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After two decades, Bainbridge in Bloom reigns as one of the Northwest's premier garden tours, boasting high-profile speakers, internationally celebrated landscapes and bus loads of green-thumbed gawkers.

"It's the grand lady of garden tours," said gardening guru Ciscoe Morris, who will lead one of the tour's workshops this weekend.

But the two-day event's origins came out of the not-so-grand financial troubles of an island nonprofit group.

"We were just sitting around a living room trying to come up with ideas for a source of income to keep our organization going," said Janice Shaw, one of the early board members of the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council.

Several ideas were bandied about, but board member Joanna Newnham's spur-of-the-moment notion for a garden tour stilled the brainstorming session.

"It was an 'a-ha' moment," Shaw said. "We said 'that's it' and everything just started clicking. We cranked the tour out in a short amount of time."

Hoping for at least $5,000, members were stunned when the 1988 tour of six island gardens generated $11,000.

"It was extremely successful and exceeded expectations," Shaw said. "We knew we had a winner."

The tour has also expanded beyond the bus tour's garden stops. This year, Bainbridge in Bloom will feature a plant sale, foods from local chefs and painters practicing their craft in the gardens.

The tour has also gone a deeper shade of 'green,' with sustainable gardening workshops and incentives to get more participants to ditch fossil fuels and bicycle the tour route.

Bainbridge in Bloom continues to grow and thrive because it is rooted in what islanders have traditionally prized most: nature and the outdoors, Shaw said.

"Any event, festival or project's success depends on its ability to resonate and have an authentic connection with a community," Shaw said. "It has to tap into the history, heritage and values of a community."

Formerly renowned for its strawberry farms, the island continues its celebration of soil and sun with thousands of backyard vegetable gardens and well-tended frontyard landscapes.

"Bainbridge is really an epicenter for gardening in the Northwest, and maybe the country," said David Lewis, who, with partner George Little, has crafted a garden art business with clients across the nation.

The tour is the last chance for the public to view Little and Lewis' garden, which draws up to 4,000 visitors each year.

The pair is selling the garden and moving next door, where Lewis is looking forward to "a blank canvas" on which to create a new gardening tour de force over the next several years.

A Bainbridge in Bloom participant since 1991, Lewis said the tour has spawned numerous similar events in other communities.

"You can't go through the summer now without one or two garden tours happening each weekend in the state," he said.

"We used to get calls all the time from other communities wanting to know how we do it," Shaw said. "(The tour) really became a model for something that, I think, replaced home tours in popularity."

Many communities warmed to the garden tour idea when they saw what it meant for the island's economy.

"It really has had a significant economic impact," Shaw said. "The bed and breakfasts are full during the tour weekend. It's hard to get a reservation at local restaurants and lots of people are out shopping at our stores.

It really has provided a wonderful legacy (and) has become a source of pride for people here."

The Best in Bloom

--The 20th annual Bainbridge in Bloom garden tour runs this Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The bus tour features five stops, including the art-laden Little and Lewis garden, 5 acres of English-inspired landscapes and a colorful garden with Mediterranean plants.

Garden expect and TV personality Ciscoe Morris will speak Sunday at the Mesogeo Nursery from 1 to 2 p.m. and at the garden of John Kathleen Bullivant from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Other tour highlights include a plant sale, sustainable gardening presentations and refreshments from local chefs.

The "Bike the Bloom" program features lower-priced tickets, a bicycle route map and bicycle parking.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 children under 12 years old. Cyclists pay $20.

For more information, call (206) 842.7901 or visit www.gardentour.info.

Citing water quality concerns, the city's made it a little tougher for the park district to install artificial turf at Battle Point.

Read on...

Artificial turf fields proposed for a north island park will need a little more scrutiny before the city gives its go-ahead.

Responding to public concerns about the project's impact on water quality, the city this week required the Bainbridge park district to provide professional documentation that the two turf soccer fields proposed for Battle Point Park will not adversely impact drinking water in the surrounding area. The city is also asking for the last 10 years worth of water quality reports from the park's well.

"In comments to the city, the public expressed concerns about groundwater, and we want to make sure the groundwater is safe," said city planner Jennifer Sutton.

The city had initially determined that the project "does not have a probable significant impact on the environment" if a number of mitigating efforts were undertaken during construction, according to city documents. The city's action this week withdraws its earlier determination and adds the two new conditions for approval.

