Breaking News
February 17, 2012
Chimacum School Levy Passes
The levy vote for Chimacum School District levy sailed through to passage with 61 percent approval. Although there are 1000 ballots left to count, the count cannot change the result of the election. The levy provides support for a six-year $7.95 million for much-needed capital improvements. Superintendent Craig Downs expressed his appreciation of the community’s vote of confidence.
Levy’s also passed in Port Townsend, Quilcene, and Brinnon by similar margins. Results are not final until the returns are certified.
County Recoups Property Taxes
Alerted by a Port Townsend Leader reporter, Jefferson County treasurer, Judi Morris, found that the Inn at Port Hadlock had sufficient assets to pay their tax bill from the County, some $128,848. The assets are in the form of furniture, art and other items. The current responsible party, Borrega Springs Bank of La Mesa, California had conveyed information from the recovery team, Sperry Van Ness, that there was nothing left in the bankrupt Inn at Port Hadlock but dirty laundry. Bank officials seemed surprised by the news that the Inn still contained substantial assets and agreed to mail a check.
February 5, 2012
Komen Continues to Face Fallout over Planned Parenthood Fiasco
Breast Cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, has faced an escalating backlash over its decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood. Komen says the decision was based on newly adopted criteria barring grants to organizations under investigation. The ban affected Planned Parenthood because of an inquiry by anti-abortion backed Rep. Cliff Stearns of Florida. It had been reported that the move was instigated by vice president for policy, Karen Handel. Handel is an anti-abortion activist and frequent opponent of Planned Parenthood.
Although Komen denied the allegations, its affiliates in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere were up in arms. The Puget Sound Komen affiliate called the policy “misguided”. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murry along with 25 other Democratic senators asked Komen to reconsider. Komen eventually did rescind the policy but donations and the trust they represent have been damaged. Furthermore, anti-abortion activists are not happy with the reversal.
Most recently, Komen confirmed continued involvement of Ari Fleischer on Planned Parenthood strategy. The involvement was reported by ThinkProgress and the Washington Post. Among other duties, Fleischer, a former press secretary for George W. Bush, considers issues related to Planned Parenthood. He will help “on crisis communications” related to Planned Parenthood. Komen says that Fleischer, who is a long-time critic of Planned Parenthood, was not involved in the funding decision.
The winner in this situation may be Planned Parenthood. Donations have flooded into the organization. However, making up Komen funds would not have been easy. Planned Parenthood centers performed more than 4 million breast exams over the past five years. Nearly 170,000 were the result of Komen grants. Planned Parenthood has launched a Breast Health Emergency Fund to offset losses.
January 25, 2012
Fiesta Jalisco Owner Dies
A Port Townsend Leader January 25th article, “Port Hadlock Restaurant Owner, Pedro Arceo Dies”, by Patrick J. Sullivan, reports: Pedro Arceo, owner and operator of Pedro’s Fiesta Jalisco Mexican Restaurant in Port Hadlock, died early Wednesday, Jan. 25 at his home in Port Ludlow. A spokesperson at the restaurant on Wednesday afternoon confirmed the report. Arceo, 34, leaves behind a wife and three children, and a legion of restaurant fans
Arceo opened a restaurant in Port Angeles in 2001 and a restaurant in Port Hadlock restaurant in 2002. The popular Pedro’s Fiesta Jalisco was open seven days a week, employing as many as 16 people. In 2011, for the fifth consecutive year, Pedro’s Fiesta Jalisco was voted Best Mexican Restaurant in the Port Townsend and Jefferson County Leader’s annual Best Foods reader poll.
When the eatery along State Route 19 closed without notice the first week of December 2011, the news became the talk of the town. In a Leader story from Dec. 14, Arceo cited financial issues. He soon reopened and said he appreciated the community support during the closure.
See: http://ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=30804
Swains Becomes the Mercantile
Quimper Mercantile has agreed to lease 15,700 square feet of space in the vacated Swains Outdoor store on Water Street in Port Townsend. It has been selling stock in the operation and needs to raise $950,000 to open the store. Director of Operations, Peter Quinn said that meetings have been held with local merchants to communicate the mission. Further meetings will be held in Quilcene, Port Townsend and Port Ludlow.
To find out more, attend the Port Ludlow meeting on February 9 at the Beach Club from 5 p.m to 7 p.m. You may also phone 360-379-4693 or visit the website, www.quimpermerc.com.
January 18, 2012
Harrison Medical Center Considers Partnership
For the past three years, Harrison Medical Center’s Board of Directors and Executive team has thoughtfully and deliberately considered how best to operate successfully and provide local healthcare services so crucially needed. With the healthcare industry facing unprecedented challenges due to state’s budget crisis, reductions in federal Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates and national healthcare reform, Harrison is considering how to ensure the future of the 93-year-old organization.
In mid-October, these considerations led Harrison to retain a national consulting firm, The Camden Group, to guide the organization through evaluating whether remaining independent or partnering with a larger regional healthcare system would most benefit the community. In late January the Board of Directors issued a Request for Proposal to a number of other healthcare systems. This proposal asks for an outline of what those systems are willing to do to expand and improve regional healthcare services if affiliated with Harrison Hospital.
“Our charter calls us to investigate all viable options for maintaining healthcare services in our community,” says David Veterane, Harrison’s board chair. “Our residents must continue to have local access to clinically excellent and patient-centered care.” These sentiments were echoed by President and CEO, Scott Bosch. As one of the few independent hospitals in Washington, Bosch says that it has the responsibility to explore all options. He said that exploration included “consideration of partnering with a larger health system as well as how to control costs at all levels of the organization, to ensure exceptional local health and hospital care for our community far into the future.”
Harrison Medical Center is a not-for-profit 297-bed healthcare organization serving residents on the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas and in North Mason County. Harrison provides a full range of medical, surgical, labor and delivery, pediatric, level-three trauma emergency, urgent care, and primary care services across four campuses, Bremerton, Silverdale, Port Orchard and Belfair—and nearly a dozen locations. Harrison offers a nationally recognized and award-winning cardiovascular program, 25-year accredited oncology program, comprehensive orthopaedic specialties, ICU, Sleep Center, rehabilitation, medical imaging, laboratory patient service centers, and much more.
WSDOT Responds to IMQ Application
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) sent a letter to Jefferson County’s Department of Community Development (DCD) expressing concern regarding Iron Mountain Quarry’s (IMQ) application to mine within a mile of Port Ludlow. In their letter dated January 10, 2012 (which can be read in its entirety by clicking this link), WSDOT advises that IMQ “will have a significant adverse traffic impact on SR 104 … that must be mitigated by IMQ.”
The letter takes issue with IMQ’s studies, saying “WSDOT feels that the methodology applied in the gap study is too simplistic to be used to analyze the overall impact that these slow moving, heavy trucks will have on SR 104 mainline traffic.” Recommended mitigations, which go farther than what is noted in DCD’s Notice of Pending SEPA (State Environmental Protection Act) Determination for the mine, include truck turn and acceleration lanes.
Washington State House Considers Blanket Noise Exemption
A new bill in the Washington State House, HB1508, would give a blanket exemption to gun ranges for their noise pollution and exempt sport shooting ranges from all State or County noise regulation. A Judiciary Committee hearing is scheduled in Olympia for this Thursday, January 12th, 2012.
Port Ludlow is in the 24th district. To contact your state reps go to:
(Van De Wege) http://www.leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/vandewege.aspx
(Tharinger) http://www.leg.wa.gov/house/representatives/pages/tharinger.aspx