Eighth Street Bridges Fiddle While Port Angeles Burns

The 8th Street bridges were originally scheduled to be completed in November 2008. Then the date got moved back three months to February 2nd, 2009. That’s this coming Monday, and the bridges won’t be completed. Nobody knows how soon the bridges will be ready.

Meanwhile, nearby business owners are suffering more than ever from the isolation caused by this project. Barb Townsend, supervisor at St. Vincent De Paul thrift store, said: “We’re just barely hanging on to staying open.”

Steve Bridges, owner of three businesses between the two bridges, said: “I'm running up against the wall.” He said his three business are “done for” if the bridges aren’t open by March. “I would hate to get this far, this close, and be forced into saying that I can't make it anymore.”

He estimated that about 500 vehicles go past his stores every day. Before the bridge repair project started in June 2007, that number was closer to 12,000 vehicles every day.

Weather has caused some of the delays, and the uncertainty of when the bridges will be open. Weather. You mean it might rain? In the Pacific Northwest, in the winter? Say it isn’t so.

Fighting City Hall

This isn’t a local story. It’s about a woman in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania who fought a long grueling battle against the local government. She ultimately won, but only after being sued by the mayor, slandered in the local newspaper and almost losing her home from the costs of being sued.

This story might have a few local parallels in terms of, oh, I don’t know, can you think of anything?

Oak Street Property to Remain Vacant

Those two acres at Oak and Front Streets (Port Angeles) are now owned by Tod McClaskey Jr., the owner of the Best Western Olympic Lodge. McClaskey has been against every proposed building — hotel, convention center — on that property. Now that he owns it, it looks like it’ll stay empty, for the time being at least.

Local government and business leaders have long wanted a convention center in Port Angeles. The only places in town that have space for large meetings are the Red Lion Hotel (2nd floor), Naval Elks Lodge and Vern Burton Community Center. But with the global economy taking a nosedive, it’s hard to picture any large business groups coming to Port Angeles and not having enough space for a convention.

In any case, it looks like that field will still be available for kite-flyers, dog-walkers, cyclists, etc. Now, if only that nearby dock wasn’t “privatized” and plastered with “Keep Out” and “No Trespassing” signs.

Victoria Express, Hood Canal Bridge

The owner of the Victoria Express will be providing shuttle service when the Hood Canal Bridge is closed for repair this coming May and June.

Two passenger-only ferries — the Victoria Express II and another company vessel — will be provided by Victoria Rapid Transit Inc. Each ferry has 149 seats. There will be a 1,500-vehicle parking lot on each side of the Hood Canal Bridge — in Shine and Port Gamble.

Victoria Express owner Jack Harmon said he expects to maintain the Port Angeles-Victoria run during the period when the bridge is closed. For the Hood Canal shuttle, he’ll be using the two boats that run between Bellingham and Victoria, and between Victoria and the San Juan Islands.

City Council Meeting Tomorrow on Save The Pool

At 6 p.m. tomorrow in the Council Chambers, 321 East 5th Street, the Port Angeles City Council will make a decision on the William Shore Memorial Pool.

Save the Pool PA will try to show the City Council that they’re raising enough money to keep the pool open from April through June. Based on the information they get, the Council will decide whether to complete the process of funding a special election to create a park district. This district — if the voters approve — will provide revenue for the pool through a property tax levy.

The levy would be about 12 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation. The owner of a $200,000 home would pay an additional $24 a year. Save the Pool PA wants the City Council and the Clallam County Commission to place a cap on how much money the park district could levy. Without this cap, the district could levy up to 75 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation, under state law.

If you ever want to see your pool again — be there tomorrow night.

New Rite Aid at Eighth and Lincoln

Those shuttered businesses at the corner of 8th and Lincoln — Rocket Drive Thru, Simply Flowers, Blue Dolphin Car Wash, and Round the Clock Deli & Grocery — will soon be demolished. A new Rite Aid will be going up at that location.

Rite Aid acquired the property seven months ago and applied for a demolition permit two weeks ago. The city will probably approve the permit within the next two weeks, according to Sue Roberds, Port Angeles Planning Manager.

Construction should begin this spring. The new Rite Aid will be 17,340 square feet.

Gottschalks Files for Chapter Eleven

Gottschalks has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and they’ve put the company up for sale.

Gottschalks was hoping for a $30 million investment from Everbright Overseas Securities Ltd. But the deal fell through because Gottschalks’ lender reduced the company’s available credit.

