News

“Growing, without the pains”

"Ask sophomore Christina Miglino about her experiences at West Sound Academy and her face lights up. Ask her what she likes better about this school than her previous one and she'll launch into a series of reasons, but ultimately settles on single theme - the faculty. They are really inspiring... My goal in life is to do something to help others and I really feel that the staff here is here for the kids, she says, noting that the smaller class size helps contributes to a more inviting atmosphere for one-on-one learning, You get all your questions answered in class. At a school where class size ranges from three to 15 students per class, this is more than a ringing endorsement, it is a fact. What makes Miglino's endorsement even more notable is that she's been at the school for less than a week. "

Recycling Center took a team effort

"We're big on recycling in North Kitsap, we recycle more than 2,000 tons of resources every year. When we lost our former recycling center on Little Valley road, many city and county officials worked together to provide an effective interim site, then a permanent site that is appropriate for today's needs and anticipates future growth. "

“Inslee, school districts warn of high-tech job crises”

"Washington will face a job crisis unless schools start teaching technological skills earlier in their curriculum, according to Rep. Jay Inslee. It's going to be the great bombshell that will explode on this country, Inslee said. Inslee met Sept.1 with vocational school administrators from districts comprising the West Sound Consortium. They discussed how Washington schools can increase the number of students leaving high school with high-tech skills. Consortium members, citing a study by the American Electronics Association, said the state and nation are falling behind the demand for high-tech workers. Although the number of high-tech jobs grew 21 percent between 1990 and 1998 in the U.S., the number of high-tech degrees dropped five percent. The study said Washington schools should hope to supply at least technical workers a year by 2008 to keep up with the number of jobs available."

Shoreline owners want answers

"County provides some, but admits to not knowing everything yet. "

Speed Up! Kill a kid

If you speed down Caldart or Finn Hill or Miller Bay or Lincoln or Kingston Rd. or any of your other favorite short cuts-there's a good chance your speeding could kill a kid.

Recycling Center will open bins Sept. 12

Long-awaited facility to start crunching on Viking Way.

New teacher strikes up the band

"POULSBO - When rain threatened their instruments, the participants in North Kitsap High School's band camp marched across the field anyway, fingers curled around imaginary flutes and arms encircling invisible tubas. And when they couldn't play their instruments - dark clouds still gathered overhead - they sang the parts instead, the drummer laughing as he shouted, Boom-BOOM! Boom-BOOM! It's that kind of imagination and dedication that Sara Weyrick stepped into. Weyrick is the new band teacher and director at North Kitsap High School, replacing John Werth. Weyrick has shown her share of dedication, commuting from and to Issaquah until the sale of her new home in Poulsbo closes. It's a four-hour trip every day, she said. "

What should Kingston look like?

Planning commission to continue public discussions Sept. 26.

Big Valley llamas touch the hearts of the blind

"POULSBO - I think it is almost like a swan with their long curved necks, said Mussie Gebre, describing one of the star attractions at Llama Rose Farm and Gardens Thursday afternoon. The analogy was fitting, but also truly amazing because Gebre doesn't speak, hear or see. Instead, he senses his surroundings. The young native of Eritrea (a small country in Africa) was very inquisitive, asking questions and providing input on what he had witnessed during the day. His interpreter, Anita Harding, who is hearing impaired, assisted Gebre in answering questions via a three-way sign language conversation with Karen Carlson. The trio was part of a 44-person group from the Seattle Light House for the Blind which visited the llamas, camels and garden at the farm on Big Valley Road. Gebre explained that, from what he learned, llamas' fur not only protects them from the sun, but also keeps them warm in the winter. When asked what types of animals flourished in his native country, he signed, I grew up here in America. But in Eritrea, we have lots of horses. "

Forecasters were wrong!

"The summer predicted to have so many problems in North Kitsap ended up to be one of our very best. Back in May, when gas prices soared, local businesses were openly worried that the tourists who fuel downtown Poulsbo and neighboring economies with their dollars might stay home. It turned out not to be a problem. Visitors who may have gulped hard at the gas pump total, nonetheless came in large numbers to enjoy the balmy, sunny days. "

City beefs up traffic safety at schools

State grant will cover OT for traffic patrols.

Port of Poulsbo seeking commissioner applicants

'Help wanted' ad campaign comes up short.

Lining up for a tragedy

"Long lines of parked cars have been a frequent sight in Kingston and Bainbridge this summer as ferry overflows have forced drive-on travelers to park on the highway shoulder and wait for the next Because of bridge construction, a two-boat schedule, and just plain gorgeous summer weekend weather, the lines of cars along the highways have become longer than ever. People frequently wait in their cars for hours, especially on Sunday afternoons and evenings. "

Parents give Gordon portables a facelift

"KINGSTON - Last weekend, parents came to Gordon Elementary with shovels, rakes, and tape measurers - ready to get to work. Gordon Elementary has moved the Options program, for the first time ever, entirely into the six portables behind the school. So, parents decided to give the area a bit of a facelift. They helped build a stage for the program's plays. They pulled weeds and planted trees. They hooked up computer cables. We organized it all by e-mail, said Carrie Snyder, who has two children in the program, sons Robbie and Ben. Snyder said the change is impressive. It's unbelievable, you wouldn't believe it, Snyder said. It looks great. No one would recognize it as the same place. "

Taking a holistic new look at careers

"POULSBO - Sometimes tragedy can be a good thing. It certainly was for Maria Marsala. The native New Yorker (like thousands of people across the nation each year) was involved in a serious car accident while residing on the east coast. But instead of taking the why me? approach to the incident, Marsala instead took stock of her life. Following the crash, Marsala completed what she called her life resumé, in which she jotted down every single job (paid and unpaid) she ever had The resume offered her true insight into what field she was really meant to work in. Having experience as a Wall Street trader (not as stressful as managing, she said), a consultant and a teacher among other occupations, Marsala found that she had the potential to be a great coach. It was one of those things that just popped up at me, she explained with a smile, accompanied with what she called a slow-Brooklyn accent. "

Shoreline discussion washes up in Poulsbo

Meeting fliers draw large crowd and ruin session at Marine Science Center.

Martha and Mary workers resume labor negotiations

Registered and licensed practical nurses join Local 381 bargaining unit.

Shoreline debate heating up

"What's the hottest topic in town these days? Nope, not the weather or the Mariners surprising slump, but the proposed shoreline regulations. "

“Location, location, station location…”

"For months that stretched into years, NKF&R, Hansville and Poulsbo Fire Departments have been working on a complex jigsaw puzzle of a map that balances population growth projections, traffic on narrow roads, and a necessity to provide prompt emergency response time to all areas of North Kitsap. "

The doctor is in – Port Gamble

"PORT GAMBLE - For a person who gets up before the chickens, Dr. Deltona Figliola knows the importance of a good night's rest. In fact, it's something she tries to incorporate in assisting children who suffer from nightmares. While some in the medical profession would be quick to jot out an illegible prescription, Dr. Figliola is more apt to tell her young patient, Take a horse and call me in the morning. This old-fashioned horse-sense doctoring, she said, is what sets the Medicine Mill in Port Gamble apart from other practices in the area. Dr. Figliola explained that when a child presses the hoof of one of the small, plush toys offered at her office a recorded story about horses chasing away nightmares is played. The soothing three-minute message is typically enough to put the youngster back to sleep for the remainder of the evening. Nightmares are part of childhood, she said. These horses work wonders for kids - I won't put kids on drugs for nightmares. "