B EACHCOMBER V ASHON -MAURY I SLAND 75¢ WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014 Vol. 59, No. 16 www.vashonbeachcomber.com PLAY BALL Spring sports are in full swing. Page 14 a directory of summer fun and island preschools Natalie Martin/Staff Photo A shoreline portion of Luana Beach Road, pictured above, is the site of a fictitious landslide scenario Vashon’s Emergency Operations Center team is using to help train for a real landslide. Below, a county map highlights parts of the island that may be at risk for landslides. Responders work to prepare for a landslide on Vashon The island’s coastal bluffs are prone to small slides By NATALIE MARTIN Staff Writer In the wake of last month’s deadly land- slide in Oso, Vashon’s emergency volun- teers are preparing for a significant land- slide on Vashon while also attempting to highlight the island’s own risk for slides. Volunteers with Vashon’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team are cur- rently using a fictitious Vashon landslide scenario they created to help plan for such an event. In the detailed scenario — simi- lar to ones the organization has used to help prepare for earthquakes and other emergencies — an 800-meter-wide land- slide comes down on a portion of Luana Beach Road. It inundates or moves two dozen homes in the middle of the night and traps an unknown number of people. For the next few months, EOC vol- unteers will discuss what Vashon would need to do to respond to such a landslide, Islanders join in effort at Oso slide A legacy of pet rescue: VIPP celebrates 30 years Grassroots organization has grown considerably By SUSAN RIEMER Staff Writer When island veterinarian Dana Ness was new to Fair Isle Animal Clinic a decade ago, she treated a cat that she suspected had a fatal disease and received her first intro- duction to Vashon Island Pet Protectors (VIPP) at the same time. Believing euthanasia would be the only option, Ness said she was taken by surprise when the volunteer who had brought the cat in had other ideas. “This is a VIPP cat, so do whatever you can,” Ness recalls the volunteer saying. For Ness, who had come from a veteri- nary clinic where resources were stretched thin, this kind of determination from an animal rescue program was a dramatic change. “That is not what I was expecting to hear,” she said. “It was a whole paradigm shift. It really blew my mind.” Over the years, VIPP, a nonprofit organi- zation run entirely by volunteers, has con- tinuously shown this type of support for animals, said Ness, who stressed that such an approach to individualized treatment is unique in a humane society or shelter set- ting. VIPP’s work , she said, stands apart. “They’re a really great partner in pro- viding care and helping with the general wellbeing of the animals on Vashon,” Ness added. VIPP, founded in 1984 by a small group Susan Riemer/Staff Photo VIPP founder and board member Barbara Drinkwater, left, with her dog Duke. SEE VIPP, 20 SEE OSO, 18 SEE RESPONDERS, 19 By SARAH LOW For The Beachcomber Following one of the deadliest natural disas- ters in state history, several Vashon residents have joined in the large response effort at the Oso landslide. These islanders have volunteered their time or worked at the site and incident command posts in the area, doing everything from pro- viding information to the media to monitoring the slide stability and river flow. Rick Wallace of VashonBePrepared is one of the volunteers. Due to his experience and qualifications, he was asked to act as the dep- uty chief of logistics at the Snohomish County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which is coordinating the slide response. He went up on Sunday and will be there for a week. “It’s an honor to be recognized as unpaid volunteers, and it shows that Vashon knows what it’s doing,” he said. Wallace, who has held a leadership posi- tion with Vashon’s EOC for 10 years, also has incident command training through federal courses he took on emergency management. Wallace explained that the emergency oper- ations center is responsible for synthesizing information, coordinating activities and sup- porting the field operations. He won’t be work- ing at the landslide site, he said, but helping support those who are. “We get the field workers what they need
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BEACHCOMBERVASHON-MAURY ISLAND
75¢WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2014 Vol. 59, No. 16 www.vashonbeachcomber.com
PLAY BALLSpring sports are
in full swing.Page 14
a directory of summer fun and island preschools
Natalie Martin/Staff Photo
A shoreline portion of Luana Beach Road, pictured above, is the site of a fictitious landslide scenario Vashon’s Emergency Operations Center team is using to help train for a real landslide. Below, a county map highlights parts of the island that may be at risk for landslides.
Responders work to prepare for a landslide on VashonThe island’s coastal bluffs are prone to small slidesBy NATALIE MARTINStaff Writer
In the wake of last month’s deadly land-slide in Oso, Vashon’s emergency volun-teers are preparing for a significant land-slide on Vashon while also attempting to highlight the island’s own risk for slides.
Volunteers with Vashon’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team are cur-rently using a fictitious Vashon landslide
scenario they created to help plan for such an event. In the detailed scenario — simi-lar to ones the organization has used to help prepare for earthquakes and other emergencies — an 800-meter-wide land-slide comes down on a portion of Luana Beach Road. It inundates or moves two dozen homes in the middle of the night and traps an unknown number of people.
For the next few months, EOC vol-unteers will discuss what Vashon would need to do to respond to such a landslide,
Islanders join in effort at Oso slide
A legacy of pet rescue: VIPP celebrates 30 yearsGrassroots organization has grown considerablyBy SUSAN RIEMER Staff Writer
When island veterinarian Dana Ness was new to Fair Isle Animal Clinic a decade ago, she treated a cat that she suspected had a fatal disease and received her first intro-
duction to Vashon Island Pet Protectors (VIPP) at the same time.
Believing euthanasia would be the only option, Ness said she was taken by surprise when the volunteer who had brought the cat in had other ideas.
“This is a VIPP cat, so do whatever you can,” Ness recalls the volunteer saying.
For Ness, who had come from a veteri-nary clinic where resources were stretched thin, this kind of determination from an animal rescue program was a dramatic change.
“That is not what I was expecting to hear,” she said. “It was a whole paradigm
shift. It really blew my mind.” Over the years, VIPP, a nonprofit organi-
zation run entirely by volunteers, has con-tinuously shown this type of support for animals, said Ness, who stressed that such an approach to individualized treatment is unique in a humane society or shelter set-ting. VIPP’s work , she said, stands apart.
“They’re a really great partner in pro-viding care and helping with the general wellbeing of the animals on Vashon,” Ness added.
VIPP, founded in 1984 by a small group Susan Riemer/Staff Photo
VIPP founder and board member Barbara Drinkwater, left, with her dog Duke. SEE VIPP, 20
SEE OSO, 18SEE RESPONDERS, 19
By SARAH LOWFor The Beachcomber
Following one of the deadliest natural disas-ters in state history, several Vashon residents have joined in the large response effort at the Oso landslide.
These islanders have volunteered their time or worked at the site and incident command posts in the area, doing everything from pro-viding information to the media to monitoring the slide stability and river flow.
Rick Wallace of VashonBePrepared is one of the volunteers. Due to his experience and qualifications, he was asked to act as the dep-uty chief of logistics at the Snohomish County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which is coordinating the slide response. He went up on Sunday and will be there for a week.
“It’s an honor to be recognized as unpaid volunteers, and it shows that Vashon knows what it’s doing,” he said.
Wallace, who has held a leadership posi-tion with Vashon’s EOC for 10 years, also has incident command training through federal courses he took on emergency management.
Wallace explained that the emergency oper-ations center is responsible for synthesizing information, coordinating activities and sup-porting the field operations. He won’t be work-ing at the landslide site, he said, but helping support those who are.
“We get the field workers what they need
Page 2 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island BeachcomberW
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In the last month, a dozen cases of measles have been reported to Washington public health officials, who are closely monitoring the spread of the illness.
This number exceeds the normal range of three to five cases a year, said Donn Moyer, the media relations manager at the state Department of Health. There is a good pos-sibility more cases will develop, he added.
Those with the illness live in Whatcom, San Juan and Kitsap counties, but while they were contagious, may have exposed others at several locations in King County, including the Marshall’s store in West Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport and the ferry Tacoma, which travels between Seattle and Bainbridge Island.
At the Vashon Island School District, nurse Sarah Day spoke to her concerns about the growing number of cases.
“Our district is not prepared for a mea-sles outbreak because of our high exemp-
tion rate, especially among kindergarten students and FamilyLink,” she said.
The exemption rates for both are 21 percent and more than 30 percent, respec-tively, she added.
Should an unvaccinated person have been exposed to measles, that person could be asked to be isolated for a period of three weeks, Day said.
People who contract measles, known as one of the most contagious illnesses, can infect other people four days before they have any idea they are sick, Moyer said.
People at highest risk from exposure to measles include those who are unvac-cinated, pregnant women, infants under 6 months old and those with weakened immune systems.
For more information about the disease, see www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/news/2014/14040801.aspx.
— Susan Riemer
CorrectionIn the March 19 issue of The Beachcomber, Nancy Lewis-Williams was incorrectly identi-fied as the Quartermaster Yacht Club’s secretary. She is no longer the secretary, but is now the rear commodore.
12 measles cases reported in state
Page 4 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
It’s time for your gas fi replace maintenance!
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Schools foundation fundraises to fill budget gap and moreBy NATALIE MARTINStaff Writer
The Vashon Schools Foundation is again launching an ambitious fundraising campaign, hoping to raise $500,000 in pledges both to fill the school district’s budget shortfall and fund other badly needed items such as textbooks and the expansion of alternative programs.
The fundraiser is a deviation from years past, when the foundation raised money to bridge the Vashon School District’s wide budget gap, as much as $450,000 some years, and in doing so saved teaching positions and classes.
This year the school district is in better financial shape, due to gradually increasing funding from the state and tight management of its budget. Both district and foundation officials say they’d like to now direct fundraising dollars to needs that have been ignored during hard financial times.
“Even though we’re not in a crisis, there are some pretty important things that have gone unfunded,” said Donna Nespor, the Vashon Schools Foundation’s paid coordinator.
Fundraising appeals that recently went out to all Vashon homes outlined the foundation’s funding priorities in three tiers.
Included in tier one is filling the district’s estimated
budget shortfall for next year, $150,000. According to foun-dation materials, the district still receives less funding per student than it did in 2008.
