vashon-maury island beachcomber, december 11, 2013
DESCRIPTION
December 11, 2013 edition of the Vashon-Maury Island BeachcomberTRANSCRIPT
BEACHCOMBERVASHON-MAURY ISLAND
NEWS | Change expected at island convenience store. [4]COMMENTARY | Rising to the challenge at K2. [6]SPORTS | Basketball andwrestling kick off the season. [15]
75¢WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2013 Vol. 58, No. 50 www.vashonbeachcomber.com
SANTA LANDS ON VASHONThe holiday tradition
comes to life again.Page 14
TAKING FLIGHTAcrobatic Conundrum tells
a heart-stopping story.Page 13
A WINTER SCENE ON FISHER POND
Natalie Martin/Staff Photo
Leah Mann and Ela Lamblin, founders of Lelavision, rehearse the group’s latest show.
By ELIZABETH SHEPHERDFor The Beachcomber
It isn’t unusual to hear the twang of guitars or throbbing of drums from a backwoods studio or garage on Vashon. But the music that emanates from Ela Lamblin and Leah Mann’s studio, at the end of long dirt road in Burton, sounds like none other.
Approaching the studio through the woods on a recent November day, a visitor stepped around heaps of scrap metal surrounding the stu-dio and heard low, didgeridoo-like rumblings, odd-sounding percussive slaps, the heavenly plinking of an oth-
erworldly harp and dulcet harmonies sung in an unrecognizable language.
Inside, it turned out, a rehears-al was under way for Lamblin and Mann’s latest and most ambitious production, “Lelavision’s Heavy Metal DëVices,” a show named for almost two dozen musical contrap-tions and set pieces Lamblin has fash-ioned from scratch.
The production features an ensem-ble of eight performers — most of whom are from Vashon — and is set to play twice at the Moore Theatre in
Spinning and plucking, an island show heads to Seattle
Group addressing teen substance use continues struggle with VYFSBy NATALIE MARTINStaff Writer
The volunteer group working to tackle teen substance abuse on Vashon is again in conflict with Vashon Youth & Family Services, and this time the dispute is leading some to worry that the VYFS PlaySpace is at risk.
The two groups met Monday eve-ning with state and county officials — after The Beachcomber’s press deadline — to try to reach an agree-ment and end a conflict that has involved attorneys as well as Vashon’s
state senator.“We’re doing everything we can to
make sure we can stabilize the grant on the island,” said VYFS Director Kathleen Johnson.
The conflict stems from how the Vashon Alliance to Reduce Substance Abuse (VARSA) and VYFS, its fis-cal sponsor, use a large grant the two groups garnered last year to help address the island’s higher-than-aver-age rates of teen drinking and drug use.
SEE LELAVISION, 19
SEE VARSA, 20
As temperatures dipped below freezing last week, Fisher Pond transformed into a frozen playground. Hundreds of islanders ventured out on the ice on Saturday and Sunday to skate, pull children on sleds, hit hockey pucks or simply shuffle around and take in the scene. And as happens every few years when the pond off Bank Road freezes over, about 50 pairs of ice skates appeared, a range of sizes and styles to be borrowed by anyone wishing to try their luck on the ice. Though the skates have become something of Vashon lore, they actually spend the years between big freezes in the attic of Linda Peterson, a retired Chautauqua teacher, and her husband Gary. Linda said the tradi-tion began decades ago when she and Gary, a Minnesota native and avid skater, raised their own children to skate. The couple began to accumulate a variety of ice skates to fit their growing children’s feet, started picking up some for their kids’ friends as well and by the late 1980s were providing skates for whomever showed up at the pond.Their children are now grown and have moved away, but the Petersons continue to collect skates from second-hand shops to maintain their collection. And when the temperature drops, Gary is usually one of the first out on the ice, drilling holes to test if it’s safe for skaters.This year, Linda said, she enjoyed seeing a father ice skate with his son for the first time. “Those are the kinds of things that make it all worthwhile,” she said. “It’s kind of a magical thing to happen on Vashon.”
Top and bottom left photo by Jeff Dunnicliff, bottom right photo by Natalie Martin
Page 2 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island BeachcomberW
inderm
ere Re
al Es
tate/
Vash
on-M
aury
Islan
d, LL
C.
Beth de Groen
463-9148 x206
Linda Bianchi
206/ 947-1763
Heather Brynn
206/ 979-4192
Cheryl Dalton
206/ 714-7281
Dick Bianchi
206/ 714-3544
Sue Carette
206/ 351-7772
Connie Cunningham
206/ 853-5517
JR Crawford
206/ 954-9959
hM
asho
n-M
asho
nM
aaMMM
www.WindermereVashon.com
PO Box 1867 - 17233 Vashon Hwy SW
wwwWWiinnddeerrmmeerreeVVaasshhoonn com
avashon@@windermere com
BB thhh ddd GGG CChhh lll DD llltii CC ii hhhJJRR CC fff dddSS CC ttHH thhh BBLLii dd BBii hhiiDDii kkk BBii hhhii
call: 206/463-9148
Vacant
Land
For
Sale
Vacant
LandLa
For F
SaleS
Peaceful, private estate on
10 acres. Sumptuous master suite, gourmet
kit w/butler’s pantry. 2970sf w/detach garage.
MLS#541570 $675,000
Historic Mileta Farm. Lovely home
on 6.4 acres, 260’ wft w/guest house, barn,
tennis court & adjoining 2 acres w/2 bd home.
MLS#553445 $1,750,000
Historic Dutch Colonial estate on 115’ of sunny, sandy waterfront.
1.68 acres, huge carriage house, stable.
MLS#467862 $1,900,000
Welcome to the beach! Low bank
waterfront, w/spectacular views of Mt Rainier,
& Sound. Walls of windows, open floor plan.
MLS#529329 $685,000
Two Homes on south facing waterfront.
Main house has commanding views of Mt Rain-
ier & Sound. Charming cottage at water’s edge.
MLS#527659 $698,000
Northend mid-century home
on sunny shy acre. Stylish, practical & efficient.
Open floor plan, bonus rm & Noguchi Chandelier!
MLS#531386 $275,000
Westside Waterfront Picturesque
NW Contemp on 60’ wft. 2 bdrm including
basement. Cork & slate floors, fir trim & doors.
MLS#500096 $399,000
Contemporary on acreage.Fabulous 4 bedrm on 5 acres near town.
Attractive interior, hardwood floors, sunroom.
MLS#563335 $525,000
13.5 acres - north end Slopping topography provides
views of Sound & Olympics.
#425097 $275,000
400’ Wft & 4.13 Acres King County approved septic
design. Home designs available
#33417 $410,000
Commercial Properties
Prime location with 60’ frontage.
Currently a laundrymat & dry cleaners, busi-
ness included. Rare off-street parking for 5 cars.
MLS#490344 $295,000
139’ frontage at south entrance to
town. Main bldg, 3000 sqft, other bldgs. Owner
contract. Bus/equip not incl, but available.
MLS#447272 $851,000
Sweeping views of Sound,
Tacoma & Mt Rainier. 0.72 acre in
neighborhood of quality homes.
#400316 $190,000
Mt Rainier view lot. of Includes watershare, and power
on property. Sunny shy 1/3 acre.
#516716 $96,000
Vashon Island
For information on all the studios visit: www.VashonIslandArtStudioTour.com
Don’t miss the last weekend of the annual Art Studio Tour!
DECEMBER 14TH & 15TH
10AM TO 4PM
D 1144 & 1155
Holiday 2012
Sunlit beach, remodeled home, beauty
& relaxation. Wall of windows to Mt Rainier &
Sound views. Enjoy sunrise to sunset on 50’ wft.
MLS#542933 $549,000
North End Rambler. Delight-
ful 3 bdrm, plus extra 200 sf room. Large
beautifully landscaped yard w/outbldgs.
MLS#558687 $350,000
Wind
ermere
Real
Estat
e/Va
shon
-Mau
ry Is
land,
LLC.
Rose Edgecombe
206/ 930-3670
Nancy Davidson
206/ 406-2952
Sophia Stendahl
206/ 992-4636
Deborah Teagardin
206/ 819-2700
Kathleen Rindge
463-9148x211
Paul Helsby
463-9148x215
Denise Katz
206/ 390-9149
Julie Hempton
360-460-8080
bbb hhh TT dddiiS hhhii SSt ddd hhhlllK thhhlll RRii dddDD ii KK tJJ lllii HH tPP lll HH lll bbbR EEddd bbbN DD iiddd
Denise
Katz
Managing Broker
Nancy
Davidson
Broker206/406-2952
Need space for a hobby or home business w/sep entrance? This is it!
Conveniently located 1.2 acres. Surprisingly spacious, solidly built
3 bdr/3 bth w/lrg family room, 2-car garage. #529707 $393,000
Spacious &Convenient
SOLDSOLD
JR
Crawford
Certified Residential Specialist
Enjoy, relax or entertain...on 50’ of dreamy Inner
Quartermaster waterfront, complete with waterside studio/
office. Exceptional indoor/outdoor spaces. #530288 $649,000
Beth
de Groen
Designated Broker
206/463-9148 x206
Great bones in this vintage view home! Fir floors upstairs
and down stairs in this four-bedroom, one-bath home
overlooking the inner harbor. Nicely landscaped,
apple trees, shrubs, and perennials, with plenty
of room to garden more. Constructed largely with clear fir.
Bring a little TLC & a rocking chair for the porch. MLS #457817
List Price $269,000Vintage View home
Stunning contemporary, updated w/high-end materials. Sunny,
park-like setting, views of Sound, Mt Baker & city. Open floor
plan w/vaulted ceilings. Detached garage w/studio. $575,000
North End view Contemporary
SOLDSOLD
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 3
Patty’s TamalesAKA “PATTY CAKES”
Now taking orders for Tamales for all of your
holiday occasionsAvailable by the dozen
Visit my booth at Vashon Farmers Market now through Dec 14th
Patty Cakes Catering & Cakes
All Occasion Catering and Cakes(206) 249-3152
The Beachcomber offi ce will be closed Tuesday & Wednesday,
December 24th and 25thEditorial & Advertising deadline for the 12/25 issue is
Wednesday, Dec. 18th at 1:00 pm
Due to the holiday we go to press 3 days earlier than usual.
The only licensed Escrow officeon Vashon Island since 1979.
Purchase & Sales Refinancing We Buy Notes
Discounts to Repeat Clients (some restrictions apply)
Patrick CunninghamCo-Owner/Designated Escrow Officer
•Island Escrow ServiceIsland Escrow Service
– Convenience Without Compromise –
Dayna MullerCo-Owner/Escrow Officer
463-3137www.islandescrow.net (206) 463-3137
Purchase & Sales Refinancing Notary Statewide Services
Housing authority purchases local low-income apartment complexBy SUSAN RIEMERStaff Writer
The Vashon Terrace apartments, an apartment building that serves low-income families, has been purchased by the King County Housing Authority (KCHA), ensuring that it will continue to serve islanders in need.
The apartment building is a 16-unit complex that was built as affordable hous-ing in 1978 and since then has been part of the federal Section 8 program, which pro-vides rent subsidies to those who qualify, said Rhonda Rosenberg, a spokeswoman for the housing authority. The owners of the property, who prefer not to be named, owned nine such complexes around the Puget Sound region, including three oth-ers in King County. They put them all on the market early this year as part of an “all or none” sale, Rosenberg said, and KCHA stepped in at that time to maintain the housing for local-income use.
This is good news for Vashon, said Chris Szala, the executive director of Vashon HouseHold, an island nonprofit that pro-vides affordable housing but is not involved with the purchase.
“I think it is fantastic that the housing authority was able to pick it up,” he said. “Anytime we can keep any affordable hous-ing on the island is just key and crucial to so many people here.”
In particular, Szala said, there is a large need for affordable apartments on the
island. Currently at the Vashon Terrace apart-
ments, situated just behind the Vashon Library, there are 14 children and nine families who each have a member with spe-cial needs. The average household income there is about $14,000. All the families will remain as tenants, Rosenberg said.
Throughout King County, the demand for low-income housing far exceeds what’s available, Rosenberg said, and there are virtually no market-rate rental units affordable to families earning 30 percent of the area’s median income, or $23,400 for a family of three.
King County has also provided $1 million for needed repairs and upgrades to the apart-ments in its jurisdiction, including Vashon Terrace.
Al Davis, a business representative for the former owners of Vashon Terrace, listed as the Vashon Terrace Associates, said they had received additional offers on their prop-erties but were pleased to sell the buildings to the housing authority.
“King County matched their person-al values,” Davis said. “Everyone is very pleased. The whole process was a really good process.”
The combined purchase price for the nine properties was $28.7 million. The housing authority is acting as the lead purchaser on behalf of four local housing authorities to preserve the apartments. All the properties will continue to be managed by Westwood Management in Redmond.
Page 4 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Bates isat Jannetty’s!
London-trained Hair and Color Stylist
Susan Batesis cutting hair at
Jannetty’sLanding Building, Vashon
For Appointment call
206-679-9042
The Country StoreAND Gardens•
The Country Store and Gardens20211 Vashon Hwy SW • 206-463-3655
www.countrystoreandgardens.com
The Shipping Room is open for all of your holiday packaging
and shipping needs!
Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/countrystoreandgardens.com Store Hours: Mon thru Sat 9:30 to 5:30 – Sun 10-4
Shipping Hours: Mon thru Sat 9:30-5:00
• Domestic and Worldwide Authorized Shipping Center for FedEx, UPS, USPS.
• Shipping Supplies• Gift Wrapping• Service with a smile!• Shipping tip – please do NOT wrap
your boxes in paper.
FREE Teeth WhiteningFor Life!*
JIM CUNNINGTON, DDS 19001 Vashon Highway SW, Suite 100 (Courthouse Square)
463.9115www.dentalcareofvashon.com
We are preferred providersfor most insurances.
