“The answer: None.The question: How many contested elections did Sam Camasi win on his way to a 15-year career as a Bainbridge Island fire department commissioner?It’s strange, but true. Camasi, an electrical contractor, ran and lost two years before being appointed to replace Jack Schaeffer in 1984. Less than a year later, he lost to challenger Lisa Oncken in a 62 percent landslide.But less than a year after that, he was reappointed to the board when Oncken abruptly resigned. He won an unopposed election in 1993 in his bid for a fresh six-year term, but lost again attempting to stretch his service tenure to 2006 in last November’s election.”
“The cable will soon be cut on the island’s televised news-and-sports broadcasts.Northland Cable Television, which produced the five-minute segments airing during CNN Headline News broadcasts from its High School Road headquarters since 1993, will tape its last show Jan. 28.”
“Two Kitsap legislators hope to calm the waters for passenger ferry service.Sen. Betti Sheldon and Rep. Phil Rockefeller, both Democrats from the 23rd District, submitted bills this week that make ferries exempt from environmental review.“I think we’ll both be happy if either one of our bills goes,” Sheldon said. “This is our trial balloon, and we’re going to see how many bullets it takes to bring it down.””
“Leave it to the legislative season to kindle an outbreak of silliness. But we wouldn’t have predicted state Rep. Phil Rockefeller (D-Bainbridge Island) and Sen. Betti Sheldon (D-Bremerton) as the first agents of contagion.Alas, the pair this week announced plans to seek a legislative change to the State Environmental Policy Act, exempting high-speed foot-ferries from environmental review before they go into service on existing routes. The move would supposedly “clarify” the vessels’ future, after last summer’s landmark court ruling that hobbled the speedy Chinook for alleged wake damage to Rich Passage shorelines. A challenge to that ruling is still wending its way through the court system, but now in stride Phil and Betti to the wheelhouse, intent on saving the day.”
“The answer is “38.”The question: What percentage of island development has occurred in Winslow over the past five years?And given that the Bainbridge Island Comprehensive Plan is predicated on trying to make that number hit 50 percent, a five-year review of the plan could go many directions indeed.“Between now and the end of the year, we’re going to have to decide how much we want to get into this,” said Marti Stave, senior long-ranger planner for the city.”
“Nominations Are Open for Awards for Lawyers in Pro-Bono, Juvenile, Disability & Government Law Categories.”
“A man accused of setting his housemate’s rare and expensive Steinway piano ablaze in October will likely spend 13 months in jail, after agreeing last week to be convicted on a second-degree arson charge.Edward D. Walker, 26, entered an “Alford plea” on the charge Tuesday in Kitsap County Superior Court. He’ll be formally sentenced Feb. 14, but signed papers agreeing to a sentence in the midpoint of the standard sentencing range of 12 to 14 months, according to court reports.”
“Phoebe Smith doesn’t have time to think about slowing down. At 91, when some might be content to take it easy, Smith recently added to her already impressive resume by producing a musical variety show. “It was very special,” Smith said of the intergenerational show, “Together,” which ran for two days in late November. “It had a cast of 100. Some days I wasn’t sure I could bring it all together.””
“Welcome to the Bainbridge Review, first edition of the 21st Century, Third Millennium.Or do we still have one more year of the 20th Century, Second Millennium?We finally understand, at least we think so.Here we were, all set to observe the dawn of a new era, and it turns out that like most everyone else, we’re a year ahead of ourselves. Heck, it’s not even the turn of the century yet.”
“Officials say Bainbridge Island is as braced as it can possibly be for potential problems as the year, decade, century and millennium draw to a close.They qualified their statements, however, by saying that come midnight Friday, as the calendar rolls over from 1999 to 2000, it’s all on the line. The lines, that is, as in the kind that used to carry telephone and electrical power to the island.”
“The end, which for the record came at 11:10 p.m. PST on Dec. 22, was startling and abrupt.Not the end of the world – apparently, that comes next week – but rather the adoption of the 2000 city budget at Wednesday’s council meeting.After an hour or so of generally bland discussion, a haggard council unanimously OK’d a $12.88 million operations budget for the coming year, concluding a marathon month of meetings and wholesale number-crunching.“Hm!” exclaimed Mayor Dwight Sutton, visibly surprised at the brevity of the proceedings. “Okay!””
“After nearly 20 years in the Christmas tree farming business, George Gregg is ready to pull up his roots.In the past 12 months, he’s been forced to say goodbye to his life’s most constant companions – his wife, Joy, died of emphysema in January, and his faithful 14-year-old Labrador dog, Nick, died in September.Now, Gregg is getting ready to say goodbye to his 11-acre Gregg Christmas Tree Farm near Island Center as the current season draws to a close.”
“Do we hear sleighbells?We hope your stockings are hung by the chimney with all due care, and that you’ve been very, very good over the past year. We’re confident that most of you have been. So come Christmas morn, will you find a candy cane or just a lump of coal? Looking back over the year’s headlines, here are our humble suggestions to Santa Claus as he makes his rounds on Bainbridge Island.”
