PORT TOWNSEND, WA — The #1 Kennewick ferry between Port Townsend and Coupeville was taken out of service Monday due to a shortage of crew and fog, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation, though it was one of over a dozen cancellations that rippled across the Washington State Ferries (WSF) system. By Monday afternoon, 13 of the 18 regular sailings were out of service. The widespread disruptions appeared to be a coordinated sick-out by ferry engineers as they pushed for higher wages during ongoing contract negotiations. The chaos followed months of mounting tension between the state and the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA), the union representing roughly 400 engine room crewmembers and the oldest maritime trade union still in existence. In June, union representatives held a press conference to highlight unsustainable overtime demands and a roughly 20% pay disparity between engine room workers and their deck counterparts. Eric Winge, MEBA's WSF representative, warned at the June 17 conference that the conditions causing crew shortages were unaddressed. "We will see delays and missed sailings in the summer, and unreliability will continue to be an issue if the wage gap between engineers and our deck counterparts is not closed," he stated. The union's frustration seemingly culminated in Monday's action. While MEBA is legally prohibited from striking, a coordinated sick-out is not illegal. The union has been in negotiations with the state's Office of Financial Management (OFM), seeking a 20% pay increase to close the wage gap. **WSF statement confirms scale of disruption** In a statement released around 9:30 a.m. Monday, WSF management provided detailed confirmation of the coordinated nature of the disruptions: "This morning, 23 engine room employees called in sick. Every employee qualified to fill those positions has declined to fill them and keep the ferries running. All of the employees calling in sick and declining to fill those vacancies are represented by the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA) who represent engine room employees. The ferries cannot run without these roles being filled. As a result, 13 of our 18 ferries are not in service. We understand how disruptive this is to thousands of Washingtonians. We expect our employees to return to work as soon as possible." WSF then oddly included salary numbers for Staff Chief Engineers in their post, one of the highest-paid positions, saying they have “a base salary of $157,000, and can make more than $350,000 a year with overtime, as well as annual sick and vacation leave, and retirement accrual.” Below is a current wage table for engine room positions well below Staff Chief Engineers. __Engine room pay rates from the Office of Financial Management__ MEBA**** responded to the WSF’s post in a statement to the USA Today Network, “Contrary to the coy implication in WSF management's social media post, today's call-ins were not initiated or aided by the Union.” Instead, they said the call-outs were a “frantic cry for help from an abused and frustrated group of highly-skilled and committed workers.” **Governor Ferguson responds** Governor Bob Ferguson addressed the crisis Monday, acknowledging the widespread impact and confirming his direct involvement: "I met this morning with local and national MEBA union leadership. They shared their perspective on challenges facing their membership. As always, my door remains open to discussing those issues, and I remain committed to improving staffing levels. That said, causing significant harm and inconvenience to the people of Washington state is not the way to address those issues. I was very direct in our meeting: My expectation is that every vessel on every route is fully operational no later than the first vessel sailing tomorrow morning.” The Governor's statement signaled that the state was treating the situation as a high-level priority, though it has not yet announced a specific resolution plan or timeline. **Impact on Commuters** The impact on commuters was significant. As of Monday morning, WSF alerts confirmed that the Seattle/Bainbridge route went out of service following the 5:30 a.m. sailing, and the Edmonds/Kingston and Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth routes were suspended entirely due to a lack of crew. The Mukilteo/Clinton route was reduced to one-boat service, creating a two-hour wait for drivers, while the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route had multiple vessels tied up. The Seattle/Bremerton route was also on one-boat service, canceling several morning and afternoon sailings. WSF management acknowledged the disruptions and stated it was working to fill open positions, but the scale of the cancellations suggested a significant number of engineers were unavailable. "Washington State Ferries employees, like many workers, earn sick leave, and we honor employees' use of that leave when they are unable to work," wrote Winge in a statement. "When a crew member calls out, we work to find a qualified relief employee to fill the position so the sailing can operate safely." The timing was critical, as a tentative agreement had to be submitted to the OFM director by October 1 for inclusion in the Governor's 2027 budget. With the current agreement set to expire in June 2027, Monday's sick-out demonstrated the worker’s leverage and the potential for continued instability if a resolution was not reached. As of Tuesday morning, WSF updated that most routes are operating on a regular schedule, and the majority of the cancellation updates from yesterday are no longer posted on their update page.

PORT TOWNSEND, WA — City Council held a public hearing on Ordinance 3369 during its October 5 meeting, moving forward with a moratorium on the acceptance of permit applications for new buildings in the R2 zone exceeding a residential density of 32 units per 40,000 square feet (4plex per lot)—effectively pausing applications for 5- and 6-plex developments. The moratorium was originally adopted two months ago as part of the city's work plan responding to a Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB) decision that invalidated portions of the city's 2025 Comprehensive Plan. The public hearing was a statutory requirement under the Growth Management Act. **City pursues new legal strategy** City Manager Steve King confirmed that Port Townsend has withdrawn its stay request from the GMHB and is instead seeking a stay from Thurston County Superior Court. City Attorney Austin Watkins explained that the move was intended to "position us to be more clean in our motion to Superior Court." The city is also requesting an amicus brief from the Department of Commerce to seek clarity on what the city characterizes as a confusing order from the GMHB. Watkins noted that one of the city's central arguments is that the GMHB "exceeded their statutory authority in issuing the invalidation on the related amendments." **Public comment** The hearing drew both written and in-person testimony from residents on the city's approach. John Watts, representing Affordable Hometown Port Townsend (AHPT), which brought the original challenge, pushed against the moratorium that only restricted 5-6plex permits and urged council “to re-think the scope of its moratorium,” implying restricting the 4plex increase as well. Dylan Quarles, commenting as a private citizen, urged the council to treat the 32-units-per-40,000-square-foot standard as "a floor, not a ceiling," and asked the council to expand the Multifamily Tax Exemption program to cover all of R-II immediately. Debbie Nelson, who lives next to a fourplex, offered simple testimony: "It fits in with the neighborhood. It has no adverse effect on my property value . . . They should sprinkle four-plexes all over the place." Others, like Teresa Sisk and Mary McCurdy, urged the council to accept the GMHB decision (no density increases) and raised budget concerns. Of the 20+ public comments, most input supported the city’s moratorium. **Council discussion** Councilmember Libby Wennstrom clarified the intent behind the moratorium: "The reason that we put this moratorium in place was to keep things focused on the pieces that had gone through the full public process, while we were in the process of doing this remand work." She noted that the 5- and 6-plex option had been available for applications for eight months, with no applications received. Councilmember David Faber expressed frustration with the pace of progress: "We need to stop rearranging back chairs on the Titanic . . . and really focus on doing more to address our significant needs in this community." **Budget workshop scheduled for October 13** At the same meeting, Finance Director Jodi Adams and City Manager Steve King presented the proposed 2027 preliminary budget, which currently shows a shortfall of about $2.1 million if all items are pursued. The city has scheduled a community budget workshop at Blue Heron Middle School on Monday, October 13, and encourages residents to attend and participate in discussions about budget priorities and potential solutions. Adams explained that the workshop will feature tables where community members can ask detailed questions about how the budget is planned and how different departments are funded. "We welcome the public to join," she said. "We'll have tables set up for everybody to ask detailed questions about how we plan the budget or how we're funding our different departments." The city will then return to the council on October 19 with input received from the community session, along with themes and ideas for reducing the unbalanced portion of the proposed budget. Key budget challenges include rising contract costs, a $1.4 million facilities replacement for the Mountain View property and a projected $2.1 million in one-time expenditure requests. The council is considering a range of options, including reducing facilities replacement funding, implementing a hiring freeze and exploring new revenue sources. **Other business** The meeting also included proclamations for Resilience Awareness Month and Food for All Day, recognizing the Resilience Project and the Jefferson County Food Bank Association's 41st annual WAVE food drive. The council also approved a grant agreement for library capital improvements, including HVAC and elevator upgrades. During the city manager's report, King announced successful grant applications to the Public Works Board, including a $250,000 pre-construction loan for the Monroe Street lift station and a $1 million loan for the Holcomb Street sewer pipe replacement. The city applied for these grants before the GMHB decision. **What's next** The city awaits action on its stay request to Thurston County Superior Court. The moratorium remains in place as the city pursues what King described as the "underlying issue" of housing affordability funding. Residents are encouraged to attend the budget workshop at Blue Heron Middle School on Monday, October 13, to share their priorities with the city.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — If you’ve driven through Quilcene recently, on the way to Quilcene Bay, it’s hard to miss the newest piece of infrastructure in town. Spanning 1,140 feet, the revamped Linger Longer Bridge, or the Twana Bridge, as project manager Randy Johnson calls it, rises over the Big Quilcene River floodplain. After decades of studies and planning, and almost a year after construction began, the new bridge and corresponding river restoration work are nearing completion. Together, they aim to reduce flood hazards, improve fish habitat and finally allow the lower one mile of the river the freedom to return to its natural state. Johnson, Habitat Program Manager for the Jamestown S’klallam, first drove across the Linger Longer Bridge on a steelhead fishing trip with a buddy in 1975. “We were really appalled at this strange rock-lined ditch that was conveying the river down,” he said. “And this short little bridge; it just seemed insane. The river was in a straitjacket.” At that time, the river was a mere 50 feet wide below an 81-foot bridge. Water velocity was high and damaged fish habitat, preventing the formation of slow, deep pockets where salmon lay their eggs and scouring the river down to its bedrock in places. It also frequently jumped its banks and deposited tons of sediment in the delicate estuary of Quilcene Bay. The problems began sometime in the 1930s, when the Big Quilcene River was diked to create more room for agriculture and development. The new river channel was meant to constrain the river and make space for the growing town of Quilcene, which was built in its surrounding floodplains. “This new configuration of the river didn’t end up working particularly well, and the town continued to flood—resulting in the town center moving away from the river and up to the higher ground where it is today,” said Gus Johnson (no relation to Randy Johnson), Habitat Program Director for the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG). Surrounding neighborhoods still flooded in the meantime, causing damage to life and property. Between 1982 and 2015, there were nine federally declared flood disasters in Quilcene, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 1992, Jefferson County dredged the river to try to address years of sediment buildup, but it failed to go through any permitting, violating multiple state and federal laws in the process. This ultimately triggered a moment of reflection. Representatives from multiple entities came together, all in agreement about one thing: The current system wasn’t working and something needed to change. Under direction from the state, Jefferson County started working toward a long-term vision for river restoration and began a property buy-back program. They paid market value for willing landowners to move in order to create a patchwork of publicly owned land in the surrounding floodplain, and to get people out of harm’s way. Johnson said the county remained faithful to that vision over the next 25 years and was able to create the footprint for the right-of-way that the bridge currently traverses. __"Not many communities can say they have a river that is free.” — Randy Johnson, Habitat Program Manager for the Jamestown S’klallam__ By the early 2000s, stakeholders like the county, local tribes, HCSEG, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife had all participated in commissioned studies to see what kind of improvements could be made to the lower one mile of the Big Quilcene River. After successfully removing over one thousand feet of the north dike, working upstream from the salt marsh, HCSEG set its sights on a large-scale project that would reconnect the river back to its historic floodplain. “Since both the issue of community flooding and impacted salmon habitat originated from the same root cause, we wanted to design a multi-benefit project that would address both of these issues,” said Gus Johnson. “It took over a decade of acquiring properties and planning with local stakeholders to arrive at the final restoration design.” __Aerial diagram of the former bridge and the new bridge and river channel system, from the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group website__ HCSEG partnered with the Jamestown S’klallam to find funding for the project. Jamestown was awarded a $25 million RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant from the Department of Transportation for bridge construction, which was managed by the tribe and built by Cascade Bridge. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) awarded the tribe and HCSEG $9.7 million toward river restoration that will both improve salmon habitat and reduce flood hazards for the local community. Bruch & Bruch Construction excavated the new river channel network, and HCSEG removed 1,455 feet of levees and 2,250 feet of county roads from the river’s historic floodplain. Engineers built 115 log jams to create fish habitat. They’ve also tripled the amount of river habitat, increasing the river channel from its previous length of 0.8 miles to 2.5 miles long. With help from Washington Conservation Corps crews, HCSEG’s stewardship team removed invasive species and replanted the site, work which will continue for the next 3-5 years. __Pigment was added to the concrete to achieve the light tan color. Photo by Meriden Vitale__ Curving gently through the air, the new bridge is a tan color, in contrast to the black asphalt of the road as it approaches. “We don’t want it to be ugly if we can help it,” Johnson said, describing how they wanted to avoid an “I-5 industrial gray” situation. Pigment was added to the concrete to achieve the light tan color. When they couldn’t get the pigment in the prestressed girders, they painted them, leading to a two-tone effect between the road color and the structural beams. The Jamestown S’klallam also paid for the installation of eleven art panels inset into the bridge, designed by artist and tribal member Bud Turner. __One of the eleven art panels designed by artist Bud Turner. Photo by Meriden Vitale__ Some Quilcene families have felt the change more acutely than others. Homeowners with previous riverfront access no longer have a single river channel visibly flowing through their property. The construction work also changed traffic patterns, leading to heavy use on previously quiet streets like Muncie Avenue. “I was surprised that people had mixed to negative reviews of the bridge,” said Quilcene local Bex Berryhill, who spoke to residents for a short fictional film about the bridge for the upcoming Fireweed Film Festival. “I personally think it's beautiful. I think it’s wonderful to see the river go back to its natural waterway. I do wish it had a sidewalk.” Current construction will fix the pedestrian connection between the road and the bridge on the north end. While there are no plans for a sidewalk, Johnson pointed out the seven-foot-wide pedestrian lane, which they will extend and pave west to the intersection of Linger Longer and Old Railroad. Additional work near the old Rodgers Street Bridge includes grading and paving the parking lot for a county park, constructing an acoustic berm along the east side of the parking lot and constructing and paving a turnaround at the south end of Rodgers Street near Claybanks Road. That work is expected to be completed in October. In the meantime, the river restoration is already showing signs of success. Summer chum began spawning in the new channel network in late August, in the slow, shady nooks of the log jams where their eggs will be much safer. Gus Johnson is particularly excited about the benefits for Hood Canal Summer Chum and Puget Sound Steelhead, both currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. “Restoring functional habitat for these species will help increase their populations over time and hopefully lead to them recovering to the point they can be delisted,” he said. Many Quilcene residents share in the excitement about the river restoration, even as opinions about the bridge itself differ. “I’m a big fan,” said Susan Freeman, who resides in Quilcene. Randy Johnson knows that the construction and overall change to the landscape can look messy at first. “It’s like a massive remodel of your house,” he said. “A remodel looks really ugly at certain stages.” But he’s confident with the high waters, and as native plants sprout and green up over time, it will look and feel more like a nature preserve. “Being part of a project that opened it up and created a worthy bridge, it’s a fantastically good feeling,” he said. “And the road is not gonna get flooded out. The river can spread out through its new channel system that is rich with salmon habitat. Not many communities can say they have a river that is free.”

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — In ‘The Price of Mercy’, author Emily Galvin Almanza argues to stop conditioning liberty on wealth: “Whether a person can remain free while accused of a crime, and thereby avoid some terrible life repercussions and more effectively fight the charges against them, is overtly tied, in most jurisdictions, to purchasing power. Specifically, cash bail remains the dominant form of pretrial release . . . But all too often, that amount is out of reach for the (largely very poor) people our system impacts.” But as we see on October 2, within three cases with exceptional amounts of warrants and failures to appear after compliance fallout, it can be a wish in the wind to trust people to show up for the process of accountability, especially when drug dependencies are involved. The Bail Project, a national nonprofit, aims to reform the deep-rooted inequities that drive the bail bond culture in the United States and help people appear for court. Almanza continues, “In the United States, the bail bonds industry (an idea banned by England almost fifty years ago) is a $2 billion per year enterprise. This cost is borne almost entirely by low-income families.” A-Plus Bail Bonds is the only bail bond service agency on the peninsula, located in Port Angeles. The Port Angeles branch’s revenue is not publicly disclosed, but the parent branch has an estimated $8.8 million yearly revenue. **Arraignments:** Curtis Johnson was charged on September 29 with felony harassment. He is represented by attorney Lillian Powers with Jefferson Associated Counsel. He pleaded not guilty and waived the formal reading of his charges. His omnibus hearing is set for November 13, pretrial is December 4 and trial the week of December 14. **Sentencings:** Jamaal Presley was sentenced to 20 days with 19 days of credit for possession of a stolen vehicle. The defense asked the court to consider the exceptional sentencing based on the mitigating factor of Presley’s mental health and manic episode at the time. Presley made a testimony about what stress factors had led to his episode and what he has learned about his mental health since then. He also spoke to the progress he has made. Judge Brandon Mack said, “I don’t see a significant purpose to sentence you to more time, especially since you are addressing your mental health issues.” Isaiah Favors was in Drug Court for the last three years, but fell out of compliance multiple times. The state made a motion to remand him from Drug Court; Favors did not contest. The court sentenced him to 9 months on top of the 170 days he has already served for burglary in the second degree. Favors gave a testimony of gratitude to the court and prosecution for their help over the last three years and the many chances they have given him. He stated his disappointment in himself for not being able to complete the program. Judge Mack spoke to Favors’ potential and also said, “The way I see it, there are three steps: stop using, go to treatment and counseling and address codependency." **Updates:** Soaring Eagle appeared in court after the state extradited him from treatment in Oregon (one jurisdiction surrenders a person accused or convicted of a crime to another jurisdiction). The court denied the defense’s request for lowered bail because of his 9 warrants from 2026 and because he broke his conditions of release in February. Eagle’s omnibus hearing will be October 16. Lonnie Kohrdt requested a bail reduction from $20,000 to $2,000. With a history of over 90 warrants, 10 in 2026 alone, the court denied the request. Tia Gilpartrick’s case was dismissed, but she will have a preliminary appearance for a new charge on October 9. Weston Epp has been out of compliance with his contract for his stipulated order of continuance and failed to appear for his hearing. The court ordered a $5,000 warrant. * * * **Why we are reporting on this:** Our goal is to bring transparency to the Jefferson County legal system. We believe understanding the court system helps highlight what needs to be fixed, as well as what types of support are available within the criminal justice system. It’s hard to change what you can’t see, and we believe transparency will bring the accountability needed. We also intend this work as an effort to keep the community together when the criminal justice system and stigma isolate individuals disproportionately affected by poverty and oppression. **Where we get our information from:** Our reporter attends Superior Court and follows up with the legal representation or the judge if anything is unclear. **Our approach to covering the court system:** We follow court cases from arraignment to sentencing, paying special attention to the programs that help the accused find ways to improve their lives and to the places where the legal system fails those whose criminal behavior is the result of unaddressed external issues, such as poverty or abuse.

They’re “a bunch of muddy tree planters,” as the poet Red Pine called them: the people of Empty Bowl, an independent press celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. The press’ party—free to the public—is multifaceted and lasts much of the day Saturday at the Cotton Building, 607 Water St. More details about this event, sponsored by the Port Townsend Arts Commission, are available at https://www.emptybowl.org/events. Doors will open at 11 a.m. with Empty Bowl publishers Holly J. Hughes and John Pierce setting up the book table and a raffle for free books. At noon, Port Townsend Poet Laureate Rufina C. Garay will lead a walk to one of Port Townsend’s poetic hot spots: Memory’s Vault at Fort Worden State Park. Regardless of whether you consider yourself a poet, you’re invited to join Garay and carry with you a small notebook, a pen and an object related to a personal memory. The noontime meeting place will be outside Building 315, aka Rainshadow Recording, at the fort; participants can pick up a map of the fort campus at the Cotton Building. __Empty Bowl poets and friends gathered for a photo at founding editor Michael Daley’s Seattle home in 1986. The press’ writers pictured include Mike O’Connor, Finn Wilcox, Bill Porter, Tim McNulty and Michael Daley. Photo by Steve Johns__ Next on the agenda are live poetry readings on stage back at the Cotton Building. At 2 p.m., recently published Empty Bowl writers, including salmon troller and fisherpoet Tele Aadsen, poet and painter John Brandi, Brooding Heron Press co-publisher Sally Green, poet and English professor Ed Harkness and fisherman and Zen practitioner Kurt Hoelting. Peter Quinn, former co-owner of Imprint Books in Port Townsend, and Ann Spiers, former Vashon Island poet laureate, will also read. Saturday’s celebration is a chance to “learn about the press’s colorful history and what we’ve been up to,” said Hughes. “We’ll be celebrating writers and readers, beautiful books, our bioregion and, of course, our community. Port Townsend has a long history of support for the arts—the literary arts in particular—and we’re glad to celebrate Empty Bowl’s place in that history.” At 4 p.m. Saturday, the party will move into story-sharing: founding poets Michael Daley, Tim McNulty, Red Pine, Bill Ransom and Finn Wilcox will join Richard Meadows in a conversation about Empty Bowl’s early years. They will also pay tribute to Empty Bowl authors who are deceased, reading poems and bits of essays by Tom Jay, Freeman House, Jerry Gorsline, Mike O’Connor, Bill Yake, Clemens Starck and Pat Fitzgerald. __During Empty Bowl Press’ 50th anniversary party Saturday, Port Townsend Poet Laureate Rufina Garay will lead a noontime walk to Memory’s Vault at Fort Worden State Park. Photo courtesy of Rufina Garay__ These were the original muddy tree planters, writers who loved the woods and composed poems about this part of the planet. A reception and book-signing follows at 5:30 p.m., with a light buffet, desserts and soft drinks. The finale is a 7 p.m. reading with Daley, McNulty, Red Pine, Ransom and Wilcox. Each will read from his own work, both old and new; their Empty Bowl Press books will be available for purchase and author inscriptions. Since its birth in 1976, Empty Bowl has been based in and around Port Townsend, with leaders over the years including Daley, the founding editor, poet and translator Mike O’Connor, and poet Wilcox. Four years ago, Hughes and Pierce, who live in Chimacum, became the co-publishers. The press has since published 24 books, including “I Sing the Salmon Home,” edited by Rena Priest, which won the Washington State Book Award for poetry in 2024. That same year, Aadsen’s book “What Water Holds” received a Nautilus Gold Medal, and in 2025, Empty Bowl received a Humanities Washington award. Hughes offered some background for the press’ name. “Michael Daley has said he thinks of Empty Bowl as “the gift that moves,” a nod to Lewis Hyde’s book ‘The Gift’ that came out in 1983 and looks at how artistic creation survives in a commercial world,” she said. “Then there’s also the Buddhist example of monks going out with their empty bowls into the community, where the bowls are filled. We love this sense of reciprocity, or connection to our community: that the press offers curated books about our bioregion and the community receives the books, and in doing so, fills the bowl—until it empties again.” From its start as a cooperative letterpress publisher, Empty Bowl has produced literary anthologies, collections of poetry and essays, books of Chinese translation and more recently, the “Madrona Project” series. Its books include “Memory’s Vault: The Poetic Heart of Fort Worden” (2024), “Curve” by Kate Reavey (2022) and “The Blossoms Are Ghosts at the Wedding” by Tom Jay, originally published in 2006 and revised and expanded in 2019. “Our mission,” Hughes said, “is to publish the work of writers who share Empty Bowl’s founding purpose: the love and preservation of human communities in wild places.”

