The four seniors on the South Whidbey boys cross country team — Cory Ackerman, Justin Gonzales, Collin Burns and Will Simms — had a simple theme this summer: Run. Run, and then run some more.
South Whidbey High School head coach Mandy Jones likes things loud on the volleyball court. In a similar fashion as the Seattle Seahawks’ volume gauge for crowd noise at CenturyLink Field, Jones records an “effort meter” every 20 minutes.
South Whidbey sophomore Wesley Crain prepares to hand off the ball to a running back at practice.
Despite placing fourth at last season’s Class 1A boys tennis state championships, South Whidbey sophomore Kody Newman is unsure whether he’ll have a ticket to this year’s big dance. Two talented players in the Emerald League — the private-school-heavy league the Falcons compete in — stand in his way.
If there’s one thing the South Whidbey girls soccer team has going for it this season, it is team cohesion. The Falcons are primed to hit the ground running when they take the field in a jamboree at Oak Harbor High School on Sept. 1.
Charlie Davies, case manager for South Whidbey Academy, won’t have an office for the 2016-17 school year. He doesn’t want one either.
His “desk” will be wherever students are.
At times, the piano on the patio of Mike’s Place spurred beautiful harmonies and joyful moments. In the wrong hands, however, it played a different tune.
What began in early July as a fun experiment for visitors and shoppers downtown became a headache for nearby businesses. Poor and untimely usage of the piano by children and adults led to its removal Friday morning. Langley Main Street Association Program Manager Lorinda Kay said kids were making more racket than music with the piano while adults would sometimes play past an 8 p.m. curfew. Nearby businesses that require quiet environments requested the Langley Chamber of Commerce prohibit public usage of the piano. While many who used it were proficient pianists, too many saw it as a toy rather than a musical instrument, Executive Director Michaleen McGarry said.
After a strong showing in 2014 and 2015, Goosefoot is raising the stakes with a bigger matching grant fundraising campaign for the South Whidbey School District Garden Program.
South Whidbey’s U-15 soccer team finished second in the Silver Division at the Snohomish Bigfoot Tournament that was held from Aug. 19-22 at Stocker Fields.
Standing at 5 feet, 6 inches, South Whidbey football senior Connor Antich is already pretty close to the ground. He’ll be even lower this season.
During a walk downtown with friends Monday afternoon, Scottsdale, Ariz. resident Charles Klar was quick to notice what had changed in Langley since his last visit years ago. Two of the city’s iconic restaurants — Dog House Tavern and Mike’s Place — are now closed and vacant. The hollow shells of the former restaurants reminded him of a “ghost town,” he observed.
While the need for the Soup Kitchen in Langley remains ever important, a lack of community donations has the volunteer-run lunch provider hurting.
In addition to less food that can be purchased, organizers of the Soup Kitchen were unable to pay utility bills to The Island Church of Whidbey for the first time in its 14-year history, longtime Chef Dan Saul said.
It may be the last call for alcohol consumption in Langley’s public parks.
The Langley City Council will discuss adopting a municipal code to prohibit the consumption of alcohol in public parks at its next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Public drinking is prohibited under state law. Police Chief David Marks feels the city should follow suit.