“We need about $150,000 so that we don’t have to cut any-thing,” said Superintendent Michael Soltman.
Also included in tier one is $25,000 to expand the dis-trict’s preschool program and about $140,00 to purchase new history text books for the high school and math text-books at the elementary school.
Soltman explained that schools should adopt new text-books every five to seven years, but the Vashon district has fallen behind. It’s been over 10 years since new math text-books have been adopted, he said, and high school history books are 18 to 20 years old. New state standards have also been adopted for math, he noted, making it mandatory that new textbooks be purchased.
“The entire practice of teaching math and standards of teaching math have changed,” he said.
Listed under priorities two and three for donations are additional textbook adoptions and added funding for pro-grams that target struggling students and nontraditional learners, including $25,000 for StudentLink, $15,000 for the ELL program, $5,000 for a summer school program and $5,000 for emotional support, substance abuse and suicide prevention programming.
Steve Ellison, a school board member who is also a non-voting member of the foundation’s board, said such pro-grams have either been downsized in the past or have never received the funding they should have. Other foundation funding priorities include new science equipment for the high school, added professional development opportunities
for teachers and a part-time science specialist at the elemen-tary school.
“This is almost the difference between no child left behind and every child set up for success,” Ellison said. “Really what we’re trying to do is make sure every kid is set up for success.”
A short campaign will officially kick off next Monday, April 21, and foundation members hope to round out fun-draising on May 6, a day when the Seattle Foundation will partially match all donations made through its GiveBIG day program. Last year the foundation brought in $87,640 on the GiveBIG day.
“We’re going to make a push for people to think about it and act on it in these two weeks,” Nespor said.
The schools foundation has struggled at times to bring in pledges — often extending its fundraising efforts for weeks after its deadline — and has never raised the full $500,000 it sets as a goal each year. It raised the most in 2010 and 2011, when potential cuts were outlined by the district and layoff notices issued to teachers. Last year, when the school’s budget gap was an estimated $350,000, it brought in about $340,000 in pledges over an extended fundraiser. The foun-dation accepts donations and pledges year-round.
This year, Nespor says the foundation board hopes donors will be compelled by the specific funding requests outlined. The foundation has already reached out to the business com-munity and again is hoping to see broader support from school district families. Last year, 30 percent of families gave.
“We’re not asking for a lot of extra stuff; this is pretty basic stuff,” Nespor said. “I think people will understand it’s important. If we’re able to do it, these are important tools for our kids.”
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Officials say they plan to open pool on time, solution may be costlyBy SUSAN RIEMERStaff Writer
With just weeks before summer arrives, park and school district officials are scrambling to solve a problem at the Vashon Pool caused by a mix-up during the construction of the new high school.
Park district staff say they believe the pool will open Memorial Day Weekend, as is tradition, but remedying the problem will require both short- and long-term solutions. While exact cost figures are not in yet, the solutions are not expected to be cheap.
“This is an emergency and is unbudgeted,” said Elaine Ott, the executive director of the Vashon Park District.
Since it opened in the 1970s, the Vashon Pool and its filtration system drained into the high school’s septic field. However, current state regulations now forbid that from happening, a piece of information that was lost in the staff changes at the park district in recent years, Ott said. Complicating the picture is that unbeknownst to the park district, the sewer line that ran from the pool was capped during the high school construction last fall and was only discovered last month when park district staff began prepar-ing the pool for the summer.
Explaining the history of the situation, Ott said that in 2012, the park district’s maintenance manager at the time incorrectly informed the school district that the pool water did not drain to the school’s septic field but instead went to a stormwater system. That same year parties involved signed an agreement stating that pool water would not go into the school district’s new septic field. While both park district
employees who signed that agreement are no longer with the district, Eric Gill, the school district’s capital project’s man-ager, said the school district had to have this agreement on file in order to build a new septic system at the high school. Chlorine, he added, would be detrimental to the new system.
During the school’s construction, Ott said, school distict officials could not locate correct as-built drawings for the pool and relied on the park district information they had been given when they encountered the sewer pipe. In this case, Gill said, those involved thought they were capping and abandoning an old, unused line.
“You do the best you can to gather the available documen-tation and move forward,” he said.
Ott, however, said that if they had confirmed the informa-ton with the park district before capping the pipe, the district would have had considerably more time to come up with a solution and could have possibly avoided the short-term costs associated with opening on time.
“I believe there was a failure of communication here,” she said.
Since the problem came to light during last month’s work at the pool, pool manager Scott Bonney has been working on a short-term solution, which is expected to cost up to $25,000; Gill has been working with governmental regula-tory agencies to arrive at a long-term solution, and Ott and school district Superintendent Michael Soltman have been communicating about the problem.
In an interview last week, Soltman said he believes he, Ott and representatives from both boards will meet soon to work out a financial proposal.
“We’re all committed to making sure the pool is open, and it might result in cost sharing somehow,” he said.
At its most recent board meeting, park district commis-sioners voted to approve up to $25,000 to get the pool open
for the summer.Soltman said that currently the most realistic long-term
solution is an engineered drainage pond. He noted that Vashon’s situation is unusual because most pools connect to a sewer system, which is not an option on Vashon because the sewer system does not extend that far south.
“It’s stretching the Department of Ecology, the health department and King County to come up with solutions that will work,” he said.
Bonney said that the issue of what to do with pool drain-age is most pronounced when the pool is being prepared to open. Because a lot of organic material collects in the pool during winter months and then gets stuck in the filters, they must be repeatedly backwashed and hosed off. That efflu-ent then goes to three 750-gallon storage tanks that used to drain to the school’s septic system. That process typically goes on for almost a week and a half in the pre-season, he said, but drops to about once a week under normal use. The tanks typically fill up after just four backwashes, making adequate drainage essential.
Bonney, who is a licensed aquatic facility operator, said research for a short-term solution led him to a process that has worked well so far and involved adding non-toxic, pool-approved chemicals to the water. The chemicals reduced the amount of solid waste and have greatly reduced the number of backwashes needed. The park district also hired a com-pany from off-island to empty the tanks and take the waste off the island. It has already transported 5,000 gallons of water and sediment.
Bonney, who is also employed by the school district as a tutor, said no one is interested in placing blame, but is focused on solutions.
“It’s a problem; it gets solved. That is the bottom line,” he said.
Actions during VHS construction pose a problem for the pool
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.
Page 6 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
EDITORIAL
It’s hardly a surprise anymore when the Vashon Schools Foundation begins its campaign in the spring. Most of us have learned the drill: The state underfunds public schools, so it’s unfortunate but necessary that islanders make up the difference if we want quality schools on Vashon. In years past, teachers have been issued layoff notices and programs tentatively cancelled, only to be reinstated after community fundraising brought in hundreds of thousands to fill the hole.
This year’s campaign, however, has a slightly different bent, as the schools’ budget gap is not as wide as years past. We’re concerned that absent a funding crisis, islanders may not be so inclined to give. However, giving generously to the schools foundation is just as vital as it was a few years ago.
First, the school district is still $150,000 short of what it needs to maintain staffing levels next year and avoid cut-ting classes or sacrificing class sizes. It’s not the $450,000 budget gap of years past, but it’s no small sum. The district is depending on the community to make up this difference.
And now that the district’s shortfall isn’t so large, it’s time to consider everything that’s been put on the back burner while the district struggled. Take, for instance, textbooks. We were shocked to learn that high school history books are nearly 20 years old. Elementary math textbooks don’t meet new state standards. The science labs at the new high school are impressive, but items like microscopes are old and bro-ken — there hasn’t been money to replace them. And while basic programs at the schools and advanced classes at the high schools have been maintained, some who struggle in a traditional school environment haven’t been served as well. The foundation’s fundraising would bolster StudentLink, the ELL program and summer school, programs that will help more students stay on track and graduate high school. Funding would also go to expand preschool at a time when there’s mounting evidence that preschool benefits young learners for years.
Though the school district needs just $150,000 to stave off cuts, updated textbooks and robust programs for all students are things the district should be providing as well. These aren’t luxury items — they’re still the basics.
It’s not right that the school district has to turn to the community for funding, that we would essentially tax our-selves to have the schools we want. But until the Legislature fulfills the state Supreme Court’s mandate to adequately fund schools in Washington, it’s the reality we face. Last year the foundation’s fundraising was slow, and there was more on the line then. Historically there’s also been a lack of broad-based support — only 30 percent of school district families donated last year. We challenge the community to do better this year and to give generously to assure our schools remain strong.
Schools foundation changing, but it’s still important to give
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Over the last 13 years, helping my wife Maria as she essentially raises our four kids while I com-mute to work in town, I’ve learned plenty about being a father. I’d like to share a few of hard-won pearls of wisdom with readers who might find themselves in the first-time father situation.
Now that we’ve lost all of the first-time fathers to the color-ful lawn mower ads, I’ll instead address this column to you expectant moms, looking for tips on getting that first-time father in your life to do right.
Don’t deny it. You’re reading a column titled “Fatherly advice for first-time fathers.” When we get to the part about what kind of power tools he’ll need to tackle the new baby problem, we can call him back.
Ladies, first item of business is, as always, wardrobe. Obviously, his Pearl Jam and White Stripes concert tees from high school will have to go, otherwise the whole world will know he dressed him-self that day, which will ultimately reflect badly on you.
First-time dads need comfort-able, loose-fitting and absorbent clothing with a minimum of accessories; cotton, but not denim; fleece, but not sweats; relatively water-and-stain-proof, but not obviously so; blacks, browns and greens, not his usual blue, light blue and even lighter blue.
If he balks, steer him toward a manly-looking hunting jacket with lots of intricate zippers and differ-ent sized pockets. He’ll like that, although you and I both know he won’t be hunting for quite some time. In fact, he probably won’t step outside of the house for quite some time, except to earn a hand-some salary and bring it home to you and the baby.
