Summer is here and the campaign season is heating up across Clallam County. From festival booths and sticker wars to locked grocery-store restrooms and questions about who really pulls the strings on local policy, this week’s Social Media Saturday captures the pulse of the county. Ballots are already in voters’ hands—make sure yours counts. Here’s what residents are talking about right now.

Joyce Daze & the Candidate on the Ground

Summer has officially started, and it’s Joyce Daze today. Head out to Joyce for the parade and find the Jake Seegers for Commissioner booth.

The highlight of Jake’s campaign is meeting people face-to-face from all over the county and learning what they want from county government. See you there!

French Turns to Indivisible for Ground Game

Commissioner Mike French appears to be harnessing the power of Indivisible to help with doorbelling on the weekends leading up to the District 3 primary.

French is also relying on the group to distribute “I’m Feelin’ French” stickers and skunk stickers that have become the unofficial mascot against challenger Jake Seegers.

Alan Clark, French’s appointee to the Marine Resources Committee (MRC), approves. The MRC has recommended that Three Crabs Road be removed and residents relocated due to sea-level rise. French called the stickers “great work.”

While Indivisible has called for boycotts of local small businesses, summoned police when non-members attend their public library meetings, and removed people from their group for reading CC Watchdog, it remains an active and organized force French can lean on over the next three months—handmaids and all.

Don’t Miss the Postmark Deadline

The League of Women Voters reminds voters that ballots must be POSTMARKED by Election Day—not simply dropped in a mailbox on Tuesday.

The safest option right now is a secure ballot drop box.

Ballot Drop Box Locations

New Signs at Dungeness Refuge

The Jamestown Corporation is moving ahead with installing new signage at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.

French’s First Re-Election Post Skips the Voters

Commissioner Mike French’s first Facebook post of his re-election campaign has made waves online—but it forgot to mention the most important part of the job: the voters and citizens who elected him and pay his salary.

Ozias Returns from New Orleans

Commissioner Mark Ozias is back after a three-week stretch away from the courthouse. Photos of the Washington State delegation at the National Association of Counties conference in New Orleans show a good time was had by all.

The Sign That Has People Scratching Their Heads

Can someone explain this sign that has become popular among Indivisible followers?

It claims a vote for one county commissioner candidate is somehow a vote for a president who cannot run for re-election. Inquiring minds want to know.

Free Housing, Cash & New Luxury Complex

An Aberdeen man was arrested on drug charges while carrying $53,000—and living in free government housing.

In related news, North View, Peninsula Behavioral Health’s new upscale homeless-housing complex, expects its first residents next month.

Reddit Debate & a Candidate’s Handle

Over on Reddit, discussions are not focused on the benefits of another four years of Mike French. Instead, users are debating whether it is best to burn, spray-paint, or simply steal Jake Seegers’ signs.

Who is “bemused_alligators”? That is the handle of Democratic Socialist Party candidate Bradley “Nemo” Callaway, currently running for state representative.

And why wouldn’t Callaway embrace property destruction when it’s promoted by our local leadership?

Callaway’s campaign emphasizes a compassionate, human-centered approach.

Fireworks Ban & Behind-the-Scenes Coaching

One resident working on a county-wide fireworks ban reports meeting with Commissioner Mike French, who is coaching her on how to form a coalition and build support for the proposal—which would then come before the Board of Commissioners.

“Astroturfing” is the practice of creating the illusion of grassroots support while the real direction comes from behind the scenes. Does every other cause receive this level of coaching from the commissioner?

Locked Restrooms in Port Angeles

If Clallam County feels more like Seattle lately, you’re not imagining it. Teresa reports that restrooms at one downtown Port Angeles grocery store are now locked and require door codes for customer entry—while the city has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on free public restrooms.

Where the Drug Money Comes From

In a county that distributes drug paraphernalia to addicts and remains soft on drug dealers and open-air use, where do users get the cash to buy the drugs encouraged by Health Officer Allison Berry? Increasingly, it comes from theft. Burglary is not a victimless crime.

Independent Research Continues

Resident David Rogers continues his own research—through public-records requests—into the effects of harm-reduction policies in our community.

Junk RVs & Safe-Parking Irony in Sequim

Sequim is changing. Junk RVs are appearing more frequently. Ironically, the same church that holds an $118,000 contract with the county to provide safe parking allegedly asked a resident to leave its lot while the resident was helping people living in their vehicles.

Seattle’s Warning for Our Veterans’ Bell?

In Seattle, a beloved BBQ pavilion in a city park was demolished because it had become a magnet for homelessness and drug activity.

Will that be the fate of the veterans’ bell next to the Clallam County Courthouse?

Track Your Ballot in Under a Minute

You’ve returned your ballot—but has it been received? Accepted? Challenged? Does the signature match?

Track the status of your ballot. It takes less than a minute.

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Local papers this week featured a letter praising democratic socialism and the continuation of a contested shower voucher program. Coverage also included contrasting outcomes in two local criminal cases. Here’s a closer look at what made the pages.

Letter Promotes Democratic Socialism

The Peninsula Daily News published a letter to the editor this week from Linda Benson praising democratic socialism and noting its adoption in most Scandinavian countries.

Benson is the past president of the Clallam County League of Women Voters and remains active with the League, which describes itself as a “nonpartisan” organization. Clallam County continues to list the local League of Women Voters chapter as “unaffiliated” ballot observers.

Separately, Democratic Socialists of America National Co-Chair Megan Romer appeared on a news program earlier this week discussing the organization’s long-term goals.

These include abolishing the Senate, replacing the presidency and Supreme Court, abolishing ICE, ending borders and granting amnesty to those currently in the country illegally, defunding the Pentagon, abolishing prisons, and placing most large corporations under government or public ownership.

Shower Voucher Program Continues Despite Petition

Commissioners Mike French and Randy Johnson, along with Port Angeles City Councilmembers Mark Hodgson and LaTrisha Suggs and community member Greg Shield, unanimously voted to maintain the shower voucher program.

The program provides vouchers to homeless individuals with addictions at the harm-reduction center so they can use the showers at the William Shore Memorial Pool, which is also used by children and families. Officials kept the program even though 567 signatures were submitted in opposition.

A petition supporting the program—started by Indivisible activist Jamie Porter, Commissioner French’s newest appointee to the Homelessness Task Force—gathered only 293 signatures.

Contrasting Local Court Cases

The Sequim Gazette reported that a two-day trial has been scheduled for a 70-year-old woman accused of stealing a coffee table from the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store. She faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

In a separate case, Joshua Royal was arrested for breaking into multiple units of an apartment complex, destroying furniture, and chasing a resident.

He was released by court order after two days in Clallam County Jail. His total bail was set at $0.00.

Today’s Tidbit: See You at the Wild Blackberry Festival

If you’re heading to Joyce Daze this Saturday, be sure to stop by and say hello!

I’ll be spending the day at the Jake Seegers for County Commissioner booth, and I’d love the opportunity to meet readers, hear what’s on your mind, and talk about the issues shaping Clallam County.

Whether you’ve been reading the Watchdog for years or just recently discovered us, I’d enjoy meeting you in person.

Hope to see you Saturday in Joyce! 🇺🇸

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While Sequim welcomed visitors with lavender and local business cheer, activist groups turned the streets into a protest zone over distant issues. Candidates stretch résumés and flip-flop on policies they helped create. Socialists print ballots in the park while replacement ballots flood the system statewide. Tribal gaming booms as taxpayers fund exclusive opportunities, and climate alarmism faces scrutiny from a scientist who dared question the narrative. Welcome to Social Media Saturday—where we cut through the noise in Clallam County.

Festival Protest Steals the Spotlight

For many, Sequim’s Lavender Festival was a joyful community celebration and economic boost for downtown businesses. For others, it became a platform for Indivisible activists to block crosswalks, bang on buckets, and wave signs about issues 3,000 miles away — while local problems go unaddressed.

Thanks, Indivisible, for giving first-time visitors a memorable introduction to what our town has become.

Democrats’ “Civil Discourse” Event Rings Hollow

The Clallam County Democrats hosted an event promoting “civil discussions” and “meaningful discourse.”

Yet their track record includes public property damage caused by party trustee Tim Wheeler in the name of eco-activism, derogatory nicknames (Clallam County “Crotchdog”), and labeling one candidate invited to a debate as “Fake Jake.”

Good job, CC Dems — the first step is admitting you have a problem.

Sequim Resident Considers Escaping Washington

A post in the “Escape Washington State” Facebook group from a longtime Sequim resident highlighted growing frustration with rising homelessness, addiction, crime, and shifting politics that leave hard-working taxpayers feeling unwelcome.

John, many share your sentiment — it’s getting harder to urge people to stay and fight.

Candidate Mark Hodgson’s Credibility Gap

State Representative candidate Mark Hodgson has faced questions over multiple statements: listing inconsistent residences, identifying as a “person of color” for a DEI task force, and misstating his Charter Review Commission service by a year while inflating his City Council tenure by another year. Now he’s saying that he appeared on the cover of a book during his service in the military.

Something about Hodgson’s record is missing the Mark, but it may be true. My image was also used on the cover of a book.

Socialists Printing Ballots at Jessie Webster Park Today

A local Socialist Party event printing and distributing ballots to addicted homeless individuals at Jessie Webster Park in Port Angeles (today at noon) is drawing significant attention. This post by @AdamsUnchained on X has surpassed 11,000 views.

Thousands of Replacement Ballots Issued

KXLY reports thousands of replacement ballots are being sent due to errors — the same style being printed and distributed in the park today.

Despite a purely electronic system designed to catch duplicates, concerns about election integrity continue to mount.

DePoe’s Climate Act Stance

Candidate Patrick DePoe boasted at a recent debate about helping pass the Climate Commitment Act, saying, “That was something that I had the opportunity and the privilege to work on and to have that get passed.” The CCA has been a key driver of Washington’s third-highest gas prices in the nation.

His recent mailer to area residents claims he “feels your pain at the pump” and will fight to lower fuel costs.

Why would he fight the high fuel costs he helped create?

Yard Signs Still Available for Seegers Campaign

Jake Seegers recently announced that yard signs remain available for pickup in the Sequim area.

All Quiet on the Mike French Front

Activity has been dormant on the “Elect Mike French” Facebook page since 2022. Rest assured, according to our commissioner, he has been busy serving his constituents.

Taxpayer-Funded Opportunities Exclude Regular Citizens

The State Department of Commerce is promoting funding for construction and renovation projects. One catch: only Tribes and nonprofits may apply.

Workshops include a general session and a separate “tribal” session the following day.