The project would replace two sand fields with artificial turf composed of polyethylene and other materials. Many soccer and lacrosse players say the existing fields are of poor quality and could cause injury. The new fields will allow for year-round use and low-cost maintenance for the park district.

However, some nearby residents and environmentalists have raised concerns that the fields could leach harmful chemicals into aquifers.

The city submitted the project proposal to various government environmental and health agencies for review. Only the Kitsap County Health District replied, issuing a statement that possible contamination levels from the project would not exceed levels allowed under state and federal rules.

Sutton stressed that the city's decision to include new conditions was unconnected to a recent warning from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that some artificial turf fields can release lead into the environment. According to Sutton, the CDC warning was for nylon-based fields, and not the type of polyethylene-based fields under consideration for Battle Point Park.

The public has until July 28 to comment on the proposal.

Read Josh Farley's story below...

Citing insufficient evidence, a Kitsap County Superior Court judge has thrown out a sex case against a Bainbridge man who faced a 25-year minimum sentence had he been convicted.

Michael J. Gaffney, 44, was arrested by police for walking into a public bathroom at the island's Madison Avenue aquatic center with a 4-year-old girl he did not know. He was eventually charged with child molestation, but Judge M. Karlynn Haberly dismissed the case on Monday.

Deputy prosecutor Kevin Cure said his office will be appealing Haberly's ruling to the Tacoma-based Division II Court of Appeals.

The case was believed to be the first one charged in the county that prosecutors used a predatory enhancement -- approved by the Legislature in 2006 -- that mandated a 25-year sentence for a conviction.

Gaffney was accused by police of going into the bathroom, near the aquatic center's lobby, taking off the girl's bathing suit and observing her use the restroom. The girl's mother, thinking she'd been in the facility too long, eventually entered and encountered Gaffney, who "froze" and then left, police said.

Cure said the child told inconsistent versions of the incident and couldn't be called upon to testify in a trial.

Gaffney's attorney, David Rovang, eventually filed a motion asking Haberly to dismiss the case. He was not available for comment Wednesday.

Read on for my story on why the city is struggling to hold on to its senior managers....

The public accusation that Finance Director Elray Konkel had scribbled the city budget on the back of an envelope was the last straw.

Konkel, a veteran municipal number cruncher, already had his share of frustrations working at City Hall, but the crack about the budget from a city councilman sent Konkel into the arms of other cities offering higher pay and better working conditions. Just as the city of Kirkland was poised to snatch Konkel, the Bainbridge council tried to lure him back with a mea culpa and a promise to treat Konkel and other city staff with more respect.

Konkel bit, and two years later, he's still here. He says the respect, however, hasn't yet arrived.

"We just have new faces on the council, but not much has changed," he said. "But we need it to change. To keep the good people, we need to see respect from the council and the community for everybody working here, from the mayor right down to the clerk at the front desk."

While Konkel stuck around, his deputy finance director didn't have as much patience. Citing frustration caused by political infighting, Carol Badzik leapt last week from what other former senior managers say is a sinking ship in a sea of political indecision, second-guessing and nasty politics.

Badzik's departure last week after only 13 months on the job followed resignations from the city administrator, planning department director and downtown planning manager.

All four senior managers pointed to elected officials' flawed relationships with each other and with staff.

"The poor working relationship between you is palpable and I believe that it is debilitating the city and wasting its resources," Badzik wrote in a letter to the mayor and council, echoing statements made by former City Administrator Mary Jo Briggs, who resigned in January.

Councilwoman Debbie Vancil took Badzik's comments to heart. In a written response, Vancil agreed that elected officials must treat staff fairly and unite for the common good.

"It appears that the only resolution for the staff is to be able to work compatibly with one directive, supported by both the executive and the legislative," Vancil wrote. "This means that both branches of government must put the benefit of the community above their own ambition when determining direction."

But even when the city manages to agree on a direction, too often the rudder is yanked the other way, said Sandy Fischer, who managed the Winslow Tomorrow planning initiative until her resignation last spring.

"We spend a lot of time and energy and see some progress, but we then see a lot of reversal on the part of the council," she said. "Staff are told to do a job and then we watch things change course, funds get redirected, and no decision is made."

Trying to incorporate a project's every twist and turn, only to see it killed after months or years of work, has led some of the city's best and brightest to seek work elsewhere.

"Professionals used to getting results become jaded and frustrated," said Fischer.