Next off, your hus-band’s friends will need to be organized much like you’d organize a clothes clos-et, pulling out his old friends
that are like the taupe sharkskin jacket with the impossibly huge shoulder pads or the black capri pants you wore last in 2004, throwing the rejects on the thrift-store pile. Many of his friends are probably past their pull date and just taking up space in his limited cranial closet, and they’re not like-ly to fit your new life with baby.
Let him know that there will be no random beers after work, or partying at anytime, but if he pouts and stares out the window at some distant point on the horizon for hours or the whole weekend even, lift his spirits and let him know that there will be several new opportunities to drink micro-brews with your parents on the baby’s birthday, baptism and first communion.
New car? Check. His ancient, dung-colored Mustang II and your sensible, low-mileage Prius should be traded in for a brand-new, zero-mileage Chrysler-product minivan, or if he can afford it, a Japanese minivan. Get a van with a strong heater, to dry-roast the crying baby to sleep on a long, slow, aimless drive, when she’s developed colic and is crying in tongues, your eyes are burning and you both contemplate a life on the lam, and neither of you can remember reading about this in
any of the parenting advice col-umns.
Your lives will radically change. Many first-time dads will attempt to evade reality and try the new-parents-but-still-cool thing for a while, bringing the baby along like a handbag poodle to activities he enjoyed before you were together, that you, good sport that you are, have tolerated for too long. This is a form of denial that he will even-tually outgrow.
Expectant moms, you’ve had a while to ease into the baby situ-ation while your baby has been plugged in and percolating on the back burner, but once your baby is no longer connected to you and thrust into your husband’s hands for the first time, his life will change immediately, radically and irrevocably. It’s no use pretend-ing otherwise, and the sooner he understands that, the easier it will be on everyone.
Oh, and the part about bring-ing him back for the talk about the power tools? There is no talk about the power tools. Black and Decker doesn’t make breast pumps. His world will be filled with brand names like Graco, Evenflo, Playtex. Let him know that we’re all really sorry.
All those happy words about bringing new life into the world, sacrifice, self-denial and familial love that sounded so false and hol-low while he was living a rather false and hollow sort of semi-life will begin to make sense when he’s changing a diaper and your baby smiles at him for the first time. And pees all over his chin. He’ll eventually learn to duck.
— Kevin Pottinger, his wife Maria and their four children
live on Vashon.
FAMILY LIFE By KEVIN POTTINGER
Fatherly advice for first-time fathers
LETTERS TO THE EDITORMissing mailPostmaster offers apology
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to a letter to the editor regarding the U.S. Postal Service and published on April 9 about an unfortunate inci-dent in March involving missing mail on Vashon Island.
I offer my personal apology to any customer who has been impacted by this situation. I have spoken to many of you and have offered to keep you posted on any changes involving the mail. The postal service takes great pride in the high level of service we pro-vide to our valued customers and in the trust they have in our organization to protect the sanctity of
SEE LETTERS, NEXT PAGE
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 7
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Studi o 101463-3414
their mail.The postal service’s Office of the Inspector General
conducted a preliminary investigation into the matter and concluded that the mail had not been stolen. Any customer who feels they may have been impacted by this incident is advised to contact USPS Consumer Affairs at their convenience at (253) 214-1800 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The U.S. Postal Service delivers over 500 million pieces of mail each day in this country. It is extremely rare for this quantity of mail to go missing for this length of time. This is totally unacceptable to us, and we are doing every-thing we can to rectify the situation.
The postal service prides itself on its commitment to customer service, achieved because of the tremendous dedication and effort of our employees. It is to their credit that the organization continues to function at a high level.
— Gail Green, PostmasterU.S. Postal Service
Vashon
Proposition 1Vote yes for buses and roads
Islanders should vote yes on Proposition 1.Prop. 1 on the ballot would preserve existing bus ser-
vice on the island and raise funds for needed road main-tenance on county roads. If the measure fails, routes 118 and 119 along with more than 100 routes will have their service reduced, while 74 routes will be eliminated entire-ly, gutting our regional mass-transit system.
Although our island bus routes do serve hundreds of commuters daily, the truth is many islanders may not be affected by reduced Metro bus service. These islanders should consider the effects of reduced transit service and the accompanying increase in car-traffic on friends, fam-ily and fellow-citizens in the rest of the county. Because of the unusual timing of this emergency election, many vot-ers may be unaware it is occurring, and “turn-out” may be quite low. Islanders should make sure voting friends and family members are aware of the issues at stake. Ballots are due in the mail by April 22.
— Ian Crozier
PoliticsRepeal the Authorization for the Use of Military Force
As a Quaker, my fundamental belief in non-violence leads me to call for the repeal of the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF).
Passed three days after the tragedy of Sept. 11, AUFM gives the president sweeping authority to “use all neces-
sary and appropriate force” against any nation, organiza-tion or person involved in those attacks. Now, 13 years later, invoking this law, Presidents Bush and Obama have at least 30 times used it to justify activities, includ-ing overseas wars, detentions without due process and warrantless wiretapping at home. Unrestrained by geog-raphy, the law has been used to carry out military opera-tions in at least 10 countries since 2001, according to the Congressional Research Service.
The AUFM distorts the constitutional checks and bal-ances of American government. Congress can act quickly if the United States is under threat or is attacked, but should deliberate and vote before authorizing the use of military force.
As a Quaker, and based upon my belief that we must employ peaceful means for peaceful ends, I believe that the AUMF should be repealed returning to our constitu-tional balance of power. Congress will address this issue in May.
If you oppose reauthorization of the AUMF, please write to express your views to Rep. Jim McDermott, 1035 Longworth HOB, Washington, D.C. 20515; Senator Maria Cantwell, 511 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, and Sen. Patty Murray, 173 Russell Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20510.
— Kate Hunter
Fix the economy firstEveryone on Vashon has heard about the K2 problems.
It’s the NIMBY big government culture. They tag teamed against business startups for 40 years. Not just at K2, but everywhere, and then when the zoning changed at K2, the bureaucrats got involved. Many levels of bureaucrats and they must be obeyed and paid so much no one can afford to start a business there. The reality here is that most islanders don’t like or trust any dirty business people unless they know them. That “tax the hell out of business not me” attitude. That “businesses all dirty the environ-ment” idea. That “we need big government to take care of us so we don’t have to” plan.
Big mistake. Plays right into the bureaucrats’ hands. All bureaucracies have one labor force working and two labor forces retired to pay for, and we are their pigeons.
This is a lesson about big government with it’s lav-ish ways, extreme taxes, regulations and heavy-handed enforcers. Government and regulations kill progress.
There are professional NIMBYs stopping everything they can. That NIMBY culture is now bureaucratized and makes doing business almost impossible. Seventeen thousand dollars to the bureaucracies and four months delay just for permits and fees to open a small business isn’t worth it. No wonder the consumer doesn’t have any disposable income. Family-wage jobs have been regulated out of existence. Remember more regulations and bigger government mean less jobs. Bureaucrats are not an asset to the economy; they are liabilities that cost too much.
We can’t keep going down this path. Business people are made to feel dirty and unwelcome by the population and taxed to death by the government. This needs to change. Shrink government; help businesses start up free and stop taxing them and everyone else to death.
— Bill Rowling
Representatives are not honoring their oaths of office
I’m writing to strongly disagree with Sharon Nelson, who says that progress is blocked by a divided legisla-ture. (“Progress blocked by a divided Legistature,” April 2.) Actually progress is blocked because not one of our elected representatives, Democrat or Republican, is hon-oring their oath of office. This is why we are no longer a free people:
1. At least the last three presidents, including the cur-rent one, are documented war criminals.
2. The current president has failed to prosecute known crimes of past officials as he continues to perpetrate his own.
3. The NSA, FBI, CIA and other agencies deny citizens their rights, lie to Congress and obstruct justice.
4. Our government facilitates corporate crime that impoverishes all of us.
5. Habeas corpus is suspended along with the right to privacy and other fundamental guaranteed rights.
6. Our government continues to torture and mistreat people.
7. American citizens can be arrested and imprisoned indefinitely without due process of law.
I could list many more crimes and obfuscations being perpetrated by our government, but I am limited to space. Everything I have written above, I and others have docu-mented. If you don’t believe these facts, it is because you have been lied to by a corrupted media and government, and/or you don’t care. Most who promised to preserve, protect and defend the constitution are failing to do so, including other government officials, most lawyers and most military personnel. Their failure to do so, and our failure to hold them accountable, is why we no longer see progress.
I have written extensively about this and published links to others who have firsthand knowledge that what I say is true. The reason every elected official, lawyer and officer of the court was required to take their oath of office was to insure that this would never happen. But now it has.
— Mark A. Goldman
32630 State Route 20Oak Harbor, WA 98277
APRIL 25-27
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Page 8 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
NOTICES
Church of the Holy Spirit Easter Week Services: Maundy Thursday, 7 p.m. Thursday; Good Friday, noon and 7 p.m. Friday; Easter vigil, 7 p.m. Saturday; and Easter day, 7:45 and 10:15 a.m. Sunday.
Wastemobile on Vashon: The Wastemobile will be set up at the Tjomsland gravel pit for three days for Vashon residents to take advan-tage of free household hazardous waste disposal. Items that will be accepted include pesticides, oil-based paints, automotive products (oil, antifreeze, batteries, etc.), fluorescent light bulbs/tubes and more. For more information, go to www.hazwastehelp.org or call 296-4692. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 18, to Sunday, April 20, at 17001 107th Ave. SW.
WEDNESDAY • 16
All Island Forum: The group will get back together with a new discussion series titled, “Sharing Story: Making Visible the Invisible — Compassion, Connection and Community on Vashon.” The series looks to explore how people can listen and learn from each other through story. 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Vashon Library.
Weston A. Price Foundation: The Vashon Chapter of the Weston A. Price foundation will hold its introductory meeting. The focus of the group is maintaining health by eating a traditional, nutrient-dense
diet. For more information, email [email protected]. 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lutheran church.
THURSDAY • 17
Lecture Series: The Burton Community Church lecture and discussion series continues; all are welcome to attend, and the lectures are free. This week’s top-ics are Machiavelli on how to be bad and Hobbes — evil as a social construct. For more information, call Herb Reinelt at 408-7360. 4 to 6 p.m. in Lewis Hall, behind the Burton Community Church.
