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In this issue:
oday families t
SHS cross country teams get sweep at league’s final meet
volume
PENINSULA
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A-3
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2015 October 5, issue 4
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ON THE AUTUMN A PENINSUL OLYMPIC
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teach math, Program helps — Page 6 science skills
parties and 10 Halloween ions — Page fall excurs
B-5
SEQUIM GAZETTE
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015
Sequim’s Hometown Newspaper
75 CENTS
Vol. 41, Number 44
SARC to close its doors Oct. 30 Board votes to shutter rec facility, gains funds to aid Sequim High’s swim team by MICHAEL DASHIELL
and Recreation District 1 — one that oversees the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center — voted to temIn a 4-0 vote on Oct. 21, board porarily close the facility until other members of Clallam County Parks funding sources are found. Sequim Gazette
“Certainly one of the toughest decisions of my life,” SARC board chairman Frank Pickering said. “It’s a community asset. Unfortunately, it has not had the entire support of the voting community.” In a unanimous vote, Pickering, Sherry Nagel, Jan Richardson and Gil Goodman agreed to close the
multi-use building that houses a gymnasium, racquetball courts, weight room, aerobic rooms, pools, sauna and more; board director Melinda Griffith was absent. Craig Miller, an attorney who represents both SARC and the William Shore Memorial Pool, said the options SARC has to remain open
Relief from Clallam’s dry spell Planning proved key for farmers combating drought impacts, though state climatologist warns warming trend isn’t over by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette
T
he onset of fall with cooler temperatures and rain showers may seem to indicate the statewide drought is over, but for many SequimDungeness Valley farmers the impacts of a warm winter and dry summer still are lingering or yet to come. Despite the change of seasons, Sequim and the greater Olympic Peninsula is considered to be in a state of “severe drought” according to the United States Drought Monitor produced through a partnership among the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of NebraskaLincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Olympic Peninsula was one of the first areas a drought emergency was declared as early as March because both the agricultural and residential communities are heavily reliant on surface water-related supplies, Ginny Stern, Washington Department of Health hydrogeologist, said. Secondly, the hydrology of the area doesn’t lend itself to large storage reservoirs and that “creates real challenges.” “This historic drought is not over and we’re already planning for next year,” Maia Bellon, Washington State Department of Ecology director, said. “There’s growing concern we may not get our winter snowpack in the mountains and if we don’t, the harm will be felt much earlier next year and be more costly.” Already DOE officials plan to allocate
are varied, from collaborations with nonprofits, for-profit businesses, the formation of a metropolitan park district, operations levy to financing and more. But given the financial situation of SARC, board commissioners
See SARC, A-11
Voted yet?
In Clallam County’s Nov. 3 General Election, 8,185 ballots have been submitted out of 47,481 (17.24 percent) as of Tuesday, Oct. 27. There are several ballot drops in Clallam County. Sequim’s is in the Sequim Village Shopping Center in the JCPenney’s parking lot. Port Angeles has ballot drop boxes at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St. Curbside ballot drop boxes require no postage and are open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Day. For more information, call the elections office at 417-2217. Look for General Election results in the Nov. 4 print edition of the Sequim Gazette and online at www.sequimgazette.com.
Future of reuse site, park is up for discussion by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette
Scott Chichester, owner of Chi’s Farm, an organic farm nestled in the heart of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley, harvests a variety of lush greens that, like all his crops, responded well to drip irrigation. In anticipation of the the drought Chichester watered 95 percent of his farm via drip irrigation and seeks to continue to adapt and use water conservative methods moving into future, sustainable farming within the area. Sequim Gazette photo by Alana Linderoth
more money toward leasing water from proved beneficial among local farmers farmers and large-scale irrigators as early working to buffer threats imposed by the drought. as January to help prepare, she said. Anticipating a short irrigation season
Early preparation
See DROUGHT, A-9
Both proactive and early planning
As the first areas to have a Master Site Plan designed specifically for them, the layout of Carrie Blake Park and the abutting Water Reuse Demonstration Site are up for discussion. While developing a Master Site Plan for the park and nearby water reuse site the key elements under evaluation include access, parking, connectivity and future uses, said Joe Irvin, City of Sequim parks manager and assistant to the city manager. “This is the first realistic attempt at preparing a Master Site Plan for flagship community parks,”
See WATER SITE, A-2
Open House: Site planning of Carrie Blake Park & Water Reuse Demonstration Site When: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2 Where: Sequim Civic Center, 152 W. Cedar St. More info: Contact Joe Irvin, parks manager and assistant to the city manager, at 582-2457.
City to ban wireless Wi-Fi, cell towers Sequim’s Fire District 3 picks Public hearing slated for Nov. 9 by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette
Any and all plans to implement Wi-Fi or cell phone towers within the Sequim city limits are on hold.
The Sequim City Council approved a six-month moratorium on wireless communication support towers on Oct. 26 via a 5-1 vote with councilor Dennis Smith opposed and Ken Hays absent.
The moratorium went into immediate effect and includes all zones except public facility zones, according to Ordinance 2015-018. “New technology allows this, but appropriate consideration needs to be made for safety so they don’t become ‘wi-fry’ towers,”
Orr for new assistant chief Sequim Gazette staff
ORR
See TOWERS, A-6
Clallam County Fire District 3’s leadership team announced this week that Dan Orr of Santa Maria, Calif., will serve as its newest assistant chief.
He replaces retired Assistant Fire Chief Roger Moeder and will take on a new title as the Assistant Chief of Risk Reduction and Planning beginning Dec. 1.
See FIRE CHIEF, A-6
Sports B-5 • Schools B-8 • Arts & Entertainment B-1 • Opinion A-12 • Obituaries A-11 • Classifieds C-1 • Crossword Section C
weather outlook:
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