That was the case with former planning director Greg Byrne. Highly regarded by the council and staff alike, Byrne came to the city in April 2007 with a resume and outlook that fit the island's values. He'd worked to preserve open spaces and walkable downtowns. He hoped to craft environmentally friendly building guidelines, bolster support for local businesses and encourage affordable housing options.

He left after 16 months on the job. Byrne kept quiet about his reasons for leaving, but his colleagues say frustration with stalled projects was part of what sent him packing.

"At the council meeting when he said goodbye, he only thanked the mayor," Konkel said. "There was a point he made there in his goodbye. He felt totally unsupported by the council."

Frustration has seeped into some of the city's middle-management and rank-and-file professionals. Two city engineers said they recently left after witnessing projects suffocate under the weight of public processes, deliberations and debates.

As public debates become heated, staff are often pulled into battles fought in public meetings, e-mails and on blogs.

"How can staff complete the (capital facilities plan) and not be personally attacked in the current political climate?" Badzik asked in her letter. "If one project gets included half of you are angry. If it's not included the other half are furious really furious."

The public's penchant for personal attacks was also cited as a reason for some of the recent resignations.

"There was a fair amount of negativism from portions of the community that sucked (Byrnes) enthusiasm," said Councilman Kjell Stoknes, who noted that Byrne was especially disappointed by the public's attacks against planning staff.

Too often, the public rails against what they see as wrong rather than rolling up their sleeves for what they feel is right, according to Konkel and Fischer.

"We just see so much more willingness to disrupt rather than collaborate," Fischer said.

The impact of staff frustration and resignations are taking a toll on the city, said Mayor Darlene Kordonowy.

"Every time we lose key people, our efficiency, effectiveness and credibility falls," she said.

Making city hall the type of place that attracts and retains competent professionals will require that everyone -- the mayor, council, public and staff -- accept a dose of responsibility for the city's ills, according to Fischer.

"I think everybody needs to take a look in the mirror," she said. "It's easy to say it's the fault of the council or mayor or Public Works director, but it's really dynamic that needs to change."

Characterized by "privilege and affluence," the community often seeks perfection in its government, she said. But too often, the quest for perfection leads to paralysis and frustrations.

"In the pursuit of perfection, you don't end up with anything perfect," she said. "You don't even get something good. You get a lot of people discouraged with the way things are."

Islander John Waldo has joined a group in a lawsuit to force Washington State Ferries to pump up the volume of onboard announcements. Read Josh Farley's story below.

Car alarm need securing? A wallet's been found? Extra Mariners tickets available at the second mate's office?

Announcements aboard the state's ferries range from trivial to crucial. But they all require good hearing, a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Kitsap County Superior Court says.

The newly formed nonprofit Washington State Communication Access Project is asking the ferry system to outfit all its vessels and terminals with a visible display for public announcements for those deaf and hard of hearing.

"When I'm on a boat, I can't hear a word they're saying," said John Waldo, a Bainbridge Island attorney who serves as the project's advocacy director and counsel. He is also hard of hearing.

"If they were to say, 'Return to your car,' or if it had been my wallet in the second mate's office, I wouldn't be able to hear them," he said.

Waldo said he's been talking with ferry officials since November. He said they have acknowledged that riders who are hard of hearing might not be able to hear announcements, but they haven't committed to any changes, he said.

"It should be 'how and when' instead of 'whether,'" Waldo said, referencing the state's law against discrimination, which the suit is hinged upon.

The suit also says the ferries have technology that is readily available to "display the gist of information" voiced over the public address system. They include electronic message boards and video monitors at Colman Dock, the Bainbridge terminal and on board at least one vessel.

"It's not exotic technology," Waldo said.

A spokeswoman for the ferries said she had no knowledge of the suit.

About 3 percent of adult Washingtonians suffer from deafness or "a lot of trouble hearing," according to a 2006 state Department of Health survey that Waldo cites.

Another 13 percent said in the survey they have a little trouble hearing.

"Even if the information is of a trivial nature and is of no concern to them, deaf and (hard-of-hearing) patrons unable to understand the message do not know that the message is of no importance," the lawsuit says, "and are therefore subjected to constant anxiety over what may have been said that they did not understand."

Waldo said he's personally experienced difficulty because of missing announcements. While meeting his wife one day at the Bainbridge terminal, he couldn't hear the crew's announcement that passengers would be offloading from the car deck.

While he waited above flights of stairs at the passenger ramp, his wife, "lugging a heavy suitcase," was "kind of annoyed after huffing and puffing" up the stairs, he said.