• Crowns, fi llings, bridges, dentures & dental implants• Sedation dentistry• Root canals• Oral surgery with IV sedation• Snoring & sleep disorders
GENERAL & SPECIALIZED CARE:
*With initial exam, x-rays and cleaning. Must comply with minimal required dental treatment. For safe teeth whitening, some restrictions may apply. Age 16 or older.
Mention this ad and receive $2.00 off any hair cut or procedure when
you bring in a new unwrapped gift (or a $5 cash donation) for the
Vashon Kiwanis Toy Drive (good thru Dec. 19th).
FIRST COMEFIRST SERVED!
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Barber & Beauty Shoppe
Parker Plaza, Vashon • 463-7212
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Red BicycleBistro & Sushiin Downtown Vashon
WEEKLY LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
206.463.5959www.redbicyclebistro.com • 17618 Vashon Hwy SW, Vashon
All-ages ‘til 11pm, 21+ after that. Free cover!
Friday, December 13th, 8pm
RUMOR HAS IT
Island Yoga
Located in the Thriftway shopping center
Professional & Caring StaffServing Vashon Since 2003
463-2058Islandyogacenter.com
By SUSAN RIEMERStaff Writer
Mom’s Deli and Grocery, a convenience store consid-ered to be a hot spot for illegal activity, changed hands this summer, and the new owner says he wants to improve the situation there.
“My hope is that it will be a good store that is profitable for me so I can provide a good quality store for the neighbors,” said Eugene Kim, who has owned the business since July.
A recent report from the King County Sheriff ’s Office included three crimes at the convenience store and gas sta-tion in the span of a week: a controlled substance violation, shoplifting reported by a clerk and another clerk allowing a minor to take beer from the store without paying.
King County Sheriff ’s deputy Jeff Hancock, who respond-ed to two of the incidents, called Mom’s “a little sliver of White Center that is on Vashon.”
It is well known on the island that minors can obtain alco-hol there, Hancock said, and that it is a safe place to use drugs.
“It’s a friendly place to shoot up dope,” he added. On Nov. 23, Hancock arrested a Mom’s employee, John
Cronin, 52, for providing beer to a minor. While he could have simply cited Cronin, Hancock said he arrested him because of his track record. Cronin spent two days in jail and has been charged with providing alcohol to a minor. He no longer works at the store, according to Kim.
Charlie Akers, a spokesman for the sheriff ’s office, said a report on the incident indicates that an 18-year-old girl stole beer from Mom’s. She later told Hancock that she has done so with Cronin’s assistance more than 20 times and that
other minors have done so as well. In turn, they paid him $20, which Cronin allegedly kept.
Three reports of illegal activity at the convenience store and gas station came as no surprise to Hancock, who said deputies frequently park in the lot to maintain a presence there. In fact, he said, additional arrests could easily be made at the business.
“There would be more arrests if we had more time to spend there,” he said.
The good news, Hancock said, is that Kim, the new store owner, has been extremely cooperative and does not want this type of activity at his business. Kim has requested assis-tance from the sheriff ’s office and has met twice with rep-
resentatives from the Vashon Alliance to Reduce Substance Abuse (VARSA).
Lee Ockinga, a VARSA coalition member, said she and other VARSA representatives have talked with Kim and have discussed various ideas, ranging from adding a juice bar to opening up the cafe space to groups for gatherings.
Kim, however, said he feels it is too early to discuss pos-sibilities publicly, though he noted he wants to work with the community. VARSA members are willing help Kim write a business plan if it would be beneficial, Ockinga said, and she noted VARSA may even be able to provide some grant money because one of their grants covers environmental changes to reduce substance abuse.
“Cleaning up a hot spot addresses an environmental issue,” Ockinga said.
She noted that two years ago, VARSA volunteers kept an eye on island hot spots, including Mom’s, and the activity spotted there contributed to VARSA’s role now, she said.
Kim lives in Ravensdale, Wash., a town east of Maple Valley, and owns a convenience store there as well. He was looking to purchase an additional store when Mom’s became available, he said, and he took ownership July 23. Kim says he comes to the store at least five days a week.
Hancock, who represents the sheriff ’s office on the VARSA board, said that with Kim hoping to make changes and VARSA’s assistance, he is optimistic that the new direc-tion the business is moving will reduce crime on the island as a whole and he expects more people will feel comfortable shopping there.
“I think Mom’s is going to be a place everyone on Vashon can go to in a real short while,” he said.
New owner hopes to clean up the act at local convenience store
Susan Riemer/Staff Photo
Changes are likely at Mom’s in the coming months.
www.vashonbeachcomber.com * 24/7 on the web
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 5
Did you know?Having pretty teeth is good for you. Multiple studies have shown that an attractive smile boosts confidence, self-esteem and improves quality of life. Many people who are embarrassed by the appearance of their teeth try to hide them by not smiling which can have social and physical consequences. Luckily, there are many simple ways to improve the appearance of teeth. First of all, take pride in your teeth by improving your homecare. By brushing and flossing regularly, you can remove stain which darkens the teeth and improve gum health. Many people are unhappy with the appearance of their teeth because of unhealthy gums. Over the counter and professional bleaching products are safe and effective over time. Bleaching can cause reversible sensitivity but does not damage the enamel. For many people, simply repairing a chipped or worn tooth with a bonded filling can restore symmetry to the face and drastically improve aesthetics.
Tooth TalkTips for maintaining a healthy smile
with Dr. Langland
Marc O. Langland, DDS
(206) 463-9282www.VashonIslandDental.com
Physical Address: 17425 Vashon Hwy SW
Mailing Address: PO Box 673, Vashon Island WA 98070 Dr. Langland
Green GingerChinese Cuisine
Monday – Saturday11 am – 9 pm
Sunday – 12 pm – 9 pmBook your Holiday Party today!
beer & wine
463-77889851 SW Bank Road, Vashon
Green GingerCoupon
Holiday Special
20% offWith Coupon Only
Drinks not included. Limit one coupon per order.
Expires: 12/31/13
Lunch • Dinner • Take-Out
Friday, December 6 • North End • 6-8pm➙ Cove Rd ➙ Westside Hwy ➙ Cedarhurst Rd
➙ Vashon Hwy ➙ Vashon Heights ➙ VCC (Stage)
➙ Dilworth Loop
Friday, December 13thTahlequah • 6-8pmSW Bank Rd ➙ Thorsen Rd ➙ Westside Hwy
➙ Wax Orchard ➙ Vashon Hwy ➙ Tahlequah Station
Friday, December 20 • Dockton • 6-8pmQuarter Master Dr ➙ Dockton Rd ➙
➙ SW Point Robinson ➙ Gold Beach ➙
➙ Dockton Station
Saturday, December 7 • 5-7pmWinterfest: Parade & Tree LightingBank Rd ➙ Beal Rd ➙ SW 184th ➙ Ridge Rd
➙ Fir Ridge ➙ Ellisport ➙ Vashon Hwy
Saturday, December 14 • Burton • 5-7pmVashon Hwy ➙ SW 204th ➙ Old Military Rd
➙ SW232 ST ➙ 107 Ave SW ➙ Burton Station (Stage)
➙ Burton Loop ➙ SW 250th Way
Would you like Santa to stop?Stand out by the road – shine
a light and wave…
Santa Engine & Food Drive SchedulePhoto by Deb Paulsen 2007
Getting chilly? We fix furnaces. Heat pumps too!
463-1777 www.VashonHeating.com
WA Lic #VASHOHC8917F and #VASHOHC891PF
...an energy management team
Test Prep • Listening & Reading • Academic Writing • Note Taking• Self-Advocating
Impr
ove O
rgan
izatio
n • Se
lf-Ad
voca
ting •
Plan
ning Scholarship Skills • Note-Taking • Planning • W
ork
Planning • Work Ethic • Good Student Skills • Prioritizing • Test Taking • Listening
Learn How to LearnLearn How to Manage School
Fourth Grade - College Level
Devon Atkins 206-353-9227
Augie’s U-Cut Christmas Trees
All Trees $15–$40(we don’t charge by the foot)
11003 SW Bank Road(206) 384-6318Open Everyday!
Many at meeting say they oppose schedule changeBy NATALIE MARTINStaff Writer
Nearly 100 islanders showed up at a Washington State Ferries meeting last week, largely to express concern over a state proposal to rewrite the north-end ferry schedule.
The state announced in September that it will add a larger ferry to the north-end triangle route next fall and at the same time eliminate some runs throughout the day, adding more space between the remaining runs. The new boat configuration and sail-ing schedule, officials say, will allow the ferries to carry the same number of cars or more throughout the day while more easily keeping to the schedule on a route that has become known for frequently falling behind.
“We want to do something that improves the schedule and increases capacity,” said WSF director David Moseley at the meet-ing on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at McMurray
Middle SchoolWhile public comments at the meeting
— one of the ferry systems biannual com-munity meetings — ran the gamut, many islanders said they were concerned the new schedule would be less convenient and result in longer waits at the dock.
“If you do the schedule you’re looking at now, the line is going to be backed up to Morgan Junction,” said Trudy Rosemarin.
Many who commented suggested the state could accomplish the same thing by making changes at the Fauntleroy ferry dock. Loading and unloading, they sug-gested, could be done faster if there were a state patrol cadet directing traffic again at the end of the dock and if cars could be processed more quickly through the toll booths. Some also noted their frustration when the ferry leaves on time but with cars waiting at the dock and room on board, and several people said they were worried about safety at Fauntleroy as offloading cars entered busy traffic on Fauntleroy Way without direction from a cadet.
Moseley and WSF Planning Director Ray Deardorf defended the schedule rewrite,
saying the current schedule has been prob-lematic for years and the change made sense as the new boat — which will also take more time to load and unload — is added to the route.
However, in what some ferry service advocates called a welcome turn, the state officials said they would plan to maintain the current schedule during peak com-mute times and only cut runs during non-commute hours.
“There will be a lot more options we look at between now and April,” Moseley said, referencing when the state plans to pres-ent a proposed schedule. Many islanders have seen draft schedules leaked by ferry advocates that show a complete schedule overhaul, something Moseley said at the meeting is now off the table.
And while the ferry representatives noted some factors at Fauntleroy are out of the state’s control — such as the state patrol’s de-funding of the cadet that directed traffic and the Metro bus stop located at the busy intersection — WSF would work to find some solutions.
Moseley said he would look for state
funding to replace the cadet, a cost of about $320,000 a year, and to add more staff to process cars at the dock, a cost of about $150,000 a year.
“We know that we heard from the com-munity … that looking at ways to make the Fauntleroy dock work better is important to commuters and important to users of this route,” Moseley said. “We hope we can achieve some success in the budget coming up for 2014.”
Greg Beardsley, the chair of Vashon’s Ferry Advisory Committee who has fought against the schedule change, said he still believes the state should make changes at Fauntleroy before proposing a different schedule, but he also was pleased with what he called an apparent “change of heart” on behalf of ferry officials, who in the past have not seemed as open to examining problems at the dock, he said.
“We’ve been talking about fixing Fauntleroy for a great number of years and not much has happened,” he said. “I don’t blame David (Moseley) completely. He hasn’t been given the tools and money to do a lot of things.”
Officials tell concerned ferry riders they’ll look to remedy situation at Fauntleroy
Write to us: The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber welcomes community comment. Please submit letters — e-mail is preferred — by noon Friday for consideration in the following week’s paper. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Only one letter from a writer per month, please.
All letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and libel considerations. We try to print all letters but make no promises. Letters attacking individuals, as well as anonymous letters, will not be published.
Our e-mail address is [email protected].
Page 6 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
EDITORIAL
Last week on Vashon we saw the public process work well. Officials from Washington State Ferries, after hearing wide concerns about the rewrite of the north-end ferry schedule, seemingly changed their tune. What before sounded like a proposed overhaul of the schedule now sounds more like a partial rewrite. And WSF representatives also vowed to look at other ways to make the boats run on time.
Will the state “fix Fauntleroy first,” as some have demand-ed? We’re not holding our breath. Will it propose a new sched-ule that islanders are happy with? Doubtful — many just want the schedule to remain as is. But the head of the ferry system sounded sincere when he told a crowd of islanders at a public meeting last week that he understood their complaints and that his staff would look at all of their options. And he said WSF would plan to only cut runs during non-peak times, something that should come as a relief to commuters.
The change in tune is thanks in part to a small group of local ferry advocates who cried foul when WSF first announced the north-end schedule change. Next year one of Vashon’s smaller ferries will be replaced with a larger one, giving the route greater overall vehicle capacity. Ferry officials say the boat swap will be a good time to add space between sailings on a route known for falling behind sched-ule easily. As the process began, they said some amount of runs would be cut each day and the remaining runs would be spaced out accordingly.
Vashon’s ferry advocates, however, were quick to point out a multitude of other issues on the route besides its tightly written schedule. Without a police officer directing traffic at Fauntleroy, it takes much longer to unload the boats. Cars could be processed through the tollbooths more efficiently. And ferries often pull away with space onboard and cars waiting on the dock, simply in order to leave on time. Many riders, they pointed out, would rather deal with delays than be left at the dock or see a schedule with fewer sailings. To top it off, these ferry advocates leaked a couple of the state’s draft schedules that would definitely not appeal to commuters.
In true Vashon style, islanders began making noise about the schedule change. And at last week’s meeting, they packed the house, with many standing up to voice their concerns. The head of the ferries did not promise to “Fix Fauntleroy First,” as a large banner put up at the meeting read, but he did say he will try hard to find funding to help the situation. He also said the draft schedules that many have seen are now off the table, and the rewrite team will work to find options that won’t cause longer lines.
We understand why WSF insists the north-end sched-ule should be rewritten. We also think some changes at Fauntleroy would go far to alleviate problems, and we’re seeing officials begin to agree. We hope we can get on board with their final proposal.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORCell phonesLoud conversations don’t belong on ferries or planes
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced recently that the use of cell phones during flight is being considered. The best evidence of that being a really bad idea was noted by those of us on a 5 p.m. Fauntleroy boat last week.