The dancers lift off, fueled by their personal chemistry. Up, up and away they rise, high over the floor, into a state of bliss. Here are two people dancing through life, eyes locked, bodies aligned. And then one of them is gone. A heart attack rips Luis from Haru’s arms, turning “Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty!” into a movie about love, grief, visitations from the dead, and how dance can heal us. Haru, portrayed by Rinko Kikuchi, is one of the most sympathetic characters I’ve seen on screen in a long while. Her beloved husband perishes on the dance floor in their home city of Tokyo, and in comes her sister and cousin, urging her to move on. Haru must also cope with Luis’ parents, who want to take his body “home” to Mexico for burial. Pain fills the scene. Then comes the first visitation from a shiny, black, man-sized crow. Luis. Haru is enfolded in her beloved’s wings, and we’re pulled into this film that mixes multiple languages, magical realism and, at just the right moment, a song by the Cranberries. What are these multiple languages, you ask? Haru and Luis start the movie speaking Spanish and Japanese. Luis has come to Japan from Mexico, and is in fact portrayed with perfect gentleness by the Mexican actor Alejandro Edda. Haru, who is Japanese, speaks her first language with her relatives. Subtitles are provided for the Spanish and Japanese dialogue. Later, English is spoken. Haru begins a relationship with her new dance teacher, the impossibly gorgeous Fedir, played by Cuban-Mexican actor Alberto Guerra. They also speak the language of lust and sex, while Haru tells Fedir a lie in order to get something she wants. __In “Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty!” Haru (Rinko Kikuchi) faces a future without her beloved partner. Image from Sony Pictures Classics__ “Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty!” comes to us from director Josef Kubota Wladyka, the son of Japanese and Polish parents. He grew up in the Washington, D.C. area, in a house where two cultures were stirred together like a spicy plate of sustenance. His Japanese mother, Haru Wladyka, was a single parent raising him and his two brothers, while working—and dancing. In an NPR interview, Wladyka said dance was the steadfast thing that got her through hard times. “She would always tell me that it kind of saved her life in a lot of ways,” he tells NPR host Scott Simon. Wladyka’s movie, his third feature film, is dedicated “for Mom.” When she attended the premiere of “Ha-chan” at the Sundance Film Festival in January, Mom got a standing ovation, the director adds in the interview. At 81, his mother is still an avid dancer who continues to compete in ballroom events. As for Wladyka, he won the Sundance prize for best director of a dramatic feature. He wins my vote for best director of a trilingual romantic drama about how music and dance free us—to connect with one another and with ourselves. Epilogue: George Marie, co-owner of the Rose Theatre and Starlight Room, introduced “Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty!” at the Starlight on opening night last Friday. She said it’s one of three “art films” playing—which spells disaster, financially, for the theaters. That doesn’t have to be true. To offer a reminder from the Beacon article about the Rose that ran in July: If people in Jefferson County go out to the movies once a month, our local cinemas’ chances for survival go through the roof. In light of the Port Townsend Film Festival that just happened, I want to advocate not only for the experience of seeing a movie in an actual theater, but also for chatting with your fellow film-goers. The festival provided ample opportunities for that, with its free lounge in the Cotton Building and “intermissions” on Taylor Street every evening. When I came out into the lobby of the Starlight Room after seeing “Ha-chan,” Marie asked me: “What did you think?” I responded that I felt for Haru, in all of her struggles. Marie said she appreciated the surrealism in the movie. And there, my friends, is a satisfying post-film conversation, one that enhanced the experience, like an olive in the martini.

Artist Chuck Legge weighs in on Initiative 645 on the upcoming ballot.

There’s something especially appealing about a rosé that doesn’t try too hard, and that is exactly what this one brings to the table. While we have officially moved into fall, rosé is not just a summer drink in my opinion, mainly because it pairs so wonderfully with lots of the foods we enjoy all year long. The 2025 Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rosé is bright, fresh and wonderfully easy to drink, but it has just enough character to keep things interesting. Villa Wolf is the Pfalz estate of renowned German winemaker Ernst Loosen, best known for his rieslings from the Mosel. Loosen took over the historic estate in 1996, drawn to Pfalz's warmer, sunnier climate and its potential for producing excellent dry wines. Pinot noir, known in Germany as spätburgunder, is particularly well suited to the region. Its relatively mild, dry climate gives pinot noir plenty of time to ripen while still retaining the fresh acidity that makes rosé so refreshing. The region’s varied soils—including sandstone, limestone, loam and clay—lend the wines both fruitiness and a subtle mineral edge. With its rolling vineyards, small wine villages and long growing season, the Pfalz has more in common with neighboring Alsace than many people might expect, and it has become one of Germany’s important regions for pinot noir as well as riesling. In the glass, this wine is a very delicate pale salmon pink. This wine has a fresh berry aroma with flavors of red currant, citrus and ripe summer berries. The lively streak of acidity keeps everything crisp, while a subtle minerality gives the wine the structure that you might expect from a much pricier wine. The finish is clean, refreshing and really delightful. Made entirely from pinot noir, the wine gets its pale color from a brief period of skin contact before the grapes are pressed. At around 12% alcohol, it feels light and that allows for a glass during dinner prep and, of course, one with your meal. Try it with grilled salmon, chicken, a goat cheese salad, shrimp, light pasta dishes or a plate of roasted vegetables. And if you are lucky enough to catch a sunny day, it would also be lovely with a simple picnic lunch. Typically, this wine is available locally in Port Townsend for under $16, so grab a bottle and give it a whirl. This is an uncomplicated but thoroughly satisfying bottle—proof that a German pinot noir deserves a place at the rosé table, whatever the season.

I sat down last week to start pulling together our General Voters’ Guide, casually scrolling through the names and initiatives that will greet you on your ballot. By the time I closed my laptop, I felt genuinely unsettled because of what's on the ballot—and what isn't. I've been following money in politics for a long time. It usually leaves me a little queasy. This year, it's something closer to a stomach drop. We’ll start with Brian Heywood and Let's Go Washington. Heywood, a hedge fund manager, founded that PAC in 2022. The name is a wink at "Let's Go Brandon"—an explicit jab at former President Biden. Since then, he's spent millions financing initiatives to overturn laws passed by Washington's Democratic legislature. This year, his group qualified the three measures on the November ballot: IP26-645, IL26-001 and IL26-638. All three leave out crucial information and underlying goals. What will accompany them on the ballot is something called a Public Investment Impact Disclosure (PIID)—a required plain-language note about what services a measure would defund. Heywood and Let's Go Washington have spent two years fighting PIIDs. A 2022 transparency law requires a PIID whenever a measure affects state revenue, and it must name the affected services. For I-645, which would repeal the millionaires tax, the Attorney General's Office wrote: "This measure would decrease funding for public K-12 education, higher education (including universities and community colleges) and human services (primarily healthcare)." Let's Go Washington challenged that. On Aug. 7, 2026, Thurston County Superior Court upheld the PIID, ruling it "ensures voters are aware of trade-offs. There's nothing unconstitutional about giving voters more information." This isn't Heywood's first attempt. Two years ago, he and the state Republican Party challenged the PIID law itself. That failed in Thurston County Superior Court and again on appeal to the state Supreme Court. Three PIIDs appeared on the 2024 ballot for initiatives 2109, 2117 and 2124—all from Let's Go Washington, all rejected by voters, each losing by double digits. Read that again. When voters actually got the fiscal context, they said no. Then there's Steve Gordon. Gordon co-founded Project 42 and Future 42, a political action committee, and has donated more than $1.1 million this cycle. His top recipient is Let's Go Washington, at $902,000. He's also given to Dave Larson, a candidate for the state Supreme Court. Gordon has turned his attention to the Supreme Court race. To his credit, he's doing something most people don't: Supreme Court judges matter enormously, and most voters couldn't name a single one. His group, Full Court Press, wants voters to know who the candidates are before they leave that box blank. They are also training judges to run for the Supreme Court. Fine. But notice the pattern. A major donor funding initiative campaigns is also funding efforts to reshape the Supreme Court—the same court that just ruled against them on PIIDs. That's not illegal either. It's just worth connecting the dots. Unfortunately, there are more players funding this race in similar ways, and they are spending heavily to shape what you see and don't see before you vote. The White House is running its own TV channel while locking reporters out (Even Fox News is against this). A multi-millionaire is suing to keep fiscal information off your ballot. Single donors are writing seven-figure checks. And the press is fighting for access in court—because that access is yours, not ours. Your job, and mine, is to cut through it. Our Voters’ Guide will be available next week, right around when ballots arrive in your mailbox. Do your part. Read the fine print. Check the links. Fill in every box. October is supposed to be scary. This year, the ballot is doing the haunting.

Written by Dylan Quarles, Port Townsend Madrona Ridge isn't on the way to anything. You don't pass it heading downtown or see it out the window on a grocery run. You have to mean to go there. So if you've got an opinion about the place and haven't driven out there lately, or walked around and talked to anyone who lives there, I'd ask you to hold that opinion a little looser. Like a lot of its loudest critics, I remember when Madrona Ridge was all trees. Then came the clear-cutting. Shock and awe, I called it. It hurt to watch. I won't pretend it didn't. Houses went up fast, packed in on lots you could almost reach across, with a grid of matching rooflines to boot. People were furious. Social media blew up. Some in my neighborhood even took their complaints to city council. But that was then. Here's what's happening out there now. The trees are still gone, and the houses are still pretty damn close together. But my son has several new friends who live in Madrona Ridge. Kids who weren't here a year or two ago, riding bikes down new streets and old trails alike. When my son and I pedal through the unfinished development, past lots still waiting for houses, we see toys left out on front porches, bikes dropped in driveways, chalk art fading on the sidewalk from whatever game got interrupted by the call for dinner. In short, we see a neighborhood with kids and families in it, something this town has had less and less of for longer than most people like to admit. Madrona Ridge isn't cheap, and it isn't subsidized. But it is at least within reach for more families who want to put down roots, or stay and raise kids in a town they love and help keep running. It's having an effect on the rest of the market too. When a brand-new three-bedroom home starts under $450,000, it gets a lot harder to ask $650,000 for something older, smaller, and in need of a new roof. Buyers have choices now. And sellers have to be a bit more realistic. That's what more housing does. Part of me suspects that's exactly why Madrona Ridge gets talked about the way it does in certain circles. Less as a neighborhood and more as a dog whistle. Say "Madrona Ridge" to the right crowd and you don't have to finish the sentence. Everyone knows you mean cheap, ugly, too many, not like it was, not us. If that's how you see it, I'd invite you to think back to your own childhood. Did your hometown hold still for you? I bet it didn't. Somewhere in your story there's a field that became houses, a view that got blocked, a favorite hangout sold to people you never met for reasons you didn't understand. The world didn't freeze back then to protect your idea of how things should be. It changed around you, through you, often because of you, and you got to grow up anyway. Somebody made room for that. Now it's your turn to make room back. Port Townsend was never meant to stop changing the year you got here. Which isn’t to say change is easy. Watching those trees come down broke my heart. But hard doesn't automatically mean wrong, and new doesn't stay new forever. Give Madrona Ridge a few more years. Watch the new trees grow, and the houses get a little more lived in. Watch more families move onto the block, until one day some kid rides their bike through and doesn't remember it ever being new. In the meantime, all I'm asking for is a little grace, online and in person. Life isn't a zero-sum game, and change doesn't have to be either.

Curated by Matt Kiser, WTF Just Happened Today * * * **Last week in one sentence:** The Supreme Court temporarily allowed the Trump administration to resume deporting migrants to “third countries” where they have no connections; Trump’s taxpayer-funded TV ads were paid for with $20 million in border security funding; Trump canceled $810 million in spending approved by Congress; the U.S. military formally withdrew from Iraq and ended its 12-year anti-ISIS operation; and the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to use a federal citizenship database to verify voter rolls ahead of the midterms. * * * 1/ **The Supreme Court temporarily allowed the Trump administration to resume deporting migrants to “third countries” where they have no connections**. The unsigned order paused a lower-court ruling that migrants must be given notice and a meaningful chance to raise fears of torture or persecution before deportation. The Department of Homeland Security says more than 25,000 people have been deported to third countries under the policy. The justices will hear arguments in December on whether the policy is legal. (Day 2078 / Day 2079) 2/ **Trump’s taxpayer-funded TV ads were paid for with $20 million in border security funding**. The White House moved money Congress had allocated for border surveillance and drug-trafficking enforcement into a Homeland Security account for “commemorative events.” DHS then awarded a $20 million “national media campaign” contract the next day. Federal law prohibits using public funds for “propaganda purposes,” but FCC Chair Brendan Carr called the ads “normal” public service announcements. (Day 2079 / Day 2081) 3/ **Trump canceled $810 million in spending approved by Congress**. The White House notified Congress five days before the fiscal year ended on Sept. 30, leaving lawmakers without the required 45-day review period. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins called the move illegal, saying the White House budget office “does not get to decide which programs are worth funding.” (Day 2078) 4/ **The U.S. military formally withdrew from Iraq and ended its 12-year anti-ISIS operation**. Iraq is now responsible for containing ISIS and Iran-backed militias, while the Pentagon will continue to provide targeted training and intelligence support. It’s the second time the U.S. has withdrawn all of its military forces from Iraq since the 2003 invasion. (Day 2080) 5/ **The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to use a federal citizenship database to verify voter rolls ahead of the midterms**. The order pauses a lower-court ruling that had blocked the system, which combines immigration and Social Security records to check voters’ citizenship status. Federal law, however, prohibits mass removal of voters within 90 days of Election Day. The emergency ruling was unsigned, with the court’s three liberal justices dissenting. (Day 2078) * * * ### 📊 The Dept. of Numbers. * **17% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living and 65% blame his policies for high prices**. 67% of Republicans, however, say higher prices were due to factors outside his control. * **The Pentagon is preparing to send 10,000 more troops and a third aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East**. The USS Theodore Roosevelt and a Marine amphibious group set sail this week, but one official said no final decision had been made on the carrier’s destination. * **The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate jumped to 7.28%, its highest since November 2023**. Rates rose from 7.03% last week, which was the biggest weekly increase since October 2022. * **Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved plans to cut 20% of positions reserved for generals and admirals**. The military has until Jan. 1, 2027, to complete the reductions, which double the 10% overall cut Hegseth ordered last year. * **The Trump administration has spent at least $1.7 million on taxpayer-funded advertisements promoting Trump and his policies ahead of the midterms**. The funds came from the Department of Homeland Security and Trump reportedly personally pushed for the ads and helped select the imagery and videos used.

by Jonathan Shorman, Washington State Standard October 2, 2026 When Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin declared in September that Immigration and Customs Enforcement could serve warrants on individuals at polling places this fall, officials in Denver, a liberal city where roughly 14% of residents are foreign-born, quickly sued. “Every day we find new things to be astonished about but I think that we just want residents to not be afraid to vote because that’s ultimately what the president was after,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, a Democrat, said in an interview. Johnston and other local and state officials across the country are bracing for possible federal election interference from now through Nov. 3 — even as they remain unsure of what will actually happen. One month from Election Day, President Donald Trump’s long-running pressure campaign over elections is approaching a decisive moment. For the past year, the Trump administration has sought to bend the U.S. election system to the president’s will across multiple fronts, despite the Constitution’s guarantee that states administer elections. Interviews and public comments by more than a dozen current and former election officials, legal experts, lawmakers and others ahead of the midterms reveal anxiety over what Trump may do. Election administrators often plan for natural disasters, bomb threats and other possible problems, but this year many are also thinking about possible disruptions driven by the federal government. Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026. (Getty images) Potential scenarios range from armed federal personnel deploying at or near the polls to Trump declaring a national emergency — ideas widely condemned as illegal by election law experts. Homeland Security denies it plans to specifically target polling locations. Others include efforts to discredit voting machines or federal law enforcement obtaining search warrants to seize ballots, a fear that’s grown since the FBI took 2020 election ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, earlier this year. Barb Byrum, the county clerk in Ingham County, Michigan, which includes much of Lansing, said that when she became a clerk 13 years ago, she and other officials conducted table-top exercises to plan for power outages and tornadoes. Now it’s moved on to “federal misbehavior,” she said. “It’s really unfortunate that’s where we are. But that is, in fact, where we are,” Byrum, a Democrat, said in an interview. #### Memories of 2020 Fears of election interference are at least partly rooted in previous efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in key swing states, culminating in a mob of his supporters storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The riot led to Trump’s second impeachment in the House on a charge of inciting an insurrection, but the Senate acquitted him. Nearly six years later, Trump’s approval ratings are sagging and Republicans are fighting to retain control of Congress amid encouraging polling for Democrats. Loss of the House or Senate would effectively end Trump’s legislative agenda and lead to investigations that consume his final two years in office. “A desperate Trump is a dangerous Trump,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, said during an appearance at the progressive Center for American Progress in September. At the same time, Americans’ trust in elections is eroding. Just 49% of respondents said they expect the midterm elections to be free and fair, according to a national survey of more than 5,000 adults in early September conducted by the University of California San Diego Center for Transparent and Trusted Elections. Still, election officials and legal experts remain largely confident any interference effort ultimately won’t succeed. The United States has a decentralized election system run by state and local officials that guards against large-scale efforts to steal elections or prevent voting, they say, predicting courts would swiftly rule against the deployment of federal agents. Many votes are also cast by mail, sidestepping any Election Day show of force. More than 1 million votes have already been cast, according to data compiled by the University of Florida’s Election Lab. “It’s not going to happen,” David Becker, executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research, told reporters on Tuesday. “You’re not going to have to run a gauntlet. You’re not going to see troops or armed individuals at the polls.” #### ‘I don’t rule anything out or in’ Trump and his aides refuse to flatly rule out interfering in the midterms. In an interview with TIME magazine published Thursday, Trump declined to take extreme measures off the table. Asked about sending ICE to the polls, he said only that he hadn’t thought of it. “I don’t rule anything out or in. We’ll see,” Trump said of a national emergency. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed questions about sending troops to the polls as “another gotcha hypothetical,” though the Department of Defense has said it has no plans to deploy active-duty troops or federalized National Guard members. Some Republicans have suggested they would welcome the presence of soldiers if state and local authorities want them. “If that’s something that they decide that they need to look at, then that’s fine with me,” Rep. Mike Collins, a Georgia Republican, told reporters in September. Mullin, the Homeland Security secretary, last month sought a Department of Justice investigation into whether ballot tabulation machines that read barcodes or QR codes comply with federal law, raising concerns that the Trump administration could create a pretext to dismiss the validity of some ballots. The Georgia State Election Board’s executive director recently called on the DOJ to potentially intervene in the state over the use of QR code-based tabulation. Earlier this year, Mullin also warned that election officials who don’t “participate in securing the elections” could face prosecution. He promised to “hold election officials accountable.” #### Roadblocks to interference But with Election Day nearing, Trump has been stymied on every major initiative to influence the election process this year: * Congress didn’t pass the SAVE America Act, which would require voters to prove their citizenship. * The U.S. Supreme Court blocked the U.S. Postal Service from imposing new rules on mail ballots. * The Justice Department has lost more than two dozen lawsuits seeking to force states to turn over sensitive voter data. * A DOJ push to prosecute noncitizen voters has led to only a few dozen prosecutions, reflecting studies that consistently found that noncitizen voting happens extremely rarely. In the most recent action, U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche in late September announced indictments against 10 noncitizens over allegations of unlawfully voting. The White House did secure a recent victory when the Supreme Court allowed states to use a supercharged version of a Homeland Security computer program that can identify possible noncitizen voters. But the decision will have minimal impact on the midterms because, under federal law, it’s too close to Election Day for most states to purge large numbers of voters off their rolls. In response to questions from States Newsroom, White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis in a statement accused “extreme liberal Democrats” of preventing Americans from having full confidence in their elections by not supporting the SAVE America Act, though the legislation faced bipartisan opposition in the Senate. “President Trump is absolutely right: we fix this now, or we lose our country,” Bis said. #### ICE at the polls? Trump’s failure to advance his signature election-related policies has left him with few options to exert control outside of increasingly audacious and potentially illegal options. So when Mullin said that ICE can execute warrants at polling sites, the remarks provoked a swift backlash from voting rights activists and Democrats. “The only reason why we would be at polling places is if there is a threat to that polling place or we’re serving a warrant on someone that we have been actively tracking down,” Mullin said during a news conference on Sept. 1. On Friday, Homeland Security sent an unsigned statement to States Newsroom denying any plans to target polling locations, adding that Mullin has answered the question “dozens of times.” DHS said ICE agents are part of trained special response teams that can rapidly respond to major incidents if necessary to aid local law enforcement, regardless of location. “Any ‘anxiety’ among election officials is the unfortunate result of fake news reports of ‘federal interference’ despite the Secretary’s numerous clear statements to the contrary,” the DHS statement said. Notably, the statement does not address Mullin’s remark about serving warrants. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin walks onto the stage during a midterm election rally with President Donald Trump at the Choctaw Event Center, on Oct. 1, 2026, in Durant, Oklahoma. (Photo by Jessica Tobias/For Oklahoma Voice) At least three lawsuits seek to block any possible deployment of federal agents to election sites. The oldest case, filed on Sept. 10 by Denver and several voting rights groups, points to Mullin’s comments and alleges ICE has already conducted law enforcement operations at polling places this year. ICE agents “swarmed” a parking lot of an active polling site in San Antonio in May to detain someone, the suit says. In June, agents visited a Ventura County, California, polling place and accosted an election worker at a Syracuse, New York, polling place, it says. #### Preparing for the worst Tina Barton co-chairs the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, a nonprofit group that helps elections and officials and law enforcement think through how to protect election workers and voters from violence, threats and intimidation. She said the organization has about 138 events on its calendar this year, compared to 67 in 2024. In communities with concerns about a possible federal presence, the organization has officials work through a scenario involving ICE activity near a polling place that affects voters coming to the area, allowing local leaders to think through questions about what their legal options would be, how they would respond and what they would tell the public. “Their conversation and how they choose to move forward, that’s owned by them and their community and how they choose to handle that. What we encourage is relationship-building ahead of time with them, conversations ahead of time,” Barton said. Local election officials receive an “incredible” amount of training in how to handle crises, said Kamryn Hoadley, who advises Michigan election officials for Keep Our Republic, a pro-democracy nonprofit. “They are truly as prepared as somebody could be for anything that will happen on Election Day,” Hoadley said. In Los Angeles County — the most populous county in the country, with more than 10 million residents — election officials have studied the potential for disruptions to the election. But Dean Logan, the Los Angeles registrar-recorder/county clerk, emphasized in a statement that scenarios concerning federal agents at polling sites and the seizure of ballots haven’t occurred in his area and haven’t been upheld in court. “We’ve engaged in scenario and tabletop planning with our partners so that if an unexpected situation arises, roles are clear and our response is calm, coordinated, and focused on voter access and participation, rather than politically reactive,” Logan said. “Voters should know the behind-the-scenes work is thorough, and the fundamentals of a secure election are sound,” he said. Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — Jefferson Public Utility District (PUD) has surpassed 1,000 active broadband connections in rural Jefferson County, a milestone the utility is calling a turning point after three years of construction. The customer count stood at 1,032 as of September 16, built on more than 400 miles of fiber optic infrastructure laid since 2023 and funded by over $64.5 million in state and federal grants. The funding will bring internet service to more than 3,000 customers when the final grant-funded construction area is completed in 2028. "We've really hit our stride with customer activations," said Curtis Fryer, PUD Broadband and Information Technologies Director, in a news release. "Our passionate team of local experts are doing a fantastic job at getting our communities connected to high-speed internet." **Grants make it possible** The intent of the broadband grants is to connect rural and underserved areas with high-speed internet. “The influx of the grant funding allowed us to build a network that otherwise would have been cost–prohibitive for our region,” said Jameson Hawn, PUD Community Outreach Coordinator. “Without the grant funding to help cover these distances, none of this would have been possible.” Rural Jefferson County's low household density means that each mile of fiber reaches far fewer homes than a comparable urban or suburban build would. “Four hundred miles of fiber optic cable is a lot by most local network standards, and the number of connections along that mileage shows the biggest challenge we face—which is distance between homes,” Hawn said. PUD said that the actual cost to lay fiber per premise is approximately $17,000-$20,000. The PUD’s Broadband Department receives funds from the PUD delivery each year, with 80% going to broadband and 20% to water projects. Approximately $600,000 is generated through property tax revenue. **Who the current buildout won't reach** Not every household benefits from this round of construction. The PUD acknowledged hearing from residents just outside grant-funded boundaries who have "very little-to-no-service" and no near-term path to fiber. More than 5,000 county residents have registered their desire to receive fiber broadband to their home. __“Four hundred miles of fiber optic cable is a lot by most local network standards, and the number of connections along that mileage shows the biggest challenge we face—which is distance between homes,” — Jameson Hawn, PUD Community Outreach Coordinator.__ Expansion beyond the current grant areas, the PUD said in an email, “will depend on board approval and a traditional business case—build where infrastructure already exists and customer interest is strong—rather than additional grant funding.” The PUD said that evidence of broader economic impact—new home-based businesses, relocations, expanded local commerce tied to the new service—remains largely anecdotal at this stage, based on customer feedback. Officials said they hope to compile more systematic evidence of that impact once the current buildout phases are complete. **Fiber is the best infrastructure; public ownership serves communities far better than private, monetized models** Broadband through fiber connection is widely regarded as far superior to cable, satellite or fixed wireless. It is the most reliable, offers the most consistent performance, has the highest available speeds and the lowest latency, which matters for video calls, gaming and real-time applications. Additionally, a local government-owned system keeps the subscriber fees within the community and prevents subscriber data from being used by large telecommunications and satellite companies. The structural difference is the business model: municipal and PUD networks are typically funded through rates and public financing rather than advertising or data-monetization revenue, so there's little financial incentive to build profiles for ad targeting. Notably, Elon Musk-owned Starlink does not respond to Do Not Track browser signals. Its privacy policy was updated this year to explicitly permit using customer data to develop, train and improve AI and machine learning models, applied automatically to all subscribers with no opt-out toggle—the only way to avoid it is to cancel service. The policy also allows the data to be shared with other companies owned by Musk. Publicly owned fiber can act as economic development infrastructure as well as a utility. Jefferson PUD’s open-access model allows multiple Qualified Internet Service Providers (QISP’s) to compete for subscribers, thereby lowering prices and enabling customers to find the best arrangement for them. Plus, customer service from local ISP‘s consistently gets much better reviews than national companies. Currently, the Qualified Internet Service Providers on the PUD network are North Olympic Data Center (NOPDC), Advance Stream, and the JNET (Jamestown Networks). Open-access designs let businesses, hospitals and other institutions lease isolated network segments or dark fiber on shared public infrastructure, often at lower cost than a private carrier would charge. They can customize these networks to meet their own needs. **Customers can sign up** With the infrastructure expanding and construction moving forward, JPUD is encouraging customers who already have the hardware at their homes to take the next step. They say that if a customer has a Network Interface Device with a JPUD logo installed in their home, which means they have fiber at the home, they are ready for service activation. “Reaching 1,000 installations is an exciting milestone, though we have our sights set on reaching 2,000 connections by year-end,” said Joe Wilson, Jefferson PUD General Manager. “We’ve been hearing from our connected neighbors about how the new service is making a positive impact in their lives, which is what your PUD’s mission is, each and every day.” To register your desire for fiber broadband and for broadband construction updates, service information and installation resources, visit jeffpud.org/broadband.

