KINGSTON — People who attended a Washington State Ferries open house Monday night in Kingston were less than happy that their ferry fares would increase in May, but their criticism was constructive.
“They’re not happy with the idea of fares going up but they seem to understand why we’re in the state we’re in,” said Pat Patterson, WSF spokeswoman. She manned the station that addressed funding needs, one of four at the meeting held at the Kingston Junior High Commons.
POULSBO — With several of Little Norway’s roads slated to take the appearance of third world country routes this summer, members of the Poulsbo City Council Public Works Committee weren’t overly troubled last week when they were asked to postpone plans to widen Finn Hill.
The committee’s unanimous decision followed the recommendation of City Engineer John Stephenson, who explained, “There are about five reasons I’d like to delay Finn Hill until next year.”
POULSBO — The North Kitsap High School boys’ soccer team has a lot to look forward to this year: a new league, a new defense, and a crop of new players.
The team is looking for some new results as well.
POULSBO — Although Gov. Gary Locke’s budgetary rock has yet to make a splash in the pond, his proposal to cut $1.6 billion for 2002 is already causing ripples throughout many long-term care facilities in Washington and particularly in Kitsap.
The proposed cut of $71 million state-wide in Medicaid related funding has administrators at long-term care facilities wondering how they will make up the losses if the Legislature backs the proposal in their budget this month. Potential waves created by a budget cut could threaten the existence of Martha and Mary Lutheran Services Center in Poulsbo, as reported in the Herald last week.
POULSBO — Members of the North Kitsap High School soccer team paused from their kicking for a few seconds Friday to behold a strange sight: a sled, pulled by a pair of white, fluffy dogs, cruising past the field on the other side of the fence.
Driving the sled was Indianola musher Don Duncan. Perched on the sled and wearing a pair of sunglasses was Poulsbo Elementary librarian Nancy Bale. And watching with wide eyes and murmurs at the end of the field were most of the students of Poulsbo Junior High.
POULSBO — “I need two Robertos,” a weary Roberto Soltero explained last week while taking a much-deserved break at Little Norway’s newest pub sensation Tequilas Grill and Sports Bar.
Soltero, who manages the Front Street business, also runs Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant on State Route 305. While serving as manager at the latter, he hasn’t seen less than a 10-hour work day in years… now with two businesses?
He just shook his head and smiled.
SUQUAMISH — If you dropped in at the Suquamish Tribal Center gym Friday afternoon, you would have noticed some odd features of the game between the Spectrum Alternative School basketball team and their opponent from Tacoma.
There was the rhythm section, which was composed entirely of Spectrum principal Chris Wendelyn and a single drum, which he thumped whenever the Spectrum team charged downcourt; There were the uniforms, which were unmatching T-shirts and shorts; but mostly, there was the relationship between the two opponents.
POULSBO — Maybe it was the Britney Spears TV commercials, or changing student tastes.
For many reasons, after five years of Coke, the ASB at North Kitsap High School decided to go in another direction, and replaced the soda machines throughout the high school with Pepsi products.
WSDOT is beginning to study the “environmental impact” of widening a portion of Hwy 305. They’re looking for public comment.
This might be a great time to tell them what you think of their widening plan and the “highway from hell.”
KINGSTON — The series of meetings to discuss proposed ferry fare increases makes its stop in Kingston Monday.
The open house style meeting is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. March 4 at the Kingston Junior High Commons. People can peruse “information stations” staffed by Washington State Ferries employees. They can then give their opinions in writing and or orally.
POULSBO — It dominates the Seattle skyline, but next month, firefighters from around the state will be tackling all 1,311 steps of the Bank of America Tower with the hope of conquering an even larger obstacle — Leukemia.
It’s a deadly disease that Poulsbo firefighter Trevor Holmberg knows all too well. He lost a cousin to the blood-related cancer 15 years ago and has been looking for payback ever since.
POULSBO — It’s been put on the back burner more times than a warm pan of refried beans but State Route 305 is still a very viable topping on Poulsbo’s virtual burrito smorgasbord of upcoming road projects.
Although delays have accompanied the highway improvement project for several years, officials from the city and the Department of Transportation haven’t given up on a widening plan which has basically had more gas than go. Progress is being made though and next week the public will get another helping of SR 305 during an environmental assessment hearing and open house. The event, scheduled from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5 at the Poulsbo Fire Station, will allow citizens to take a closer look at the proposal, offer comments and have questions answered.
POULSBO — When most North Kitsap residents think about commuting to work, the image of traffic or long ferry lines surely pops into their minds. For Elyse Trevors it was a bit more extreme at times, a drive to Sea-Tac, a plane ride to New York to color and style hair for anchors at CNN and other clients, and, finally, a flight back home.
POULSBO — It’s been helping the old, the young and just about everyone in between for almost 111 years, but whether Martha and Mary Lutheran Services will be around to continue this rich tradition in the future is unknown.
The Washington State 2002 budget has taken the form of a black cloud over the Poulsbo facility and has the potential to bring the non-profit business’ tradition of caring to a premature end.
State budget cuts now being discussed in Olympia could be more than painful for Martha and Mary–they could be life-threatening.Our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly poor, deserve a better fate.
POULSBO — Facing $1.6 billion in budget shortfalls, the Washington State Legislature is getting ready to submit a budget where nearly every state-funded program, including previously sacred funds for education and health care could suffer funding cuts.
Officials at long-term care facilities are fearing the worst if the $71 proposed cut from Gov. Gary Locke’s supplemental budget is adopted.
A House Democrat transportation plan introduced last week would boost passenger-only ferry services in Kitsap County, lawmakers say.
But key transportation leaders in the Senate apparently don’t harbor a similar commitment, casting doubt on the survival of the House Democratic proposal to fund foot ferry service from Kingston and Southworth to downtown Seattle.
POULSBO — The older golfer watched carefully as Ron Mimaki tried to get himself out of trouble.
It was a beautiful Orlando day, custom-ordered for golf. Mimaki had a pretty good day on the Bay Hill course — one of the best in the country — but he found himself in trouble on the 18th green, or rather, just short of the green.
SUQUAMISH — A group of Suquamish geoduck divers filed an estimated $12 million lawsuit on Monday against the Tribal Council and Suquamish Seafood Enterprises board members. The suit alleges that Seafood Enterprises overtaxed geoduck harvests and that the Tribal Council overstepped its authority to limit the number of divers.
The $12 million amount is what the divers claimed was illegally obtained by the tribe through taxes and/or not allowing qualified members to dive.
POULSBO — At least one North Kitsap school board member was disappointed by the Washington State House’s failure to pass a bill that might have have made it easier for voters to pass school levies.
