April 2009
Ocean Shores
Ocean Shores Interpretive Center expanding
The Interpretive Center is expanding and has some new activities for visitors. Locals and tourists will be able to explore a new trail, exhibits and a playground. Students from North Beach, Aberdeen and Hoquiam high schools designed and constructed the Interpretive Trail as part of their senior culminating project. The trail which is about 500 feet long leads visitors through a small coastal forest with a wetland area and a boardwalk.
The courtyard was funded by a $21,000 federal forestry education grant the Interpretive center split with the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds. The grant came via revenue generated from timber harvests under the Secure Rural Schools & Community Self-Determination Act, a federal measure that backs improvements to public schools, roads and stewardship projects.
The exhibit features a weather station that displays temperature, wind direction, humidity, atmospheric pressure and precipitation readings. It also has story boards and information on how to read tide charts.
4th of July
The City of Ocean Shores approved a $39,706 request from the police and fire departments to fund a Fourth of July operational plan.
The plan would pay for emergency “staging” stations at different beach approaches, which include increased police and fire personnel, ambulances and firefighting equipment.
The new ordinance, which goes into effect this year, bans fireworks within city limits except for between the Marine View Drive and Damon Beach approaches, at lease 100 feet away from the dunes. The new ordinance also reflects state law on the discharge of fireworks, allowing them only during the following days and hours.
June 28, noon – 11 p.m.
June 29 – July 3, 9a.m. – 11 p.m.
July 4, 9 a.m. – midnight.
In 2007, dune fires burned more then 20 acres over Independence Day weekend and two firefighters had to be taken to the hospital with symptoms of exhaustion because there weren’t enough personnel to give the firefighters a break.
Third Annual Music Festival
The floor of the Ocean Shores convention Center will be thumpn’ with the annual music festival on July 3rd & 4th.
Country Schedule (Saturday)
1p.m. to 4 pm. – Country Jam
6 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Country Dinner
7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Country Dance.
Gospel Schedule ( Sunday)
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Gospel music
NEWS FROM AROUND THE HARBOR
Youth Job Program
Work Source in Grays Harbor expects new federal funding for a summer youth job program. The federal stimulus grants will fund the youth summer jobs for temporary seasonal labor. The program targets young workers of a certain income level, the ages were expanded to include 16 to 24 years old. Based on how much money Grays Harbor will receive will determine how many positions they can fill.
Fishing to be fantastic this Salmon Season
California and Oregon are severely curtailed this year due to declining Chinook populations, fishermen in Washington are planning for a decent season.
“It’s going to ba a great season,” said Doug Frickle, the president of the Washington Trollers Association, who expects it to be about the same as last year, “but we are happy to have any opportunity to fish for salmon and to support our families and incomes.”
According to the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the upcoming salmon season in Washington is similarly structured compared to recent years with Chinook quotas close to 2008. The biggest bright spot is that coho quotas are substantially higher, which reflects the increased abundance of both hatchery and natural coho stocks.
For recreational fishermen in Westport subarea, the season begins on June 28, with fishing allowed Sunday through Thursday until July 23. Fishing will then be permitted seven days a week until September 20.
Annual assessments for Grays Harbor
The state House approved legislation requiring counties statewide to conduct assessments on an annual basis with the conversion taking place by 2014. The measure passed 77 to 17. The state Senate approved the bill on a 40 to 5 vote. All of the legislators who represent Grays Harbor voted in favor of the measure.
Of the state’s 39 counties, 20 of them already use an annual property tax assessment system. Grays Harbor’s property tax assessments are done every four years.
Stimulus Money for Olympic National Park
The park will receive more than $57.8 million in economic stimulus money to put local residents to work building trails, rebuilding ecosystems and renovating campgrounds. Olympic receives the greatest share of the state’s $65 million in stimulus funding generated toward national parks. Nationwide more than $750 million will be spent on the parks system.
This is the most significant investment made in our National Parks in decades, the immediate benefits will be with the creation of new jobs and for generations to come our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy these special places.
At Olympic National Park, the money will be used to convert two miles of abandoned road to trail, demolish and replace the operationally-obsolete Hoh sewer system, rehabilitate four park road bridges, replace historic roofing park-wide and restore much of the ecosystem along the Elwha River, including the removal of dams.
Ella M. Kiaupa,
Coldwell Banker, Ocean Beach Properties
888-469-3100 Toll-Free
360-289-3100 Office
360-580-1945 Cell
360-289-3111 Fax
www.oceanshoresNow.com
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Ocean Shores, Washington
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