No hearings have been set in the case.

This week, police busted a tipsy boater, a sloshed street dancer and a tanked teen driver who managed to crash a car with its engine off.

A hip new diet craze may explain the shoplift this week of almost $100 worth of steak and vitamins.

Get the full blotter below...

Drunken boater: A boater was arrested shortly after 8:15 p.m. for boating while drunk and obstructing an officer. The police marine unit initially noticed the boater traveling through Eagle Harbor in a small inflatable boat at a speed in excess of the posted 5 knot limit. The boater ignored several orders from police to halt. Police followed the boat to a larger pleasure craft, where the boater tied up, ignored more calls from police, went below deck and peered at the officers through a window. Other males aboard the vessel warned legal action and the notification of powerful relatives if the police boarded. One man phoned his father, a lawyer, for legal advice. The father advised his son to let the police board. Police below deck and located the boater, who smelled strongly of alcohol. The other males on the vessel verbally berated police, yelled obscenities, took written notes, recorded the officers with a video camera, made cell phone calls to report the incident and pounded fists on the police boat. One man yelled that he paid the officers' salaries and that the officers were there to serve him. Police called the U.S. Coast Guard for a full vessel inspection, which revealed two handguns.

July 3
Drunken teen: A 19-year-old Bainbridge male was arrested at a street dance celebration on Winslow Way for consuming alcohol and possession of small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Crash: The driver of a Toyota SUV was arrested shortly before 11 p.m. on Moran Road for reckless driving and other traffic infractions after he left the roadway, hit a power pole and flipped his vehicle into a ditch. The vehicle, which was totaled, was found lying upside down by police. The driver and his two passengers suffered no serious injuries.

July 2
Extortion: An elderly Bainbridge couple called police to report that an adopted daughter is attempting to extort real estate property from them. The daughter, whom the couple raised from the ages of 6 to 12, had visited their Bainbridge farm recently after many years of limited contact. She told the couple that she feels at home on the farm and that they should give it to her because they "owe it to her." The couple then received numerous phone calls and letters in which the daughter insinuated that the couple had physically, sexually and emotionally abused her as a child. She threatened to make her accusations public unless the couple signed over the farm. A report was forwarded to Adult Protective Services.

July 1
Luring: An adult male reportedly tried to use candy to lure an 8-year-old boy into his car on Baker Hill Road. The boy rode his bike home and told his parents. Police detained a suspect at a Lynwood Center store who matched the boy's description. The suspect, a 20-year-old man, initially denied involvement, but later admitted he'd offered the boy candy because he thought it was "funny."

Harassed: A middle-aged Bainbridge man was arrested at his Manzanita Drive home for threatening to kill his ex-wife and for interfering with a domestic violence report. Police arrived at the residence to find the ex-wife crying outside. She explained that her ex-husband, whom she shares a home with, was angry about finances. He allegedly threw ice cream at her, pushed her head with his fist and threatened to kill her. He disabled the phone and allegedly threatened to kill his ex-wife if she called police. The ex-husband told police his ex-wife is "crazy."
He was transported to the county jail.

June 30
Shattered: Windows on two school buses were reportedly broken by water balloons.

June 29
Assault: A 17-year-old Bainbridge girl was arrested at her home for assaulting her father. The father had been checking his daughter's cell phone usage when she grabbed the cell phone from him. She slapped his face when he tried to drag her to her room.

Drunk driving: A Bainbridge teenager was arrested for driving while drunk along Venice Loop Road just before 2 a.m. Police were called by a homeowner who observed the young male pull into his driveway, repeatedly try to restart his car and then push his car into a ditch. Police found the teen sleeping in the car. The boy smelled strongly of alcohol, spoke incoherently when he awoke and was unsure where he was. Empty beer cans and a pot pipe were found in his car.

The Sun's Josh Farley reports that four Bainbridge teens were charged by Kitsap County prosecutors for their suspected roles in using homemade bombs to destroy portable toilets around the island in June.

Six suspects were identified by Bainbridge Island police in late June, but only four were charged on Thursday.

Using sparklers and duct tape, the suspects allegedly blew up a number of portable toilets, police said, but prosecutors named two in particular in charging documents -- one on Point White Drive and another at Hidden Cove Park.

In each of the incidents, police found evidence of the remnants of a "sparkler bomb," in which sparkler fireworks were bunched together with duct tape and ignited.

