PORT ANGELES — Registration is being taken now for BLOCK Fest events.
Young children between 8 months and 8 years can learn math and science through playing with blocks using methods developed by BLOCK Fest, organizers say.
Events for children and their parents are planned Saturday, April 23, at Jefferson Elementary at 218 E. 12th St. and Saturday, May 7, at Dry Creek Elementary at 25 Rife Road.
Sessions are at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Registration is requested in advance, as there are only five different block stations and families rotate through them over the course of one hour.
These events are sponsored by the Parenting Matters Foundation and First Teacher Program, a United Way partner agency, through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The two upcoming events are in partnership with the Port Angeles School District.
To register or for more information, call Parenting Matters Foundation at 360-681-2250 or email nicole@firstteacher.org.
Small earthquake
SEATTLE — A minor earthquake hit Tuesday morning.
The U.S. Geological Survey and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network reported that the 3.5-magnitude temblor hit at 11:06 a.m. in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It was about 32 miles deep, the USGS reported.
The earthquake’s epicenter was about 8 miles from Ault Field, the Naval Air Station on Whidbey Island.
Students honored for excellence
PORT ANGELES — Two Lincoln High School students, Chelsey Morse and Nick Lewis, were honored by Principal Cindy Crumb, Superintendent Marc Jackson and directors at the March 24 School Board meeting as Port Angeles School District Students of the Month.
The students, both seniors, were selected by Lincoln staff as part of a program honoring exceptional students during the 2015-16 school year.
“Chelsey Morse came to Lincoln because she was behind in credits and needed to graduate,” Crumb said. “She is an exceptional student, gets good grades, perseveres and has fun, and is a great example to our other students.”
“Morse just completed flagger school,” Crumb continued, “and she has future goals to hopefully work for Lakeside and eventually drive heavy equipment.”
“Nick Lewis started at Lincoln in 10th grade,” Crumb said. “He wanted a smaller school and had just moved to Port Angeles from Port Orchard.”
“Lewis works closely with his teachers, is easy to get along with and is always helpful to other students when help is needed,” she added. “Currently, he plays piano, violin and bass, and enjoys classical rock and Spanish. He plans to enroll at Peninsula College but is not sure of his major at this time.”
Students of the Month will be announced at each school’s respective School Board meeting, which each district school hosts once during the school year.
For more information, phone Tina Smith-O’Hara, district communications and community relations coordinator, at 360-565-3703 or email tsmithohara@portangelesschools.org.
Monthly test
ESQUIMALT, B.C. — The monthly test of CFB Esquimalt’s Mass Notification System will take place at 11 a.m. today for about one minute.
People may hear sirens and verbal messages from speakers mounted on tall poles in Dockyard, Naden and Work Point in Esquimalt.
During the monthly tests, two tones plus a message will be used: the “test tone” (alternating tone), a message in English and French, and the “all clear” tone (similar to Westminster chime).
Routine one-minute tests will take place on a monthly basis at 11 a.m. the first Wednesday of each month.
For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/jdrkpg5 or www.facebook.com/EsquimaltBase.
Hidden talents
PORT ANGELES — The April Studium Generale presentation by Peninsula College instructor Renne Emiko Brock-Richmond will be a multimedia presentation called “The Superhero’s Journey — Transformative Endeavors and Superpowers.”
The presentation starts at 12:35 p.m. Thursday at 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd. in the college’s Little Theater.
The event is free and open to the public.
The talk’s focus is on learning how to communicate one’s authentic motivation, zeal and mission to be productive and successful, according to a news release.
For more information, email Kate Reavey at kreavey@pencol.edu.
Rhody talk slated
CHIMACUM — The Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society will meet in the back room of the Tri-Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road, at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Doug Cockburn of the New Dungeness Nursery will speak on the plants that are blooming, deer-proofing gardens and landscaping mistakes.
Cockburn is a certified horticultural professional and state Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator.
He has owned previous nurseries and has been a landscape contractor for more than 20 years.
The public is invited, and refreshments will be provided.
Bake sale set
PORT ANGELES — Crestwood Health and Rehabilitation, 1116 E. Lauridsen Blvd., will host a bake sale and coffee hour in the Ivy Room to celebrate Occupational Therapy Month from 10 a.m. to noon Friday.
All proceeds will benefit the resident council to create funds for a raised garden bed and associated materials for Crestwood residents.
For more information, phone Katie Irvin at 239-776-4695 or email kateirvin@yahoo.com.
Native plants
SEQUIM — The Clallam Conservation District will offer two free field workshops on landscaping with native plants.
The workshops are at the Dungeness Recreation Area, 554 W. Voice of America Road, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday and again Saturday, April 23.
The workshops involve a 2-mile hike through the county park.
More than 25 native trees and shrubs will be described, along with their cultural requirements, aesthetic attributes and environmental and wildlife habitat benefits.
Tips on how best to incorporate native plants into a landscape will be offered.
Conservation district Executive Director Joe Holtrop will lead the workshop.
Due to space limitations, preregistration is required.
Phone the district at 360-775-3747, ext. 5, for more information and to register.
Book talk set Saturday at Sequim Library
SEQUIM — Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson will be discussed at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave., at 3 p.m. Saturday.
“Memories — real, false and a bit of both — are at the heart of British author Watson’s haunting, twisted debut,” according to an excerpt about the book from Publishers Weekly.
“Christine Lucas awakens each morning in London with no idea who she is or why she’s in bed with a strange man until he tells her that his name is Ben and they’ve been married for 22 years.
