Ferry schedule adjusted for start of school

Minor adjustments have been made to the Guemes Island Ferry schedule to accommodate the Anacortes School District schedule.

The following changes will be made to the Monday through Friday schedule beginning Sept. 3, the first day of school for students:

The 7:55 a.m. run from Anacortes to Guemes Island will go at 8 a.m., the 8:20 a.m. run will go at 8:30 a.m. and the 9:05 a.m. will go at 9:15 a.m.

The exception is Wednesday, when the 9:15 a.m. departure is changed to 9:10 a.m.


Learn about careersin health care Aug. 28

Island Hospital hosts a health care career fair 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28 at Island Espresso across from the hospital’s cafeteria.

Learn about all the possible careers in the health care field from representatives from Skagit Valley College, Everett Community College, Bellingham Technical College and the University of Washington at Bothell.

For more information, call 661-3657.


City garbage collection takes a holiday

The city of Anacortes solid waste division will not serve customers on Monday, Sept. 1 due to the Labor Day holiday.

The department is asking residential customers with a Monday pickup day to hold their garbage and recycling until the next regular service day.

Customers will be able to put out extra garbage and recycling equivalent to the normal service.

The extra refuse should be in a standard garbage can or plastic garbage bag tied off with at least a 4-inch tag to be used as a handle. Prepaid city garbage bags are not required.

Call 293-1909 for information.


Man stabbed by brother at home

A 26-year-old man was transported to Island Hospital after his brother stabbed him in the back just after 3 p.m. Monday at their home in the 2900 block of Q Avenue.

The older brother, also 26, got angry at the younger brother and stabbed him with a knife, said Anacortes Police Chief Bonnie Bowers.

The younger brother’s injuries were not life-threatening. The older brother fled the scene and was found 12 minutes after the call came in near Storvik Park and Jack in the Box. The man also had warrants for his arrest.

The older brother was arrested for investigation of felony domestic assault.


Shipyard workers put out propane fire

A small propane fire at Dakota Creek Industries last Wednesday caused some equipment damage.

Workers were on a meal break when a welding device overheated and melted a propane hose, starting a fire around 8 p.m. Aug. 20, said Dan Harju, Anacortes Fire Department assistant chief. The propane hose fed a torch used to heat up the sheet metal before welding.

“They discovered it and managed to remove the propane source,” he said.

DCI workers were able to put out the fire with an extinguisher before fire department personnel arrived.

The fire burned a nearby welder’s helmet and equipment case. There was no damage to the boat and no reported injuries.


Man burned after illegal firework explodes

A man in his 70s received first-degree burns after an illegal firework accidentally exploded in his garage Friday afternoon.

The man was sharpening a lawn mower blade in his garage in the 5000 block of Campbell Lake Road when the sparks from the grinder ignited a large illegal firework just before 2 p.m. Aug. 22, said Mike Noyes, fire chief for the Mount Erie Fire Department.

The man was storing the fireworks near his work bench.

“He didn’t want to throw them in the garbage to get rid of them,” Noyes said.

The man received first-degree burns to his face and hands and his eyebrows and facial hair was burned off.

“He had safety glasses on and that did save his eyesight,” Noyes said.

The man was treated and released from Island Hospital that night.

Noyes said there was minor structural damage to the garage.

“He’s a very lucky man, it could have been much worse,” Noyes said. “Everybody got lucky that day. We didn’t have to fight a structure fire and we had a victim who could walk away.”

Noyes said he did not know if the man would be cited for the illegal fireworks.