Island Living: Base CO recognizes grounds worker ... A10
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Vol. 127, No. 52
WHIDBEY
Times
ews
JULY 18-21, 2019
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Hospital chief outlines district woes, goals
Whidbey a great place to mark World UFO Day By JESSIE STENSLAND
jstensland@whidbeynewsgroup.com
Whidbey Island is a good place to celebrate the Fourth of July, but a great place to take part in World UFO Day. The National UFO Reporting Center crunched the numbers and found that Washington state is the best state to be in if you’re trying to spot an unidentified
By LAURA GUIDO
lguido@whidbeynewsgroup.com
WhidbeyHealth CEO Ron Telles admits the hospital district is facing financial and morale problems and says he’s working to fix those issues. During a Council of Governments meeting Wednesday, Telles listed for Island County officials three main goals he has for the organization: make it a place employees want to SEE CEO, A8
City asks for reduced water use By JESSIE STENSLAND
jstensland@whidbeynewsgroup.com
Oak Harbor is asking residents to conser ve water because the Skagit River is running a little low, the city reported. The city buys its water from Anacortes, which runs a treatment plant on the Skagit River near Mount Vernon. The water SEE WATER, A8
SEE UFOS, A8 Photo by Laura Guido/Whidbey News-Times
Hannah Gibbons pours a beer at Penn Cove Brewing Company’s new taproom in Oak Harbor.
Local brewer taps into neighboring market Penn Cove Brewing Co. opening in Oak Harbor
By LAURA GUIDO
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lguido@whidbeynewsgroup.com
ig plans are a-brewing at one Coupeville-based business. Penn Cove Brewing Co. is holding the grand opening for its new Oak Harbor taproom on Bayshore Drive at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 3. The next day, the taproom will host a food truck and beer garden for its Fourth of July celebration, said Mitch Aparicio, one of the owners. Like the Coupeville operation, the taproom will be
family friendly and serve beverages from regional breweries. There is usually a couple of choices in wine from a Whidbey winery as well. The new location is all part of the Aparicio brothers’ brewmaster plan. As the new, larger taproom opens in the city, a brewing facility is simultaneously in the works in Coupeville. Penn Cove Brewing Company started brewing its flagship Madrona Way IPA at Bastion Brewing Company in early 2017. SEE OPENING, A5
Festivities, fun at Oak Harbor’s 4th of July By MARIA MATSON
mmatson@whidbeynewsgroup.com
Fourth of July is right around the corner, and the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for the annual old-fashioned parade and festivities that run for a multi-day patriotic bash. “We love saying ‘happy birthday, America, this way,’” Oak Harbor Chamber Director Christine Cribb said. SEE 4TH OF JULY, A5
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