"While Oak Harbor’s economy, history and culture are heavily steeped in the Navy base, the Coupeville and Central Whidbey economy are not".
Very interesting to read an article that refutes an ongoing misstatement that some Oak Harbor people claim, that the Navy base benefits the whole island's economy.

Truth is It really doesn't benefit much beyond Oak Harbor.

Military and civilian employees of the base do not flock to Coupeville and points south spending their paychecks there. The Navy's presence in Oak Harbor has very little economic effect on Central and South Whidbey.

Nice to see an article point that out after numerous erroneous blogs claiming the opposite.