Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, February 18, 2015

BEACHCOMBERVASHON-MAURY ISLAND

NEWS | Fire station streamlines burn permit process. [3]COMMENTARY | Consider what racism caused on Vashon. [6]SPORTS | Boys’ basketball team inches closer to State. [14]

75¢WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2015 Vol. 60, No. 7 www.vashonbeachcomber.com

A MARKET FACELIFTBig changes considered

for farmers market. Page 4

11 SINGERS, ONE GUITARConcert will showcase

original songs by locals.Page 10

Quilt shop to move off-island as building sells

The end of a colorful era

By SUSAN RIEMERStaff Writer

Island Quilter hummed with activity last Friday morning as a group of women bent over sewing tables in the front of the store, caught up in a class, while a steady stream of customers came to shop. Store owner Anja Moritz’s news — that she expects to move the store off the island at the end of April — circulated among those gathered, and many expressed shock and sadness.

Sandy Crossland, a longtime customer from Tacoma, was silent when she learned.

“Well,” she said, finally, “we need to find someplace else for y’all.”Sandy and her husband have been shopping at Island Quilter since

Moritz first opened a much smaller shop in her house in 2007. Since then, they have come faithfully to her stores in the heart of town, first to her shop across the street, and, for the past three years, to her current location, which includes a gallery, classroom and sewing space, and room enough left over for thousands of bolts of colorful fabric. Susan Riemer/Staff Photo

Paul Robinson and Anja Moritz help a customer purchasing fabric last Friday at Island Quilter. The customer, new to the store and from the East Side, came with a friend. “We’re going to follow her wherever she goes,” she said. SEE QUILT SHOP, 13

County pushes for septic fixes, hoping to open harbor to shellfishingHealth department narrows focus to 18 waterfront homesBy NATALIE MARTINStaff Writer

After working for years to get waterfront homeowners to update their failing septic systems, King County says it nearly has something to show for its effort.

If 18 more homes along a stretch of Quartermaster Harbor can prove their sep-tic systems are up to code and not polluting the water, that shoreline could be opened for shellfishing — something officials say would indicate a healthier harbor and open the way for millions in revenue from tribal and commercial geoduck harvesting.

“Everyone sees this as such a large body of water that is so badly polluted,” said Darrell Rodgers, manager of community environmental health in King County’s

health department. “If we can get this going, it would be ... a win-win for every-body, including the Vashon residents.”

The health department is now targeting those 18 properties, owned by 16 home-

owners that Rodgers called “the true hold-outs,” hoping to allow shellfishing in the harbor by the end of 2015.

While a few of the 18 homeowners need only to prove they’ve had an annual inspec-

tion, others have failed for years to repair or replace septic systems that are polluting the water, Rodgers said, and some have been ignoring the country entirely. Those who simply haven’t responded to county notices are now accruing fines and have liens against their homes.

“There has been a tremendous amount of hand holding going on for many years, a decade,” Rodgers said. “The lien is the last thing we want to do. … That means we’ve bent over backwards and they’re like, ‘I don’t care. I’m not contacting you.’”

Should the county be successful in get-ting all the identified properties up to code, a 5-mile stretch of Vashon Island shoreline from the Burton Peninsula to the southern end of Vashon Island could be formally opened for commercial and recreational shellfish harvesting for the first time ever.

“That’s currently the area we’re all work-ing on to try to find and fix the problems and get it up upgraded to approved,” said

Natalie Martin/Staff Photo

Beachfront neighborhoods such as this one on outer Quartermaster Harbor have some homes with septic systems that are not up to code. The county hopes addressing the failing systems will ultimately allow for shellfishing along a 5-mile stretch of harbor.

SEE SEPTIC, 19

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Wednesday, February 18, 2015 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Page 3

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VIFR changes burn permit process, mails permit to all households

Last week Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) mailed every household on the island a permanent, non-expiring burn permit, eliminating the need to request a permit from fire officials for residen-tial burning, cook-ing and recreational fires.

This action signals a change in VIFR’s program, and is a cost- and labor-sav-ing measure, admin-istrators say.

Before doing any outdoor burning, how-ever, islanders are expected to check about air-quality or fire-danger burn bans in place with either VIFR, the King County Fire Marshal or Puget Sound Clean Air. The permits islanders received include both phone numbers and website information.

The permits are intended to be kept at

people’s homes and properties and are to include the name, address and signature

of the responsible party.

Additional permits can be printed off the VIFR website, www.vifr.org, or picked up on the ferry, at the library or at Station 55. People can also call the department at 463-2405 to have one mailed to them if they misplace the one they received.

The permit includes 13 rules related to burning, and people are expected to read them, VIFR officials say. The rules range from the size of fires allowed to materials that may be burned. Additionally, the per-mits note that anyone who is affected by outdoor burning may file a complaint by contacting VIFR or the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

All island households received this permit in the mail last week.

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Page 4 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, February 18, 2015 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

Susan Hanson, Educator

BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION FORTODAY AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.I’m giving to the VCC Foundation to help secure the future of VCC and senior care on Vashon.You can help too with a one-time donation or, for as little as $5 each month, you can become a sustaining member of VCCF like me. It’s easy. Just go to www.vashoncommunitycare.org to learn how.

DID YOU KNOW?Baby teeth are important! Although baby teeth

eventually fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth, they serve a very important purpose during their tenure in the mouth. When baby teeth are lost prematurely, the remaining teeth will shift forward and become crowded. This can lead to future orthodontic problems and daily cleaning diffi culties. If cavities form in the baby teeth, it can lead to dental abscess and the decay can affect permanent teeth in the mouth. Many children don’t lose their last baby tooth until age 13 or 14 so it is important

to continue to emphasize oral hygiene into their teenage years. It is also important to note that baby teeth have very thin enamel compared to permanent teeth so decay can spread rapidly in these teeth.

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LATEBREAKINGNEWS!

UW students put their design skills to work reimagining the marketBy SUSAN RIEMERFor The Beachcomber

The Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) is working to revitalize and recon-figure the Farmers Market, and islanders are invited to a meeting this Saturday to weigh in with their opinions.

The market has grown considerably in recent years, and several VIGA members believe it is time to make some improve-ments, according to Dan Carlson, the VIGA board co-chair.

“The intent is to come up with some-thing that is more customer friendly, has more space for vendors and has more light,” he said. “We think we can make it better.”

This project, like two on the island before it, will draw on the talents of University of Washington students. VIGA representa-tives and other Village Green stakehold-ers have already met and shared prelimi-nary ideas with three UW graduate stu-dents, who are part of the College of Built Environments’ Storefront Studio program. Those students and their professor, Jim Nicholls, will be at the meeting on Saturday, Nicholls said, and will present early options to get feedback from the public.

Sarah Lowry, who manages Hogsback Farm with her husband Brian, has been helping facilitate this project.

“I feel there has been a need for quite a while to accommodate the growth of the market,” she said.

She noted that the space under the struc-ture can hold only eight vendors, and their space is restricted and is often dark. It came become crowded there, making it difficult for customers to get through. What’s more

she said, when people walk up to the mar-ket, they see the backs of vendors, rather than being able to see their faces and what they are selling.

She noted that many vendors typically keep coolers and extra produce behind them, but that area quickly becomes muddy, and it can be difficult to keep things clean.

The market has grown so much, she added, that it now has 45 vendors, and ven-dors that are not under the structure have their own tents.

Ideally, she said, the design students will

be able to find a way to provide ample open space for the community, as well more space for the market to expand to accom-modate additional vendors who may wish to join.

“The more the market can support the local agriculture economy, the better,” she added.

VIGA co-chair Carlson noted that these students will build on the work of UW stu-dents who have previously come to Vashon. In 2012, students in the Storefront Studio considered Vashon’s main street and how

it might be improved. Last year, a class looked at the agricultural economy on Vashon. Both classes, he said, came up with concepts for what the Village Green could look like.

Now, he said, it is time to move beyond rough concepts and engage the community in conversation.

He added that at first students will only consider the Village Green, as the commu-nity purchased that piece of property.

“It’s a bird in the hand,” he said. If it turns out that space is not sufficient,

he said, then those involved would have to look elsewhere.