Climate Alarmism Under the Microscope

Summer brings the usual climate lectures from the League of Women Voters, Tribes, Indivisible, and candidates vying for votes. Watch this powerful 7-minute John Stossel video featuring Judith Curry, former Georgia Tech department chair.

Once celebrated for warning about increasing hurricane intensity, Curry investigated gaps in the data, acknowledged the lack of evidence, and faced vicious attacks from climate alarmists. Her story exposes how “the science” has been corrupted for financial and political gain — sound familiar Clallam County?

Worth rereading:

Tribal Gaming Hits Record $46.2 Billion

Tribal gaming revenue reached a record $46.2 billion in fiscal 2025, up 5.3% from the prior year, with revenue heavily concentrated among the largest operations.

While the industry thrives, it’s important to remember that casinos and gambling disproportionately harm the poorest and most vulnerable in our society.

Seattle Indian Health Board Expands Treatment Facility

The Jamestown Corporation isn’t the only gig catching onto high Medicaid reimbursement rates; the Seattle Indian Health Board spent $36 million to buy and renovate a former assisted living facility.

It will become King County’s largest inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center, adding dozens of recovery beds for Medicaid patients.

Thank You, Watchdoggers

We just hit 4,000 subscribers. None of this happens without you — civically engaged community members who choose every day to think critically and independently. Our community is stronger because of you. Thank you.

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While breaking news increasingly appears first on social media and independent news sites, traditional newspapers are searching for ways to remain relevant. Every Friday, CC Watchdog will take a look at what our local legacy media is publishing, the voices they’re amplifying, and the stories they may be overlooking.

The Gazette’s newest reporter? The League of Women Voters

Every summer it happens. Residents are reminded to conserve water. Headlines warn about shrinking snowpack. Climate concerns dominate the conversation. This year, however, the Sequim Gazette has gone a step further.

The paper announced that its new recurring water feature will be produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters, an organization that has spent years advocating for the creation of a county Water Steward position.

The Gazette describes the League’s water committee as helping explain the science. The committee describes itself as “non-political.” Yet the people quoted throughout the article are not merely explaining river flows—they have been actively involved in local policy discussions surrounding water management.

Barbara Vanderwerf, a member of the League’s Water Committee, warns that the Dungeness River has entered “a precarious era that poses a risk to future generations.”

Ann Soule, another committee member, predicts that roughly 70 percent of future years will resemble this year’s dry conditions, saying:

“Yes, it’s a dry year. We’re going to have 70% of our years in the future be that.”

Readers can decide for themselves whether that’s a scientific projection, a policy prediction, or something in between.

Perhaps the most revealing quote, however, wasn’t about hydrology at all. Discussing conservation messaging and water utilities, Soule asked:

“Why tell people to conserve when it means you’re going to be taking a cut in your revenue?”

Perhaps the most revealing comment came when Soule suggested that conservation is ultimately an ethical and moral decision for government—not individuals—to make.

“It’s an ethical or moral decision that must be made by, say, a political body, like a council. ‘We don’t care if we’re not going to be getting as much revenue. We need to tell people to conserve.’”

That statement is particularly noteworthy because supporters of the proposed Water Steward position have consistently described the office as a non-regulatory role focused solely on collecting data and educating the public. If conservation policies ultimately depend on political decisions about public behavior, some readers may reasonably ask whether the proposal is as limited as it has been presented.

Another question goes unasked in the Gazette’s article. If water conservation is everyone’s responsibility, are similar discussions taking place with all governments in Clallam County—including tribal governments that manage significant water resources and irrigated lands? The article never says.

One sentence near the end may be the most telling of all:

“The League’s Water Committee is partnering with the Sequim Gazette on a new regular feature.”

That means readers can get used to our local paper regularly partnering with this “nonpartisan” activist group.

The kids’ page has a message, too

The Gazette also debuted a colorful new Junior Gazette section aimed at children.

The pages encourage youngsters to become “Junior Reporters” while teaching lessons about shrinking snowpacks, water conservation, river ecosystems, and climate-related water challenges. The educational material asks children to interview adults about conserving water and write stories explaining why rivers need protection.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with teaching children about natural resources. But it’s worth noting that the themes closely mirror the messaging promoted throughout the newspaper’s new partnership with the League of Women Voters’ Water Committee.

When advocacy groups help shape both adult coverage and children’s educational content, readers may reasonably wonder where education ends, and advocacy begins.

News—or nonprofit marketing?

Another noticeable trend continues. An increasing amount of newspaper space is devoted not to reporting but to promoting nonprofit organizations. This week’s editions include stories highlighting organizations such as St. Vincent de Paul and Olympic Angels, presenting their work largely through favorable profiles.

The most direct example comes from the Boys & Girls Clubs, where the organization’s CEO authored a guest column encouraging donations to its annual fundraising campaign.

Readers are told:

“We are inviting everyone to consider a gift to the annual Campaign for Kids.”

The column also states that providing a year of programming costs $3,046 per child.

Community organizations certainly deserve recognition for their work. But there is a distinction between reporting on an organization and publishing fundraising appeals written by the organizations themselves.

Opinion pages without local opinions

The Peninsula Daily News also appears to be relying increasingly on syndicated commentary and advocacy organizations rather than local voices. One recent column discussing the Bonneville Power Administration argues that hydropower has come at a “devastating cost” to salmon and states BPA must do significantly more to restore salmon and meet obligations to Native American tribes.

Whether readers agree or disagree with those conclusions, they continue a familiar pattern in regional opinion pages emphasizing environmental and tribal policy perspectives.

Nine days for a homicide. Immediate coverage for a missing table.

Readers may also remember how differently stories receive attention. Last year, a Sequim resident was killed in a fatal daytime attack during the Irrigation Festival. The Gazette did not report the incident until nine days later—and only after a local blogger had already brought the story to public attention.

By contrast, the disappearance of an expensive table from a local thrift store received prompt coverage.

Editors make news judgments every day. Readers are equally free to judge those priorities.

Ozias returns to defend county government

County Commissioner Mark Ozias is back with another monthly guest column.

This week he explains why Clallam County benefits from membership in the Washington Association of Counties (WSAC), the Olympia-based NGO lobbyist organization that receives more than $40,000 annually in county dues.

Ozias currently serves as president of WSAC.

The column praises the value of the organization but does not address questions raised about the county’s expenditures or whether taxpayers receive adequate value for those dues.

The Bottom Line

Legacy newspapers face enormous challenges. Advertising revenue has declined. Social media often breaks stories first. Independent publishers can move far faster than weekly print deadlines.

Many newspapers are responding by emphasizing partnerships, guest columns, nonprofit features, and advocacy collaborations.

Whether that strengthens local journalism—or gradually transforms newspapers into platforms for organizations with established policy agendas—is a question readers will have to answer for themselves.

Today’s Tidbit: The County Wants To Hear From You

We all have them — those moments behind the wheel when something happens that makes your heart jump: a near collision at an intersection, a pedestrian stepping out unexpectedly, a driver passing too aggressively, or a roadway condition that almost caused a crash.

The Target Zero Coalition, a group of traffic safety and collision prevention specialists serving Clallam and Jefferson Counties, is asking residents to share those experiences through a short 8-question survey.

While agencies collect plenty of data on crashes that happen, they often don’t know about the thousands of “near misses” that never make it into official records — but could provide important clues about where and how crashes can be prevented.

As the saying goes: The experts don’t know what they don’t know.

Your experience on local roads can help identify problem areas, risky behaviors, and opportunities to make our highways and streets safer.

Take the short survey here:

Take Survey!

A few minutes of your time could help prevent someone else’s close call from becoming a serious crash.

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Commissioner Mike French snagged the North Olympic DSA recommendation — with the group now hosting ballot printing and voter registration at Tree Park for homeless addicts. Mark Hodgson gains Commissioner Ozias’ backing amid scrutiny of both their track records. Sequim City Council suddenly wants public input after ignoring overwhelming opposition on wildlife refuge transfers. King County’s “pure corruption” homelessness failures hit close to home in Clallam. That and more — this Social Media Saturday.

Harm reduction allies target homeless addicts for ballots

In major local news, Commissioner Mike French secured the recommendation of the North Olympic Democratic Socialist Party.

The local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, which has officially recommended French, is hosting a “ballot printing and voter registration” event on July 25 at Jesse Webster Park (Tree Park) in Port Angeles.

The Tree Park Collective provides weekly direct-action services to the unhoused, including food, clothing, and harm reduction supplies. It operates on a risk-reduction model that prioritizes safer use instead of cessation.

French, Health Officer Berry, and local Socialist-aligned groups strongly back harm reduction approaches. The event appears to be coordinated efforts to register and assist homeless drug users with voting, raising questions about turnout strategies in local races.

Hodgson’s Endorsements Raise Questions About Company Kept

Mark Hodgson continues gaining endorsements from local elected officials, including County Commissioner Mark Ozias, who Hodgson praises for leadership and collaboration.

Yet Ozias has faced criticism for actions like shutting down a gravel pit (costing family-wage jobs), pushing tax increases via his leadership role with NGO lobbyist organization the Washington Association of Counties, and collaborating on transferring the Dungeness Recreation Area County Park to tribal control without public input.

Hodgson himself had the worst attendance of all charter review commissioners, listed an Olympia primary residence while serving locally, and faced regularly disregarded rules and bylaws during his charter review term to further his agenda.

You can judge people by the company they keep—voters may prefer Independent Marcia Kelbon.

Sequim City Council’s Selective “Public Input”

Sequim City Councilmember Dan Butler is urging residents to help finalize the city’s 10-year comprehensive plan, stressing the need for input from staff and officials.

However, months ago the council ignored overwhelming public opposition to supporting the transfer of two wildlife refuges to the Jamestown Corporation and proceeded anyway.

This Sequim City Council has already sent a clear message: your voice only counts when it agrees with theirs.

“Pure Corruption,” Not Just Policy Failure

Former Washington State Senator Mark Miloscia, with deep experience on housing and human services committees, calls King County’s homelessness system “pure corruption” at its core.

He warned 20 years ago that the system lacked accountability, audits, and measurable results; proposals to track individuals by name and tie funding to outcomes were gutted. Instead, a “homeless industrial complex” emerged where more homeless people mean more funding for nonprofits, with little incentive for actual reductions.

Miloscia points to moral and integrity failures, enabling behaviors rather than demanding treatment and results. Despite billions spent, numbers soared from under 2,000 to over 16,000. Recent financial scandals at the King County Regional Homelessness Authority echo his predictions.

This isn’t confined to Seattle.