Book Reading: Island poet and author Cal Kinnear will read from his new book, “My Father’s House,” which offers a series of vignettes set in the post-World War II era. For more information, call 463-2616. 6 p.m. at the Vashon Bookshop.
FRIDAY • 18
Master Gardener Clinic: Did the record rainfall in March cause prob-lems in your garden? Gardening experts will be available to answer questions and offer suggestions or solutions. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside True Value.
Vashon Bunny Visits the Senior Center: Come and have a picture taken with the Vashon Chamber’s cotton-tailed ambassador. Stay for lunch at a cost of $4.50, then see “Gone With the Wind” part one (part two will show the following Friday.) 11 a.m. bunny photos, noon lunch and 1 p.m. movie at the Vashon Senior Center.
SATURDAY • 19
Farmers Market: Now is the time to get gardens planted and the market can help with many variet-ies of plant starts available. Have a cup of coffee or a cider while brows-ing the stalls, and this week’s non-profit guest is Hestia Retreat. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Village Green.
Adopt-a-Cat Day: Vashon Island Pet Protectors (VIPP) hosts a cat adoption day every Saturday. See www.vipp.org for directions or call
VIPP at 389-1085. 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at VIPP’s cat house, 12200 SW 243rd St.
Master Gardener Clinic: Garden-ing experts will be on hand to answer questions and give advice about vegetable gardens. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside True Value.
Camp Sealth Open House: All are welcome to spend the day at Camp Sealth. Take a tour, meet the staff, try out activities such as archery, boating, climbing wall and more, and there will be egg hunts at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Families are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and stay all day. For everyone’s comfort and safety, it is requested that pets be left at home. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Camp Sealth, 14500 Camp Sealth Rd.
Spring Fling: Hop into spring with the annual community Spring Fling and egg hunt. Activities will include egg dyeing, hat/bonnet making, guess the number of jelly beans contest and egg hunts by age group. Music will be provided by deejay Trent Sheppard, and the Vashon Bunny will make an appear-ance. 11 a.m. at Ober Park.
Psychic Fair: Four practitioners will be available to offer a variety of services. Prices vary. For more information, call 463-0025. Noon to 6 p.m. at Vashon Intuitive Arts.
SUNDAY • 20
Methodist Church: Easter sunrise service will be held at 6:30 a.m. at the fire pit at Camp Burton. May be held indoors depending on the weather.
Unitarian Service: Beth White and harpist Leslie McMichael pres-ent an exploration of rebirth and renewal from a pluralist perspec-tive. 9:45 a.m. in Lewis Hall behind Burton Community Church.
Burton Community Church: Herb Reinelt will lead the service for Easter Sunday. Reinelt taught philosophy at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., until his retirement in 1999 and cur-rently runs a discussion group every Thursday at Lewis Hall. 11 a.m. at Burton Community Church.
MONDAY
Vashon-Maury Island Commu-nity Council: Representatives from
King County will give a brief update on the septic loan program and its expansion that will make more island residents eligible. There will also be an update on the ongoing neighborhood watch efforts. The remainder of the meeting will focus on the planning of an all-island meeting for improving and maintaining the Vashon Town Plan. For more information, go to www.vmicc.org. 7 to 8:30 p.m. at McMur-ray Middle School.
TUESDAY • 22
Earth Day Potluck: Noon at the Vashon Senior Center. Call 463- 5173 to sign-up.
“Paper Clips” Documentary: Havurat Ee Shalom, in conjunction with Island Green Tech and the Vashon Theatre, will show this award-winning documentary about a small town’s determination to understand the devastation of the Holocaust by collecting one paper clip for each person who died. Cost is by donation, though no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Any funds raised will go to support the Bet Sefer Jewish School. 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at the Vashon Theatre.
UPCOMING
Senior Center Charter Fishing Trip: The senior center and George Eustice will host a fishing trip for nine people to Westport, Wash., July 30 to 31. Cost is $195 plus $10 for a license, with cost for accom-modations still to be determined. Those interested are asked to call the senior center at 463-5173 by Friday, April 18.
Sustainable Water Use Work-shop: Water District 19 commis-sioner Jenny Bell, sponsored by VIGA, will lead this free workshop about harnessing “laundry-to-landscape” grey water for ir-
rigation. Re-using grey water can reduce the draw of fresh water from aquifers and streams during peak usage months and can also reduce the burden on septic systems. 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, at the Vashon Library.
Zen Center: Guest speaker night will feature Stephen Black, whose talk is titled “My Zen Life.” 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, at the Puget Sound Zen Center, 20406 Chautauqua Beach Road.
Friends of Mukai: Garden com-mittee members Cindy Stockett and Karen Baer will host a slide-show and discussion about Kuni Mukai’s historic garden, created to reflect her Japanese cultural heritage. This program is supported by 4Culture. 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, at the Land Trust Building.
Understanding the Social Lives of Elementary Aged Children: In this lecture titled “You’re Not Invited!” Yvette Butler and Melanie Salonen will present information about development and socializa-tion to help parents and caregivers understand peer issues of this age group, as well as tips on support-ing children in developing healthy friendships. Cost is $10 with a slid-ing scale and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, at Chau-tauqua Elementary School.
Zen Center Spring Retreat: The retreat, titled “The Eight-fold Path,” will be led by Koshin Chris Cain and Giko David Rubin. Registration deadline is Friday, April 25. For more information and to register, go to http://pszc.org/retreats. Friday, May 2, to Sunday, May 4, at Camp Sealth.
CLASSES
AARP Defensive Driving Class: Dave Rogers will teach this “55 Alive” driver safety class. Cost is $15 for AARP members, $20 for non-
members. Call the senior center at 463-5173 to register. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, at the fire station on Bank Road.
Basic Shotgun Class: The Vashon Sportsmen’s Club will host an NRA basic shotgun class for anyone interested in learning the fun-damentals. Cost is $125 plus $10 for lunch the first day if desired. Class size will be limited to offer as much one-to-one instruction as possible. For more information or to register, contact Kim Forhart at [email protected] or call 463-9545. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 26, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at the Vashon Sports-men’s Club.
Middle School Parent Toolbox: In this one-day, interactive work-shop, parents will learn about the latest research and parenting tools they need to be prepared for the middle-school years. Participants will also learn about teen brain development, media awareness, drug and alcohol use prevention tools, conflict management skills and more. Cost is $75 with a slid-ing scale and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at the VYFS PlaySpace.
Babysitting Class: Rick Brown will teach a child safety and baby-sitting class for kids ages 11 to 16. Topics covered will include injury prevention, basic first aid and care-giving skills, age-appropriate play and how to operate a baby-sitting business. Attendees will receive a student manual and certification card. Cost is $75, and students are asked to bring a sack lunch. Class size is limited to 20 students. To sign up and for loca-tion information, call 326-8715 or go to www.cts4cpr.com. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 27.
File Photo
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Puget SoundCorps will be at the beach at Point Robinson on Tuesday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for an Earth Day cleanup, and all are welcome to help. Volunteers are asked to dress appropriately for the weather and bring work gloves, water and snacks or lunch. DNR will provide garbage bags and light refreshments, and volunteers will be able to take guided tours of the lighthouse. For more information, contact Kirsten Miller at [email protected].
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.
EARTH DAY BEACH CLEANUP
VASHON THEATRE
Captain America: Ends April 17.
Grand Budapest Hotel: Opens April 18.
See www.vashontheatre.com for show times or call
463-3232.
PUBLIC AND CLUB MEETINGS
Vashon Sewer District: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Vashon Senior Center.
King County Airport District: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at Courthouse Square.
Vashon-Maury Island Community Council: 7 p.m. Monday, April 21, at McMurray Middle School.
Water District 19: 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at the Water District 19 boardroom.
Kiwanis: 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at the Vashon Eagles.
Vashon Island Fire & Rescue: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at Station 55.
Vashon Park District: 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at Ober Park.
Vashon School District: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at Chautauqua Elementary School.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 9
Going GreenToday’s world is busy. Time is precious. Every penny
counts more than ever. “Going Green on Vashon” will
be a handy guide to help you get the most out of all the
Where the island welcomes youCOFFEE ROASTED ONSITE
HAND-PULLED ESPRESSO & TEAFLAVORED SPARKLING WATER
ORGANIC BREAKFAST & LUNCH FAREPASTRIES & PIE
BEER & KOMBUCHA ON TAPORGANIC PRODUCE
GMO-FREE GROCERY350 BULK HERBS, SPICES & TEAS
Friday, May 2nd
• Supported by Island Physicians• Expert Interpretation• Courteous, female Technologists• Accredited by FDA• State of the art equipment• Most insurance plans accepted• Group Health patients accepted
Please have your insurance information when you call and bring a picture ID and Insurance/Medicare/Medicaid cards to the appointment. Thank you for partnering with us in the fi ght against breast cancer.
Located at the Fire Station,10020 Bank Road, Vashon, Washington 98070
Monthly Drawing for Vashon Market (IGA)
$25 Gift Card
(Additional appts possible Sat. 5/3)
$25GiftCard
Mon-Fri 9:30-6 • Sat 9:30-5 • Sun 12-417321 Vashon Hwy SW
Starter Salad or Soup and Bottle of Wine Included!
Grilled salmon with artichoke, caper wine
sauce, jasmine rice, glazed carrots and parsnips.
Grilled pork tenderloin with honey mustard glaze, Yukon mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.
Special Easter Brunch Sun. April 20th, 9am-2pm. Reservations going quickly.
