A fiery plane crash, tragic murders and Native American bones halting a major project were some of the news-makers on Whidbey in 2011.
January
Oak Harbor hired Langley’s planning chief, Larry Cort, giving him the title of project specialist. Cort is also a former Coupeville planner and sits on the Coupeville Town Council.
Republican County Commissioner Kelly Emerson, representing District 3, was sworn in, replacing Democrat John Dean, whom she defeated in the election.
Land use violations against Commissioner Kelly Emerson and her husband, Ken, totaled $37,000, county records showed.
An archeologist hired by Oak Harbor found Native American artifacts near the city’s drainage outfall replacement project, causing a delay.
Coupeville Town Council banned the sale of guns on South Main Street due to the proximity of schools. The action was in response to a rumored sporting goods store that never materialized.
A lawsuit filed by Commissioner Kelly Emerson and her husband was called “frivolous” by attorneys defending Island County and former Commissioner John Dean. At issue were county enforcement procedures and campaign statements.
The popular Miriam’s Espresso shop in Coupeville closed due to business and family concerns.
Oak Harbor’s plan to sell $2.9 million in revenue bonds for marina improvements fell through when the sale attracted no interest. Later, general obligation bonds were sold.
Due to budget cuts, the Island County Sheriff’s Office became the lowest staffed in the state, based on deputies per 1,000 population, according to Sheriff Mark Brown.
A computer problem that resulted in the loss of county emails was described as “a catastrophe” by Prosecutor Greg Banks.
Inmates in Oak Harbor’s jail were given the opportunity to work off their sentences outdoors rather than sitting in their cell all day.
Oak Harbor officials changed subcommittee meeting rules to comply with advice from the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.
February
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachment Northwest, at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, was featured in the News-Times for responding to a number of civilian bomb scares on the island.
Oak Harbor Mayor Jim Slowik signed a $3.86 million contract with Strider Construction of Bellingham to complete the bulk of the work for the SE Pioneer Way Improvement Project.
The Oak Harbor Arts Council considered public input for prospective works of art to go with the downtown revitalization project. Particularly favored was a bronze topless mermaid by Oak Harbor artist Larry Marcell.
Oak Harbor Marina Harbormaster Mack Funk resigned in the wake of findings by the state auditor. Exact reasons for the resignation remained a mystery and he later landed a similar job in Alaska.
Whidbey General Hospital faced an estimated $1.7 million in financial losses after self-reporting it had violated Stark Law requirements in Medicare billing.
Oak Harbor Mayor Jim Slowik made regional news when he took one of his campaign signs out of a downtown store window. It had been changed to read “Vote Him Out.” Police Chief Rick Wallace determined no crime had been committed.
The Navy announced the new P-3 Poseidon would not immediately enter service at Whidbey, choosing to first introduce the airplane in Hawaii and Florida. But Whidbey Island Naval Air Station was still slated to eventually receive the plane, which will replace the venerable P-3 Orion.
Whidbey General Hospital directors decided to ask voters to approve $50 million in bonds for an expansion project.
KOMO TV commentator Ken Schram awarded Mayor Jim Slowik a “Shrammie” for taking his campaign sign from a private business. Earlier in the month, a Shrammie went to State Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, for introducing a bill to make coffee the official state beverage.
The ferry system’s newest vessel, the Chetzemoka, ran aground in Keystone Harbor. The “soft grounding” canceled five sailings between Coupeville and Port Townsend.
Island County announced it would end trash collections at county parks.
Tenants in Oak Harbor’s Windmill Court mobile home park were evicted to make room for “upcoming development of the property.”
March
A golden shovel ceremony officially began the SE Pioneer Way project, ending 35 years of talking about what to do downtown.
City Councilman Scott Dudley announced he would run against Mayor Jim Slowik in November.
Arne Freund, longtime Oak Harbor resident farmer, businessman and former county sheriff, passed away at the age of 92.
Oak Harbor announced it would spend $167,000 to support downtown merchants during the construction project.
In Coupeville, the old fire hall on Alexander Street was converted into the new home for the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce.
Sailors from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station helped Japan recover from a huge tsunami.
Island County announced 337 property foreclosure notices were ready to be delivered.
To save money, the Oak Harbor School Board shortened the day for middle school students by 30 minutes.
A gray whale known as Dubnuk entertained a crowd as he splashed around in Penn Cove during a Sunday afternoon.
Oak Harbor residents Bob and June Sebo pledged to donate $900,000 to Whidbey General Hospital if voters would approve the expansion bond.
Fire engulfed and totally destroyed a home owned by Jeanette Omar on NE Leisure Street in Coupeville.
April
Former Island County Commissioner Gordon Koetje, a builder, developer and Oak Harbor native, died due to heart problems.
Loann Gulick, longtime election supervisor in the Island County Auditor’s Office, announced her retirement.
Business Manager Ray Thomas predicted Coupeville schools would have to cut $1.4 million from next year’s budget.
