Sanctuary for firearm laws
REPUBLIC — A small city north of Spokane is considering becoming a “sanctuary city” to shield itself from gun laws after its police chief said he won’t allow his department to enforce the regulations passed by voters under Initiative 1639, saying the new gun laws violate the Second Amendment.
Republic is in Ferry County at the northern border of Washington state and had a population of 1,023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2016.
Initiative 1639 raises the age limit to buy some weapons from 18 to 21 and requires enhanced background checks for people who buy those weapons. It also requires guns to be safely stored at home.
Republic Police Chief Loren Culp said he’s instructing Republic police officers to not enforce I-1639 when it becomes law on Jan. 1.
The Republic City Council now is mulling legislation to shield itself from state and national laws that limit Second Amendment gun rights, including I-1639.
Agate Pass Bridge
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND — Agate Pass Bridge will be completely shut down to traffic for construction work each night — Sunday through Thursday and into Friday morning — between Dec. 2 to Dec. 21 for construction work, the state Department of Transportation has announced.
The bridge connecting Bainbridge Island to the Kitsap Peninsula also will be subject to closure of a single lane on the two-lane span during December.
State officials said work crews plan to open the bridge for short time-frames to allow drivers to cross.
Kiwanis nut fundraiser for community
PORT ANGELES — The Kiwanis Club of Port Angeles is holding its annual nut sale fundraiser through Dec. 25.
Cans of nuts can be purchased from club members or at Jim’s Pharmacy, 424 E. Second St.; Thurman Supply, 1807 E. Front St. or at the KONP studio, 721 E. First St.
The club also plans to have a table in front of Swain’s General Store,
602 E. First St., on Mondays.
Proceeds from the sale will help support activities like Kids Fest, Camp Beausite NW, the Kiwanis Back to School Event, Port Angeles High School Key Club and Volunteers in Medicine in the Olympics.
Grant awarded
PORT ANGELES — The Society of St. Vincent de Paul recently awarded a $5,000 grant to the Queen of Angels Conference.
The grant, part of the society’s Friends of the Poor grant program, is earmarked to provide immediate lodging to families in need.
The Queen of Angels conference provides services from Forks to Carlsborg.
According to a press release, the conference provided food, housing assistance, laundry vouchers, utility assistance, rental assistance, telephone cards, public transportation
tickets and gasoline to more than 4,000 people last year.
Dry Creek open house discussions
PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County road department will hold an open house from 4 p.m. to
6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28 to discuss the upcoming improvements to Dry Creek Road.
The public meeting will be held at Dry Creek Grange, 3130 Edgewood Drive.
Road department staff will be on hand to solicit public comments and to answer questions about the project.
For more information, call Steve Hoffman at 360-417-2373, email shoffman@co.clallam.wa.us or visit www.tinyurl.com/PDN-Dry-Creek.
Flight operations
COUPEVILLE — There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island at Ault Field on Monday afternoon.
Practice will also be held Tuesday Afternoon.
There will be no field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island at Outlying Landing Field (OLF) Coupeville.
Comments, including noise complaints, can be directed to the station’s comment line at 360-257-6665 or via email at comments.NASWI@navy.mil.
All other questions can be directed to the public affairs office at 360-257-2286.
Dixon awarded
SEATTLE — Molina Healthcare recently presented Monica Dixon with its Community Champion award.
The award, which includes a $1,000 donation to a charity of Dixon’s choice, was presented at an annual reception in Renton.
Dixon is the co-founder and board president of the Olympic Peninsula Healthy Community Coalition.
Dixon is donating her grant to the coalition, which partners with other health advocates in Clallam County to help establish healthy eating habits and active living in the community.
Disability employment
PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County commissioners proclaimed October as Disability Employment Month.
The proclamation fit in with the national theme for 2018 “America’s Workforce: Empowering All.”
Commissioners recognized the following Jefferson County businesses for employing people with developmental disabilities: Bayview Restaurant, Business Guides, Concerned Citizens, Dailey Computer Store, Enclume Design Products, Gathering Place, Goodwill, Henery Hardware, Homer Smith Insurance, Jefferson Community School, Jefferson County Auditor’s Office, Management Services Northwest, Pane d’ Amore, Pippa’s, Quimper Mercantile, Safeway, Skookum Laundry, Skookum Recycle, Subway and Sunrise Coffee.
Work can be a fundamental part of identify, offering purpose and the opportunity for people with disabilities to lead an independent self-directed life.
New stretchers
PORT ANGELES — Clallam Fire District No. 2 has received three collapsible rescue stretchers through a grant of $1,950 from the Clallam County Physician’s Benefit Fund.
The litters, called SKED Stretchers, are made of high density, flexible plastic that can protect a patient while being dragged across rough terrain.
The stretchers can be rolled up and packed into a rugged cordura case that makes it easier for firefighters and emergency medical technicians to carry it to remote sites.
The SKED stretcher can also be used to hoist patients to helicopters for extraction.
The fire district has trained all its career and volunteer firefighters in the use of the new stretchers.
Clallam 2 Fire Rescue provides coverage for 85 square miles of the county outside the Port Angeles city limits.
Robotics team to compete next month
CHIMACUM — Fifth-graders at Chimacum Elementary School will compete in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League Robotics Challenge.
Teachers at the school have completed training in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum to help teach students the basics of robotics.
The school has created three competitive teams to compete in the Lego League challenge “Into Orbit.”
The challenge requires students to consider the challenges in long-term space travel and develop solutions that involve robotics.
The solutions will be presented at a competition in December at Bainbridge Island High School.
For more information, call Principal Jason Lynch at 360-302-5855.
Kiwanis help
PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Kiwanis Club donated time to Olympic Neighbors on Oct. 27.
Kiwanis Club members volunteered to help clean and maintain Hamilton House.
Members helped pull weeds, clean gutters, paint and complete other home repairs.
Olympic Neighbors is a nonprofit that helps people with developmental disabilities live and thrive in the local community.
According to a news release, they operate the only licensed adult family home for people with developmental disabilities in Jefferson County.
Bob Wheeler, Olympic Neighbors’ board president, stated, “We are so deeply appreciative of the support we get from the Kiwanis Club.
“As a startup nonprofit we rely heavily on others and could not do it without the support from our community.”
OMC chief Lewis to head WSHA board
SEATTLE — Eric Lewis has been elected to chair the Washington State Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees.
Lewis, the CEO of Olympic Medical Center, will lead the hospital association for the upcoming year.
According to a press release, the association engages both policy and clinical issues that affect delivery, quality, accessibility, affordability and continuity of health care.
Lewis has previously served as the chair-elect and as the treasurer for the association, he also is the current president of
the Association of Washington Public Health Districts.