Clallam County commissioners funded three safe parking spaces for $118,000 and backed the North View permanent supportive luxury low-barrier homeless housing project opening soon at over $350,000 per unit, complete with rooftop terraces, EV charging, and a dog-washing sink.

Read the article here and see if King County’s approach to homelessness reminds you of anything.

Colville Tribes’ Major WSU Athletics Sponsorship

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation signed an $8.43 million, five-year sponsorship with Washington State University Athletics—the largest in department history.

It includes jersey patches, youth clinics, basketball programs, and educational initiatives, part of a broader trend of tribes leveraging sports for visibility and community support. This reflects the growing economic and political reach of tribal corporations.

Some tribal members have voiced concerns familiar to local tribes: that profits from such ventures and other enterprises do not sufficiently trickle down to everyday enrolled citizens.

Indivisible Sequim’s Endorsements and Concerning Rhetoric

Indivisible Sequim, promoted with League of Women Voters support, has endorsed incumbent Commissioner Mike French over challenger Jake Seegers in District 3. The group, which frames its work as defending democracy, has drawn criticism after a Facebook post where Indivisible member Jon Redmond told a resident, “I’d take you out too, if it was legal,” and wished for the “privilege of serving on your firing squad.”

Indivisible’s mission emphasizes justice and accountability.

Campaign Tactics Heat Up

Port Angeles resident Alexandria Fermanis, who emailed Jake Seegers vowing to do everything she could to thwart his campaign, now displays car signage proclaiming her love for skunks, an animal that has become code for supporting Commissioner Mike French.

A closer look at her permanent sticker, on the lower right of the screen, reveals another message:

Such moves highlight intensifying personal dynamics in the county commissioner race.

CC Watchdog Responds to Accusations

A Facebook user recently labeled CC Watchdog a “racist who doesn’t like the tribes and anyone native, hates the gays and the they’s and hates the homeless.”

With over 700 articles and hundreds of podcasts, I challenge anyone to provide specific cut-and-paste examples of such stances. If valid evidence exists, I owe an apology.

Scrutiny of policy, spending, accountability, and outcomes is not hatred—it’s our civic duty.

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Under the current board of commissioners, local government is increasingly cozying up to socialist-leaning activist groups and using taxpayer-funded institutions to advance their agenda. Olympic Climate Action’s endorsement of Commissioner Mike French perfectly illustrates the pattern. Meanwhile, the County Health Department handed out morning-after pills and oral contraceptives at a family-friendly Pride event hosted in collaboration with the library and a socialist activist farm.

In local races across Clallam County, a clear pattern has emerged: select activist organizations enjoy close working relationships with sitting officials and publicly funded institutions, while everyday residents and opposing candidates often remain sidelined.

Olympic Climate Action’s recent endorsements offer a textbook example. The group has endorsed incumbent County Commissioner Mike French.

Commissioner French’s reelection platform prominently features the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

The County has tasked Olympic Climate Action with helping deliver the Community Wildfire Resilience Workshop.

When an activist organization is given county-supported work tied to a commissioner’s signature issue, and that’s followed by the organization’s endorsement of the same commissioner, it raises fair questions about the boundaries between government and advocacy.

In Clallam County, this arrangement appears to be standard operating procedure rather than an anomaly.

Though the Olympic Climate Action claimed it “carefully reviewed candidates” before endorsing them, the organization did not reach out to Jake Seegers, the candidate challenging French for the seat. On the day the endorsements were released, Seegers was participating in a cleanup of an encampment along Tumwater Creek — a salmon-bearing waterway that has suffered repeated environmental damage from unsanctioned camping.

Here’s the irony: county policies under Mike French are enabling the persistence of these homeless sites through permissive land use and funding for harm-reduction supplies, while his challenger spends time cleaning up the aftermath.

Sticker Campaigns and Boutique Politics

Parallel efforts show the intensity of the push against Seegers. Indivisible, supported by the League of Women Voters, recently announced that new anti-Seegers stickers were in production.

According to a Reddit post, those new stickers are now available at The Pine & Eight boutique grocery on 8th Street in Port Angeles.

The Pine & Eight grocery store is managed by SisterLand Farms, a local operation known for its activist orientation and socialist leanings.

SisterLand members frequently participate in public meetings to defend controversial county harm reduction policies promoted by Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry.

Last month, SisterLand collaborated with the North Olympic Library System — a taxpayer-funded entity that recently secured additional levy funding — to host a Pride event focused on library cards and harm reduction.

The group also conducted an informal poll at the event.

The poll revealed strongly progressive views among attendees, with overwhelming support for “Tax the Rich,” “Land Back,” “Abolish ICE,” “Black Lives Matter,” “Masking Saves Lives,” and “Healthcare for All.” Notably, “Free Palestine” also enjoyed near-universal backing.

This stance carries irony for a Pride event. Across the Palestinian territories, LGBTQ individuals face severe social stigma, discrimination, and the threat of violence, with little to no legal protection. In Gaza, homosexuality remains illegal, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and the environment under Hamas is especially hostile. Traditional and religious norms leave many gay individuals at risk of family rejection or “honor violence.”

Roughly two-thirds of the polsters identified as pro-abolition, though some respondents admitted uncertainty about the term. One in four reported feeling unsafe or threatened being out, yet the only group expressing no worry was under age 22.

The library’s participation in an event with clear political overtones prompts questions about balance. Public institutions serve all residents; selective alignment with one ideological lane risks eroding trust among the broader community.

Also present at the SisterLand Pride event was Clallam County Health and Human Services, which had an official presence. The county booth distributed oral contraceptives, morning-after pills, safe sex literature, and promotional frisbees — all at taxpayer expense.

Interconnected Networks

SisterLand Farms maintains visible ties across local institutions. Individuals linked to the farm participate in Washington State University Extension programs supported by county contracts.

The farm has also received multiple “Farm of the Year” recognitions from the North Olympic Land Trust. These connections illustrate how activist networks can gain influence not through broad electoral support, but through sustained engagement with funded entities and government-adjacent organizations.

For many Clallam County residents — regardless of background — the central issue is representation. When a vocal activist class secures seats at the table through workshops, library events, retail outlets, and direct endorsements, the vast majority of working taxpayers and property owners can feel shut out of the conversation. This dynamic appears less about left versus right than about insiders versus outsiders in local decision-making.

Voters will ultimately decide whether these arrangements reflect healthy civic engagement or something narrower. In races like the commissioner contest between Mike French and Jake Seegers, the contrast in priorities and approaches is now on full display. The question is which vision better serves the entire county, not just its most organized voices.

Today’s Tidbit: A Note on Other Endorsements

Olympic Climate Action chose not to endorse Independent candidate Marcia Kelbon in her race, opting instead for Democrat Kaylee Kuehn. Kelbon highlighted her environmental credentials in a recent interview with the Olympic Peninsula Environmental Newsletter, which did endorse her.

A longtime advocate for practical conservation, Kelbon has completed three solar-powered home builds, including her own residence. She has been actively involved with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group in habitat restoration, noxious weed abatement, and salmon run monitoring. She also regularly participates in highway litter cleanups. Raised visiting national parks across the country and having served as a Girl Scout leader, she brings a personal and family-oriented commitment to environmental stewardship.

While Kelbon supports the goal of addressing climate change, she believes the Climate Commitment Act has fallen short—delivering limited environmental gains while imposing significant costs on rural residents. She advocates for greater investment in developing alternative energy sources as a more effective path forward.

Given her practical environmental record, it raises the question: why was Marcia Kelbon passed over for endorsement by Olympic Climate Action?

What Can You Do?

If you believe county government should remain neutral and serve all residents equally, now is the time to speak up.

Consider emailing the Clallam County Commissioners to express your view that Clallam County Health and Human Services should not participate in partisan activist events, and that a clearly partisan group like Olympic Climate Action should not be tasked with helping craft or deliver the Community Wildfire Protection Plan—especially when one of the benefiting commissioners is running for reelection.

All three commissioners can be reached through the Clerk of the Board: loni.gores@clallamcountywa.gov.

If you’d also like the North Olympic Library System to avoid clearly political events, contact the Library Board (which is appointed by the county commissioners) at LibraryBoard@nols.org or Executive Director Noah Glaude at Director@nols.org.

Public input matters. Let your commissioners and library officials know where you stand.

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From revolving-door justice and endless taxpayer-funded experiments to weak enforcement and eroding accountability, this week’s Social Media Saturday exposes the growing strain on Clallam County. One man’s repeated citations highlight how policies shuffle problems without solving them. Meanwhile, expensive 24/7 bathroom pushes, luxury low-barrier housing, abandoned vehicles, and activist double standards continue while small businesses and families bear the costs. Real questions about public safety, transparency, and results are piling up. Is this compassion — or managed decline?

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Catch, Release, Repeat: The John Marshall File

This week, a man believed to be John Marshall was cited for disorderly conduct in Port Angeles — another entry in a well-documented pattern spanning years. Marshall has become one of the most visible examples of the county’s revolving-door approach to chronic street disorder, addiction, and public safety.

Marshall was arrested in February for indecent exposure in a Sequim shopping center parking lot, where officers also found suspected methamphetamine and smoking paraphernalia. He had been camping on the sidewalk just one block from Helen Haller Elementary School.

After spending one night in jail, he was released — only to reappear in new incidents. His belongings routinely require city resources to haul away, including public works trucks for carts, tarps, and pallets.

This is the reality of current policy in action: repeated police contacts, emergency responses, cleanups, and court processing — all at taxpayer expense — with no apparent resolution or accountability. Marshall’s case is not isolated. It illustrates how the combination of low-barrier services, de-emphasized enforcement, and harm-reduction focus often results in little more than shuffling the same individuals between streets, jails, and services without addressing root causes like addiction or serious behavioral health issues.

Residents watching this cycle ask a straightforward question: How many more citations, cleanups, and near-miss incidents near schools and businesses must occur before leaders admit the current model is simply moving problems around rather than solving them? True compassion requires more than endless tolerance — it demands results that restore dignity and protect the community.

Freshman councilmember eyes state office while backing expensive local policies

Just months into his Port Angeles City Council term, Mark Hodgson made his first major push: keeping all city public bathrooms open 24 hours a day and identifying locations for additional facilities. Hodgson championed the initiative despite strong warnings from city staff about unsustainable maintenance costs and operational realities.

City Parks Department reports show nearly $500,000 spent since 2023 just to clean outdoor restrooms plagued by syringes, flushed clothing, biohazards, damaged fixtures, and major plumbing issues requiring toilets to be removed from the floor. Staff openly admitted they can’t keep up and wouldn’t take their own kids to some locations. Yet Hodgson’s push prevailed.

