The following short items have been culled from the physical archives of The Leader as well as the digital collection of University of Washington. Text and style appear verbatim from the original printing, including any errors.

March 5, 1911

Three Horses Shot - One Killed and Two Wounded Near Fort Worden

Councilman Hanson of the Fifth Ward had three horses shot yesterday in the vicinity of Fort Worden.  One of the animals was killed, and the other two were quite severely wounded and may die. The horses escaped from their pasture and wandered in the vicinity of the South Gate leading to the government reserve.  Here someone fired the shots which resulted in the killing and wounding of the animals.  The matter was reported to Colonel Garland T. Whistler, commandant of this artillery district, who ordered a rigid investigation.  If the guilty person can be located he will be turned over to the civil authorities for prosecution and will later be dealt with by the military officials.  Thus far the investigation has resulted in the suspecting of the occupant of a cottage near the reservation line. 

The naimals were highly valued by Mr. Hanson and the loss will be quite severe, as he constantly used them in the cultivation of his farm. This is the second or third time animals have been killed or maimed in that vicinity.  Some few weeks ago several milch cows were found with wire twisted around their noses so they could neither eat nor drink.  As a result one or two of the animals starved to death. Since the reporting of the maltreating of the horses belonging to Councilman Hanson, considerable indignation has prevailed among the residents in that section of the city and also among the soldiers themselves who are anxious to have the guilty person severely punished.

March 9, 2005

County apologizes for illegal meeting -

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners had an illegal meeting the afternoon of March 2 to adjust the docket for that evening’s planning commission meeting.

The BOCC did not give 24-hour notice of the meeting to the public or the media, and the meeting’s purpose was not announced, as required by the Washington State Open Meetings Act.

On March 4, County Administrator John Fischbach apologized to The Leader, saying that he was unaware of the Open Meetings Act requirements that call for 24-hour notice of any meeting.  The Open Meetings Act makes this measure available to the general public, not just the media.

Homeless numbers up -

Learning that the number of homeless households in Port Townsend has increased, the Port Townsend City Council on March 7 adopted a “10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.” On Jan. 26, volunteers with the Continuum of Care Planning for the Homeless counted 142 homeless households, an increase from the 107 households counted in October 2003.

Animal shelter is full; pets in need of adoption -

A nearly full house at the Jefferson County Animal Shelter has resulted in a plea for people to either adopt dogs or offer temporary foster homes. “There are dogs all over the place,” said shelter volunteer Lori Lanza.  There are 13 dogs occupying the 10 dog pens, according to staff at the shelter.  In a pinch, all 10 cages can be doubled-up, although that makes it more difficult to care for the dogs. Adoptions from the shelter cost $78 for dogs and $68 for cats. The price includes spaying or neutering, de-worming, two sets of shots, a two-year license and a wellness check in two weeks.

Girl Scouts get fake $10 bill -

A Port Townsend Girl Scout troop has fallen victim to a fake $10 bill. It wasn’t until they got home from selling cookies lMarch 5 that anyone noticed the phony sawbuck, said Troop 2120 leader Dorothy Westlund. “I honestly believe whoever gave it to us didn’t know,” she said. Westlund has turned over the counterfeit currency to police.When held up to the light, it’s apparent that the fake bill doesn’t have a watermark, and the paper is different, she said.

Meanwhile, local Scouts have had “tremendous support” from the community, Westlund said. Her daughter Alethea, 9, has sold more than 300 boxes, and two other Scouts in that troop have sold even more. The Thin Mints are the most hottest sellers, Alethea Westlund said, although the Lemon Coolers are among her favorites.

March 10, 2015

Editorial: Have coffee with a cop

On a much happier law enforcement front, and moving in exactly the opposite direction, is the new program launched by Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Stanko to arrange “Coffee with a Cop” in local restaurants, beginning with the Chimacum Cafe on Wednesday, March 11 at 2 p.m. Stanko expects to break down barriers and stereotypes by bringing his deputies face-to-face with the interested public in friendly gatherings for informal conversations.

­ — Compiled by Deborah Hayes