NEWS BRIEFS — Hearing delayed to May 20 in Port Angeles bulldozer case . . . and other items

PORT ANGELES — A hearing to set a trial date for a Port Angeles man accused of destroying homes and property with logging bulldozer nearly a year ago has been pushed back to May 20.

A jury trial date for Barry A. Swegle, 52, is expected to be set during a Clallam County Superior Court hearing at 9 a.m., according to Superior Court officials.

The date was pushed back from Wednesday because Superior Court Judge George Wood was unavailable, according to a representative of the office of Karen Unger, Swegle’s attorney.

Swegle stands accused of destroying or damaging four homes, a tractor, a boat, a pickup truck, a power pole and multiple outbuildings in a Gales Addition neighborhood with his logging bulldozer May 10.

He is charged with one count of first-degree assault with a deadly weapon and four counts each of first-degree malicious mischief and first-degree burglary with a deadly weapon — “to wit, a bulldozer.”

Album release

SEQUIM — Singer-songwriter Jen Haugland will celebrate the release of her new album, “Where I Am,” with a concert at Sequim Community Church, 950 N. Fifth Ave., this Friday night.

Admission is a suggested $5 donation for the 7 p.m. performance, in which Haugland will play with a band of local musicians: Dillan Witherow, Jason Taylor, Jonathan Simonson, Kirk Thomas, Mike Madison and Steven Mangiameli.

Tom Taylor, also a singer-songwriter, will open the show.

To find out more about Haugland’s album, produced with Eric Copeland of Creative Soul Records in Nashville, visit www.JenHaugland.com.

Concert fundraiser

SEQUIM — A classic rock concert at 7 p.m. Saturday will raise funds for a mission trip to Mozambique.

Bright Red will perform songs from the Beatles, Beach Boys, Styx, Journey and others at Dungeness Community Church, 45 Eberle Lane.

Suggested donations are $10 for adults and $5 for children and students. The maximum donation per family is $20.

Six people from the church — Mark and Kelly Holloway, Regina Gilstrom, David Piper and Darren and Sherilyn Sweeney — are planning a 2½-week mission trip in October to work with disabled and poor children in Mozambique.

“We will be supporting Larry and Susan Weil while we are there as they are permanent missionaries in Mozambique,” Darren Sweeney said.

Bright Red is made up of Jerry, Joey and Matt Roberts, a father and his sons from Port Angeles who now live in the Seattle area.

For more information, phone the church at 360-683-7333 or Darren Sweeney at 360-912-2300.

Birders invited to spring field trip

CHIMACUM — A spring birding field trip will be held at Anderson Lake State Park, 1061 Anderson Lake Road, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, May 16.

The cost is free.

Birders David Beatty, Dave Rugh and Rod Mitchell will host a morning rendezvous with migratory birds and local avian residents.

Trail shoes are suggested.

To pre-register, visit www.tinyurl.com/ALPs2014Spring.

Fellowship felting

PORT TOWNSEND — A felting workshop, “How We FELT Together,” will be held at Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2333 San Juan Ave., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 17.

Admission is free.

In this workshop, participants will work together to create a felt project for use and display at the fellowship.

No experience is necessary.

Register at www.tinyurl.com/ALPs2014Spring.

For more information, phone Laurie Stuart at 845-701-9127 or email intern@quuf.org.

TAFY fundraisers

PORT ANGELES — The Answer for Youth (TAFY) will be selling local cedar handmade flower boxes at Phoenix Dragon Martial Arts, 1025 E. First St., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday as part of its ongoing fundraising efforts.

The TAFY crew also will offer car washes at Angeles Pawn, 619 E. First St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

TAFY is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) volunteer-based organization that assists at-risk and homeless youths.

The center is located at 711 E. First St.

Garden books

SEQUIM — The Friends of Sequim Library will hold their monthly book sale at the Friends building behind the library, 630 N. Sequim Ave., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Items of special interest include several hundred gardening books, many of them written specifically for the Pacific Northwest climate.

Also available are garden design books; how to construct ponds, waterfalls, gazebos and patios; and more.

Proceeds of the sale fund programs at the library.