A man boarded and seated himself up top, deciding to call a friend. In a very loud voice he proceeded to update the friend on his health, including a blow-by-blow account of his recent colonoscopy in exquisite detail, from initial preparation to the final passage of flatus allowing him to consume a hearty breakfast the next morning!
— Nodie Sullivan
Islanders have been heard in ferry schedule rewrite
STAFFPUBLISHER: Daralyn Anderson [email protected] COORDINATOR: Patricia Seaman [email protected]: Chris Austin [email protected]: Natalie Martin [email protected] [email protected]: Susan Riemer [email protected] Juli Goetz Morser [email protected] [email protected] Sarah Low [email protected] Sports [email protected]/MARKETING/DESIGN PRODUCTIONMARKETING REPRESENTATIVE: Deborah Brown [email protected] [email protected] DESIGNERS: Nance Scott, Linda Henley, Dennis Clouse [email protected]
OPINIONVashon-Maury
IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT & SUBSCRIPTION RATESVashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, 17141 Vashon Hwy SW, Suite B, Vashon, WA 98070; (USPS N0. 657-060) is published every Wednesday by Sound Publishing Inc.; Corporate Headquarters: 19351 8th Avenue NE, Suite 106, Poulsbo, WA 98370-8710. (Please do not send press releases to this address.)
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $30 on Island motor route delivery, one year; $57 two years; Off Island, continental U.S., $57 a year and $30 for 6 months. Periodical postage paid at Vashon, Washington. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Beachcomber P.O. Box 447, Vashon Island, WA 98070.
Copyright 2013 © Sound Publishing Inc.
Published each Wednesday.17141 Vashon Hwy SW, Suite B
Vashon Island, WA 98070www.vashonbeachcomber.com
Adminstration, Advertising & Circulation:(206) 463-9195 • Fax (206) 673-8288
Classified Advertising: (800) 388-2527 [email protected]
(206) 463-9195Fax (206) 673-8288
We can do better than pot at the K2 buildingIt’s been a while since I’ve writ-
ten, dear reader, but last week’s front pager about a new plan for K2 got me sort of worked up. I had several simultaneous reactions:
1. Seriously? A Redmond guy growing legal pot? That’s all we got?
2. Ha! Well that will cement our reputation.
3. What’s the message here?4. Why can’t we figure out what
to do with K2?Operating premise disclosure:
I say “we” because I think the fate of K2 is ours to decide. It’s the 160,000-square-foot elephant in the room. We’ll define ourselves by it, or it will define us.
Much has been written about this particularly blatant unused resource in our midst. Major development visions have been articulated, good will (and money) spent, proposals have been floated, pitches made, environmental concerns voiced, hands wrung. I salute Jack, Dick, Truman, Emma and the myriad others who’ve put boatloads of work into trying to make sense of the K2 Complexity Conundrum.
Is the fact that we haven’t, as a community, come up with a workable plan simply another indication of our individualistic un-governability?
My immediate thought was: If there’s anything that might galva-nize us to get off our iconoclastic, leave-me-alone-on-my-5-acres duffs and produce the collabora-tive willingness to finally make beneficial use of K2, it’s the image of off-island Doobie Brothers capi-talizing on legal weed in our K2.
I don’t particularly want to step into the marijuana legalization issue, because frankly, it’s a moot point. I do remember that my
grandfather thought mari-juana “led to cocaine and LSU.”
OK, I will say that legal-ization might be a great idea, might
save billions and reduce crime, and it might increase meaningless conversations, bad art, Doritos-binging and delusional epiphanies.
I know I don’t want to implic-itly encourage its use to our kids. But that’s an issue to grapple with apart from how that building gets used, right alongside the need to love and mentor and be there for our kids, and each other, in these whacked-out times. It’s been a tough year on Vashon, and it’s time some serious community wisdom emerges.
My concern here, dear reader, is the use of K2, and what we’re saying as a community by what we decide to have happen there, or don’t. If we had a town square, you could walk around it and hear all the opinions. A town square ... huh.
If aliens came down to assimi-late our culture, they would see it as a deal-breaking moral flaw that we couldn’t figure out how to create something of value there. They would think we were ston-ers, and they would move on to Bainbridge, which, if it had a K2, would be growing truffles.
Let me lay my cards out: I see the same thing others have seen: a community center, play spaces, a teen center, a conference center, an
incubator for local, sustainability- oriented businesses, a gathering space for the brain trust that is this island.
But I also see a place that could serve as our calling card, and our service, to the world. No really, I mean it. We have something very special here and a real opportu-nity to do it right, and we have a responsibility to show others how.
Of course this isn’t easy, of course a million plus is hard to come by, of course it’s a challenge to get diverse interests on this island to collaborate (ya think?).
What’s the major roadblock here? Lack of organization? Lack of capacity for organization? Preponderance of nay-saying? Fear of unknown environmental issues? Ghosts?
If Vashon doesn’t demonstrate the will and intelligence of a small community to bypass institutional ineptitude and social divisiveness in order to collectively empower a sustainable future, who will?
It’s been the chance of a lifetime for 10 years now, and that window may be closing. There are still folks working hard on this, taking new and interesting directions, building on the work of others. I’m not talk-ing about the Redmond guy.
Here’s my proposal: If you’re interested in talking about what’s possible, what’s happening, what’s missing and contributing in some way to making something of our choosing happen, join the conver-sation by “liking” facebook.com/K2vashon.
At some point in every golden opportunity, the moment comes when you choose. Or, you don’t. Who’s in?
— Kevin Joyce is a writer, humorist and father on Vashon.
ISLAND WAYSBy KEVIN JOYCE
LETTERS CONTINUE, NEXT PAGE
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 7
Letters accepted must be no more than 150 words and include a daytime phone number. Deadline for this section is noon on Friday. Letters in this section will run as submitted except in the cases of libel or profanity.
Seeds4Successvolunteers helped outA BIG thank you to the Seeds 4 Success crew for providing coff ee services at the Farmers Market during the summer. Their volunteers set up and served coff ee and lemonade and collected donations that went to support our Food Stamp EBT Match program. They were cheerful, helpful and really brightened the mornings of a lot of folks.Nan Wilson
Thanks for the Thanksgiving Help!The St. Vincent de Paul Society would like to thank Heather Brynn, Windermere Realty and the Vashon community for providing bountiful Thanksgiving baskets to some of our Vashon families. They were magnifi cent and greatly appreciated!Diane Kajca, St. Vincent de Paul Society
Many people helped during and after a fi re.We are very grateful to Vashon Island Fire & Rescue for their immediate response and work through the night to distinguish the barn fi re on Friday, November 22nd. We are humbled by the support of our friends and the community, especially Sarah George and her family - orga-nizing and providing work crews, the Rumburg, Jennings and Allison families - animal rescue and safe harbor, the Vashon Lacrosse club - clean-up and donations, and the kind unnamed community members who showed up with
shovels and rakes to pitch in! Your eff orts and kindness will not be forgotten.The Stendahl family
VIPP wreath sale was successful again!
On behalf of Vashon Island Pet Protectors I would like to thank the community for support-ing our annual Holiday Wreath Sale fundraiser. Each year our all volunteer crew craft holiday wreaths at the Land Trust Building the weekend after Thanksgiving. The money raised from this event helps with the growing cost of caring for our VIPP cats and dogs awaiting their forever home. Thank you so much for taking the time to buy a wreath or swag and supporting VIPP. When you are ready to adopt a dog or cat please go to vipp.org to fi nd a wonderful addi-tion to your family. Happy holidays and thank you again! Victoria Rohlfs , VIPP volunteer
Happy Holidays!
SUSAN LOFLAND, REALTOR©
GRI, SRES, ASP
(206) 999-6470
CA R I N G • C O M M I T T E D • C O N N E C T E D
susanlofl [email protected] JOHN L SCOTT VASHON 13401 VASHON HIGHWAY SW VASHON, WA 98070
During this holiday season, please join me in shopping with local businesses and giving generously to local island
organizations that make this community a better place for all islanders.
Happy Holidays!
– Susan
Marijuana Angst over marijuana on Vashon is hypocritical
I find the hand-wringing over growing marijuana on Vashon pathetically hypo-critical or, at best, terribly misinformed. We welcome wineries, beer breweries and a distillery with front-page celebrations, despite the fact that alcohol causes carnage on our highways, lingering deaths due to liver failure and untold numbers of domes-tic violence incidents. Have you ever heard of someone getting high and beating up their spouse? Ever heard of a high schooler dying of a pot overdose at a party?
Consider these statistics from the Centers for Disease Control. Annual deaths due to tobacco consumption: 443,000. Annual deaths attributed to alcohol consumption: 80,000. Annual deaths attributed to overdose of legal pharmaceutical products: 22,000. Annual deaths due to marijuana consumption: Zero. Yes, that’s right. Zero. In 2010, there were 10,228 highway deaths attributed to alcohol, one-third of the total. Marijuana? Zero.
As for the fears of violent crime associ-ated with legal marijuana growing? Or the fears of increasing marijuana con-sumption among teens? I found no solid evidence to support either fear, and the supposed impact of the unsupported allegations fail to even remotely approach the real-world carnage inflicted by alco-hol. If you have research-based evidence to refute what I’ve shown here, show us. I’ve been looking for five years; maybe I missed something. To me, the conclusion is devastatingly simple: We should wel-come pot growers to our island with the same level of interest, curiosity and con-
cern as we would welcome anyone from any industry. (Full disclosure: I’ve tried pot. I don’t like it.)
— Mark Nassutti
We could have a say in new pot operations, profits
The potential of growing legally sanc-tioned marijuana is a mixed bag for our community. Yes, seemingly usable com-mercial space is going to be put to use, some more shekels will trickle down into the community and we’ll get a kilo of new party jokes. That said, recent history of legally sanctioned growing operations in Puget Sound has a back story of additional crime — some of it violent.
I can see the K2 site resembling a cor-rections facility, with military grade razor wire fencing, high-intensity spotlights and armed private guards patrolling the area 24-7. And there will be some spillover crime. Do we really want to invite that here?
If enough of us want to make a deal with the devil, I’d like to suggest a green-tinged lining. Just like we have a legally defined cemetery district, airport district and a park district, I believe we should create a marijuana farming district with a firm set of environmental and security requirements along with an oversight board. In addition, I believe Vashon should assess a business and occupations tax of some sort on gross profits of the operation. A certain percentage of the col-lected tax should then go to the Vashon School District.
Something more than crime, agent commissions and THC needs to come out of this operation.
— Michael Elenko
Health careFranciscans, others worked well to provide local care
A note to praise our Vashon communi-ty, particularly the Vashon Health Center and our pharmacy. Our daughter Bria came home for Thanksgiving break from her senior year at college with a cough and fever and feeling really lousy.
Sunday morning we called the clinic, talked with a Franciscan nurse who did a good assessment on the phone and showed care and compassion as she spoke with Bria. The nurse contacted Dr. Gary Koch who was on call. We met him at the clinic soon after. Bria had pneumonia. We were so grateful there was a physician on call on a Sunday morning to see her. We headed to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. Bria was feeling pretty sick, waiting in the car.
When I walked up to the pharmacy, they let me know that Dr. Koch had called in the prescription already and it was waiting for us. I had forgotten my insur-ance card, and they gave me the prescrip-tions with a request that I drop by with the card when it was convenient. I know these things are good medicine that we have come to get routinely on our island. We were grateful not to have to go off island — the discomfort and costs would have been far greater.
We are so grateful for our commu-nity of health care providers. Thank you Vashon Health Center and our pharmacy and the Franciscan nurse service. It is nice to see Highline/Franciscan working so well together for patient care that is patient-centered. We are fortunate.
— Gina Anderson
Puget SoundOrca decline not due to commercial fishing
A remarkable trait among salmon is their ability to rebound from temporary environmental disasters. A severe flood or drought that disrupts their up- or down-stream migration may decimate one year’s run, but if spawning and forage habitat remain healthy, a recovery can occur in as little as one life cycle.
The degradation of the natural river and nearshore sound environment that salmon absolutely depend on, due to the relent-less development that’s turning the Puget Sound basin into one large metropolis, is another story. The only way our salmon runs could return to their former abun-dance is if we rezoned and restored the habitat that’s been lost.
To point the finger of blame for declin-ing Puget Sound orcas first at fishing, as did your Nov. 27 story, (“Off course on the road to recovery”) is a disingenuous way to avoid acknowledging the real yet very difficult solution. Salmon fishing in Washington has been carefully regulated now for many generations of salmon, but that focus, though at first it may have slowed the decline, has not stopped it, nor can it. Let’s not alleviate our concern, not just for whales but all the other animals with which we share this region, by aim-ing at an easy-to-identify but no longer culpable target. Instead, assuming our concern and will to find a solution are more than empty words, let’s see what can be done to reverse our displacement of that natural landscape.
— Richard Bard
LETTERS CONTINUE, NEXT PAGE
Page 8 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Live TreesDouglas Fir
Colorado SpruceFraser FirKorean FirTurkish Fir
Live and Fresh Cut
Best Trees on Vashon!Same great selection.
Come visit us at 18109 Vashon Hwy SW
Christmas Trees
Fresh Cut Trees
Nordman FirNoble FirGrand Fir
Douglas FirFraser Fir
Kevin BerginConstruction
463-6232
Open
Thanksgiving Day!
GreatGifts
6
Sale!Collectible
DollsLow Prices
Granny’s Atticat Vashon Health Center
463-3161Open: Tues, Thurs, and Sat, 10 to 5
Donations: 7 days a week 8am-4pm
10010 SW 210th St. – Sunrise Ridge
Sale!
Please Recycle
206-462-0911You are not alone.
Call24 hours
AgingMany reasons to be thankful for the care center
I recently read a letter here from Phoebe and Tom who live at Vashon Community Care (VCC) (“Residents are happy here,” Nov. 13). I agree with all they wrote to you, which inspired me to write too.
I have lived here at VCC for about three months now and believe this is a great place to be as you grow older.