Nicholls noted his students are research-ing other farmers markets, aiming to be open-minded and respectful, keeping in mind what would work best on Vashon and what people here might appreciate most.

He noted that because of the amount of social interaction that happens at the mar-ket, it functions in many ways like Vashon’s front porch.

“But I would not describe what is there now as the front porch of the community,” he added.

After Saturday’s meeting, his students will go back to work, and then come out again with the community’s ideas incor-porated.

“It’s just the beginning,” he said.

Natalie Martin/File Photo

The Farmers Market, a popular gathering spot, can serve the community better than it does now, many say. Above, Paul Colwell and others check out spring plant starts at last year’s first market of the season.

VIGA and Storefront Studio members will be at the Vashon Library from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday with their initial ideas. A second public meeting is set for March 7 to review the revised designs. The time and location have yet to be determined.


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By NATALIE MARTINStaff Writer

Susan Glover Sullivan, an islander known for her years of community activ-ism, died last week at age 70.

Sullivan, who died on Monday, Jan. 9, after a bat-tle with cancer, was known on Vashon as an avid vol-unteer and Vashon Allied Arts (VAA) board member, and for starting the Vashon Road Crew, a popular walking group that raises money for local charities. Friends and family describe Sullivan as a sharp, ener-getic woman who couldn’t sit still in her retirement and was constantly looking for opportunities to help others.

“She was a very generous person with her time, and so affirmative and positive,

upbeat, and an extraordi-nary human being,” said Molly Reed, executive director of VAA.

Sullivan was born on Jan. 19, 1945, in North Carolina. She had a career as a biochemist special-izing in nuclear magnet-ic resonance, first at the University of California Riverside and then at the University of Washington.

She met her husband Pat Sullivan 30 years ago on the ferry to Bainbridge Island, where they both lived at the time. After they retired, the two built a house on Vashon in 2000.

Sullivan threw her-self into civic activities soon after moving to the island, her husband said. She volunteered for Vashon Community Care, where she served meals and was involved in the annual Labor of Love auction. She was on the board of Vashon’s Unitarian church, helped serve the daily din-ners offered at local church-es and delivered meals to the homebound as a food bank volunteer.

Sullivan was also an avid walker, and in 2003 she co-authored the first version of the guide “Walks, Trails and Parks on Vashon” with

islander John Gerstle. She helped update it over the years — the most recent edition was in 2011. Around that same time, she started a math tutoring program at Vashon High School, recruiting her math-mind-ed friends to volunteer for it.

At VAA, Sullivan was a board member for sev-eral years, helped organize events and fundraisers and started the art archive sale. Her friend and fellow board member Ann O’Leary said Sullivan had a clear passion for art and the walls of her home were adorned with works by local artists.

“When she joined (some-thing), she gave it her all and was very engaged,” O’Leary said. “She touched the island.”

Among Sullivan’s many activities, one of her proud-

est accomplishments, her husband said, was starting a local walking group with her friend Susan Haworth in 2001. The Vashon Road Crew, which at one point included 50 women, still does regular walks around the island in an effort to stay fit, and over the years members have pooled their money to donate thousands of dollars to local causes. Members of the walking group formed tight bonds and walked together in marathons and half mara-thons. They also took walk-ing trips to places such as Italy, Spain and Greece.

“She was not someone who sat there,” Haworth said, “She lived life out loud. ... She had this amaz-ing reserve of energy, and I don’t know where it came from.”

Sullivan was already

planning a walk with the group this fall in Provence, France, when she learned that the cancer she first developed about four years ago, multiple myeloma, had returned. A website Sullivan’s family created to keep friends updated on her condition drew dozens of comments from people expressing their thoughts and thanks for Sullivan and ultimately support for her decision to die on her own terms. She took a trip to Paris with her daughter just a few weeks before she died at home surrounded by family. She is survived by her husband, five children and six grandchildren.

“I just didn’t even sense any fear,” Haworth said. “She led her life that way, without a lot of fear. She just did things; she was a doer.”

Susan Sullivan remembered as an enthusiastic, caring volunteer

Susan Sullivan

Write to us: The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber welcomes community comment. Please submit letters — e-mail is preferred — by noon Friday for consideration in the following week’s paper. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Only one letter from a writer per month, please.

All letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and libel considerations. We try to print all letters but make no promises. Letters attacking individuals, as well as anonymous letters, will not be published.

Our e-mail address is [email protected].

Page 6 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM Wednesday, February 18, 2015 • The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber

EDITORIAL

The University of Washington has made Vashon a class-room of sorts in recent years, and we’ve welcomed it. In 2012, a dozen graduate students with UW’s architecture and design school undertook a huge project to imagine various ways to enhance the island. Their proposals ran the gamut from installing bike racks in town and beautifying unat-tractive storefronts to redeveloping the K2 building and opening up the isthmus between Vashon and Maury. A

slate of designs they drew stirred interest and conversation but mostly didn’t result in any action, partly due to a lack of funding.

Last spring, a simi-lar group of students took a hard look at Vashon, but focused

their efforts on the island’s offerings for local agriculture. While the first effort had no target audience, this time repre-sentatives of the Vashon Island Growers’ Association (VIGA) worked with the students, communicated local needs and helped them survey islanders. Plans the students proposed for the Farmers Market also varied from simply creating more covered space to moving the market to an entirely new location. While the first project mostly benefitted the UW students in the end, VIGA saw an opportunity for help they normally wouldn’t be able to pay for and took advantage of it. It’s good that the nonprofit is now following up and get-ting more help from graduate students, whom they’ve given a specific goal to revitalize the Farmers Market space, draw-ing on input from VIGA and the community.

On an island that prides itself in local agriculture and also thrives off of tourism, the Farmers Market is an important place. It’s a gathering spot for the community, as well as a big draw for visitors. But it has some design flaws that have become more apparent as the market grows. And as the market grows, perhaps its digs should change too. These stu-dents aren’t experts — they’re still learning — but they have skills, expertise and perspective that likely wouldn’t be found in Vashon’s agricultural community. And they can leave VIGA with design plans the group can use to garner grants and ultimately improve our market.

This effort could result in changes that would help farmers and other vendors and keep our town thriving. Hopefully the community takes these students’ work seriously and shows at upcoming public meetings. And hopefully VIGA and the public give the group realistic parameters, resulting in a proj-ect that’s doable, affordable and will enhance our town core.

Remembrance Day recognizes Japanese internment

Vashon once had a vibrant Japanese-American community whose members were involved in the daily life of the island. These Japanese-American residents owned and operated over 20 island farms, owned the largest berry barreling plant on the island and provided jobs picking and process-ing crops for hundreds of individ-uals who lived on and off Vashon.

This Japanese-American com-munity supported the schools, provided a number of valedic-torians and salutatorians for the graduating classes and con-tributed players for the winning high school basketball, football and track teams. They donated 100 cherry trees to landscape the new Vashon High School in 1931, were some of the founders of the Sportsmen’s Club, were members of the Businessmen’s Club and helped raise funds for numerous school projects with Japanese per-formances and dances.

There were 140 Japanese-American residents of Vashon in 1930, and even though the Great Depression reduced that num-ber slightly to 120 by 1940, the Japanese Americans on Vashon were an important part of the island community. World War II effectively destroyed Vashon’s Japanese-American community, with only around 40 former resi-dents of Japanese descent return-ing after the war to pick up and resume their interrupted lives.

What caused the destruction of this Vashon community and Japanese-American communi-ties all along the West Coast was Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Feb. 19, 1942. The order authorized the forced removal and incarcera-tion of all Japanese Americans in what was called the West Coast Exclusion Zone, including all of Western Washington, Western Oregon, southern Arizona and all of California. Approximately 120,000 individuals with Japanese ancestry, two-thirds of whom were American citizens, were impris-oned, without trial, in guarded,

barbed-wire enclosures — what President Roosevelt called American concentration camps.

At least 124 residents were

forcibly removed from Vashon on May 16, 1942, because they were of Japanese ancestry. Another four chose to voluntarily leave prior to the enforced evacuation. These individuals were taken from their normal lives, allowed to bring only what they could carry, while leaving behind all their other pos-sessions. They were transported from their productive farms, busi-nesses, jobs and community lives on Vashon to desolate, dusty and isolated areas first in the Pinedale Processing Center in Central California, and then scattered in six of the nine government-established Relocation Camps in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. Some of them remained in these camps for four years.

