New judge

Thomas S. Alpaugh will be sworn in as the new Bainbridge Island Municipal Court judge at the Feb. 13 at the Cty Council meeting.

His term will run through 2025.

Alpaugh most recently served as public defender for the BI court and held that position since 1992. He also has acted as Poulsbo public defender for seven years and served on occasion as judge pro-tem for the Poulsbo and Bremerton city courts.

Alpaugh received his law degree from the University of Puget Sound and carries degrees from the University of Washington and Seattle University. He is a long-time BI resident.

“It was clear that Judge Alpaugh would bring a lot of valuable expertise and experience to the city,” BI city manager Blair King said.

Candidates participated in a forum conducted by the Kitsap County Bar Association, and later, finalists were interviewed by local legal experts and the city. The City Council confirmed the appointment Jan. 23.

Alpaugh said, “I know what it’s like to be on both sides of the gavel, and I will do my very best to skillfully and equitably serve this island I call home.”

Alpaugh replaces Judge Sara McCulloch, who resigned last fall.

The Municipal Court judge presides over a variety of hearings and trials related to criminal and civil cases. The court is staffed by a court administrator, two senior judicial specialists and a part-time judicial specialist. The staff moved into the new Ted Spearman Justice Center Jan. 8.

HRB grant

Housing Resources Bainbridge has been awarded a $2.5 million state grant that will be used to drop its affordable homes prices at Wintergreen Townhomes to $274,000.

HRB is acquiring 31 homes in the mixed-income 73-unit development under construction near the Virginia Mason Bainbridge Island Medical Center.

The first phase of Wintergreen townhomes have a base price of $369,000 which places them slightly below market. HRB had already secured $15,000 per home from the federal government, bringing the price down to $354,000. In exchange, buyers perform 60 hours of sweat equity in the final stages of home building.

In 2023, over 350 people inquired about Wintergreen, but many didn’t qualify. “We want so much to deliver on their dream of homeownership. This grant and the lower price will make these homes a possibility for more buyers,” HRB Homeownership Program director Jackie Brasefield said.

Great Give

Kitsap Community Foundation invites all local nonprofit organizations to register now for the 11th annual Kitsap Great Give April 16.

Communities around the Kitsap Peninsula join together for 24 hours of giving at KitsapGreatGive.org that day. This annual event has resulted in more than $15 million in community support since its inception a decade ago.

This online event fosters unity, channeling support toward the nonprofit organizations that enhance the quality of life for all residents. With the upcoming campaign, the goal is to surpass the $2 million mark.

Learn more and register your nonprofit at KitsapGreatGive.org.

BIMA event

Inked Up: Conversation with John Ellis and Wendy Orville, will take place at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art from 3-4:40 p.m. Jan. 27.

Ellis discusses his current exhibition of monotypes and monoprints at BIMA, Bone Black Noir. Orville, noted printmaker and BIMA Art Committee member, will join Ellis in a conversation about printmaking.

Cost is $12 for nonmembers.

Ski movie

Josh Anderson’s ski movie “Home, Sick! Too good to Leave” will be shown at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at Lynwood Theatre on Bainbridge Island.

Anderson is from BI, and he and his friends put out the movie “Ski for the Love” previously.

“But as far as making ski films go, we pay our own way, we share in filming responsibilities, and we chose the content we produce and release. We keep it fun, taking ski movies back a few decades for a feel-good ride,” he says in a news release.

Scholarship chance

Kitsap Community Foundation is accepting applications from Kitsap County high school seniors seeking financial aid for higher education.

KCF administers 18 scholarship programs. For more go to KitsapFoundation.org/scholarships.

Fly fishers

Bainbridge Island Fly Fishers will have a meeting and program open to the public at 7 p.m. Jan. 30 at Seabold Hall, 14450 Komedal Road NE.

Jake Campbell, Donor Relations officer from Western Rivers Conservancy will provide the program. For details go to www.westernrivers.org/projects.

For details on the group go to info@BainbridgeIslandFlyFishers.org or call 206-718-2254.

Free finance advice

Bainbridge Island finance professional Paul Heys has a free publication available at investorship.com called Spending Your Way to Wealth.

In recent years, he has become interested in behavioral finance — or the theory that psychological influences and biases have a significant effect on the choices of investors. He wrote a free guide to behavioral finance and started the Investorship Financial Education Foundation to promote further learning.

“We wanted to write a more accessible text to help investors understand the role they play in their own success,” Heys said. “We want people to slow down and think about major financial choices. You don’t have to be a scientist or a psychologist to use this resource.”

Police pursuits

A citizen initiative aimed at giving police wider discretion on when they engage in high-speed pursuits was forwarded to the Legislature Jan. 11.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs notified the Legislature petitions for Initiative 2113 meet all legal requirements.

Initiative 2113 backers want to amend a law on police pursuit that passed in 2021, which requires officers to have “probable cause” instead of “reasonable suspicion” to engage in pursuits. Critics say that measure hinders law enforcement officers who want to pursue possible lawbreakers. Backers say high-speed chases can turn deadly and that less dangerous methods can be employed to bring people to justice.

To be verified, a Washington State initiative requires 324,516 signatures, the WNPA News Service reported.

BI police report

1-7: Theft, 3900 block Southern Cross Rd NE

1-7: Malicious mischief, 8200 block Carmella Ln

1-7: Theft of motor vehicle, 200 block Finch Pl SW

1-7: Theft of motor vehicle, 8500 block NE Day Rd E

1-7: Hit and run, 9500 block NE Beach Crest Dr

1-8: Burglary, 5300 block Welfare Ave

1-8: Theft, 600 block High School Rd NE

1-8: Theft, 8400 block Ferncliff Ave NE

1-10: Vehicle collision, no address provided

1-11: Fraud, 4500 block Lynwood Center Rd NE

1-11: DUI, 3900 block Rockaway Beach Rd NE

1-11: Malicious mischief, 400 block Madison Ave N

1-12: Theft, no address provided

1-13: Fraud, 200 block NE High School Rd

1-14: Harassment, 5900 block Lynwood Center Rd

1-18: Theft, 200 block Olympic Dr SE

1-15: Hit and run, 7000 block Bayhill Rd

1-17: Stalking, no address

1-16: Burglary, theft of motor vehicle, 700 block Ferncliff Ave NE

1-17: Fraud, 7100 block NE Baker Hill Rd

1-19: Extortion, 600 block Winslow Way E

1-19: Fraud, 9700 block NE Kitsap St

1-19: Theft, 600 block Winslow Way E

1-19: Harassment, 9300 block NE High School Rd

1-19: Theft, 10600 block NE Valley Rd

1-20: Burglary, 700 block Ferncliff Ave NE

1-21: Burglary, 16300 block of Reitan Rd NE