First off, I have benefited from the ther-apy department: Bob, Kristy, Jane, Carrie and Kathy. They are a very professional team who lift my spirits daily as well helping me physically. Then the nursing staff are always on alert to keep me safe and well (I would love to name each one, but there are just too many). And the activities department really puts so much energy into keeping us happy and satis-fied and enjoying life. And I have to give kudos to Ben, the maintenance man. He
knows this building better than anyone, but he always has time for the residents too. And Dee the laundry lady is an angel who is so conscientious and good. And we even have our own “foot fairy.”
There’s the dietary and housekeeping who we couldn’t live without and many others who keep our lives balanced, and they put in lots of hours with all the paperwork.
At this time of year to give thanks, I am very thankful for my life at Vashon Community Care.
— Janet Doseff
Arts centerNew VAA building should be closer to town
Vashon Allied Arts should reconsider the location for the new Center for the Arts. When I go out to a show, I would prefer to park once, enjoy the shops and food in town and then walk leisurely to
a performance rather than hop back in the car and drive to a show. No one wants to be concerned about having that extra glass of wine. Locating the new center at Cemetery Road as planned would take away from this “do the town” experience.
On the other hand, a new center for the arts located in town would support both our growing arts community and island businesses, adding to the town’s vibrancy. Performance days would provide a natural boost to business. An arts center in town would be more sustainable and more con-venient overall.
Instead, the proposed location’s short-comings include:
1. People not going out before the show because of the park-your-car-twice issue.
2. Diners feeling rushed to pay the bill,
get to their car, drive and park again.3. Wasting time and fuel by driving to
town and then driving to the show.VAA should negotiate with the
Thriftway owners who recently purchased the acreage on 178th Street to lease or pur-chase some of this land for their new arts center. VAA should sell their property on Cemetery Road. With a location on 178th Street, art patrons could park at the arts center and walk to businesses or park near businesses and walk to the center. The costs associated with the buys and sells of property and the new permits for VAA is peanuts compared with the overall costs, while ensuring that the best location is chosen for the long term.
— Joe Curiel
www.vashonbeachcomber.com24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK
Mon-Fri 9:30-6 • Sat 9:30-5 • Sun 12-417321 Vashon Hwy SW
463-2200
QUALITY PET PRODUCTS
Happy Birthday to Mom!Win a prize if you can
name the president whenshe was born!
EarlyDeadlines
for the HolidaysThe Beachcomber
offi ce will be closed Tues., Dec. 24th
& Wed., Dec. 25th. • Advertising deadline for
the Dec. 25th issue Wed., December 18th at 1:00 pm.
• Editorial deadline for the Dec. 25th issue Wed., Dec.18th at 10:00 am.
463-9195
463-9195 [email protected] OR [email protected]
Who are you?Now’s your chance to tell the Island. Be a part of The Beachcomber’s Who’s Who Special Section!
Introduce yourself, tell us about you, yourevent or organization, tell us your story…
Call for ad rates & sizes.Ad Deadline: Jan. 11, 2014 • Publishes: January 23, 2014
Page 9 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
ONGOING
Kiwanis Toy Drive: In preparation for the holiday pop-up store for families in need, Kiwanis has set up donation boxes in prominent locations around town. Items needed are new, unwrapped clothes, games and toys for infants through age 18.
Library Fundraiser: The Friends of the Vashon Library are selling new and used books every day from the book sale shelf at the library. Paperbacks cost 50 cents and hardcovers cost $1. The money raised will help to fund speakers and other library programs.
WEDNESDAY • 11
Free Coffee and Pastry Drive - Through: For parents and staff of McMurray and Chautauqua schools. 7 to 9 a.m. at the Vashon Island Community Church parking lot on Cemetery Road, across from the school entrance.
Computer Club: This will be the holiday meeting and celebration for the club. Hot drinks will be provided, and attendees may bring a few cookies or other treats to share. There will also be a Q & A session to wrap up ongoing com-puter issues. These meetings are free and open to the public. 7:30 p.m. at the Vashon Senior Center.
What Teens Need to Know About Financial Aid: For high school students preparing for college, this presentation is offered
by the University of Washington Tacoma Office of Student Financial Aid. Learn how to navigate the process of funding post-secondary education. 6:30 p.m. at the Vashon High School library.
THURSDAY • 12
Health Insurance Sign-Up: County-trained island volunteers will be available to help with health insurance sign-up through the state exchange. This will be the last island volunteer-led assistance session for this year. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Vashon Senior Center.
Current Events Discussion: Bob Hallowell will facilitate group dis-cussion on international, national and local news topics. 2 to 4 p.m. at the Vashon Senior Center.
Birds of Vashon: Island naturalist and author Ed Swan will intro-duce his new edition of “Birds of Vashon.” There is no cost to attend, and the book will be available to order at the presentation. 7 to 9 p.m. at the Land Trust Building.
New Lecture Series: The Burton Community Church will begin a new lecture and discussion series titled “Consciousness and its Implications.” All are welcome to attend, and the lectures are free. This week’s topics will include zombies and self-consciousness. For more information, call Herb Reinelt at 981-1491. 4 to 6 p.m. in Lewis Hall, behind Burton Com-munity Church.
FRIDAY • 13
Story Time at the Vashon Bookshop: Alison Kennedy will read selections from her big bag of books for kids kindergarten age and younger, accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 463-2616. 11 to 11:30 a.m. at the Vashon Bookshop.
Movies and Popcorn: “Love Actually” follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various interrelated tales, all set in London a month before Christmas. 1 p.m. at the Vashon Senior Center.
Santa’s Cabin: Join Santa and Mrs. Claus for hot cocoa and photos with his white sled dogs.
Photos are free, sponsored by Eagle Log Cabins, Peace Pods International and Kimberly Stoves - Unforgettable Fire. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday; 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14 and 15, at the cabin next to Vashon Market.
SATURDAY • 14
Holiday Farmers Market: Winter produce, gifts, music from Adena Atkins and more will be in abun-dance at the final market of the year. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the old Island Variety space in IGA Plaza.
VIPP Adopt-a-Cat Day: Meet the cats available for adoption at the shelter or call 389-1085 for an appointment. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the VIPP shelter, 12200 SW 243rd Street, off of Old Mill Road.
Weekly Cribbage Tournament: Come and play nine friendly games against nine different players. Win cash prizes, make new friends and earn national ratings points. Visitors are welcome. Cost is $8 for visitors and $10 for members. See www.vashoncribbage.com for more information. 1 to 4 p.m. at the Vashon Eagles.
Holiday Art Studio Tour: More than 40 studios, shops and galler-ies representing over 150 artists will open their doors to visitors for the second weekend this month for the annual Holiday Art Studio Tour. Tour maps are available at most island businesses or online at www.VashonIslandArtStudioTour.com. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14 and 15.
Santa’s Cottage: Santa will be at his cottage from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Village Green.
SUNDAY • 15
Unitarian Service: All are wel-come to attend “Who Owns the Holiday?,” a pageant featuring a lighthearted court case between Paganism and Christmas. 9:45 a.m. at Vashon Island Unitarian Fel-lowship in Lewis Hall behind the Burton Community Church.
Burton Community Church Service: Guest minister Marilyn Marston, who served as the church’s interim minister from May
through October of 2011, will give a sermon titled “Blossoming Joy.” 11 a.m. at the Burton Community Church.
TUESDAY • 17
Holiday Sing-a-Long: All are welcome to attend this free, an-nual island holiday event. 6 p.m. at the Vashon Theatre.
UPCOMING
Zen Center: The Dharma talk evening service will include a newcomer orientation, meditation service and a discussion of “mind-fulness” by guest speaker Abbot Tryphon of the All Merciful Saviour Orthodox Monastery. 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, at the Puget Sound Zen Center, 20406 Chautauqua Beach Road.
Vashon Vespers: Now in its sec-ond year, this 35-minute service is rooted in the Christian contempla-tive tradition and is open to all. 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Church of the Holy Spirit.
A Child’s Christmas in Wales: This Drama Dock presentation of Dylan Thomas’ work will include a youth chorus, adult vocal en-semble and a harpist. There will be six performances from Friday, Dec. 20 to Thursday, Dec. 26. Tickets cost $10 for Drama Dock or VAA members, students and seniors, or $15 general admission and can be purchased at the Heron’s Nest or www.VashonAlliedArts.org. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20, 21, 23 and 26; 3 p.m. Dec. 22 and 24, at the Blue Heron.
Vashon Solstice: All are welcome to attend this second annual, all-ages event. Dress warmly and bring a dessert to share to this performance/party/community ritual. Tickets cost $15 per person or $30 per family and can be pur-chased in advance at www.brown-
papertickets.org. There will be a limited number of tickets available at the door. 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Open Space for Arts & Community.
Winterdance: This eighth annual Celtic Christmas celebration will present an afternoon of music, song and dance associated with the festive season. The perfor-mance will include Christmas songs both old and new, all played with a Celtic twist by the group Molly’s Revenge with guest vocal-ist Christa Burch and dancers from the Murray School of Irish Dance. Tickets cost $20 in advance at www.brownpapertickets.org or $22 at the door. 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at Bethel Church.
CLASSES
Overcoming Obesity and Food Addiction: Laura Wishik, sponsored by Shape Up Vashon, will help you prepare to have fun over the holidays without gaining weight, and learn from her success to maintain healthy lifestyle hab-its. Wishik lost 90 pounds in less than a year without surgery, drugs or harming her health, and she wants to share the tools and tips she’s discovered. Plan for a pos-sible weight management group to start in January. All are welcome and the class is free. 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the J.T. Sheffield Building of Vashon Col-lege, 18850 103rd Avenue SW.
Ceramics: Steve Roach of Aruba Potteries will lead a class in mak-ing small tiles and sculptures for Christmas gifts. 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at the Vashon Senior Center.
Holiday Centerpiece Class: Learn how to make a tradi-tional centerpiece with candles or Morimono style. Cost is $65. 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, in the Bloomroom at Blooms & Things.
Craft Distilling Workshop: Billed as “The perfect gift for the loca-vore on your list,” Seattle Distilling Company is offering this workshop to be led by master distiller Paco Joyce and master brewer Ishan Dillon. Attendees will explore the history, philosophy and process behind craft distilling, and will receive an in depth tour of the dis-tillery. Hands-on experience, local spirit tasting, appetizers, cocktails and a goody bag stuffed with cocktail recipes, chocolate truffles and a T-shirt are included in the program. Cost is $100 and space is limited to 10 people. To register, go to www.squareup.com/market/seattle-distilling-company/craft-distilling-workshop. 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, January 19, at Seattle Distilling Company, 19429 Vashon Highway.
Courtesy Photo
Brian Brenno will lead a hands-on ornament making class at his studio, where attendees can enjoy wine and cheese while they create. Cost is $50 for Vashon Allied Arts members, $65 for non-members and a materials fee of $20 for everyone. To register, go to www.vashonalliedarts.org. 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at Brian Brenno’s studio, 9850 SW 148th Street. For anyone who is interested but cannot attend the class on the 12th, Brenno also offers the opportunity for people to “blow their own ornaments” for a drop-in fee of $35 during the art studio tour Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday Dec. 15. Brian Brenno, pictured above, assists a young girl making a blown-glass ornament.
CALENDARVashon-Maury
SUBMISSIONS
Send items to [email protected] is noon Thursday for Wednesday publication. The calendar is intended for commu-nity activities, cultural events and nonprofit groups; notices are free and printed as space permits.
The Beachcomber also has a user-generated online calendar. To post an event there, see www.VashonBeachcomber.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the prompts.
MAKE YOUR OWN GLASS ORNAMENTS
VASHON THEATRE
Hunger Games: Catching Fire: Ends Dec. 12
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Opens Dec. 12 -13 (combined showing with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Jour-ney at 9 p.m. Dec. 12 or on its own at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 13)
See www.vashontheatre.com for show times or call
463-3232.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
King County Cemetery District 1: 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the cemetery district office at Vashon Cemetery.
Vashon Island School District: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at Chautauqua Elementary School.
Vashon-Maury Island Community Council: 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at McMurray Middle School.
Friends of Island Center Forest: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at the Land Trust Building.
Vashon Sewer District: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Vashon Senior Center.
King County Airport District: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at Courthouse Square.
FREE COMMUNITY MEALSVolunteers serve free meals seven days a week on Vashon. All people are welcome at the meals, which are served at 5:30 p.m. Monday through Sat-urday and at 1 p.m. Sunday at the following locations. For more information about the meals program, contact Harmon Arroyo at 351-1441 or at [email protected].
Monday, Methodist church
Tuesday, Presbyterian church
Wednesday, Church of the Holy Spirit
Thursday, Presbyterian church
Friday, Lutheran church
Saturday, Methodist church
Sunday, Methodist church
Page 10 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Happy Holidays to All!
And the winners are...very lucky indeed!
Below is the list of Open Houseparticipating merchants
lucky winners, and their prizes.
And the winners are...very lucky indeed!
Below is the list of Open Houseparticipating merchants
lucky winners, and their prizes.KronosTeresa Collelo$50.00 Gift CertificateTwo pair of socksFingerless GlovesChristmas Ornament
Vashon Intuitive ArtsStephen T. GilmourMassage with Dianna AmmonJackie VanGilderPsychic session with Lorna Cunningham
Treasure IslandTim & Christy Marsh$25.00 Gift Certifi cate
Core CentricThea JonesPersonal Training SessionFoam Roller
Vashon Tea ShopRobin BranstatorMata Tea Pot
Vashon True ValueAndrew OatmanRayz Flashlights (2 pack)
Barber & Beauty ShoppeCindy HoytHaircut & Style w/ Haircare productsValue = $60.00
The BeachcomberSean Robertsen1 Year Subscription
S.A.W.Mike Riggs$30.00 Gift Certifi cate
Puget Sound Cooperative Credit UnionKathy CaseyFleece Blanket
Windermere Real EstateKaelen Burton$50.00 Gift Certifi cate to S.A.W.