Let’s see now, we (the taxpayers) just gave $700 billion of OUR money to the banking industry, for the explicit purpose of loosening up credit and stimulating the economy. Where did I read that? I must have misunderstood.

There’s one ray of hope for the Port Angeles Gottschalks: It’s supposed to be the highest producer per square foot of all the Gottschalks locations in Washington.

Future Design for Port Angeles

Earlier this week, city staff and members of local tribes and community organizations met with two members of the American Institute of Architects. They’ve awarded the city a $15,000 grant to help determine the future design of Port Angeles.

Erin Simmons, director of AIA Center for Communities by Design, said: “This is one of the most enthusiastic communities that I have met. It's a huge asset.”

There’ll be a public meeting sometime between March 16th and 18th for people to give their opinions on which issues are most important for Port Angeles’ future.

Nathan West, Economic and Community Development director, said they’re seeking input on ways to fill vacancies in downtown buildings; better options for pedestrian, bicycle and motor traffic; sufficient open space, and access to the waterfront. He said the focus of this project is the city’s “International Corridor Area” — First and Front Streets from Ennis Creek to the Valley Creek estuary. He referred to “the feel you get when you drive through your community and the appeal of your surroundings.”

NOAA in Port Angeles?

The Port of Port Angeles is moving ahead with their plan to try persuading the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to move to Port Angeles.

They’re currently based on Lake Union but they’re planning to relocate in 2012.

Port commission president John Calhoun said: “This would have such an economic impact that I can't even think of a comparable example in recent history.”

I don’t know how many other locations are vying for the NOAA. It’ll be a gold mine for whoever gets it. Let’s hope it’s us.

Entrapment: A New Way to Raise Money?

I received this comment just today on this post. Since the post is almost two months old and is off the main page, I decided to reprint the comment here as a separate post:


"UNRELATED TOPIC...Recently as I was traveling south on Monroe Road I was 'ambushed' by a school bus driver, who threw the paddle and turned on the flashers when I was darn near nose to nose with the school bus, which was parked in front of the shuttered elementary school. I know flashing lights and a "stop" sign mean I should stop but even at 20 mph a stop at that point would've been pretty jarring and of course as all things clicked in my head I was passing the end on the bus (having scanned the scene for pedestrians) so I felt that "Eek" moment like when a light turns yellow & timing's bad- and continued to intersection.

BOY!!! Was I ever suprised a week or so later when a Sheriff (I'm County) came to my door and asked what kind of car I drove...I honestly never saw THAT coming.
Two things about this entire incident are really getting to me: first, the fine is $394.00 "Say Yes To Kids" levies every year, one of which got shoved through even though it failed, and a fine that could have a disastrous effect on a family around here no matter what the economy, plus the fact that the driver of the bus managed to get my plate number.

(Well, okay- that's 3 things.)

From the time the paddle was thrown (it was quivering like a leaf in the wind as I passed)
to the time I was by the bus and out fo range had been mere seconds.

To me, this indicates that the driver saw me coming down Monroe- the top of the hill where drivers come into plain view is over 1/10th of a mile from where the bus sat- and got my plate number beforehand.

The timing was exquisite, I must say, and the driver had done not a thing to call attention to the bus beforehand.

Once I found out the amount of the ticket I understood the need for a sheriff.

Now I live up Monroe; just about 2 miles up. I can see them leaving the bus depot from my yard. I pass buses and drive the school zone daily. When we moved here we sank more money in locally than that bus driver sees in a year. I give to ANIMAL causes locally- sorry but your kids are yours to take care of not mine. I donate warm clothes and keep the Serenity Thrift in viable goods.

I lay low and pay my bills on time. I shop downtown and have paid for both parking tickets promptly.

Anyway, I was and am offended enough to arrange a court date; not to argue the event but to question the validity of a ticket gained by 'entrapment'.

The whole thing happened so fast I wouldn't even remember exctly where the bus had been except that I remembered a black car stopping behind the bus- in front of the corner of the trailer park.

I have a really bad attitude towards bus drivers now- mostly because it was a really b****y thing to do, and the monetary penalty seems like just another way the school district around here has to fleece homeowners.

If anyone cares to comment on this I hope they will refrain from lectures about 'the value of the life of a child' as I am sure I would most likely have breaked for a child, had ther been one in the road, even if it meant being jarred and going sideways a bit."