The reaction to this removal and imprisonment on Vashon was mixed. On the day Vashon Japanese Americans were evacuat-ed, over 300 fellow islanders came to the north-end ferry dock to say goodbye. Many fellow islanders kept in touch with the evacuees during the war, and some man-aged Japanese-American farms while their owners were absent.

At the same time, the Vashon News Record printed biased and even racist commentaries through-out the war. In early 1945, a small group of young men who did not want the Japanese Americans to return to the island burned three houses owned by imprisoned Japanese Americans. One of these homes belonged to the Miyoshi family. In their house they had stored their furniture, clothing and agricultural equipment and the possessions of four other evacuated families. They all lost everything in the fire. At the time of the fire, two of the Miyoshi sons were fighting in Europe with the

U.S. Army’s 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

The Friends of Mukai recently created a program called The Japanese Presence Project to identify all the Vashon Japanese Americans who lived on the island and were interned or voluntarily exiled.

The project seeks to learn who they were, where they went and what happened to each of them. Those working on the project include Joe Okimoto, a resident of Vashon who was imprisoned as a young boy during the World War II removal; David Perley, the descendent of the Tanaka and Sakahara families, who lived on Vashon prior to World War II and were removed in 1942; Laura Nishiyori, a descendent of the Nishiyori family, which was also removed in 1942, and others.

The group has developed fam-ily trees for each of the Japanese-American families living on the island, has researched the intern-ment camps where each family was imprisoned and is collecting pho-tographs and documents from each of these families. They would like to hear from other descendants of Vashon Japanese-American families to help gather more infor-mation and further develop the Japanese Presence Project.

Tomorrow, as we consider Remembrance Day, a day that recognizes Japanese-American internment, let us all take a moment to reflect upon what fear and racism can do to a com-munity. Frank Fujii’s logo for Remembrance Day 1978 is an important reminder to us all. It represents the Japanese symbols for first, second and third, repre-sentative of the three generations of Japanese individuals who were evacuated. These symbols are enclosed within a barbed wire entangled circle representing the barbed wire-topped prison fences that imprisoned these three generations. A vital Japanese-American community on Vashon was destroyed because of fear and racism. Let us be aware and com-mitted to never letting this happen again to any fellow islanders no matter what our differences.

— Bruce Haulman is an island historian working with the Japanese

Presence Project.

UW project could bring results this time

While the first project mostly benefitted the UW students in the end, VIGA saw an opportunity for help they normally wouldn’t be able to pay for and took advantage of it.

OPINIONVashon-Maury

STAFFPUBLISHER: Daralyn Anderson [email protected] COORDINATOR: Patricia Seaman [email protected]: Chris Austin [email protected]

EDITORIALEDITOR: Natalie Martin [email protected] [email protected]: Susan Riemer [email protected] Sarah Low [email protected] Juli Goetz Morser [email protected] [email protected]

ADVERTISING/MARKETING/DESIGN PRODUCTIONMARKETING REPRESENTATIVE: Daralyn Anderson [email protected] [email protected] DESIGNERS: Nance Scott [email protected]

IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT & SUBSCRIPTION RATESVashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, 17141 Vashon Hwy SW, Suite B, Vashon, WA 98070; (USPS N0. 657-060) is published every Wednesday by Sound Publishing Inc.; Corporate Headquarters: 19351 8th Avenue NE, Suite 106, Poulsbo, WA 98370-8710. (Please do not send press releases to this address.)

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $30 on Island motor route delivery, one year; $57 two years; Off Island, continental U.S., $57 a year and $30 for 6 months. Periodical postage paid at Vashon, Washington. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Beachcomber P.O. Box 447, Vashon Island, WA 98070.

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Remember what racism caused in the 1940sHISTORYBy BRUCE HAULMAN

IllnessCustomers, too, should stay home when sick

I wanted to add something to the letter “Stay home when sick,” (Feb. 4).

The letter implies that the employees of a high-volume store are not concerned about customers with “fragile immune systems.” I work for a high-volume store. For the past five years, I have been battling back from advanced stage 4 cancer of my immune system. Numerous operations to remove cancerous lymph nodes, seven months of intense chemotherapy and other treatments have left me with a “frag-ile immune system” to say the least.

Every day at work I come in contact with parents with children too sick to go to school yet need to shop, adults too sick to go work yet need to shop, patients com-ing home from the hospital or clinic with a major illness yet need to shop, travelers coming home from vacation sick and need to shop.

All of it is terrifying to me, yet I show

up for work and try my best to help people as best I can. It’s a two-way street. We all need to take precautions, be cautious and do our part to avoid making others ill.

— Roger Hills

Housing Zoning laws may provide affordable answers

Re: “Affordable Housing Remains Out of Reach for Many,” (Feb. 11).

I am not optimistic that the state of Washington will fund its Housing Trust Fund in order to address the issue of a lack of affordable housing, any more than I expect it will begin to adequately fund college education or institute a progressive tax structure.

Perhaps another solution can be found in the example of Vancouver, B.C., which liberalized its zoning law to allow small rental units to be added to residential properties, thereby increasing housing density without altering the character or quality of neighborhoods, and reducing

rental costs as a result of increased hous-ing stock.

— Julie Werbel

Park districtProposed user fees would have promoted fairness

I regret the Feb. 4 Beachcomber news brief did not tell the full story with regard to the recent vote concerning user fees. (“Park says no again to increasing user fees.”)

While the original motion that was defeated in December would have resulted in $15,000 less revenue, the new motion had a price tag of only $5,500. It would have become a $3,500 increase in revenue had the board voted to amend the propoosal and eliminate decreased pool fees, as was requested by Scott Bonney and the Friends of the Vashon Pool group.

In response to Bill Ameling’s assertion at the previous meeting that I was trying to punish the fields users, I reminded him the motion also increased fees for non-field users who were paying proportion-

ately less than the users of Ober Park, the pool and Paradise Ridge. More impor-tantly, the actual proposed increased cost, when added to the total cost to participate in youth soccer, the largest user group, was only 2 to 3 percent, and for lacrosse approximately 1 percent. These very modest increases, while making the fee structure more equitable for all, hardly could have been considered “punishment” for anyone. It should be noted that Hans VanDusen, the president of the soccer association, was neutral on the motion, neither opposing or supporting it.

What is more noteworthy is that after the proposed increase, all users still would be paying significantly less than the groups had agreed to pay in January 2013, after which Bill Ameling, Joe Wald and Lu-Ann Branch joined David Hackett in reversing a previous motion thereby reducing fees for these groups, while ignoring an agreement the park district had had with Paradise Ridge for 20 years. This happened only two months after the park district had to confront a financial crisis of the board’s own making, which resulted in staff reduction and a near loan default.

— Scott Harvey


This Feature Proudly Sponsored by:Tom and Dave - Vashon Pharmacy

Norm - Vashon ThriftwayEarl - Island Home Center and Lumber

Next in an on-going series about Island history.

IT’S YOUR HISTORYYou say Chautauqua,

I say something kinda closeBy Chris Austin

Chautauqua. What does is it mean? Well, if you ask me it means the most misspelled word on the island but for the rest of Vashon it has several defi nitions both old and new. Chautauqua was a movement that started in the state of New York in 1874 by Methodist minister John Heyl Vincent and businessman Lewis Miller. It began as an adult educa-tion event that was embraced by rural America from coast to coast. It brought together music, entertainment and thought-provoking lectures to an agrarian society, long before the advent of movies and radio. Think of a it as a modern day TED Talk. President Theo-dore Roosevelt himself said Chautauqua “was the most American thing in America.”

The movement was named after the location of its inaugural event at Chautauqua Lake. The word itself comes from a time when vowels were more plentiful than today. It originated from a Native-American language and has several connotations. One transla-tion means “place of easy death,” probably something they glossed over in the market-ing brochures.

Locally, the movement became a permanent activity on Vashon in 1888 by way of the Puget Sound Chautauqua Assembly. This group platted the fi rst town on the island nam-ing many of the streets after American writers and native fl ora. The location was touted as a place to escape the “noxious vapors and immoral infl uences of a crowded city.” So take that, West Seattle.

