50 years ago
Editor: Ace Comstock
Key to town is presented to killer in first official whalecome to U.S.
“Rolling and blowing as if delighted at the honor, Namu, captive killer whale, was presented with the keys to the city by Langley Mayor Leo Lee Monday evening as the highly publicized whale flotilla chugged past on its way to Seattle and the end of a 400-mile journey from British Columbia.
“The beribboned key, with two Hershey candy bars tied to it, bore the words, ‘Congratulations, Namu and Crew. Langley, Washington.’
“As far as it’s known, Namu is the first to be honored with the keys to Langley. He earned it, however, giving publicity about Whidbey in general and Langley in particular to thousands of Pacific Northwest residents.”
25 years ago
Editor: Jim Larsen
Second Street project gets OK from city
“Developer Paul Schell’s Second Street project binding site plan was approved by Langley City Council on Wednesday. But the council, on the recommendation of the planning commission and Design Review Board, made the binding site plan separate from Shell’s fire proposal.
“The separation lets the project ‘move on,’ according to Councilwoman Vicki Lash.
“The 70-foot tower, which exceeds the city’s 30-foot height code, needs to be reviewed before a building variance can be approved by the council, said city Planner Jack Lynch.”
15 years ago
Editor: Jim Larsen
Test-grading firm flunks
“Twelve boxes of test papers produced by South Whidbey students have disappeared in the hands of the company that was supposed to grade them.
“‘The dog ate our test scores,’ is how Superintendent of Schools Lisa Bjork described the situation, using levity to mask her annoyance that all that testing may have gone to waste.
“This spring, students in grades three and six were administered what is referred to as the Iowa test, the results of which are used to compare student achievement on a national basis. But it looks like this year, South Whidbey wont have any test results to compare.
“The test grading company, Riverside Publishing Co., sent a letter to Bjork admitting that all 12 boxes of South Whidbey tests are missing.”
