PORT ANGELES — We’re with you, Chattanooga, in your time of sorrow.
A banner expressing the sentiment is available for Port Angeles-area residents to sign from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday outside the city manager’s office in City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
A gunman shot down four Marines and a sailor at a Navy operations center in Chattanooga on Thursday. The 24-year-old shooter died in a gunfight with law enforcement.
The city on the Tennessee River also was Port Angeles’ rival for the title of Best Town Ever in last spring’s online contest by Outside magazine.
Chattanooga won the face-off, but a mutually respectful and affectionate relationship resulted between the Northwest community of 19,000 people and the Appalachian city of 170,000, said Lesley Robertson.
Robertson founded Revitalize Port Angeles, the chief cheerleader in the competition.
She said many people had posted to the organization’s Facebook page that they wanted to express their condolences over the shooting.
Robertson said she emailed Port Angeles Mayor Dan Di Guilio, who sought the advice of City Council, which authorized the giant message that was spread across a table Tuesday for people to sign.
“We’re hoping we get so many people, they might have to print out a couple of banners,” Robertson said.
“Many people feel very strongly on wanting to reach out to them, to show that we’re all in this together,” Robertson said.
By order of President Barack Obama, flags will continue to fly at half-staff until sunset Saturday at federal installations that include the White House, military posts and embassies and military facilities abroad.
In the Best Town Ever competition, Port Angeles captured the West Coast championship as a wild-card seed that outpolled larger communities that included Bainbridge Island and Flagstaff, Ariz.
In the runup to the finish, Gov. Jay Inslee, U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer — even the Seahawks — pumped for Port Angeles to win.
Chattanooga prevailed, besting Port Angeles by 67,432 votes to 62,130 (52 percent to 48 percent), but Port Angeles triumphed in terms of raising community pride, Robertson said, not to mention raising its profile as a town with abundant natural attractions.
“People came together in a way that I didn’t even think was possible,” Robertson said after the votes were tallied.
“We have figured out that this place is really, really, really cool — and we got to tell the world about this.
“There are thousands more people who now know about this place who didn’t know about it before.”
Criteria for choosing the Best Towns included “top-notch restaurants, vibrant farmers’ markets, friendly neighborhoods, and unparalleled access to hiking and biking trails. In short, the perfect jumping-off point for adventure,” according to Outside magazine’s editors.
For its part in the contest, Chattanooga proved a gracious winner, offering Port Angeles residents 50 free passes to the 2016 Lookout Wild Film Festival on Jan. 29-31.
From among those who register for the festival, Chattanooga officials will draw the winner of free weekend lodging from Lookout Mountain Vacation Rentals.
To reserve tickets, email organizers at info@lookoutfilmfestival.org. To learn more about the festival, visit www.lookoutfilmfestival.org.
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Reporter James Casey can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jcasey@peninsuladailynews.com.