Census figures showed an aging Island County population. By 2025, 47 percent of islanders will be age 50 or older, compared to 25 percent in 1986.
Coupeville Lions Club member Spence Purvis was honored for 70 years of Lionhood.
North Whidbey Fire and Rescue paid $1.55 million for a new headquarters building on Midway Boulevard. It was formerly known as the Chicago Title Building.
The Whidbey Island Campus of Skagit Valley College saw its staff cut by 11 full-time positions and reduced time for others due to a decrease in state funding.
Oak Harbor’s waterfront trail project, years in the making, was capped by the official opening of the Scenic Heights Trailhead.
Aircraft enthusiasts welcomed home the A-3 Skywarrior at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. It was the last flight of the “Whale,” a Cold War era jet that will go on static display at the air station.
May
A private health care company, Capella, inquired about purchasing Whidbey General Hospital. Reaction was negative.
The state Department of Transportation announced it would spend $2.3 million to make the Arnold Road intersection with Highway 20 safer.
Island County District Court Judge Peter Strow, 59, was injured when his motorcycle hit a deer on Highway 20 north of Coupeville.
Island County Superior Court Judge Alan Hancock threw out a lawsuit by Commissioner Kelly Emerson against the county, two county employees and former Commissioner John Dean, saying there were “no genuine issues of material fact.”
Island Transit landed a grant for $896,000 to put toward a transit park, roadway safety improvements and native plant species protection near its Central Whidbey headquarters.
Basil Badley, husband of State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, was taken to court in a sexual harassment allegation by former campaign worker Courtney Jones. He was found guilty and fined $50,000.
Jordyn Weichert, 22, was found guilty of three counts of vehicular homicide. Samanth Bowling, 22, a front seat passenger in the car, had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of vehicular homicide. They caused a two-car accident Sept. 3, 2010, that killed three men. Weichert later was sentenced to eight years in prison and Bowling to five years.
Whidbey General Hospital’s $50 expansion proposal failed at the polls. The 55 percent “yes” vote was short of the required 60 percent majority.
June
Farmers complained that the wet, cold, Whidbey Island spring had delayed the growing season and reduced the amount of produce available to farmers market shoppers.
The Oak Harbor School Board cut 12 teaching positions, one administrator and 16 classified positions due to state funding cutbacks.
The Oak Harbor City Council unanimously agreed to fund two art projects, a bronze mermaid and a silver-colored moon and wave sculpture, totaling $59,500. The Arts Council had proposed five.
Native American remains were found during work on the Pioneer Way project in downtown Oak Harbor, forcing suspension of work.
It was announced that the Barefoot Bandit, Colton Harris-Moore, would be sent to Island County for sentencing on numerous state charges. He had already pleaded guilty to seven federal charges.
It was learned that Oak Harbor had ignored a recommendation from the state Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation to hire an archeologist before the Pioneer Way project began.
Island County asked a judge to require Commissioner Kelly Emerson to pay $35,919 in legal fees it had rung up due to her lawsuit.
Oak Harbor decided to hire an archeologist before beginning work on a long-planned storm water outfall project.
July
Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, which builds high-speed catamarans, tugboats, fishing boats and helps build state ferries, expressed an interest in expanding to Oak Harbor, on the Navy’s Seaplane Base. Talks continue.
The newly-built, 64-car ferry Salish went to work on the Coupeville to Port Townsend route, joining its sister boat, the Chetzemoka. It restored two-vessel ferry to the route for the first time since November 2007.
Full-time students at Skagit Valley College, including the Whidbey Campus, learned their tuition will increase 13 percent.
Three members of the Oak Harbor Arts Commission resigned, unhappy that the City Council had largely ignored the commission’s recommendations for downtown art.
State parks visitors couldn’t get in unless they paid for a $10 daily Discover Pass, or $30 annual pass.
Whidbey Island Bank celebrated 50 years of operations with a party for 500 people at its Coupeville branch, where it was founded. It’s now based in Oak Harbor and has 30 branches and 460 full-time employees.
The Oak Harbor City Council pulled the plug on the long-dreamed-of pier project, declining to make upland improvements for a pier that may never get funded.
Solar panels were installed at the Greenbank Farm, providing 25.1 kilowatt hours of electricity, or enough to power four houses.
Six Indian tribes sent representatives to Oak Harbor to talk about the Native American bones found during Pioneer Way construction.
Work resumed on the SE Pioneer Way project after a permit was issued by the Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation.
Dr. Donald Johnson abruptly closed his Coupeville and Anacortes dermatology clinics, leaving hundreds of patients without access to their records. Johnson was facing financial problems and domestic violence allegations.
The Centennial of Naval Aviation show at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station attracted an estimated 15,000 people.
August
Six downtown businesses in Coupeville were burglarized in one night, with thieves stealing everything from toys to works of art.
Archeologists arrived in Oak Harbor to begin examining sites where Native American bones were dug up during the SE Pioneer Way project.
Coupeville City Councilman Tom Tack resigned to take a job on the East Coast.