Vashon Liquor StoreJean EchevarriaChowder Gift Basket
Essentials-4Mike IvaskaGift Bag withArt Supplies & Candy
Vashon PharmacyDavid GrionThymes Lotion BasketValue = $100.00Donald EstelleEasel & Art SuppliesValue = $100.00
Heron’s NestHarry BudnickLeather Bracelet & $25 Gift Card toThe Heron’s Nest.
Vashon Print & DesignAiden Taitch2014 Personalized Calendar
The Little HouseJudy KimmelDarsie BeckMug tucked in a Basket of Sweets
Frame of MindOlivia Sudduth$50.00 Gift Certifi cate
Constantinople!Cara Aguilera$25.00 Gift Certifi cate
Country Store & GardensNorman ParkerNW Delight Gift BoxValue = $56.00
Vashon ThriftwayJim Plihal$50.00 Gift Certifi cate
DUETMarilyn Klob$50.00 Cash
Vashon Market Fresh IGAMark Meyers9 piece Tailgate Set
Green GingerPeter & Nora DenningGift Certifi cate
Island Home Center & LumberRobert W. Spangler$25.00 Gift Certifi cate
Northwest SportsThe Wilke Family$50.00 Gift Certicate
GiraffeMargaret DibbSalt Gift Set
Pandora’s BoxCinnamon HeffemanBasket of Dog ToysRiley HerefordLarge Stuffed DogVasa SeymourBag of Dog Food
The Hardware Store RestaurantAmber Jackson$20.00 Gift Certifi cate
Casa BonitaTeresa L. Colello2 Free Combo Dinners (Drinks Not Included)
Thank you to everyone
who participated!
Christmas Lights On Sale!
All Christmas Lights are on sale! LED Lights, Rope Lights, Icicle
Lights and battery powered lights are all on sale!
Island Home Center & Lumber 206-463-5000 www.islandlumber.com
More Than Just A Lumber YardYour Complete Home Center
18134 Vashon Highway SW • 206.463.5477
DINING AND EVENTS ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
~ Everyone welcome ~
FridayVASHON EAGLES
Thursday Dec. 12th, 7–10 pm
Song Writer’s NightHosted by:
JamieJacksonMusic.com (206) 407-6086 and Denny McVeigh (206) 463-9591
Bring your original songs or sit back andenjoy the music with great food & drinks. See your favorite local songwriters in the
lounge or listen from the restaurant.
Prime Riband another Tasty Entrée
This Thursday’sVashon Rotary
email: [email protected]
Service above Self Since 1985
Thursday, December 12, 7:00amThe Senior Center
Carol McClainClinic in Guatemala
www.vashonrotary.org
VashonMini Storage
Inside Storage
Call 206-463-92538am-8pm
Author to speak about new book on griefChristina Rasmussen, whose
new book, “Second Firsts: Live, Laugh, and Love Again,” was published last month, will make a special stop on Vashon next week as part of her book tour.
Rasmussen, pictured at left, is a former therapist and crisis intervention specialist who lost her 35-year-old husband five years ago to colon cancer. Since then, she has worked to transform her own tragedy into a renewed sense of pur-pose, coaching others on how to rebuild and reclaim their lives after loss.
A regular contributer to the Huffington Post, Rasmussen has also been profiled as a “woman working to do good” on the White House blog and has been featured by Psychology Today, Maria Shriver and National Public Radio.
Rasmussen will discuss her book from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at Island Funeral. See www.sfvashon.eventbrite.com for more information.
— Sarah Low
By JULI GOETZ MORSERStaff Writer
In the early 1980’s, several Vashon potters and the artist collective at Barnworks invited the public into their studios during the first two weekends in December. This weekend that tradition continues, when dozens of island studios and art spots will open their doors to visitors for holiday shopping and a peek into where art is made.
According to longtime island potter Liz Lewis, the first art studio tour “was only seven stops. We deemed it the perfect size as you could visit them all in one day.”
That was before the Potter’s Tour and Barnworks officially joined forces in the early 1990’s. It was also before the decade-long volunteer effort of Janice Wall helped spread the word about the event and invited more artists to get on board. Fast-forward to the Art Studio Tour of 2013, and fitting all the stops into one day would be quite the challenge — the colorful bro-chure boasts 45 studios.
With time comes inevitable change, and for the first year since Sharon Munger opened the doors of Barnworks in the 1970’s, the converted barn is no longer on the tour. Yet many Barnworks artists can be found at other studios such as the historic water-front Marjesira Inn, where Jacqui Lown now pro-duces watercolor paintings and cards, or Waterworks Studio, featuring 19 artists working in a variety of mediums.
Newcomers to the tour include Ken Judd, who fashions quirky creatures out of recycled materials, Cowbelle Industries, which celebrates island culture on printed T-shirts, and Zuzko Jewelry with its ster-ling silver wearable designs. Studios are open Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Maps are available at most island business and at www.VashonIslandArtStudioTour.com.
Stops on the tour include Marjesira Inn, where artists are pictured making ornaments (top), garden art at Fire Fiber Flower (bottom left) and holiday shopping at Waterworks Studio (bottom right).
Juli Goetz Morser/Staff Photo
Page 12 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
ARTS&LEISUREVashon-Maury
SAVE THE DATE
CELEBRATE THE SOLSTICE
On the year’s darkest night, welcome back the lightCelebrate the return of the light at the second annual Vashon Solstice Celebra-tion, slated for 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Open Space.
Called “The Return,” this event, like last year’s “The Beginning,” will include a live steel drum band, dancing, a dessert potluck, a bonfire, musical performances and storytelling.
Producers Kevin Joyce and Martha Enson of EnJoy Productions have collaborated with storyteller Michael Meade and local artists to create this year’s festivities, while community members help to put on the event. All ages are encouraged to join in the festivities, to dress warmly as some of the event will be held outside and to bring a dessert to share. Tickets, $15 single or $30 for a family, are available at www.vashonsolstice.brownpapertickets.com. Volunteers interested in helping with the event should call Joyce at 818-8136 or Enson at 818-8126.
HEARTWARMING TALE
Ray Bradbury’s ‘Exchange’: A surprising holiday story Marc Powell wears several hats, most no-tably as priest of St. John Vianney Catholic Church, but also as an actor and author who adapts novels into plays. Powell and Vashon actor Patricia Kelly will perform Powell’s latest adaptation from Ray Brad-bury’s short story “Exchange” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and. Saturday at St. John Vianney Church. Powell chose this piece as it has what he calls a “heartwarming message that fits with the holiday season.” While admission is free, there is a $10 suggested donation and an opportunity to bring canned goods for the Vashon Maury Com-munity Food Bank.
A FRIDAY SHOW
‘Stringband’ rocks the Bike
Rumor has it that you can’t keep your feet on the floor when the Vashon band Rumor Has It begins to play. This popular band cooks up a variety of dancing music they affectionately call “stringband rock,” a musical stew of bluegrass, Motown, Celtic, country, rock and blues. So grab your dancing shoes and head to The Red Bicycle Bistro & Sushi on Friday at 8 p.m. The show is free and all ages are welcome until 11 p.m., then only 21 and over after that.
Peek into studios on second weekend of tour
On Saturday night, stone sculptor Anthony Kaufmann will hold a special event of gratitude for the community at his 3000BC Studios. At 5 and 6 p.m., Japanese Butoh danc-ers Jyl Shinjo Brewer and Katrina Wolf will perform dances inspired by Kaufmann’s art and philosophy, weaving their way around his sculptures, ankle deep in autumn leaves.
Butoh first arose out of the ashes of Nagasaki as a way of transforming heartbreak into beauty. These performances will also honor the ongoing disaster at the Fukushima nucle-ar plant damaged by the 2011 tsunami.
Walking into Kaufmann’s studio at the Beall Greenhouse, Number 33 on the Art Studio Tour, involves a bit of intuitive creativity. The greenhouse entrance is not that obvious, nor is the exact hallway to Kaufman’s studio, but once through what looks like the door of a cold storage locker, the end result is stunning. Tall abstractions of the human figure — carved from columnar basalt, granite, onyx and marble — stand throughout this working studio. These elegant yet primordial shapes hint at a reference to the mysterious indi-vidual yet communal forms at Stonehenge.
Kaufmann commutes to Vashon from his Seattle home to be part of the island arts scene. Deeply aware of the impor-tance of community, Kaufmann said he believes in giving back and so will offer this free event of thanks to the public.
— Juli Goetz Morser
An artist says thanks to Vashon with a free event
Juli Goetz Morser/Staff Photo
Sculptor Anthony Kaufmann at 3000BC Studios, his workspace at the Beall Greenhouse
A WELSH CHRISTMAS: A Welsh Christmas comes to Vashon with the telling of Dylan Thomas’ nostalgic story, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.” Holiday songs from around the world will be sung by a cast of 12 drawn from adult and children’s choral groups. The performances will be Dec. 20 to 24 and 26 at the Blue Heron.
Members of Rumor Has It
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 13
Lightweight,
fuel-efficient trimmer
STIHL Easy2Start™system makes startingalmost effortless
Simple and reliablestarting procedure with stop switch that returns to the start position for added convenience
FS 40 C-E Trimmer$16995
Proven handheld blower at an affordable price
Great for quickly cleaning driveways,
sidewalks and hard-to-reach places
Optional vacuum and gutter kit attachments available
BG 55HANDHELD BLOWER $14995
All prices are SNW-SRP. Available at participating dealers while supplies last. © 2013 STIHL †The actual listed guide bar length can vary from the effective cutting length based on which powerhead it is installed on. © 2013 STIHL
Lightweight saw for wood-cutting tasks around the home
IntelliCarb™ compensating carburetor
maintains RPM level
Anti-vibration system for more comfortable operation
MS 170CHAIN SAW $17995
16” bar†
KIT INCLUDES:
WOODCUTTER HELMETWOODCUTTER CHAPSPROTECTIVE GLASSES
NYLON TOOL BAGTRANSPORT AND STORAGE BAG
LUGGAGE ID TAG
$149.95 SNW-SRP
Vashon True Value HardwareSW 9715 174th Street
Vashon
Heads up for a heart-stopping form of storytelling as members of Acrobatic Conundrum present “The Way Out,” an aerial acro-batic performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Open Space for Arts & Community.
This Seattle-based contem-porary circus founded by Terry Crane and Joselynn Engstrom will reveal what happens when eight strangers find themselves locked in a room with no exit. The storyline unfolds using the raw physicality of the performers as acrobatic aerialists, dancers and actors plus video images.
Originally performed in Seattle, “The Way Out” has been re-mounted during a five-day art-ist residency at the Open Space in preparation for the show’s inclusion in the Contemporary Circus Arts Festival in Chicago in January. Acrobatic Conundrum is dedicated to presenting original circus acts that portray a vision of human courage, connection and collaboration.
Tickets, $15 general and $8 children, are available at the Vashon Bookshop, www.brown papertickets.com and at the door.
The Way Out: A new way into storytelling
Marc Hoffman Photo
Aerial acrobats perform an original story.
Kids bring a Charlie Brown classic back to lifeOf the many Christmas classics, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
remains a perennial favorite. Beloved Charlie Brown, in his inimitable bumbling fashion, helps recover the true meaning of Christmas buried beneath the commercial focus around him.
Director Marita Ericksen’s special adaptation of the musical “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown” will be put on by a cast of 18 island youth for the fifth year running.
High school interns Lilly Robinthal and Isabelle Porter, Eriksen’s “right and left hands,” she said, help backstage to orga-nize the cast.
“I have learned so much about community working with the students” Ericksen said. “They really embody the spirit of the play.”
The show will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday at the Blue Heron. Tickets, $6 youth, $10 VAA mem-bers and seniors and $14 general, are available at www.vashon alliedarts.org, the Heron’s Nest and at the door.
Mick Etchoe Photo
Cast members from “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown” sing at the Open Space before a recent perfromance of “The Nutcracker.”
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 15
SPORTSVashon-Maury CARE TO SKATE? The Bur ton Adventure Recreation Center (BARC) now is open for free
skates from 9 a.m. to dusk ever yday. Stop by the skatepark at 10500 SW 228th St. Helmets are required. Find more information online at w w w.vashonparkdistrict.org.
Serving Vashon Island Since 1929 463-9134
WILLIAMS HEATING Proudly Sponsors…
Tianna KoenigGirls Varsity Basketball, GuardVHS SeniorTianna has been working very hard this year.
She does a great job of being a captain. She is
supportive of her fellow players and is always
looking to help and make her teammates
better. The coaching staff is very excited about
Tianna’s leadership on the court this season.
And on a side note: Tianna might be the big-
gest Boston Sports fan west of the Mississippi!
PIRATE
By CHERYL PRUETTFor The Beachcomber
The Vashon Pirate wrestlers started their season off with two strong show-ings right out of the gate.
The team traveled to Elma to battle the Eagles in the first dual meet of the season, Thursday, Dec. 5. After falling behind early, trailing 33-18, the squad turned it around, winning the final five matches of the night, resulting in a final score of 42-33, with Pirates taking the victory. It was the first time in the Blomgren brothers’ coaching era that the Pirates won a dual meet with the always tough Eagles team.
Winning varsity matches were Chase Wickman and Preston Petersen (by forfeit), Bryce Hoisington, Chester Pruett, Logan Nelson, Franklin Easton, Shane Armstrong and Preston Morris. It was the first match of fresh-man Hoisington’s high school career, and after a close match, tied 2-2 in the second round, he pinned his oppo-nent. Senior Vanessa Williams, a new wrestler, made an awesome showing, battling hard until falling by pin deep in the third round. Match of the night went to Chester Pruett, who had a brawl on his hands, squeaking out the victory in the 160-pound weight class, 8-7.
The Pirates wrestled at the Auburn Invitational Tournament at Auburn High School on Saturday, Dec. 7. Eight
varsity wrestlers and 12 JV wrestlers competed against grapplers from seven other much larger high schools. On the varsity side of the bracket, sophomore Clyde Pruett and senior Preston Morris took second. Champions for Vashon were sophomore Chase Wickman and senior Shane Armstrong, both win-ning all their matches decisively.
