the area’s water quality classification. Although the upgrade doesn’t impact fisheries like crab, nor recreational clam diggers because all beaches on the Dungeness Spit are in the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge with limited public access, it does target filter feeders, such as clams and oysters and those with commercial shellfish or aquaculture interests, like the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe who once operated
Prior to the recent upgrade of 728 acres within the Dungeness Bay commercial shellfish growing area by Washington State Department of Health officials, only a small portion of the 1,591 classified acres within the bay’s growing area weren’t restricted. This map illustrates Dungeness Bay commercial shellfish growing area classifications following the 2011 upgrade. Map courtesy of Clallam County
an oyster farm in the bay. Childers, Washington Department “Most recreational clamming of Fish and Wildlife puget sound occurs on public tidelands, like shellfish manager, said. Sequim Bay State Park,” Rich See WATER, A-8
Sports B-5 • Schools B-8 • Arts & Entertainment B-1 • Opinion A-10 • Obituaries A-9 • Classifieds C-1 • Crossword Section C
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