This week, the council approved a $45,044 contract with an out-of-town Battle Ground firm, Tree Surgeon LLC, to install utilities and a foundation for a new 24-hour “Portland Loo” at Erickson Playfield. Local tax dollars are now flowing out of the community for construction, while Port Angeles taxpayers will shoulder the ongoing—and already exorbitant—maintenance burden for expanded 24/7 access.

Hodgson’s record includes the worst attendance on the Clallam County Charter Review Commission, a missed first council meeting, a delayed swearing-in tied to prior Olympia work obligations, along with past residency questions. As he simultaneously campaigns for the State House, many residents wonder whether Port Angeles is truly his focus or simply a platform for bigger ambitions. At a time of strained budgets, his policy direction raises concerns about sustainable local governance versus costly experiments.

A Clear Winner at the PA Business Association Debate

A recent Port Angeles Business Association debate for State Representative highlighted sharp contrasts among Bradley Calloway, Kaylee Kuhen, Mark Hodgson, and Marcia Kelbon. Many viewers came away convinced Kelbon stood out as the clear, steady choice—especially on public safety—while Hodgson doubled down on low-barrier housing. He also supports shower vouchers that could mix homeless drug addicts with families and children.

The exchange underscored deeper divides on homelessness, addiction, and accountability. With Port Angeles grappling with visible disorder, voters are weighing who will enforce existing laws versus expand services that enable problems rather than solve them.

Watch the debate here.

Abandoned Vehicle Lingers for a Full Year

A vehicle parked next to the City Park by Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Lopez Avenue in Port Angeles has sat untouched for over a year since arriving last Fourth of July with doors unlocked and ajar. Neighbors report it was pilfered, doors later secured by a resident, gas siphoned, and multiple reports filed with the city and police—yet it remains.

The owner remains unknown despite visible plates and community inquiries. When did this become acceptable, and what does it say about basic code enforcement in Port Angeles?

Nonpartisanship Under Scrutiny: League of Women Voters

Clark County auditor candidate Eileen Quiring O’Brien warns that civic groups risk eroding trust by cloaking partisan activity in neutral language. She criticized the League of Women Voters for involvement in “No Kings” events while claiming nonpartisan status, arguing true neutrality demands humility and equal platforms rather than picking sides.

Locally in Clallam County, similar patterns have residents noting the League’s support, promotion, and participation in Indivisible rallies—further evidence that a once-respected organization is drifting from impartial moderator to active player.

Read O’Brien’s opinion piece here.

Master Gardener Hotline Takes a Political Turn

Keith Dekker, a Master Gardener, will be taking listener calls today at 9 a.m. on KSQM Sequim (360-681-0000). Feel free to ask him about overwintering dahlias or pruning cherry trees — or how to film yourself inflicting thousands of dollars in vandalism on public DNR land in the name of environmental protest and face zero consequences.

This is the same Keith Dekker who was filmed participating in an act that caused significant damage to public land. Taxpayers covered the costly cleanup, while Dekker and his fellow “Troublemakers” walked away with no legal repercussions.

Forest Bathing at $20 a Session

The days of walking through the trees around Railroad Bridge Park for free may soon be over. The Dungeness River Nature Center, a branch of the Jamestown Corporation, now charges $20 ($15 for members) for guided “forest bathing” sessions with instructor Connie. The program promises immune boosts, lower blood pressure, and tea in the woods along a flat trail.

The shift highlights a broader reality: when public land transfers to tribal trust ownership, free access isn’t guaranteed. The Jamestown Corporation’s stewardship expanded the park through purchases, but the land is now held in sovereign tribal trust status.

Seattle’s Murder-Free June

Seattle recorded its first murder-free June since 1970, credited to intensified cleanup efforts ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The milestone raises the obvious question: Will leaders maintain policies emphasizing law enforcement and order, or revert to the homeless encampments, defund-the-police approaches, and grant programs that fueled prior crises?

Port Angeles residents draw parallels, wondering what a consistent focus on enforcing existing laws and discouraging open-air drug markets could achieve locally.

Junk Truck Lingers Near “Safe Parking” Investment

A red truck piled with junk has occupied a Sequim parking lot for months, ironically near the Trinity United Methodist Church’s Safe Parking Program funded by Clallam County at $118,000 for three parking spots. Meanwhile, the Japanese restaurant that shares a parking lot with the red truck saw just one car during a recent lunch rush.

The scene underscores the argument that small-business prosperity depends on public safety and basic enforcement—not on expensive niche programs that fail to address root issues.

Luxury Low-Barrier Housing vs. Pallet Shelters

Peninsula Behavioral Health’s $12.75 million North View permanent supportive housing project in Port Angeles—low-barrier, sobriety optional—is nearing completion at over $350,000 per unit. A viral video contrasts this with simple, rapid pallet-based emergency shelters assembled in minutes by novices, highlighting 5-minute builds versus years-long waits for traditional housing.

How many more people could receive immediate help through lower-cost, faster solutions rather than high-cost models?

Public Records Act Evasion Exposed

A Washington Department of Licensing administrator emailed colleagues advice on deleting records and evading the Public Records Act, later exposed by the law itself. The Washington Coalition for Open Government flags it as evidence of a growing culture of secrecy despite 50+ years of transparency requirements.

GoFundMe Raises Red Flags in Clallam County

Indivisible organizer Alex Fane has raised over $33,000 for an unnamed family member’s unspecified crisis involving ICE detention. The appeal cites legal fees and needs for a family with a disabled child.

Observers note the combination of strong privacy requests alongside vague specifics, which raises legitimate questions about accountability for large community donations.

Tribal Fuel Tax Agreements Under Review?

Washington tribal fuel tax agreements return 75% of collected gas tax to tribes for tribal governmental services while customers pay standard pump prices.

Tribal tax collection audits are handled by third parties (not the state), results are classified as personal information (classified), and requests for information from entities like the Jamestown Corporation have gone unanswered.

With crumbling roads and repeated gas tax increases, it may be time for the state to revisit these agreements for greater public accountability.

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Naloxone has saved thousands of lives by reversing opioid overdoses. But what happens after someone survives? Growing medical literature suggests that many overdose survivors may suffer brain injuries caused not by naloxone itself, but by the oxygen deprivation that occurs before the drug is administered. As Clallam County continues expanding its harm reduction programs, are officials asking hard enough questions about the long-term outcomes—or simply counting another reversal as another success?

Saved Doesn’t Always Mean Recovered

For years, Clallam County leaders have defended the expansion of harm reduction by making a simple argument: naloxone saves lives.

That’s true.

Naloxone rapidly reverses opioid overdoses and restores breathing. Without it, many people would die. But surviving an overdose is not necessarily the same as recovering from one.

One question receives remarkably little public discussion: what happens to the brain when someone spends several minutes without enough oxygen before naloxone is administered? Medical researchers have increasingly begun asking exactly that question.

The Hidden Injury

During an opioid overdose, breathing slows or stops altogether.

Without adequate oxygen, the brain begins to suffer what’s known as hypoxic or anoxic brain injury. Depending on how long the brain is deprived of oxygen, damage can range from temporary cognitive impairment to permanent disability.

Researchers have documented survivors experiencing memory problems, impaired judgment, slower thinking, personality changes, difficulty walking, speech problems, and abnormalities visible on MRI scans. Rehabilitation organizations likewise warn that survivors may experience lasting cognitive and neurological deficits even after their lives are saved.

That point is important. Naloxone doesn’t cause these injuries. It often prevents death. But it cannot undo the damage that may already have occurred while the brain was starved of oxygen.

What Does the Research Actually Say?

Ironically, one of the strongest papers on the subject is itself a systematic review of the available literature. The authors examined 79 published studies spanning nearly five decades. Their conclusion was careful rather than sensational.

They found consistent reports of brain abnormalities and neurocognitive impairment following opioid overdoses, but also acknowledged that much of the existing evidence consists of case reports, case series, and observational research with significant methodological limitations. Better prospective studies are still needed.

That doesn’t mean brain injury isn’t occurring. It means scientists are still working to determine how often it occurs, how severe it can become, and which patients are most affected.

A Missing Conversation

Locally, residents have heard county officials repeatedly describe naloxone distribution as a success.

But how many overdose survivors are later evaluated for cognitive impairment?
How many receive neurological screening?
How many enter brain injury rehabilitation?
How many are able to return to work?
How many overdose again?

Those outcomes receive far less attention than the number of naloxone reversals. If success is measured only by preventing death, we may be missing a much larger conversation about what life looks like afterward.

Brain Scans Tell Part of the Story

Medical literature already contains numerous MRI and CT images documenting white matter injury, hippocampal damage, cerebellar injury, and other abnormalities following opioid overdoses. Researchers have also explored whether repeated hypoxic injuries could produce pathological changes resembling those seen in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, although that remains an active area of research rather than an established conclusion.

No credible researcher is saying an overdose survivor automatically develops Alzheimer’s disease.

But scientists are asking whether repeated episodes of oxygen deprivation may leave lasting neurological scars. That question deserves far more public attention than it currently receives.

The Question County Leaders Should Answer

Clallam County has invested heavily in harm reduction. But harm reduction should mean more than reversing an overdose. It should also mean reducing the number of overdoses in the first place, helping people enter effective treatment, and understanding the long-term consequences suffered by those who survive.

Otherwise, residents are left asking an uncomfortable question:

Are we practicing harm reduction—or are we slowly building a system of street hospice that measures success by another revived overdose while asking too few questions about what comes next?

See You Saturday!

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Following two Public Disclosure Commission complaints seeking $80,000 in penalties, leaked text messages alleging Doug and Jeff have invited a young Latino into their open marriage…

…and the revelation that Jeff Tozzer’s first official duty for Jake Seegers involved managing an Airbnb…

…campaign leadership reached an unavoidable conclusion:

Someone had to go.

“I just want to get back to my quiet life,” Tozzer wrote in an email. “Doug deserves that. So does our houseboy, Luis.”

Friends say Tozzer now intends to devote his time to his real passions—improving his polo game, yachting around the Maldives, and finally finishing his long-delayed cookbook, 100 Ways to Make Caviar Less Boring.

Seegers, meanwhile, admitted Tozzer wasn’t the right fit for the campaign.

“Jeff never really had the qualifications—he’d never worked a day in his life,” Seegers said, after seeing it on a sticker downtown.

“The writing had been on the wall from early on,” Seegers continued. “Unfortunately, that writing on the wall was used the wrong font size—just like my campaign signs.”

Seegers said it was time to bring in someone younger.

The campaign acknowledged there will be additional expenses.

“Jeff worked for free,” Seegers explained. “My new campaign manager has requested candy and kisses. We didn’t budget for that.”

