Man discovers skull on beach

An Oak Harbor man found the partial skull of a Native American person while he was walking on a beach near Fort Ebey State Park last weekend.

Island County Coroner Robert Bishop said he could tell right away that the skull belonged to a native Whidbey Islander because of the flattened, “bound forehead.” He explained that native people traditionally bound the heads of infants to shape skulls.

Bishop searched the beach, which is at the end of Libbey Road, but wasn’t able to find any other remains. He said the cliff next to the beach is eroding, which is probably where the skull came from. Another skull was found in the area years ago and he said there are probably more bones there.

Bishop notified the Swinomish tribe of the find. The tribe may work with the landowner to see if the skull can be re-buried in the same area, or the skull could be buried in a designated area for Indian burial on Whidbey Island.

Sex offender meeting today

Oak Harbor Police Chief Steve Almon and Island County Sheriff Mike Hawley will preside at an informational meeting today dealing with a sex offender expected to move to Oak Harbor.

The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. in room 137 of Skagit Valley College’s Hayes Hall on Pioneer Way.

The meeting will prepare the community for the expected arrival of Joshua Nathan Stillman, 26, a convicted sex offender rated Level 3. Authorities say he plans to live with a relative in the 600 block of SE Bayshore Drive, beginning Feb. 26.

Stillman was convicted in 1991 of two counts of second degree rape and one count of first degree child molestation. He has a history of burglary, theft and other crimes in Island County and elsewhere, as well as sex crimes in which charges were dropped due to plea bargaining.

City, schools share cop cost

The city of Oak Harbor and Oak Harbor School District have agreed to share costs in keeping a police officer at the high school.

City council members unanimously agreed Tuesday to pay half of the estimated $35,000 in salary and benefits for the High School Resource Officer position. The school district will pick up the other half.

Councilman Richard Davis pointed out that the city is financially strapped and needs to make cuts, but new Police Chief Steve Almon argued that the deal would save money.

“We can get one-half funding and spend a good bit if time up there (at the high school),” he said, “or we can spend a good bit of time up there and get nothing from the school district.”

Help plan your schools

Coupeville School Board is looking for community members interested in serving on the new Coupeville Cocurricular Committee, which will review district-sponsored activities and recommend long-range activities plans.

Anyone interested in working on the committee should contact superintendent Suzanne Bond, sbond@coupe.wednet.edu or 2 South Main, Coupeville, 98239. Include your name, address, phone number and e-mail in your letter, as well as which group you would represent on the committee and a written response (200 words maximum) to the question, “What do you think is the most important ‘thing’ a student gains from participating in school-sponsored activities?”

The Cocurricular Committee will meet on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 678-4522.