$63,650 raised

Bainbridge Island customers who purchased $10 bags donated a record $63,650 worth of $50 Safeway gift cards for the Helpline House food bank.

The effort was part of the KING 5 Home Team Harvest effort during the last two months of 2020.

Helpline House passed the gift cards directly to Island households in need, including 163 first-time families. The families then are able to choose the most useful and meaningful food to them – offering dignity and flexibility to those facing food insecurity, said Debbie Stearns, food bank manager.

Helpline House’s curbside food bank can help you or your neighbor bridge the gap when a household’s income isn’t meeting basic needs. All Bainbridge Islanders are eligible to use the food bank. No income information is necessary from noon to 4 p.m., weekdays, except Wednesdays. Grocery delivery is available; call Island Volunteer Caregivers or visit HelplineHouse.org.

Riot charges

Taylor James Johnatakis, 38, of Kingston was indicted on a number of charges related to the riots at the U.S. Capitol last month.

The U.S. Department of Justice reports that his charges include: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers; Civil Disorder; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Engaging in Physical Violence in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Act of Physical Violence in the Capitol Grounds or Buildings.

Hood Canal

Travelers who use the Highway 104 Hood Canal Bridge are encouraged to plan for additional time on weekdays in early March.

Beginning March 1, state Department of Transportation bridge maintenance crews will conduct an in-depth inspection of the bridge that requires opening the draw span multiple times. During the draw span openings, the bridge is closed to vehicle traffic, bicyclists and pedestrians. The schedule is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 1-5 and again March 8-12. The typical duration of each draw span closure to traffic can last 15 minutes to one hour.

Drivers are encouraged to sign up for Hood Canal Bridge email updates and check on the Hoodcanalbridge.com web page.

Music honorees

Ten Bainbridge High School music students have received All-Northwest or All-State honors.

All-NW happens every four years and pulls students from Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming.

Unfortunately for these students, because of COVID-19 restrictions there were no physical ensembles and performances.

All-NW Jazz Band: Barrett Lhamon (Tenor Sax)

All-NW Mixed Choir: Abigail Hawkes (Alto 1); and Austin Smith (Bass 1).

All-NW Band: Benjamin Gibson (Trombone); Eamon Nalefski (Clarinet); and Lila Schroer (Bass Clarinet)

All-State Concert Band: Lang Armstrong (Alto Sax); Kelsie Lacey (Clarinet); Elana Memke (Tenor Sax); and Trevor Royset-Jones (Clarinet.

Online meditation

Free Mindfulness Meditation will take place on Zoom every Thursday from 9:25 to 10:10 a.m. March 4-26.

Mindfulness meditation focuses on breathing techniques and quieting one’s thoughts. Meditation has been shown to support pain and stress management.

Also on Zoom, on March 5 from 10-11 a.m., there will be a free discussion on living with early-stage memory loss. Pre-registration is required.

For more on both events email anika@biartmuseum.org

Shellfish harvest

Kitsap Public Health District said that it has closed shellfish harvesting on the shoreline from Point No Point near Hansville to Point Monroe on Bainbridge Island, including all bays and inlets.

Tests show high levels of marine biotoxin diarrhetic shellfish poison. The closure is for all clams, oysters and mussels. Shrimp and crab are not included in the closure.

From Point Monroe to the southern tip of Bainbridge the closure is for butter and varnish clams only.

Walk the Ward

City Councilmember Christy Carr will Walk the Ward with constituents the first Saturday of each month starting March 6 at 10 a.m.

“I can’t take one more Zoom meeting,” Carr says in a news release. “But I would love to connect with islanders to listen and learn about what matters most to you. Or just to get outside and enjoy our many island trails and scenic roads. For the time being, appropriately masked and socially-distanced, of course.”

Carr said she will post the meeting spot and details of the walk on Instagram (@councilmembercarr). If you are not on Instagram, she asks to email her at ccarr@bainbridgewa.gov for the details.

Free meals

The upcoming Kingston Community Meal, sponsored by Kingston Cares, will be on the second and third Fridays of each month in the form of a free “Grab ‘n Go” dinner.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the event will be held outside the main entrance to the Village Green Community Center building in Kingston, located at 26159 Dulay Road NE.

The boxed meal will be available to guests between 5-6 p.m. or until all meals have been given out. Diners must drive up Dulay Road NE and follow traffic instructions from volunteers.

Kingston Cares wants to help everyone who is having difficulty stretching their food budget to participate. The meals are free, however, if people want to give back, a donation jar will be available. Donations can also be sent to P.O. Box 876, Kingston, WA. 98346.

Wyatt Way

Despite some weather delays the last two weeks, progress continues to be made on the Wyatt Way Reconstruction project.

Concrete retaining walls were recently poured Wednesday alongside the Blue Canary building to allow for new sidewalks. Additionally, clearing and asphalt removal at the intersection is ongoing. Once that work is complete, survey staking for the new curbs and sidewalks can begin.

With regards to utilities, the project’s water main replacement at the Wyatt Way-Madison Avenue intersection is complete, and the replacement of storm drainage pipes will continue east along Wyatt Way for the next couple of weeks.

The detour route configuration will remain in place for the next two weeks. Please remember to “Go Slow on Grow” when using that leg of the detour route, a city news release says.

Sexual assault

An Awareness Discussion and Screening of Nevertheless will take place free March 11 at noon on Zoom.

Join Raising Resilience’s event with guest speakers Helen Burke from Bainbridge Youth Services; Bainbridge High School student advocate Zoe Pellegrino; and Beverly D. Van Santford from Kitsap Sexual Assault Center for practical tips on how to: Normalize the conversation; Define and identify abuse, assault and harassment; Support survivors; and Talk to boys and girls about consent

If you can’t attend in real time register anyway, and you will be emailed you a link to a recording when it becomes available.

Also, you can be part of a Virtual Screening of the 50-minute IndieFlix Documentary NEVERTHELESS March 12-14. Watch the film together at home during that 48-hour window. Hear powerful stories of survivors and use them as a conversation starter in your family. The CONNECTIONS CAFE session on March 11 will prepare you for these conversations.

For ticket prices or to RSVP email info@raisingresilience.org.