Originally the area consisted of around 150 acres of donated land but would eventu-ally encompass some 600 acres, including two miles of shoreline. To accommodate the burgeoning number of visitors a dock, hotel, three-story pavillion and a 1,200-seat amphitheater were built.

With the rise of the horseless carriage and mass media the world began to shrink and with it the interest in Chautauqua lectures. By the 1920s the movement had all but disappeared. Yet we can still see remnants of the most American thing in America by its namesake road and elementary school.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

www.vashonbeachcomber.com

24 HOURS A DAY7 DAYS A WEEK

www.vashonbeachcomber.com • 24/7 on the web


ONGOING

Free Tax Help: Hilary Emmer will be available to provide free income tax preparation for those who earn $25,000 per year or less. No appointment necessary. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday through March 26 at the Vashon Library.

WEDNESDAY • 18

Chamber Mixer: Join fellow chamber members at this month’s mixer, hosted by VMI Property Management and Windermere Vashon Real Estate. Enjoy treats, libations and door prizes, and attendees are welcome to bring friends and family. Don’t forget your business cards. 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Windermere Vashon Too, behind AJ’s Coffee stand.

RideShare Driver Information Meeting: Puget Sound RideShare services will host an informational meeting on Vashon to discuss how ridesharing services could benefit the island. They are looking for drivers who could commit to one four-hour shift per week. For more information, go to facebook.com/pugetsoundrideshareservices. 7 to 8 p.m. at the Vashon Library.

THURSDAY • 19

Lecture and Discussion Series: The Burton Community Church will begin its new lecture series, “The Skeptic’s View of American History.” Each week will feature two lectures, which are designed to stand alone. This week’s topics are religious toleration in colonial America and the question of being neither American nor revo-lutionary. The lectures are free, and all are welcome to attend. For more information, call Herb Reinelt at 408-7360. 4 to 6 p.m. in Lewis Hall behind Burton Com-munity Church.

Family Movie Night: Bring the whole family to watch a free, child-appropriate movie. Call 463-2069 for the movie title. 5 p.m. at the Vashon Library meeting room.

FRIDAY • 20

Volunteer Appreciation at VAA: To thank the many volunteers who lend a hand throughout the year, Vashon Allied Arts will host a volunteer appreciation party, with food, wine and live music. Current volunteers and their families, as well as new and interested volun-teers are invited to attend. 5 to 7 p.m. at the Blue Heron.

Fly Fridayz at the O Space: Come to Club O for a night of hip hop with Marcus Jones-Moore, aka Speak on the Mic. All ages are

welcome. Admission is by a sug-gested donation of $10 at the door, though no one will be turned away for lack of funds. 8 to 11 p.m. at the Open Space for Arts & Community.

SATURDAY • 21

Re-Imagining the Vashon Farmers Market Public Meet-ing: The Vashon Island Growers Association is working with the University of Washington Store-front Studio to develop design ideas for the revitalization and reconfiguring of the market, to better serve the community and accommodate market growth. The public is invited to come and meet the design team and take a look at initial design ideas. 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Vashon Library. (See story, page 4.)Vashon Social Dance Group: All are welcome to come with part-ners, friends or alone for a foxtrot and swing lesson, then stay for a variety dance, where attendees can practice their swing, foxtrot, waltz, two-step and Latin dance skills. Admission is by a $10 sug-gested donation. For more infor-mation, contact Candy McCullough at 920-7596. 7 to 8 p.m. lesson and 8 to 9:30 p.m. dance at the Ober Park performance room.

SUNDAY •22

Unitarian Service: Rev. Heather Christensen’s sermon topic this week will be “Money: Good or Evil?” Programs for children and youth are also available. 9:45 a.m. in Lewis Hall behind Burton Com-munity Church.

Continuing Conversations: Vashon Park District commissioner Doug Ostrom will lead a discussion about the parks, and all are wel-come to attend. For more informa-tion, call 408-7442. 4 to 6 p.m. at 10127 SW Burton Dr.

MONDAY • 23

Senior Center Book Clubs: Facilitators Nancy Slater and Jude Boardman will take suggestions for types of books, titles and the best times of day for two groups to meet if there is enough interest. Bring your favorites for the group to consider; all ideas are welcome. 2 p.m. at the Vashon Senior Center on Bank Road.

Teen Talking Circle Meet & Greet: Teens from 14 to 18 years old are invited to this introduc-tory meeting about a new weekly support group. The group will focus on compassionate listening, as well as sharing, exploring and deconstructing issues without judgement. Refreshments will be provided. The meeting is free to at-tend, but donations are welcome.

For more information and location, contact facilitator Emmy Graham at 491-9465 or [email protected]. 4 to 6 p.m.

TUESDAY • 24

American Denial’: Community Cinema Vashon presents a free screening of this film which of-fers a provocative look at race in America through the prism of the landmark 1944 inquiry into Jim Crow segregation. A moderated discussion will follow the film. 6 p.m. at the Vashon Theatre.

UPCOMING

Vashon Vespers: This service is meditative, musical, rooted in Christian contemplative tradition and open to all. Childcare will be provided. 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at the Church of the Holy Spirit.

Recycle Event for Safe Grad Night 2015: Get rid of old elec-tronics, appliances, metal objects, mechanical devices and more at this fundraiser for the VHS Class of 2015’s Safe Grad Night. Acceptance of items is by donation, which is tax deductible. For more informa-tion about what can be accepted for recycling, go to safegradnight.org/fundraising. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the north parking lot of the K2 building.

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Money Mechanics: This is a free, 10-week financial educa-tion course sponsored by several island service organizations, in-cluding The DoVE Project, VYFS, Seeds4Success, Vashon HouseHold, the senior center, Our Community Credit Union and Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union. Some topics for the program include set-ting and meeting financial goals, improving credit and managing debt, financial aid for school, do-mestic violence and finances, and more. Free childcare is available, and dinner will be provided. Space is limited. To register, contact Betsey Archambault at 715-0258 or [email protected]. Location information will be pro-vided upon registration. 5:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 18 through April 15.

Pruning 101: This free work-shop will address pruning fundamentals, such as when, where, how and why to prune. Weather permitting, there will be hands-on practice. Participants are requested to bring their own tools, if possible. 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 21, at The Country Store & Farm.

A Daring Way (Hestia Retreat): This workshop for women ages 18

and up will be led by Kay Duncan and Lailey Jenkins and will draw from the works of Brené Brown and Kristin Neff to explore shame resilience and self-compassion. Participants will be taught prac-tices to help internalize a deeper sense of worthiness. Cost is $150 and scholarships may be avail-able. For more information or to register, go to hestiaretreat.org. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Plum Lodge.

Buteyko Breathing Program: Robert Litman will teach par-ticipants this breathing technique through a series of five 90-minute classes. Class size is limited to six. For more information and to register, call Litman at 567-4029. Noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24 through Saturday, Feb. 28.

CERT Training: Vashon’s Com-munity Emergency Response Team will offer a free, 40-hour training course. Topics covered include personal preparedness for emergencies and disasters, indoor and outdoor light search and rescue techniques, light fire suppression practices and safety, first aid and medical care skills for personal and disaster situations, CERT organization and how it supports the fire department and other professional responders and more. Veteran CERT managers and instructors Catherine and Michael Cochrane will teach most sessions. The course is open to those 18 and older and will run for eight weeks. Class size is limited and registra-tion is required. See vashonbepre-pared.org for more information, and call Jan Milligan at 949-1184

to register. Course begins Friday, Feb. 27 and runs through April 17.

Resonance Gathering: Sound therapist Lani Ladbon will guide participants to relaxation using gong meditation, Tibetan sing-ing bowls and Pranayam (breath work). The cost is $15. 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at Vashon Intuitive Arts.

Free Buteyko Breathing In-troduction: Buteyko is a method of breathing re-training that has been used to address a variety of physical and physiological issues, including sleep disturbances. This one-hour introduction is limited to 12 attendees. For more informa-tion and to register, call Robert Litman at 567-4029. 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 1.