This Thursday’sVashon Rotary
Lauren Ockingawill discuss her
Red Cross Orphanage Trip to Thailand
Thurs, April 17th, 7:00 a.m.at Vashon Senior Center
www.vashonrotary.org
Service above Self Since 1985
SCENE & HEARD: SCOUTING FOR FOOD
Courtesy Photo
On Saturday, March 29, Vashon Cub Scout Pack 275 held its annual “Scouting for Food” drive to benefit the food bank. The scouts, some of whom are pictured above with leader Daniel Luechtefeld, collected almost 500 pounds of food and $342 in donations in just four hours, which will provide 1317 meals for families in need.The scouts would like to thank everyone who helped make this event a success, especially Thriftway for the space, Emily from the food bank for picking up the donations and all of the people who stopped to talk and shop for the food bank.Anyone interested in learning more about Vashon’s Cub Scouts can go to www.facebook.com/VashonIslandCubScouts.
LAST CALL FOR
ADVERTISING!
Page 10 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Franciscan Medical Clinics are located all around the Puget Sound to serve you!
Auburn Bonney LakeBurienDes MoinesDuPontEnumclaw Federal Way Gig Harbor Lakewood Milton Port Orchard Puyallup Spanaway TacomaTukwilaUniversity PlaceVashonWest Seattle
FOR ADVANCED MEDICINE AND TRUSTED CARE, CHOOSE FRANCISCAN.
Franciscan is a family of more than 12,000 doctors, nurses and staff who provide exceptional medical care at: Hospitals St. Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma • St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way • St. Clare Hospital, Lakewood • St. Elizabeth Hospital, Enumclaw • St. Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor • Highline Medical Center, Burien • Harrison Medical Center, Bremerton and Silverdale • Medical Groups Franciscan Medical Group, clinics throughout the Puget Sound • Harrison HealthPartners, serving the West Sound
Healthier living is just a visit away.Franciscan Medical Clinic primary care doctors are here to provide the health care you need—from family and internal medicine to pediatric and women’s care. With a passion for medicine, we build lasting relationships with our patients, to help them live the life they love.
As part of a larger health care system across the Puget Sound, your family doctor can work hand in hand with our specialists to get you the care you need, when you need it.
Find the best doctor for you and your family at www.FranciscanDoctors.org or call 1 (888) 825-3227.
Larisa Martin, MD Franciscan Medical Clinic
463-3161Open: Tues, Thurs, and Sat, 10 to 5Donations: 7 days a week 8am-4pm
Last Call for Advertising in Destination Vashon! Call The Beachcomber 463-9195
Page 11 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
ARTS&LEISUREVashon-Maury SAVE THE DATE: Pete Serko will perform his solo tribute to his late brother in his play “My Brother
Kissed Mark Zuckerberg” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at the Vashon High School auditorium as part of Vashon Allied Arts’ New Works series.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
MUSIC AT SNAPDRAGON
Welsh singer plays a show at Snapdragon
Welsh musician Jon Langford will bring his own brand of alternative country and rock music to Snapdragon for a concert at 7 p.m. Sunday.Currently based in Chicago, Langford was a band member of the British rock band the Mekons and more recently the Chicago band the Waco Brothers. Langford’s artwork is also on display at the gallery through the month of April. He is known for his multi-layered paintings, which are often of country music figures.
READING AT BOOKSHOP
Cal Kinnear reads from his latest book of poetryIsland writer and poet Cal Kinnear will read excerpts and talk about his new book “My Father’s House” at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Vashon Bookshop.Kinnear’s new book explores his relationship with his larger-than-life father and investi-gates what makes memories and what defines them.
CASTING CALL
Islander seeks actors for a short filmVashon filmmaker Nicholas “Kip” Jurus is holding an open casting call for a 5- to 7-minute short film to be shot on Vashon Island titled “The Choices We Make.”
Jurus said he is looking for one male lead and one female lead — both should be 18 to 20 years old, or 16 to 18 with par-ents’ permission. He is also looking to fill several smaller roles and for people to be a part of the film’s crew.
Audition dates have not yet been an-nounced. For more information on the film or to get on a mailing list for when auditions are announced, email Jurus at [email protected].
Islander will read poems penned by immigrants, refugeesBy JULI GOETZ MORSERStaff Writer
As a storyteller, creative writer and teacher Merna Hecht knows firsthand the power of the written word. Among her many projects is a poetry program she established five years ago for the students at Foster High School in Tukwila, which is recognized as the most lan-guage diverse high school in the country. A poetry anthology created by students this year is called “The Colors of My Past: Immigrant and Refugee Voices of Struggle, Migration and Hope.” Next week, Hecht will showcase the project at the Vashon Bookshop, reading student poems and inviting audience members to expe-rience several of the writing prompts she used for the project.
The students’ poems give voice to some of the difficult circumstances they have faced through forced migration and from years of living in refugee camps, experiences brought on by war and violent conflict. Hecht helps these immi-grant students tell their stories — in the form of poetry — about what it was like to leave their homes and arrive in another country to begin a
new life.In honor of April as National Poetry Month,
poems from “The Color of My Past” will also be broadcast each weekday at 6:55 p.m. on KBCS, 91.3 FM. The students recorded their poems at Seattle’s Jack Straw Cultural Center, which is a partner and major funder for this project. Other support comes from the Washington State Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts and other donors.
Copies of “The Colors of My Past” include a CD with each poet reading his or her poem. Proceeds from the sale of the anthology — available on a sliding scale between $15 and $25 — will be donated to a college schol-arship for two student contributors who show exceptional merit. The scholarship is in honor of the late Abdi Sami, a poet and peacemaker whom Hecht said was a friend to the proj-ect.
Merna Hecht will discuss and read from “The Colors of My Past” at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at the Vashon Bookshop.
Students voice tales of struggle and hope
Vaudeville — in the form of the two dynam-ic performers who call themselves Duo Finelli — will come to the Blue Heron at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Vashon-based Molly Shannon and Luz Gaxiola met when they were students at the San Francisco Clown Conservatory in 2005. The duo first performed as founding members of Circus Finelli at festi-vals, theaters and music venues across the United States, Mexico and Europe. Then in 2012, Shannon and Gaxiola started their own com-edy team as Duo Finelli, performing slapstick, music and dance, and drawing their inspira-tion from the traditions of American vaudeville and European circus.
For their Vashon Allied Arts New Works premiere, the duo will present a classic one-act vaudevillian comedy, showcasing often ridicu-lous displays of dexter-ity, glorifying mundane moments of everyday
folly. With the live sounds of the accordion, trombone and ukulele, Duo Finelli promises to create a world of music, humor and dance, where the laws of logic and physics bend to the
will of comedy.Tickets are $10 for
VAA members, students and seniors or $14 for general admission and are for sale at VAA or www.vashonalliedarts.org.
Courtesy Photo
Molly Shannon and Luz Gaxiola of Duo Finelli will perform their vaudeville show at the Blue Heron.
Duo delivers an evening of music, slapstick and dance vaudeville style
Island drummer Todd Zimberg, guitarist Michael Gotz and bass player Keith Lowe will reunite under the name of Long Lost for an evening of jazz, rock and blues at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bike.
The three close friends worked together in the Michael Gotz Quartet back in the mid 1980s and have since played the occa-sional outing. They debuted as a trio at the Red Bicycle over a year ago to popular success.
Michael Gotz has been performing as a guitarist and pianist for 35 years, having begun his career 40 years ago as soprano soloist with the Sacred Heart Boys Choir. While essentially a jazz player, Gotz has performed in a variety of genres, including reg-gae, pop and country.
Keith Lowe, in over 30 years of playing, has played and record-ed in many different genres, including orchestral, rock electronic ambient, folk, bluegrass, jazz roots and country.
Todd Zimberg has worked in the Puget Sound region as a drummer, percussionist and educator for more than 20 years. On Vashon, Zimberg is a member of the Island Jazz Quintet as well as the Portage Fill-Harmonic Big Band. He is a music instructor and has worked as an Artist in Residence in the Vashon Schools as well as for the Washington State Arts Commission. He created and directs a summer youth percussion camp now in its 13th year.
This is an all-ages free show until 11 p.m., then 21 and older.
Courtesy Photo
Long Lost will play at the Bike on Saturday night.
Long Lost band members will reunite at the Red Bike
“The Colors of My Past” features poetry written by Tukwila high schoolers under the guidance of Merna Hecht.
Page 12 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
Courtesy Photo
Art and science collided this spring during the Chautauqua fourth-graders annual focus on birds. After an in-depth study of Vashon shore and water birds, each student chose a favorite bird to sculpt from clay, with instruction from art teacher Tara Brenno and local artist Liz Lewis. The students painted the birds, glazed them and fired them in the kiln at Chautauqua.All 78 finished pieces are on display in the front window of the Heron’s Nest through Friday. The Vashon Artists in the Schools program is a collaborative program between the school district and Vashon Allied Arts. Pictured above, Blake Grossman works on painting his project, a model of an Eared Grebe.
Creative learningFourth-grade bird projects on display now
New student registration will begin May 1st for the 2014-2015
Preschool Session.
Toddler-3 Class: Mondays, Tuesdays 9:15 to 11:15 a.m. (child must be walking by August 31st)
3-4 Class: Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays, 9:15 to 11:15 a.m. (child must be 3 by August 31st)
4-5 Pre-K Class: Tuesdays through Fridays, 12:45 to 3:45 p.m. (child must be 4 by August 31st)
Parent Education Night: Open to Everyone, May 14th, 7 p.m. at The Playspace.
PRESENTED BY WASHINGTON STATE BEEF COMMISSION
April 24April 246pm VIP early entrance
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Donations come in quickly for group to purchase historic house
Vashon’s heritage association has quickly garnered $110,000 in pledges to purchase a historical home on Bank Road, more than half of what the group expects it needs for a down payment.
“We’re just thrilled,” said Deb Dammann, the president of the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association. “And we definitely need more help because obviously the time is short.”
The heritage association last month announced an ambitious fundraising cam-paign to purchase the home adjacent to the heritage museum, which is expected to go on the market this month. The 1910 home was once the parsonage of the Lutheran church on Bank Road, where the museum is currently housed. Heritage association members hope to eventually use the struc-ture as a family friendly interpretive center that would complement the small historical museum.
Dammann said that the group was sur-prised and pleased to raise more than half of its $195,000 fundraising goal in about three weeks. Most of the pledges, she said, have come from heritage association members.