This Saturday afternoon, the Port Townsend City Council Chambers will turn into a performing-arts space, with free music and poetry for the public. “Performances for the People,” aka P4P, is a new series under the Port Townsend Creative District umbrella. Inside City Hall at 540 Madison St., the event promises three sets: * Jill and Kevin with the Other Guys will start things off with Western swing and country music starting at 4 p.m.; * Next up are Ben Wilson and Kevyn Rubio of the folk-rock band Wilderson at 4:45 p.m.; * The finale brings Port Townsend city Poet Laureate Rufina C. Garay and friends from 5:25 p.m. Despite the name of this event, that final set isn’t purely a performance, Garay said in an interview. “What I’m trying to do is experimental. I’ve gotten more experimental as poet laureate,” she said. Garay’s desire is to help people connect through poetry; to that end, she will invite people—the “poet-hearted” as she calls them—into a kind of conversation about poetry and love. Garay hopes for a collective sharing of brief writings, pieces that are like movements in a classical symphony. Garay also envisions a collective poem coming out of the P4P gathering—a composition she wants to include in the chapbook she’s creating as a gift to Port Townsend. Following the poetry and music of P4P comes the city’s monthly Art Walk. Held every first Saturday at 5 p.m., this is a free, self-guided circuit open to the public; art galleries and art-friendly venues around Port Townsend stay open till 8 p.m. __Jill McAnally and Kevin McConnell, aka Jill and Kevin, will appear during Saturday’s free “Performances for the People” inside the Port Townsend City Council Chambers. Photo by Diane Urbani de la Paz__ Now and through the coming months, P4P’s organizers are looking to fill out future sets at City Hall. Musicians, theater artists, writers, actors, dancers, comedians, singers and other performing artists are encouraged to apply via https://ptcreativedistrict.org/p4p/. __“What I’m trying to do is experimental. I’ve gotten more experimental as poet laureate,” — Port Townsend Poet Laureate Rufina C. Garay__ The next P4P is slated for March 6 during the 2027 Soundcheck festival. Then come performances on May 1 and October 2 of next year. In their applications, performers should plan on a 35-minute time slot and present a family-friendly set suitable for all ages. A basic sound system is provided, but performing artists should bring their own materials and equipment. Performing acts, whether they’re one person or a group of people, receive a $200 stipend. Young artists are encouraged to apply and will be given special priority. All applicants will be asked to provide two to four work samples and two references who can speak about their work. The city will accept applications on a rolling basis, with the deadline to apply coming six weeks before each P4P date. Performers will be notified of their selection at least a month before the event unless they specify that they need to know earlier. This puts the deadline to apply for the March 6 P4P in early to mid-January. More about the Port Townsend Creative District and its activities is found at https://ptcreativedistrict.org/. Other events coming up include the Nexus gathering for artists of all kinds on October 28 at the Port Townsend Public Library, 1220 Lawrence St. Nexus, a free meetup, will feature refreshments and a chance to connect with local creative people from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The October event, the last Nexus of 2026, is also an opportunity to share artistic projects and “dream a collective future for the arts,” according to the Creative District’s invitation.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA – There were no sentences on September 25 in Superior Criminal Court, unlike the week before. There were a series of continuations for diverse and interesting reasons, once again illuminating the complex nature of cases and human individuals. Waiving the right to a speedy trial is no small matter. The Sixth Amendment exists to ensure people do not sit in jail without a verdict, that time-sensitive evidence and witnesses are not lost, and to reduce disruption of people’s lives. It often takes time for experts to become available or for negotiations between parties to resolve, like in this week’s expectations for a Drug Court petition. **Arraignments:** Malia VanLelyveld, charged on August 25 as an accomplice to assault of a minor with a deadly weapon, was assigned Julian St. Marie as her defense counsel. St. Marie waived the formal reading of charges and entered a not guilty plea on VanLelyveld’s behalf. Her omnibus hearing will be November 13, pretrial December 4 and trial is set for the week of December 14. Kevin Sterling was charged on September 22 with two counts of unlawful possession of firearms in the second degree. Sterling is being represented by Lillian Powers with Jefferson Associated Counsel. His omnibus hearing will be November 13, with a pretrial on December 4 and trial set for the week of December 14. **Updates:** Michael Brown waived his right to a speedy trial to have time to bring in a strangulation expert for his case. They reset pretrial to June 18 and trial for the week of June 28, 2027. They set it so far out to accommodate prosecuting attorney Holly Graham’s return from maternity leave, which starts in February. Talon Smith waived his right to a speedy trial and filed a motion to suppress, which is a motion to exclude evidence from the trial, which may have been obtained unjustly. The motion will be seen on November 13. Pretrial is set for December 18 and trial is set for the week of January 4. Russell Kullander also waived his right to a speedy trial for a potential he will petition to be entered into Drug Court. His next hearing will be October 2. Judge Brandon Mack encouraged Kullander to observe Drug Court on Thursdays at 9 a.m. Steve Redhead will have two months to dispose of his guns at the Sheriff’s office, after he pleaded guilty to second-degree malicious mischief for a forced entry into Station 41 fire station located at 272 Schoolhouse Road in Brinnon, Washington. Soaring WhiteRaven Eagle still cannot be located. He was receiving treatment at Native American Rehabilitation and is potentially being held on charges in Clallam County. * * * **Why we are reporting on this:** Our goal is to bring transparency to the Jefferson County legal system. We believe understanding the court system helps highlight what needs to be fixed, as well as what types of support are available within the criminal justice system. It’s hard to change what you can’t see, and we believe transparency will bring the accountability needed. We also intend this work as an effort to keep the community together when the criminal justice system and stigma isolate individuals disproportionately affected by poverty and oppression. **Where we get our information from:** Our reporter attends Superior Court and follows up with the legal representation or the judge if anything is unclear. **Our approach to covering the court system:** We follow court cases from arraignment to sentencing, paying special attention to the programs that help the accused find ways to improve their lives and to the places where the legal system fails those whose criminal behavior is the result of unaddressed external issues, such as poverty or abuse.

In a voice shot through with passion, Gregory Nava delivered a sermon on movies, humility and finding your path in life. Nava, the acclaimed writer and director whose filmography includes “Frida,” “My Family,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” “Selena” and his breakthrough film “El Norte,” was a special guest at this past weekend’s Port Townsend Film Festival. Booked at the last minute, he joined the festival that highlighted Latino films, filmmakers and stories. At Saturday morning’s forum in the Cotton Building, Nava could not wait for the appointed start time of 10 a.m. With festival Executive Director Danielle McClelland rapt beside him, he began around 10 minutes early, holding forth about a particular scene in “El Norte.” Refugees from Guatemala, having traveled through Mexico, are crawling through a tunnel in the scene. They’re trying to reach the mythical north, the United States, when a swarm of rats attacks them. Crossing the border is a horrific experience, Nava said. He was determined to convey that reality to his audience. “You’re trying to portray the emotions of the characters and make the audience feel those emotions,” he said, even as his forum audience moaned a little in response to his description of the rat scene. Nava is an independent filmmaker, but he emphasizes that directors like him do not make movies—families do: from the gaffers to the cinematographers to the composers of the music. When they fulfill their purpose, he added, they offer catharsis. “The purpose of drama is to heal us,” Nava said, “heal our wounds as we are going through life.” Nava’s “El Norte” screened during the film festival as did an array of movies spotlighting Latinos: “American Pachuco,” about playwright-filmmaker Luis Valdez; “La Bamba,” the 1987 hit directed by Valdez; and the festival centerpiece about the beloved band from East L.A., “Los Lobos: Native Sons.” The filmmaker’s role, Nava said, is to become a hollow bone, a vessel through which the story flows. Ego can get in the way, and being too much in your head can trip you up. While making “Selena,” Nava reminded its star, Jennifer Lopez, of this. “Relax,” he told her. And the actor, who had been struggling, completed the scene. “If you’re a hollow bone, you’re open to the universe flowing through you,” Nava told his Port Townsend audience. The question, throughout the process, is: “What is this about? That’s the seed from which everything grows,” he added. “Your job is to not lose track of what the movie is about.” Nava’s next project is a biopic about Dolores Huerta, the legendary activist who advocated for farmworkers’ rights, safety and dignity from the mid-1950s onward. “She is one of the greatest civil rights figures of our time,” he declared. When Nava asked Huerta what her movie should focus on, she responded that it should not be about her—but instead be a work that inspires a new generation of activists. Nava himself carries no shortage of inspiration—and fire. He credited his “pre-Columbian ancestors,” the Aztecs, with crystallizing his way of living. The indigenous people of Mexico, Nava said, believed in finding your right path in life. Whether that path is to grow grapes or direct movies, your work is a sacred thing. __The promotional image for “Los Lobos: Native Sons,” the centerpiece movie in this year’s Port Townsend Film Festival. The band is, from left, Cesar Rosas, Conrad Lozano, Steve Berlin, Louie Pérez Jr. and David Hidalgo. Photo courtesy of Native Sons Film__ A day after his forum, Nava attended the final screening of “Los Lobos: Native Sons” at the American Legion. When the movie had ended, filmmakers Doug Blush and Piero F. Giunti walked to the front of the auditorium. After their remarks, the band members appeared—yet not all of the Lobos stepped on the stage. Bassist and founding band member Conrad Lozano was seated off to the side at first. His bandmates Steve Berlin, David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez Jr., and Cesar Rosas discussed the movie, their many albums, their community in Los Angeles and their 53 years as not only a Mexican-American band, but an American band. Then Lozano moved to the center, in front of the stage. In a refrain of Nava’s message, he spoke briefly about his art and his family. “These are my brothers,” he said. Placing his hand on his chest, Lozano added: “This music was heartfelt.”

The 27th annual Port Townsend Film Festival brought about 70 documentaries, shorts and features to town over last weekend. After a rainy, windy Friday, the sky cleared—providing a sun-drenched backdrop for Saturday and Sunday. Here are a few scenes from the fest by Diane Urbani de la Paz. __Californian Patrizia Hironimus, right, joins an unidentified dancer ushering in the film festival on Friday evening in downtown Port Townsend.____A flock of filmmakers from around the world gather on Taylor Street following Friday’s parade. More than 30 directors, screenwriters and other cinema artists brought their handiwork to Port Townsend this year__ __During a Saturday morning forum, special guest Gregory Nava holds forth about his life as an independent filmmaker while festival executive director Danielle McClelland listens.____Following the screening of “Ali Eats America” on Sunday, festival documentary programmer Jane Julian, left, talks with filmmakers Roush Niaghi and Greg Morris along with the movie’s subject, Ali Allouche, far right.____Festival program director Christy Spencer welcomes the sold-out crowd to Sunday’s screening of “Los Lobos: Native Sons” at the American Legion.____Los Lobos, including, from left, Steve Berlin, Cesar Rosas, Louie Pérez Jr. and David Hidalgo, are greeted by festival executive director Danielle McClelland at the American Legion on Sunday.____Conrad Lozano, bassist and founding member of Los Lobos, tells the audience how the band’s music has always been heartfelt. Festival executive director Danielle McClelland listens beside him at the front of the American Legion stage.__

The Local Voices Shorts program at the Port Townsend Film Festival showcases filmmakers from western Washington, and this year’s selections did not disappoint—a truly eclectic mix of touching films; it’s special for a film festival that brings in talent from across the US and around the world to make space to highlight its home turf. And it’s even cooler that you can still catch these films, in addition to select narrative features and documentaries, as part of the virtual film fest, which runs through October 4. While not the same as gathering in a theater full of eager festival attendees, the virtual fest allows those outside of Port Townsend to take part in movie magic from the comfort of their own homes. With an almost ten-month-old running my schedule, I couldn’t quite make it to the festival, but buying a virtual pass and logging in was a breeze. I made an account, selected the program I was interested in, and waited with anticipation for the virtual fest to start on Monday at 8:00 am. Despite watching on the small screen, I still felt the emotional impact of each film. As I thought about the seven shorts as a collection, I was left with a richer sense of awareness of the stories hiding in plain sight throughout Washington. The program opens with _Fitted Sheet_ , directed by Celia Beasley, a Seattle filmmaker and editor trying her hand at directing for the first time. What starts out as an innocent attempt to fold a fitted sheet becomes a descent into madness, with actor Aaron Washington’s mutterings providing much of the humor. In addition to creative sound mixing and a maddeningly cheerful internet tutorial, the film shows just how much you can accomplish with one location and a sheet. Up next is _Patty_ , a delightful animated short about a “sensitive and innocent Bigfoot” befriending a bee. The animation style pulls you in even as it confounds you. It looks like an old computer game from the future, inside a dream. The short was directed by Barbara Mones, a teaching professor at the University of Washington and director of the Reality Lab. Impressively large tree trunks offer a size comparison for our Bigfoot lead, and I was surprised at how quickly I felt her joy and sadness as the story unfolded. The fire animation and sound were particularly striking, putting an abrupt end to the best friend montage and ushering in a new emotional arc. The film is an animation research lab project and computer animation capstone and it shows—it looks made by people who know what they’re doing, experimenting with boundaries. _Dead Crowd_ has a unique concept, following a struggling comedian who performs at a funeral. There is a lot of awkward stand-up in this one, which makes the final emotional release that much more of a relief. Writer and director Ryan Benningfield initially submitted it to PTFF as a screenplay in 2025. As a student at Olympic College, he turned to his fellow students and teachers at the OC Film School to bring the story to life, making it a truly local effort. It’s a deadpan portrayal utilizing lots of facial close-ups to highlight the humor, or lack thereof. Overall, it kept me guessing and wondering just how he was going to make it out of his funeral gig. The last three films were documentaries. _Sound Again_ , voted Best Local Short, follows Luke Criner as he makes the decision to get cochlear implants in the face of hereditary hearing loss. I learned so much in this film, directed by Carlos R. Correa. In making the decision to get cochlear implants, it means Criner loses any sense of hearing without the devices. He describes the feeling of overwhelm that came with the devices as well as the surprising way music became a bridge to a new way of hearing. Featuring loving interviews with family and teachers, the film reminded me that perception is always evolving, never fixed. _Tougher: A Wrestling Documentary_ was pulsing with energy and style. Directed by students Bryce Ryan Harbin and Benjamin Alder Green as part of their senior film project at Port Townsend High School, it focuses on three local wrestlers as they train for state competition. It was fun to see so many familiar haunts in Quilcene and Port Townsend through a documentary lens. Green and Harbin match wrestling’s grit and gravitas with lots of sweaty action shots and give their fellow students space to talk about the highs and the lows of the sport. _So We Go On_ was an apt closer. In Shoreline, WA, the owner of a community-focused climbing gym talks about the joys and perils involved in running his business. I particularly loved the shots of Andrew Hou hiking his bouldering gear into the woods, miniaturized and set in reverse. The film, directed by Jens Bracht, is a tender look at what happens when someone’s passion is at odds with their financial reality and what choices must be made as a result. Overall, these films worked beautifully together, giving viewers an emotional journey to follow with characters both real and imagined. I especially loved the films from the rural areas in Jefferson and surrounding Counties, where filmmaking opportunities aren’t as abundant. There is no lack of talent in our area, and it’s important it gets the festival treatment as well. I’m thankful that PTFF created this category and for the opportunity to watch virtually. For those who want to check out the films, they can be accessed virtually on the PTFF website.

“They are my heroes,” Danielle McClelland proclaimed from the McCurdy Pavilion stage a few minutes after 7 p.m. Monday. Then came six men who delivered a night full of cumbia, polka, salsa, Tex-Mex, fusion, rock’n’roll and joy. Los Lobos sparked a standing ovation just by walking out into the light—and then proceeded to show us all the meaning of musical ecstasy. The band from East L.A. had played in Port Townsend before, a mere 14 years ago as the headline act of Centrum’s summer season finale. That was back when singer-guitarist-mandolinist-bajo sexto player Cesar Rosas’ hair was coal black. This time around, Los Lobos closed out the 27th annual Port Townsend Film Festival, where two screenings of the new documentary, “Los Lobos: Native Sons,” had already brought audiences to their feet. McClelland, the festival Executive Director, hailed the band as artists who have stayed true to themselves and taken risks over more than 50 years of music-making. This is a band that has played for the Obamas at the White House, appeared on “Sesame Street” and shown the world how delicious traditional Mexican music is. On Monday night, the uninitiated concert-goer would not have suspected Los Lobos have been on this road for so many decades. Rosas’ coif is snow-white and spiky now; he and bandmates Louie Pérez Jr., Conrad Lozano, Steve Berlin and David Hidalgo are septuagenarians, for heaven’s sake, and all have plenty of fire in their furnaces—fire to share with any fortunate soul who walks into one of their shows. Drummer Fredo Ortiz, formerly of the Beastie Boys, fits right in although he’s just 51. __Los Lobos guitarist-vocalist Cesar Rosas, left, and bassist Conrad Lozano were there when the band started out in 1973. Photo by Diane Urbani de la Paz__ Beginning with their iconic “How Will the Wolf Survive?,” the title track on their 1984 album, Los Lobos gave us 20 songs, in the midst of which Rosas called out, “Everybody cumbia right now!” A wave of dancers obeyed and came forward to be rewarded with “Come On, Let’s Go,” sung with gusto by Hidalgo. In the ensuing onslaught, Los Lobos gave us “Why Do You Do,” “Wicked Rain” and “Buzz Buzz Buzz,” and, just when I thought it couldn’t get any groovier, “Oye Como Va.” Then it was time for the accordion. The instrument was placed in Hidalgo’s arms, and one of the few slower-tempo songs flowed forth: “Kiko,” another quintessentially Los Lobos tune from 1992. __Los Lobos bids farewell to the McCurdy Pavilion crowd on Monday night. Photo by Diane Urbani de la Paz__ There’s an invisible cord connecting each of the musicians. They don’t need to do a lot of talking to one another on stage. These guys just know exactly what to do. Clearly, they love doing it. Lozano cradles his bass like a beloved companion. Berlin plays his saxophone like no one else. Rosas holds his maracas close to the microphone so we can hear the tasty sound. Pérez plays his jarana with fury. And Hidalgo stands tall like an elegant pastor preaching the gospel. “Don’t Worry Baby,” another classic from “How Will the Wolf Survive?,” stirred in some more rock’n’roll wisdom. “Don’t worry, baby, it’s gonna be all right,” Rosas purred, and I could not help but believe him. Music is medicine, especially live music, especially like this. Great things must come to an end, of course, and Los Lobos said their farewell after a rumbling, rich rendition of “Not Fade Away.” When the audience clamored for an encore, the band didn’t dally for long before returning to the stage. The night ended with a Norteamericano trio: “Cinnamon Girl,” written by Canadian Neil Young; “La Bamba,” a Mexican son jarocho tune popularized by Ricardo Valenzuela, and “Good Lovin’” from the Rascals, who came from New Jersey. Good lovin’: Los Lobos showered us with it.

For generations, Port Townsend has claimed a tantalizing connection to one of America's most famous writers: that a young Jack London once spent the night in the Port Townsend City Hall jail. But did he? On Thursday, October 1, the Jefferson County Historical Society (JCHS) will put one of Port Townsend's most persistent legends under the microscope in Lore + London: The (Un)Definitive Story. Born in 1876, Jack London rose from a restless, adventure-filled youth to become one of the most widely read American writers of his time. By age 30, he was internationally famous for The Call of the Wild (1903) and The Sea Wolf (1904), and he went on to complete more than 50 books, hundreds of short stories, and numerous articles before he died in 1916. His tales of high adventure drew directly on his own experiences—at sea, in the Klondike and in the fields and factories of California. A colorful and often controversial figure, London was known as a champion of the underdog, an eloquent lecturer on socialism and economics and a man whose phenomenal success he attributed largely to hard work—to "dig," as he put it. Among his best-known works are The Call of the Wild, White Fang, The Sea Wolf and Martin Eden, and his writing has been translated into as many as 70 languages. His youthful wanderings, including a stint as an oyster pirate and a sailor, are part of what makes the Port Townsend jail story so plausible to so many. JCHS Executive Director Tara McCauley, who very much wants the story to be true, and Research + Collections Coordinator Reed Barry, the resident skeptic, will follow the evidence piece by piece. Was London actually in Port Townsend? What was he doing here? What do his own writings tell us? Could someone feasibly have spent a night in the City jail without having been arrested? And where did some of the story's more colorful details come from? They'll dig into newspapers, London's writings, photographs, police records, newly acquired 1894 City Marshal reports and decades of local interpretation. Along the way, they'll examine how a story repeated in books, signage, newspapers, tourism materials and even by JCHS itself gradually became accepted as history. Some pieces of the legend are surprisingly well documented. Others rest on much shakier ground. And gaps in the historical record mean not every question has a definitive answer. See the evidence and decide for yourself. **Event Details:** Lore + London: The (Un)Definitive Story Thursday, October 1, 2026 | 6:30 - 7:45 p.m. Northwest Maritime Center Meeting Room $12 suggested donation [REGISTER HERE]

_Dear Nice HR Lady,_ _I work for a small business, and my boss is always saying, “We’re a family here.” And honestly, I like my job and most of the people I work with. But lately “family” seems to mean I’m supposed to stay late, cover shifts when somebody calls out, answer texts on my days off and feel bad when I say no._ _I don't want to be a jerk or leave my co-workers hanging. But I’m starting to wonder: At what point does being a good employee turn into being taken advantage of? Is “we’re a family here” actually a good thing, or should I be worried when my boss says it?_ _—**Just Trying to Be a Good Employee**_ Dear Just Trying, Oh boy. The phrase “we’re a family here” really has become a cautionary signal, hasn’t it? Even leaving the _ick_ factor aside, the phrase is problematic. Employers _really_ want to mean “we’re family here.” But employees hear it and their hackles go up. In fact, Pat in Finance lets out a little high-pitched sigh (under the breath, of course) whenever they hear it. The good news here is that you start this missive off by saying that you really like your job and (most) of your co-workers. There are obviously some things going well, but I understand why those jollies may be feeling harder to access if you think you may be being taken advantage of. Before you decide that “quiet quitting” is the answer, let’s reality check. You’re (mostly) enjoying your work, and being helpful very likely increases your enjoyment—don’t stop doing that. While hearing “we’re a family here” doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something exploitative going on, it's worth taking a closer look. Something can be unpleasant or unfair without being illegal—shocking, I know. There is, of course, a sometimes wobbly line between the normal discomfort of saying “no” (which can genuinely be uncomfortable) and someone purposefully _making_ you feel uncomfortable. Your voluntary generosity hasn’t bound you to a lifetime commitment of open availability, and your occasional flexibility doesn’t magically become an unstated job expectation, complete with a weighted rating scale. You can be the person who happily covers on a Thursday because Sam’s kiddo is sick without becoming the person who is expected to cover every time someone or their kiddo is sick. And a possibly unwelcome reality check: you might be asked to stay late occasionally. You might also cover shifts occasionally. You aren’t necessarily entitled to your preferred schedule or a workplace that doesn’t occasionally ask for this flexibility. However, you have permission to get curious when you say “no” to an irregular or unscheduled request, and then your schedule for the next month suddenly includes 5 “clopens” (those gnarly closing shifts followed by early starting shifts). Or your normal 35-hour weeks are now 17-hour weeks**.** Or when you get snide comments (or gaslighting - just kidding!) from colleagues or managers about not being “a team player.” Your specific employment rights depend on your employee handbook and policies, the circumstances of your employment and applicable law. You’ll need to do a little more research, but my general advice is that if you feel that you are genuinely being impacted, reach out to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries using contact information listed at https://www.lni.wa.gov/workers-rights/ for more information about scheduling practices, retaliation, overtime, wage and hour laws, and other employment rights and responsibilities. But never fear, my dear Just Trying, here’s an actual tool to use right now that might help you assess whether this situation has crossed the line. * Can you say no without punishment? * Are usual expectations made clear? * Is the flexibility being asked only for _some_ employees? * Are you regularly unpaid for work that should be paid (or overtime pay)? * Are there performance expectations that include unnamed and undefined “extras”? * Are you _regularly_ required to be responsive on rest days? If you find that these are all, or are mostly “yes,” and if you feel safe to do so, you might initiate a calm conversation with your manager. No accusations, just an “I notice that…,” followed by “I need clarification about expectations…” and then “these are my boundaries…” Let your manager know that you are boundaried AND cooperative. Keep notes about when these requests are made, and the results. Not a novel. Just notes. The date, your response and the impact, if any. Keeping notes about what happens at work is never going to be a bad thing. Hopefully, they won’t ever be needed. But if they are needed, you have them. Employers—Truly, I want to believe that you call your workplace a family because you care about employees. However, the line can be blurred or even crossed when you demand unpaid labor or unlimited flexibility and availability. Your responsibility as an employer is to manage scheduling, staffing and project work so it is realistic, achievable and sustainable. Ask yourself _why_ you are experiencing a high need for flexibility or urgent support from employees, and you might find that a business system is out of balance, rather than employee loyalty. Again—louder for those employers in the back—call-outs happen, finances change and occasional extra flexibility is normal in a small business. Shaming, blaming and guilt-tripping employees aren’t part of any accepted management philosophy. Instead of “we’re a family” as a stand-in definition for a culture of belonging, be direct: We are kind to each other. We’re considerate. We know that our contribution matters. THOSE are things you might say about your workplace. If they’re true. And—if you can’t say those about your business, why would you think calling employees “family” makes up for it? To wrap this up, healthy workplaces don’t require employees to prove their loyalty by abandoning reasonable boundaries. Belonging, community and healthy boundaries aren’t mutually exclusive. You can be a good human and a good employee without being endlessly available to your employer and colleagues. And yes, a healthy workplace can have warmth, belonging, kindness and mutual consideration without pretending that an employment relationship is a family relationship. Now, my dear Just Trying, put your phone on DND, and enjoy your afternoon off! Yours in maintaining healthy boundaries, That Nice HR Lady — _Not a lawyer, just your friendly neighborhood liability prevention specialist_ Do you have questions about that new policy? Or about the extra line of deductions on your paycheck? Or wonder why the night shift employees seem so chill? Drop me a line at _thatniceHRlady@jeffcobeacon.com_. Questions will be printed anonymously, with identifying details removed to protect the innocent.