Competition was stiff on the JV side of the tournament, with five Vashon wrestlers making the finals. Champions were freshman Bryce Hoisington, sophomore Fletcher Call and junior Joe Coller. Taking second were sophomore Preston Petersen and senior Peter Wolczko. Senior Baxter Call placed third, and
sophomore Hunter Stanley and senior Ian McWhirter wrestled their way to fourth. New to the Pirate wrestling squad, both Wolczko and McWhirter were participating in their first ever tournament.
The small squad amassed enough team points to finish fourth overall.
This week the Pirates travel to Decatur High School on Friday for a double dual meet with teams from Decatur and Bethel. On Saturday they will head to Port Townsend for the annual Hat Trick Tournament.
— Cheryl Pruett is the mother of two Pirate wrestlers
Pirate grapplers start season strong
Kimberly Petersen Photo
Vashon’s Shane Armstrong pins his opponent at Saturday’s tournament.
Basketball tips off with pre-season victoriesBy EZRA LACINAFor The Beachcomber
The high school basketball has officially begun. On Nov. 30, the Vashon varsity team played a pre-season jamboree at Chief Sealth High School, where they defeated Sultan High School and Evergreen High School.
The jamboree games acted as the Pirates’ entire pre-season competition for this year, with their first game of the season being against Nisqually League power Cedar Park Christian. The purpose of the pre-season is to see what a team can do without it counting against their record, and this is a team with high expectations.
“The jamboree gave us perspective on what we needed to work on so we can be more ready for the start of the season on Wednesday when we play Cedar Park,” said junior point guard Ian Stewart.
Several of the Vashon players, however, expressed some concern about the lack of energy during the jam-boree games.
“I felt like we didn’t play with a lot of energy at the jamboree, but we’ve learned and will pick it up against Cedar Park Christian,” said sophomore guard Noah Chee, who is new to the Pirates squad this year.
The past two seasons have been building years for the Pirates, but team members say this year they have a chance to do something special. With the first game against the defending league champions, the Pirates have a chance to name themselves as a force to be reck-oned with right away.
“I think we’re going to have a really good season,” said sophomore guard Sam Yates.
Information on the girls basketball team was not available at press time, though records show they lost their first two games. Both teams are slated to play Cedar Park Christian on Wednesday, varsity girls play-ing at 5 p.m. and the varsity boys at 7 p.m.
In other basketball news, the Hoopsters Snack Shack will make some changes to the food that is available at games. There will be new food offerings, and fans will be allowed to have food and bottled water in the bleachers during the games on a trial basis.
The goal is to encourage fans to make an evening of enjoying a good meal and staying for both the boys’ and girls’ games as they cheer for the Pirates.
— Ezra Lacina is a Pirate basketball player. Beachcomber staff
also contributed to this story.
www.vashonbeachcomber.comGet More of Your Local News
OUR COVERAGE FITS THE BILL
Page 16 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
The Brown Agency
Good Luck Pirates!
g y
Home of the Pirates!You make us proud.
Denise Katz
Go Pirates!
Have aGreat
Season!
Stand up tothe opposition!
Vashon Floor Store
We’ll see youon the Sports page!
GO PIRA A A O
GO PIRA A A O
PIR
AT
ES
PIR
AT
ES
Go Pirates!Northwest Sports
Go Pirates!Northwest Sports
Rock the House, Pirates!
Diane Stoffer
We hope your year is full of plunder!
From the Crew at
Best of Luck Pirates and Mustangs!
Dr. RASMUSSEN & Staff
Roast ‘Em Pirates!
Jim Cunnington, dds
Have A Great Season
Pirates!
Have A Great SeasonPIRATES!
Good Luckon a Great
PirateSeason!
Tune up the competition!
Go Pirates!
DATE TIME OPPOSITION LOCATION
12/11/13 7:00 PM Cedar Park Christian, Bothell Vashon12/13/13 7:30 PM Seattle Christian Schools Seattle Christian12/14/13 7:00 PM The Northwest School Vashon12/18/13 7:00 PM Auburn Adventist Academy Auburn Adventist Academy12/20/13 7:00 PM Cascade Christian Schools Cascade Christian12/27/13 1:30 PM Wilbur-Ellis Sundome Shootout Yakima Sundome12/28/13 1:30 PM Wilbur-Ellis Sundome Shootout Yakima Sundome01/03/14 7:00 PM Life Christian School Vashon 01/07/14 8:00 PM Bellevue Christian School Bellevue Christian01/10/14 7:00 PM Chimacum Vashon01/14/14 7:00 PM Eatonville Eatonville01/17/14 7:00 PM Charles Wright Academy Vashon01/21/14 7:00 PM Cedar Park Christian, Bothell Cedar Park Christian01/24/14 5:15 PM Seattle Christian Schools Vashon01/30/14 5:15 PM Cascade Christian Schools Vashon02/01/14 7:00 PM Life Christian School Life Christian 02/04/14 5:15 PM Bellevue Christian School Vashon02/07/14 5:15 PM Chimacum Chimacum02/11/14 5:15 PM Eatonville Vashon02/14/14 5:15 PM Charles Wright Academy Charles Wright Academy02/18/14 TBA Tri-Districts TBA02/28/14 TBA Regionals TBA03/06/14 TBA State TBA
12/11/13 5:15 PM Cedar Park Christian, Bothell Vashon12/13/13 6:00 PM Seattle Christian Schools Seattle Christian12/18/13 7:15 PM Auburn Adventist Academy Vashon12/20/13 5:15 PM Cascade Christian Schools CascadeChristian01/03/14 5:15 PM Life Christian School Vashon01/04/14 5:45 PM Seattle Academy Seattle Academy01/07/14 6:30 PM Bellevue Christian School Bellevue Christian 01/10/14 5:15 PM Chimacum Vashon01/14/14 5:15 PM Eatonville Eatonville01/17/14 5:15 PM Charles Wright Academy Vashon01/21/14 5:15 PM Cedar Park Christian, Bothell Cedar Park Christian01/24/14 7:00 PM Seattle Christian Schools Vashon01/30/14 7:00 PM Cascade Christian Schools Vashon 02/01/14 5:15 PM Life Christian School Life Christian02/04/14 7:00 PM Bellevue Christian School Vashon02/07/14 7:00 PM Chimacum Chimacum02/11/14 7:00 PM Eatonville Vashon02/14/14 7:00 PM Charles Wright Academy Charles Wright Academy02/18/14 TBA Tri-Districts TBA02/28/14 TBA Regionals TBA03/06/14 TBA State TBA
12/11/13 5:15 PM Cedar Park Christian, Bothell Vashon12/13/13 4:30 PM Seattle Christian Schools Seattle Christian12/14/13 5:15 PM The Northwest School Vashon12/18/13 5:15 PM Auburn Adventist Academy Auburn Adventist Academy12/20/13 5:15 PM Cascade Christian Schools Cascade Christian01/03/14 3:30 PM Life Christian School Vashon01/07/14 5:00 PM Bellevue Christian School Bellevue Christian01/10/14 5:15 PM Chimacum Vashon01/14/14 5:15 PM Eatonville Eatonville01/17/14 3:30 PM Charles Wright Academy Vashon01/21/14 3:30 PM Cedar Park Christian, Bothell Cedar Park Christian01/24/14 7:00 PM Seattle Christian Schools Vashon01/30/14 7:00 PM Cascade Christian Schools Vashon 02/01/14 5:15 PM Life Christian School Life Christian02/04/14 7:00 PM Bellevue Christian School Vashon02/07/14 7:00 PM Chimacum Chimacum02/11/14 7:00 PM Eatonville Vashon
Vashon’sWINTER 2013
Sports Schedule
Varsity Boys Basketball
Jr Varsity Boys Basketball
Varsity Girls Basketball
Check out the latest scores on the vashon school district’s website
http://vashonislandathletics.org/
DATE TIME OPPOSITION LOCATION
12/11/13 7:00 PM Cedar Park Christian, Bothell Vashon12/13/13 3:00 PM Seattle Christian Schools Seattle Christian12/18/13 5:30 PM Auburn Adventist Academy Vashon12/20/13 3:00 PM Cascade Christian Schools Cascade Christian01/04/14 4:00 PM Seattle Academy Seattle Academy01/07/14 3:30 PM Bellevue Christian School Bellevue Christian01/10/14 7:00 PM Chimacum Vashon01/14/14 7:00 PM Eatonville Eatonville01/21/14 3:30 PM Cedar Park Christian, Bothell Cedar Park Christian01/24/14 5:15 PM Seattle Christian Schools Vashon01/30/14 5:15 PM Cascade Christian Schools Vashon02/04/14 5:15 PM Bellevue Christian School Vashon02/07/14 5:15 PM Chimacum Chimacum02/11/14 5:15 PM Eatonville Vashon12/20/14 7:00 PM Cascade Christian Schools Cascade Christian
12/13/13 6:00 PM Decature H S Lake Stevens, Decatur, Yelm Decatur12/14/13 8:00 AM Port Townsend Hat Trick Team Tournament Port Townsend12/20/13 12:00 PM Tri State Tournament Tri-State Tournament Couer D’alene12/21/13 9:00 AM Tri State Tournament Tri-State Tournament Couer D’alene12/28/13 9:00 AM Rock Tournament Rock Island Tournament Vashon01/04/14 9:00 AM Everett Classic Everett Classic Everett01/09/14 7:00 PM Eatonville Vashon01/11/14 9:00 AM Rainier Tournament Rainier Invitational Rainier01/16/14 7:00 PM Bellevue Christian School Bellevue Christian01/23/14 7:00 PM Cascade Christian Schools Vashon 01/25/14 9:00 AM Emerald Ridge Tournament Emerald Ridge01/31/14 7:00 PM Emerald Ridge Vashon02/08/14 10:00 AM Girls’ Sub-Regionals TBA02/08/14 10:00 AM Bellevue Christian Sub Regionals Bellevue Christian02/15/14 10:00 AM Regional TournAMent Regionals TBA02/21/14 10:00 AM State Tournament Tacoma Dome02/22/14 10:00 AM State Tournament Tacoma Dome
12/13/13 06:00:00 PM Decatur Decatur12/14/13 8:00 AM Port Townsend Hat Trick Team Tournament Port Townsend12/28/13 9:00 AM Rock Tournament Rock Island Tournament Vashon01/04/14 9:00 AM Everett Classic Everett01/09/14 6:00 PM Eatonville Vashon 01/11/14 9:00 AM Rainier Invite Rainier01/16/14 6:00 PM Bellevue Christian School Bellevue Christian01/23/14 6:00 PM Cascade Christian Schools Vashon01/25/14 9:00 AM Emerald Ridge Tournament Emerald Ridge01/31/14 6:00 PM Emerald Ridge Vashon02/08/14 9:00 AM Sub Regionals Bellevue Christian02/15/14 9:00 AM Regional Tournament TBA02/21/14 10:00 AM State Tournament Tacoma Dome02/22/14 10:00 AM State Tournament Tacoma Dome
Jr Varsity Girls Basketball
Varsity Wrestling
Jr Varsity Wrestling
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 17
Closethe dooron the
Opposition!
ISLANDESCROWSERVICE
Go Pirates!Have a great
Season.Susan Lofland
Nail ‘emPirates!
Go Pirates!From the team at
RENT1ONERENTAL CENTEREarl Van Buskirk, Inc.
Williams HeatingEric, Dennis, Nancy,
Janet & Bill
Go Pirates!
Vashon PharmacyGood luck from the staff!
Dr. LanglandClean ’em up and – keep
smiling! From all the staff!
Best of luck to youfrom our team!
Beauty NookGood Luck Pirates!
– Beth
Meetthe
Challenge!
Windermere Real Estate/Wall Street, Inc.
Pirate Pride!Have a great year!
Connie Sorensen
Stake yourclaim Pirates!Good Luck, Linda Bianchi
Go Pirates!Stay Vashon Strong!We’ll see you on the
scoreboard, Go Pirates!
Rik Forschmiedt Photo/RiksImages.com
Pirate Siena Janetty, 20, goes airborne to try to block a shot by Cedar Park Christian last season.
Rik Forschmiedt Photo/RiksImages.com
Garrett Starr, 3, draws a foul as he puts up 2 critical points for the Pirates in a close win over Life Christian last season.
Coaches Anders and Per Lars Blomgren demonstrate a takedown move as the Pirate wrestlers watch from the sidelines.
Rik Forschmiedt/RiksImages.com
AT YOUR SERVICEAT YOUR SERVICEAT YOUR SERVICE
To place an ad in the Service Directory, contact Deborah at 463-9195. Deadline for ad placement is Friday at 1pm.
Page 18 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
www.ricksdiagnostic.com
Diagnostic & Repair Service, Inc.Auto & Truck Repair
Towing463-9277
www.farmsteadmeatsmith.com
206.463.MEAT (6328)
MOBILE LIVESTOCKPROCESSING & EDUCATION
Your Ultimate AssistantUltimate Concierge Services
Organization • Administrative Research • Project Management
Non-medical Senior companionship/aide
Linda Fox, Owner 206-963-1058 [email protected] www.YourUltimateAssistant.biz
Holiday Gift Certificates Available
The Country StoreAND Gardens•
The Country Store and Gardens20211 Vashon Hwy SW • 206-463-3655
www.countrystoreandgardens.com
Store Hours: Mon thru Sat 9:30 to 5:30 – Sun 10-4
Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com
countrystoreandgardens.com
Dry Cleaning Service• Drop off & pick up dry cleaning
during normal store hours.
UPS, FED-EX & USPS Shipping Center
• For a small fee we can box/package almost any object you need to ship!
Lic#ORDONC*880CWInsured & Bonded
FREE ESTIMATESTEL: 206.463.0306 I CELL: 206.769.3077
An island business with island employees
206 818 8371www.ro-enterprises.com | [email protected]# ROENTEI924RS
New ConstructionAdditions
Renovations & RemodelsCommercial & Residential
RO Remodeling & Construction
Kitchens & BathroomsSeismic RetrofitDecks & Siding
Windows & Doors
RAY MATTHEWS CONSTRUCTION
Serving Vashon 35+ years Additions, Decks, Siding, New
Windows & Doors, Garages, Sheds, or Remodel any room in your home463-2237 or 303-7705
#raymamc913k1
206-730-0940 • [email protected]
HOME WIZARDS, LLCWe Specialize In Helping You Prepare Your Home For $ale!
