The Whidbey Examiner

02/28/2024

Part of a plan to eliminate all carbon emissions by 2035, Island Transit acquired two electric vans this month with nine more on the way.

02/28/2024

During a struggle over purloined bottles of alcohol Saturday, a thief threatened an employee at Goose Community Grocer with a handgun, prompting the employee to pull out his own gun, according to court documents.

A thief threatened an employee at Goose Community Grocer with a handgun.

02/28/2024

The weather has gone bonkers over the past few days, during which Whidbey has seen it all at once — rain, sunny skies, hail, strong winds and even a thundersnow.

Whidbey has seen it all at once — rain, sunny skies, hail, strong winds and even a thundersnow.

02/28/2024

In his second staffing change since coming into office, Oak Harbor Mayor Ronnie Wright terminated the employment of the city administrator last week.

Oak Harbor Mayor Ronnie Wright terminated the employment of the city administrator last week.

02/26/2024

An Indigenous and woman-owned coffee roaster, coffee shop and cafe and a snack and basic-necessity shop for boaters will bring change to the historic Coupeville Wharf just in time for Penn Cove Musselfest.

An Indigenous and woman-owned coffee shop and a basic-necessity shop for boaters will open soon.

02/26/2024

On a cold afternoon, a group of citizen science volunteers scooped sand from a Central Whidbey beach as part of a mission to study and protect forage fish, an underappreciated staple food for sea creatures that is being threatened by shoreline armoring.

Forage fish are a staple food for many sea creatures that is being threatened by shoreline armoring.

02/25/2024

Public comments have multiplied at each city council meeting with Oak Harbor residents urging the council to name the new fire station after the former fire chief.

Merrill advocated for the building for many years and wasn’t planning on retiring until completion.

02/25/2024

The Oak Harbor City Council approved use of the creative arts fund for a new mural, though not everyone was thrilled with the choice.
“Song of the Salish Sea” pays homage to the spirited nature and beauty and sense of wonder found in the surrounding areas.

The council approved use of the creative arts fund for a new mural, but some aren’t thrilled.

02/25/2024

Avast ye seadogs from far and wide, for one of Whidbey’s most exciting events is returning to Coupeville. Next weekend, Penn Cove Musselfest will lure in thousands of visitors with the mouthwatering smell of world famous mussels.

The event will lure in thousands of visitors with the mouthwatering smell of world famous mussels.

02/25/2024

The owner of a stolen pickup truck found the vehicle in a South Whidbey grocery store parking lot, pointed a gun at the man in the driver’s seat and ordered him to give the keys back, according to court documents.

The owner of a stolen pickup truck pointed a gun at the man in the driver’s seat to get his keys back

02/25/2024

The Unity Fellowship, a group of churches on Whidbey Island, is inviting the community to its annual Black History Month event to celebrate and remember Black people who have made a difference.

The Unity Fellowship invites people to its annual Black History Month event at the House of Prayer.

02/23/2024

Jonathan Shields and Jonathan Brady are students from Exceptional Academy (a program that connects high school graduates with exceptional needs to the workforce) and are assisting Habitat for Humanity with the construction of two homes in Oak Harbor.

Two young men have been setting an example for their peers with disabilities.

02/23/2024

Two Whidbey Island wrestlers earned second place in their respective weight classes at the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament that took place Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.

Two Whidbey Island wrestlers earned second place at the Mat Classic state wrestling tournament.

02/22/2024

Beginning this week, a logging contractor will start to remove trees from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s Seaplane Base in an area adjacent to Regatta Drive and just north of the Olympic View Elementary School.

Alogging contractor will start to remove trees just north of the Olympic View Elementary School.

02/22/2024

A portion of Penn Cove Road will close next month, as Island County road crews work to stabilize and realign the road.

A portion of Penn Cove Road will close next month.

02/22/2024

In response to the northern spotted owl’s decline across Washington, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed a controversial proposal to cull nearly half a million barred owls across the state over the next 30 years.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to cull nearly half a million barred owls.

02/22/2024

Whidbey residents are invited to join a community gathering celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other activists of the Civil Rights Movement this Saturday, Feb. 24.

Whidbey residents are invited to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this Saturday, Feb. 24.

02/22/2024

Staying true to Steve Clarke’s motto “Good Food Equals Good Mood,” the shop offers wholesome sandwiches with generous amounts of fresh filling that make for big, gratifying bites to enjoy in the privacy of a car or office.

Steve Clarke and Jean Hamer opened Slab City Sammies three weeks ago.

02/19/2024

Paul Marshall, a South Whidbey resident, is one of 165 players and singers on “Uke Heads,” an album released this week by Canadian musician James Hill.

A South Whidbey resident is one of 165 performers on “Uke Heads,” James Hill’s new album.

02/19/2024

Something is afoot with Pat McVay’s latest sculpture.

In fact, many somethings are busy crawling around, and burrowing into, a mature Douglas fir visible from Scatchet Head Road in Clinton.

Many somethings are busy crawling around a Douglas fir visible from Scatchet Head Road in Clinton.

02/18/2024

Moon jellyfish — those strange beautiful blobs of the sea — helped a team of Whidbey Islanders win top honors this week at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle, one of the nation’s premiere horticultural events.

Jellyfish. The new trend in gardening.

02/18/2024

Washington Invasive Species Awareness Week will be marked with a series of webinars and events aimed at sharing information on priority invasive species, risks to the economy and environment and ways to become part of the solution.

The week of Feb. 26 through March 3 is Washington Invasive Species Awareness Week.

02/18/2024

Island County is the least sunny county in the conterminous states, according to NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory that measures solar radiation.

For some, Whidbey winters mean headaches, irritability and low motivation.

For some Whidbey residents, winter means headaches, irritability and low motivation.

02/17/2024

An earthquake along the southern Whidbey Island fault zone means a maximum scenario of 7.4 magnitude on the Mercalli scale. In this situation, Island County will face more severe damage than that by the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

An earthquake can devastate the entire county, with water, power and roadways gone in minutes.

02/17/2024

The sudden passing of Garth Batchelor on Feb. 6 has left many South Whidbey community members shocked and deeply saddened. However, those who knew and loved him will keep his memory alive forever.

After his sudden passing, those who loved Garth Batchelor will keep his memory alive forever.