“We’ve had other people, community supporters who have been very generous with us,” she added.
Dammann said the heritage association will continue to fundraise, and last week board members met with representatives of 4Culture’s emergency and unforeseen opportunities program. They applied for a $65,000 grant from 4Culture, but aren’t yet sure how much, if anything, they will receive.
“We’re hopeful,” she said.The heritage association expects the
home, currently a private residence, will be put up for sale by its owner later this month.
— Natalie Martin
Annual EGG HUNTSave-the-Date!
Saturday, April 19th12:00pm
Ober Park
Spring Fling
Page 14 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
SPORTSVashon-Maury
SPORTS CAMPS: A variety of spor ts camps for young athletes will be offered on Vashon this summer, including programs for soccer, rowing and basketball. See the Island Child special inser t in this issue to learn more.
Serving Vashon Island Since 1929 463-9134
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Ezra LacinaSenior - Varsity BaseballStarting catcher for the Pirates, and All Nisqually League Team the last two years, next year, he will attend Green River Community College to play baseball while pursuing his journalism degree. Ezra hopes to one day become a sports journalist. The coaching staff wishes him good luck in the future! We know Ezra will succeed in whatever path he choses to go!
Vashon Kids is now open for enrollment in our Summer Enrichment Program. We provide nine weeks of camp filled with hands-on activities, learning and play. On-island field trips, daily outside activities, biking, and swimming ensure full use of the summer sun and warmth. Full and part-time options for children entering K-6th grade. DSHS subsidy accepted. Financial assistance is available.
By ROBIN HRUSKAFor The Beachcomber
The Pirates got a break from the rain as they took the long road trip to Chimacum to play the Cowboys on a sunny day last week and won the game, 19-5.
Ezra Lacina started on the hill and looked strong, going four innings giving up no earned runs and only one hit, striking out six. Jeremy Pilgrim-Stoppel finished off the Cowboys with a good performance of his own, going the final three, giving up only 1 earned run on 1 hit and had 3 strike-outs of his own.
The Pirate offense came out strong, scoring 19 runs on 14 hits. The Pirates had 17 RBI and only struck out twice.
Leading the offensive attack was Ryan Bernheisel who had 4 hits and 5 rbi along with Josh Hruska Myer who had 2 hits, 4 rbi and scored 3 runs.
Sam Schoenberg contributed 2 hits and 3 rbi to the cause, and Clyde Pruett scored 4 times in a courtesy runner role.
Finishing the attack was Lacina, who scored thee times and had 2 RBI and Chester Pruett with
2 RBI. Coach Steve Hall commented on the game.“It was a really fun day as the boys played as
relaxed and focused as I've seen this year, as well as it was sure nice to see the sunshine.”
The Pirates played a home game on Friday, going up against Cedar Park Christian for the second time this season. Despite having 6 hits, the Pirates lost 7-0 to Cedar Park. Hruska Myer went a full seven innings on the mound, giving up no earned runs. The Pirates struggled on defense, and with five errors in the field, Cedar Park was able to score its 7 runs. The Pirate offense was led by a double from Hruska Myer, then singles by Lacina, Ryan Bernheisel, Michael Bernheisel, Schoenberg and Pilgrim-Stoppel.
After the game, Hall said he saw strengths and weaknesses in the day’s play.
“Both pitchers did an incredible job,” he said. “Unfortunately for the Pirates, we had errors that cost us and then timely hitting by Cedar Park Christian was the difference in that game,” he said.
— Robin Hruska is the parent of a Pirate baseball player.
By EZRA LACINAFor The Beachcomber
The Pirates fast-pitch softball team had a busy week last week, playing four games in six days. The Pirates finished the week with one win, two losses and one tie.
On Monday, Vashon played a non-league road game against West Seattle High School. West Seattle proved itself to be a talented team, beating Vashon 12-2.
Friday league play resumed when Cedar Park Christian came to the rock for the second meet-ing of the year. The Pirates battled hard for seven innings, but fell to the Eagles, 10-7.
On Saturday, the Pirates wel-comed the Cleveland High School Eagles for a non-league double-header. Vashon dominated the first game, winning 14-4 in five innings with sophomore Lilly Hennessey pitching. In the second game of the double header, Vashon put forth four pitchers, starting with senior Gabby Frazier and freshmen Baily Ormsby and Makenna McVey. Both freshmen made their pitching debuts then Hennessey closed it out.
The game ended in an 18-all tie due to the two-hour game limit.
— Ezra Lacina is the sports editor at The Riptide.
Jim Whitney Photo
Harper Whitney, left, at second base, is ready for his Chimacum opponent in last week’s game.
Baseball gets split results at recent games
Fast-pitch team ends busy week
By BEN BORKFor The Beachcomber
Vashon Island High School boy’s soccer team enjoyed double victories last week. The varsity wins were against Chimicum and Eatonville, both teams that sit at the bottom of the conference table. The matches were a solid display of Pirate soccer.
Quick control of the game through passing led to a 6-0 lead by halftime against Chimacum. Assistant coaches implemented minimum passing requirements to qualify for a shot on goal for the second half. This is when the skill of the Vashon players was really on display. The game ended 7-0.
The game in Eatonville was a similar event. Vashon led at half-time 4-0, and the game ended 6-1, with Eatonville scoring a conten-tious off-sides goal in the last minute. Even though this erased
Vashon goalkeeper Ben Stemmer’s chance of a clean sheet for this game, it would be wrong not to mention his incredible penalty kick save in the 62nd minute. A total of 13 goals were scored by Vashon varsity players. Goal leaders were Shane Bedard (4), Peter Amick (3), Gabe Reoux (3), Jack Brenner (1), Luis Villasenor (1) and Austyn Heit (1). These wins put the Pirates in third place in the conference with four wins, two losses and one tie.
Vashon plays an away game at Chimicum this week before returning from spring break to solid competition at home next week. The games are April 22 against Charles Wright Academy and April 24 against Cascade Christian.
— Ben Bork is the coach of the boys soccer team.
Soccer wins four, looks ahead
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 15
HOP INTO SPRING WITH THE ANNUAL COMMUNITY SPRING FLING! FESTIVITIES BEGIN AT 11 am IN OBER PARK
Th ank you to all the sp onsors for making this annual event poss ibl e!
• 11 am – Dye eggs with Bettie from the Little House (please bring your own hard boiled eggs!)
• 11am – JR Crawford, Realtor (Windermere RE) will have tables for kids to make their own Paper Sack Hat
• Music provided by DJ, Trent Sheppard• Meet the Vashon Bunny!• Guess the number of Jelly Beans! – sponsored by
Vashon Market/IGA
Blooms & ThingsCasa BonitaChase BankConstantinople!Country Store and FarmFrame of MindGiraffeJR Crawford, REALTOR®KronosIsland Home Center & LumberThe Little HouseOur Community Credit Union
Pandora’s BoxPuget Sound Cooperative Credit Union Saucy SistersThriftwayTreasure IslandVashon BookshopVashon MarketVashon PharmacyVashon Tea ShopVashon True Value Windermere
Thank You to the participating businesses who are providing the prize give-aways!
Spring FlingCOMMUNITY EGG HUNT &
SPRING CELEBRATION!
Egg Hunts will be noon (ages 1 to 3); 12:10 (ages 4 to 6) and 12:20 (ages 7 to 9)
12:25 Grand prize winners announced! One winner from each age group will win a wonderful prize basket sponsored by Sharon Campbell of Snapdone.
Egg Hunts will be noon (ages 1 to 3); 12:10 (ages 4 to 6) and 12:20 (ages 7 to 9)
12:25 Grand prize winners announced! One winner from each age group will win a wonderful prize basket sponsored by Sharon Campbell of Snapdone.
Bates isat Jannetty’s!
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By PAT CALL For The Beachcomber
The Oregon Association of Rowers host-ed its 20th Annual Covered Bridge Regatta, whose starting line is a few yards west of the stately, century-old Lowell covered bridge from which the regatta derives its name.
Five hundred junior, collegiate and mas-ter rowers from 36 clubs competed in 44 events over the past weekend. This was the Vashon junior crew’s first major test of the spring season, with major competitors from the Pacific Northwest and California turning out in force. In particular, the Stanford Rowing Center’s select program makes this regatta an important calibration and put Vashon’s rowers to the test.
Overall the junior crew passed with fly-ing colors, exceeding last year’s medal count by about 2 p.m. on Saturday and conclud-ing the regatta with 23 medals in 26 races. The junior women had particular success, winning 11 out of 14 races, taking gold in
varsity, junior varsity and novice races and coming in second in the other three races. First place medals included four varsity events: the A quad (Mia Croonquist, stroke, Riley Lynch, Kalie Heffernan and Kirsten Girard, bow), the B quad (Rhea Enzian, stroke, Virginia Miller, Caprial Turner and Mei Lee Vandervelde, bow), the four (Bryn Gilbert, stroke, Taegan Lynch, Shannon
Lipe, Te’a Schafer and Ally Clevenger, cox-swain) and double (Croonquist, stroke and Girard, bow); four junior varsity races: three doubles and a coxed four; and the novice junior women had another strong showing, winning three races: the eight, the four and the coxed quad.
The junior men’s team won only one gold — the JV double (Patrick Hanson, stroke
and Forrest Miller, bow); however, their five silver medals provide great motivation for spring break training camp this week.
A select few of the Vashon master crew also traveled to Lowell for the weekend, bringing home a combined total of four medals, including three silver.
In summing up the regatta, coach Richard Parr congratulated the team on its second-place finish in team points (an improvement over last year’s eighth-place finish).
“The Covered Bridge regatta is an excel-lent calibration for our teams. We learned we are competitive, but especially with our junior men, we need to find some signifi-cant speed improvements,” he said. “Both our fitness and our technique will improve this next week so that we will show up at the Brentwood regatta in two weeks a stronger crew.”
— Pat Call is the father of two junior rowers.
