NEWS BRIEFS: Coastal topics set at Neah Bay meet today . . . and other items
Published 12:01 am Friday, May 15, 2015
NEAH BAY — April’s coastal cleanup and Makah scientists’ ocean acidification research are among the topics that will be addressed during a meeting of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary advisory council today.
The group will meet at the Makah Marina, 1321 Bayview Ave.
From 9:50 a.m. to3:30 p.m., the meeting will be open to the public, and comments will be taken at 11:40 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The agenda also will include presentations on Washington CoastSavers’ strategic planning progress, the Port Angeles-based Feiro Marine Life Center’s education partnerships and the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s nearshore rockfish tagging projects.
For more information, email Karlyn Langjahr at karlyn.langjahr@noaa.gov or visit the advisory council website at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Sanctuary for a meeting agenda.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Pump station work
PORT ANGELES — The cacophonous clatter that reverberated across the city two weeks ago likely will resume next week when pile-driving resumes for pump station construction on downtown’s western edge.
Jess Phillips, project superintendent for lead contractor TEK Construction Inc. of Bellingham, said Thursday that excavation at the site where Front Street meets Marine Drive will take about two more days before reaching 35 feet, but progress has been slow.
“We hit something hard down there,” he said.
The pile-driving for the largest single component of the $14.2 million phase two combined sewer overflow (CSO) project will probably resume Wednesday.
Workers have about 4 feet to go, Phillips said.
The total cost of the project — the largest in the city’s history — is estimated at nearly $40 million and includes new sewer lines to Railroad Avenue and Oak Street to reduce the number of overflows of raw sewage and stormwater into Port Angeles Harbor.
Duckabush tour
BRINNON — The Jefferson Land Trust is offering a tour of the newly protected wildlife preserve on the Duckabush River, at the end of River Road, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday.
This land links two previously protected properties to provide nearly 40 acres of contiguous protected wildlife habitat.
The group tour to explore this wild wetland, meadows, forest and river bank starts at 10 a.m. for about an hour.
At around 11 a.m., those who can help with weed removal will start.
Volunteers might like to bring a favorite field guide, binoculars or hand lens, water, a snack or lunch.
There are no restrooms on site.
For more information, contact Carrie Clendaniel at 360-379-9501 or cclendaniel@saveland.org.
Herbicide hearing
PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners will conduct a public hearing Tuesday on an ordinance that would allow the use of herbicides to kill noxious weeds and invasive plants on county roads.
The hearing will be at 10:30 a.m. in the county commissioners’ meeting room (160) at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
A proposed ordinance would initiate a roadside weed-management planning effort and create a new chapter in county code that identifies biological and chemical controls as methods for noxious weed eradication.
If enacted, it would allow Clallam County to use herbicides along its 500-mile road system.
Herbicides have not been used as a control for noxious weeds in the memory of County Engineer Ross Tyler, who has worked for the county since 1985.
Presently, noxious weeds and non-native plants are pulled from the ground by chain gang inmate work crews.
Weed-pulling is ineffective against species like wild carrot, which can damage valuable crops on farms in the east county, Tyler has said.
The roadside weed-management plan, which would take about a year to develop, would be vetted by the public and reviewed annually by the Noxious Weed Control Board, Tyler has said.
Christian men to meet for breakfast
FORKS — The nondenominational Men’s Breakfast will take place at First Congregational Church, 280 S. Spartan Ave., at 8 a.m. Saturday.
This gathering is for all men of Christian faith who want to have fellowship with others and have an interest in making their community a better place to live, according to a news release.
This month’s menu includes biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, coffee and juice.
Unity speaker
PORT ANGELES — Unity in the Olympics, 2917 E. Myrtle St., will hold a 10:30 a.m. service Sunday featuring Niobe Weaver, whose lesson will be “Fall Gently into the Love of God.”
Discuss how being asked to surrender shows up in our lives and how we feel about it.
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.
Jewish traditions
FORKS — St. Swithin’s Episcopal Mission will host Suzanne DeBey as a guest speaker at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 250 N. Blackberry Ave., on the differences and commonalities of Jewish and Christian faiths at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Evening prayer will follow at 5 p.m., with a gathering for a potluck at the conclusion.
Church honors
SEQUIM — The 23 members of the Trinity United Methodist Church congregation who are at least 90 years old will be honored at a light lunch Sunday at the church, 100 S. Blake Ave.
Music from the big-band era will accompany lunch, which is immediately after the 10 a.m. worship service.
The event is open to all who attend the service.
A slideshow will feature photos and historical events in the life of the church.
Hearing dog, owner to be at PT meet
PORT TOWNSEND — The East Jefferson chapter of the Hearing Loss Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the well-being of people who do not hear well, will hold a free event at the Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St., starting at 1:45 p.m. Monday.
Dogs for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing brings Bert Lederer and his hearing dog, Warren, to demonstrate service dog skills.
Dogs for the Deaf rescues dogs from shelters throughout the Western U.S., trains and places them with qualified people and professionals.
Amplified listening devices or hearing aids are provided.
All are welcome.
For more information, contact Emily Mandelbaum at 360-531-2247 or mandelbaum@olympus.net.
Speaker awarded
PORT TOWNSEND — PT Smooth Talkers’ Chris Clow was awarded his Competent Communications Certificate through his participation in the PT Smooth Talkers Toastmasters Club’s education program to develop confident and competent public speakers.
In addition to completing 10 speech projects to attain this award, Clow took second place in the Area 21 International Speech Contest and the Evaluation Contest against speakers representing five Toastmasters clubs on the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas April 17.
For more information about PT Smooth Talkers, phone 360-379-3814, visit http://ptsmoothtalkers.toastmastersclubs.org or drop in on one of its regular meetings.
The club meets the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Seaport Landing Retirement Community Center, 1201 Hancock St.
An open house for those interested in the club is planned for May 27.