## The Dove House Closet Is More Than Clothing From Carolyn Lewis, Port Townsend For the past three years, I have volunteered to run the Dove House Closet, and during that time, I have come to understand just how important this small program is to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. The Closet provides free clothing to people who are unhoused, marginally housed, or simply struggling to make ends meet. But after three years, I can tell you that what happens there is about much more than clothes. I have seen people come through our doors needing a warm coat, dry shoes, clean socks, or clothes for a job interview. I have seen how something as simple as being able to choose a shirt or jacket that you actually like can make a difference in how you feel about yourself. When so many choices have been taken away from you, having the opportunity to choose something for yourself matters. Just this past week, we received a large donation of clothing from the husband of a woman who recently passed. There were tears in his eyes as he shared with me that his wife would have wanted her things to go to a good cause, which is why he chose the Dove House Closet. One of the things I have also learned is that there is no single picture of what housing insecurity looks like. Some of the people we serve are living outside. Others are sleeping in cars, staying temporarily with friends or family, or living in situations that are precarious and could change at any moment. Others have housing but very little money left after paying for rent, food and other necessities. They are our neighbors. The generosity of the Port Townsend community makes the Closet possible. People donate clothing they no longer need, and those donations go directly into the hands of people who do need them. It is a simple idea, but I have watched it work week after week for three years. An added benefit is that we give donated clothing a second chance, which helps keep it from going into the landfills. I have also learned that dignity is just as important as generosity. The Dove House Closet isn't about giving people whatever happens to be available. We try to create a welcoming place for the hundreds of people we serve where people can look, choose and find things that work for them without judgment. We cannot solve homelessness or the shortage of affordable housing with a clothing closet. But we can make someone's day a little easier. We can help someone stay warm. We can help someone walk into a job interview feeling prepared. And perhaps most importantly, we can let someone know that they are seen and that they are part of this community. After three years of volunteering at the Dove House Closet, I believe that matters enormously.

Curated by Matt Kiser, WTF Just Happened Today * * * _Today in_**One Sentence**.The Senate rejected a resolution directing Trump to end the Iran war and seek congressional authorization; ¶ the 30-year Treasury yield climbed to its highest level since 2004, while the average 30-year mortgage rate topped 7% for the first time since January 2025; ¶ CNN, MS NOW and Politico regained access to the White House hours after initially being denied access despite a federal judge ordering the administration to restore their press credentials; ¶ JD Vance was the anonymous “senior administration official” behind one of the Politico stories that the White House cited to justify banning the outlet from the White House; ¶ the Texas Department of Public Safety failed to send tens of thousands of voter registration records to county election officials; ¶ the California Supreme Court ordered Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to return roughly 650,000 seized ballots; ¶ an Iowa judge dismissed Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and pollster Ann Selzer over a 2024 pre-election poll that showed Kamala Harris leading Trump in Iowa; ¶ and the U.S. government paid to air a pro-Trump television ad ahead of the midterm elections despite federal law restricting the use of taxpayer money for “publicity or propaganda.”. * * * 1/ **The Senate rejected a resolution directing Trump to end the Iran war and seek congressional authorization**. The measure failed 49-50, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support. Although it had already passed the House, the vote was largely symbolic because the concurrent resolution wouldn’t have gone to Trump for his signature anyway. Meanwhile, Iran’s president pushed for a deal before the U.S. midterms, contradicting Trump’s claim two days ago that Iran was waiting to see “how I do in the midterm election.” (Associated Press / Reuters / Washington Post / NBC News / Axios / Bloomberg / Politico / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CBS News) 2/ **The 30-year Treasury yield climbed to its highest level since 2004, while the average 30-year mortgage rate topped 7% for the first time since January 2025**. The 10-year Treasury yield also rose above 5%. The Federal Reserve, meanwhile, raised rates last week for the first time in more than three years, and traders are pricing in additional rate hikes as the Iran war keeps energy prices elevated, persistent inflation, and economic growth remains resilient. Trump, however, has attacked the central bank board as “hostile” and demanded rates fall to “1%, or less.” (Bloomberg / Reuters / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / CBS News / NPR) 3/ **CNN, MS NOW and Politico regained access to the White House** – hours after initially being denied access despite a federal judge ordering the administration to restore their press credentials. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day restraining order, finding that the outlets would likely to succeed in showing that their passes were revoked without due process and that the administration offered “little” support for its national security justification. (Associated Press / Reuters / NPR / New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico / CNN / NBC News / ABC News) 4/ **JD Vance was the anonymous “senior administration official” behind one of the Politico stories that the White House cited to justify banning the outlet from the White House**. In court filings defending its decision to ban Politico, CNN, and MS NOW, the administration cited a June 2026 report quoting a “senior administration official” who estimated an “80, 85 percent” chance of making a deal with Iran. The senior administration official was Vance speaking on an authorized, administration-hosted background briefing, and an aide explicitly instructed reporters on the line that the call was “on background, attributable to a senior administration official.” The White House later pointed to Politico’s use of that anonymous attribution as evidence that the outlet had published information threatening national security. Vance defended Politico’s ban this week as “totally appropriate.” (Status / Washington Post / New Republic) 5/ **The Texas Department of Public Safety failed to send tens of thousands of voter registration records to county election officials**. A system error reportedly prevented some applications and updates from being transmitted for nearly a year, with records dating as far back as October 2025. DPS said the “system issue has been resolved,” but officials haven’t said what caused the error, how many voters were affected statewide, or whether anyone was prevented from voting in the March primary. From 2020 through 2024, about 6 million Texans used the DPS portal to register to vote. (Texas Tribune / Votebeat / Associated Press / Washington Post) 6/ **The California Supreme Court ordered Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to return roughly 650,000 seized ballots**. The court said Bianco created “a substantial risk to election integrity,” ordered him to return the ballots from the state’s 2025 special election to county election officials “forthwith,” and to “refrain from further handling” them because California law requires voted ballots to remain in the custody of election officials even during a criminal investigation. Bianco seized the ballots after receiving a complaint from a local citizens group claiming Riverside County had counted about 46,000 more ballots than it received. The county registrar, however, said the group misread preliminary records and that the official ballot-tracking system differed from the final count by 103 ballots. (CalMatters / Democracy Docket / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News) 7/ **An Iowa judge dismissed Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and pollster Ann Selzer over a 2024 pre-election poll that showed Kamala Harris leading Trump in Iowa**. Judge Scott Beattie rejected Trump’s claim that the poll was consumer fraud, ruling that “simply labeling the poll a product […] does not transform it from speech into a product” or strip it of First Amendment protection. The poll had Harris ahead 47% to 44% three days before Election Day. Trump ultimately won Iowa 56% to 43%. (Axios / Politico) 8/ **The U.S. government paid to air a pro-Trump television ad ahead of the midterm elections despite federal law restricting the use of taxpayer money for “publicity or propaganda.”** The 30-second spot aired on Fox News and Newsmax, featured Trump declaring that “America will never be a communist country,” promoted his policies, and ended with a disclaimer saying “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” In the background is the repeated chorus “love me” from a song by the artist JMSN. The White House wouldn’t say which agency funded it and called the ad an “educational and unapologetically patriotic” public service announcement meant to remind Americans “to love their country.” (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Washington Post) _The 2026 midterms are in 40 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 775 days._

## by Jerry Cornfield, Washington State Standard September 28, 2026 In a closely watched decision, Washington’s largest union of state government workers has ratified a new two-year contract that provides no pay raises but avoids takeaways on health care and other benefits. Members of the Washington Federation of State Employees approved the agreement Friday, closing the book on a frustrating monthslong negotiation with representatives of Gov. Bob Ferguson who cited a looming budget shortfall for their steadfast refusal to offer a general wage hike. The collective bargaining agreement runs from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2029 and covers roughly 42,000 workers. Union negotiators did secure language requiring the two sides to meet next August to discuss a potential pay raise for the second year of the contract. Mike Yestramski, president of the federation, said they knew this would be a tough cycle and they “tried to be very realistic with people right from the beginning.” Ferguson’s negotiators repeatedly warned that for a third straight year the governor and lawmakers will need to pare spending to cover ongoing expenses and the cost of expanding government programs. The contract makes gains in non-economic items and ensures the state will continue to pay 85% of monthly health care premiums, with employees paying the remaining 15%. The state wanted employees to pay a larger share. “Given the climate and given the budget, overall I think we got the best we could get,” he told the Standard shortly after the vote was final. Some Washington Federation of State Employees shared their disappointment on the union Facebook page. “I’m not surprised the [tentative agreement] passed, but this will force many of us to make difficult decisions and I’m extremely demoralized,” wrote Colton Shane Myers. “For myself, it will mean deciding whether to leave state government altogether now for better work, or be forced to move because I won’t be able to afford cost of living increases while our wages remain absolutely STAGNANT the next two years.” As of Friday, at least six other units represented by the federation had approved new two-year collective bargaining agreements without any across-the-board salary increases. These contracts separately cover administrative law judges, classified workers and student support services staff at The Evergreen State College, and employees at Central Washington University and Washington State University. There is an agreement with the Community College Coalition that negotiated on behalf of workers at 12 community colleges. Elsewhere, members of several other public sector unions are in the midst of deciding whether to approve or reject new contracts. These also include ones representing employees at state agencies, community colleges, universities and the Legislature. Under state law, Thursday is the deadline for them to ratify agreements to be considered for funding in the next two-year budget. Ratified contracts go to the Office of Financial Management, where the director will determine if it is feasible to pay for them. If so, Ferguson would be expected to fund them in the two-year budget he will propose in December. Failure to meet the deadline can result in the extension of terms of an existing contract without a wage hike. **‘In position to raise wages’** Meanwhile, an arbitrator awarded 1.5% raises in each of the next two years to roughly 1,480 state Department of Corrections employees represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees. Starr Knutson oversaw five days of arbitration in late August, and issued a decision Sept. 22. “My understanding is that the Office of Financial Management contends that Washington State is not currently able to give a large or medium wage increase for the next biennium as there will be budget shortfalls in the next biennium. I believe the State is in the position to raise employee wages by 1.5%,” Knutson wrote. The union represents community corrections officers and raised issues concerning compensation, workload, working conditions, staffing, and recruitment and retention. The pay raise is not final since the Office of Financial Management must still sign off on the full arbitrated agreement, Yestramski said. Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.

The Washington Department of Ecology has fined Port Townsend Paper Corporation (PTPC) $734,000 for improperly operating its onsite wastewater treatment system since Fall 2025, the agency announced September 16—the latest in a string of penalties tied to the mill's aging aerated stabilization basin (ASB). In this 30-acre pond, microbes break down industrial waste before it's discharged into Port Townsend Bay. **The mill’s familiar behavior and rhetoric** The penalty stems from problems Ecology documented during an October 2025 inspection: sludge had built up in the ASB, vegetation was overtaking its banks and portions of the aeration system were malfunctioning or missing entirely. Ecology spokesperson Andrew Wineke told KUOW the mill was out of compliance for 170 days. Those chronic issues escalated in April 2026, when two spills totaling 9,000 gallons of black liquor—a corrosive byproduct of the pulping process—reached the lagoon and compromised its ability to fully treat wastewater, leading to six discharge-limit violations that month. "Unfortunately, Port Townsend Paper has struggled to meet the requirements of its water quality permit and properly operate its wastewater treatment system," Peter Lyon, who oversees Ecology's Industrial Section, said in an agency news release. "A well-maintained, fully operational treatment system is critical to protecting the environment and the public." This is the fifth water quality penalty Ecology has issued to PTPC since 2021 for releasing improperly or inadequately treated wastewater into the bay—a pattern The Beacon has previously documented. In a Notice of Violation issued May 18, Ecology described the ASB as operating at "critically reduced treatment capacity," citing disconnected aeration lines, a missing aerator motor and a damaged flow barrier that could let wastewater bypass treatment zones altogether. A depth survey PTPC submitted May 13 confirmed the pond had lost much of its capacity—the company's own monitoring plan requires such surveys annually, but the prior one was in 2022. PTPC said it will appeal. "Protecting the environment is a core responsibility of our company," said Brian Peterson, senior vice president of manufacturing for Crown Paper Group, PTPC's parent company, in a news release. “Over the past several years, we have invested more than $8 million in wastewater treatment and environmental improvements to strengthen operations, protect the environment and support the long-term sustainability of the mill and the community it serves." The company has 30 days to pay the fine or appeal to the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board. **Local group monitors the mill . . . and Department of Ecology** David Ginsberg, a Port Townsend retiree who founded the advocacy group Citizens for Safe Water and Air-Port Townsend, after fact-checking discrepancies in his own earlier proposal to the mill, sent an email to Ecology on September 17 applauding the agency’s penalty. Ginsberg asked for Ecology to present the compliance schedule, now in effect, for each of the five deficiencies cited in the Notice and by what specific date PTPC must bring it into compliance with its own Treatment Support Operating Plan. “We do not believe Ecology should accept PTPC's "5 aerators is sufficient" conclusion,” Ginsburg wrote. “That conclusion should be categorically rejected. PTPC's own report already modeled the alternative we are asking for: 8 aerators plus dredging, which it reported as "not economically reasonable" only because of the inflated one-year cost figure of $18.87/lb. Recalculated with a realistic amortization schedule, that same alternative falls to roughly $1.78 to $3.42/lb—squarely within the range Ecology and EPA have historically treated as a defensible cost for water-quality treatment upgrades.” It's unclear how much, if any, of that $8 million investment touched the specific ASB equipment cited in this penalty; PTPC has not detailed the breakdown, and the figure—also cited separately regarding air-emissions monitoring upgrades in past company statements—appears to span multiple categories of capital spending rather than the lagoon system alone. Ginsberg argued the penalty structure itself is inadequate. "Not a one-time fine that the company can treat as a cost of doing business, but an escalating cost that makes continued neglect more expensive than fixing the problem," he said by email, as reported by KUOW. The penalty lands amid heightened scrutiny of Washington's kraft paper mills. PTPC is one of three kraft mills in the state under investigation for workplace safety concerns following the May 27 tank implosion at Nippon Dynawave's Longview mill, which killed 11 workers. Both mills use the same kraft chemical process—cooking wood chips with caustic white liquor. PTPC has said it has conducted "extra safety inspections" since that incident, but has not detailed tank wall or weld integrity findings. The wastewater penalty also compounds a broader compliance record The Beacon detailed in a recent series on the mill: a national report by the Environmental Integrity Project found PTPC in Clean Air Act violation for 12 consecutive quarters—placing it among the worst 3 percent of the 183 pulp and paper mills the group reviewed nationally—and Ecology has logged 166 violations or compliance triggers against the mill since 1990. Ecology's own May, 2025, permit fact sheet had characterized the mill as "generally in compliance," a description that speaks to adherence to permit terms rather than whether those terms are protective enough—a distinction unresolved by this latest enforcement action. Ecology regulator Mady Lyon, who manages PTPC's day-to-day compliance, has previously acknowledged a backlog of unresolved violations dating back to November, telling a Port Townsend resident in June she was "currently working on addressing those violations with enforcement actions." This $734,000 penalty appears to be part of that catch-up effort, though Ecology has not said whether additional enforcement actions tied to the same backlog remain pending. The mill, Jefferson County's second-largest employer, produces about 1,000 tons of unbleached paper, containerboard and pulp daily and discharges roughly 10 million gallons of treated wastewater into Port Townsend Bay every day through an outfall pipe 1,200 feet offshore.

PORT TOWNSEND — The City Council voted Monday night to continue its two-track approach to the city's comprehensive plan dispute, moving forward with both the Petition for Review and a public engagement process after settlement negotiations with appellants failed to produce a joint stay agreement. Before business began, there were three proclamations for Arbor Day, Nine to Five Day (for Dolly Parton) and Dementia Awareness Day. The Port Townsend Police Department swore in three new officers. Interim City Manager Steve King reported that he met twice with representatives of Affordable Hometown Port Townsend (AHPT) following the council's September 8 authorization to explore common ground. While both parties found significant agreement on broad principles—including the existence of a housing crisis, the need for more density and the importance of public engagement—King said the details proved insurmountable. "There was even an understanding that there's some density required," King said. "I think the challenge is always in the details." The petitioners' attorney filed a response outlining AHPT's conditions for a joint stay request, but King said both parties concluded reaching agreement would be "pretty challenging." AHPT's legal counsel and the city had asked the Growth Management Hearings Board to delay ruling on the city's stay motion until September 30 to allow negotiations to continue, but those talks ultimately did not yield a joint request. **Public participation plan approved** The council unanimously approved a motion directing staff to develop a robust public participation plan, which King said must be completed before other work can proceed. "We really need to develop a public participation element," King said. "We want to settle on that process before we even think about any other work, because that will drive the schedule and drive the workflow." __"We actually need to fix the more fundamental problem, which is insufficient tax base to pay for our sprawl infrastructure." — Councilmember David Faber commenting on the need for greater housing density.__ The plan will first go to the city's Equity, Access and Rights Board, then to the Planning Commission, before returning to council—a process King estimated could take several months. Council Member Monica MickHager sought clarification that the public should not expect action before the end of the year. "It's going to be a few months from now, so that people ought not to be expecting around Christmas time," MickHager said. **Divided public comment** The council heard from numerous residents offering sharply divided perspectives on the appeal. Kirk Rowdabaugh urged the council to "drop the legal challenge" and "partner with Affordable Hometown Port Townsend and others to amend and fix the plan." Cynthia Koan, an 11-year member of the Jefferson County Planning Commission, asked the city to "accept the determination of the Growth Management Hearing Board," noting that "the public process will reveal" any issues with the plan. Others supported the city's position. Jason Squire, a homeowner and lifelong service worker, said in written comment that he was "deeply offended to hear that a group called AHPT feels they speak for a majority in PT. They do not speak for me." Cameron Jones submitted a written comment supporting the appeal, arguing that "an appeal and a public process are not mutually exclusive," and after noting the outreach through EngageJC, said, “Equity cannot mean invoking marginalized communities while discounting their input when it conflicts with your preferred policy.” Another written comment, submitted by Aurora Kingslight, said she was “hoodwinked by the AHPT in my last public comment, thinking that they were really wanting affordable housing; it is clear that they are doing everything in their power to disrupt that, lose grant funding and misinform vulnerable people into speaking out against their own best interest.” **Council deliberation** Councilmember Libby Wennstrom pushed back on characterizations of the appeal as simply "winning or losing." "I'm not really seeing this petition for judicial review as a question of winning or losing," Wennstrom said. "I'm seeing it as we're asking the court to clarify some things that are so unclear or so contradictory in the Growth Management Hearings Board decision that we literally can't implement." Councilmember Fred Obee expressed frustration with the situation. "I wish there was really a good way out of this whole thing because I've been buzzing over this for some time," he said, adding that he didn't think dropping the appeal was a good alternative. "__There was even an understanding that there's some density required. I think the challenge is always in the details." — Interim City Manager Steve King on reaching an agreement with Affordable Hometown Port Townsend.__ Deputy Mayor Owen Rowe noted that House Bill 1220, which introduced additional affordable housing requirements, has created challenges for cities statewide, and suggested the city could provide input to the legislature on needed fixes. **Other business** Supplemental Budget Appropriations Approved: The council approved Ordinance 3370, which includes $399,000 of projected new spending—of which most is for the comprehensive plan appeal. Street Vacation Approved: The council approved Ordinance 3371, vacating a portion of McClellan Street right-of-way between 9th and 10th Streets for Bayside Housing and Services’ Vince's Village affordable housing project. The vacation reserves a perpetual sanitary sewer easement and accepts affordable housing as value received. The project will create 32 units of affordable housing, with 13 units dedicated to households earning 30% or less of area median income and 19 units at 50% or below. Emergency Sewer Repair: The council approved Resolution 26-018 declaring an emergency and waiving public bidding requirements to allow immediate repair of a damaged sewer line beneath Valley Trail near 3105 Sage Lane. Public Works Director Steve King described the pipe as "completely not there" in a roughly 30-foot section. Councilmember David Faber noted the broader infrastructure implications, stating that the city's low density creates an insufficient tax base to maintain its extensive infrastructure. "We actually need to fix the more fundamental problem, which is insufficient tax base to pay for our sprawl infrastructure," he said.

Written by Devin L. González, Port Townsend I attended the September 8 City Council meeting and witnessed something that hasn't been reported. Salish Rescue volunteers came to City Hall directly from the Wooden Boat Festival, still in their gear, to speak during public comment about their struggles with affordable housing. Before they could speak, Musa Jaman attempted to have them removed from the meeting for "having weapons." She accused them of carrying flare guns and knives. There were no flare guns, and city staff and council determined that what they carried were tools of their trade. Some had sheathed, blunt-tipped rescue knives. They were allowed to stay and speak. What struck me was the sequence. A group of working people showed up to tell the council, in their own words, what housing costs are doing to them—and the first response was an attempt to have them silenced before they could say a word. The only threat they posed were their voices. That wasn't the end of it. Ms. Jaman was later witnessed seeking out Salish Rescue members at the Wooden Boat Festival, took photos of them, and attempted to get them in trouble with festival organizers and the harbormaster. Now AHPT supporters are trying to demonize the city for allowing "thugs with weapons" into City Hall. Let's be clear about what actually happened: rescue volunteers in their working gear were briefly accused of being armed, that claim was investigated and dismissed, and they were permitted to exercise the same right to public comment as anyone else. Salish Rescue volunteers literally save lives here. Earlier this year, they saved two people from a burning boat after it suffered a gas explosion. It's also worth correcting the record on how they got there. Salish Rescue was not directed to attend by any councilmember. They were inspired by the PT WorkForce group, which has been urging workers to get involved in the housing conversation. They came as private citizens, on their own time, to advocate for themselves. If we're going to debate density and housing in this town, we should be able to do it without trying to have our neighbors removed from the room first. Devin L. González (He/Him/El)

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — Sentencing on September 16 was an extraordinary example of how family support and proactive remorse plays well for folks in the system, especially those the prosecution considers to have bright futures; such as in 20 year old Anthony Scholl’s case. We also saw firsthand how defendants play a meaningful role in how smoothly their case moves through the court, depending on how well they understand the system or not, exemplified by Scott Stone finally appearing on week five of his case in Jefferson County. **Arraignments and preliminary appearances:** Christina Labore was charged on September 4 with assault in the second degree as a domestic violence charge. The state has not been able to serve her the charges. Her preliminary appearance is set for October and a summons was issued for her appearance. William Case was charged on August 21 with identity theft in the second degree, theft in the second degree and two counts of possessing stolen property in the second degree. He has counsel with Jefferson Associated Counsel (JAC), waived the formal reading of his charges and pleaded not guilty. His omnibus hearing will be November 13, his pretrial will be December 4 and his trial is set for the week of December 14. Lonnie Kohrdt was charged on September 3 with two counts of escape in the second degree. He has counsel with JAC, waived the reading of his charges and pleaded not guilty. His omnibus hearing is set for October 16, pretrial on November 6 and trial for the week of November 16. **Sentencing:** John Appleby pleaded guilty to the amended charge of theft in the third degree. The state dismissed his first count of burglary. He was sentenced to 364 days in prison. He received credit for his time served, with the remaining days suspended for two years. If Appleby is booked again for any crime, the suspended time will be revoked. If he remains in compliance for the two years, he will not have to serve the days. Appleby addressed the court to say he is hopeful to be on Vivitrol again, a prescription medication used in conjunction with counseling to help adults with alcohol dependency. He was instructed to go to Believe in Recovery right after the hearing. Tove Cooke changed his plea to guilty and was sentenced to 60 days for felony harassment. He is required to give a DNA sample, and a five year no contact order is in place. Anthony Scholl pleaded guilty to the amended charge of reckless driving. His license was suspended for a year and he was sentenced to 365 days total. Five of those days are counted as credit for one day served, and four days converted to 32 hours of community service, which he has already served at Edmond Senior Center Thrift. The remaining 360 days are suspended for 12 months. Prosecuting attorney Holly Graham said, “His conduct was pretty significant,” referring to racing a friend at 100 mph in 60, 50 and 25 mph zones with pursuing police vehicles while maneuvering around other drivers, “but given his accepted responsibility completing his community service and will be starting school again soon, we amended the charges.” **Updates:** Scott Stone appeared for his competency hearing by an appearance motion filed by the state. He has been refusing to appear for his hearing based on the belief he does not have documentation of his charges, though the court minutes state that he was read his charges in July. His attorney, Lillian Powers, said she had only received the appearance motion from the state the afternoon before. Powers’ said she did not have adequate time with Stone to discuss his contesting the order for his competency evaluation. His case has been on pause until it is fully known if he needs to be restored to capacity. The court found Stone to not be competent, based on Dr. Ward's recommendation from Stone’s time in inpatient care, and his comments to the court during his contested hearing. The court entered an order for restoration. There will be a review on November 6, unless Western State Hospital finds Stone competent.

