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Posts Tagged ‘new job’

She’s a Stone-cold boss

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , , on October 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone, seen here during her pro hoops days, is now a college coach. (Photo property of Erik Berglund)

She’s calling the shots.

Coupeville grad Makana Stone, a hoops sensation as a player at the high school, college, and professional level, has also been crafting a career as a coach.

She’s worked with young players both in the US and overseas, and now, on the heels of a run as a middle school guru in her hometown, she’s making a big jump.

Stone will lead the women’s basketball program at Walla Walla University, after being named head coach in late August.

The Wolves rep an NAIA Division II school and kickoff the 2025-2026 season with a scrimmage Oct. 23 against Walla Walla Community College.

Their first official game is Oct. 30 against the Northwest Indian College, with a 28-game season running through February.

Stone fans can circle Dec. 10, when Walla Walla hosts her alma mater, Whitman College, in a non-conference clash.

After graduating from Coupeville High School in 2016 as the #3 scorer and #1 rebounder in Wolf girls’ basketball history, Andre’s sister earned Northwest Conference Player of the Year honors at Whitman in 2019-2020.

She singed the nets for 1,000+ points for the Blues, then moved overseas, playing at Loughborough University in England, where she earned a master’s degree in exercise physiology.

Stone played professionally in England, Norway, and the Netherlands, earning checks while dropping double-doubles on a nightly basis.

Throughout her hoops career, Eileen and Josh’s daughter has passed on hardwood wisdom to others, something she ramped up while coaching U14 and U16 girls’ teams in Norway.

Back in America, she has run hoops clinics with Jaron Kirkley and teamed up with Brooke Crowder to lead the Coupeville Middle School girls’ basketball program last season.

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Former Coupeville Supe expands Hawaii gig

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on August 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Steve King

Steve King continues to expand his horizons.

Since moving to Hawaii last year, the former Coupeville Schools Superintendent has added to his duties several times.

Hired by Kūlanihākoʻi High School as a PE and health teacher, the longtime duffer later returned to his coaching roots to run the girls and boys golf teams as well.

Now, he’s transitioning back into administration — at least for a bit — having accepted a role as the school’s temporary Vice Principal.

“Wasn’t my plan, but I’m thankful; life is full of surprises,” King posted on LinkedIn earlier this summer.

Before moving to Maui, he had a 27-year run in Washington state schools, including serving as Coupeville Superintendent from 2018-2024.

During his time on Whidbey, King was a big advocate for student health and was instrumental in Coupeville launching its successful Connected Food Program.

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“Captain Cool” serving ‘n protecting in Spokane

Posted in A freakin' American hero, tagged , , , , on October 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do when CJ Smith comes for you?

Maybe ask him for his autograph?

The Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Famer is back in the news, as his law enforcement career continues to blossom.

Smith, the oldest of Charlotte Young and Chris Smith’s three children, was sworn in as a deputy Monday with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department.

The 27-year-old, who recently celebrated his first wedding anniversary with fellow former Wolf superstar Sylvia (Hurlburt) Smith, previously worked for the Mercer Island Police Department for four years.

CJ arrived in Coupeville midway through his sophomore year after a family move, and immediately became one of the linchpins for Wolf sports teams.

He played football, basketball, and baseball at CHS, with his biggest impact on the diamond, where he pitched the Wolves to their first league title in 25 years.

“Captain Cool” went on to play baseball at Green River College alongside lil’ bro Hunter, where he earned his degree, and also pulled a stint as JV diamond coach for his alma mater.

CJ’s swearing in comes on the heels of sister Scout being hired as the new JV girls’ basketball coach at CHS.

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Bonacci lands new gig

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , on June 27, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Sherry Bonacci sends son Landon off to the state baseball tournament.

They hired a fan favorite.

Sherry Bonacci, a 1989 Coupeville grad and a Wolf Female Athlete of the Year back in the day, is immensely popular in her community.

Now, one of the nicest human beings to ever trod the Earth is coming on board as the district’s new administrative assistant to the superintendent.

“Her skillset and history in the district set her apart as an excellent candidate for this critical position,” outgoing Superintendent Steve King said in a statement.

“Sherry will be doing some onboarding and training for this position in July and will officially start in the role in August. Congratulations to Sherry!”

Bonacci, mom to Wolf legend Lindsey and current CHS senior-to-be Landon, will work with incoming superintendent Shannon Leatherwood.

Stephanie and Danny’s sister was previously employed as the district’s special services secretary, a position she has resigned from.

As Coupeville goes through budget cuts, the district is attempting to make reductions through attrition when possible.

King stated the district does not plan to currently replace Bonacci in her former position.

“District leadership and staff will discuss in the upcoming weeks how the workload formerly done by the special services secretary will be absorbed,” he said.

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News-Times alumni rises to the top

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on June 26, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Ellen Hiatt

The newsroom at the Whidbey News-Times in the early 1990’s was full of future leaders.

Not me, who went from an underaged, rubber band-shooting Sports Editor to today’s blogger yelling at his computer enough to trouble the outside cats.

But everyone else.

Ellen Hiatt, then the Island Living Editor and the woman who shared a cubicle wall with a younger version of me, is the latest to rise to the statewide throne of power.

She’s currently settling into her new role as Executive Director of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, replacing Fred Obee, who held the position for 8+ years.

Obee, the man who shocked the world by promoting a 21-year-old David to WNT Sports Editor (then put up with his frequent in-print shenanigans), was Editor in Chief at the News-Times from 1983-1994.

Hiatt, who assigned me some of my first professional freelance stories (and then also put up with my shenanigans), began her career at the News-Times, eventually working there from 1989-1997.

After a long, diverse career, she now heads up the WNPA, the state’s leading advocate for “community newspapers, freedom of the press and open government.”

It’s dedicated to “helping members advance editorial excellence, financial viability, professional development, and a high standard of publication quality and community leadership.”

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