Toss your

alfalfa sprouts

One of the people sickened by salmonella from alfalfa sprouts is from Island County.

State health officials report that 13 people in Washington and Oregon became ill from eating alfalfa sprouts distributed by Sprouters Northwest, Inc., in Kent. The company agreed to recall the product.

People should not eat any products from Sprouters Northwest that contain alfalfa sprouts. Discard them immediately or return them to the store.

The first cases were reported in early August. People have been sickened in Clark, Island, King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties. At least two have required hospitalization.

People who have eaten sprouts and developed symptoms should contact their health care provider. Salmonellosis is a common infection that can cause diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Symptoms usually develop within one to five days after eating contaminated food. Most people get better on their own.

Create art from driftwood

Some people look at the wooden flotsom at Windjammer Park as future firewood, or perhaps a place to sit and watch Mount Rainier in the distance. But others see the raw material for art, and they’ll be out in force Saturday, Sept. 13 for the Oak Harbor Arts Commission’s third annual Driftwood Day starting at 11:30 a.m.

Discover your inner artist in a fun, family friendly activity. Using only material discovered on the beach that day, entrants will create driftwood sculptures.

The contest starts at noon, and judging will be at 1:30 p.m. Driftwood trophies will be awarded. Registration is free and takes place at the tent on the west end of Oak Harbor City Beach Park. Driftwood Day happens rain or shine, come prepared either way and join the fun. Bring a picnic lunch and make an afternoon of it.

New construction values ready

The Island County Assessor’s Office is scheduling to mail out “change of value notices” Monday, Sept. 8.

Monday’s mailing is the second change notice mailed by the Assessor’s Office and is for “new construction” assessments, for homes that have increased in value due to construction or alteration that needed a building permit to be issued, according to Assessor Dave Mattens.

Approximately 3,345 notices will be mailed.

Property owners receiving the notice will have 60 calendar days to appeal the value increase of their property.

The first change of value notices were mailed out June 25, which was 65 days earlier than the previous year. At that time 50,000 assessments were received.