Up and Down the Isle July 16, 2008
July 17, 2008 - 09:00 AM
by Staff Report
by Staff Report
Chewy was jogging with Holly Wilson (AHS class of 2005) on a dirt dike road at Dugualla Bay when a brindle pit bull ran up and grabbed her hip, leaving a deep wound. A woman pulled the animal off, then it grabbed Chewy’s throat. Miraculously, nothing vital was damaged and Chewy turned and jogged home. She was stitched up in Anacortes by Dr. Lee Anderson — the third pit bull attack victim he attended that weekend.
The dog owners vamoosed. The woman with the pit bull was dark haired, 30ish and about 5 foot 7. The dog’s name was “Maya,” “Kyla,” “Akaya,” or something similar with a hard “eye” sound. It was dark and light brown. With them were a man, a black lab mix and possibly others with motorcycles. Anyone who knows them is asked to call Island County Animal Control at (360) 679-7398.
***
Some other dogs were anything but passive victims July 4, when owners left them locked in cars during fireworks displays.
Boyd Veer of Seaside Auto Body said two vehicles — one of them a Lexus — were brought in for repairs after the event. Apparently the dogs, distraught from hearing the explosions, totaled the interior of the cars, plush leather seats, wiring and all. One of the dogs was a 10-year-old that had been left in a car many times before, he said.
Also unnerved by the pyrotechnics were two of Veer’s horses and one dog at home. The horses actually worked themselves into a lather. He said people need to pay more attention to pets on July 4.
“They’ve got to think of their animals,” he said.
***
Six young men are serving as Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionaries for two years in foreign countries — Lonnie Bullock, Mongolia; Gavin Murray, Philippines; Dallas Ralph, Albania; Christopher Chord, Japan; Taylor Lovell, England; and Jacob Bickley, Latvia.
***
Marie Leslie Johnson, daughter of Cynthia Weed Johnson and the late local attorney Leslie A. Johnson, graduated from Lakeside High School in Seattle June 12, her grandmother Swany Johnson reported. Johnson received an honors award for being in the top 10 percent of graduates in Washington. Besides her academic accomplishments, Johnson was part of the light weight women’s crew team that placed sixth at nationals.
Johnson started her education in Anacortes, attending Whitney and Fidalgo elementary schools. This summer she plans to teach sailing in Seattle.
In the fall, Johnson will attend Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia University in New York City. She plans to major in international relations and business.
***
Orcas Island resident and photojournalist Damien Stark will swim a 19.5-mile route from the Washington State Ferries terminal in Anacortes to Orcas Island and then Orcas Island to San Juan Island July 26 and 27 to raise awareness and funds for the Breast Cancer Treatment Support Mission Project. The San Juan County Health and Community Service, funded by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation since 2002, provides travel cost support in the form of ferry tickets and gas and mileage reimbursement to San Juan County residents with breast cancer seeking diagnostic or treatment services on the mainland.
***
Cyclists from England, Lebanon, Northern Ireland, Switzerland and the U.S. started a cross-country bike trip in Anacortes June 17. The cyclists are participating in Youth for Christ’s “Sea to See Ride Across America.”
Traveling from Washington to Maine, the riders, ages 19 to 62, will cover nearly 4,300 miles over the course of two months.
Their purpose is to raise awareness of the needs of young people and funds for YFC outreach projects around the world.
Each rider is raising a minimum of $6,500 that will go toward YFC outreach. Some of the specific outreach projects that will be supported include youth centers in Egypt, Serbia, Italy, Germany, Ireland, ministry in Eastern Europe and outreach to U.S. military teens who are stationed with their families overseas.
The riders’ route includes Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
For more information on the ride visit http://www.yfcbikeride.org.
***
The Anacortes School District received a thank-you letter from the Centralia School District thanking local students for a $500 donation after the area was hit by flooding last December.
“This made it possible for nine sixth grade students to attend Camp Cispus, our environmental science camp,” said Superintendent Steve Bodnar in a letter. “It is astounding to know when a community is in need there are so many individuals and businesses willing to step up to the plate.”