Still, Seegers says the investment is worthwhile.

“When I asked Lux what mattered most in a campaign, and she answered ‘font size,’ I knew she was ready.”

Looking back, Seegers says there were warning signs.

“I tried to keep Jeff on a short leash,” he said. “Unfortunately, he proved difficult to manage. Especially around mail carriers and fire hydrants. One of my campaign events was interrupted when Jeff scooted across the carpet, and I won’t even discuss what he did to one campaign donor’s leg.”

The Real Story

Satire aside, I really am stepping down as campaign manager.

When I agreed to become Jake Seegers’ campaign manager, I did what I thought was due diligence. I contacted the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission and explained my situation in detail. I told them I operated Clallam County Watchdog, that the publication existed long before I ever met Jake, that I made no money from it, and that I wanted to continue writing while volunteering on his campaign.

The response was reassuring. I was told there wasn’t a problem.

The only issue anyone could identify was that if I spent money operating Clallam County Watchdog, some portion of those expenses could be treated as an in-kind contribution to the campaign that would need to be reported.

That was simple enough. CC Watchdog operates on a free platform. Since Jake became a candidate, I haven’t spent money producing it.

If there is one lesson I’ve learned through this process, it’s this: never rely on a verbal conversation with a government agency. If something matters, get it in writing.

What happened next is where the real irony begins.

For two and a half years, many of my loudest critics insisted I wasn’t media. Jim Stoffer famously referred to me as “the boy with the blog.”

Others dismissed my reporting because I don’t hold a journalism degree. I wasn’t considered a journalist. I wasn’t considered a member of the press. I was simply someone with opinions and a website.

To be honest, I never found that particularly offensive because it was largely true. I didn’t go to journalism school. I didn’t set out to become a reporter. I started writing because I became frustrated trying to convince local officials to reopen Towne Road. After discovering that expressing unpopular opinions on platforms like Nextdoor could quickly get you removed, I decided to build my own platform instead. Clallam County Watchdog grew out of that experience.

Now comes the twist.

The complaint filed against me argues that Clallam County Watchdog should not qualify for the media exemption because I was serving as Jake Seegers’ campaign manager. In other words, after spending years being told I wasn’t media, I suddenly became media—but only for the purpose of denying me protections that media organizations normally receive.

What makes the situation even stranger is that the complaint wasn’t based on hidden support for Jake Seegers. It was based on support I openly disclosed.

Every “Sundays with Seegers” article identified me as Jake’s campaign manager. I discussed it repeatedly on the podcast. I said more than once that I wasn’t impartial in the race between Jake Seegers and Mike French. I believed readers deserved to know exactly where I stood.

Transparency, it turns out, wasn’t enough.

The proposed solution was for every article mentioning Jake Seegers or Mike French—and every podcast episode discussing their campaigns—to include language stating the content was paid for or sponsored by “Jake Seegers for Commissioner.”

That simply wasn’t true.

Jake Seegers never paid Clallam County Watchdog. His campaign never sponsored my articles. Jake never reviewed my articles before publication, never approved them, and never directed what I wrote. In fact, readers of this publication know I’ve disagreed with Jake at times. Adding sponsorship language would have created the very kind of misleading statement the PDC exists to prevent.

I also learned something else I never anticipated. By volunteering as campaign manager, I had unintentionally limited my ability to express my political opinions through my publication. That wasn’t a consequence I foresaw when I agreed to help a friend run for office.

For the record, I didn’t support Jake Seegers because I became his campaign manager. I became his campaign manager because I already supported Jake Seegers.

Over the last three years, I’ve watched Commissioner Mike French make decisions that have cost taxpayers millions of dollars, depleted county reserves, ignored recommendations from experienced department heads, and elevated political ideology over practical governance.

Those observations—not my campaign title—are why I decided to help elect someone I believed would better serve Clallam County.

Ironically, remaining campaign manager now makes me less effective at doing the thing I care most about: writing honestly about county government. So I’m stepping aside.

I’ll simply become another citizen with strong opinions. I’ll join the ranks of concerned citizens like Mitch Zenobi and Stacey Richards who use their influence to generate discussion about local topics.

I've also joined the ranks of Paul Pickett, a leader in the Clallam County Democratic Party who seeks up to $80,000 in PDC fines against the Seegers campaign. Through Clallam Democrats Rising on Substack, Paul regularly publishes commentary supporting candidates and elected officials he favors, including Mike French. I wouldn't suggest for a moment that he shouldn't be free to express those opinions. My only request is to be afforded the same freedom.

The longer this process has unfolded, the more it has reminded me of conversations I’ve had with ordinary residents navigating local government. Time and again, they tell me they get different answers depending on who they ask. They describe navigating rules that seem to change without warning, worrying about retaliation, fines, or making an expensive mistake. Increasingly, they don’t see Clallam County Government as something that exists to help them—they see it as something they have to survive.

In that respect, my experience with the Public Disclosure Commission has felt remarkably familiar. The PDC and Clallam County government seem to have more in common than either would probably care to admit.

Perhaps that’s why this story resonates beyond one campaign.

Government should make it easier—not harder—for citizens to participate in civic life. It shouldn’t require people to guess which verbal advice they’ll later discover was incomplete. It shouldn’t force citizens to choose between volunteering in their community and exercising their right to express political opinions honestly and transparently.

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, we’re still debating what the First Amendment really means. Some use it to praise candidates they admire. Others use it to criticize public officials they believe are failing. Both deserve protection.

That’s the beauty of it.

So to Paul Pickett, Tim Wheeler, the Peninsula Daily News, the Sequim Gazette, Salsa Picante, and everyone else I’ve disagreed with over the years, I offer this sincerely: I’ll defend your right to publish your opinions every bit as strongly as I’ll defend my own.

That’s the America worth celebrating.

Happy 250th Birthday, America.

Today’s Tidbit: Celebrate With Jake

If you hear cheering, see candy flying through the air, and spot a white Jeep or logging truck tomorrow, there’s a good chance you’ve found Jake Seegers and his supporters celebrating America’s 250th birthday.

The campaign is inviting the community to join in not one, but two Fourth of July parades, and volunteers don’t need any special qualifications beyond a smile, comfortable shoes, and a willingness to wave signs, toss candy, and have a good time.

The day begins in Forks, where supporters are asked to meet by 11:30 a.m. near the logging trucks staging area in the Forks Outfitters parking lot before the parade sets off at noon.

After the festivities in Forks wrap up, the celebration heads east to Port Angeles for the evening parade. Supporters should gather by 5:30 p.m. at 2nd Street and Valley near the Port Building, look for the white Jeep, and join Parade Entry #47 before the parade begins at 6:00 p.m.

Whether you’ve marched in dozens of parades or have never walked in one before, organizers say everyone is welcome. It’s an opportunity to celebrate Independence Day, spend time with neighbors, and help create a festive atmosphere in two Clallam County communities.

Let’s show downtown Forks and Port Angeles what Jake Seegers’ campaign is all about: community, unity, and celebrating what neighbors have in common as Americans.

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Editor’s note: This blog is published by Jeff Tozzer, the former campaign manager of Jacob Seegers. None of the content here has ever been approved or paid for by Jake Seegers for Commissioner.

From deputies hauling more than two tons of garbage out of the Olympic National Forest to renewed debate over the Shore Pool voucher program, this week’s social media was filled with stories about public safety, public policy, and public accountability. Welcome to Social Media Saturday.

Mountain of Trash, Mountain of Gratitude

The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office deserves tremendous credit for another job well done. This week, the Sheriff’s CREW inmates and deputies spent two days cleaning up an abandoned illegal campsite near the Slab Camp Trailhead on Forest Road 2878.

The results were staggering. Over three trips to the landfill, they removed:

• 9 pallets

• 7 tires

• 3 car batteries

• Approximately 15 empty fuel cans

• A king-size mattress and box springs

• Three tents

• A carport

• Refrigerator parts

• Hundreds of pounds of scrap metal

• Clothing, coolers, storage bins

• A steel garden rack

• Even a bucket toilet

Total removed: 4,620 pounds of trash.

That’s more than two tons of garbage hauled off our public lands.

The Sheriff’s Office, deputies, and the CREW inmates transformed an area that had become an illegal dumping ground back into a place families and hikers can enjoy. It’s difficult work that often goes unnoticed, but it saves taxpayers money, protects wildlife, and keeps Clallam County beautiful.

Outstanding work by everyone involved.

When Timber Doesn’t Sell, Somebody Else Pays

Environmental lawsuits aimed at stopping Department of Natural Resources timber sales are often framed as protecting forests. What receives far less attention is who ultimately pays the financial price.

Revenue from DNR timber sales helps support schools, roads, ports, hospitals, fire districts, libraries, parks, and numerous other local services. When major timber sales are delayed or canceled, those anticipated revenues disappear while the bills remain.

The result is that local governments must either reduce services, find replacement revenue, or shift more of the tax burden onto remaining taxpayers. For many residents already struggling with rising housing costs and property taxes, that’s another economic hit worth considering.

Pool Voucher Program Petition

The William Shore Memorial Pool Board has delayed any decision on its controversial voucher program until it receives guidance from its liability insurance carrier. The program provides pool vouchers to homeless drug addicts through the Harm Reduction Health Center, allowing recipients to use the public pool facility with children and families.

Meanwhile, the Clallam County Democrats have launched a petition urging the board to continue the program, saying residents should “place our trust in our elected officials to make sound decisions for all.”

The debate continues after public records revealed dozens of police responses associated with the facility during the time the program operated, despite earlier public statements that there had been no incidents.

Do the Clallam County Democrats believe we should “place our trust in our elected officials to make sound decisions for all” at the federal level?

Flashback: A Major Drug Bust

Six years ago, OPNET investigators concluded one of the largest drug investigations in recent memory. After undercover heroin purchases, detectives executed a search warrant at a Sequim residence, arresting Daniel Bresler.

Investigators seized:

• Nearly nine pounds of methamphetamine

• Heroin

• Oxycodone

• Xanax

• Suboxone

• Five firearms

• Body armor

The estimated street value of the methamphetamine alone exceeded $160,000. The investigation involved OPNET along with numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies working together to remove a significant drug supplier from the community.

This week, jail records show Bresler was again booked into the Clallam County Jail on a U.S. Marshals Service detainer before being transferred to another agency.

Bresler’s return to custody also highlights what many residents see as a contradiction in Clallam County’s approach to drugs.

On one hand, OPNET and local law enforcement devote enormous time and resources to identifying and arresting major drug traffickers. On the other hand, the county funds a Harm Reduction Health Center that distributes drug paraphernalia and instructions to people actively using illegal drugs.

