PORT ANGELES — Will Purser, a Clallam County Public Utility District commissioner since 2001, is on his way to seeing his string of uncontested elections continue.
Werner Buehler, the only person to file for the six-year Sequim-area District 1 position against Purser during the May 16-20 filing week, withdrew from the race May 23.
Buehler, general manager of the Oregon Trail Electric Co-op in Baker City, Ore., is retiring to Sequim after buying a home there two years ago, he said after filing for the position.
“I ran into some unforeseen personal reasons,” Buehler said Monday.
Buehler was the first person to file in-person at the county elections office May 16 for any position on the ballot, Elections Coordinator Ken Hugoniot said Monday.
Purser, appointed in 2001, won election without opposition in 2002, 2004 and 2010.
Buehler’s withdrawal leaves two Clallam County races on the Nov. 8 ballot: Port Angeles-area District 2 county commissioner and county Superior Court Position 2.
Democrat Ron Richards, Republicans Gabe Rygaard and Maggie Roth, and Randy Johnson, who stated no party preference when filing, will vie for the commissioner position in the Aug. 2 primary.
The top two finishers will face off in the general election.
Incumbent Judge Brian Coughenour and challenger Dave Neupert will contend for the four-year Position 2 Superior Court seat in the general election.
PA film festival
PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College’s third annual Moving Pictures Festival will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The films will be shown in Maier Performance Hall on the Port Angeles campus, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., as part of the Peninsula College Arts Festival.
Student artwork is being celebrated in the festival that began Monday and runs through Friday.
In addition to the film festival, events include performances by the music and drama departments, a student art show in the Pirate Union Building’s Gallery of Art, the unveiling of the 2016 Tidepools art and literary magazine, a multimedia book signing event, awards for outstanding English essays, the Associated Student Council-sponsored sidewalk chalk art contest and welding students’ annual Junk Art Wars competition.
The events are free and open to the public.
Details on the events are at www.pencol.edu/events/all.
Artist reception
PORT LUDLOW — Modern Male Artists of Great Renown will have a show at Sound Community Bank, 9500 Oak Bay Road, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and a reception at the gallery, 9500-B Oak Bay Road, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The show will feature the Port Ludlow Artists’ League which covers a wide range of mediums, technique and vision whether they are new to the league or long-standing members.
Featured artists will include Alan Ahtow, Walt Biondi, Larry Davidson, Gary Griswold, Rick McKenzie, James Murphy, Randy Radock, Gary Settle, Ken Thomas, Jim Watson-Gove and Clint Webb.
For more information, visit www.portludlowart.org/artist-of-the-month.