Courtesy Photo

Seattle-based Flamenco dancer Savannah Fuentes, above, will bring her latest show to Vashon from 8 to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, at the Vashon Grange Hall.For “La Primavera, Flamenco en Vivo,” Fuentes will be joined by cantaora (female Flamenco singer) Kina Mendez from Spain and guitarist Gerardo Alcala. Tickets cost $22 for general admission, $12 for students, $7 for children or $35 for VIP seating and a poster and can be pur-chased at brownpapertickets.com. For more information, go to savannahflamenko.com.

CALENDARVashon-Maury

FLAMENCO EN VIVO

VASHON THEATRE

The Imitation Game: Plays through Feb. 26.

Foxcatcher: Ends Feb. 19.

Treasure Island (National Theatre Live): Feb. 19 and 21.

Wild: Opens Feb. 20.

Oscar Night: Feb. 22.

See vashontheatre.com for show times or call 463-3232.

PUBLIC MEETINGSVashon Sewer District: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at the Vashon Senior

Center.

King County Airport District: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at Courthouse Square.

Vashon Island Fire & Rescue: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Station 55.

Vashon Park District: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Ober Park.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS: Send items to [email protected]. Deadline is noon Thursday for Wednesday publication. The calendar is intended for community 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 vashonbeachcomber.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the prompts.

Monday Methodist churchTuesday Presbyterian churchWednesday Church of the Holy Spirit

Thursday Presbyterian churchFriday Lutheran churchSaturday Methodist churchSunday Methodist church

FREE COMMUNITY MEALSVolunteers serve free meals seven days a week on Vashon. All people are welcome at the meals, which are served at 5:30 p.m. Monday through Sat-urday and at 1 p.m. Sunday at the following locations. For more information about the meals program, contact Harmon Arroyo at 351-1441 or at [email protected].


www.VYFS.org206 463-5511

Connect. Nurture. Thrive.

Contact Dalinda Vivero at [email protected] or call 930-2592

Vashon Kids: the Place to Be...

...for kids when not in school. In 2014, Vashon Kids:• took care of and enriched a total of 125 kids, 103 families. • distributed over $19,000 in scholarships to over 38% of families with a strong commitment to never turn away families in need.

Creativity, problem solving and critical thinking activities foster the courage to imagine and the freedom to create a world of their choosing. Sponsor a child today. Donate at www.vyfs.org.

This Thursday’s Vashon Rotary

Evening at the Land TrustWooden Boat Program

South Lake Union Vocational Project training students to build wooden boats.

Service above Self Since 1985

Evening Meeting

Thursday, February 19that Vashon Land Trust

Social starts at 6:30 pmProgram from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

www.vashonrotary.org



[email protected]@



• 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

Located at the Fire Station, 10020 Bank Road

Please have your insurance information when you call and bring a picture ID and Insurance/Medicare/Medicaid cards to the appointment.

Call 888.233.6121 for an appointment

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DIGITAL MAMMOGRAMS

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Private Collection

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A Must See!

Pruning 101 & BeyondSaturday, Feb. 21st, 11am-noon

Learn pruning basics: when, where, how & why!Bring your own tools. Hands on practice, weather permitting.

Open to the Public – at Vashon Golf & Swim Club!

Your Choice of Two Delicious Menus:Starter Salad or Soup and Bottle of Wine Included!

Reservations: 206-463-2005 • vashongolfandswim.com

2 for $42

Grilled Pork Chopsw/Honey Mustard GlazeYukon Mashed Potatoes

Seasonal Roasted Vegetables

Salmon* Wrapped in Fillow/Dill & Herb Cream Cheese

Brown & Wild RiceGrilled Broccoli

*Sustainable Wild Pacific Sockeye

We’re open for dinner on Sundays!

Special forFeb. 18th - Feb. 20th

SCENE & HEARD: MORE GOOD NEWS FOR J POD

Center for Whale Research Photo

The endangered Southern Resident killer whales of J Pod have added to their family again, as researchers discovered another baby swimming with the group last week. Officially designated as J51, the tiny orca (pictured above) was estimated to be about a week old. This newest baby was spotted swimming between its presumed mother, J19 (Shachi) and big sister J41 (Eclipse) and appeared to be in good health. The new calf makes two welcome additions to the pod in the last two months, joining J50, who was born in late December and continues to thrive.

Please recycle your Beachcomber



February is Teen Dating Abuse Awareness Month

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The award-winning shop has drawn luminaries from the quilting world, includ-ing internationally known textile artist and author Kaffe Fassett, and has hosted month-ly shows with quilts from local, national and international quilters.

“I can’t think of any place I would rather be than at this quilt shop,” Crossland said, looking around the store.

Now, however, the quilt shop is moving because the building is being sold. Islanders Kelly Straight and Zabette Macomber are purchasing it from longtime owners Chuck Robinson and Bob Hawkins. The women say they decided on that building after consulting a real estate agent about proper-ties for sale. It will house Straight’s exercise business and include an as-yet-to-be deter-mined independent retail space in the front, Straight said.

John L. Scott owner Ken Zaglin, who represents the sellers, said those involved have tried to make the transition as easy as possible for Moritz.

“The sellers and the buyers have worked as diligently as they could to provide both compensation and extra time to accommo-date, with the best of intentions, the quilt shop, so that they have both the resources and adequate time for relocation,” he said.

However, the realities of moving such a large store are complex and extremely cost-ly, Moritz said. And Vashon’s lack of avail-able commercial space means that, barring an unexpected turn of events, she has no options but to leave the island. Moritz noted that she walked through the former Nirvana space carefully, but she does not believe the layout — and its smaller footprint — would work for her business.

Moritz and her partner Paul Robinson, who is Chuck Robinson’s brother, have looked at some places off-island, but so far have not found anything suitable. They have tasked a real estate agent with helping them to find a large, affordable space anywhere from Seattle to south of Tacoma.

“It is not looking all that grand,” Moritz said of the possibilities so far.

The store has struggled over the years, and Moritz has at times talked openly about considering moving off the island. Last month, however, was the strongest January the shop has had, Moritz said, and she wondered if they had turned a corner. She was poised to sign a new one-year lease when she received word that there were serious buyers interested in the building.

Word began to travel, Moritz said, and custom-ers stepped forward with offers of financial assis-tance to help her buy the building, but it was too late.

“There has been an outpouring of sup-port,” Moritz said, “and there have been tears every day in the shop.”

Indeed, as news has traveled of the store’s impending departure, many are talking about the store’s benefits to the island busi-ness community as well as what it has meant to people in sometimes deeply personal ways.

At the chamber of commerce, Executive Director Jim Marsh called Island Quilter a “marquee business.”

“We get a lot of calls about it,” he said. “They bring in a lot of visitors that like to spend a weekend or however long they can on the island. Several businesses — restau-rants, lodging, stores — they notice when quilting people come.”

The event that has brought the most people in the shortest amount of time is the Western Washington Quilt Shop Hop. In the last two years, Mortiz said, the event drew between 400 and 600 people to the island over five days. She was signed up to participate again this June, but had to with-draw because of the impending move.

Barb Jansen, a longtime customer of the store who lives on the island, noted that many quilters like to frequent a variety of quilt stores and explore the surrounding communities.

“Quilters are shop-pers and eaters,” she said, stressing, like Marsh, that downtown businesses will feel the effects of the store’s move.

Speaking personally about the store, Jansen said she has come to relish the time she spends there, particularly because it is difficult for her to leave the island.

“I am devastated by the loss of the store,” she said. “Island Quilter is my happy place. I can leave the house for an hour and spend time with people I love and look at fabric I love.”

While many of the store’s customers are older women, not all are, and employee Christine Millican said she believes she has helped teach 50 to 60 people to sew in the last three years. Her youngest pupil was 4, and the oldest were in their 70s. She has also worked with some young people with special needs, teaching them to sew and providing a sense of belonging.

Currently, one young boy whose mother died comes to the store for lessons, deter-mined to learn to sew on his mom’s machine, Moritz said.

“Some days he wants to talk and some-

times he wants to just fix us tea, like his mom would have done, and we appreciate his ‘helping’ us and are giving him sup-port,” she added.

Vashon has a large quilting community, with an active quilt guild and the American Hero Quilts nonprofit, run by Sue Nebeker, who has provided roughly 18,000 quilts to those injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nebeker credits Island Quilter with con-siderable support over the years, noting the store serves as a drop-off and delivery space for American Hero Quilts and hosts sew-ins there once a month for the project. She added that several quilting groups in the region rent buses to come to Vashon, then shop, deliver American Hero quilts to her and have lunch at The Hardware Store.