Damage to the toilets exceeds $5,000, said Deputy Police Chief Mark Duncan, who added that the bombs -- one of which went off near a youth baseball game -- could have hurt or killed someone.

Below are police report summaries of alleged sparkler bomb detonations on the island in June:

-- A sparkler bomb destroyed a trash can June 2 at Point White Dock shortly after 1 p.m.

-- A homemade bomb was detonated inside a portable toilet June 7 near a Bainbridge High School baseball field just before 10:30 p.m. A nearby resident reported that the explosion shook his house and terrified his children. Police found the toilet stall still smoking when they arrived. The door was blown off and numerous interior parts were found scattered nearby. Remnants of sparklers were found in and outside the stall.

-- A portable toilet at a Point White Drive residence was destroyed by a homemade bomb shortly after 7 p.m. June 18. The explosion blew pieces of the toilet stall into the roadway and startled several neighbors. Based on evidence at the scene, police believe the bomb was made of sparklers.

-- A portable toilet at a Phelps Road baseball field was damaged by a homemade bomb shortly after 8 p.m. June 18. Several people playing and coaching youth baseball nearby observed a young male enter the stall and leave quickly before the explosion.

The Bloedel Reserve has been named the 2008 recipient of the Award for Garden Excellence from the American Public Garden Association.

The north island reserve -- which consists of 150 acres of gardens, woods and ponds -- was honored for its design, displays and environmentally friendly practices, according to a statement. It was also chosen for its commitment to plant collections.

"It is a place, unlike most public gardens, that minimizes its messages to its visitors," said Richard A. Brown, the reserve's director. "Rather, it provides a high-quality environment within which visitors are given ample opportunity to receive messages from nature."

The former estate of a Northwest timber baron has been open to the public for 20 years.

Other gardens honored by the APGA include the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Missouri Botanical Garden and the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

The reserve is open for public tours by reservation. Visit www.bloedelreserve.org for more information.

Bainbridge Island earned the county's first red tide closure of the year.

The eastern side of Bainbridge Island has been closed to the harvest of all clams, mussels and oysters following the discovery of high levels of a dangerous toxin.

It is the first full "red tide" closure in Kitsap County this year, although the entire eastern side of the county remains closed to the harvest of butter clams, according to Jim Zimny of the Kitsap County Health District.

Paralytic shellfish poison is a toxin produced by a species of plankton. The toxin tends to concentrate in the tissues of shellfish. Mussels collected in Eagle Harbor on Monday showed concentrations of 152 micrograms per 100 grams of shellfish tissue, Zimny said. Beaches are closed when the toxin level exceeds 80 micrograms.

When consumed at high levels, the toxin can affect the nerves and breathing and may be life-threatening. Symptoms usually begin with tingling lips and tongue, moving to the hands and feet. Anyone with symptoms should seek medical help.

The toxin cannot be seen and must be detected with laboratory tests.

The new closure area is from Point Monroe to South Beach Road, including all the bays and harbors in the area. The closure does not apply to crabs, but crabs should be cleaned before cooking and the "crab butter" discarded.

For information, call the health district at (800) 2BE-WELL or go to www.kitsapcountyhealth.com

Bainbridge native Emily Silver earned herself a spot on the U.S. Olympic squad Friday.

Read Annette Griffus' story below.

When Emily Silver was in the fourth grade, a school assignment asked her to write down her goals.

The Bainbridge Island native wrote down "I am going to be an Olympian."

That dream became reality Friday when Silver finished fifth in the 100-meter freestyle final at the U.S. Olympic swim trials in Omaha, Neb.

"Unbelievable. We are so happy for Emily," her father, Bob Silver, said by phone. "She wanted this forever. Her dream has come true."

Silver has not been officially added to the team. The top four finishers in the 100 free automatically qualify for the Beijing Olympics. USA swimming usually adds the fifth- and sixth-place swimmers to the team to help out with the freestyle relays. Silver is expected to be named to the team in the coming days.

Dara Torres, 41, won the event in 53.78 seconds (see related story on Page B5) and Natalie Coughlin was second at 53.83. Silver swam it in 54.91.

Silver had one of the fastest starts from the block and was in fourth after the first 50 in 25.92.

At that point, Bob Silver thought he saw his youngest daughter's dreams crumbling before his eyes.

"At the 75 (meters), I actually was convinced she was going to be seventh," he said.

