WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Whidbey officials, alarmed by recent ICE violence, debated how to protect residents, ultimately urging cautious compliance during encounters while stressing legal recourse, documentation, and the limits on local law enforcement.
Allyson Ballard
WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Coupeville’s insurer paid $285,000 to settle former clerk treasurer Jennifer Carpenter’s harassment and discrimination lawsuit against Mayor Molly Hughes, which was dismissed with prejudice; Hughes and the town admitted no wrongdoing.
WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Coupeville will replace 1920s water-sewer lines on Sixth Street, add stormwater fixes and a pedestrian-bike lane in a $148K project planned for completion by spring 2026.
WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Coupeville may elevate the historic Cash Store to address sea level rise, but high costs, unclear responsibility, and the need for a coordinated waterfront strategy complicate broader over-water building protections.
WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Cheryl Engle retired from the Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue board of commissioners, concluding a 36-year long tenure on the board.
WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Coupeville seated new council members Kristo Allred and Evan Henrich, honored outgoing member Pat Powell’s legacy on housing and climate, and appointed Jenny Bright Mayor Pro Tem with new planning commissioners.
WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Coupeville is delaying changes to a 2004 housing agreement for a 33‑acre site until a 2026 plan update, weighing keeping current density, maximizing units, or a middle‑ground lot‑size change.
WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Coupeville will review plans to elevate and modify the historic Salty Vons Waterfront Inn, adding deck space and accessibility upgrades to protect the over‑water building from sea‑level‑related flooding.