“It is going to be much more impactful than people realize,” she said of the store’s departure.

Looking ahead, Moritz said it is the sense of community — of knowing their custom-ers and their stories — that she and Paul will miss most in a city. She added that she typically likes a good challenge, but this one presents daunting unknowns. In part, Moritz said, it is not clear to her what community she should move to, if they are lucky enough to find a few affordable options, as she routinely draws custom-ers from Seattle, Tacoma and the Kitsap Peninsula, and many of them are seniors who are more comfortable getting on a ferry than managing I-5. Also, she said, the store has a reputation she wants to maintain.

“In the quilting world, people commonly know us now. That did not come by acci-dent; that came by a lot of hard work,” she said. “Now trying to think where else we can move, we cannot be half of what we used to be. For me, I could not have some-one come in and say, ‘Is this it?’ I would rather not be in business than not live up to expectations.”

QUILT SHOPCONTINUED FROM 1

“In the quilting world, people commonly know us now. That did not come by accident; that came by a lot of hard work.”

Anja Moritzowner of Island Quilter


SPORTSVashon-Maury

VHS SPRING SPORTS: Spring is in the air, and spring spor ts are getting ready to bloom at Vashon High School. Registration for spring spor ts, including baseball, softball, track and field, boys’ soccer and girls’ tennis, is open next Monday through Thursday. For more information, contact the VHS office. Practices begin on March 2, and late registration will open March 3 for teams that have space available.

Serving Vashon Island Since 1929 463-9134

WILLIAMS HEATING Proudly Sponsors…

Austin Fujita, Olivia Brenno& Delphine MederiosBoys Basketball ManagersOlivia & Delphine - Seniors, Austin - Sophomore

From Olivia: “We enjoy working behind scenes, know-ing we are contributing to the success of the team. We are lucky to be a part of a great program. Go Pirates!”From the Coach: “Our managers are top notch! They do so much behind the scene that goes unnoticed to most, but we wouldn’t be where we are this season without them. They are true servant warriors, and our team owes them much thanks.”

PIRATE

18134 Vashon Highway SW • 206.463.5477

Every Friday

Taco Tuesdays

Burger Wednesdays

Prime Rib Fridays

Sunday Breakfast

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ALL ARE WELCOME!

DINING IS ALWAYS OPEN TO

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Pirates finish regular season undefeated in Nisqually League

The Pirate boys’ basketball team came out with another vic-tory, 61-55, last Tuesday against league foe Charles Wright at home on what was senior night.

John Yates, who announces the games on Voice of Vashon with Kevin Linnell, spoke to the opponents’ skill and attitude in an interview earlier this week.

“Charles Wright has some real-ly good basketball players, and they came out wanting to beat Vashon at home on senior night,” he said. “They came out ready to play.”

At halftime, the Pirates were down, 32-25, but Vashon is typi-cally a second-half team, Yates said, and they came back out and quickly tied the score. It was a back-and-forth battle after that, and the Pirates were trailing by 2 going into the fourth quarter. Senior leadership took over from there as both Jessie Norton and Ian Stewart made huge plays down the stretch. In the end, the Pirates outscored Charles Wright 36 to 23 in the last half, giving the victory to the Pirates.

Yates noted that Tuesday’s game was not a must win for the Pirates as they claimed the Nisqually League champion title last week, and sewed up the number-one seed at district playoffs at the same game.

“Tuesday night was just playing

to have an undefeated season in the Nisqually League,” Yates said.

He added that Vashon currently has one of the best defenses in the entire state.

“It’s not a high-scoring team,” he said. “They just lock other teams down and don’t let them score.”

The team has considerable offensive talent, he added, but they play a style where the defense controls the game.

Speaking to offensive skill, he noted that senior Jessie Norton averages about 20 points per game and is the Nisqually League’s lead scorer. Several other teammates average 8 to 10 points per game, Yates added.

With a 19-1 record, this is the best regular season start in school history except for 2009, when the boys took the state championship. This year’s record ties that year.

The Green Tide was high and in full force last week and celebrated the victory and the final home game for the senior boys, which in addition to Norton, include Ian Stewart, Darrin May-Power and Steen Jennings.

The Pirates played Charles Wright again yesterday at Sumner High School in the second round of the District 3 playoffs. With a win in that game, which was after press deadline, they will play again on Thursday night for the district title. If the boys won on Tuesday, the game will be at 7:45 p.m. Thursday. If they lost, it will be at 6 p.m Thursday. All games can be heard live on Voice of Vashon.

Boys win on home court, head to district playoffs

By JOEL HILLEFor The Beachcomber

The Vashon High School girls’ basketball team hosted the Charles Wright Tarriers last Friday for the final league game for both teams. The Pirates entered the game eager for a victory in their final contest after losing their previous 3 games, and they posted their only league win when they visited Charles Wright just two and a half weeks earlier.

The Tarriers jumped out to an early lead, making several inside baskets and playing strong defense, and the first quarter ended with the Pirates down 18-9, and was capped by a Tarrier 3-pointer just before the buzzer. The Pirates allowed the Tarriers’ lead to grow further in the 2nd quarter when they missed several inside scoring opportunities and also missed several free throws. The Tarriers went to the free throw line several times themselves, but they were more successful in converting the points. The Pirates got a 3-pointer from Annika Hille and a

free throw from Natalie VanDevanter near the end of the half, but still found themselves down 29-17 at halftime.

The Pirates played better defense in the 3rd quar-ter, holding the Tarriers to 5 points, but could only reduce the lead to 10 points at 34-24. Unfortunately, their offensive woes continued in the 4th quarter, scoring only 1 point until Hille made a 3-pointer in the last few seconds of the game. The final score was 44-28 Tarriers.

Hille led the Pirates with 14 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Sienna Jannetty with 5 points and 2 rebounds, Kai Li Scheer with 4 points and 1 rebound, Natalie VanDevanter with 3 points and 5 rebounds, and Eva Anderson had 2 points and 2 rebounds. Kate Atwell grabbed 7 rebounds, Lilly Hennessey grabbed 2 and Melanie Stoffer had 1.

The Lady Pirates finished their season with a 5-14 record and were 1-7 in league play.

— Joel Hille is the father of a Pirate basketball player.

Vashon drops final game to Charles WrightCarrie Van Buren Photo

Pirate Natalie VanDevanter (12) starts to make a move at last Friday’s game while Kai Li Scheer (25) looks on.


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Four won their weight classes at regionals and several more placedBy CHERYL PRUETTStaff Writer

It was a red-letter day for Vashon wres-tling. Even within the storied history of the team, none can remember one quite like this.

Fourteen Pirate grapplers traveled to the WIAA Region I wrestling championships, with an amazing 11 making it through to the state tournament this week at the Tacoma Dome.

The team traveled north to Meridian High School in Bellingham on Feb. 14 and competed against wrestlers from nine other 1A schools, finishing second in team points.

The team’s motto all season has been one of survival — to outwit, outlast and out-wrestle all opponents. After being dis-missed from the top 13 in team rankings in state after the district tournament, the Pirates went in as underdogs and quickly served notice that they were not to be taken lightly.

By day’s end, Vashon had seven in the finals and crowned four regional cham-

pions. Three Pirates took second, three in third and one taking the last spot to state in fourth.

Icing on the cake for the day was the naming of coaching brothers Per Lars and Anders Blomgren as assistant coach and head coach of the year respectively. Once

again proving that nice guys can finish first, and that hard work and conditioning will pay off in the end.

Champions for Vashon were Chase Wickman, Shane Williams, Bryce Hoisington and Logan Nelson. Making it to the finals and taking second were Luke Larson, Hunter Burger and Joe Coller. Third-place finishes went to Preston Petersen, Chester Pruett and Franklin Easton. Rodolfo Flores finished fourth. Taking sixth were Eli Hudson and Elllis Petersen. Alyx Arteaga made it into the tournament as an alternate and gained valuable experience.