• Interior/exterior home repair
• Floor Covering & Tile installation
• We work with your schedule
• No project too small• Kitchen & Bath Face Lifts• Drywall & Painting• Landscaping-All Facets• Electrical
Charlie Helsby & Everett WittmanLicensed, Bonded & Insured General Contractors
Lic# HOMEWWL875C5
Get an edge, call the Whiz!
206-935-1575Michael KennicottIsland Resident
WA 98108
CONT.LIC# BETTERC052DT
Dana Lazare206 463 3800
By appointment
all kinds ofmasterful sewing
...an energy management team
Time for Exams!Furnace diagnostics
& C O Testing
463-1777 www.VashonHeating.com
WA Lic #VASHOHC8917F and #VASHOHC891PF
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 19
AT YOUR SERVICEAT YOUR SERVICEAT YOUR SERVICE To place an ad in the Service Directory, contact Deborahat 463-9195. Deadline for ad placement is Friday at 1pm.
Bob Webster
handyman service
(206) 455-4245
Licensed, Bonded & Insured LIC# BOBWEWH9290E
ACCEPTED
Professional Cleaning & Maintenance
Roofs, Windows, Decks, Gutters, Siding, and Much More
206.567.4765soundviewvashon.com
Bonded & Insured
#SOUNDVH901CR
10% DiscountPurchases must be made before December 31, 2013
D&De l e c t r i c
Vashon Island ContractorCommercial & Residential
Electrical Installation & Repair
206-463-3977cell 206-409-1822
DDELE**011PH
Seattle this weekend.The show’s often comical story
is loosely centered around a band of shipwrecked souls set down on an unknown shore, but plot aside, it is also a chance to marvel at a body of work that has taken Lamblin more than 20 years to create. For most of that time, he’s worked in tandem with his spouse and artistic soulmate Mann, an innovative choreographer who has turned Lamblin’s kinetic instru-ments into a playground for per-formance artists to strum, pluck, fly through the air and tumble from. Lelavision — the name of their ensemble — is known for performances that are part dance, part clowning, part acrobatics and all artistic innovation.
For Lamblin, this latest produc-tion is a way to put all his cre-ations — huge metal objects that can not only flip a body high into the air, but also produce strange and beautiful melodies — front and center stage, once and for all.
“I don’t want to make anything anymore that I’m not going to use,” he said, noting he has scrounged, bartered and junk-picked for years to build his instruments.
With these humble materi-als, the 41-year-old Lamblin, a ponytailed and bearded fel-low who looks a bit like a young Leonardo Da Vinci, has invent-ed such graceful things as “The Pandemonium,” a 12-foot rock-ing boat with a balloon organ motorl “The Orbales,” two steel balls that he and Mann climb into and play from the inside out, and a huge new long-wave harp with a swoopingly sculpted metal body.
The music these instruments make, said island composer Jason Staczek, is startlingly original.
Staczek, who has composed all new music on Lamblin’s instru-ments for “Heavy Metal DëVices,” first met Lamblin three years ago, when he delivered two glass garage doors to the Lamblin’s studio. Staczek had offered up the doors on Craigslist, and Lamblin, ever resourceful, had quickly responded.
“I was astonished and my jaw was hitting the f loor,” Staczek said. “I couldn’t believe a space
and instruments like that existed in the world, much less on our island.”
Soon enough, Staczek began playing frequently with Lamblin and asked him to collaborate on a film score for indie director Guy Maddin’s film, “Keyhole.” Another film score by the pair is currently in the works.
Staczek was also onstage, play-ing Lamblin’s instruments, at the genesis of “Heavy Metal DëVices,” when it was first workshopped and performed at the Open Space for Arts & Community in March.
The show was attended by Debra Heesch, an island newcomer who is also the special events manager for the Seattle Theatre Group. It was Heesch’s idea to book the show into the newly remodeled Moore Theatre, a graceful old the-ater built in 1907 in Seattle.
“When I went to Open Space, I had no idea what I was going to see,” Heesch said. “I was blown away. It is so much better than so many national acts. It was just shocking to hear how the music actually sounds so beautiful.”
Heesch, Mann and Lamblin all acknowledged it was an artistic,
logistical and financial stretch to rework and expand the show to present on the Moore’s huge stage. But a week ago, the production got a huge boost when Lelavision announced the successful conclu-sion of a $15,000 Kickstarter cam-paign to fund the show.
Now, the show’s cast and crew — Lamblin, Mann and Staczek and islanders Abby Enson, Lynelle Sjoberg, Arlette Moody and Christopher Overstreet, as well as Seattle-based percussionist Aimee Zoe and director AJ Epstein — are ready to roll, Lamblin said.
“This is strengthening us as an ensemble,” he said. “We’re start-ing to gel as a group.”
The show isn’t an easy one for performers, he added.
“There are daunting challeng-es — new music, new choreog-raphy and new instruments,” he said. “Everyone is trying to learn new instruments while they are rehearsing, and the only way to do that is to spend time with it, to practice, practice, practice. The flip side is that this is why no one else does this.”
Performing on a few of the instruments — especially those
that spin and tip and rotate — can also be a high wire act. At a recent November, Arlette Moody pointed out a few fresh bruises, and Aimee Zoe sported a large butterfly bandage on her wrist — the result of an instrument taking a bite out of her as she played it.
But judging from the smiles of the cast as they wrapped up their rehearsal, all the risk and hard work seem to be worth it.
“This is really fun, I have to say,” said Moody.
Lamblin and Mann — who have in the past toured as a duo to festivals, universities and theaters worldwide, hope that this show goes on the road, too.
With its blend of spectacle, music, circus and dance, Mann said, it could appeal to a wide audience.
“This is like ‘The Lion King’ of Burton,” she said.
LELAVISIONCONTINUED FROM 1
Lelavision’s Heavy Metal DëVices” will be performed at 8 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday at the Moore Theatre in Seattle. Get tickets, $20 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and younger, at the Vashon Bookshop or www.stgpresents.org.
Page 20 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
All-Merciful SaviourOrthodox Monastery
9933 SW 268th St. (south of Dockton)SUNDAYS: DIVINE LITURGY 9:00 am
Followed by PotluckCelebrating 2000 years of Orthodox Christianity Call for a schedule weekday and Holy Day services.
463-5918www.vashonmonks.com
Burton Community ChurchALL ARE WELCOME
INSPIRATION not Indoctrination!Worship 11 amMaggie Laird
Pianist/Choir Director463-9977
www.burtonchurch.org
Bethel Church14736 Bethel Lane SW(Corner of SW 148th St.
and 119th Ave. SW)9am Sunday Bible School
10am WorshipFollowed by coffee fellowship
AWANA Thurs 6:00pm Sept-May
Offi ce phone 567-4255
Vashon Island Community Church
Worship Service 10:00 am (Children’s Church for preschool–5th graders)
Offi ce Phone 463-3940Pastors:
Frank Davis and Mike Ivaska9318 SW Cemetery Road
www.VICC4Life.com
Catholic ChurchSt. John Vianney
Mass–Saturdays at 5:00 pmSundays 8:00am and 10:30am
Pastor: Rev. Marc Powell16100 115th Avenue SW,
Vashon WA 98070
office 567-4149 rectory 567-5736www.stjohnvianneyvashon.com
Vashon Island Unitarian Fellowship
Community, Diversity, Freedom of Belief,Enrichment of Spirit
Sunday Services at 9:45 am (Sept–June)Religious Exploration for toddlers–8th Grade
Lewis Hall (Behind Burton Community Church)
23905 Vashon Hwy SW
Info: www.vashonuu.org • 463-4775
Vashon Friends Worship Group
(Quakers)
10 am Meeting for Silent Worshipin members’ homes.
Call for Location567-5279 463-9552
Havurat Ee ShalomServing the spiritual, social and
intellectual needs of Vashon’s Jewish Community
9:30 am Saturday Services
15401 Westside Hwy SWPO Box 89, Vashon, WA 98070
463-1399www.vashonhavurah.org
Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit
The Rev. Canon Carla Valentine PryneThe Rev. Ann Saunderson, Priest Assoc.
Sundays – 7:45 am & 10:15 amChurch School & Religious Exploration 9:00am
Child CareMid-week Eucharist, Wednesday–12:30pm
15420 Vashon Hwy SW 567-4488www.holyspiritvashon.org
Vashon Lutheran Church18623 Vashon Hwy. SW (1/2 mile south of Vashon)
Children’s Hour 10:30 am (Sept.- June)
Holy Communion Worship 10:30 amRev. Jeff Larson, Ph.D.
vm: 206-463-6359 www.vashonluthernchurch.org/JeffLarson/JeffLarson.htm
463-2655e-mail: [email protected]
Vashon United Methodist Church17928 Vashon Hwy SW
(one block south of downtown)
Pastor: Rev. Dr. Kathryn MorseSunday Service & Sunday School
10:00 a.m.Weekly Gluten-Free Communion
Offi ce open Mon.–Thurs. 9 a.m. – 12 noon 463-9804
www.vashonmethodist.orgoffi [email protected]
Calvary Full Gospel Church at Lisabeula
Worship 10:30 am & 7:00 pmThursday Bible Study 7:00 pm
Call for locationSaturday Prayer 7:30 pm
Pastor Stephen R. Sears463-2567
Our VashonIsland Community
warmly invitesyou and your family to
worship with them.
Pla ces of Wors hipon our Island
Vashon Presbyterian Church
Worship 10am17708 Vashon Hwy (center of town)
Pastor Dan HoustonChurch Offi ce Hours
Monday– Thursday 10 am - 2 pm
463-2010
John (Jack) Dawdy
John ( Jack) Dawdy, 70, passed away from cancer at his Vashon home on November 21st. Jack grew up in the Yakima area and attended the University of Washington where he received a Bachelors in Aeronautical Engineering and met Pam, his wife of 47 years. After a few years in Southern California, Jack went to work for Boeing and the family moved to Vashon Island in 1979.
Jack retired from Boeing in 2000 and spent his retirement traveling with Pam – first by boat as a member of the Quartermaster Yacht Club and in later in their RV. Together they drove throughout the Western United States and north to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Jack especially enjoyed visiting our national parks. As a member of Vashon Audu-bon, Jack was an avid bird and nature photographer and was most often seen with a camera in hand.
Jack is survived by his wife Pam, son Andrew (Kelley) of Torrance, California, daughter Beth (Scott) of Portland, Oregon, and two grandsons.
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL WNPA MEMBER NEWSPAPER TO LEARN MORE.
ACCESS A POWERFUL NETWORK OF 102 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ACROSS WASHINGTON FOR ONE FLAT PRICE.
PROMOTE YOUR EVENT! “
”
206.463.9195
www.vashonbeachcomber.com * 24/7 on the web
Funds from the Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative (CPWI) grant, which provides about $140,000 a year for five years, are largely used to fund programs at the VYFS PlaySpace, a family center that provides parenting classes, support groups, playgroups and more for island families.
Volunteers with VARSA, however, say they believe more dollars should be used outside the PlaySpace to fund programs that would create a multi-pronged approach to addressing teen substance abuse.
The volunteers say they’re now searching for answers on how the grant should be used and where the funds currently go, claiming VYFS hasn’t provided specific budget infor-mation requested. At least two volunteers say they suspect VYFS is using some of the money improperly on PlaySpace programs.
Both sides have consulted attorneys.
“VYFS has not been a willing and good partner with VARSA,” said Robin Blair, a VARSA member who has been with the group for five years and led planning efforts around the grant. “They have not shared information with VARSA, and when VARSA … started to figure it out and ask questions, they were treated like they were the bad guys.”
VYFS officials, however, insist the grant, — funding from the state Department of Social and Human Services (DSHS) that is administered by King County — is being used as VARSA originally intended. The grant is closely overseen by the state and county, and VYFS reports regularly on how the funds are spent, said Lori Means, the CPWI coordinator on Vashon and the director of the PlaySpace.
Neither Means nor Johnson could explain why VARSA members believed they hadn’t been given financial informa-tion they requested, but said the spending has all been well documented and perhaps there have been communication issues.
State and county officials involved in
administering the grant did not return repeated calls from The Beachcomber.
“I can assure the community there has not been any fiscal mismanagement at VYFS,” Means said.
Faced with a Dec. 16 deadline from grant officials to agree on a new contract between VARSA and VYFS, VARSA leaders late last month said they were uncomfortable agreeing to a proposed contract and recom-mended members vote no.
In a Nov. 30 email to VARSA volunteers, VARSA chair Meri-Michael Collins said she and co-chair Diane Kjellberg continued to have concerns about what they believed to be VYFS’s lack of financial transparency. She wrote that VARSA was unable to enter into an “extremely complicated county con-tract … that is weighted toward VYFS having control over finances and staff” and they were concerned about VARSA and VYFS’s ability to put together an effective workgroup to focus on the grant’s use on Vashon, as required by the state and county.
In the email, Collins wrote the move
was a difficult one “because a vote of NOT signing an MOU (memorandum of under-standing) with VYFS may make it appear that VARSA is ‘walking away’ from a sig-nificant amount of funding.”
“There are some basic things we need to figure out before we say yes,” Collins said in an interview.
When no agreement was reached on an contract, Means and Johnson said they grew concerned the grant might be pulled and important funding for PlaySpace pro-grams lost. Someone with VYFS put out a call for islanders to contact State Sen. Sharon Nelson with their concerns.
Nelson said she heard from many island-ers, mostly parents who use the PlaySpace, as well as one VARSA volunteer, and since then has been in touch with the director of DSHS.
Nelson said she believes PlaySpace pro-grams are vital on Vashon, but it is the state and county’s role to determine whether funds are being used correctly.