Prisons are breeding grounds for substance abuse. It never starts here, though; it's always something people carry in, like a life-preserve jacket full of everything that kills you. The first time I saw someone smoke crack, I was 6 years old. Watching from the living room floor as my brother's father and his friends loaded glass pipes with substances, they forced all of us boys to sit and watch pornographic films for several hours. Trauma has always been my closest companion. In 2020, I watched in horror as my daughter's mother nodded off from opioids on her front porch, unable to answer if my daughter would be okay before I dropped her off. A year later, my daughter's mother was homeless and in need of shelter. Over one weekend, I cared for her for two days as she shook, shivered and sweat uncontrollably. I put frozen washcloths on her brow repeatedly, trying to lower her temperature as she detoxed. Finally, I had to go back to work and sent her away with tears in my eyes, afraid she would die if I didn't let her go “get well" due to my inadequate care. Fast forward to today; it's 6:30 a.m. on a Friday, and last night's fog is rolling back from the forest floor, as smooth as a velvet sheet. My alarm goes off, and the song "21 Questions" by 50 Cent begins with a soft crescendo. My first thought of the day is: "I suffer from vicarious trauma," which happens whenever a person is repeatedly exposed to violence, suffering or traumatic events. It is from this acknowledgement that I'm awake and writing this article about the synthetic marijuana epidemic in this prison, a substance sometimes called “K2” or “spice.” Two months ago, a man we'll call "Lil bro," moved into the cell with me. That same day I watched, mystified, as he ignited a small piece of paper and inhaled the smoke rolling off it using the core of a toilet paper roll. As his high kicked in, he sat down and sighed heavily. His breathing became labored, his eyes started going in and out of focus and he mumbled incoherently. He resembled a zombie from the show "The Walking Dead,” weaving side to side as if he were in a trance. I sat across from him in the cell, wondering if he was going into shock because he started to convulse uncontrollably. I began to wonder if I'd be charged with his death if he stopped breathing. All of a sudden, he jumped up and made an ear-curdling dry-heaving sound before vomiting explosively all over the floor for three and a half minutes. Afterward, he walked very slowly to his bed and whispered, “Help me, brother.” He wasn't asking for medical assistance; he was asking me to cover his tracks—his vomit and his paraphernalia—because he was too discombobulated to do it himself. I sat in shock and horror for the next ten minutes, reigning in my building anger and staying mindful of my very slim margin for error in getting home to my children. If I alerted the authorities of this guy's overdose, I could be charged with whatever this guy was on and I'd be labeled a snitch, which is a death sentence in this prison. I thought about my innocent son and daughters. I realized I had to display the patience, kindness and mental acuity I so often preach to them about. I eventually cleaned up another man's vomit. I watched him sleep for the next five hours, checking his breathing and listening carefully until it returned to normal. The next morning, I spoke very kindly, even gently, as I explained that he needed to get clean. I encouraged him and had a heart-to-heart conversation before advising him that he'd be moving out immediately. He solemnly agreed, but I could see the shame and rejection on his face. He refused to look me in the eye. After he moved out, I did a thousand push-ups and sit-ups trying to clear my head. I sat down on the bed and cried unapologetically for all of the people, all of the families and all of the communities lost to substance abuse. I eventually became Lil Bro's peer mentor, helping him initiate his reentry plan and getting him signed up for chemical dependency counseling. At Clallam Bay Corrections Center, there have been 47 consecutive overdoses from spice in the last 3 weeks. Some people have been airlifted to Port Angeles for life-saving measures, and many have needed Narcan to stabilize their heart rates and normalize their breathing. There is an ongoing synthetic marijuana epidemic at this prison. Spice is made from manufactured chemicals and produces hallucinations, catatonic states and explosive diarrhea and vomiting. People use it because it's nearly undetectable in urinalysis tests, and it can be sprayed onto paper, which allows it to be trafficked more easily. Research shows that 1 in 5 Americans were sexually molested as a child, a parent physically abused 1 in 4 and one quarter of us grew up with alcoholic relatives. This epidemic was born from dysfunctional upbringings and intrafamily abuse. We're living in a traumatized society. I believe that the solution to every social issue has always and will forever begin with empathy, not punitive systems that demonize adults with dysfunctional coping mechanisms that helped them survive horrific childhoods. I've never been an addict, but I stand in solidarity with everyone who is. I've been homeless and abused in more ways than I care to mention. I know the pain and isolation associated with being an outcast. I felt the shame of being a teenager sleeping on the street, eventually too numb inside to care about passersby stares. There is healing in community. I don't have a professional to back up my claim, and I don't need one. How many of you have a son, a daughter, a niece or a nephew addicted to a controlled substance? And how many of you have loved them unconditionally, hoping one day they'll see the truth in your loving kindness? That's community. Everyone has a story, folks, but only you get to decide how it ends.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — On Thursday, September 17, Library Director Annie Scott held up a giant pair of scissors to a red ribbon strung across the library’s bookmobile garage. Fourteen months after a single-vehicle accident took the original bookmobile out of service, and after leading the gathered crowd in a countdown, Scott cut the ribbon and welcomed the library’s new bookmobile into its fleet and back in service. “It feels surreal,” Scott said. “It normally takes at least two years to rebuild a bookmobile of that size. So the fact that someone on our team found it, and the board supported it . . . ” she looked around at the crowd. “It’s such a group effort. Every single person at the library had a hand in it.” For the rural families, seniors and remote communities of Jefferson County, the bookmobile is a lifeline. Thanks to the creativity of the mobile services team, and help from community partners, the library adapted its Outreach eVan and didn’t skip a beat—maintaining every one of the bookmobile’s scheduled stops, without interruption, since the accident. But the eVan was noticeably smaller than the original bookmobile, with significantly less room for materials and browsing, resulting in less of the library “feel” that the full size model brings on the road. “We live in Quilcene and we’ve been awaiting its return with excitement,” said Hanako Myers, who attended the ribbon-cutting with her son. “It’s monumental for us.” Folks of all ages were present to help celebrate the launch of the bookmobile and tour its new shelves. After the ribbon cutting, and speeches recognizing staff who had a hand in bringing the moment to life, the bookmobile emerged slowly out of the garage with Board Chair Vickie Norris in the passenger seat. Its shiny green hood glinted in the sun, the words ‘Rolling Forward, Community Strong’ painted across the trailer body. It’s a large vehicle to maneuver and the library is stepping up driver capacity in recognition. A professional driver will train 16 staff members to operate the vehicle, including several managers who will act as back-up drivers. With an eye towards continuity of service, the district is creating a video training program for future staff, ensuring a deep roster of qualified drivers can take a turn at the wheel when needed. __“We live in Quilcene and we’ve been awaiting its return with excitement. It’s monumental for us.” — Hanako Myers, attending the ribbon-cutting with her son.__ The right timing, and a well-written letter, made the new bookmobile possible. When the Lewis & Clark Library in Helena, MT was ready to sell its bookmobile, libraries across the country sent in offers. Thanks to the words of Scott, who described the importance of the bookmobile for rural Jefferson County and the gap left by the accident, the former Montana bookmobile will get a second life on the Olympic Peninsula. The new vehicle is equipped with a walk-in space designed to resemble a regular library. Shelving surrounds the walls, increasing capacity for a diverse collection of books, magazines and media. Attendees toured around while kids made themselves at home on the floor benches, reading beneath the bookmobile’s bright new skylights. It’s equipped with a printer, Wifi and a wheelchair lift for expanded access. __“It’s cool because it’s a tractor trailer and I got to see the hood of it." — Ribbon cutting attendee and coloring enthusiast Wesley Cittadini.__ Music by Tex Armstrong drifted through the air, while library staff served up popcorn, cake and celebratory Martinelli’s. Everyone in attendance had stories about how the bookmobile had impacted them or their family. Pat White, from Cape George, was part of the group of parents who initiated the bookmobile coming out to their area when her kids were young, before the library’s construction in 1985. She now has two great-grandchildren and loves to give them books; she still uses the bookmobile to check out magazines once a week without having to leave her neighborhood. The bookmobile is impressive for both its services and its size, according to attendee Wesley Cittadini. “It’s cool because it’s a tractor trailer and I got to see the hood of it,” he said, while coloring-in a bookmobile model at the kid’s craft table. “It’s our favorite vehicle on the road,” said his mom, Lara Cittadini. Wearing an outfit decorated with books, Kati Perez, Head of Collection Development and Discovery, spoke to the significance of the moment. “It’s overwhelming to see the love and support in the community for what we do; it really is why we do it,” she said. “It’s been a very fun, all-hands-on-deck project. Those are the best kind.”

PORT TOWNSEND, WA — Centrum is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Travis to the role of executive director to further the mission of Centrum, an internationally renowned creative arts nonprofit with programming in music, dance, writing and more. Travis, who will replace Robert Birman as he transitions to a new role within the organization, is expected to begin her new position in December. Travis brings extensive arts nonprofit leadership experience. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Ashkenaz Music & Dance in Berkeley, California, where she revitalized the 53-year-old organization, increased contributed and partnership revenue and strengthened systems supporting more than 250 annual events and programs. Previously, she led operations, strategic development and coordinated national advocacy efforts for Songwriters of North America (SONA), one of the music industry’s most influential songwriter rights organizations, and later co-founded its philanthropic arm. Notably, Travis has a unique and enduring tie to Centrum. She is an avid fiddle player and dancer and has been attending Fiddle Tunes, one of Centrum’s core programs, since she was 12 years old. In her interviews with board and staff members Travis shared, “I was drawn to this opportunity because of the alignment with my personal values, my commitment to arts education and cultural exchange, and my desire to lead an organization that has international reach.” She added her enthusiasm about living in the greater Port Townsend community, which she has been visiting for many years. “We are thrilled to welcome Sarah Travis as our new Executive Director, said Centrum Board President Walter Parsons. With her experience, combined with a deep connection to Centrum and passion for our mission, we are confident she will lead our organization to even greater prominence and impact in the years ahead.” Travis holds a BA in Political Science and Business Management from The Evergreen State College. Centrum’s outgoing Executive Director Robert Birman, who has skillfully led the organization for the last 14 years, is transitioning into a newly created role focused on long-term capital fundraising and guiding multi-million-dollar projects at Fort Worden on behalf of Centrum, including future renovations to the Wheeler Theater and McCurdy Pavilion. From renowned music workshops to hands-on youth art programs, Centrum’s campus at Fort Worden is a remarkable setting for creative discovery and learning. Through inter-generational immersive workshops, Centrum brings together aspiring and master artists to ignite creativity, find and provide mentorship and build community.

by Aspen Ford, Washington State Standard September 21, 2026 A grassroots organization has successfully raised enough money to spare 29 acres of trees on state forestland in the Northern Olympic Peninsula from being cut down, employing a new conservation method that also replaces timber revenue. The Elwha Legacy Forests Coalition struck a deal with Webster Logging, which purchased a timber sale west of Port Angeles from the state Department of Natural Resources. The company agreed to sign away its right to harvest some of the forests if the coalition raised enough money to cover state logging fees and replace the timber revenue it would have made. In about a month, more than 7,500 people donated to the coalition’s GoFundMe campaign, bringing total fundraising efforts to $563,000. A $75,000 donation from the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit arm of the outdoor gear company Patagonia, and another $72,000 donation from an anonymous donor brought Elwha Legacy Forests to the finish line. Elizabeth Dunne, the Earth Law Center attorney who facilitated the contract between the coalition and logging company, called the protected acreage an “ecological sanctuary” containing rare groves of coastal temperate rainforest. “People want to see these forests protected and are willing to find solutions,” Dunne said. In 2024, Bruce Webster signed a $620,000 contract with the Department of Natural Resources for the Doc Holliday timber sale, which included 74 acres of forestland. Over the course of a few months, the coalition has raised enough money to conserve 29 of those acres. The Elwha Legacy Forests Coalition signed its first contract with Webster in May. They fundraised $32,000 to save 2 acres of trees surrounding the Sadie Creek Campground, marking what appeared to be the first agreement of its kind in Washington between a state timber sale purchaser and a nonprofit organization. “As long as I get paid what I would’ve made, I have no problem working with them,” Bruce Webster, owner of Webster Logging, previously told the Standard. In August, the coalition fundraised $260,000, saving another 13 acres. Upon reaching that milestone, Webster gave members of the coalition more time to raise money to cover the remaining 14 acres of trees he was prepared to cut. By mid-September, they did. “Maybe this is just the beginning of work that we could do on the peninsula,” said Greg Curtis, executive director of the Holdfast Collective, which contributed $75,000 to the GoFundMe. “We made a pretty fast decision to jump in.” The coalition paid enough money to cover the timber value, logging costs and the fee that the Department of Natural Resources charges purchasers. The fee goes to the agency and local government services. “Everyone is made whole,” Dunne said. “Why would we be losing these incredibly valuable forests … when we have, you know, a number of alternatives and a demonstrated interest by the public in protecting them?” Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove previously described the 2-acre agreement between Webster and the coalition as “uncharted territory.” The contract does not include the Department of Natural Resources, and in theory, the agency could sell the remaining forests in a future timber sale. Upthegrove supports conserving old-growth forests. Since taking office, he’s set aside 77,000 acres of state forestland for conservation. At the department, a work group has begun developing policies for conservation leases, which could operate in a similar fashion as the coalition’s agreement with the logging company but would have agency involvement, Upthegrove told the Standard in May. As of September, the idea is still in development, said Michael Kelly, spokesperson for Department of Natural Resources, who noted he’s hopeful updates on progress will come soon. There are a number of alternatives to logging state forestlands, Dunne said. The Department of Natural Resources and the Legislature can designate land as natural areas, shielding them from logging. The Legislature could also appropriate money to replace revenue that counties and other taxing districts would otherwise receive from timber sales. “We’re on the cutting edge of moving toward these opportunities on state lands,” Dunne said. Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.

Curated by Matt Kiser, WTF Just Happened Today * * * _Today in_**One Sentence:** September 21, 2026. CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued the Trump administration to regain access to the White House after Trump banned them for publishing “purposely negative stuff”; ¶ the major TV networks suspended their coverage of Trump after he banned CNN from covering him; ¶ ICE shot and wounded a 28-year-old Venezuelan immigrant in Austin while he was making a DoorDash delivery; ¶ the U.S. military attacked a boat in the Caribbean it claims was smuggling drugs along known smuggling routes, killing four people; ¶ Trump will create an “AI Force” that would “not in any way hinder or stifle” the industry; ¶ the military almost intercepted a Chinese ship in the Middle East after using an AI-generated intelligence report that falsely identified its cargo as nuclear weapons components; ¶ the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland reached an agreement to expand the U.S. military presence in Greenland; ¶ and Trump said his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch would become a “top grade Military Complex” capable of housing and rapidly deploying “large numbers of drones,” snipers, and ammunition. * * * 1/ **CNN, MS NOW and Politico sued the Trump administration to regain access to the White House after Trump banned them for publishing “purposely negative stuff.”** The outlets called the ban “a direct assault on the First Amendment” and warned that “the government does not decide what the press reports or publishes.” U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, appointed by Trump in 2017, ordered the administration to respond by Tuesday and scheduled a hearing for Wednesday. Kelly previously ordered the White House to temporarily restore CNN correspondent Jim Acosta’s press pass in 2018. Trump defended the ban, baselessly claiming that the outlets’ coverage posed “a threat to our National Security,” and that he was “instituting an assault on the FAKE NEWS.” He added: “Why should I have to give ‘access’ to such people?” (New York Times / CNBC / CBS News / CNN / NBC News / ABC News / Reuters / NPR / Politico / Axios / Bloomberg) * **FRIDAY: Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House**. Journalists from the three news organizations were denied access and had their press credentials confiscated. Trump accused the outlets of reporting “FICTION and LIES,” declared the ban “effective immediately,” and threatened that “Other Fake News Media Outlets” could follow. “There’s something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories,” Trump claimed, adding: “I don’t have to let them into my — into the people’s house. (Axios / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / Politico / CNN / New York Times / CBS News / Reuters) * **Natalie Harp showed Trump clips of media coverage that reportedly infuriated him before he banned three outlets from the White House**. Harp is one of Trump’s closest aides and has been nicknamed the “human printer” because she follows Trump around with physical copies of the news and social media posts. The directive surprised many senior staff, and aides who deal with the press were reportedly blindsided and unaware of the ban until Trump announced it on Truth Social. The announcement happened while chief of staff Susie Wiles was out of town. (CNN / Politico) * **Trump complained recently that too few political allies are defending him on TV** His frustration reportedly reached a “fever pitch” after aide Natalie Harp showed him clips of the media criticizing his administration. Hours later, Trump banned MS NOW, CNN, and Politico from the White House. (Wall Street Journal) 2/ **The major TV networks suspended their coverage of Trump after he banned CNN from covering him**. After the White House banned CNN from fulfilling its scheduled turn as the TV pool representative, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC said there would be “no replacement pool put in place.” The networks argued that “the public has a vital interest in receiving accurate, independent information about its government,” adding that “no administration should restrict a news organization because it objects to its reporting.” CNN had been scheduled to accompany Trump to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. (CNN / Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / CNBC) 3/ **ICE shot and wounded a 28-year-old Venezuelan immigrant in Austin while he was making a DoorDash delivery**. While Texas officials described it as a vehicle pursuit, video from the scene shows an officer exit an unmarked SUV, approach the passenger side of Wilber Garces Perez’s Toyota as it rolled forward, and fire three shots before the car stopped. Garces Perez was shot in the torso and taken into immigration custody after he was released from the hospital. (NPR / Axios / New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post / CBS News) * **FRIDAY: A federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s policy allowing for the rapid deportation of migrants to countries other than their own**. The unanimous three-judge panel largely upheld a lower court ruling that the Homeland Security Department’s policy conflicts with federal protections by allowing third-country deportations without giving them “a meaningful opportunity” to raise fears of persecution or torture. The administration has sent more than 25,000 migrants to third countries under agreements with dozens of nations. (Reuters / New York Times / Washington Post / CBS News / ABC News) 4/ **The U.S. military attacked a boat in the Caribbean it claims was smuggling drugs along known smuggling routes, killing four people**. The military didn’t provide evidence that the boat was carrying drugs. The strike brought the death toll from the Trump administration’s campaign against alleged traffickers to at least 231 people in 69 strikes over the past year. (Associated Press) 5/ **Trump will create an “AI Force” that would “not in any way hinder or stifle” the industry** , rejecting calls from lawmakers and industry leaders for new federal guardrails or a slowdown in AI development. Trump also promised to appoint a new AI czar but offered few details about what the AI Force would do or where it would sit in the federal government, other than saying the government would “cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!” He argued that existing criminal and civil laws were enough to police “BAD” behavior by AI. (NBC News / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / CBS News / CNN / ABC News / Axios / Washington Post / Politico / CNBC) 6/ **The military almost intercepted a Chinese ship in the Middle East after using an AI-generated intelligence report that falsely identified its cargo as nuclear weapons components**. A special operations command analyst used an AI chatbot to analyze the ship’s manifest, which inaccurately identified its cargo, and then used AI to package the findings into a standard intelligence report that was circulated across the military. The military was preparing to board the vessel when officials reviewed the report and discovered the use of AI, which had inaccurately identified the ship’s cargo. One source described the report as “entirely false” and claimed it “almost started a war.” (CNN) * **The U.S. proposed creating a “notification mechanism” with China for AI-related incidents that could affect national security**. “We think that just like any cross-border activity, that moving from opaque to more transparency between the No. 1 and the No. 2 AI powers in the world is very important,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.(NBC News / Axios / Washington Post) 7/ **FRIDAY: The U.S., Denmark, and Greenland reached an agreement to expand the U.S. military presence in Greenland**. Denmark maintained that the agreement preserves its sovereignty over the territory and recognizes Greenlanders’ right to self-determination. Trump, however, claimed the deal gives the U.S. “permanent control over security, and all other needs” in Greenland. Trump added that the agreement means “no U.S. adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval.” (Associated Press / The Guardian / New York Times / NBC News / Axios / CBS News / ABC News / NPR) 8/ **Trump said his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch would become a “top grade Military Complex” capable of housing and rapidly deploying “large numbers of drones,” snipers, and ammunition.** He claimed the changes were made “at the strong request of the United States Military, and for National Security purposes.” The Pentagon declined to comment. The revised plan, however, hasn’t gone through federal design and historic-preservation reviews that considered the original arch. A federal judge ordered the administration to provide 48 hours’ notice before moving forward with activity at the site. (New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News / NPR / Politico / CNN) _The 2026 midterms are in 43 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 778 days._