The large Vashon wrestling roadie crowd had a lot to cheer about from the first match of the day. At 106 pounds, freshman Luke Larson won his first two matches by first round pin, was down in his final match 0-7, came back to tie it, force over-time and came up just short 6-8. Junior Preston Petersen, 113 pounds, lost only one match on the day, to teammate Wickman, and moves on to his first trip to state. Wickman, the beneficiary of a first round

bye, posted an excellent final round, pin-ning his opponent in the second round of their match.

At 120 pounds, Williams also had a first round bye, then took care of opponents from Mt. Baker and Pt. Townsend to take the championship. Flores, also at 120, had an amazing day winnig two and drop-ping 2 to take fourth. Freshman Hunter Burger got revenge on his nemesis from Klahowya. After losing to him in double overtime the previous Saturday, Burger pinned him in the first round and moved on to the finals. Hoisington, 138 pounds, continued his winning ways, muscling his way through to a championship. Pruett, 152 pounds, brawled his way through the bracket, dropping a tight one to a highly ranked wrestler from Sultan, bouncing back, and definitively grabbing third place. Nelson, 160 pounds rolled through his bracket with ease and looks be tough to beat next week. Easton, at 182, took care of business, his one loss an overtime thriller against his Sultan counterpart. Rounding out the group was Coller who beat oppo-nents from Sultan and Nooksack Valley before his lone loss in the finals.

One match of note goes to first-year wrestler and senior Eli Hudson, 220 pounds. His first match against Mt. Baker had his teammates and the Vashon crowd on their feet. After a difficult season, in a difficult sport for a rookie, he got his first pin of the season. Junior Rodolfo Flores’ first match of the day against Nooksack Valley was a 14-0 affair that resembled two fresh-from-the-dirt worms, making it the other match of note.

Coach Blomgren said he was exception-ally proud of the effort of the team.

“Our conditioning and grit clearly paid off,” he said. “We had a great intense week of practice and we will pick up the focus, diligence and intensity even more next week.”

The state competition, the Mat Classic XXVII, takes place this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20 and 21, at the Tacoma Dome.

— Cheryl Pruett is the mother of two Pirate wrestlers.

Pirates send 11 wrestlers to State in a standout tournament

Ann Murray Photo

Vashon’s Chester Pruett takes on his Sultan opponent at the regional wrestling tournament last weekend in Bellingham. Pruett took third in his weight class at the tournament.

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206-935-1575Michael KennicottIsland Resident

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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:

Mike Ivaska and Frank Davis9318 SW Cemetery Road

www.VICC4Life.com

Men’s Bible StudyFellowship (BSF)Pan-Denominational

Tuesdays from6:45 pm to 8:30 pm

Vashon Island Community Church(VICC) Across from McMurray

Any Questions? (206) 335-2009

Catholic ChurchSt. John Vianney

Mass–Saturdays at 5:00 pmSundays 8:00am and 10:30am

Pastor: Rev. Marc Powell16100 115th Avenue SW,

Vashon WA 98070

office 567-4149 rectory 567-5736www.stjohnvianneyvashon.com

Vashon Island Unitarian Fellowship

Community, Diversity, Freedom of Belief,Enrichment of Spirit

Sunday at 9:45 amReligious Exploration for toddlers – 8th Grade

Lewis Hall (Behind Burton Community Church)

23905 Vashon Hwy SW

Info: www.vashonuu.org • 463-4775

Vashon Friends Worship Group

(Quakers)

10 am Meeting for Silent Worshipin members’ homes.

Call for Location567-5279 463-9552

Havurat Ee ShalomServing the spiritual, social and

intellectual needs of Vashon’s Jewish Community

9:30 am Saturday Services

15401 Westside Hwy SWPO Box 89, Vashon, WA 98070

463-1399www.vashonhavurah.org

Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit

The Rev. Canon Carla Valentine PryneThe Rev. Ann Saunderson, Priest Assoc.

Sundays – 8:00 am & 10:15 amChurch School & Religious Exploration 9:00am

Child CareMid-week Eucharist, Wednesday–12:30pm

15420 Vashon Hwy SW 567-4488www.holyspiritvashon.org

Vashon Lutheran Church18623 Vashon Hwy. SW (1/2 mile south of Vashon)

Holy Communion Worship 10:30 amRev. Tim Wolbrecht

Rev. Jeff Larson, Ph.D.vm: 206-463-6359

www.vashonluthernchurch.org/JeffLarson/JeffLarson.htm

463-2655e-mail: [email protected]

Vashon United Methodist Church17928 Vashon Hwy SW

(one block south of downtown)

Pastor: Rev. Dr. Kathryn MorseSunday Service & Sunday School

10:00 a.m.Childcare Available at All Services.

Offi ce open Mon.–Thurs. 9 a.m. – 12 noon 463-9804

www.vashonmethodist.orgoffi [email protected]

Calvary Full Gospel Church at Lisabeula

Worship 10:30 am & 7:00 pmThursday Bible Study 7:00 pm

Call for locationSaturday Prayer 7:30 pm

Pastor Stephen R. Sears463-2567

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COMMUNITY

Road work near north-end ferry

Drainage work along Vashon Highway that was originally to start earlier this month was rescheduled to Feb. 17 through March 18.

Drainage work by King County was expected to begin on Vashon Highway as early as Tuesday, Feb. 17, or once crews shift from other projects on

Wednesday, Feb. 18. Crews plan a month of work along Vashon Highway north of SW 112th Street, leading to the Vashon ferry terminal, on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Two-way traffic will be maintained during commute times, and alter-nating one-way traffic at other times.

Work will be focused on the shoulder drainage sys-tem, and road crews will maintain traffic flow and access to the ferry hold-ing lane during construc-tion. Pedestrian access on the walking shoulder will be coordinated by crews as needed. While traffic delays are possible, the ferry hold-ing lane is not scheduled to completely close during this work. County crews will

direct ferry traffic around the work area when neces-sary and at times when the ferries are loading. Crews will monitor ferry traffic conditions and adjust pro-cedures with the goal of keeping ferry traffic mov-ing smoothly while com-pleting their work.

Volunteers needed to serve Sunday meal

The Vashon United Methodist Church, with the help of volunteers from its congregation and the community, serves brunch every Sunday to low-income islanders. Teams of two to four people provide a nourishing meal of an entrée, salad and dessert to an average of 12 to 20

guests.The church is in need of a

few more teams, primarily for the second and fourth Sundays of the month. The meal is served at 1 p.m. The fully equipped church kitchen is open at 11:30 a.m. for teams to arrive and set up for the meal. The food service concludes at 2 p.m., and volunteers have usually cleaned up and finished by 2:30 p.m. There is always someone from the church at the meal to answer questions and help.

Those interested in par-ticipating should call the Methodist church at 463-9804. There are funds available to reimburse teams for some food pur-chases.

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TACOMA FAULT LINE

Scott Berbells, a manager with the state Department of Health’s (DOH) Office of Shellfish and Water Protection, which regu-larly samples the water in Quartermaster to determine what areas are safe for shellfish-ing. The DOH first evaluated that stretch of the harbor — a shoreline with many aging beachfront cabins — in the 1990s. It deter-mined there was too much pollution from homes with either no septic systems or fail-ing systems to allow shellfishing, Berbells said, though other parts of the harbor are now open to it.

Shellfishing in Puget Sound is a signifi-cant source of revenue for the state and for local tribes. Under a treaty agreement, they split harvesting rights for geoducks, clams that are sold at high prices to primarily Asian markets. The state of Washington brings in about $20 million a year by auc-tioning off its geoduck quotas, according to Blain Reeves, with the state Department of Natural Resources’ Aquatic Resources Division. The profits help fund the state’s environmental protection work throughout Puget Sound as well as its management of geoducks and other wild stocks.

“It’s an extremely valuable industry for the tribe,” said John Weymer, a spokesman for the Puyallup Tribe, which has tradition-al shellfishing grounds around Vashon and Maury. While he declined to give financial details, David Winfrey, a shellfish biolo-gist for the tribe, said that about 80 self-employed Puyallup divers make a living by harvesting geoducks in southern Puget Sound. The tribe garners a 10-percent tax on their profits.

“It goes well beyond a financial thing,” Weymer added. “This is the right thing to do to be concerned about the health of

Puget Sound in this region. We all know things aren’t good out there in the water.”