Archeologists discovered more bones on Pioneer Way, bringing the number of individuals unearthed to seven.
Concerned about vociferous critics, the Whidbey General Hospital Board of Directors had two police officers in attendance at a meeting.
Dan Dodds, 62, of Coupeville, died after landing a 28-pound salmon while fishing off the shore near the ferry landing at Keystone.
The Island County commissioners decriminalized barking dogs, making them civil violations instead.
The Island County Juvenile Detention Facility with 21 beds averaged only 7.3 daily inmates in 2010, prompting calls for changes.
The landmark Ford dealership building at the corner of Highway 20 and SE Barrington Drive in Oak Harbor was demolished. It had been vacant for years.
A levy renewal to support John Vanderzicht Memorial Pool in Oak Harbor was defeated at the polls, falling 4 points short of the 60 percent needed to pass.
Oak Harbor attorney Mark Theune, 58, was killed in a scuba diving accident in Lake Michigan.
September
Coupeville dermatologist Dr. Russell Johnson didn’t appear in court on a domestic violence charge, resulting in the issuing of a $100,000 arrest warrant.
The city handed over security of the Pioneer Way archeology site to members of the Swinomish Tribal Community.
A 36-year-old Oak Harbor man was arrested after his 9-year-old son brought a loaded .45 caliber Ruger handgun to school in his backpack.
The Island County commissioners continued to disagree, as Republican Kelly Emerson issued her own “state of the county” report, in response to the one issued by Democrats Helen Price Johnson and Angie Homola.
The county removed tons of boulders from Ala Spit in a salmon restoration effort, but some locals worried the spit might disappear.
Complaining about bad publicity in the press, the Whidbey General Hospital board decided not to go back to voters with an expansion bond issue in February 2012.
City officials estimated the Native American bone discoveries had added $562,000 to the cost of the SE Pioneer Way project.
The Department of Defense gave $2.16 million to the Oak Harbor School District to improve student reading skills.
Emergency responders rescued Oak Harbor resident Bob Barber after he got stuck in his hot tub.
October
A 30-year-old homeless man, Joshua Lambert, was subject to a manhunt and arrested after his two grandfathers living in separate homes were killed in knifing incidents. They reportedly refused to provide him with firearms.
Oak Harbor celebrated the “grand opening” of SE Pioneer Way, although parts of the project were still incomplete, awaiting resolution of the human remains problem.
Island Transit was given $17.92 million in federal funding to build a new headquarters and associated facilities at its Central Whidbey location.
Island County Sheriff Mark Brown warned North Whidbey homeowners about a rash of daytime burglaries.
Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue mothballed the station on Morris Road due partly to lack of volunteers. It was the district’s oldest active station.
November
Protesters “occupied” spaces at Highway 20 and Main Street and near the Clinton Ferry terminal in an effort to “make them pay.”
Deception Pass Ranger Jack Hartt wrestled a woman planning to commit suicide away from the bridge railing.
Oak Harbor City Councilman Scott Dudley defeated incumbent Jim Slowik, ending Slowik’s bid for a second term as mayor. The levy to support the city swimming pool passed on the second time around.
Joshua Lambert, accused of killing one of his grandfathers and suspected of killing the other, filed a “motion of insanity” with the court.
County Commissioner Kelly Emerson protested when the other two commissioners refused to elect her chairwoman of the board.
Detectives admitted they had “hit a wall” in the search for Oak Harbor resident Betty Tews, 81, who went missing in June.
Whidbey Island food banks announced they were running short for the holidays.
Artist Wayne Lewis could find no takers for a bronze sculpture of an Indian carrying two salmon he wanted to donate for placement of SE Pioneer Way.
The Army Corps of Engineers started dredging Keystone Harbor to make it easier for the Coupeville ferry to navigate.
December
Oak Harbor City Councilman stirred controversy with his failed attempt to impose a hiring and firing freeze before new Mayor Scott Dudley could take office.
Hundreds were attracted to downtown Oak Harbor for the first tree lighting ceremony since SE Pioneer Way was improved.
Oak Harbor City Councilman Jim Campbell, a Republican, announced he will run for county commissioner against the incumbent, Democrat Angie Homola.
Washington State Parks announced half of all full-time employees would be laid off.
A small airplane crashed into Ebey’s Bluff and burst into flames, killing pilot Michael Heaton Sr., 59, who recently moved to Whidbey Island.
A planned marina moorage increase was scuttled by the Oak Harbor City Council over worries that it might reduce occupancy.
Colton Harris-Moore, the infamous “Barefoot Bandit,” was given a sentence of just over 7 years in prison by Island County Superior Court Judge Vickie Churchill.
Planned Parenthood announced the closure of its Oak Harbor clinic, which had been in existence for 26 years.
Oak Harbor Mayor-elect Scott Dudley offered to give one of his kidneys to a stranger in Canada.
Coupeville Town Marshal David Penrod retired, replaced by Larry Davenport of Duvall.
