NEWS BRIEFS: Court date set in animal cruelty case near Sequim . . . and other items

Published 12:01 am Saturday, July 18, 2015

SEQUIM — A court date has been set for a Sequim man facing misdemeanor animal cruelty charges.

On Tuesday, Clallam County District Court issued a summons for John Dashti, 61, to appear in court at 9 a.m. July 31, said Michele Devlin, Clallam County deputy prosecuting attorney.

The Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office Monday filed misdemeanor animal cruelty charges against Dashti.

Dashti faces two charges of animal cruelty in the second degree — both misdemeanors, according to a criminal complaint released Monday afternoon.

Dashti has not been arrested.

The charges were for allegedly failing to provide necessary medical care to two donkeys in his possession on property southwest of Sequim, according to the criminal complaint.

Conviction of each misdemeanor could result in a fine of up to $5,000 and up to 364 days in jail, according to the criminal complaint.

In late June, law enforcement officials confiscated nearly all of Dashti’s livestock.

The seized animals are being cared for at the nonprofit Center Valley Animal Rescue near Quilcene.

Dashti said he did not mistreat his animals.

Service restored

GARDINER — Phone service has been restored in Gardiner after a fiber was cut along state Highway 20 near Discovery Bay, a CenturyLink spokesman said.

The outage affected 228 land lines, including fiber Internet service and 9-1-1 service in the Gardiner area, beginning Wednesday afternoon.

CenturyLink technicians had completed repairs by 11:44 p.m. Wednesday.

The cause of the outage was not known.

Unity speaker set Sunday in Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES — Unity in the Olympics, 2917 E. Myrtle St., will hold a 10:30 a.m. service Sunday featuring the Rev. Deborah Brandt, who will present “Life is Not Meant to be a Struggle.”

Brandt is a former journalist with over 30 years in broadcasting and is now an ordained minister, according to a news release.

Child care is available during the service.

A brief time for silent meditation will be held from 10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

All are welcome to attend all church activities.

Celtic journey

“From the Holy Island to Cathedral,” a Holy Eucharist and Celtic workshop, will take place in Port Angeles and Forks this weekend.

On Saturday at St. Andrew’s Church, 510 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, the Rev. Dr. Walter Knowles will take attendees on a Celtic journey to England and Scotland, according to a news release.

The seminar begins at 9 a.m. and continues until 3 p.m., with breaks and lunch hour. Attendees should bring a lunch.

The Forks seminar will be held at St. Swithin’s Episcopal Mission, Prince of Peace Church, 250 Blackberry Ave., from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

A potluck supper follows at 5 p.m.

The sessions are open to all.

The events explore St. Cuthbert’s travels from Iona to Lindisfarne and Durham.

Knowles is a church historian and musician who specializes in Christian communities on the edges of civilizations.