Weisfield: End of an Era

After being in business for more than fifty years in the same downtown location, Weisfield Jewelers has closed.

It was a corporate decision to close the store. From what I understood, the Port Angeles branch had plenty of business. Let’s hope that space won’t be vacant too long. I have no idea what Weisfield’s rent was, or what the landlord will be jacking it up to. But the same landlord owns the toothpick-sized space next door to Weisfield, and it’s been vacant for eons. They’ve been asking $700 a month rent for that microscopic space, but they recently came way down to $650.

Happy Anniversary to the MV Coho

The MV Coho will celebrate its Golden Anniversary this Tuesday, December 29th. In fifty years, the Coho has made 88,000 crossings between Port Angeles and Victoria, carried 21 million passengers and traveled more than two million miles.

On Tuesday, Coho passengers will be offered free cake and refreshments.

Good Year for Port Townsend Farmers Market

Port Townsend Farmers Market vendors had a much better year — better by $85,000 — than in 2008.

The market director said: “This was our biggest year ever. We saw our most vendors, most sales and most customers in 2009. It was a solid year of growth.”

Hopefully the Port Angeles Farmers Market also did better this year than in 2008. (Here’s their website.) Their Gateway location seems to have more vendors and customers than when they were at the Courthouse parking lot.

Tim Quinn: R.I.P.

Tim Quinn, North Olympic Peninsula artist, was found dead in his apartment on Saturday. He was 62.

He’s the artist who painted the “Sluicing the Hogback” mural in Port Angeles. He’s also the creator of the “Olympic Visions” mural downtown, next to the fountain. He was part way through repairing/repainting the mural.

Fellow artist Jackson Smart said: “He was a tremendous artist. He did many, many private commissions for people all over. Tim was very well-thought-of in the community, and we've worked on several pieces together. A lot of people are very sad to hear this.”

Don Perry, City Council member and downtown historical tour guide, said: “His talent and personality will be missed by so many people. He will never be forgotten for as long as I am around because I talk about him on every single tour.”

Sequim: “Adversarial” to Business?

A developer has filed a lawsuit in Clallam County Superior Court against the Sequim City Council. The suit, filed by Ed Sumpter, is in regard to the impact/mitigation fees that the City Council imposed on his Priest Road Center.

He said in an interview that the Sequim City Council has an “adversarial relationship” to the business community.

Just driving around Sequim and seeing all the housing developments, strip malls and big box stores, it looks to the casual observer like there’s nothing “adversarial” between business and the Sequim City Council.

Shop ‘Til You Drop

Port Angeles’ 6th annual Shop ‘Til You Drop will be this Thursday. About fifty downtown shops on First Street, Front Street and the Landing Mall will be open until 8 p.m.

A lot of these stores will be having sales, discounts and drawings for door prizes. Santa Claus will be at The Toggery and hot cider will be served at the First Street Haven.

Betsy Reed Schultz, owner of the Tudor Inn Bed and Breakfast, is the founder and one of the main organizers of the event.

Market Assessment "Disappointing" for Harbor-Works

I'm sure it's disappointing but it can't be surprising.

Jeff Lincoln said: "The market assessment is disappointing. There's very limited demand in Clallam County for industrial or light-industrial land, and there's a good stock of that land available off of the waterfront. Given the natural site of that, with the berthing potential there and access to deep water, we'd be looking for marine-related industrial or light-industrial activities to make the best use of the land."

By next August, Harbor-Works will have decided whether or not to acquire the Rayonier site.

Solar Panels vs. Trees

Sounds like everybody in this neighborhood is complaining about something. Unsightly solar panels, solar panels that reflect sunlight into the neighbors’ homes, neighbors’ trees blocking the sun from reaching solar panels…

And now the owners of the solar panels want the Sequim City Council to pass an ordinance to prevent any trees from blocking solar panels’ access to sunlight.

What say you?

NOAA Decision Still on Appeal

The Government Accountability Office has upheld the appeal of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's decision to move their fleet to Newport, OR. The appeal had been filed by the Port of Bellingham, which had bid (along with the Port of Port Angeles) for the fleet.

The Government Accountability Office didn't overturn the NOAA decision. They're only asking the NOAA to reassess their decision because the Newport location is at odds with the NOAA's own requirements. The Newport site is questionable because it's within the 100-year floodplain at the mouth of the Yaquina River.

Senator Maria Cantwell had been pushing to have the NOAA's decision overturned.