Silver put her head down and pushed her way through to the end to claim her first Olympic berth.

Silver became the fourth swimmer from Kitsap County to qualify for the Olympics. Bremerton's Tara and Dana Kirk qualified together in 2004 and Nathan Adrian, also of Bremerton, qualified Thursday night in the 100 free.

Adrian made strides Friday in making the Olympics in an another event. Adrian qualified for today's finals in the 50 free. Adrian was the fourth-fastest qualifier in the morning prelims at 22.05. In the evening semifinals, he finished seventh in 22.03. The finish put Adrian in the outside lanes, a spot he prefers.

Adrian must finish first or second today to qualify in the event.

Emily's mother, Mary Sue, said she spoke with Dana Kirk on Thursday.

"Yesterday I saw Dana and she said 'We got the train rolling,'" Mary Sue Silver said. "'We've got Nathan on board, we've got the Kitsap express and we're going to Bainbridge to pick up Emily and go to Beijing.'"

TRIALS AT A GLANCE

Today

What: Women's 50 free prelims; men's 50 freestyle finals

Local angle: Emily Silver is back in the water in the 50 free prelims while Nathan Adrian, already an Olympian, looks to qualify for an individual final in the 50.

Prelims at www.nbcolympics.com

TV: Ch. 5 Time: 8 p.m. (tape delayed)

On the Web: Follow the action at kitsapsun.com/roadtobeijing.

Ferry commuter Chris Hanacek has found a new fast food stop on his way home from work.

"It's awesome," the island resident said, holding sacks of fresh snap peas and broccoli. "This stuff was picked today and I'm going to take it home and eat it in 10 minutes. And the whole thing took 20 seconds."

Faster than a supermarket stop and healthier than the offerings on a drive thru menu, the new Wednesday evening ferry farm stand at the Winslow ferry terminal furnished hundreds of commuters with the makings of a locally grown dinner.

"We want to get more people introduced to the idea of what's growing right here, right now," said Sallie Maron, who wore a yellow apron and hawked vegetables along with a half dozen other volunteers from Sound Food, a Bainbridge group promoting local farms. "The more we connect people to the local economy and farms, the more we connect them to the Bainbridge story, which is about people who care about the land and living sustainability."

The stand features a different farm each week, with every dollar going directly to the growers. On Wednesday, vegetables from Poulsbo's Farmhouse Organics were on display, along with purple garlic and strawberries from island growers.

"This works great for us," said Farmhouse's owner Anne Webber as she watched the action at the stand. "This is such a good community, and to have people volunteering to do this...the concept is amazing. Honestly, only on Bainbridge."

"Have you tried a farm-fresh strawberry?" said Sound Food volunteer Els Heyne, offering a berry to a customer. "There's nothing else like it."

The stand provides "stuff that's good all-around," Hanacek said, listing healthy food, support for farmers, fewer environmental impacts and stronger community connections. It's stuff he supports, but sometimes a trip to the farmers market doesn't fit his schedule.
"This is easy for me," he said. "All I do is walk off the boat."

The stand aims to bring local foods to people, rather than wait for them to come to growers, Maron said.

"This is for people who may not be regular farmers market shoppers," she said.

The stand's first day late last month sold out in 15 minutes.

"The boat wasn't even completely offloaded when we sold out," said Sound Food's Carolyn Goodwin.

On Wednesday, Sound Food came ready with double the produce, and had sold over100 bags of produce after one offloading.

Packed with commuters from all over the region, the Bainbridge ferries helped Sound Food link local edibles to tables in Kingston, Poulsbo and Port Ludlow.

"This brings the whole Kitsap community together and ties us together with something everybody needs and loves, which is food," Goodwin said.

Ferry farm stand
Sound Food's Winslow ferry terminal farm stand is open every Wednesday starting at 5 p.m. The stand offers locally grown produce sold in $5 bags. Visit www.soundfood.org for more information.

Carol Badzik's resignation is the latest in a series of recent senior management departures from the city.

While Badzik declined to say why she is leaving, her boss, Finance Director Elray Konkel, hinted that Badzik has been frustrated with the long, drawn-out processes that have become a distinguishing feature of Bainbridge city government.

"When you put in 60 or 70 hours a week, you want to see it produce something," Konkel said. "The good people...the really hard working people are finding it difficult to stay."

Badzik's departure is like "losing my right arm," Konkel said.

"She was everything you want in a deputy," he said. "She provided needed depth and versatility. She will be sorely missed."