PORT TOWNSEND, WA — The legal challenge to Port Townsend’s Comprehensive Plan has highlighted deep divisions over how—and for whom—the city should grow. At the center of the dispute is Affordable Hometown Port Townsend (AHPT). AHPT, a non-profit formed by four homeowners to file a legal challenge to residential zoning changes in the city’s comprehensive plan, successfully argued that the city violated its own rules around public process. But critics contend the group is using procedural technicalities to block much-needed housing, and that its name obscures a more parochial agenda. In response to the Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB) ruling on AHPT’s legal challenge to the City’s comprehensive plan, at its August 24, 2026 meeting the City Council voted for three things: to put a moratorium on permit applications for 6-plexes, to petition for judicial review of the (GMHB) decision and to request a stay to preserve eligibility of state grant funding. AHPT’s attorney, Bryan Telegin, sent a letter on August 24 asking the City not to appeal the GMHB decision, though it acknowledged that the decision threatened the City's access to state grant funding. Telegin’s letter said, “We would even agree to a stay—and join the City in requesting a stay from the GMHB—if the City would (a) agree to a moratorium more in line with the GMHB’s decision and (b) commit to engaging in settlement discussions with respect to my Client’s claims (the specifics of both to be determined later).” The implications of Telegin’s letter, sent by AHPT to both the press and public platforms, alarmed many residents. AHPT’s demand for a “moratorium more in line with the GMHB’s decision,” a decision which invalidated **_all_** density increases in R-II zoning, seemed to oppose the 4-plex density increase that had gone through the full public planning process. AHPT’s request for closed-door settlement discussions also raised public concerns about AHPT attempting to bypass an open public process going forward. **What the City said** City Attorney Austin Watkins, in an August 31 response letter to AHPT’s attorney, argued that the GMHB had overstepped its authority by invalidating zoning changes beyond the 6-plex “late amendment” itself. “Put simply, it is the City’s position that the Board exceeded its statutory authority in invalidating any portion of Ordinance 3361, other than the 6-plex amendment,” Watkins wrote. He noted the City had previously offered twice to negotiate with AHPT—on March 12 and April 10, 2026—and had received no response. Watkins also noted the city had already enacted a one-year moratorium on 5- and 6-plex applications, which he said should address the board’s concerns. He also noted that the GMHB “cannot issue a stay of the FDO (Final Decision Order) without a judicial appeal of the FDO.” While AHPT has repeatedly made public statements claiming the city could request a stay without going to court, GMHB’s rules in WAC 242-03-860 require that “An appeal is pending in court” as the first of five conditions that **_all_** must be true to request a stay. At the September 8 council meeting, Mayor Amy Howard framed the city’s Petition for Judicial Review of the GHMB decisions as a request for clarity from a judge, rather than an act of hostility. “Other cities are waiting on the results of our appeal,” Howard said. “It’s not just for Port Townsend; it is for the state. And so, asking a court to clarify the answers is the avenue that is available to the city. It sounds litigious and angry, but it is actually just asking the court for help.” **Divided community voices** The September 8 City Council meeting laid bare a community sharply divided over how the City should respond to the GMHB ruling. Public testimony that evening highlighted competing visions for Port Townsend’s future, with speakers offering starkly different perspectives on density, affordability and the path forward. A group of marine volunteers joined the meeting after preparing for the Wooden Boat Festival down the street from City Hall. After following the GMHB debates on social media, they decided to testify about their personal housing difficulties before the council. Rowan Deluna, a marine volunteer who arrived at the city meeting from a Wooden Boat Festival training, offered her perspective. “I had the unfortunate experience of being a person who was left without housing. I was a single mother. I had children in high school. I was living in a tent. I have a college degree. I had a job that required a college degree. I worked full time. I could not find affordable housing until someone helped me out.” Deluna urged the council to move forward with the appeal. USCG veteran Elijah Johnston, who grew up in Port Townsend but can no longer afford to live here, directly addressed the council’s appeal decision. “I absolutely support you as you go forward in your appeal to the growth management board,” Johnston said. “I wish you could be steadfast despite the threats of the geriatric NIMBYs who stand against you.” Johnston continued: “I advocate that the process going forward should be public and transparent, and that the public should be able to weigh in on it.” Teacher Emily Gohn, who described being born and raised in Port Townsend, invoked Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to reframe the debate. “A lot of the loudest voices in this conversation are operating between yellow, green and blue,” Gohn said, referring to the higher levels of the hierarchy—esteem and self actualization rather than basic needs like food and shelter. In contrast, Gohn noted that “We have children in our community that are growing up in cars. We have small business people who are having to close their doors. We have first responders who are sleeping on couches and having to commute an hour to get here to help us. And those needs have to take priority.” Cameron Jones, co-director of Well Organized Jefferson County, said, “AHPT and other petitioners absolutely do not represent the full range of community perspectives,” referencing extensive community outreach work Well Organized had conducted with historically marginalized groups. “I’m asking that these discussions not determine the direction, density, expanded moratorium or other substantive changes to the Comprehensive Plan before the broader public is involved.” OlyCAP Housing Project Manager Peggy Webster submitted a public comment regarding OlyCAP’s Haines Street property, and how the GMHB decision has stalled those affordable housing efforts. “We have 8 units of emergency housing on Haines Street. They were built in 1941 and are zoned R2, or 8 units for every 40,000 sq. ft. Our vision is demolition and new construction of permanent housing units—the Comprehensive Plan proposal of 32 or 48 units per 40,000 Sq. Ft. makes the project financially feasible. Funding can be sought for this size of a project.” Webster further explained that OlyCAP had been “ . . . about to embark on pre-development tasks and had started conversations with a development partner. Those activities have stopped given the uncertainty over zoning. We urge a quick resolution that allows increased density to make a project like this feasible.” The testimony was not all in support of the city’s approach. Multiple AHPT supporters urged the council to drop the appeal and negotiate with AHPT. Mary McCurdy, one of the individual petitioners in the AHPT challenge, told the council about her conversations with the state Department of Commerce. “In December 2025, I called Commerce about questions I had about the massive density upzone,” McCurdy said. “Commerce told me to look at the low-income banding in Port Townsend’s comp plan because of a ruling by the Growth Management Hearings Board in a Mercer Island case.” She continued, “I spoke with a person who has served the city for many years, who said the only way it will be resolved is if the issue were elevated to the Growth Management Hearings Board.” John Watts, president of AHPT and the former city attorney, pushed back against what he described as a “my way or the highway” approach. “I do not use social media, but others have sent me postings,” Watts said. “Here’s one referring to Affordable Hometown Port Townsend: ‘I do think their very mission is rotten to the core.’” He added that name-calling was not effective leadership, and that “AHPT remains willing to discuss a practical path forward.” Councilmember David Faber acknowledged he had made “intemperate” comments on social media but stood by the substance of his concerns. “I was angry. I’m still angry. I’m still processing the growth board’s decision,” Faber said. “The more we keep on saying ‘no, we’re not going to do it that way, no, we’re not going to do it that way’, the more explosive the reaction is going to be.” Faber cited the loss of 50% of the city’s rental housing stock in the last decade. “We need to substantially reverse course. We need to really focus on what is going to deliver for the people in this community that we need to live here.” Councilmember Libby Wennstrom read aloud from an email she had received that she found deeply offensive: “‘How much are people who can afford to live here expected to sacrifice, so that others who can’t afford to live here and refuse to move to a place they can afford get to live in Port Townsend?’” Wennstrom paused, then continued: “When I’m talking to people who were born here, who grew up here, whose grandparents were born here, being told that they should move if they can’t afford to live here . . . think about what your words mean to somebody who is your physical therapist or your nurse or your kid’s teacher.” **The City’s plan to address the GMHB ruling** The September 8 City Council Meeting clarified the City’s structured approach to the Growth Management Hearings Board ruling, outlining a two-track strategy while making clear that the appeal would proceed. The council authorized Interim Manager Steve King to have a narrow discussion with AHPT, limiting negotiations to the specific, immediate goal of jointly seeking a stay with the GMHB. Councilmember Wennstrom clarified during discussion that the motion was a “specific authorization” and “not a broad ‘we’re going to go into a settlement discussion behind closed doors’”. The purpose, she said, was “so that we are able to continue to apply for state grant funding.” King echoed this interpretation, telling the council: “The direction I got was to find common ground, and I understand that the number one purpose is to ensure that this is a public engagement process for the whole community and not any special groups, but simply to find common ground.” __Interim City Manager Steve King and AHPT President John Watts met outside of the Port Townsend Rec Center on September 10, two days after City Council authorized King to discuss with Watts. Photo taken from the Pride sidewalk painting by Rachael Nutting__ **AHPT’s response and joint stay** Despite asking the City to meet to discuss a joint stay, on September 10, AHPT filed a response to the City’s August 31 stay request to the GMHB—a request that reflects community fears about AHPTs motives. The response outlined conditions AHPT wants attached to any stay, demanding that the City adopt a "global compliance plan" including housing, transportation, capital facilities, racial disparities and displacement—not just the procedural issue involving the 6-plex amendment that the GMHB identified. AHPT also wants status reports every two weeks, to be notified of any permits applied for 4-plexes and reserves the right to file motions to dissolve the stay if AHPT believes the City is not making adequate progress. This means that AHPT would be able to remove the City’s access to grant funding, i.e. infrastructure funds for road maintenance, until the City finishes the rework process to be compliant with the GMA. The same day AHPT filed its response, AHPT president John Watts met with Interim City Manager Steve King, and the next day both parties filed a joint motion by asking the Growth Management Hearings Board to defer ruling on the City's stay request until September 30. This joint motion suggests the two sides are now negotiating those conditions. At this time, the city has not agreed to AHPTs conditions and the joint motion noted that “if the Parties fail to file a proposed joint stay or other status report on or before September 30, 2026, [the GMHB should] proceed with ruling on the City’s motion.” The City's petition for judicial review in Thurston County Superior Court remains pending and has not been withdrawn. The full scope of the public participation process and the resolutions to the comprehensive plan housing, transportation and capital facilities elements remain to be determined in the coming months. City Council can be contacted at citycouncil@cityofpt.us Public comments can be submitted here. * * * **_Why we are covering this story:_** Housing density directly impacts residents in Port Townsend and Jefferson County for generations. Lack of housing is contributing to many local businesses closing, as employers are facing chronic staff shortages and families leaving the area. **_How we are covering this story:_** By attending both city and community meetings related to the GMA appeal and reviewing public records and submitted documents.

PORT TOWNSEND, WA — City Council and staff gathered on September 14, 2026, for a workshop meeting that would ordinarily have focused on routine street investment priorities. Instead, the proceedings unfolded against the backdrop of the Growth Management Hearings Board's (GMHB) Final Decision and Order issued on August 19, 2026. The GMHB found Port Townsend's 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update out of compliance with the Growth Management Act. The practical consequence of this decision is severe. While out of compliance, Port Townsend is barred from applying for most future state grant funding. This potentially includes programs administered by the Public Works Trust Fund, the Transportation Improvement Board, the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Housing Trust Fund, among others. The city has already filed a Petition for Review and is currently seeking a joint stay with Affordable Hometown PT (AHPT) to preserve grant eligibility while working toward compliance. This matters directly for streets. The Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) has been a major funding partner for Port Townsend's road projects, providing grants for chip seal programs, the Lawrence Street Multimodal Improvements Project and sidewalk construction. If that grant funding stream is cut off, the City's carefully constructed street investment schedule could drastically change. **The Transportation Benefit District: Self-funded but leveraged** The Transportation Benefit District (TBD) is the city's dedicated street funding mechanism: a 0.3 percent local sales tax approved by voters in 2023 and first collected in April 2024. The TBD generates approximately $1.2 to $1.3 million annually, allocated across three categories: pavement repair and preservation; grant match for grant-funded projects; and sidewalks, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and active transportation upgrades. Civil Engineer Mike Connelly explained during the workshop that the TBD itself is not directly dependent on state grant eligibility. The sales tax revenue flows regardless of the city's GMA compliance status. However, the TBD's effectiveness relies heavily on grants. According to staff, the TBD's $3.9 million in committed expenditures through 2029 is matched by roughly $11.5 million in outside funding—approximately three dollars for every TBD dollar spent. If state grants become unavailable, that leverage disappears. The city would be forced to either scale back planned projects or absorb more costs through TBD funds and the general fund. Staff acknowledged that chip sealing is the most likely candidate for cuts if revenue falls short, because grant agreements cannot be unilaterally reduced. **2027 street investment priorities** Connelly presented a three-year TBD cash flow projection showing a projected deficit of $466,000 in 2027, followed by a $167,000 deficit in 2028, before returning to a positive balance of $183,000 in 2029. The 2027 deficit is driven primarily by large capital projects, especially Lawrence Street. Staff noted that an interfund loan, likely from general fund reserves, will be needed to bridge the gap. Under the city's financial policies, the general fund can provide interest-free loans to other funds, and the TBD has a dedicated revenue source to repay the loan. The 2027 work plan includes a chip seal program covering 17 street segments over 4.73 miles, including Bell Street, North Beach and sections of Fillmore. Major repair and rehabilitation projects include Lawrence Street from Pearson to Walker, Cleveland Street, Seventh Street and Tolkien Street, plus hotspot repairs on Casey Avenue and Thomas Street. Grant-dependent projects include Hastings Avenue improvements and the Walker Street sidewalk. The Lawrence Street Multimodal Improvements Project, currently under construction, was funded through a $2.9 million TIB grant, TBD funds and utility money. If future TIB grants are unavailable, similar projects could stall. **Council discussion** Mayor Amy Howard made an impassioned case for prioritizing Grant Street, citing safety concerns for children walking to school. She described seeing “cars swerve around potholes and nearly hit children.” Council member Monica MickHager echoed this concern, noting “hundreds of children” use that street twice daily. Other priority streets mentioned included Clay Street, nominated by a public commenter; 14th Street, which has significant drainage issues and Discovery Road. Staff noted that Washington Street and Lawrence Street carry heavy truck traffic due to the post office and commercial routes. The conversation also touched on public communication. Staff noted that pothole reporting has increased through the city's online tool, and Communications Director Shelly Leavens shared ideas from a recent conference about making pothole reporting more engaging, including a "Pothole Palooza" competition where residents could nominate their worst potholes for repair. **What comes next** The fate of Port Townsend's street repair schedule hinges largely on either the City’s original stay request or the joint stay request, currently being negotiated with AHPT. If granted, the city remains eligible for state grants while working toward compliance. If denied, the 2027 TBD program, particularly grant-dependent projects like Hastings Avenue, would need to be restructured. For a city already grappling with a substantial backlog of road maintenance needs, the coming months will determine whether Port Townsend can maintain its momentum or whether the GMHB decision forces a significant recalibration of its street funding strategy.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — September is National Preparedness Month and National Campus Fire Safety Awareness Month, making it a great time to review how to stay safe when emergencies happen. The Washington State Fire Marshall’s Office (SFMO) is taking the opportunity to get the word out about fire safety, particularly for the youngest and oldest among us. During the summer, wildfires get a lot of attention; but as the weather turns, and wood stoves light up, it’s important to think about fire safety inside the home. Young kids can learn from parents and educators what to do in an emergency, including practicing a fire escape plan twice a year. The SFMO says families can create a designated meeting spot and tell kids to stay there during a fire. They also recommend letting kids hear a smoke alarm, so that they will recognize when they need to exit their home or a building. During an earlier Beacon interview, East Jefferson Fire Rescue Chief Bret Black encouraged families to have a clear emergency plan and to prepare a Grab&Go Bag for leaving home in a hurry. Jefferson County has information on what to include in a basic preparedness kit on their website, including food and water for three days, important documents and medication. Black also mentioned the READY, SET, GO evacuation program—a framework designed to help residents make timely decisions in the face of danger. In Washington state last year, approximately 5% of fire deaths involved children under the age of 18. The SFMO suggests teaching kids not to play with fire hazards; including matches, lighters, candles and cooking equipment. Parents are encouraged to help little ones learn the phrase “Get out and Stay Out,” in addition to how to get low and crawl to the nearest exit if there’s smoke. To prevent emergencies, create a buffer zone around safety risks like fireplaces, stoves and space heaters. Fire safety for older adults is just as important. The SFMO noted that in Washington state, older adults accounted for over 50% of reported fire fatalities. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that adults over the age of 65 are more than twice as likely to perish in a fire compared to the general population. It is recommended to have a smoke alarm on each level of the home and carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas; and to test alarms monthly. There are also alarms for the hearing and visually impaired that feature bed shakers or strobe lights to alert to an emergency. The SFMO suggests keeping walkways clear of clutter and any medical or mobility aids nearby, especially while sleeping. When cooking, stay in the kitchen and use timers to remember to check on food. Adults are also encouraged to create a fire escape plan with two exits and to make sure everyone in the household knows the plan. Planning and preparation can go a long way in the face of an emergency, when adrenaline is running high. Practice makes a real difference for the whole family and sharing basic readiness skills means fewer lives lost. For additional questions about fire safety and preparedness reach out to the SFMO at (360) 596-3904.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA – The Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Solicitor General, now known as the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST), wrote in its 1988 recommendation, Taking Responsibility: “[T]he media do not report accurately and completely on the criminal justice system—they tend to focus on spectacular violent crimes and lenient sentences . . . The Committee is convinced that the criminal justice system must be explained to Canadians by means of public education and that the community must be given opportunities to be more involved at all levels.” Restorative Justice (RJ) originated in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1974 and came to the United States in 1978. The 1988 report, Taking Responsibility, led to the Canadian Government’s sentencing reform in 1990. It is part of the Beacon’s mission to report evenly on the crimes within our community, educate on the legal system’s function and to follow up on the work happening in the community that deals with complex matters like human rights and relations. In December of 2024, the Beacon published Restorative Approaches Offer Healing Over Punishment as our first reporting of the reform approach of RJ to our criminal legal system. For that article, we spoke with Brandon Mack, the Superior Court Judge in Jefferson County, and Stephanie Burns, Director and Co-Founder of Healing Courage. They defined justice by those who are most impacted, asking survivors about their needs for recovery and perpetrators what they need to find inner healing. __Healing Courage Three Pillars. Design by Alexis Rose__ Then in March 2026, we covered the Peninsula Dispute Resolution Center’s development towards a new program for Restorative Justice Facilitated Dialogues (RJFD) in the Jefferson County criminal justice system. For our third encounter with RJ, we spoke with Burns again, almost two years later, for an update on Jefferson County’s RJ program progress. With a grant from Futures without Violence, they launched their RJ program in summer 2026, offering non-carceral, community-based options for survivors. Burns and the team at Healing Courage are asking questions similar to those being asked in Canada in the 1900s, “Is it the purpose of sentencing to exact retribution for the breach of fundamental rules and norms? Should sentencing be attempting to rehabilitate offenders? Should it be inspired by a philosophy of just deserts? How should victims' needs and interests be addressed?” “One of the things I keep coming back to is that people are complex, and recovery from trauma is complicated and nonlinear,” Burns said. “Our justice system determines guilt or innocence, but it does not know how to hold the complexity of trauma, the impact of violence or the humanity of those most affected.” __Healing Courage Concentric Circles. Design by Alexis Rose__ Our criminal legal system is designed to determine guilt or innocence, a black and white outcome in a world of grey human interest. It doesn’t always get it right. Some people who’ve caused harm plead out with lifelong consequences, with no opportunity for conversation with the person they harmed, and survivors lose contact with family members who received harsh sentences they didn’t wish for. RJ is a victim-offender reconciliation program. A 2002 study found that victim participation was often motivated by the desire to know why the other person did what they did and to communicate the impact that the crime had on them directly to the offender. “A person may experience harm in one context and cause harm in another,” Burns continued. “Recognizing the humanity of people who cause harm does not minimize, excuse or condone their actions or the harm they’ve caused. At the same time, punishment alone does not necessarily change behavior or make us safer. Accountability can be more meaningful and transformative when it creates space for responsibility, learning, change and the possibility of repair.” Today, RJ remains largely inaccessible to survivors of sexual violence. Policies prohibit its use in these cases, and Restorative Justice Facilitated Dialogue is not often offered as an option for non-sexual violence cases. Public Safety Canada cites Aboriginal teachings and traditions of a circle healing process designed to address sexual abuse to improve health and wellness in the community and lower offender recidivism rates, along with significant financial savings compared to the mainstream legal system. Victim-Offender Reconciliation Programs (VORP), a foundational model of RJ, are now also implemented in Germany, England and other European Nations like Austria. More research on the impacts and effective components of the various RJ approaches is needed in order to guide further policy development. “Reforms must address real weaknesses in the system. However, they must also recognize that public concern and the lack of confidence in the system is one of those weaknesses,” Taking Responsibility reads. The Healing Courage RJ program is now offering informational materials and a way to share personal interest in the program at various locations, including Recovery Cafe, Dove House, Jefferson County Library and Jefferson Associated Counsel. You can support the work at Healing Courage with donations. You can visit the Reimagining Justice—Restorative Justice Virtual Art Gallery hosted by the National Center on Restorative Justice at Vermont Law and Graduate School for International Restorative Justice.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — The September Superior Criminal Court docket was full with arraignments and sentencings, many continuances and several uncommon motions such as Andrew Gaikowski’s resentencing and Kiersten Anderson’s remanding from Drug Court. The courtroom had family members and treatment teams appearing for support and comment. As the hours went by, the hearings were ticked off the list, and the courtroom slowly emptied until only lawyers, two advocates and the zoom attendees were left. **Preliminary appearances and arraignments:** Lonnie Kohrdt was charged on September 3 with two counts of escape in the second degree. He refused to appear in court or on zoom for his arraignment. The court continued his arraignment to September 18. David Stenhouse was charged on September 9 with arson in the second degree—two grocery carts in the QFC parking lot. He was appointed to the Jefferson Associated Counsel. He waived his rights for a formal reading of his charges and entered a not guilty plea. Stenhouse’s attorney, Scott Charlton, brought up his conditions of release and asked for Stenhouse to be released on his personal recognizance to go to the hospital. The court denied the request, expecting the jail is able to take care of his medical needs and suggested a future motion for furlough for medical treatment if they are not. The court set Stenhouse’s bail at $29,000. His omnibus hearing is set for October 9, with his pretrial set for October 30 and trial the week of November 9. Malia VanLelyveld-Gifford had a preliminary appearance after being charged on August 25, as an accomplice to assault of a minor with a deadly weapon. Jefferson Associated Counsel is already representing her co-defendant. Because of the conflict, she is awaiting counsel assignment through county administrator inquiries to local attorneys, known as conflict counsel. She was released on her own recognizance and her arraignment will be September 30. **Sentencings:** Anthony Lara was sentenced to two months in prison with 12 months of community custody after release, he is required to get a substance abuse evaluation and a domestic violence evaluation for a domestic violence charge of assault in the third degree and two counts of disclosing intimate images. A five year no contact order was put in place. The victim of the assault stated in their impact statement, “I agreed to the low sentence because my main objective was to have these charges be on his record.” Tarah Deutsch was given a residential Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative of 24 months in residential custody for attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, with a release for treatment on September 14 and a dismissal of counts two and three driving with suspended license. Judge Brandon Mack said, “I hope you appreciate how lucky you are to be alive.” Deutsch addressed the court to say how she is looking forward to completing treatment. Andrew Gaikowski had a resentencing hearing where DOC had flagged an error on sentencing. Parties agreed to amend the sentence within the midpoint of the standard range rather than an exceptional upward sentence, for burglary in the second degree, theft of a motor vehicle and theft in the second degree. Judge Mack said, “Start chipping away at your restitution. You can ultimately get the interest waived if you’re consistent.” Kiersten Anderson has been in Drug Court for the last three years as part of her diversion sentencing. She is choosing to opt out, meaning the prosecution negotiated a new sentencing. Anderson pleaded guilty to second degree malicious mischief, and was sentenced to 66 days in prison, with credit for 66 days already served, she will not have to go back for these charges, and will have 12 months community custody. Anderson thanked the Court for all the support over the past three years and the court commended her on all of her progress. **Updates:** Gabriel Schuler will be accepting a Drug Court offer. Tracey Muir failed to appear for a second week in a row. The court issued a $10,000 warrant. Aaron Arnes, Gina Cordova, Kristen Kowal, Tia Galpatrick and Selena Rubio all asked for continuances.

One warm afternoon this summer, Kat Agudo was on the bus, looking forward to coming home to the place they had moved into a few days earlier. Around Agudo, fellow passengers started talking about fire engines rushing into the Towne Point neighborhood. Stepping off the bus, Agudo saw the emergency vehicles up close. It was their new place that had gone up in flames. The house and shed on Queen Anne Place, where Agudo had just begun renting a room from owner Scott Bahlmann, burned the evening of July 7. The blaze did $350,000 in structural damage while destroying $50,000 in contents, according to the East Jefferson Fire Rescue report. No one was injured. The fire’s cause remains undetermined, while the EJFR report states there may have been a failure or short in the shed’s electrical system. The belongings Agudo lost included their desktop computer, which contained their original plays, not stored in the cloud; their clothes; a laptop they’d had since graduate school; and mementos and gifts from loved ones. A playwright, actor, singer and the audience services manager at Key City Public Theatre, Agudo has been staying with friends and searching for a new rental. Asking for help wasn’t something they found easy to do. But earlier this month, Agudo’s fellow performers got together and created an event. It’s a benefit show, with ingredients stirred together to not only help, but also celebrate their friend. __Much of the house where Kat Agudo had just rented a room burned on July 7. Photo courtesy of East Jefferson Fire Rescue__ Key City Public Theatre Artistic Director Denise Winter, musical director Linda Dowdell and singers Brendan and Maggie Jo Chambers, Kyle LeMaire and Morgan Bartholick will join Agudo at the Key City Playhouse, 419 Washington Street in Port Townsend, for “Kat Agudo & Friends: A Benefit Concert,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1. Tickets are available at keycitypublictheatre.org on a pay-what-you-wish basis, with proceeds supporting Agudo’s search for a permanent place in or near Port Townsend. Agudo’s face lit up as they listed highlights of the show: songs from “Wicked,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Les Misérables” and “Bark!,” Agudo’s first Key City musical. “Follow Your Heart” from “Urinetown” is another of the apt songs in the mix. So is “Roxie” from the musical “Chicago,” which Agudo sang in six July performances of the “Broadway at Sunset” dinner theater show at Port Angeles’ Field Arts & Events Hall. Agudo, who holds a master of fine arts in playwriting from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York, came to Port Townsend in 2022 for a Centrum artist residency. They began working at Key City Public Theatre that year, as the professional theater company was emerging from the Covid shutdown. “I genuinely really love my job,” Agudo said. But after the fire, they wondered whether they would be able to stay in Port Townsend. Would there be any affordable place to rent? Agudo added, without irony, that living in a vehicle wasn’t an option; They don’t own a car. Dowdell, for her part, has been busy assembling the voices and melodies for the October 1 show. The evening will be all about music, she said, noting that the singers will bring considerable range and warmth to the stage. There’s a surprise song in there, Dowdell added, about building a better tomorrow—“very on point,” she said. The fundraiser starts Key City’s “Harvest of the Arts,” a monthlong lineup of performances that includes “Sips & Scripts” on October 16 and 17. For this presentation, Agudo has just written “That Holy Night,” a short play about Mary and Joseph—as in Jesus’ folks—having no place to stay. Without a computer on which to write, Agudo composed the script entirely on their phone. The play is a comedy starring the Chambers couple, Brendan and Maggie Jo, who are expecting a baby in real life. Both Agudo and Bahlmann, who is a Saltfire Theatre board member, script adapter and actor, have received other support from the wider theater community. Saltfire turned the August 23 closing night of its production of “The Wind in the Willows” at Fort Worden State Park into a benefit. At the show, more than 210 play-goers showered Bahlmann and Agudo with donations. The audience “came out in a big generous way,” according to Saltfire’s Facebook post. One thing is certain: This is home, said Agudo. You know this “when you find your people,” they added, wiping away tears. For the October 1 show, “I just want to bring the community together,” Agudo said, for “an amazing night of joy.”