Flooding in Harbor Towne Mall Basement

Harbor Towne Mall — at the corner of Lincoln and Railroad Avenue — had flooding in the basement on Wednesday. The basement is vacant, but all street-level businesses needed to close early Wednesday evening. The Health Department had to make sure there wasn’t a sewage problem.

The Health Department confirmed that there was no sewer leakage and all businesses have re-opened. The businesses at Harbor Towne Mall include: Thai Pepper, India Oven, Spicer’s Deli and Grocery, and Real Estate Marketplace.

Covarrubias Murder Conviction Overturned!

Robert Gene Covarrubias was convicted of raping and murdering 15-year-old Melissa Leigh Carter in Port Angeles on December 26th, 2004. And now his conviction has been overturned by the State Court of Appeals.

The Court ruled that Covarrubias is entitled to a retrial because the Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was late in disclosing sixteen pieces of evidence to Covarrubias’ defense attorneys.

Like most Port Angeles residents, I remember that case very well. I was walking out on City Pier and couldn’t understand what all those police cars were doing on the Waterfront Trail. It didn’t seem like a good idea to walk out there and ask them what was going on, so I didn’t. It wasn’t until the next day that I found out what had happened.

There’s still a monument to Melissa Leigh Carter along the Waterfront Trail where her body was found.

The Court of Appeals did agree that there was enough evidence to support Covarrubias’ murder conviction. He’s only getting a retrial because of the issue with evidence being disclosed late. He was originally sentenced to 34 years when he was convicted in 2006.

The PDN’s online article won’t come up because the server is too busy. Here is a web search link to Robert Gene Covarrubias.

Award for Owners of Landing Mall

The Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce welcomed its new president for 2009, Betsy Reed Schultz.

The Chamber also presented an award to the owners of Landing Mall. Let’s see now — purchase a mall that’s already been a fixture for 25 years, and then jack the rents way way up (during an economic downturn) so that some of the existing businesses are forced to either close or relocate. OK, I guess that’s a good thing.

Maybe it’s a brilliant long-term business strategy and we just haven’t seen the positive results yet.

Businesses Spinning Off from Camera Corner; Port Angeles Forward Forum

Two former employees of The Camera Corner (which closed when the owner retired) now have their own full-time businesses.

Pixel Perfect Imaging, owned by Jeanne Pumphrey, has just opened in Joyce. It’s in the building formerly occupied by Clallam Broadband — 50893 State Highway 112. The store will offer DVD and CD productions, photo restoration, portrait photos, poster printing and passport photos. If you don’t want to go all the way to Joyce, there will be a drop-off box at Veela Café, next door to the former location of The Camera Corner.

Will Parsinen is running Infinite Image — transferring film and videos onto DVDs — out of his home on O Street.

Jason Kauffman, owner of Sterling Impressions (First Street, downtown P.A.), had been an employee of The Camera Corner for five years.

And speaking of resources and assistance for local businesses — PA Forward will be hosting a 2-hour forum this Thursday at 6 p.m. The forum is called “Together We Can — Business Resources Support Forum” and it’ll be held at the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 321 East Fifth Street, P.A. It’s free and it’s open to the public.

PA Forward includes Don Perry and Cherie Kidd from the City Council, and representatives of the Clallam County Economic Development Council, Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Community and Economic Development Department, and the Port Angeles Business Association.

Other groups participating in the forum include: Peninsula College Business Training and Worker Retraining Center, Entrepreneur Institute, Clallam Business Incubator, Shorebank Enterprise Cascadia, Small Business Development Center and SCORE Business Counselors.

Elwha Casino Opening This February

The Lower Elwha Klallam are expecting to open their casino in early February. It’ll be a 7,000 square foot building on Stratton Road, south of the tribal center. There will be 100 bingo-style machines. The premises will also have a deli but won’t be serving alcohol.

Ron Allen, tribe chairman of the Jamestown S'Klallam, said he welcomes the addition of the Elwha casino. He said: “The majority of us in Indian country respect all of our sister tribes who make the choice to venture into the gaming industry.”

Frances Charles, Lower Elwha Klallam tribe chairwoman, said the Jamestown S’Klallam have provided a lot of helpful advice. “They have been really open with sharing a lot of information.”

The Elwha casino is a Class 3 and will be overseen by the National Indian Gaming Commission. The Jamestown S’Klallam casino is Class 2 and is overseen by Washington State.