POULSBO — When fire destroyed Mitzel’s restaurant Tuesday morning, the city lost more than an eatery. Much more.
Thirty-five employees were left without jobs as company officials decide whether or not to rebuild the restaurant and numerous community groups searching for new places to meet.
Since the fire, the community has rallied around the Mitzel’s employees and some have even made employment offers, said Marsha Rayburn, who was the general manager at the Poulsbo Mitzel’s.
PASCO — In the 100M dash state finals, Dak Kongela exhibited the epitome of taking advantage of opportunity.
After missing the cut by one place at the Narrows League meet May 13, Kongela’s 100M dash days seemed to be over. Then at the district meet May 20, two 100M contestants were scratched from the lineup and Kongela — along with CK’s Danny VanDatta — were surprised with a second chance in the race and both qualified onto state.
OLYMPIA — The shock at the fuel pump as gas prices remain over $3 a gallon paled in comparison to the reaction to the opening of the bids for the State Route 305 widening project Thursday morning.
The state had estimated the project, which would widen the highway between Bond Road and Poulsbo’s southern city limits, at $11.4 million, but the apparent lowest bid was $14.9 million — 29 percent over the estimate.
KINGSTON — As summer lurks around the corner, bringing with it an end to most student work, the North Kitsap School District’s decision-making drudgery continues.
In the past two months, the NKSD board has appointed new leaders for Poulsbo Junior High and North Kitsap High School in accordance with a district-led principal search committee’s recommendations. Now, the district’s collective focus turns to the $38.5 million dollar school taking shape in the woods off West Kingston road.
POULSBO — Less than 24 hours after Mitzel’s restaurant burned to the ground Tuesday morning, attorney Charles Peach’s office was almost lost as well.
However, a quick response from the Poulsbo Fire Department stopped the blaze before it entered the building’s rafters and engulfed the entire structure.
Exotic plants and steaming plates of food that both arrived on the North Kitsap business scene in 1989 were lost this week. Corporate decision-making and negligence that led to a fire are to blame in the respective demises of Heronswood Nursery and Mitzel’s American Restaurant.
VANCOUVER — As the only Vikings tennis court crusaders in the state finals, North’s No. 1 girls’ doubles team swung into Vancouver May 26 with high hopes and big dreams. But bad luck struck them down in the first round.
North Kitsap High School senior Kearney Bangs and sophomore Britt Seaberg earned their way into the state tournament with a gutsy performance that carried them through the district consolation bracket May 20.
KINGSTON — In education, the arts are the emotional outlet that complements the academic rigor students are consistently challenged with.
In 2002, Kingston Junior High School began hosting a festival to display that artistic emotion for the community at-large with a small collection of KJH paintings, sculptures and visual art.
Ravens, bears and eagles are coming to the BPA Playhouse, but there’s no need to call animal control. They are invited guests of the Bainbridge Performing Arts Theatre School, as part of the annual Outreach Production.
POULSBO — The North Kitsap Herald and its parent company Sound Publishing, Inc. are launching a readership survey in this issue that will measure media habits and shopping patterns of local readers.
SPOKANE — Lead by example, learn by example.
North Kitsap seniors Alicia Bratlien, Stephen Duwe and Miquela Pendleton found themselves in company with the best high school golfers Washington state has to offer May 23 and 24 at their respective state golf tournament courses. And out of the highly competitive fields, the North Kitsap athletes picked up not only respectable scores, but also unmeasurable experience that will help them in their quest for the next level.
PORT GAMBLE — You won’t need to know your favorite color or dodge man-eating rabbits at the annual Society for Creative Anachronism Medieval Faire. And there definitely won’t be a particularly overenthusiastic Black Knight with one arm (a mere flesh wound!) in attendance, either.
POULSBO — Soccer here, soccer there. Viking Cup poured a little soccer everywhere.
Five fields, spread out across the grass of Poulsbo and Kingston, hosted 86 soccer teams in this year’s four-day competition, May 26-29. The enthusiasm of the 22nd annual North Kitsap Soccer Club fund-raiser took the field, regardless of patches of rain that passed over the course of Memorial Day weekend.
TACOMA — It was a roller coaster weekend for the Lady Vikings at the 2006 WIAA/Dairy Farmers of Washington 4A State Fastpitch Tournament. Then again, the entire season has been a fast-paced ride of ups and downs for North Kitsap.
Every step of the way, the Lady Vikes have locked in and stepped up in the face of adversity to overcome.
Glass has been called a liquid medium in a solid form. That idea can be seen in the work of glass artist Jim Gregory, who creates plates, bowls and objects of art with colors that swirl and flow across and within the static surface of glass.
Artist Marylyn Miller creates swirling objects of a different sort: sea creatures float through her multi-media work with crystal clarity.
POULSBO — The North Kitsap School District’s Budget Advisory Team has spent the past few months, performing the agonizing task of prioritizing the nuts and bolts needed to keep area schools running in good form.
“When we build a budget, we can only build on what we think our expenditures will be,†said NKSD Supt. Gene Medina.
Athol Fugard. It’s not a name that’s heard very often in local community theater; maybe never.
Fugard is a South African playwright, born in 1932 in a remote village. Although he is of European descent, the injustices of apartheid became a recurring theme in his plays, which garnered critical acclaim abroad and government criticism at home.
SUQUAMISH — The Suquamish Tribe is bringing back traditions that were once slowly ebbing away with vigor. This surging tide of singing, dancing and drumming is washing new pride into the waterfront community and creating new relationships.
This weekend, the Suquamish Tribe will focus on the latter as its members meet with and learn a little more about the Kwakwaka’wakw Tribe from northern Vancouver Island, Canada
Hindsight is 20/20, but the city of Poulsbo might have learned a thing or three from Olympic Property Group. The latter is opening its ears and eyes to the public BEFORE making any changes to the former mill town of Port Gamble. The former is backpedaling to do so on a location for a new municipal campus and is now finding itself at the mercy of the voters in November as to whether or not the building will land at pre-purchased property on 10th Avenue or somewhere downtown.
POULSBO — Mitzel’s general manager Marsha Rayburn was at a near loss for words Tuesday morning as she surveyed the smoldering debris that just hours earlier was one of the city’s most popular restaurants.
“I’m totally at a loss at this time as I look at this building,†Rayburn said as she huddled with Mitzel’s corporate representatives outside the structure’s remains.