Local actress
Bainbridge’s Eagle Harbor High School 2015 graduate Lesley Lemon last week made her professional acting debut at London’s West End, Royal Court Theatre in “Rare Earth Mettle.”
“Mettle” is described by The Guardian as: a multi-stranded, multi-character, continent-hopping drama that centers on the Bolivian salt flats but encompasses numerous plotlines and locations. Protagonist Henry Finn is an Elon Musk-esque billionaire who believes he can save the world by building electric cars. He’ll get richer in the process of course, which he’s fine with. Local indigenous communities also want to benefit from the deal.”
Lemon plays Jo Heggarty, Finn’s executive assistant-the only person with real power and influence over him.
Growing up on Bainbridge, Lemon started out in Bainbridge Performing Arts’ theater school at age 6. From there she moved on to numerous community theater roles with Ovation Performing Arts Northwest, as well as the mainstage at BPA and a handful of other community and regional theaters around the Puget Sound. She wrapped up her local work at Bainbridge High School’s “Return to the Forbidden Planet” for which she was nominated for a 5th Avenue Award in her senior year. While in her final semester of her BA Acting program at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Lemon was cast for Mettle.
Housing action
The Bainbridge Island Planning Commission on Nov. 18 recommended approval of a law to extend the city’s Housing Design Demonstration Projects program for two years.
The program, which applies in the Winslow area, is intended to promote the development of projects that increase affordable housing and meet green building certification standards with incentives such as increased density and flexible development standards.
To qualify, developments must provide at least 50% of residential units as affordable housing. The commission also recommended amending the program to specify that all the affordable housing units serve households at or below low-income levels (80% area median income).
The draft law now goes back to the City Council.
School board
During the Bainbridge Island School District board meeting Nov. 18, superintendent Peter Bang-Knudsen administered the oath of office for newly elected board members Robert Cromwell of District 2 and Mark Emerson of District 5.
Bang-Knudsen also announced that the school board has been recognized as a Board of Distinction by the state School Directors Association.
BARN Bazaar
The BARN Bazaar is open online through Dec. 16.
Member of the Bainbridge Arts and Resource Network have made hundreds of items, including jewelry, weaving, hand-turned wood and much more.
To participate go to Bazaar.Bainbridgebarn.org
COVID shots
The next vaccine clinic is a second-dose pediatric clinic for 5- to 11-year-olds Dec. 4-5.
The appointments have already been scheduled for the kids that came through the previous pediatric clinics.
To date, the COVID-19 vaccine partnership has vaccinated approximately 1,850 kids.
Meanwhile, the COVID test site continues to operate on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rolling Bay Presbyterian. The test site will stay open at least through the end of the year.
BI reaccredited
The Bainbridge Island Police Department has received reaccreditation by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs – an accomplishment that recognizes the highest professional standards in law enforcement.
“Maintaining accreditation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the community to pursue high standards and accountability through external review of our policies and practices,” chief Joe Clark said.
BI received its initial state accreditation in 2017 and is among only 63 other departments in the state that hold this designation.
New manager
Community Health Plan of Washington, Washington’s local not-for-profit Apple Health (Medicaid) and Medicare managed care plan, has appointed Kate Ingman to the role of regional manager of Systems Integration for the Salish area.
Ingman will help provide on-the-ground support for CHPW’s members by coordinating the work of local behavioral health, medical and community-based organizations in Kitsap, Clallam and Jefferson counties.
For details go to chpw.org.
Correction
Island Life Artisan Gifts is filled with Bainbridge Island-focused souvenirs like ones owner Alex Sanso created working for theme parks, cruise ships, resorts, national parks and merchants. A story in last week’s paper was incorrect.