Winfrey and Weymer said the Puyallup Tribe has long been concerned about the septic pollution in Quartermaster Harbor, which prevents it from harvesting geoducks and other clams there and amounts to a treaty violation. Winfrey first approached King County during the 1990s, asking offi-cials to better enforce the septic code on Vashon, an effort that he said fell flat.

Over the years the tribe has continued to pressure the county to do something, Winfrey said, and while its con-cerns have been well-received, it hasn’t seen results. Winfrey said he’s happy with the current effort, though he is frus-trated it has taken so long.

“As a 90s person who just sees that there are laws being broken … no, I’m not pleased because it just doesn’t make sense,” Winfrey said. “How can these people be allowed to do what they’re doing? On the other hand, after learning about the process, I know that there is a due process that people have to go through.”

King County’s current effort began in 2007, when it identified 263 homeowners at six different island beaches with the worst pollution who needed to either prove to the county that their systems were in order or begin the process of inspecting and fixing them.

Since then, the county has performed extensive outreach, issuing notices and working one-on-one with homeowners in those areas, called Marine Recovery Areas (MRAs). However, in order to hasten the opening of the harbor to shellfishing, the county recently narrowed its focus on the Quartermaster Harbor MRA, and specifi-

cally those homes close enough to the water to cause shellfish closures when their septic systems are not working properly. Of those homes, 18 are not in compliance.

“These people are receiving the most intense outreach effort … to get them into compliance because the stakes are so much higher,” Rodgers said.

Recently representatives from King County, the Puyallup Tribe and the state

Department of Health agreed that should those 18 homes come into compliance and should DOH water testing show good results, that stretch of shore will be opened.

“We’re closer than we’ve ever been,” Weymer said.

Many of the 18 homes are apparently owned by

off-islanders. At least six owners have mail-ing addresses on Vashon, but others list Seattle and cities in the Seattle area on their property tax forms.

Three of the homes on 266th Lane are owned by the same person — J.M. Delano, who has a California mailing address and also owes back property taxes. County records show that Delano once took steps to begin repairs at his properties but never followed through. He could not be reached by The Beachcomber.

Rodgers said many of the homeowners on the list have told officials they lined up inspections or got on a contractor’s waiting list in order to stall the county’s enforcement process, but then never fol-lowed through. He said the county knows installing or repairing septic systems can be costly, but a low-interest loan program is now available, and the homeowners are simply breaking the law.

“We can’t continue to allow that to hap-pen,” he said.

All of the homeowners have been issued final notices and told that they could be fined if they don’t take steps to come into compliance. A few are attempting to appeal the county’s requests, and two homeown-ers who have never responded — John and Nancy Burgoyne of Vashon and Corinne and David Hill, with a Seattle mailing address — have liens filed against their homes. The county’s final step is to refer cases to the county prosecutor’s office.

The wider MRA effort has also been met with mixed success. Currently 100 of the 148 total homes in the Quartermaster MRA — including those not right on the water — are in full compliance. The other 48 either need septic work or need an updated annual inspection.

Rodgers said that while the process has taken years, the Puyallup Tribe has been “extraordinarily patient.” It’s possible the tribe could sue over the pollution, but Weymer said tribe representatives hope they won’t have to consider that.

“We’ve been doing this for years, but the harbor is still closed,” Rodgers said. “We’re trying to get something where we can show people the benefit of all the work we’ve been doing.”

Berbells, at DOH, said that if not all 18 homes the county is focusing on come into compliance, it’s possible the state could still open smaller stretches to shellfishing. Rodgers said doing so could be tricky, as the homes in question are spread out along the shore. He also emphasized that the county is concerned for the overall health of the har-bor and of Puget Sound, something a shell-fish opening is simply an indicator of. It is still working with homeowners at the other MRAs and will add more Vashon beaches to the MRA program in the coming years.

“If we can get Quartermaster open, it will be a huge win for the county and the Vashon residents,” he said. “Then we can move on to other areas.”

SEPTICCONTINUED FROM 1

“It goes well beyond a financial thing. This is the right thing to do to be concerned about the health of Puget Sound in this region.”

John Weymerspokesman for the Puyallup Tribe

Bernard “Mac” McGuirk12/20/1933 - 02/11/2015

Service Saturday, February 28th, 20143:00 pm at The Sportsman’s Club

Please bring a dish to share.

Full Obituary to follow.

•

James E. Beardsley•

Memorial Service Saturday February 21, 2015 at 1:15 pm, Bethel Church

with Reception to follow.

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Find your perfect pet in the Classifieds.www.SoundClassifieds.com

www.nw-ads.com Page 23

SEE NEW LISTINGS FIRST!www.JLSVashon.com

CHALKBOARD

PUBLIC MEETING Saturday, February 21, 2:30-4:30

at the Vashon Library

Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) is working with the University of Washington to revitalize the Farmers Market to better

serve the community. Design ideas will be on display, and comments will be welcome!

SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF MT. RAINIER AND PUGET SOUND

MLS #679229 $479,000

Bosch(206) 919-5223

MLS #713399 $150,000

Zaglin(206) 940-4244

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES!

MLS #717138 $250,000

David

(206) 388-9670

AFFORDABLE LAND, GREAT LOCATION!

MLS #714736 $79,000

Granum(206) 419-3661

Electronics

Firewood, Fuel

& Stoves

Green or Seasoned 16” or 24” Split.Visa/MC accepted

Rick Middling 206-463-3889

Mail Order

Find your perfect pet in the Classifieds.www.SoundClassifieds.com

Mail Order

Miscellaneous

pets/animals

Reach the readers the dailies miss. Call 800-388-2527 today to place your ad in the Classifieds.

Dogs

Services

Animals

wheelsMarine

Power


Automobiles

Acura

Automobiles

GMC

Automobiles

Others

Sport Utility Vehicles

Toyota

Vehicles Wanted

Organic Compost

Tom Carlson

VASHONBARK &

SOILS, LLC.

ALL AROUND LAWN LAWN MAINTENANCE.

R & R MAINTENANCE

Professional Services

Alterations/Sewing


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Tutoring/Lessons

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Home Services

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Septic Service


Reach over a million potential customers when you advertise in the Service Directory. Call 800-388-2527

1.25 million readers make us a member of the largest suburban newspapers in Western Washington. Call us today to advertise.800-388-2527


From left to right...Val Seath: (206) 790-8779

www.JLSVashon.com

Susan

(206) 999-6470

SPACE AND SUNSHINE!Easy living in this one-level home with large rooms & a big yard! Living & family rooms, 2 bdrms plus bonus room, 1.75 baths, covered deck, separate garage.

MLS #717980 $272,000

NancySipple

(206) 465-2361

ATTRACTIVE & WELL-MAINTAINED CONDOQuiet neighborhood close to shopping & library. 2 bdrms, 1.5 baths, assigned

space, bright & inviting. SOLD representing buyer! Offered at $149,900

DianeStoffer

(206) 650-6210

SIMPLY CHARMING!

you work to make it your dream home! The 1-1/2 story, 3 bdrm with basement is on about 1/3rd acre with pretty yard and peek view. MLS #740175 $295,000

JUST LISTED

QUALITY, SPACE AND BEAUTY ON STUNNING WATERFRONTSophisticated contemporary on 70’ pristine waterfront near Seattle ferries! Three levels, 4 bdrms, 3+ baths, gorgeous views from virtually every room. Waterside deck, manicured gardens, fabulous three-car garage. MLS #723647 $739,000

JeanBosch

(206) 919-5223

CristGranum

(206) 419-3661

TIMELESS DESIGN, MODERN CONSTRUCTION

kitchen, attached garage. Shy acre near Tacoma ferries. MLS #734330 $365,000

(206) 388-9670

PRISTINE PRIVACY IN A MAGICAL FORESTOver four acres on Vashon’s coveted west side offers peaceful woodland paths, a seasonal stream and a sweet vacation yurt to enjoy while you plan your new

. MLS #562339 $119,000

DebCain

(206) 930-5650

BEAUTIFUL, LEVEL LAND

MLS #562521 $95,000

(206) 940-4244

EXCELLENT INVESTMENTSunny, central 6.2 acres is near town, schools and ferries as well as on the bus line.

drilled well plus two water shares. A great opportunity! MLS #604288 $295,000

SOLD

Documents

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, February 18, 2015