Making drug use easier inevitably increases demand for dealers willing to supply those drugs.

Summer in Clallam County

Summer brings beautiful weather, packed parks, and thousands of visitors. It also brings renewed public debate over visible homelessness, open-air drug use, encampments, and public safety in community spaces.

The PDC Complaint Continues

In the wake of a complaint from Paul Pickett seeking an additional $50,000 in fines against the Jake Seegers campaign, Public Disclosure Commission staff have requested that Clallam County Watchdog begin placing the disclaimer, “This content paid for (or sponsored) by Jake Seegers for Commissioner,” on all content mentioning Jake Seegers.

CC Watchdog will not do so because the statement is false. The campaign has never paid CC Watchdog to publish content, CC Watchdog generates no income, and placing a “paid for” disclaimer on unpaid content would itself be misleading.

A recent Nextdoor post illustrates the concern: “Tozzer is getting paid to write favorable stories for Seegers.”

That isn’t true. The amount the campaign has paid me to publish Jake’s articles is the same amount it has paid me to serve as campaign manager, the same amount CC Watchdog has earned, and the same amount it costs to operate CC Watchdog:

Zero.

A Conversation About Civility

Indivisible describes itself as:

“A grassroots group of neighbors, activists, and everyday citizens committed to defending democracy and building a more just, inclusive, and equitable future...”

Recently, however, one social media comment directed at county commissioner candidate Jake Seegers read:

“What kind of human garbage can picture his child this way in order to earn votes from trashy people...?”

Political disagreements are inevitable. Personal attacks like these raise broader questions about the tone of local civic discourse—and whether our community is becoming less willing to disagree respectfully.

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Starting Clallam County Watchdog changed more than my daily routine. It changed decades-old friendships. I want to share with you what it feels like to express unpopular opinions and see lifelong friends quietly drift away—and why, despite the cost, I wouldn’t go back.

“I Feel Sorry for You”

Doug and I had an intersting conversation as we drove home from an event in Port Angeles last year.

It had been one of those evenings where you reconnect with people you’ve known for decades. There had been laughter, hugs, stories, and conversations about everything from old memories to local politics. On the surface, it had been a wonderful night.

But something felt different.

“Did you hug her too?” Doug asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “It felt like she didn’t really want to.”

It wasn’t just one awkward hug.

Some people had been genuinely excited to talk about CC Watchdog, property taxes, and representation in local government. Others had been almost overly friendly before making a point of avoiding us for the rest of the evening. Nobody said anything rude. It was simply... different.

Like always, we replayed the evening during the drive home. Then Doug said something I’ve thought about ever since.

“I feel sorry for you.”

“Why?”

He explained that many young gay people spend months—or even years—wondering what will happen when the people they love discover who they really are. Will their family still accept them? Will lifelong friends still treat them the same? Will they lose people they care about?

That fear of rejection weighs heavily on a lot of people. I told him I’d never experienced that. I was fortunate. My family loved me. My friends loved me. My hometown loved me. I never doubted any of it.

Doug nodded.

“Exactly,” he said. “You’re going through that now.”

I looked at him, confused.

“You’re not telling people you’re gay,” he said. “You’re telling them your opinions. And just like those young people wonder who will still accept them afterward, you’re finding out who still accepts you after they know where you stand.”

I didn’t fully understand what he meant that night.

I do now.

The First Crack

The first hint came in late 2024.

CC Watchdog had been around for about a year. Towne Road was still a major issue, but I had also begun researching the Dungeness Off-Channel Reservoir, Steve Tharinger’s seeming favoritism toward a particular local tribe, and how the county’s second-largest employer could promote environmental stewardship while grading over wetlands to expand its driving range.

Then, out of the blue, I received an email from someone I’d known most of my life.

“Hi Jeff,

I’ve been reading some of your stuff and you make some good points but some of your writings make me think you may be a trumper. Are you a trumper?”

I simply replied that I wasn’t. But the question lingered. This was someone who had attended my mother’s memorial service. Someone who had comforted me during one of the hardest periods of my life. Yet somehow, after decades of friendship, the question that now seemed to define me was whether I belonged to a particular political tribe.

Months later, another email arrived.

“Hi Jeff,

During the last 4 social gatherings I’ve been part of, your name has come up. You are getting quite a reputation—a reputation for being mean-spirited, nasty and racist. I’m tired of coming to your defense and explaining that you are a nice, intelligent person who has sent [name redacted] and I many thoughtful and clever cards and spent nights at our house when you were younger. You have some legitimate concerns and make some valid points, but what do you expect to accomplish by alienating good people?”

Reading it, I realized something. The friendship had already changed.

I wasn’t interested in debating him or convincing him otherwise. In an odd way, the email was a gift. It clarified where we stood.

When History Isn’t Enough

More conversations followed over the next two years.

Different people.
Different wording.
The same theme.

People I’d known for decades suddenly felt compelled to explain why they were disappointed in me, saddened by me, or embarrassed by what I had become.

Eventually, I stopped trying to preserve friendships simply because they had existed for a long time. Instead, I chose to appreciate them for what they had been.

History doesn’t have to be rewritten simply because the present has changed.

Losing Old Friends, Finding New Ones

At the same time, my own life was changing.

CC Watchdog became a daily commitment. I was writing articles, recording podcasts, attending public meetings, filing public records requests, and meeting people from every corner of Clallam County. Ironically, as some old friendships quietly faded, entirely new ones formed.

People I’d never met before became trusted friends. People I’d known my entire life slowly disappeared.

Looking back, I’m okay with that.

I’ve never been a fan of fair-weather friendships. If expressing honest opinions causes someone to walk away, perhaps the friendship wasn’t as unconditional as I believed.

The Goodbye That Hurt

One hard moment came while saying goodbye to a mutual friend who was nearing the end of her life. Several of us gathered around her bed, laughing, crying, sharing stories, and telling her it was okay to let go. We’d see her again someday.

As we left, I hugged another longtime friend. To me, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Then came the Facebook message.

“I have been perplexed and sad to see your gift for writing and your quick wit turn into a forum for inuendo, hate, prejudice and personal attack. I obviously did not know this part of you.

I discontinued receiving the CCWD online, but it still shows up because we are Facebook friends.

I remember seeing you in Costco when the Towne Road issue was beginning and we understood your position. I said that I hoped all this involvement wouldn’t take away from the novel you were working on, and you said, ‘This is a lot more fun!’ I think back on this meeting and can’t believe this is the ‘fun’ you intended.

I will always remember when your Mom told us she was expecting you. She was sitting on the steps in the back room of Fawnie’s flower shop! ...

Anyway, I’m going to the ‘unfriend’ route because I don’t seem to be able to scroll by these posts without reading them. I am sad these days and they make me feel sadder.

Be well, Jeff.”

She could have unfollowed my page.
She could have hidden my posts.
Instead, she chose to end the friendship.

Not because she disagreed with me. But because after knowing each other for my entire life, disagreement had become more important than everything we’d shared before it.

No More Awkward Hugs

The last example happened recently.

I ran into another longtime friend while grocery shopping. Last year, she’d been critical of my work on the Charter Review Commission, but we’d talked through it.

Then life took an unexpected turn.

Commissioner Jim Stoffer’s actions ultimately led to me losing a volunteer position that had been one of the most meaningful parts of my life. His actions forced me out of my childhood church.

It was one of the lowest points I’d experienced since starting CC Watchdog.

During that time, I wondered if this friend might reach out. She knew how important that volunteer work had been to me.

But she didn’t. That was her choice, and I respected it.

When we bumped into each other at the grocery store, we smiled and said hello. No awkward hug this time. Partly because I happened to be carrying a fifty-pound bag of animal feed.

When I got home, there was an email waiting.

“Hi Jeff. I had an afterthought while heading home and just didn’t figure it out until then.

I wish I would have given you a hug when I saw you, but to be truthful I would have had to also tell you how it saddens me to watch how you are encouraging the division of our community, and I wonder, to what end. Very sad.”

I appreciated her honesty. But I also realized something.

I no longer needed the hugs.

The Pattern I Couldn’t Ignore

Looking back over the past two and a half years, four people have taken the time to explain why they no longer viewed me the same way.

All four are people I’ve known for most of my life.

All four are active in organizations like Indivisible, the Clallam County Democrats, the League of Women Voters—or some combination of the three.

I’m not suggesting everyone in those organizations thinks alike. Many don’t. But I couldn’t ignore the pattern. The irony wasn’t lost on me.

The people who most often spoke about inclusion and tolerance sometimes seem the least willing to include and tolerate someone whose opinions differed from their own.

What I Gained

Do I regret starting Clallam County Watchdog? Not for a second.

Towne Road reopened.
Stories that otherwise might never have been told became public.
I’ve met remarkable people across this county.
I’ve made friendships that I expect will last the rest of my life.
We replaced Austin’s stolen bike.
Mary Bickar has been sober for over three months.

Most importantly, I’ve learned something I probably should have understood years ago.

Real friendship isn’t tested when everyone agrees. It’s tested when they don’t. Some friendships passed that test. Some didn’t.

Doug was right. I wasn’t discovering whether people accepted me for who I was. I was discovering whether they accepted me when they knew exactly what I believed. Those are two very different things.

Today, I don’t feel angry.
I don’t feel like a victim.
If anything, I feel fortunate.

Fortunate for the friends who stayed.
Fortunate for the new friends I’ve made.

And grateful that, after two and a half years, I finally know the difference between friends who love me and friends who simply agreed with me.

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Suspected drug dealers arrested outside the county’s Health and Human Services building. A former Port Angeles family explains why they moved to Idaho. A local steakhouse closes its doors temporarily. A new housing policy in Snohomish County challenges the low-barrier model. Plus debate videos, public safety concerns, and a question many voters are asking this Social Media Saturday: is there a better way to campaign?

Drug Bust Outside County Health Building

Last week, Social Media Saturday featured reports from residents about a blue Dodge Durango that appeared to be attracting frequent short-stay traffic consistent with drug activity.

Just days later, the PAPD and Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET) announced the arrest of a suspected street-level drug dealer after conducting surveillance on that same vehicle in downtown Port Angeles.

According to OPNET, detectives observed activity consistent with drug sales and coordinated with law enforcement partners to stop a suspected buyer. The operation ultimately led to the arrest of 44-year-old Daun Layton and 52-year-old Dennis Tierney on allegations of delivery of a controlled substance and the seizure of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, scales, methadone, weapons, police scanners, and other items commonly associated with narcotics trafficking.

