“What’s in a name?Plenty, when it comes to naming Bainbridge Island’s new swimming pool.The park district is considering selling the right to name its soon-to-be-constructed aquatic facility to any community-minded philanthropist willing to make up part, if not all, of its current $350,000 budget shortfall.”
“We’re already looking forward to April, and our first trip of the new baseball season to that ballpark across the water. You know, that ballpark. The one named after some company or other. Yes, we’re fully cognizant of its formal title. But you can count us among the throwbacks who just can’t get used to that name. We’d rather have seen the awesome facility dubbed, say, King Street Grounds, or some other moniker that suggests a regional or geographic identity, rather than just becoming another billboard for corporate largesse.”
“It is generally assumed that when a competitor goes under, the survivor does a little jig on the newly turned earth. In market capitalism – essentially Darwinism expressed as a spreadsheet – one’s passing means a windfall for someone else’s bottom line.Be that as it may, where news and information are concerned, competition is always a good thing. That’s why we’re saddened to hear that Northland Cable Television no longer feels it can afford to subsidize its news operation.”
“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.”