Natural medicine

SEQUIM — Kevin Conroy, a naturopathic doctor, will present a free WOW! Working on Wellness forum, “Natural Medicine Approach to Parkinson’s Disease,” at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave., at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The forum is free and open to the public.

In his presentation, Conroy will describe symptoms, diagnoses and pathology for Parkinson’s disease.

He will offer a therapeutic approach for the disease, including prevention, conventional Western treatments, lifestyle, nutrients, botanicals and other nonpharmacological therapies that have demonstrated efficacy in care.

Sea chantey circle

PORT TOWNSEND — Wayne Palsson will lead the next Sea Shanty Maritime Song Circle at the Northwest Maritime Center, 431 Water St., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Palsson hosts the Seattle Shanty Sing every month for Northwest Seaport.

Read more about Palsson at www.nwseaport.org.

Peninsula Paddlers

PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Peninsula Paddlers will meet at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Dungeness River Audubon Center will give a presentation on local waterfowl recognition.

The society requests voluntary donations from the audience to support the work of the nonprofit organization.

The general public is invited to attend.

For more information, visit www.olympicpeninsulapaddlers.com.

Kids music on tap

Children’s music performer Eric Herman will visit the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave., and the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St., on Wednesday.

The Sequim performance is at 10:30 a.m., and the Port Angeles performance is at 6:30 p.m.

Herman’s videos, led by the viral hit “The Elephant Song,” have become popular online.

He brings comedy, creativity, audience participation and fun songs to his shows for parents and their kids, according to a news release.

For information, phone the Port Angeles Library at 360-417-8500, ext. 7705, or the Sequim Library at 360-683-1161; email youth@nols.org; or visit www.nols.org.

More in News

No refunds issued for Fort Worden guests

Remaining hospitality assets directed by lender

Community survey available for school superintendent search

The Port Angeles School District Board of Directors is… Continue reading

Report: No charges in fatal shooting

Prosecutor: Officers acted appropriately

A group demonstrates in front of the Clallam County Courthouse on Lincoln Street in Port Angeles on Monday. The event, sponsored by the Clallam Palestine Action Group, was set on Martin Luther King Jr. day for a national mobilization for peace and justice, according to a press release. They were to focus on workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights, environmental justice and a free Palestine. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
‘Peace and justice’

A group demonstrates in front of the Clallam County Courthouse on Lincoln… Continue reading

Timeline set for Port Angeles School District search

Board expects to name leader in March

Gesturing toward the Olympic Mountains, Erik Kingfisher of Jefferson Land Trust leads a site tour with project architect Richard Berg and Olympic Housing Trust board trustee Kristina Stimson. (Olympic Housing Trust)
Jefferson Land Trust secures housing grant from Commerce

Partner agency now developing plans for affordable homes

Chaplain Kathi Gregoire poses with Scout, her 4-year-old mixed breed dog. Scout is training to be a therapy dog to join Gregoire on future community calls with either the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office or the Washington State Patrol. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)
Clallam County chaplain adding K9 to team

Volunteer duo working to become certified

Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News
About 700 participants took part in the 2025 People's March on Saturday in Port Townsend.The march went from the Quimper Mercantile parking lot to Pope Marine Park, a distance of 5 blocks. Formerly known as the Women's March, the name was changed this year to the People's March in order to be more inclusive.
People’s March in Port Townsend

About 700 participants took part in the 2025 People’s March on Saturday… Continue reading

Due to Helen Haller Elementary’s age, antiquated equipment, limited amenities, such as bathrooms, costs for renovation and many other factors, Sequim School District leaders are proposing a new elementary school as part of the Feb. 11 construction bond. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim school bond aims to address safety

Special election ballots mailed Wednesday

Clallam County Fire District 3 firefighters look to contain a fire in 2024. Calls for fires were down last year, but general calls for service were up from 2023. (Beau Sylte/Clallam County Fire District 3)
Fire districts in Sequim, Port Angeles see record numbers in 2024

Departments adding staff, focusing on connecting patients to resources

Rod Dirks enjoys affection from his 2-year-old daughter Maeli, who expresses confidence that doctors will heal her dad’s cancer. (Emily Matthiessen/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim man fighting rare form of cancer

Family faces uncertainty buoyed by community support

Ballots to be mailed Wednesday for special election

Four school districts put forward measures