PORT TOWNSEND, WA — The Jefferson County Farmers Market, Port Townsend Pride, Production Alliance, gudlife, local artists and community volunteers came together this week to create Inclusive Progress Pride Flag crosswalks at Tyler and Lawrence Streets and a colorful Farmers Market-inspired mural along the 600 block of Tyler Street and at the Clay and Tyler crosswalk. **A community vision years in the making** The project is the culmination of years of planning by multiple community groups. Amanda Milholland, Executive Director of the Jefferson County Farmers Markets, explained that the organization had been discussing the street mural concept with the city for a couple of years. "We were the first group that's gone through the city planning process to be able to get a permit to do this project," Milholland said. She noted that Port Townsend Pride had been considering a Pride crosswalk project for about five years. The City Council voted unanimously on May 18 to approve the vibrant new street painting project, which features a Farmers Market mural and four Rainbow Pride crosswalks. The project was the first of its kind under an ordinance the city passed in 2021 allowing street painting. **An inclusive Pride design** Jason Victor Serinus, representing Port Townsend Pride and gudlife, spoke emotionally about the significance of the rainbow crosswalks on May 18. He noted that, unlike traditional pride flags, which add a triangle for transgender and BIPOC communities as an "afterthought," this design integrated those colors throughout. __Jason Victor Serinus, representing Port Townsend Pride and gudlife, paints one of the Tyler Street sidewalks. Photo by Rachael Nutting__ "There are a lot of people in this community who are staying undercover because they're trans and because they feel that there's a target on their back," Serinus said. "The phrase 'We're here, we're queer, get used to it' holds increasing resonance. This is about all of us, all of us who are minorities." The design highlights the chevron, which was added in 2018 onto the side of the traditional rainbow stripes to represent marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community. Rather than being added to the end as an afterthought, Serinus said, the crosswalks feature the chevron at both ends and in the center. **Council response: "Joy as resistance"** In their May 18 meeting, council members strongly supported the project's cultural significance. Council member Neil Nelson highlighted a comment from public testimony: "Joy is a form of resistance." Deputy Mayor Owen Rowe called both murals "beautiful affirmations of community values," noting that the council received overwhelmingly positive public comments. Mayor Amy Howard shared how welcoming it was to find rainbow sidewalks in a city she was visiting. "I was in a city I wasn't particularly interested in being in," Howard recalled, "and found the part of town where there were rainbow crosswalks, and I felt safe. I felt at home." __Mayor Amy Howard stands in front of the sidewalk at Lawrence and Tyler streets in her matching colors. Photo by Rachael Nutting__ **Volunteers bring the vision to life** Community volunteers were encouraged to join the painting effort. On Tuesday, September 8, volunteers cleaned the roadway, chalked out the designs and began painting. Wednesday, September 9, was the primary community painting day, followed by final painting and touch-ups on Thursday, September 10. Volunteers of all ages and abilities were welcome—no painting experience was required. The community response exceeded expectations. According to organizers, more than 100 volunteer positions were filled online, with many more showing up in person to help. Reflecting on the community's involvement, Kellen Lynch with the Production Alliance, said: "The project already feels like a success because I see people of all ages and backgrounds out here, from folks who have lived here for 40 to 50 years to folks who are just arriving. I think that's the spirit of public art—to bring people together to make a public place feel like home." __Kellen Lynch paints the Farmers Market mural in the center of Tyler Street. Photo by Rachael Nutting__ Milholland shared a moment that held particular meaning for her: "My mom was here, who uses a walker, and it was really fantastic to see her getting support from friends and neighbors to get down and be able to paint." Danielle Fodor, who helped with the installation, described the experience as emotionally and creatively intense. "Mural installation is a roller coaster," Fodor said. "The highs are really high, and there are always a few crisis points where you're not sure things are going to work out. And then you learn how to practice the muscle of making decisions with your community—sometimes with people you've known for years, sometimes with people who you just met. The beauty of the art, the color and the joy also brings you closer to each other. So it's always an honor to be part of a mural project." **A lifelong dream realized** For Kerri Kitaji, who designed the Pride crosswalk, the project held deep personal significance. "I'm so excited to be a part of this project," Kitaji said. "Growing up, there was really nothing queer that you could see around town. Having been part of Port Townsend Pride for the last six years since I've lived here, I dreamed of doing this crosswalk years ago when I volunteered for Olympic Pride. But the application process and the whole thing seemed like too big an undertaking. So I was so excited when we found out Amanda from the Farmers Market wanted to do this project, and we were able to come together and collaborate."

_Chlorophyll Corner is a monthly column exploring the cultural, ecological and medicinal relationships between people and plants. Grounded in ethnobotany and the One Health model, it examines how traditional plant knowledge supports our access to land‑based healing across diverse communities._ Fall in Cascadia has its own unique enchantment, a season defined by decomposition and return. I went out for my yearly edible mushroom stroll hoping to find early risers and found Ghost Pipes pushing up through the duff instead. This is the largest batch of Ghost Pipe I’ve ever laid eyes on—a pale, otherworldly cluster rising from the forest floor. Wrapped in a sweater, raincoat and wool wide‑brimmed hat, I wandered through a mist that seemed to fall forever, turning the rainforest into a moody cathedral. I hadn’t found any mushrooms yet, though others had already rejoiced online about their discoveries. At my core, I’ve always related to Persephone. I move with the seasons the way she does—rising with spring, and once the leaves begin their slow shift from green to gold, I feel the descent begin. Our descent through fall always leads us toward Halloween, which is better understood in older traditions as Samhain. Many cultures mark this seasonal threshold: Mexico with Día de los Muertos, China and Southeast Asia with the Hungry Ghost Festival and countless others who honor the thinning of the veil. I recently learned about the Month of Hungry Ghosts, and while there’s no direct cultural connection between that festival and Ghost Pipe, the association bloomed in my mind anyway. Ghost Pipes are hungry too, feeding not on sunlight, but on the life coursing through the trees around them. Ghost Pipe is an herbaceous perennial that lacks chlorophyll entirely. Chlorophyll is the part of plants that converts sunlight into food, giving plants nutrients and their green coloring. Instead of photosynthesizing, this plant survives by securing its nutrients from nearby trees. Its roots are connected to tree roots via the underground mycelial network. The lack of chlorophyll gives this plant a ghostly white color; sometimes one might find one with a pink or red. The stems are smooth and waxy, usually 5–30 cm tall, with tiny scales‑like leaves pressed tight against the stalk. Flowers emerge from June through October. I found this magnificent field of Ghost Pipe amongst Douglas Firs and Western Hemlocks. __Ghost Pipe survives by drawing sustenance from the trees around it, appearing as a ghost amongst the trees—often hungry for connection and dependent on the unseen networks.__ One might read this and conclude that the Ghost Pipes are hurting the trees, but it’s quite the opposite. Scientifically, Ghost Pipe is part of a complex microbial community. Its roots and lower stems host distinct bacterial and fungal species; some are involved in nitrogen cycling, some in carbon fixation and some in decomposition. It’s a plant that lives in relationship with the trees, giving to one another. In Chinese and Southeast Asian traditions, the Hungry Ghost Festival falls on the fifteenth night of the seventh lunar month. During this time, it is believed that realms of the afterlife and living are open to one another. Families prepare food offerings, burn incense and joss paper and set empty seats at the table for ancestors. Learning about this festival while finding Ghost Pipe felt like a cosmic nudge. Ghost Pipe survives by drawing sustenance from the trees around it, appearing as a ghost amongst the trees—often hungry for connection and dependent on the unseen networks. In our own way, humans become hungry ghosts during this seasonal shift. We feed ourselves more intentionally, prepare for the darker months and tend to our bodies as a form of ancestral care. From Latin America to Asia and Cascadia to ancient Greece, cultures across the world recognize this transition between summer and winter. Persephone descends. Ancestors are honored. The veil thins. And the forest reveals its ghosts.

These horses’ partners are a couple of teamsters in the original sense: Karen and Dave Seabrook, formerly of Vancouver, Washington, looked for a house in Port Townsend upon retirement and, not finding one that was right for them, moved nine years ago to Chimacum. The Seabrooks are the two-legged crew of the Chimacum Workhorse Project, one of 25 participants on this weekend’s Farm Tour of East Jefferson County. The tour, a free public event, “is a rare chance to step beyond the farm gate and discover the people, passion and hard work behind the food we eat,” the Production Alliance proclaims. A map and a list of which farms are open on which days this weekend are found at theproductionalliance.org/farmtour. Farms will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, while half a dozen workshops on soil, herbs, hydroponics and other topics are offered during the weekend. Farm Tour Central at the Chimacum Corner store at 9122 Rhody Drive also has abundant information and merchandise. The nonprofit Production Alliance and Washington State University Extension are presenting this 24th annual Farm Tour. New this year is Chimalow Produce, which has secured a permanent home at 2581 West Valley Road in Chimacum. __Karen Seabrook pauses with John, one of her two equine partners at the Chimacum Workhorse Project. Photo by Diane Urbani de la Paz__ Also on the tour is Compass Rose Farms, a 40-acre haven with gardens, trails and a flock of Icelandic sheep at 1463 W. Uncas Road. This is the tour’s one farm in Quilcene, noted Production Alliance organizer Reilly Berkshire. “We want to encourage folks to visit Compass Rose because they are further away from the other farms on the tour, but a wonderful location. I can’t undersell the beauty of the place,” Berkshire said. At the Chimacum Workhorse Project, which is behind Finnriver Farm & Cidery at 124 Center Road in Chimacum, the heavy lifters are John and Jim, Belgian draft horses weighing close to 1 ton each. Their farm produces crops including onions, garlic, carrots, beets, Swiss chard, kohlrabi, cabbage, bok choy, rutabagas and three kinds of potatoes—raised without fossil-fueled implements. Dave, 67, and Karen, 64, are retired from careers in the fire service and nursing, respectively. They came across a workhorse-farming workshop in Oregon in 2018. “Wouldn’t that be fun?” was their first response—and it turned out they loved the work. The couple went back to workshops several years in a row, and then traveled to Coolville, Ohio, where they bought John and Jim in 2022. The horses, trained by Amish farmers, are showing what’s possible on 4 acres of land leased from Finnriver. During the Farm Tour, “we’ll show people what it’s like,” said Karen. “We’ll do some demos,” so visitors can see how John, Jim and the two humans cooperate. The Chimacum Workhorse Project seeks to help feed the local community—without trucks and tractors. Their farm “wagon,” Dave noted, is their Nissan Leaf, an electric car. __John, left, and his brother Jim are ready to host visitors during the Farm Tour this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Photo by Diane Urbani de la Paz__ Our food system is all too dependent on petroleum, from soil to plate, said Dave. He and Karen defy that system, focusing on crops that can be stored for many months without refrigeration. These include dry corn; pinto, black and Whipple beans; potatoes; garlic and winter squash. The Seabrooks sell their produce to the Chimacum Corner Farmstand and the local food banks. They also share with neighbors and friends. The farming life is hard, Karen acknowledges. Yet the horses make it possible. Not only do John and Jim know how to work the fields, but they are a calming presence, more so as Dave and Karen have gotten to know them. “It’s a whole different pace,” Dave said. Along with everything else, he, Karen and the horses cultivate patience. “This is an experiment, a trial to see how much two people can grow,” Dave said as he put the complex harness-bridle-yoke onto John and Jim. If you’re a relatively young person thinking about going into sustainable farming, Dave wholeheartedly encourages you. There are abundant resources out there, from books to the internet to YouTube—“and get some experience working alongside somebody,” Dave advised. Not so many generations ago, our forebears grew their own food, Dave noted. “We can do it again,” he believes.

Settling down into my seat for “Practical Magic 2,” I was ready to have a good time with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, who are back on the screen after a 28-year interval since the first “Magic.” Director Griffin Dunne turned the first “Magic” into a hit at the end of the 20th century. The sequel, directed by Susanne Bier, is fierce about sisterhood—and I’m thinking many of us feel some of that toward the actors. Not only do we get to spend time with Sandra, 62, and Nicole, 59, as Sally and Gillian Owens, but we also reunite with Stockard Channing, 82, and Dianne Wiest, 78, as the Owens aunts, Franny and (I love this name) Jet. I put their ages out there to underscore that, unlike the dark times of early Hollywood, women of a certain age can and do land juicy roles. They’re crafty witches, all of them, while Gillian and the aunts are more in tune with their powers than Sally is. She’s tried to shut herself off from her covenly identity, seeing as how her family curse has led to the death of two husbands. What we have here is a case of generational trauma. Sally strives to shield her darling daughters, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams), from the Owens curse. But the Book of the Raven keeps flying in the face of her efforts. Try as she might, Mom can’t erase the witchy imprint on her offspring. When Kylie takes off for England in search of a solution to a terrible problem—the result of that damned curse—Sally and Gillian follow in hot pursuit, lugging their emotional and physical baggage onto various modes of transport. __Lee Pace and Sandra Bullock seek alignment in “Practical Magic 2.” Image credit: Di Novi Pictures/Warner Bros.__ They meet a tattooed hunk, Ian Wright (the wolfmanlike Lee Pace). Onward we go, on an overlong journey toward the supernatural powers that have, of course, fallen into the wrong hands. “Practical Magic 2” is a retelling of an ancient tale about four true things: how women have special powers; how men sometimes really hate that; how we all carry our ancestors’ pain; and when a man’s dignity is violated, watch out, because he’ll stop at nothing to exact revenge. The movie aims to please by being part horror flick and part romance, with all glowy light and flowy outfits. Unfortunately, the characters can be annoying and the plot predictable. Some relief comes toward the end, with the aunts aligning at last with each other. And the music uplifts the final scene in a delicious way. This season, we all can use some witchcraft. The cast of this sequel does their best to deliver it. Let’s just make this the final chapter in “Practical Magic,” OK?

by Donna Gordon Blankinship, Washington State Standard September 11, 2026 While the state’s lawyers fight in court to repel the Trump administration’s repeated attacks against vote-by-mail, Washington’s election officials are drawing up contingency plans for the November election. Their main message to Washington’s 5 million registered voters: Don’t worry; we have it handled. If President Donald Trump succeeds in getting new, restrictive postal service regulations approved for the 2026 midterm elections, voters will still be able to print a new ballot and envelope if their regular one gets stuck in the postal bureaucracy. Those concerned their ballots won’t get postmarked in time to be counted should use a designated drop box, especially if the election is less than a week away. But if you must use the mail, officials say you should hand-deliver it to a post office and ask the postal clerk to stamp your ballot in front of you. Do not deposit your ballot in an old blue mail box that may or may not be on anyone’s regular pickup route. The post office isn’t the only concern. Election officials, law enforcement, fire officials and government lawyers around the state and the country have been conducting “tabletop exercises” for a variety of other situations, from combating rumors on social media to responding to bomb threats and incendiary devices. “We have a lot of contingency plans that are written out and documented,” said King County Elections Director Julie Wise, who has been working in elections for more than 20 years. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said last week that more than 20,000 mailed ballots were postmarked too late to count and some didn’t arrive until much later because they were left in damaged mailboxes or boxes for which the post office had lost the key. By this fall, King County expects to have 100 drop boxes, with no one in the county living farther than a few miles from one, including people living in rural areas. There are more than 580 drop boxes statewide but they are more spread out in less populous counties. State law requires at least one drop box per 15,000 voters, with at least one in each city, town or census-designated location with a post office. They are also located on tribal reservations if requested by the tribe. Hobbs says locating more drop boxes around the state is something his department is working on, in cooperation with local governments and the governor’s office. A new drop box map is scheduled to be published on the Secretary of State’s website on Sept. 18. Stuart Holmes, director of elections in the Secretary of State’s Office, emphasized that the state has long had a plan for getting ballots to and from people even if they can’t depend on the post office. Not only can you print a replacement ballot on the same website where you can update your voter registration, but you can also print a new ballot envelope and tape or glue it together. People who don’t have a computer attached to a printer at home, may need to print their ballot at a public library or vote in person at a county voting center in the days before Election Day. Your county elections office will post locations closer to the election. “We have a very resilient system,” Holmes said, adding that the system continues to get stronger every day. “Election officials: We get it done.” ## The legal fight Washington has filed about 75 lawsuits against the second Trump Administration, including three concerning vote-by-mail that Washington is either leading or co-leading. “This is a huge priority in our office. It’s a huge priority personally and professionally for the attorney general,” said First Assistant Attorney General Maureen Johnston. So far, the Trump administration is mostly losing the vote-by-mail battle in the courts. Johnston said the Department of Justice is 0 for 23, for example, in their quest to get access to private information on state voter lists. That doesn’t mean Washington state officials are allowing themselves to be overconfident that federal government interference will be halted before the November election. “We’re gaming out what could happen and what are the things we need to do in advance,” Johnston said. “You can’t predict what will happen but you want to have given it some thought.” On Thursday, a three-judge panel in the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Trump administration’s request to lift a lower court’s order that blocked a USPS rule to implement the president’s vote-by-mail executive order. The case will likely be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Democrat U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell celebrated the decision in a statement: “That’s right! Harm is being done to voters. Disenfranchisement! Thanks to the Appeals Court decision, the court is saying USPS chaos has got to stop.” The Washington Attorney General’s Office is also preparing to respond to other potentially disruptive actions of the federal government, such as deploying ICE agents near voting centers or ballot drop boxes. The proposed new rules from USPS struck down by the U.S. Appeals Court include changes to ballot envelopes – putting bar codes on outgoing envelopes – that Hobbs says would be impossible to execute in time. For example, ballots to soldiers and other people overseas go out 45 days before the election, which is fewer than two weeks from now. “The USPS is trying to do everything they can to ruin vote-by-mail,” Hobbs said. “This last rule change is very devastating.” Earlier this month, the offices of the secretary of state and attorney general jointly released a guide for county election officials that outlines how they should interact with federal officials to make sure the Nov. 3 election will be safe, secure and accurate. The advice ranges from what to do if federal law enforcement officers show up on Election Day to communicating about postal service operations and dealing with people trying to seize voting machines or asking for documents. ## ‘Everyone cares about elections’ Communication is a big part of the state’s election contingency plan, with a focus on combating misinformation online. “Nick always says: Don’t believe everything you read. Be smart about it. Use your head. Demand proof,” Johnston said of her boss, Attorney General Nick Brown, a Democrat. The truth she hopes people will hear instead is how voting by mail maximizes participation in our democracy. “Voting is one very concrete way for us to exercise our rights,” she said. That is not a partisan opinion, Johnston emphasized. “Everybody should be able to vote for whoever they want,” with an emphasis on everybody having that right. Hayward Evans, president of the Seattle King County NAACP, says history teaches that the hard fought right to vote isn’t guaranteed. “For Black Americans, the ballot never really came easy,” Evans said. “Progress isn’t permanent unless we protect it.” Instead of making false statements about vote-by-mail, Wise said the federal government could be doing more to help people vote. “Everyone cares about elections,” Wise said, adding that both Democrats and Republicans doing her job have voiced concerns about the federal government’s actions. “We are all on the same page of wanting to make sure we have accessibility for our voters.” Cantwell said she and her Democratic colleagues in the Senate are fighting back, against “people trying to weave a lot of distrust into the system.” She didn’t dismiss concerns about election fraud, however, promising that it would be caught and the penalties would be severe, but Cantwell emphasized that the focus should be on getting out the vote. Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.

