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Archive for the ‘Not sports? Tough!’ Category

Devil’s doody delights diners

Posted in Not sports? Tough!, Ranting and Raving, tagged , , , , on March 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Yet another Mussel Fest I somehow skipped. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

You can’t fool me.

I worked on the mussel rafts down in Penn Cove for four long months in my younger days.

I’ve seen (and smelt) things up close and extremely personal.

Put all the butter, cream, wine, and seasonings on top of the gelatinous hunks o’ junk you want … mussels are still an unholy abomination against nature itself.

Look, I know the annual festival is good financially for Coupeville, especially on a cold, rain-splattered weekend in the non-tourist season.

So, go chew on the stuff the scavenger birds have trouble keeping down.

And may God have mercy on your souls (and your intestinal well-being)…

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Wolves, Wildcat soar as Eagles

Posted in Not sports? Tough!, tagged , , , , , on February 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Whidbey’s newest Eagle Scouts are (l to r) Finn Price, Frankie Tenore, and Gwen Miller. (Photo courtesy Heather Tenore)

They’ve unlocked their next achievement.

Two Coupeville High School students and one from Oak Harbor were honored Sunday for becoming Eagle Scouts.

During the ceremony at the Coupeville Rec Hall, Wolves Frankie Tenore and Finn Price were joined by Wildcat Gwen Miller.

Tenore, who was the first female Webelo in Coupeville, and Miller are the first Whidbey Island girls to earn the rank.

The trio join another CHS student, Preston Howard, who achieved Eagle Scout status in 2024, and Wolf soccer player Matthew Ward, who is on target to notch the honor in the next few months.

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Wolves build their skills

Posted in Not sports? Tough!, tagged , , , , on February 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Jayden Little has skills on, and off, the court. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Business is booming for Coupeville students pursuing diverse educational opportunities.

Working through SkillsUSA, and guided by teacher Lincoln Kelley, a group of Wolves spent a chunk of January showcasing their abilities to judges.

Hailing from both high school and middle school, Coupeville students competed in areas ranging from Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair to Medical and Nurse Assisting.

There was also work done in the fields of Welding (Fabrication and Sculpture), Baking and Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, Motorcycle Service Technology, and Job Interview.

Plus, Action Skills, Pin Design, Team Engineering, and Extemporaneous Speaking.

Now, 11 Wolves have been invited to the 2025 SkillsUSA Washington State Leadership and Skills Conference, which goes down Mar. 27-29 at Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood.

 

CHS/CMS students advancing:

Action Skills MS – Autumn Rubin
Pin Design MS – Natylie Driscoll
Medical Assisting – Alexandra Lo
Nurse Assisting – Pamela Morrell
Team Engineering MS – Autumn Rubin, Frank Morrell, Marina Flood
Motorcycle Service Technology – Max Ohme, Nikolas Rogers, Jayden Little
Extemporaneous Speaking – Bettie Woolworth
Job Interview – Tomoaki Nishihara

 

The Wolves get the call to the big stage:

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Gordon’s Fusion calls it quits

Posted in Not sports? Tough!, tagged , , , on January 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville’s restaurant business is taking a hit.

Gordon’s Fusion Cuisine, which has operated on NW Coveland Street in the building formerly occupied by Christopher’s on Whidbey, is closing as of Sunday, Jan. 26.

The restaurant released the following statement:

 

Dear Community,

It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of Gordon’s Fusion Cuisine’s permanent closure, effective Sunday, January 26.

This decision was not made lightly and comes after exhausting every possible effort to continue serving you.

First and foremost, we want to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who have walked through our doors, whether as a loyal customer of Gordon’s Fusion or from our days at Blueberry Hill.

You have been the heart of everything we do, and it has been an absolute pleasure to serve this wonderful community through both bustling times and quieter moments.

Over the years, we have had the privilege of creating meaningful connections with so many of you. Whether it was a quick hello or a heartfelt conversation, these moments have been a constant reminder of why we do what we do.

Our goal has always been to provide a place where the island could gather to enjoy good food in a warm and welcoming environment, and we hope we have succeeded in that mission.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to navigate the increasing challenges of running a small business, we have reached a point where it is no longer sustainable to continue operating.

The financial pressures of these times have taken their toll, and in fairness to our amazing staff, we must face this reality with honesty and integrity.

To our loyal customers, thank you for your unwavering support and for allowing us to be a part of your lives.

To our dedicated staff, thank you for your hard work, passion, and commitment—you have been the backbone of everything we’ve accomplished.

While this chapter is coming to an end, the memories we’ve created together will live on in our hearts.

We are truly humbled by the love and support we’ve received from this incredible community over the years.

Thank you for everything.

Gordon’s Fusion Staff

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Wolves dazzle with metal and sugar

Posted in Not sports? Tough!, tagged , , , , on January 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Cheer captain and artful welder, Kassidy Upchurch is a young woman of many talents. (Lincoln Kelley photos)

Their skills are many.

A batch of Coupeville High School students spent last weekend competing in area competitions with a focus on their work with both metal and sweet sugar.

Shepherded by CHS teacher Lincoln Kelley, the first group of Wolves visited Everett Community College Friday, Jan. 17, where they vied in the SkillsUSA Welding Sculpture, Welding Fabrication, and Technical Welding competitions.

Delanie Lewis, who displayed her project “The Nutty Giraffe,” placed twelfth in Welding Sculpture.

She had a busy day, taking part in an interview, showing her art piece, and taking a written knowledge test.

Meanwhile, Kassidy Upchurch claimed ninth in Technical Welding, where she demonstrated Oxy-Fuel Cutting, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, and the ability to construct a project from blueprints.

Jesus Madrigal and Danica Strong make the sparks fly.

Finally, the trio of Danica Strong, Jesus Madrigal, and Landon Roberts collected fifth place in Welding Fabrication.

The trio followed blueprints, measuring, cutting to length and various dimensions, fitting, and then welding together the pieces.

The result was a jet stove constructed from stock materials that had been provided.

Marz Halstead is on point in the kitchen.

After a few hours of downtime, Kelley was back on the road Saturday, taking Marz Halstead and Tenley Stuurmans to Arlington for a pastry and baking arts contest.

The duo baked a braided bread roll, two types of yeast rolls, a cherry pie, chocolate chip cookies, and biscuits, while also decorating a cake.

Get in my stomach.

Stuurmans placed ninth, with Halstead claiming eleventh place in a very close contest where the difference between first and ninth was less than seventy points.

While it was a long weekend, Kelley came away pleased with the skills shown by his young proteges.

“Great work by every one of our contestants,” he said. “They represented Coupeville very well.”

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