Winter Sports Boys, girls hoops, wrestling
OTA brings ‘Christmas Carol’ to present A-15
Sequim hosts Wreaths Across America A-14
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
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SEQUIM GAZETTE www
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Relief for stressed pets Olympic Peninsula Humane Society seeks to foster more volunteers
By Paul Gottlieb Olympic Peninsula News Group
Owners of six restaurants have filed an injunction request challenging Clallam County and Dr. Allison Berry over her proof-of-COVID-vaccination mandate for bars and restaurants. A Dec. 3 court hearing on an injunction request by the owners to rescind Dr. Allison Berry’s proof-of-COVID19-vaccination mandate was delayed until next week so Clallam County can submit a response. “That matter has been stricken from the calendar today and renoted as I understand it to Dec. 13 at 9 a.m., so we will not be hearing the matter of Diamond Point Dreams et al. (and others) vs. Clallam
By Emily Matthiessen Sequim Gazette
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County, et al,” Superior Court Judge Simon Barnhart announced at the start of BERRY a Dec. 3 civil calendar. The mandate by Berry, the health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties, went into effect Sept. 4, restricting indoor dining and imbibing at establishments in both counties. Outdoor dining and drinking by unvaccinated individuals is permitted. Sequim lawyer William Payne filed the complaint for injunctive relief and declaratory judgment Nov. 24 against Clallam County and Berry on behalf of the plaintiffs. See LAWSUIT, A-10
Schmeck resigns school board seat Directors to fill vacancy with appointment Lottie, a pitbull terrier mix, is the perfect candidate for fostering, Olympic Peninsula Humane Society staff said. “Lottie really needs a foster home,” said Jared Furnice, pictured here. The 2-year-old Lottie is nervous, has anxiety and is non-aggressive toward humans. SEQUIM GAZETTE PHOTOS BY EMILY MATTHIESSEN
This, the shyest kitten in one room of Kitty City, watches as her mates frolic. The youngest kittens and their mothers, if they have them, are a priority for being fostered, according to guidelines at the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society. OPHS is seeking more foster families in the community so that more dogs and cats can be cared for in a less stressful environment until they find their "forever homes.”
“A foster home is the best place the animals can be, short of their forever homes,” she said. Peterson said that every fostered animal makes more space at the shelter for another animal, thus fosters can potentially save two animals by caring for one. See FOSTER, A-10
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Restaurant owners file lawsuit against vaccine proof order Clallam County, Berry challenged; injunction hearing set for Dec. 13
Program developed to help caregivers of dogs and cats
The new foster program at Olympic Peninsula Humane Society is set up to facilitate a quality fostering experience for Clallam County residents and the dogs and cats that they help. OPHS is now seeking more foster families to participate in the program. “We really need the support of our animal-loving community to help with the pets that do not do well in the shelter,” OPHS Executive Director Luanne Hinkle said. “Being in a home is always preferred and helps the animals thrive and get adopted.” No matter how well a shelter is run, staff and volunteers said, animals do best in a home-like environment. The training, routines and company provided by fosters in a temporary home cultivate stability, peace and consistency for the animals, which help them show their non-stressed personality, which in turn increases their chances of finding a forever home, they said. “We realized pretty early on that having many animals in foster care at once required a strong infrastructure in place to provide needed support to families,” Hinkle said. OPHS receives a $20,000 grant from ASPCA Northern Tier Initiative to devote staff and consultant time to develop a program full of systems and procedures. “It is a very noble endeavor to be a foster family,” Hinkle said. “Some of these animals could go downhill rapidly without this service. Our fosters really do save lives.” Foster families receive full training, a comprehensive care manual and all necessary supplies. In addition to back-up from staff, including veterinary help, OPHS has a web-based resource page with bite-sized pieces of information by subject so caregivers can quickly look up a myriad of topics from training and socialization to concerns about animal health, a foster mentor program and an app called Maddie’s Pet Assistant. “We thought everything through so foster families are fully supported,” Hinkle said. Fosters can volunteer for varying lengths of time, from a weekend to until adoption or as hospice for animals on their last legs. “Hospice animals are better in a home — their last days can be much less stressful,” said Jacklyn Peterson, a foster volunteer. Peterson said that some people want a pet but can’t have one and fostering may work for them.
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Vol. 48, Number 49
Obituaries A-14 A&E A-16 Classifieds B-1 Crossword Section B
Cats at Olympic Peninsula Humane Society wait for their forever homes, or possibly, a foster home, as OPHS seeks more foster families in the community.
By Michael Dashiell Sequim Gazette
The term for newlyelected Sequim School Board director Kristi Schmeck is over before it began. The Sequim resident who filed for the office, unsuccessfully attempted to quit the race and earned the most votes in the Clallam County primary in August and general election in November, told school board president Brandino Gibson in an email in late November she is resigning her seat. “I am just letting you know I will not be accepting the position of Sequim board director,” Schmeck wrote to Gibson on Nov. 26. “I had formally withdrawn from the election the first week in June. According to the PDC they are expecting me to honor my withdrawal.” On Monday, board directors acknowledged the resignation and began plans for appointing a new director. By district policy, the current four directors
have 90 days to appoint a new director. Director Eric Pickens, who was elected SCHMECK board president Monday night, said the open board position would normally revert to the director who had previously held the seat; however, Brandino Gibson, the at-large board director and former board president who held that spot, said he isn’t interested in returning to the board, Pickens said. “We thought that might be a hiccup … (but) that aspect of it isn’t a concern anymore,” Pickens said. The open board director position is an at-large seat, meaning anyone living in Sequim School District boundaries can apply. Interim superintendent Jan Pryne said the district will post information on the district website (sequim schools.org) this week about how individuals can submit applications. See SCHMECK, A-10
Sequim city council passes resolution opposing any future income taxes By Matthew Nash Sequim Gazette
Sequim city councilors by a 4-3 vote passed a resolution on Nov. 22 stating their opposition to any future income tax in the city. Councilor Keith Larkin said his intent for the
resolution follows the Kunath v. City of Seattle decision, that affirmed a city could not levy an income tax ordinance on wealthier residents because it violates Washington state’s constitution. Larkin said if the state’s Supreme Court changes its
mind, it “obviously would have a detrimental impact on small businesses and anyone with employees trying to keep a workforce.” He said, “I felt it was important to make a stance on this issue from the City of Sequim. We are opposed as a city to any local income tax
on our citizens.” The resolution states: “ … local income tax may generate additional revenue in the short term, but would most likely result in less long-term revenue due to the dampening effect it would have on our businesses.” See TAXES, A-10