“DSHS is aware I’m concerned, but this a dispute between two nonprofits on the
VARSACONTINUED FROM 1
Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 21
DONALD EUGENE FROHNING
Long-time island resident Donald Eugene Frohning, 83, died November 23, 2013, after an ongoing illness.
Don was born August 1, 1930, to Louis A. and Lillian (Nelson) Frohning of Seattle. His schooling began in West Seattle and then continued on Vashon where he graduated from Vashon High School in 1949. Don was very active in athletics. While attending school, he also met Helen Barton, who became his future wife.
Don continued his education, attending Western Washington State College in Bellingham before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1951. He served as a Navy Corps-man on the hospital ship U.S.S. Haven, which played an important role in the Korean War.
On August 9, 1954, Don and Helen were married in the front yard of Helen’s parents’ home (Hal and Kate Barton) on Quartermaster Harbor.
Don was honorably discharged in November, 1954, receiving medals for Na-tional Defense-Korean Service, Korean Service-United Nations, China Service and KPUC Good Conduct.
Don began his career at King County Directors Association (KCDA) while attending Edison Technical School, where he studied carpentry. His enjoyment of woodworking extended for many years after completing school at Edison. Many people enjoyed his creations, which he often gave away.
Don and Helen lived in the Puget Sound area where he continued to work at KCDA, and Helen began her teaching career. Together on Vashon, they raised three sons, Matthew, Barton and Eddie. Through the years, Don enjoyed snow ski-ing, tennis, camping and traveling with the family.
Don lived a well-fulfilled life of 83 years.Don is survived by sons Matthew and Barton (Vashon); Eddie (Hawaii); grand-
daughter Ellen Frohning (Eddie) of Seattle and grandson Loren Frohning (Eddie) of Seattle; brother Louis Frohning Jr. and wife Nancy of Poulsbo; and sister Bonnie Quealey of Edmonds.
Don was preceded in death by his wife, Helen (1999) and his parents.A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Saturday, December 14, 2013, at the
United Methodist Church on Vashon. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Vashon Community Care,
15333 Vashon Highway SW, Vashon, WA 98070.
island,” Nelson said. “My intervention is merely to say let’s give them as much time as we can so we don’t lose the money.”
Some with VARSA say the conflict reminds them of what the group went through with VYFS earlier this year. Over the summer, a disagreement over how the two groups worked together came to a head when Johnson asked for the resigna-tion of several VARSA coalition mem-bers. Those involved eventually worked through the disagreement, agreed on a new organizational structure and approved two new contracts — one for the CPWI grant (formerly called the Prevention Redesign Initiative grant) and one for a 10-year fed-eral Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant that, if renewed next year, has the potential to provide $1.25 million in funding for pre-vention activities over the decade.
Luke McQuillin, VARSA’s project coor-dinator and a VYFS employee, stepped down in the process, leaving volunteers scrambling to pick up where he left off.
VARSA members say that since then, they’ve been focusing on programs funded by the federal DFC grant, which Vashon garnered four years ago and which funds projects to address the environmental and cultural norms behind substance abuse.
Eventually, however, volunteers say they began to question the CPWI grant — funds many have said complements the federal grant by providing money that can be used on programming. The contract for the CPWI grant that the groups agreed on
last summer also didn’t pass muster with state and county officials, though there’s disagreement over why.
VYFS and VARSA must now agree to an updated contract by Dec. 16 and complete a set of additional tasks outlined by grant officials or risk losing the funding.
Blair said she’s saddened by the situa-tion and believes there have been missed opportunities — programs VARSA intended the grant to fund that never hap-pened. According to a document provid-ed by VYFS, the CPWI grant currently funds three full-time and four part-time staff members that run programs at the PlaySpace, partly replacing prevention funds VYFS lost in recent years. It also funds some programs in the schools.
Blair, on the other hand, said the grant was meant to fund more new programs that would provide a wider approach to com-batting teen drinking and drug use. Blair recently moved out of state for a time, but moved back to Vashon part-time and ques-tioned the grant’s use, saying she doesn’t understand where the money went.
Indeed, a 47-page VARSA strategic plan approved in June of 2012 shows that the group planned for much of the CPWI funding to go to PlaySpace programs, but not all of it. Blair points out several desired programs or activities that never happened, including training for athletic coaches, the purchase of additional drivers license read-ers to loan to stores that sell liquor and a large social norms campaign.
“(The grant) was intended to allow Vashon as a community to look at every level of our community, from infants to adults, and find out where gaps were, who needed support and how to build program-ming that changed our outcome. That has not happened,” Blair said.
Means, however, says that VYFS, which receives the funds from the county as VARSA’s fiscal sponsor, spends the money as decided by VARSA. In 2012, she said, VARSA recognized the important roles that strong parenting and early childhood intervention play in preventing substance abuse later in life and prioritized PlaySpace programs in its spending plan.
“The data on Vashon shows the most sig-nificant impact we can make is to educate parents about risk factors,” Means said.
Means and Johnson said that if any previously outlined projects didn’t hap-pen, it would have been because of a choice by VARSA. The volunteers can choose to change what the grant funds go to in the future, they noted.
“They don’t understand the process that happened two years ago,” Johnson said. “None of that was created in secret or in a vacuum.”
As the two groups work to come to an agreement, members of the VARSA coali-tion — a group meant to include islanders from different parts of the community — say they’re growing increasingly frustrated and worried the coalition is distracted from accomplishing what it set out to do several years ago — decrease drug and alcohol use among eighth through 12th graders.
“For the life of me, I can’t figure out why we can’t hear each other,” Collins said.
Larry Kjellberg, who joined the VARSA coalition earlier this year and also believes VYFS is misusing the grant funds, recently suggested the best solution would be for VARSA to form its own nonprofit and take full control of the grant funding.
“I’m just getting really worn out from this,” he said. “It’s wrong. We tried nego-tiating. We tried being friendly. We tried everything we could do in this.”
In Loving Memory
STEPHEN LEE BOLLES
July 29, 1944 to November 16, 2013
Stephen Lee Bolles was born in Wadena, Minnesota to parents Leon and Dorothy Bolles. Steve grew up helping on his family’s dairy farm. He drove a tractor by age 6 and owned his own tractor by age 9. By age 11, the fam-ily moved to Vashon Island, where Steve and his brother, Blair, grew up and graduated from high school. Steve joined the Navy and served 4 years as a torpedoman on the submarine USS Sculpin. After the Navy, Steve was accepted into the electrical apprenticeship. As part of IBEW Local 46, Steve worked as an electrician and later as superintendent on many jobs. In the summer, Steve would visit friends in Alaska, who flew him in their Cessna to go fishing. Steve got the flying bug and bought a plane of his own. He flew his Cessna 182 for over 22 years. When Steve retired, he moved from Vashon Island, where he had lived 44 years, to Anacortes, where he lived for 15 years. If you knew Steve, you know fishing wasn’t his only hobby. He liked to camp, hunt and hike and also to cook: he was a great cook. Many a breakfast was cooked at the “Ellisport Hotel” on Vashon by Steve for his friends and neighbors who were there from the night before!
For his entire adult life, Steve was always there to lend a helping hand. He did electrical work for almost everyone he knew. But he also helped build houses, work on cars, plumbing, machinery, boats—you name it. His price: “How ‘bout a cup of coffee?” He never took money for helping out.
Steve was a loving husband, a devoted father and a loving brother to all his friends. We lost Steve to cancer November 16, 2013. Steve’s passing has left a giant hole in our hearts and he is sorely missed. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Jeffrey. Steve leaves behind his wife Susan, son Andy Bolles (Suzette), daughter Joelene Jumper (Jason), step-sons Jesse Mayor, Michael Mayor (Corinne), and Kyle Mayor (Amber). He also leaves a brother, Blair Bolles (Kay), nine grandchildren, many loving cousins and many, many good friends.
There will be a memorial service for Steve on January 11, 2014 at the Ce-dar Valley Grange Hall, 20526 52nd Ave. W, Lynnwood, WA, starting at 1:00.
Donations may be made in Steve’s name to the American Cancer Society.
Page 22 www.nw-ads.com
Real Estate ResourcesTitle CompaniesFirst American TitleAmber Wharton (206) 387-9402Insurance AgenciesTrigg Insurance AgencyTom Trigg (206) 463-7411Escrow CompaniesIsland EscrowPat Cunningham (206) 463-3137
Is this your cat? Short Hair brown tabby with white -
spayed female, sweet, found around
the Westside Hwy and Cove Rd.
Found Cats!
Call 389-1085
Is this your cat? Found male cat, young, near the
bone factory on 103rd off of 188th.
Is this your cat? FOUND Grey Tabby female, a bit skittish.
Has been hanging around the neighborhood
of 23800 block of Old Mill Rd.
Call 389-1085 Vashon Island School
District is an equal opportunity employer
Real Estate for Sale
Lots/Acreage
Real Estate for Rent
Island County
1.25 million readers make us a member of the largest suburban newspapers in Western Washington. Call us today to advertise.800-388-2527
Apartments for Rent
King County
Money to
Loan/Borrow
General Financial
Announcements
Announcements
Wash & Dry 8 Loads in 90 Minutes!
In our 4-Load Washers & DryersFREE Wi-Fi!
Shop While You Wash AtWestgate South Mall
LIGHTHOUSE LAUNDRY5738 N. 26th St. Tacoma, 98407. 5 Min From Ferry.Open 8am to 9pm Daily!
Legal Notices
Legal Notices Legal Notices
Employment
General
Every moment is an opportunity for an extraordinary
experience
Openings for:
CNA On Call
$14.00 - $18.00 per hourstarting CNA base rate
CookOn Call
HousekeeperOn Call
Diet AideOn Call
New Hire BONUS for more information call
206-567-4421www.vashoncommunitycare.org
Picture it sold!Include a photo in your classified ad and show thousands of readers
what you’re selling. Go online to nw-ads.com or call 1-800-388-2527 for information on our
5 week photo specials.
Employment
General
Position open to outside applicants 12/13/13
Vashon Island School District is an equal
opportunity employer
Employment
Transportation/Drivers
Business
Opportunities
Schools & Training
Building Materials
& Supplies
Electronics
PNWMarketPlace!
click! www.nw-ads.com email! classified@
soundpublishing.com call toll free! 1.888.399.3999
or 1.800.388.2527
Local readers.Local sellers.Local buyers.
We make it easy to sell...right in your community
www.nw-ads.com Page 23
www.soundpublishing.com
We are community & daily newspapers in these Western Washington Locations:
Current Employment Opportunities at www.soundpublishing.com
For a list of our most current job openings and to learn more about us visit our website:
CREATIVE ARTIST
Feat
ure
d P
osi
tio
nSales Positions
Creative Positions
Reporters & Editorial
Non-Media Positions
Production
advancement along with a competitive benefi ts
Please state which position and geographic area you are applying for.
Dogs
Dogs
Services
Animals
Electronics
Firewood, Fuel
& Stoves
Green or Seasoned 16” or 24” Split.Visa/MC accepted
Rick Middling 206-463-3889
Food &
Farmer’s Market
Home Furnishings
Find your perfect pet in the Classifieds.www.nw-ads.com
Mail Order
Miscellaneous
Wanted/Trade
Wanted/Trade
Motorhomes
Tents &
Travel Trailers
Professional Services
Alterations/Sewing
Professional Services
Attorney, Legal Services
Professional Services
Legal Services
Home Services
Appliance Repair
Find your perfect pet in the Classifieds.www.nw-ads.com
Home Services
Backhoe/Dozing/Tractor
Home Services
Building Services
Home Services
General Contractors
Home Services
Electrical Contractors
Home Services
Handyperson
Home Services
Hauling & Cleanup
Home Services
Property Maintenance
Home Services
Landscape Services
Organic Compost
Tom Carlson
VASHONBARK &
SOILS, LLC.
Reach thousands of subscribers by advertising your landscaping business in the Classifieds. Call 800-388-2527 to place your Service Directory Ad today.
Home Services
Lawn/Garden Service
ALL AROUND LAWN LAWN MAINTENANCE.
R & R MAINTENANCE
Home Services
Plumbing
Home Services
Septic Service
Home Services
Welding
We Have Over 25 YearsExperience & Offer The
Following Services:
* Gates, Fences & Railings* Equipment/Trailer Repair* Custom Brackets & Hardware* Custom Designed Furniture & Interior Furnishings for Home or Business* Performance Automotive Parts
We Offer Fast, FriendlyService & Love to Work w/
Clients to Meet TheirIndividual Needs
Call TODAY for 20% Off!206-359-0860
Need extra cash? Place your classified ad today! Call 1-800-388-2527 or Go online 24 hours a day www.nw-ads.com.
Page 24 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, December 11, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
000000JOHN L SCOTT
6X13
206-567-1600 VashonHomes.Com
Len Wolff (206) 300-7594 Jean Bosch (206) 919-5223 Deb Cain (206) 930-5650
Leslie Ferriel (206) 235-3731Crist Granum (206) 419-3661
Nancy Sipple (206) 465-2361Diane Stoffer (206) 650-6210
Vashon, WA JOHN L SCOTT VSH
CristGranum
CRS206/419-3661
2.44 ACSUNNY BURTON SETTING
MLS #568914 $325,000
JeanBosch
206/919-5223
GORGEOUS VIEWS!
Offered at $839,000
JUST
LISTED!
SOLD
.50 AC
MLS #530891 $365,000
"The Little House"
MLS #469332 $365,000MLS #564646
$239,000
4.2 AC
MLS #411738 $119,000
96’ WF
MLS #546039 $595,000
2 bath 3.65 AC
MLS #450035 $349,500
1 bath .10 AC
MLS #559205 $140,000
2 bath 50’ WF
MLS #309005 $399,000
400' WF Cabins
MLS #547015 $695,000
ValSeath
206/790-8779
125' WF 4.6 AC
MLS #570014 $495,000
LeslieFerriel
206/235-3731 545413 $169,500
LANDFOR
SALE!#521466 $250,000
2.75 bath 50’ WF
MLS #525151 $479,000 MLS #520373 $179,000