“Watson handles what could have turned into a cheap narrative gimmick brilliantly, building to a chillingly unexpected climax.”
Copies of Before I Go to Sleep are available in various formats, including regular print, audiobook on CD and downloadable e-book.
They can be requested online by visiting the library catalog at www.nols.org.
Preregistration for this program is not required, and drop-ins are welcome.
For more information, phone 360-683-1161 or email sequim@nols.org.
Genealogical DNA
SEQUIM — The Clallam County Genealogical Society will present a program about genealogical DNA at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The program is free and open to the public.
Marolyn Russell’s presentation will explain how one can use different types of DNA to learn more about ethnic origins.
Russell is a member of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy, is the project administrator of a y-DNA surname group and has been involved with genealogical DNA since 2006.
For more information, email askus@clallamcogs.org or phone 360-417-5000.
Spring landscaping
SEQUIM — Joe Holtrop, executive director of the Clallam Conservation District, will talk on how to create a bird-friendly yard, including food, water and shelter, with an emphasis on the use of plants native to the area, on Saturday.
“Spring Landscaping for Birds” will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the Dungeness River Audubon Center, 2151 W. Hendrickson Road.
An optional field trip (a 2-mile hike at the Dungeness Recreation Area) to see native plants and where they are growing will follow the class.
The cost for the event is $5.
For more information, contact Tom Butler at rceducation@olympus.net or 360-681-4076.
Insect talk
PORT TOWNSEND — “Hornets, Wasps & Bees: When to Run, When to Stop and Watch” is the subject of a presentation at the Friends of Fort Townsend annual meeting Saturday.
The event is from 10 a.m. to noon in the Friends Barn at Fort Townsend State Park, located at the end of Old Fort Townsend Road.
Speaker John Fleckenstein is a zoologist for the Washington Natural Heritage Program.
He has worked across the state with animals such as bats, earthworms, bees, birds and fairy shrimp.
The meeting is open to the public.
For more information, phone 360-385-2998.
Audubon field trip
QUILCENE — The Admiralty Audubon will have a South County field trip Saturday.
The field trip is free and open to the public.
Participants should meet at the Park and Ride at the intersection of state Highway 104 and Center Road at 7:30 a.m.
The field trip will include the East Quilcene Bay, the Big Quilcene River Fish Hatchery, Mount Walker (if the gate is open) and Dosewallips State Park.
Wear weather-appropriate clothing and bring a lunch or snacks.
For more information, email trip leader Dan Waggoner at danwags57@gmail.com or phone 360-301-1788.
Ocean lecture set
PORT TOWNSEND — A talk on life in extreme ocean environments will be offered at the chapel at Fort Worden State Park from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The cost is $5 for Port Townsend Marine Science Center members or $10 for nonmembers.
Professor John Baross of the University of Washington’s School of Oceanography and Astrobiology is the presenter.
Baross will emphasize the extreme conditions found in submarine hydrothermal vent and subseafloor environments.
For more information, email lslabaugh@ptmsc.org or phone 360-385-5582.
Spruce Up Forks
FORKS — Volunteers who want to help clean up the community will meet at First Federal, 131 Calawah Way, to launch the third annual Spruce Up Forks Community Clean Up at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Local clubs, businesses and citizens will wear orange vests and pitch in by picking up litter, window washing, doing landscaping and more.
Volunteers are asked to meet promptly at 9 a.m. for a safety talk, doughnuts, assignments, vests and supplies.
There will be a drawing after the cleanup, and two volunteers each will win a gift certificate for dinner for two at Creekside Restaurant at Kalaloch Lodge.
To join in the effort, either individually or with a team, or to make a monetary donation, contact the Forks Chamber of Commerce or show up Saturday.
Phone Lissy Andros, chamber executive director, at 360-374-2531 or email director@forkswa.com.
Free health movie
PORT ANGELES — The Natural Healing Clinic will offer a free movie screening of “Microwarriors: The Power of Probiotics” at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 13.
This documentary will cover the discovery of probiotics in the early 20th century, how they’re now tested and produced, plus the latest scientific research from some of the top probiotic experts in the world, according to a news release.
The clinic is located at 162 S. Barr Road.
Due to space limitations, reservations are required by phoning Rose Marschall at 360-457-1515.
WSU undergrads
PULLMAN — The following Washington State University students have earned undergraduate degrees for the fall 2015 semester.
Honors earned by students are listed as follows: summa cum laude for a cumulative grade-point average of 3.90 or better, magna cum laude for a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.70 but less than 3.90 and cum laude for a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 but less than 3.70.
Port Angeles
■ Robin Michael Dezellem, Bachelor of Arts in social sciences.
■ Corina Joy Welcker, BA in English, cum laude.
■ Thomas Frederick Williams, Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering, cum laude.
Port Ludlow
■ Philip Benjamin Pitts, BA in foreign languages and cultures, summa cum laude.
■ Philip Benjamin Pitts, BS in computer science, summa cum laude.
Port Townsend
■ Matthew Alexander Juran, BA in business administration.
Sequim
■ Kenneth Carl Oien, BA in business administration.
Chain gang busy
PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Chain Gang removed 540 pounds of refuse from illegal dump sites on Hoko-Ozette Road and 11,160 pounds from sites on Otter Lane during the week of March 21-25.
Approximately 450 trees were planted on Hoko-Ozette Road in wetland maintenance efforts.
About 350 trees were planted east of State Patrol.