City Council Chairman Bill Knobloch said he was "extremely disappointed" to hear Badzik is leaving the city.

"She was an asset for the government because of her attitude and professionalism," he said. "She was a dynamic addition to the finance department."

Knobloch said Badzik's resignation "raises serious questions about finances at the city," adding that recent revenue shortfalls and other financial challenges could explain Badzik's and other senior staff departures.

Badzik will begin a new job as finance director for the Seattle-based Professional Bowlers Association shortly after July 15, her last day with the city.

A Bainbridge resident for over 10 years, Badzik was the chief financial officer for the Washington Wine Commission before taking a job as a budget analyst for the city in April 2007. Two months later, Badzik was promoted to the newly created deputy finance director position.

Badzik, a certified public accountant, has served financial management roles for state and federal agencies.

As the city's deputy finance director, Badzik helped craft key budget documents, capital spending plans and assisted with city human resources duties.

"I leave the city with the utmost respect for Finance Director Elray Konkel," she said. "He is by far the best boss I've ever had, and the professional management of this organization is very impressive."

Badzik's departure follows shortly after the resignation of Planning Director Greg Byrne, whose 16 month tenure ended in April. Other recent resignations include City Administrator Mary Jo Briggs, who left in January, and Winslow Tomorrow project manager Sandy Fischer, who departed in the spring of last year.

A stop work order was posted by the city at a controversial sand extraction project on the island's south end.

The developer in charge of the project will likely have to refill the holes, clear the piles and replant the 4-acre area.

Read my story below.

City Halts Extraction of Sand From Bainbridge Pit
By Tristan Baurick

Spurred by residents complaints, the city halted work at a sand pit that had grown beyond its permissible boundaries.

Permitted for a 2.9-acre excavation project by the island-based Nelson Wood and Glass company, the triangle-shaped dig site at the intersection of Fletcher Bay and Lynwood Center roads actually encompasses about 4 acres, according to the city. A stop work order was issued Friday afternoon, following site visits by city and state officials.

"The site will have to be restored," said City Administrator Mark Dombroski. "They can't leave the holes or the piles."

"This could affect the drinking water of 300, maybe 500 people," said hydrologist Malcolm Gander, who joined other islanders in protesting the excavation.

Digging to a depth of about 15 feet, developer Bill Nelson extracted approximately 20,000 cubic yards of sandy soil for use at the Blossom Hill commercial and residential development taking shape at Lynwood Center. An equal amount of clay-like soil from the Blossom Hill site was to be used for filling holes at the sand pit.

Nelson and the sand pit's owner, Bill Moore, stressed that the excavation followed proper channels to earn city approval. Nelson also contends that the city's recent site assessment includes land affected by other digs over the last 50 years.

"We've been working with the city, but they've been getting a lot of pressure from a small group of people," he said. "I think this is partly political. Anything you do on Bainbridge falls under the watch of a minority group that don't always know the issues."

It was residents' complaints that impelled Dombroski to visit the site and request assurances from Nelson that the affected area did not exceed 3 acres. Nelson did not provide adequate information about the project's size and depth, Dombroski said.

Island hydrologist Doug Dow said the sand pit's growth beyond 3 acres has drawn the attention of state regulators.

"Normally, the Department of Natural Resources requires that you have monitoring wells for projects over 3 acres," he said, adding that excavations over 3 acres are considered mines by the state. But (Nelson) skirted around all that."

At its specified 2.9 acres filed with the city, the project avoided the need for a water-quality testing program and oversight by DNR.

Dow, who works for a groundwater consulting firm and has done hydrology work for the city, said local officials should have taken a more critical look at the project.

"It surprised me that the city didn't require more because of the (aquifer) recharge area that's there," he said.

Dow said the area's sandy soil allows rainwater to quickly refill the aquifer's reserves. Swapping the sand for clay soil could slow the downward trickle, allow surface water to evaporate and potentially cause runoff to other areas.

Gander is concerned that the project could allow heavy metals to contaminate groundwater. He also wants imported soil from Blossom Hill to undergo testing for potential septic system contamination.

"Maybe the soil is fine, maybe its not," he said. But it should be considered because of the potential impact on water quality."

The city is awaiting a report from DNR proscribing potential remediation of the site, which could include replacing soils and replanting the area.

Read on for two weeks worth of Bainbridge police tales...