One detail that caught the attention of many residents: the arrest occurred directly in front of Clallam County’s Health and Human Services building, the same department that oversees the county’s harm-reduction program, which distributes supplies such as meth pipes, crack pipe cleaning kits, foil, and other materials that encourage drug consumption.

Also visible in the background of the photos was the Clallam County Courthouse.

Both suspects have since been released pending further court proceedings.

“We Wanted Out”

Journalist Brandi Kruse recently released a series featuring Washington families who relocated to Idaho. One interview featured Tyler, a former Port Angeles resident and military veteran who described why he and his family decided to leave the Olympic Peninsula.

Tyler told Kruse that increasing drug activity, theft, public disorder, and what he viewed as ineffective law enforcement convinced his family to move. He contrasted Port Angeles with what he experienced in Coeur d’Alene, saying the visible absence of tents, RVs, needles, and open drug use immediately stood out to his family.

Whether residents agree with his assessment or not, the interview offers an unfiltered perspective from a former local resident who felt conditions had deteriorated enough to move his family across state lines. Tyler said he knew of six other Clallam County families who had also moved.

Let the Expansion Begin

With the recent levy now approved, the North Olympic Library System can turn its attention back to core priorities—like hiring a Marketing & Communications Manager.

Crazy Harry’s Hits Pause

Sequim steakhouse Crazy Harry’s announced it will temporarily close its doors.

Running a restaurant has never been easy. Thin margins, rising labor costs, food inflation, insurance expenses, and regulatory requirements make survival difficult even in good times.

Now imagine competing against a restaurant backed by a corporation generating more than $100 million annually in revenue. Imagine competing against a business that doesn’t pay property taxes on trust land, doesn’t pay state business and occupation taxes, and has access to resources and capital far beyond what most local family-owned restaurants could ever hope to obtain.

That is the reality facing many private businesses in Clallam County.

Another Democratic Debate Online

The Clallam County Democrats have posted video from their Legislative District 24 Position 2 candidate forum.

The debate features Bradley Callaway, Patrick DePoe, Mark Hodgson, Marcia Kelbon, and Kaylee Kuehn discussing issues ranging from housing and public safety to state policy and economic development.

For voters still getting acquainted with the candidates, it provides an opportunity to hear directly from each participant before ballots arrive next month.

Indivisible to Host Another “Public” Meeting

After advertising a meeting as open to the public and then calling police when members of the public attempted to attend, Indivisible is inviting residents to another public event focused on “Meaningful Conversations.”

The group’s next gathering is scheduled for July 11 at the Sequim Library and is being promoted as an opportunity for community discussion and civic engagement.

Millions Available for (Some) New Recreation Projects

While Olympic National Park visitors are still waiting for Olympic Hot Springs Road to reopen and Hurricane Ridge Lodge to be rebuilt, a new federal funding opportunity is opening up for tribes nationwide.

Under the EXPLORE Act, federally recognized tribes can now apply directly for outdoor recreation grants ranging from $300,000 to $15 million for parks, trails, cultural spaces, and recreation facilities.

It’s another reminder that while new recreation projects continue to receive funding, the Olympic Peninsula is still waiting on progress for two of its most beloved destinations. Years after the road closure and three years after the lodge fire, many locals are wondering when restoring access and rebuilding existing infrastructure will become a priority.

Redefining Common Courtesy

Indivisible Sequim is protesting for common courtesy.

Snohomish County Changes Course on Housing

The Snohomish County Council voted 3-2 this month to adopt a new housing funding policy that could have implications far beyond county lines.

The ordinance prohibits county housing funds from prioritizing “low-barrier” housing models and prevents providers from being penalized for requiring sobriety, treatment participation, counseling, or drug testing.

Supporters argue the measure restores balance and allows recovery-focused housing providers to compete on equal footing.

While the ordinance applies only to Snohomish County, the debate mirrors many of the same discussions taking place in Clallam County about harm reduction, Peninsula Behavioral Health’s North View luxury homeless housing complex, recovery, accountability, and how public dollars should be spent.

Is Port Angeles Still Safe?

A local social media post generated significant discussion this week after a mother described being repeatedly approached by a woman seeking money. The resident reported encounters at a gas station and grocery store parking lot and said she felt unsafe when strangers came within arm’s reach of her children.

The post sparked comments from residents debating whether public safety and quality-of-life conditions have changed in recent years. The discussion comes as County Commissioner candidate Jake Seegers continues to make public safety a central issue in his campaign.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Mike French has publicly argued that Clallam County remains as safe as it was several years ago, highlighting a growing divide in how residents and local leaders view conditions on the ground.

A Different Way to Campaign?

With more than four months remaining until Election Day, some voters are already expressing fatigue with the increasingly divisive tone of local politics. One resident posed a simple question: Is there a way to support a candidate without attacking their opponent?

It’s a fair point.

Campaigns inevitably involve disagreements, criticism, and competing visions for the future. But many voters say they would like to hear more about what supporters like about their candidate, opposed to what they dislike about a challenger.

For supporters of Commissioner Mike French, that means highlighting his record from the past three and a half years as county commissioner and his previous five years on the Port Angeles City Council.

From the Police Scanner

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If you want to know how one influential Democratic Party leader viewed Monday’s commissioner debate, look no further than Tim Wheeler’s post-debate recap. The Clallam Democrats’ trustee portrays Mike French as the clear choice while describing Jake Seegers, Clallam County Watchdog, and their supporters in blistering terms. The debate video is now public, giving voters the opportunity to judge both the candidates—and Wheeler’s commentary—for themselves.

The Clallam County Democrats have published video of last week’s County Commissioner debate between incumbent Mike French and challenger Jake Seegers.

For those who don’t have time to watch the entire event, Clallam County Democrats trustee Tim Wheeler has already published his own detailed account of what transpired.

Wheeler is not simply an attendee. He serves as a trustee of the Clallam County Democrats, the organization that hosted the debate.

He has also publicly identified himself as a communist on numerous occasions and has been active in local political organizing for years.

His summary provides an interesting opportunity for voters: they can compare Wheeler’s written account with the actual debate footage and decide for themselves whether the two align.

French and Seegers Through Wheeler’s Eyes

Wheeler opens his article by describing what he sees as the defining contrast between the candidates.

According to Wheeler, Seegers’ top priority is “Public Safety,” which Wheeler characterizes as stronger law enforcement, more police officers, and longer jail stays for offenders.

French, Wheeler writes, identified economic development as his top priority, emphasizing jobs, housing affordability, and treatment options for those struggling with addiction.

Wheeler writes:

“Think about it. Seegers’ priority: ‘Public Safety,’ tougher law enforcement, more police. French’s priority: ‘Economic Development,’ more living wage jobs, more affordable housing. What a sharp contrast!”

Wheeler also notes that French defended medication-assisted treatment programs and praised the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Healing Campus in Sequim.

From Debate Summary to Political Commentary

As Wheeler’s article continues, it shifts from describing the debate to offering his own opinions about the candidates and their supporters.

Discussing homelessness, Wheeler writes that Seegers believes Clallam County has become a destination for homeless individuals because of the services offered here.

Wheeler contrasts that with French’s comments about Seattle, describing Seattle as:

“a great city, growing, a center for the arts and culture and economic innovation, with millions of intelligent, caring, hardworking residents.”

The article then moves beyond the candidates’ answers and into broader political commentary.

Wheeler describes Save Our Sequim activists as “hateful fearmongers” and refers to Clallam County Watchdog as the “offspring” of that movement.

Later, he writes:

“Seegers, Tozzer, and a handful of Clallam Watchdog cultists attend every Clallam County Commissioners meeting...”

He continues to characterize Clallam County Watchdog as a “cult,” accuses participants of engaging in intimidation and slander, and compares the movement to MAGA politics.

Allegations Beyond the Debate Stage

Much of Wheeler’s article focuses on subjects that were not central to the debate itself.

He discusses Seegers’ family foundation, donations, real estate interests, business activities, and alleged conflicts of interest.

He also asserts that these relationships are not properly disclosed and raises questions about transparency.

Whether readers agree with Wheeler’s conclusions or not, these sections read less as a summary of the debate and more as a broader political critique of the candidate.

A Trustee’s Perspective

One aspect of Wheeler’s article that readers may find noteworthy is his position within the organization that hosted the event.

As a trustee of the Clallam County Democrats, Wheeler is not an independent journalist or neutral observer. He is an elected leader within the local Democratic Party structure.

His article concludes with an explicit appeal to voters:

“VOTE DEMOCRAT! REJECT THE MAGAs, the Christian Nationalists, the hatemongers!”

That closing statement leaves little doubt about where Wheeler stands politically or which candidate he hopes voters will support.

Seegers’ Response

Following the debate, Seegers struck a different tone.

He thanked the Clallam County Democrats for hosting the event and said:

“The questions were thoughtful, the conversation was respectful, and we all had the opportunity to hear different perspectives.”

Seegers also emphasized the importance of finding common ground and working together despite political differences.

Watch and Decide

The debate is now available for anyone to watch.

Rather than relying on summaries from campaign supporters, party officials, political activists, or even CC Watchdog, voters can review the discussion themselves and draw their own conclusions.

After all, the debate was recorded. The candidates’ answers are available. The question is not what Tim Wheeler thought happened.

The question is what actually happened.

Today’s Tidbit: Serious Allegations, No Evidence

Just days after hosting what they described as a successful commissioner candidate forum with a standing-room-only crowd and more than 100 attendees on Zoom, the Clallam County Democrats distributed a very different message to their members.

In a newsletter, the organization celebrated the French-Seegers debate before sharing a statement from an unnamed source concerning County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry:

“Tozzer and Seegers are personally intimidating and threatening and harassing her regularly, along with their little brigade. Evidence is available on recordings of BOH and Commissioner meetings.”

Those are not minor accusations. They are allegations of intimidation, threats, and harassment directed at two individuals actively participating in local politics.

After receiving the email, I wrote to Democratic Party Chair Ellen Menshew thanking her for hosting the debate and requesting clarification. Specifically, I asked for examples of conduct by either Jake Seegers or myself that constituted intimidation, threats, or harassment, and requested identification of the Board of Health or County Commissioner meetings where this alleged conduct occurred.

The request was straightforward: if evidence exists, provide it.

As of this writing, no response has been received.

Public officials are routinely questioned, criticized, challenged, and held accountable by members of the public. That is a normal and healthy part of representative government. Accusing citizens of intimidation, threats, and harassment is something entirely different. Such allegations should be supported by specific facts, not anonymous assertions circulated in a political newsletter.

The question remains unanswered: What exactly did Jake or I say or do that rises to the level of intimidation, threats, or harassment? The lack of specifics is important because claims like this aren't new. Similar allegations about Dr. Berry being threatened, intimidated, or harassed have been made for years.