Rowers journey to Oregon with stiff competition for successful regatta
Christine Plihal Photo
The junior women’s varsity quad row to first place in the weekend’s regatta.
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Page 16 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
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to keep doing what they’re doing,” he said. “If they need food, more personnel, a place to sleep or 1,000 sheets of plywood, we make sure that happens and that things get to the right people or places.”
Islander Shelby Edwards knows all about this, both from her past professional experience as well as having just spent a week working as a staff volunteer at the Snohomish County EOC herself. Edwards, a former army reservist and experienced crisis management and disaster prepared-ness consultant, led Nike’s response to Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
“Logistics is 1,001 details,” she said. “It’s where everything comes together, coordinating requests from the field and planning for the next steps.”
Noting the number of islanders that are involved in the Oso volunteer effort, Edwards remarked, “Vashon is unique in the number of registered emergency work-ers we have with the county — you need
extra training for that. It’s a real testament to this island’s dedicated and skilled vol-unteers.”
Given the scope of the Oso disaster and the subsequent response, a call for volun-teers with specific skills went out to EOCs throughout the region, including Vashon’s EOC, which is managed by Vashon Island Fire & Rescue.
“There are so many people who would like to go,” said Catherine Cochrane, co-manager of Vashon’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), a group of local volunteers trained in basic response skills. Cochrane noted that while the call for volunteers went to the EOC and not CERT, she knew that some CERT members had the specialized skills that the Snohomish County EOC was looking for, and she reached out to them specifically.
Islanders interested in volunteering submitted a questionnaire regarding their
experience and qualifications, and a half-dozen or so were chosen to help.
But Vashon’s presence at Oso isn’t lim-ited to its passionate volunteers.
Karen Ripley, who works for the state Department of Natural Resources as a
forest health man-ager, worked there as a member of one of Washington’s five Interagency Incident Management Teams. These teams primar-ily respond to large wildfires, but have also responded to out-of-state disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the Challenger shuttle accident.
Ripley is an incident information officer and a member of the command staff of one of the teams, which was requested by the state to oversee the Oso response and recovery operations.
“We usually deal with wildfires, and I’ve been to huge ones,” she said, “but I’ve never had to work with FEMA or search
and rescue teams before. The pace was very different.”
As an information officer, Ripley was responsible for providing information to the news media, elected officials, the local community and response personnel. She also made sure that the media had safe access to the area and set up community bulletin boards and meetings.
Ripley said the experience was emo-tional at times, and she was touched by what she saw in Oso.
“This became a very personal com-mitment from the team to the people of Darrington,” she said. “The community knew everyone. The missing people, they knew their names. They (community vol-unteers) were allowed to work shoulder-to-shoulder with the pros out in the field and when someone was found, it was somber and very respectful. They knew who they were. It made it very personal for everyone.”
Ripley’s team, which works on two-week assignments, was relieved by another at the end of last week.
Page 18 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
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“If they need food, more personnel, a place to sleep or 1,000 sheets of plywood, we make sure that happens and that things get to the right people or places.”
Rick Wallaceislander volunteering at the landslide
OSOCONTINUED FROM 1
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 19
hoping to eventually have detailed plans in place and to hold a practice drill.
“We’re going to focus our energies and efforts on preparation for a Vashon event,” said Hank Lipe, chief at Vashon Island Fire and Rescue (VIFR) and com-mander of the EOC when it is activated. “Hopefully it never occurs, but we want to improve our readiness.”
When Lipe came to VIFR in 2009, he led the creation of a new emergency man-agement plan, a collabora-tion among the department, VashonBePrepared (VBP) and other organizations. As part of that process, Lipe said he learned that the three greatest risks to the island are earthquakes, severe weather and land-slides.
“I’ve never lived in an environment that has the soil conditions we have here in the Puget Sound,” said Lipe, who previously head-ed a department in New Hampshire. “It was all new to me, and it’s a very dan-gerous situation.”
Indeed, landslides in the Pacific Northwest happen almost exclusively on coast-al bluffs or in river valleys. A King County map shows that much of the coast of Vashon and Maury islands as well as some inland loca-tions on the island are con-sidered at risk for landslides.
“Vashon is largely sur-rounded by coastal bluffs,” said John Bethel, a geologist with the county Department of Natural Resources and Parks. “It certainly makes sense that the perimeter of Vashon is prone to landslid-ing.”
Bethel explained that in many parts of Puget Sound, the soil is stratified, and landslides can occur when heavy rains soak the top level of permeable soil and hit the less permeable layer of clay, trapping water in between and compromising the slope’s stability.
“That’s a classic recipe for landsliding at that location. … It certainly is present in many places on Vashon,” he said.
Detailed plans have been drawn in recent years for local emergency response to earthquakes and severe storms, Lipe said, but not for landslides.
After a massive land-slide cut off 17 homes and damaged one on Whidbey Island last year, Rick Wallace, a leader with VashonBePrepared and the manager of the EOC, says he got to work on a Vashon
landslide scenario. He fin-ished it in collaboration with others after the tragic landslide in Oso last month.
Wallace emphasized that Luana Beach is not neces-sarily more prone to land-slides than any other area identified by the county, but was chosen as the site for the EOC’s exercise because the location presented other challenges that would be helpful in their planning.
He noted that should a major landslide happen, the EOC — a group of doz-ens of volunteers stationed at the main fire station in an emergency — would be activated long before off-island help could arrive. EOC volunteers are now considering what would be needed during those vital hours, including emergen-cy workers, medical help, equipment and shelter. The response to a landslide is very similar to a response to other emergencies, Wallace noted, and the EOC will ultimately create a guide to be used in the case of an actual landslide event. They will also hold a drill at the fire station using the Luana Beach scenario.
“This isn’t about scaring people,” he said. “It’s about helping people be resilient, people being resilient and coming together as a com-munity.”
Historically, many say, Vashon sees small land-slides each rainy season, but larger ones don’t happen as frequently. Dockton Road, for instance, was closed to traffic along Tramp Harbor twice last month after small landslides brought down trees and other debris there.
Some, however, do recall more significant slides on the island. Emma Amiad, a home buyer’s broker on Vashon, says she remembers landslides that have pushed homes into the water in last few decades, and she won’t show homes in some parts of the island that she believes are at risk.
“I realize it may be unfair to the seller. However, I can’t sleep at night think-ing about things like that,” she said.
Islanders Bill and LeeAnn Brown know firsthand the threat that landslides pose. Their former home on Bunker Trail, a walk-in neighborhood at the bottom of a steep slope on the north end, was hit by a landslide in 2011 after a winter storm. Thankfully no one was home at the time, LeeAnn said, and the house wasn’t significantly damaged. Dirt and debris buried the front door but didn’t get into the home.
“I would definitely think twice about buying on a
hillside again,” she said, noting that a few years ear-lier a neighbor’s home had been significantly damaged by another slide. However, the county had taken mea-sures to improve drainage on the slope, she said, and the Browns never thought a landslide would happen to them. Their home had been on the spot since the 1930s, she said.
“Because it had been there so long, we didn’t real-ly worry about it,” she said.
The couple was already planning to sell their Bunker Trail home, but had a difficult time doing so after the landslide, which also took about $80,000 off the home’s appraised value, LeeAnn said.
Greg Wessel, an envi-ronmental scientist at the county’s Department of Environmental Permitting and Review (DPER) and a Vashon resident, said that while Vashon’s shoreline is prone to landslides, those within the hazard area iden-tified on the county’s map shouldn’t necessarily be
alarmed. He called the map very general and said DPER uses more specific data on each parcel to determine landslide risk as part of its construction permitting process. Some areas identi-fied on the map, he said, have greater actual risk than others.
Wessel himself lives in the landslide hazard area, he noted, in a home at the top of a steep slope. He felt comfortable purchasing the house, he said, because it’s set back about 40 feet from the edge.
The county, however, didn’t start assessing land-slide risk as part of its per-mitting process until the 1990s. Homes built before then may not have the same landslide mitigation mea-sures as those built since, Wessel said.
Anyone with concerns about a home can contact DPER for more information on the property, he said. Engineers can also be hired to assess landslide hazards at a location, something Amiad said she recom-
mends to anyone buying a house near the water.
“Does this map suggest there’s a significant hazard everywhere? No, not at all,” Wessel said. “It’s a sugges-tion that maybe you should ask about it.”
Wessel said a large land-slide such as the fictitious Luana Beach one the EOC is using for its planning is not likely to happen on Vashon, “but it’s something the island might want to think about in terms of emergency planning,” he said.
Lipe said that the EOC hopes to have detailed land-slide response plans in place by next winter. He agreed that Vashon residents shouldn’t be alarmed over landslides, but like the risk for a major earthquake, he said, responders want to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
“When these events hap-pen, we don’t know when they’re coming,” he said. “Preparedness is the key to hopefully saving lives and better outcomes in the long term.”
Thomas L. WalshThomas Leonard Walsh (60), passed away
peacefully March 23, 2014, in hospice care at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. Most recently of West Seattle, Tom was born Sept. 22, 1953 in Madison, WI to Patricia Clark and Leonard Walsh (deceased) of Richland Center, WI. He moved to the Northwest in 1985 from Denver, CO with his former wife Jennifer Zeisig and to Vashon Island, WA, where they raised their daughter Caitlin Zeisig-Walsh from 1994-2008.
Tom attended high school in Richland Center; started studies at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and completed his Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing degree from the University of Denver, CO, in 1985. He was awarded his Masters in Nursing in 1989, and his Doctorate of Nursing Prac-tice in 2010 from the University of Washington, Seattle.
During his nursing career in the Seattle area, Tom worked at the Seattle Veterans’ Af-fairs hospital, Harborview Medical Center, was Director of Behavioral Health services at Valley Medical Center, Renton, 1994-2004; and in 2003, established the Northwest Psychiatry and Wellness Center, West Seattle. Active in his professional association, Tom was presented with the 2014 Excellence in Nursing award on March 20th by the Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses.
His enthusiasms included world travel, skiing, mountain climbing, backpacking, music, photography, and reading.