by Julia Tilton, The Daily Yonder September 9, 2026 Building data centers is broadly unpopular across the political spectrum, but so far, banning new development is a mostly metropolitan area phenomenon. While more data centers are located in metropolitan areas than nonmetropolitan ones, two-thirds of all new facilities are planned for rural communities. The rural data center boom comes amidst rising backlash to the facilities. Earlier this year, my colleague Sarah Melotte and I mapped rural opposition to data centers. In June, we found that there were 129 groups organized on Facebook who were fighting against data center development in rural areas, compared to 345 groups in metropolitan areas. At the time, the rural groups were representative of around 27% of all of the opposition groups present on Facebook, spanning 43 states. We used data from the Data Center Opposition Report, a coalition of organizations and academics tracking resistance to the facilities. Since June, the coalition has continued monitoring new groups as they emerge. As of August, the researchers have identified 580 local opposition groups active on Facebook, encompassing more than 640,000 members across the country. It’s still early to identify trends in whether and how local opposition translates into local policy, especially in rural places where development is just starting to ramp up. One reason why there are more bans in metropolitan areas than in rural areas may just be a result of data center development history. Metropolitan areas have long hosted data centers that provide cloud services. But the AI-driven campuses being built now require much more land, energy, and water resources than their 2000s and 2010s-era counterparts. Now, as data center development expands into the countryside, rural communities often face unique barriers to organizing, compounded by news deserts and projects’ lack of transparency. At a national level, hostility toward data centers is quickly calcifying into an election issue ahead of November’s midterms. The sentiment has prompted politicians of all stripes to call for stricter regulation on the facilities, and, in some cases, flat-out moratoriums. ### **Local Data Center Bans** Data center-related policies being proposed at local levels of government range from 90-day pauses to permanent bans on the facilities. Of nearly 700 bans we looked at, 25% are in rural areas, as of August 2026. The Daily Yonder uses a county-level definition of rural derived from the Office of Management and Budget. The information on local data center regulations comes from FracTracker Alliance, an organization that provides the public with interactive tools to understand oil, gas, petrochemical, and data center development across the country. Many of the policies in the dataset have already been put in place, with 84% of local regulations enacted, including 151 in rural areas across 34 states, as of August 2026. These policies include bans, zoning updates, moratoriums, and other protective ordinances that restrict data center development. Residents pushing for local data center bans say it’s a way to buy communities time to enact stricter regulations on development. In rural Wiscasset, Maine, newly elected town officials have proposed a 180-day moratorium on data centers to go on the ballot in November. It comes after plans, now abandoned, for a $5 billion data center on town-owned land were made public in September 2025. In May, The Daily Yonder first reported, based on extensive public records findings, that data center talks last fall ultimately derailed nearly a quarter of a million dollars in federal funding the town had been awarded for much-needed affordable housing. If the moratorium is approved by voters in November, the town government will have the opportunity to put permanent guardrails on the books. “During that 180 days, they are required to be working on language that will address whatever issue it is, whether it's a Walmart or a data center,” said Richard Davis, a local resident and cofounder of the Protect Wiscasset community group. “We're hoping that during that time, the select board will come up with something that really restricts data centers in the town of Wiscasset.” ### **Data Center Politics** Communities’ desire for data center regulation extends outside the confines of local government. In the South, where nearly half of the country’s data center construction is planned, clean energy advocates are calling for an 18-month pause on the facilities to put economic, health, and environmental guardrails in place. Stephen Smith, the executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), an advocacy organization that works across the South, criticized data center developers and the Big Tech companies backing them for moving quickly through project proposals, often without local transparency. “Move fast and break things is 180 degrees opposite of the way a lot of people think in the South,” Smith said. “There is a need to recognize the communal, cultural impact of this.” When asked whether state governors and legislatures in the South have an appetite for data center regulation, Smith said, “We’re about to find out,” adding that there may be consequences for politicians who don’t pay attention to constituents’ concerns over the facilities. On August 28, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, a Democrat from Georgia, called for a statewide data center moratorium during a visit to the site of OpenAI’s proposed 3.2-gigawatt data center in Effingham County, Georgia, in the Savannah metropolitan area. “Data center developers across the country are not operating in partnership with communities, and that’s why everyday citizens on both sides of the aisle are rightly and equally concerned about this,” Warnock said at the site. Earlier in August, Pennsylvania’s Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro followed New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, in signing an executive order restricting data center projects (Hochul became the first governor in the country to enact a statewide moratorium in July). The move was a shift from Shapiro’s earlier embrace of the industry. In Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who had also been a staunch advocate for data center construction, issued a directive last month to pause data center grid approvals. It comes after a call he made earlier in the summer to prohibit building in rural Texas neighborhoods. Both Texas and Pennsylvania have seen significant data center development, with Big Tech companies eyeing increasingly massive sites across both states. Texas alone has at least 248 data centers proposed, the majority of which are planned in rural areas, according to The Texas Tribune. There, companies are working around Abbott’s demands by constructing facilities and power plants off-grid, like Amazon’s 7.65 gigawatt natural gas-powered project in rural Pecos County, Texas. And, as the midterm election nears, Big Tech-backed super PACs have already spent nearly $9 million across the state as of early September to support their aims, according to Reuters. But beyond Texas, the politics are still shaking out. On August 31, President Donald Trump referred to data centers as “the Golden Goose,” saying communities who don’t want them will “end up being backwards and poor” in a Truth Social post. Other pro-AI advocacy groups and super PACs are planning to spend millions of dollars in battleground states before November to promote candidates who back data center development. * * * This article first appeared on The Daily Yonder and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Curated by Matt Kiser, WTF Just Happened Today * * * _Today in_**One Sentence**.The Supreme Court blocked Trump’s plan to limit mail-in voting in the midterms; ¶ Trump attacked the Supreme Court over its “bad decision”; ¶ FBI Director Kash Patel declined to rule out sending agents to polling places during the November midterm elections; ¶ the Congressional Budget Office estimates that Trump’s war with Iran has cost the U.S. about $38 billion, and that it will continue to cost roughly $2 billion to $3 billion a month for as long as the fighting continues; ¶ the Senate blocked a cryptocurrency regulation bill that would have established a federal regulatory framework for digital assets; ¶ the Kennedy Center’s board voted to immediately close the performing arts venue for renovations after a federal judge again blocked an effort to put Trump’s name on the building; ¶ the U.S. confirmed that it has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending American forces; ¶ 42% of voters said they trusted Republicans more to handle artificial intelligence; ¶ 51% of likely voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress in their district in the midterms; ¶ 53% of voters consider Trump “corrupt” and 51% say he’s “dangerous”; ¶ and 54% of Democratic voters said they’re voting in the midterms mainly to stop Trump and Republicans. * * * 1/ **The Supreme Court blocked Trump’s plan to limit mail-in voting in the midterms** , saying the administration was “unlikely to succeed on the merits” of its challenge. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that while there was “at least a fair prospect” the Postal Service had statutory authority to issue the rules, applying them this year “would be arbitrary and capricious” because election officials didn’t have “sufficient time to reasonably implement” them. The changes would have required states to submit lists of voters eligible to receive mail ballots and redesign ballot envelopes with unique barcodes, allowing the Postal Service to return noncompliant ballot mail to election officials even though its required online portal wasn’t operational yet. (CNN / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Washington Post / Associated Press / NPR / Bloomberg / NBC News / Axios / CBS News) 2/ **Trump attacked the Supreme Court over its “bad decision” to block his restrictions on mail-in voting** , calling the ruling “a big loss for Republicans, and America itself.” He claimed without evidence that it would make cheating on mail ballots easier. “The Supreme Court has really let our Country down!” Trump said, adding that “These are not the people I interviewed to serve on the United States Supreme Court.” After singling out his three appointees – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett – Trump praised Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas for dissenting, calling them “legends both.” (Associated Press / Axios / CNN / New York Times / Washington Post / ABC News / USA Today / CNBC / Wall Street Journal) 3/ **FBI Director Kash Patel declined to rule out sending agents to polling places during the November midterm elections**. “I don’t know that we can’t legally do it,” Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Added, however, that the FBI would “follow the law” and that “if there’s a reason to go there, because there’s been a violation of law, we will, otherwise we won’t.” Patel said the bureau would “house our agents and intel analysts in our field offices” and keep election-crime coordinators at all 56 field offices because “election integrity is of paramount importance” and “this FBI is not going to shy away from that effort.” Federal law, however, bars armed federal officers or military personnel from polling places except in limited circumstances. When Sen. Peter Welch asked Patel to pledge that he wouldn’t interfere with voters, Patel replied: “I pledge unequivocally that I will not participate in your charade of lies.” (New York Times / Bloomberg / Democracy Docket / NBC News) * **Kash Patel defended changes to the bureau’s hiring rules that eliminated automatic disqualification for applicants with histories involving prostitution or bestiality** , saying the policy was intended to allow trafficking and abuse victims to be considered for jobs. “We did ‌not want to punish victims of bestiality, victims who were trafficked,” Patel said. (Reuters / Associated Press / Washington Post / Axios / The Guardian) 4/ **The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Trump’s war with Iran has cost the U.S. about $38 billion** , and that it will continue to cost roughly $2 billion to $3 billion a month for as long as the fighting continues. The nonpartisan budget office also expects the war to add about .05 percentage points to inflation in the first quarter of 2027 due to disruptions to oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The CBO report blamed the war for more than 40% of inflation during the second quarter of 2026. The Pentagon, however, didn’t provide information requested by the CBO, which acknowledged that the missing data limited its analysis and excluded the cost of repairing damaged U.S. bases. (Politico / Bloomberg / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / CNN / ABC News / CBS News) 5/ **The Senate blocked a cryptocurrency regulation bill that would have established a federal regulatory framework for digital assets**. The Clarity Act, which would have divided oversight of digital assets between the SEC and CFTC, failed to clear the 60-vote threshold after every Democrat and several Republicans opposed advancing it. Democrats argued that the revised ethics provisions still didn’t do enough to prevent Trump and other federal officials from profiting from crypto holdings while overseeing policies that could affect their value. Last year, Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from crypto ventures. And in 2024, the crypto industry spent more than $130 million in congressional races to elect pro-crypto legislators. (Associated Press / Politico / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg) 6/ **The Kennedy Center’s board voted to immediately close the performing arts venue for renovations after a federal judge again blocked an effort to put Trump’s name on the building**. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the board “cannot install memorials for President Trump or anyone or anything else at the Kennedy Center without Congress’s blessing.” Trump, meanwhile, threatened that “the Reconstruction and the Renovation of The Kennedy Center will not take place” unless his name is on it. He also claimed the center was in a “virtual state of collapse,” called Cooper “very hostile and conflicted,” and said he raised $17 million that’s been deposited into the center’s account “to keep it afloat.” (CNN / Washington Post / Politico / Bloomberg / NBC News / New York Times / CNBC) 7/ **The U.S. confirmed that it has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending American forces**. The Space Force said the weapons can be used for “offensive and defensive purposes.” China, meanwhile, accused the U.S. of “preparing for war in outer space” and warned against an arms race, while Russia called for space to remain “free of any weapon.” (The Guardian / NBC News / CNN / ABC News / Washington Post / Associated Press / CBS News / CNBC) poll/ **42% of voters said they trusted Republicans more to handle artificial intelligence** , while 40% said they trusted Democrats more. 61% of likely voters said they oppose construction of data centers for AI, including nearly 80% of voters under 30. (New York Times) poll/ **51% of likely voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress in their district in the midterms** , while 43% said they would vote Republican. 57% of independents said they planned to vote Democratic. (New York Times) poll/ **53% of voters consider Trump “corrupt” and 51% say he’s “dangerous,”** while 18% called him “steady.” (Axios) poll/ **54% of Democratic voters said they’re voting in the midterms mainly to stop Trump and Republicans** , while 46% said they’re voting to help Democrats enact their agenda. (CBS News) _The 2026 midterms are in 49 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 784 days._

Hello, Jefferson County. You may already know my name—and if you've followed the Beacon's coverage of our local housing crisis, the Comprehensive Plan debates or the past challenges within the local humane society, you've likely read my work. I'm Rachael Nutting, and I've had the privilege of reporting on our community over the past year, covering the issues that shape daily life in Port Townsend and across the county. With our beloved editor and founder, Nhatt, embarking on new adventures, I am stepping in as the “light-keeper” during the Beacon’s transition. I believe local news isn’t a luxury; it's a lifeline. I come to this work with curiosity, persistence and a deep commitment to community. Whether I’m reporting on local housing efforts, unpacking our local government’s complex agendas or helping with the “lighthouse,” my goal is the same: to give you the information you need to be an engaged, informed citizen. The Beacon is more than just a news outlet. It's a nonprofit, independent newsroom dedicated to serving this community, guided by a commitment to impartiality and freedom from undue influence. We have no paywall because we believe the news that affects your family, neighborhood and future should be accessible to everyone. That's a value I take seriously. I've sat through packed city council and county commissioner meetings where tempers flared and neighbors disagreed. I've spoken with longtime residents who fear being priced out of the community they helped build. I've listened to local workers describe the impossible search for affordable housing. And I've tried, in every story, to cut through the noise—to move beyond the incendiary social media posts and get to the facts. As a lifelong local myself, I value our community’s well-being over catchy headlines. **My message to you:** This is your paper. As the interim/deputy editor, I'm here to listen, ask tough questions and celebrate what makes Jefferson County home. I want to hear your story ideas, concerns and feedback. I want to ensure the Beacon continues to reflect the voices of this community—all of them, especially the underrepresented. As the Beacon embarks on this transition, I assure you we will not lose the unique voice our readers value. You can reach me directly. I'll see you at the grocery store, schools, community events, council chambers and wherever the stories take us. Here's to the work ahead and to the community we serve together. Rachael Nutting Interim/Deputy Editor rachael@jeffcobeacon.com

PORT TOWNSEND, WA — As Port Townsend School District’s students and staff enter the second week of the 2026–27 school year, the district is preparing for a substantial makeover of its high school campus. The $108 million project is now in the design phase, with construction slated to begin next year. While the district grapples with reduced state and federal funding, it also faces rapidly increasing costs for utilities and insurance. The improvements include safety, seismic upgrades and modernization at the historic Port Townsend High School, plus renovations and additions to the Gael Stuart Building. The Gael Stuart Building will become a permanent home for OCEAN K-12 Alternative School, as OCEAN’s classrooms are currently in portables behind Blue Heron Middle School. Also on the horizon for the high school campus, is an early learning center to be constructed next year to serve infants through age four. The work schedule targets the completion of the main high school building for early 2028, and completion in 2029 of an addition that will connect the main high school building with the building that will house the gym, shops, and arts. Occupancy of the OCEAN School is scheduled for Fall 2029. The district held design sessions over the summer, at which over 100 people attended. Rosenberry said that various changes were made to the campus and buildings design as a result of session input, such as making the entire campus more wheelchair accessible. The work will be overseen by David Arp, who was recently hired as PTSD’s Director of Finance, Business and Operations. Arp is replacing Amy Khile, who is retiring after 12 1/2 years in the position. Arp brings experience of working in school districts similar in size to Port Townsend. Funding of the $108 million project comes mostly from a $99.25 million bond measure that was approved by Port Townsend voters on February 10th, 2026. **Financial footing is challenging but stable** Despite the rising financial challenges in recent years, Khile is leaving a district that is in better financial condition than when she arrived. Early in her tenure, the district's general fund balance was $400,000. Now it is $3.1 million. Perhaps more important, is that the district has a Moody's Rating bond rating of A2, a high-level rating that enables it to borrow money at lower interest rates than many school districts with lower bond ratings. Moody’s Rating assigns letter grades to default risk and creditworthiness of debt issuers. The district’s 2026-27 budget projects $25.5 million in general fund revenue and $26.97 million in expenditures. Its ending fund balance is projected at $2.2 million. The district has a $964,000 budget deficit, but expects to maintain an ending fund balance of $2.1 million, which barely meets the board's 8% reserve requirement. “I think this four-year budget shows what would happen if we didn't make any major cuts,” PTSD Superintendent Linda Rosenbury said. “And I don't think the school board would approve an annual operating budget that didn't maintain their policy of at least 8% fund balance. So while this shows what would happen if we maintain the same level of staffing, we can't eat into our reserves every year. We are optimistic that this coming year; our enrollment will be above our projections, some of our expenses will be below.” Rosenberry said that enrollment is getting a little boost due to families moving into the new Madrona Ridge development. **Reduced state funding forces cutbacks** Public schools in Washington receive funding based on how many students are enrolled. Rosenberry said that 43.1% of the state's general fund balance is directed to education, down from 52.4% just 5 years ago. The decreased funding, coupled with rising cost pressures, are forcing the district to make uncomfortable decisions. The school board approved its teachers’ contract last week that Rosenberry said, “maintains competitive wages that are more modest than in previous years. We're grateful that our labor partners recognize this financial stress, and we're able to come to an agreement on something that the budget can manage.” Another step that the district has taken to save money is to transition from separate teachers for band and orchestra to a single teacher for both at the middle and high school levels. Rosenberry added that the community is pitching in, with some families beginning to pay tuition for the Transition to Kindergarten program for 4-year-olds. The state cut $180,000 from that PTSD program. The state also made substantial cuts to PTSD's outdoor learning programs for 5th and 6th graders. Jefferson County has cut funding for mental health therapists in the Quilcene, Chimacum and Port Townsend school districts. Rosenberry said that PTSD will attempt to fill in the gap by asking the Jefferson Community Foundation to include mental health therapists for the schools in their United Giving Neighbors program this fall. During construction, the district administration staff have vacated their office at the Gael Stuart Building, which will become a main office and classrooms. That staff is now housed at offices at the Boat Haven. “We're also partnering with Fort Worden and Wheeler Theater for performances with our musical program, our theater program and our music program,” Rosenbury said. Progress of the entire construction project will be posted regularly and viewable online at: https://www.ptschools.org/page/bondprogress

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — Hike up into Lena Lake and The Brothers Wilderness, or follow Road 2361 up the South Fork of the Skokomish River toward the Wonder Mountain Wilderness, and you’ll pass through just a few of the Olympic National Forest’s Inventoried Roadless Areas. Originally designed to protect large swathes of undeveloped public lands, and passed with bipartisan support, the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule prohibits road construction and timber harvesting on over 44 million acres of National Forest, including two million acres in the state of Washington and 65,000 acres in the Olympic National Forest. On August 20, the Trump administration continued its attempts to rescind the rule, releasing a proposal and a corresponding Environmental Impact Statement. The administration will take public comment on its proposal until midnight on September 21. In a press release, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins cited the need to remove barriers to treatments that “improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk” and promised the change would return decision-making power to local forest managers. Multiple governors praised the administration’s push to remove what are seen as onerous regulatory burdens, made by politicians in the nation’s capital rather than those with boots on the ground experience. And the press release points out that proposed changes would only remove roadless area designations, not mandate road construction or timber harvesting. Conservation groups, however, worry these changes will open up forests to logging and other kinds of development. In an interview with King 5, Tom Uniak, Executive Director of Washington Wild, said the roadless rule “might be the most important protection for our forests and watersheds that many people just don’t know about.” Nationwide, the millions of acres subject to the Roadless Rule protect sources of public drinking water, provide habitat for threatened and endangered species, encompass beloved hiking trails and create numerous other social and ecological benefits for the public. Most of the Olympic National Forest’s Inventoried Roadless Areas border designated Wilderness areas, where all forms of mechanized equipment are banned, including the Colonel Bob, the Mount Skokomish and the Buckhorn. There is an additional stretch between Highway 101 and Olympic National Park, just south of Port Angeles, protected under this rule. Locally, these thousands of acres act as a buffer between the pristine forests of Olympic National Park and the homes and businesses along Highway 101. They cover lands adjacent to the Duckabush and Dosewallips Rivers and tributaries home to multiple species of trout and salmon. __Entrance to the Buckhorn Wilderness. Photo by Meriden Vitale__ “To hike, explore, climb, hunt, fish and sleep in the forests and mountains of the Olympic National Forest has unending value,” said Quilcene resident Daryl Dietrich. “I feel like I find myself, my confidence and my peace when I walk miles into our mountains. The thought of areas like Lena Lake being marred by our lack of creativity to find other solutions for forest management is jarring.” Residents of Port Townsend might also feel the impacts of changes to the Roadless Rule since the city pulls its drinking water from the Big and Little Quilcene Rivers, both of which have headwaters located in Inventoried Roadless Areas. A 2025 study from the University of Washington and Conservation Science Partners found that the Roadless Rule protects the drinking water supply of over 25 million Americans. The study showed that construction can cause sediment buildup in lakes and rivers and introduce chemicals that leech into the water supply. Since its inception, the Roadless Rule has remained a sore spot for those who find its one-size-fits-all approach misguided. In its own press release, the American Forest Resource Council, a regional trade association that advocates for sustained yield timber harvests on public lands, said that the 25-year old policy is too rigid to deal with America’s changing forests. They noted that only five percent of Inventoried Roadless Areas have received hazardous fuels reductions since 2014, and in the last ten years wildfires in the west have only gotten worse. While the administration points to greater flexibility for local managers without the Roadless Rule, there is still a question of capacity within the Forest Service’s workforce to meet any new construction or maintenance demands. In its original record of decision, the USDA recognized that, even in 2001, “the size of the existing forest road system and attendant budget constraints prevent[ed] the agency from managing its road system to the safety and environmental standards to which it was built.” Staffing and budget issues have not improved since then, worsening with the Trump Administration’s own cuts. From January 2025 to January 2026, the Forest Service lost 16 percent of its staff, according to data from the Office of Personnel Management. And from January to September 2025, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, an organization made up of current and former federal wildland firefighters, found that hazardous fuels reduction work across US Forest Service lands was down 38 percent compared to the previous four years. There is also a question of who will benefit from the rules' rescission. Forest Service Chief Tom Shultz, the first chief with no prior experience in the agency, was previously employed by the Federal Forest Resource Coalition, a trade association that represents companies who purchase timber from the federal government. The Guardian found that he was critical of the Roadless Rule as far back as 2000, noting that “it’s going to be very difficult to actually generate revenue from state trust lands that could be encompassed within a roadless designation.” Research from Public Citizen, a consumer-advocacy non-profit, revealed that several companies Shultz used to represent as a timber lobbyist stand to financially benefit if the rule is repealed. While wildfire risk continues to grow, especially in areas of increased development known as the Wildland Urban Interface, Uniak noted that the science says more roads lead to more fires, not less. The National Interagency Fire Center backs this up; according to their research, 85 percent of wildfires are human caused and the majority occur within 50 meters of roads. Gathering from open comment periods, public opinion remains extremely supportive of the rule nationwide. During the open comment period in September 2025, analysis by the Center for Western Priorities revealed that 99 percent of comments expressed opposition to changing the Roadless Rule. And information from Washington Senator Maria Cantwell’s office shows that since it was enacted, the Roadless Rule has received over 2.5 million public comments, with more than 95 percent in support. Cantwell’s office says that the current public comment period is rushed, stating that the original rule was shaped by more than 600 public meetings and that “the current administration has held no comparable public meetings.” __Lena Lake, in The Brothers Wilderness. Photo by Daryl Dietrich__ “Being immersed in our local wilderness is the greatest form of freedom, inspiration, spirituality and calm that I have found,” said Dietrich, who grew up in Swansonville, and expressed “immeasurable gratitude” for the wild places in the Olympic National Forest. “I think there are better ways to support our local economy and mitigate wildfires than allowing unfettered access to development in our public lands. Humans flourish in wild places and keeping nature healthy keeps us all healthy.” Members of the public have until Monday, September 21 to submit comments on proposed changes to the Roadless Rule by going to https://www.regulations.gov, identifying docket number FS-2025-0001 or RIN 0596-AD66 and following the instructions for sending comments. Alternatively, hardcopy letters sent by mail must be submitted to the Director, Ecosystem Management Coordination, 201 14th Street SW, Mailstop 1108, Washington, DC 20250-1124.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — Jefferson County Food Bank Association (JCFBA) is seeking a new executive director, moving forward with a local search after a year of restructuring its governance, finance and operations. The organization's last executive director resigned in November, 2025. “The reason that we are launching our search now is two-fold,” Mathews said. The association, she said, has a better understanding of “our own identity and our place in the community,” while also having established a stronger foundation for a new executive director. That foundation includes new board and community committees, improved relationships with partner organizations, revised financial processes, grant-writing training and an experienced interim executive director. **Lessons from a difficult transition** The search follows a period of significant change at JCFBA. Board Vice President Sonja Mathews said in an email, "For decades, JCFBA was run by a board that included volunteer staff; the venture into a more traditional Executive Director (ED) structure was new in 2023, and there were many lessons learned.” Having the staff that the ED was supposed to be managing also on the board that in turn managed the ED created a "circular and counter-productive" situation, according to Mathews." Mathews did not characterize those lessons learned as a list of specific personnel or governance failures. Instead, she emphasized the broader changes the organization believes were necessary to operate more effectively. One lesson, she said, was that improving internal efficiency cannot come at the expense of collaboration with other organizations serving people in need. “Focusing on centralizing our operations for efficiency and effectiveness means our organization is able to do more with less,” Mathews said. But without stronger relationships with other organizations working in the same sphere, she said, that approach is “short sighted and ultimately defeats the purpose of our work.” Prior to launching the search for a new Executive Director (ED), the Board of Directors took several steps to prepare, including undertaking board training, in part through hiring an experienced interim ED and updating policies and procedures by working through a checklist of non-profit best practices, Mathews said. JCFBA hopes to have a new director by the end of 2026, though Mathews cautioned the timeline could slip if the local search doesn't produce a hire. Staff and volunteers will have a chance to weigh in before a final decision, she said, adding that it's important for candidates to understand the organization well enough to make an informed choice themselves. **Finances still recovering, with deliberate deficits** JCFBA's books have run in the red for two straight years, though Mathews characterized the shortfalls as intentional investment rather than crisis. Food costs more than doubled between 2023 and 2024—from roughly $12,000 a month to nearly $28,000—which she attributed to rising demand, tighter supply and higher prices. The organization posted a net loss of $106,211 in 2025, funded through draws on its Innovation Fund rather than day-to-day operating shortfalls. This draw paid for a warehouse and cold-storage conversion, the shift of volunteer food bank managers to paid part-time staff and additional food purchases as government-sourced food declined in both quantity and quality. The 2026 budget calls for further Innovation Fund spending on local food purchasing, converting the organization's vehicle fleet to electric and building a new dashboard to track food distribution by location, day and hour. With Medicaid reductions expected in January 2027, Mathews said the organization anticipates client visits will keep rising—even as it aims for a balanced budget by 2027, helped along by grants including a $70,000 award this year from the Institute of Law and Systems Research. **Quilcene building's future still unsettled** The fate of JCFBA's Quilcene property remains an open question. Board President Roland Faragher-Horwell said the organization is now renting a different location with enough parking to support expanded distribution days and hours—something the JCFBA-owned Quilcene building can't accommodate. A feasibility assessment determined that relocating the building wouldn't be cost-effective, he said, and the board is now exploring alternative uses for the property in partnership with the community. **Transparency efforts already underway** The organization has also begun making changes in response to criticism over transparency during the earlier period of turmoil. Mathews said regular public reporting is already underway and will not depend on the arrival of a new executive director. In May, JCFBA published its first annual report. The report includes information about board members, organizational highlights, finances and supporters and is available on the organization's website, with printed copies available on request. The association also began updating its website, including information about food-distribution locations and hours, current board members and how to donate. In July, JCFBA launched its first electronic newsletter and relaunched its social-media presence. A new client-information page went online in August, providing information about eligibility, what to expect at the food bank and answers to frequently asked questions. The association is also developing a customized operations dashboard to measure food distribution by location and hour. The system is being tested and refined during 2026. In addition, the board is preparing a request for proposals for a professional financial audit covering the 2026 calendar year. Mathews said the audited financial statements will be made public in JCFBA's 2026 annual report, expected in spring 2027. **Looking toward growth** While the search for an executive director is the most visible next step, Mathews said JCFBA is already pursuing several longer-term initiatives. The organization is converting its fleet of five fossil-fuel vehicles to electric vehicles. Two trucks have already been replaced with new or nearly new electric vehicles, with financial support from donors. JCFBA expects the transition to reduce expenses and improve reliability during emergencies. The association is also trying to direct more of its food purchases toward Jefferson County farmers. In July, it began a pilot program with the Farmers Market Association to purchase food left unsold at the end of market days. For JCFBA, the changes are ultimately intended to allow the organization to serve more people while becoming more financially and operationally resilient. The organization says it has approximately $600,000 in a “rainy day” reserve, enough for about six months of operations, as well as a $250,000 capital reserve and approximately $900,000 in an Innovation Fund for expanding its capacity. The board has hired a professional financial adviser to manage the funds and adopted a new investment policy in July. The next executive director will therefore inherit an organization that is simultaneously trying to consolidate the lessons of its recent restructuring and expand its reach. The challenge, Mathews said, is to make those investments translate into a sustainable operation capable of meeting what JCFBA expects will be continuing demand for food assistance in the years ahead.