After years of contentious public meetings, it is fair to ask where the line is between actual harassment and citizens asking tough questions, requesting records, challenging public policy, and criticizing the actions of public officials. If recordings exist showing threats or intimidation, they should be easy to identify and produce.

Until then, readers can draw their own conclusions.

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A barn dance, a candidate billed as “our conservation candidate,” questions about suspected drug activity near county offices, and a reminder from Indivisible to tone down profane protest signs. Meanwhile, county health officials are promoting life-jacket safety while continuing to distribute drug-use supplies, and Jefferson County commissioners are revisiting a controversial wildlife refuge proposal. Here’s a quick look at what people are talking about this Social Media Saturday.

Barn Dance Tonight

Looking for something wholesome to do tonight? A community barn dance is being held in Sequim, offering an evening of music, dancing, and old-fashioned fun.

Life Jackets Good, Boofing Kits Better?

Clallam County’s Public Health Department is reminding residents that wearing a properly fitted life jacket while boating can save lives—and that failing to do so could result in fines.

The message is hard to miss coming from the same department that distributes needles, meth pipes, foil, crack-pipe cleaning kits, and boofing kits as part of its harm-reduction efforts.

Apparently some risky behaviors warrant government intervention, while others warrant government supplies.

Hurricane Ridge: Still Waiting

The National Park Service is accepting applications through its Tribal Heritage Grants Program to preserve oral histories, cultural traditions, sacred places, and historic sites.

Meanwhile, more than three years after the iconic Hurricane Ridge Lodge burned to the ground, there is still no replacement structure under construction.

For generations of local families, Hurricane Ridge wasn’t just a building. It was part of the area’s shared heritage, a tourism draw, and a place where countless memories were made. Yet while millions of dollars are available for preserving some forms of heritage, one of the region’s most recognizable landmarks remains a pile of rubble.

“Our Conservation Candidate”

Wendy Rae Johnson, auditor for the Clallam Conservation District, will soon host a meet-and-greet for State House candidate Kaylee Kuehn.

The invitation encouraged attendees to come meet “our conservation candidate.”

That wording has raised eyebrows among some residents, who wonder whether a public official associated with the Clallam Conservation District should describe a political candidate as “our conservation candidate.” Perhaps Johnson was acting in her personal capacity rather than on behalf of the district.

Regardless, the phrasing has created confusion.

Suspected Drug Activity Near County Offices

Port Angeles resident David Rogers reports that he has repeatedly observed the same vehicle parked at various locations around town, often with individuals approaching and leaving after only brief interactions.

“I have reason to believe this vehicle may be involved in drug distribution,” Rogers wrote.

According to Rogers, the vehicle is frequently seen parked across from the county’s Health and Human Services building. He advises residents not to approach the vehicle and instead report suspicious activity directly to law enforcement.

Refuge Transfer Letter Gets Reworked

According to the Port Townsend and Jefferson County Leader, Jefferson County commissioners are revising a draft letter regarding the proposed transfer of two wildlife refuges to the Jamestown Corporation.

The proposal has generated significant debate throughout both counties, with supporters and opponents continuing to argue over questions of local control, conservation, and long-term management of public lands.

Shhh... This Public Meeting Was Private

NOLS weighed in on this week’s library controversy, explaining that the Indivisible meeting was a paid room reservation and therefore could legally exclude members of the public. The explanation answered one of the biggest questions raised by the incident, but not all of them.

Questions remain about how the event was advertised, whether attendees had reason to believe it was open to the public, and why police were called. One thing is certain: the library’s meeting room policy is getting far more attention than Summer Reading.

Indivisible Members Told to Clean Up the Signs

Jim Stoffer, Indivisible Sequim’s Director of Safety, circulated a message to members this week after concerns were raised about protest signs displayed during Friday demonstrations in downtown Sequim.

According to the message, a community member reported seeing signs containing profanity, middle-finger imagery, and even nooses depicting the hanging of political opponents.

Stoffer shared the concern with members and concluded his message with a reminder to “be better than the Watchdog Club.”

From the Scanner

The following is a republication from an article published May 12th of this year:

How Many Chances Does One Person Get?

Sunday brought a fire scare to Port Angeles — this time at the Fairmount Restaurant, where emergency crews responded to a reported burn complaint and possible arson investigation involving David Waddell, according to scanner traffic.

If that name sounds familiar, it should.

Because for years, Waddell has repeatedly appeared in scanner reports, police incidents, fire calls, and public disturbances throughout Clallam County — while local taxpayers continue footing the bill for the endless cycle of emergency response, law enforcement, cleanup, and public safety risks.

According to public scanner reports and incident logs:

• March 16, 2022: An RV being used as Waddell’s residence exploded into flames near the old Humane Society property on Highway 101. Fire crews reported propane cylinders inside the RV, nearby structures threatened by the fire, and a major emergency response. The RV was a total loss.

• April 23, 2022: Scanner traffic reported Waddell allegedly attempting to burn a gate using a propane tank and blow torch.

• May 14, 2022: Waddell was reportedly associated with suspicious or possible drug activity at IGS while also carrying a misdemeanor DUI warrant.

• September 25, 2022: Scanner reports again referenced suspicious activity involving property connected to Waddell near the old Humane Society site.

• March 13, 2023: Scanner traffic indicated Waddell had a DUI warrant with bail reportedly set at $80,000.

• November 30, 2025: Scanner reports described Waddell allegedly outside screaming in the street after reportedly earlier being naked in public.

• January 2026: Scanner traffic referenced a California warrant for possession of dangerous drugs and identified Waddell as a convicted felon with prior DOC involvement.

• And now Sunday, 2026: another fire-related emergency response tied to Waddell.

At what point does the public get to ask whether this revolving-door system is actually compassionate — or simply enabling chaos?

Residents are constantly told Clallam County needs more money, more services, more harm reduction, more housing programs, more outreach teams, and more “resources.” Meanwhile, ordinary taxpayers watch the same names appear over and over in fires, warrants, disturbances, drug incidents, EMS calls, and law enforcement contacts.

And while working families struggle with inflation, housing costs, and public safety concerns, local government continues expanding programs that hand out free drug paraphernalia, including crack pipes and smoking supplies, under the banner of “harm reduction.”

The uncomfortable question many residents are asking is simple:

How many public resources should one chronically destructive individual be allowed to consume before accountability finally enters the conversation?

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Debate Details Here

Social Media Saturday is back, and this week’s roundup touches on everything from pool safety and homelessness to Pride Month events, local politics, nonprofit salaries, and public accountability.

Pool Voucher Debate Takes Another Turn

Controversy continues over the William Shore Memorial Pool’s decision to reinstate free shower vouchers for homeless drug users, a program supported unanimously by Pool Board members County Commissioner Mike French, County Commissioner Randy Johnson, Port Angeles City Councilmembers Mark Hodgson and LaTrisha Suggs, and community representative Greg Shield.

During the board’s discussion, supporters argued there had been no documented incidents associated with the program. However, this week, a local mother reported that her child found a fentanyl patch in a family changing room at the facility.

Whether related or unrelated to the voucher program, the report is certain to add fuel to an already heated public debate.

A Snapshot of Downtown Reality

Last Sunday offered beautiful weather in Port Angeles, but one photograph taken between the Dream Playground and Civic Field captured a different reality: an individual sleeping on the sidewalk next to an overflowing shopping cart packed with personal belongings.

As discussions continue about homelessness, public safety, and the use of public spaces, scenes like this remain common throughout the city.

Indivisible Port Angeles Meeting Scheduled

Indivisible Port Angeles will hold a meeting Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Port Angeles Library, and the public is welcome. Interest appears to be growing, with four residents discussing attendance and at least one participant already confirmed.

Library Celebrates Pride Month

The North Olympic Library System is ramping up its Pride Month programming.

On Sunday, the NOLS Bookmobile will attend the SisterLand Farms Pride Picnic at B&B Family Farm Lavender Barn in Sequim. Event organizers describe the gathering as a call for community involvement, activism, volunteerism, mutual aid, and a chance to learn about harm reduction.

Promotional materials for the event include books such as Palestine: A Socialist Introduction, Boycott Divestment Sanctions, and Uncivil Rites.

With the library levy now approved and property taxes set to rise, the library can continue expanding essential programs and community partnerships such as these. Residents who wish to share feedback with the library may contact the Library Board, which is appointed by the county commissioners, at LibraryBoard@nols.org or Executive Director Noah Glaude at Director@nols.org.

New County Appointee Speaks Out

Rae Hesselbach, recently appointed to Clallam County’s Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee, used social media this week to encourage support for LGBTQ individuals and to highlight concerns about discrimination.

Last month, Hesselbach stated that “the wealthiest white men are a greater threat to safety than the unhoused.”

Buckle up. June is just getting started, which means another month of diversity trainings, inclusion messaging, Pride celebrations, and reminders about who needs to be more accepting of whom.

Questions Continue in ‘Sun Drop Murderer’ Case

Community reaction continues following revelations that the alleged “Sun Drop Murderer” lived in Port Angeles for more than a decade despite hundreds of documented law enforcement contacts.

One social media commenter claimed that “Serenity House has been housing him for years,” adding to ongoing questions about homelessness services, public safety, and accountability.

Public Spaces and Tourism

Commissioner Mike French stated that reclaiming public spaces ultimately falls to the public itself. Commissioner Randy Johnson has pointed to tariffs and economic conditions as factors affecting tourism from Canada.

Others are asking a different question: Could visible homelessness, open-air drug use, and deteriorating public spaces also be affecting the visitor experience?

For many travelers arriving from Victoria, downtown Port Angeles serves as their first impression of Clallam County. Is it a good impression?

United Way Unveils New Headshots

The United Way of Clallam County recently released new staff photographs highlighting the organization’s leadership team.

According to publicly available nonprofit filings, executive compensation was reported at approximately $143,000.

The figure has sparked discussion among some residents who note it exceeds Clallam County’s median household income by more than double.

Calico Cat Club Announces Second Town Hall

Following a well-attended community forum, the Calico Cat Club has scheduled a second town hall focused on issues affecting residents west of Port Angeles.

Confirmed participants include Clallam County Prosecutor Mark Nichols and Sheriff Brian King.

Commissioner Mike French has cited a scheduling conflict. Commissioner Randy Johnson has not responded. Commissioner Mark Ozias has refused to participate in forums unless they are facilitated by the League of Women Voters or local chambers of commerce.

The event will be held on Thursday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the Dry Creek Grange, 3520 Edgewood Drive, Port Angeles.

From the Scanner