Hardworking and adventuresome, Tom was known for his generosity, quick wit, and quirky humor. He was a devoted father and loyal friend and will be dearly missed by a large extended family, many close friends, professional associates, and clients.
Thomas is survived by his daughter Caitlin Zeisig-Walsh, Vashon, WA; mother Pa-tricia Clark, Richland Center, WI; sisters Jeri Walsh, Monona, WI; Jane Miller (Brian), Necedah, WI; Nancy Zeman ( Joe), Boscobel, WI; and Amy Clark, Seattle; brother Greg Walsh, St. Paul, MN; aunt Ann Walsh, Waunakee, WI; uncle Steve Beaty (Boyce Hinman), Carmichael, CA; many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews; and com-panion Charel Fisher, Bonney Lake, WA. He was preceded in death by his stepfather, Avery Clark, Richland Center, WI.
A celebration of Tom’s life will be held May 10th, 11:00 a.m. at Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 7141 California Ave. SW, Seattle, WA. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to:
UW School of Nursing, atten: Gloria Visario, PO box 357260, Seattle, WA 98178; note “scholarship Fund in memory of Thomas Walsh.”
Please visit our online guest book at www.islandfuneral.com.
RESPONDERSCONTINUED FROM 1
Another islander whose job involved her in the slide response is Marijke Van Heeswijk, a hydrolo-gist and assistant direc-tor of the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) stream gauging program in Washington.
Senator Maria Cantwell’s office contacted the USGS the day after the slide, and Van Heeswijk is now coordinating the agency’s response. The USGS, Van Heeswijk said, is constant-ly monitoring the slide and river conditions. It has provided air and ground surveillance data to the incident command posts and has coordinated with experts around the coun-try to provide scientific and technical support.
The USGS has also installed stream gauges in the river to monitor both water levels and erosion of the stream bed, as well as a landslide monitoring system.
Initially there was con-cern that the water back-ing up in the river behind the slide debris could break through suddenly and cause more damage. As the river is now carving itself a new path around the slide, that particular issue is less of a worry, but Van Heeswijk explained that concerns remain.
“We still have to watch what the river is doing; it could destabilize another area with a new path. We have to make assessments for future impact,” she said.
At least three other islanders have worked in Snohomish as well. Local acupuncturist Eli Stahl spent a day at the site offer-ing stress-relieving treat-ments as part of the group Acupuncturists Without Borders. Terri Vickers, a public information offi-cer for the Renton Police Department, and Leslie Brown, a communications specialist for the King County Department of Public Defense, were both contacted through their employers after Snohomish County requested mutual aid and spent a few days working with the media at the site.
Van Heeswijk noted that the collaboration of all the agencies involved in the slide response has been impressive.
“It’s been heartwarm-ing,” she said. “It has really brought people together both in the community as well as those working to help.”
Page 20 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
of volunteers, celebrates 30 years of service this year and is honoring that work by collecting stories of people who have adopted animals and hosting a variety of events, including its annual Fur Ball in November.
More importantly, throughout the year, volunteers will continue their focus on VIPP’s mission, which has not changed since the group’s early days: that there be no more homeless pets on Vashon.
Since it began, VIPP has adopted out 3,434 cats and 1,213 dogs to families and individuals, according to Geoff Fletcher, the president of VIPP’s board.
Islander Barbara Wells is one such woman, and she can frequently be spotted walking Chloe, her border collie mix, around her north-end neighborhood.
Wells first opened her home to Chloe a few years ago when VIPP put out a call for more foster families for dogs in their care — and Chloe never left.
It was not her plan to keep Chloe, Wells said, but these things happen.
“She just decided to be here,” she added.
Her previous owner gave Chloe up because he moved off the island, and he thought she would be happier if she stayed, Wells said.
While Chloe might seem like an ordinary dog to some — she loves food, to go for walks and ride in the car — Wells said Chloe is not ordinary at all.
“I couldn’t imagine how anyone would give up a dog like Chloe,” she said. “Chloe is exceptional.”
Though many VIPP animals live in homes on Vashon, VIPP’s work is only partly about adoption, Fletcher noted, and includes a spay and neuter program, lost and found assistance and care for animals while they are part of the organization.
VIPP’s most widely known focus on spaying and neuter-ing animals comes each February when, in partnership with Fair Isle, it offers Fix-a-Cat month; neuters are offered for $25 and spays for $35. Fair Isle and VIPP split the difference on the remainder of the cost for each cat, Fletcher said.
This is a popular program, both Ness and Fletcher say, and 83 cats were spayed or neutered last year alone, most as part of that program.
For dogs, Fletcher said, VIPP has a voucher program for low-income pet owners; the vouchers can used at Northwest Spay and Neuter Center in Tacoma or at Fair Isle. Last year 45 dogs were spayed or neutered through this program.
For islanders whose animals run or wander away, many have found help through VIPP. Last year, Fletcher said, 13 cats were reunited with their owners with VIPP’s help and 180 dogs.
Amy Carey, a longtime VIPP volunteer, is the coordinator of its canine lost and found program, motivated, she said, in part because she owned a dog that disappeared and was never found.
Now, she said, she and others volunteers know more about dogs’ behavior when they are missing and can offer useful assistance to dog owners. She has been part of some remarkable rescues, she added, including where one dog was found in a ravine, having tumbled down the steep slope. A VIPP volunteer carried the 60-pound dog all the way back up.
Not all the calls are that dramatic, though, and Carey said sometimes she is called simply when a driver finds a dog running on the highway.
“We want people to do that,” she said. “We want (dogs) to be safe.”
One of her more memorable calls, though, came one night last summer and was not about a dog. A person on Maury Island had found a 12-foot long boa constrictor in a pasture and wanted help.
The boa was never found, she said, but the call symbol-ized for her VIPP’s value in the community.
“We might not be the right resource,” she said, “but people know we can help them.”
For many people, though, VIPP is best known for its cat house, where as many as 50 cats have lived at one time and where about 30 currently stay, Fletcher said. That too, is run entirely by volunteers — 40 of them, currently — who not only offer weekly adoption days but feed and clean up after the cats, administer medications and provide loving care.
“That’s twice a day every day,” he said. None of VIPP’s 30 years of work, however, would have
been possible were it not for the work of one woman, who is credited with founding the organization, served as its presi-dent for nearly all of its 30 years and continues to serve on its board: Barbara Drinkwater.
In an interview last week at her Needle Creek home, with four dogs barking happily downstairs, Drinkwater, now 87, recalled her early days on Vashon, after she moved from California to take a faculty position at the University of Washington.
On many weekends, kids would give away away boxes of puppies and kittens outside Thriftway, she said, and one day a man showed up at her house with four puppies who had been abandoned at the dump.
“It seemed to me very obvious what we needed was some group on the island to encourage islanders to spay and neu-ter the animals to reduce the young,” she said.
In those days long before the cat house or its predecessor — trailers for cats located behind Pandora’s Box — many of the cats stayed at Drinkwater’s house, where she lived with Pirot Kramar, also a VIPP stalwart. Drinkwater, who has a doctorate in exercise and environmental physiology, worked at Pacific Medical Center full time then.
“At one time I had 40 cats in my daylight basement. … Sometimes I wonder how in the world I did all that,” she said.
She is especially proud, she said, that VIPP, as a no-kill animal rescue, has never euthanized a healthy cat or dog.
“Once you make that statement, you have to follow through,” she said. “It has been difficult at times, but we have managed to do it.”
At BaaHaus Animal Rescue Group on Vashon, a sanc-tuary for several former farm animals that sometimes partners with VIPP, president Glenda Pearson says that she learned an important tenet from Drinkwater: Think first about the welfare of the animal. It is easy to become angry at people who mistreat animals, Pearson said, but that anger can get in the way of doing what is needed.
“They (VIPP) take the welfare of the animal first and foremost,” she said.
Sometimes she has heard criticism aimed at animal groups that they should focus their resources on caring for humans instead. It is a sentiment Pearson takes issue with.
“None of us have ever been called by an animal asking for help,” she said. “It is always people.”
By helping animals, organizations also help people, she stressed, and when people are faced with giving up an ani-mal, they are frequently facing an extreme challenge, from illness to financial duress. Stepping in to care for the animal provides some peace of mind to the people in need.
“VIPP does that all the time,” she said. Looking back on the 30 years of VIPP’s work, Drinkwater
expressed a similar sentiment, but then took it a step further.“We have been a great resource for the community, and
the community has been a great support to us,” she said.
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
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
VIPPCONTINUED FROM 1
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We met Tessie, a year ago, along with two wonderful VIPP volunteers. It was love at fi rst sight for us, and we believe for Tessie too. Tessie and our daughter, now age 4, are best friends, constant companions and partners in crime. They spend hours
together, exploring the woods, playing chase with a toy or simply cuddling and watching TV.
Adopting Tessie from VIPP was a wonderful experience. The volunteers knew her well and helped ensure that we were going to be a great match. A friend of mine com-mented to me that it seemed, in every picture, our dog was at our daughter’s side. She was right, and that is exactly as it should be.
Thanks again,
Drew, Julie Corrine and Tessie Middleton
Please give this long time resident a home of her own. Thanks to the dedication of our TLC volunteers, DANDY is a new kitty. When she was found in 2008, she was scared, skinny and mostly unapproachable, but today she is is girl who loves to be petted with beautiful golden locks. She gets along well with other cats and is looking for an indoor home where she can feel safe and loved.
Born 2001, HAL is a dapper gentleman on the small side for a male cat. Hal came to his person after a friend relocated. The new person has two small children and soon after Hal got settled, the family realized that Hal gets very anxious around little humans. Hal loves larger hu-mans and he can be extremely sweet with older kids and adults. He doesn’t do well around alpha male cats but he is good with female cats and dogs that are used to cats.
30 Years of Stories!
Make Your Own Vipp Story at VIPP.orgAdoptions at the Cat Shelter
Dog Adoptions by appointment
Available for Adoption Dear VIPP,TESSIE
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Page 24 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, April 16, 2014 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
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