Sakai Trail
The Sakai Connector Trail is nearly done. The contractor delivered the last load of rock for the trail base and was set to finish spreading and compacting the rock this week.
After the base has been completed, the contractor will begin installing nearly 200 native trees and 180 native shrubs along the trail. Paving is scheduled for the week of October 18 (weather permitting).
When completed, this segment of the Sound to Olympics Trail will provide a connection from the High School Road District at Highway 305, through the existing trails in Sakai Park, up to Madison Avenue near Ordway School, Commodore Options School and the Bainbridge Aquatics Center.
A ribbon-cutting and grand opening celebration will be announced soon.
Turkey trot
The 12th annual Bainbridge Island Turkey Trot — a benefit for Helpline House — returns virtually this year.
Register at biturkeytrot.org. The event goes from Nov. 25-29. Participants can run, walk, hike or bike either a 5-kilometer or 1-mile event or create an activity of your own anytime during those days. New this year is an “Anything Goes” Adventure category: skip, swim, ski, skate, jog with your dog, stroll with your baby or dance the night away.
“We decided to go virtual again this year out of an abundance of caution for our community,’’ Helpline executive director Maria Metzler said.
Prizes are available in various categories.
Helpline House’s Social Services are provided cost-free to those in need, regardless of income.
Unity Day
Unity Day is Oct. 20, and that’s when National Bullying Prevention Month is celebrated.
Students are encouraged to share kindness, promote acceptance and encourage inclusion. Students at Wilkes Elementary School and elsewhere are asked to wear orange as a powerful call to action to prevent bullying. The COVID-19 pandemic, plus the growing movement for racial equity and social justice, highlight the need for such efforts.
Wilkes classrooms will be watching a virtual production of Allies from Outer Space, which touches on recognizing, reporting and refusing bullying behavior, along with accepting differences and confronting prejudice, and using technology responsibly.
Sgt. retires
Sgt. Trevor Ziemba of the Bainbridge Island Police Department has retired after serving here for 14 years.
He joined the BIPD as a patrol officer in 2007. Ziemba, who was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2015, supervised the crisis intervention training program, developed active shooter and de-escalation training, and provided leadership and motivational instruction for the Criminal Justice Training Center and other regional law enforcement agencies. Over the years, he also served as a field training officer, detective and marine officer.
While at BIPD, Ziemba received four life-saving awards, four meritorious conduct awards and was 2017 Officer of the Year.
In 2019, he received the National Alliance on Mental Illness Washington Criminal Justice Public Service Award for his dedication in advocating for better mental health care and crisis intervention and de-escalation services in Kitsap County.
Ziemba is a 2019 graduate of the prestigious 10-week FBI National Academy Associates course in Quantico for international law enforcement managers.
Drug takeback
Do you have any unused or expired prescription drugs?
Please consider getting rid of these items at the Bainbridge Island Police Department’s Prescription Drug Takeback event Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the police station, located at 625 Winslow Way East.
Loose pills may be deposited directly into the disposal box or you may discard the entire container. If you dispose of the entire container, we encourage you to remove the label first or cover your personal information with a permanent marker.
Please do not bring sharps, intravenous solutions, injectables, syringes or medical waste.
Please do not toss your medications in the trash or flush them down the toilet – this poses potential safety and health hazards. Instead, drop it off at the police station 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Look for the blue, medication dropoff box in the lobby.
Author speaks
Bainbridge Island author Mary Lou Sanelli will be the guest speaker for the BI Women’s Club Oct. 21.
Signed copies of her book, “Every Little Thing: Small Breakthroughs, Big Mistakes, Endless Lessons,” will be available at Eagle Harbor Books this month.
“Sanelli proves that a narrative essay can be wise and vulnerable and nail what matters most in our lives, all in the same breath. No one tells-truth with more heart, humor and accountability,” said Rick Simonson, Elliott Bay Book Co.
For more go to: www.marylousanelli.com
Jobless down
During the week of Sept. 26 to Oct. 2, there were 4,814 initial regular unemployment claims, down 2% from the prior week. Total claims filed by Washingtonians for all unemployment benefit categories numbered 86,615, down 10.8% from the prior week. Initial regular claims applications are 69% below weekly new claims applications for the same period last year.
The four-week moving average for regular initial claims was 4,860, a decrease of 98 from the previous week. During the same time in 2019, it was 5,488.
Decreases in layoffs in accommodation and food services and retail trade contributed to a decrease of 100 initial claims over the previous week.
In the week ending Oct. 2, the Employment Security Department paid out over $35 million for 35,580 individual claims. Since the crisis began in March 2020, ESD has paid more than $21.4 billion in benefits to over 1.2 million Washingtonians.
Donate blood
Bloodworks Northwest is having a pop-up blood drive Oct. 14-15 at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church.
The location is 11042 Sunrise Dr. NE, Bainbridge Island.
Make an appointment at schedule.bloodworks.org or call 800-398-7888. Lots of appointments are available.