June 25
Tired driver: A police officer driving to work on State Route 305 pulled over an erratic driver near Delate Lane, just outside Poulsbo city limits. The officer had observed the driver's Honda Accord fail to stop at a red light and cross lane markings five times. Once pulled over, the driver appeared "unresponsive" and had "eyes that were unusually wide open." The driver also slurred his words and allowed his mouth to hang open when not speaking, according to the officer. A breath test indicated the driver was not under the influence of alcohol. The driver explained he was "very tired" and was under the care of a psychiatrist. He was cited for illegally crossing the center lane and was released to a friend.

Suicidal: Police were dispatched shortly after 8 p.m. to an apartment complex at the intersection of Wyatt Way and Madison Avenue to investigate a fight between two women. Upon arrival, police were told by one of the women that the fight stemmed from one woman "badmouthing" the other's mother. The argument ended when one of the women threw the other's purse over a fence and stormed off. Police learned that the woman who had thrown the purse had a no contact order with the other. Scratches on the woman's face were from climbing the fence to retrieve the purse, and were not from the other woman, she said. About an hour later, police were notified that the other woman had threatened to kill herself at her Winslow home. Police entered her home using a key and found the woman lying in her bed. Police informed her she was under arrest for violating a no contact order. She admitted to having consumed 40 sleeping pills because she "wanted to end it all." She was transported to Harrison Hospital in Bremerton for treatment.

June 23
Disoriented: A man looking for President Bush at the Winslow ferry terminal was transported by Bainbridge police to Harrison Hospital in Bremerton for a mental evaluation. Police were initially called to the terminal to deal with a man reportedly acting odd. The man told police he was on Bainbridge to talk with the President. "I told (the man) that I did not know the President was on Bainbridge Island today," an officer said. The man then requested the use of a CB radio to contact the President. Police informed the man that they did not posses such a device. The man admitted he'd not taken his proscribed medications for about two weeks, and consented to mental health treatment.

Crash: A Bainbridge male riding a bicycle collided with motorcycle driven by a Bainbridge male on Wyatt Way just before 5:30 p.m. The cyclist, who suffered minor injuries, was cited for following too close to the motorcycle as it made a right turn.

June 21
Overdose: A Bainbridge mother called 911 after her juvenile son took approximately 70 cough medicine pills. He was transported to a hospital by his mother.

Crash: A Bainbridge man was injured just before 10 a.m. when his motorcycle tipped and slid on Manzanita Road. The motorcyclist had braked hard to avoid a Jeep backing out of a driveway. The crash broke the motorcyclist's collar bone and several ribs.

June 20
Sleep driving: A Poulsbo man was injured shortly after 2 p.m. when he fell asleep while driving his car along State Route 305. The car hit a road sign and continued about 300 feet before coming to a stop. The collision caused significant damage to the car. The driver was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of undisclosed injuries.

June 19
Stealing beer: A 13-year-old Bainbridge boy was detained after stealing a 16 oz. "Sparks" beer from a High School Road business. The boy told police he stole the beer on instructions from a friend. A report was forwarded to juvenile authorities.

Bomb: A portable toilet at a Lovgreen Road was destroyed by a homemade bomb shortly after 7 p.m. Witnesses saw four or five juveniles fleeing the scene. The bomb appears to have been made from "sparkler" fireworks, according to police.

Frightened: A Bainbridge woman called 911 after she had locked herself in her bedroom to hide from a suspected house invader. Police searched the home but found no other people or evidence of a burglary. The woman told police she was awoken from a nap by a female voice yelling "Roy."

June 18
Bomb: A portable toilet at a Point White Drive residence was destroyed by a homemade bomb shortly after 7 p.m. The explosion blew pieces of the toilet stall into the roadway and startled several neighbors. Based on evidence at the scene, police believe the bomb was made of "sparkler" fireworks.

Bomb: A portable toilet at a Phelps Road baseball field was damaged by a homemade bomb shortly after 8 p.m. Several people playing and coaching youth baseball nearby observed a young male enter the stall and leave quickly before the explosion. Police believe the bomb was made from "sparkler" fireworks.

June 17
Driveby water ballooning: A Volkswagen bus full of Bainbridge teenagers were detained on Madison Avenue after they struck pedestrians with water balloons. Police found five juvenile males in the bus and a large cooler full of water balloons. One balloon thrower told police he was practicing a local "tradition." Police informed the youths that "the tradition could be construed as a felony" assault. Their parents were contacted.