NEWS BRIEFS: Port Angeles Coast Guard crew airlifts patient … and other items

PORT ANGELES — A Coast Guard aircrew conducted a medical evacuation of an ill man from the cruise ship MS Amsterdam, which was off the Pacific coast of Tofino, B.C., Sunday morning.

The Coast Guard aircrew from Sector Field Office/Air Station Port Angeles safely hoisted a 79-year-old American citizen suffering from stroke-related symptoms and transferred him to an awaiting emergency medical services crew at the Coast Guard base.

He was then transported to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, said the Coast Guard in a news release.

The Coast Guard did not release the man’s identity.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a request for the evacuation at 4:55 a.m.

The Port Angeles aircrew launched aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter at 6:45 a.m. and arrived on scene with the cruise ship MS Amsterdam at 7:30 a.m.

The aircrew completed the hoist and headed to Port Angeles, completing the patient transfer at 8:15 a.m.

According to the Coast Guard, the man was in stable condition throughout the flight and at the time of transfer to emergency medical services.

Students of Month named at PA high

PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles High School students, Ben Basden and Maya Wharton were selected as the school district’s Students of the Month at a recent board meeting.

Basden and Wharton, both graduating seniors, were honored by Principal Jeff Clark and school board President Joshua Jones

“Ben, an outstanding athlete, is attending this meeting after coming from the baseball team banquet,” Clark said.

“Maya, also an outstanding athlete, was an outstanding performer this year with the gymnastics team. … She is a budding engineer,” Clark continued.

Clark presented both students with copies of “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough from the Puget Sound Phi Beta Kappa Association.

Student of Month

SEQUIM — Aryona Zappey was named Sequim Sunrise Rotary’s March Middle Student of the Month.

Aryona is the daughter of Jacob Zappey and Jessica Simpson.

Her favorite subject is language arts, and she participates in student government.

Aryona plans to attend Washington State University to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine and establish a veterinarian business.

Scholarships given

PORT ANGELES — The Kiwanis Noon Club awarded scholarships to 10 Port Angeles High School seniors at a recent club lunch.

Each scholarship was for $1,000.

The students and their scholarships are: Rose J. Owens Scholarship, Grace Sanwald; George Charno Memorial Scholarship, Leah Haworth; Norris Academic Scholarship, Kasey Casad; Norris Academic Scholarship, Laura Nutter; and Palmquist Academic Scholarship, Hailey Hollingsworth.

Also, Graham Ralston Vocational Scholarship, Abbigale Cottam; Kiwanis Club of PA Key Club Scholarship, Allyson Gomez and Kristin Kirkman; Kiwanis Club of PA Community Services Scholarship, Caleb Joslin and Noah McGoff.

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