Ocean Shores Antique 7 Collectible Show Feb 14-15, 2009
Ocean Shores Convention Center is holding their 7th Annual Antique Show. There will be over eighty booths offering quite a selection of antiques and collectibles, including furniture, American art, class, dolls, jewelry, dolls and much more. For a small donation to charities one can have their antiques evaluated. Last year's events raised $4,235.90 for the Ocean Shores Food Bank and the SeaPal Quilters for their quilt guild charities.
Repayment of Utility fund will have to wait
OCEAN Shores - The latest audit report of the City of Ocean Shores revealed that the city had not taken any action to repay the $1.9 million overcharged to the utility fund between 2001 and 2006. The State Audit's Office had recommended the city pay back the fund as soon as possible. Repayment options range from a lump sum payment or installments over the next 3, 10 or even 20 years. However, the city currently lacks the funds to begin any sort of repayment plan, according to Mayor Dean Bunkers, adding the city wouldn't be making any transfers back into the utility fund at least this year.
However, Bunkers is optimistic that by 2010 the city's budget will begin to stabilize enough to start examining a repayment plan. In December he came up with a plan to create more than $520,000 in savings and revenue that included collecting fees from inter-local medical aid agreements, buildings, life safety inspection permit fees and "banked" property tax levies. Bunkers said his goal is to have a payment plan in place by the end of this year. Until the budget situation improves, Bunkers said repayment will have to be on hold. "We will just have to wait and see how our revenues turn out," he said.
NEWS FROM AROUND THE HARBOR
A proposed Seaport Landing project for the Tall Ships.
The tall ship Lady Washington and her companion vessel, the Hawaiian Chieftain have received a new proposed landing area. The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority announced that the Miller Hull Partnership, a Seattle architectural firm specializing in public projects, will conduct a two-day workshop Jan 14 and 15 for the Seaport's Board of Directors to help develop a collective vision for the project and help it move toward completion at no cost.
The Seaport Landing project, which includes the construction of a new home port for the tall ships will include Seaport offices, learning center, museum and gift shop. The Seaport Landing, which has been in the works for more than three years, is to be located on the riverfront of South Aberdeen, across the Safeway near the Chehalis River Bridge. The Seaport has signed a 30-year lease with the Department of Natural Resources for the water rights.
The association with Miller Hull is part of the One-Percent Solution, a public architecture program that connects non-profit organizations with architecture and design firms willing to donate their time, experience and services at no cost. Currently there are more than 450 firms across the country that pledge more than 175,000 hours annually. "I was impressed by the project's goals," said Craig Curtis, a partner who has been with Miller Hull for 22 years, "and when I saw the site, I was blown away by the potential for an incredible transformation."
According to Joe Follansbee, the director of communications and membership at the Seaport, the budget for the landing hasn't been finalized, but the cost is being estimated between $4 million and $6 million dollars. A capital campaign to raise funds is unofficially underway and the Seaport is investigating federal and state grants, as well as working to garner community support, which Follansbee says will "demonstrate that Grays Harbor is behind the project."
For those wishing to make donations, visit www.historicalseaport.com or call 800-200-5239.
Much of Harbors cut off
Recent snow and rain has flooded western Washington. Kelly Stowe, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Transportation, said highways quickly shut down overnight, leaving Grays Harbor and northern Pacific County limited to a few local roads. With U.S. Highway 12 blocked near Devonshire Road, state Route 107 at Montesano and U.S. Highway 101 closed outside Raymond.
Grays Harbor Undersheriff Rick Scott said deputies were busy with rescues. He warned drivers trying to find local routes through the area to avoid roads with water over them. "We've spent a lot of time rescuing people who have ignored road closed signs," he said. "That is a crime. ... We may begin to take enforcement action." Emergency supplies were being flown into the county and local stores had received shipments of emergency supplies and fuel.
The Pasha Group signs agreement with Port of Grays Harbor
The Pasha Group, which arranged the recent shipment of Kia vehicles to Marine Terminal 4, joined the Port of Grays Harbor in marketing agreement allowing them a year to study the feasibility of establishing a large-scale automotive processing facility in Aberdeen.
Stan Gabara, vice president of automotive with The Pasha Group, said the company is very attracted to the location, storage, transportation and workforce connections offered at the Port and believes the Grays Harbor is uniquely and strategically positioned to be a major automotive processing and distribution facility long into the future. The Pasha Group, which manages transport for a variety of cargoes, expects to bring in several more vehicle shipments during the next six months as it evaluates whether the Port can be developed into a permanent facility. The Pasha Group has large automotives sites including a 157-acre facility near San Diego, which employs 275 people before counting long-shore and shipping workers.
Gabara said Grays Harbor has the potential to grow into a large, long-term facility including warehouse storage, car washing stations, body and repair shops and other support facilities. The Port Commissioners unanimously approved signing the marketing agreements, which prohibits the Port from seeking competing companies for the Terminal 4 site. If another company approaches the Port, the Pasha Group has the first chance at the location. Billy Swor, secretary of the International Longshore Workers Union Local 24, was joined by other union leaders to welcome the company.
Willis Enterprises move progressing
Willis Enterprises, a Harbor-based wood chip company, plans to have its move to Port of Grays Harbor property in Hoquiam complete within a couple months. President Paul Willis said the final barge load of chips left the Aberdeen facility on Jan. 9. The company has been storing logs at its new Marine Terminal 3 site and is starting new construction. He mentioned that the project had received 13 of its 15 permits so far. He plans to move forward with concrete work at the terminal, which sat vacant for many years before he signed a 10-year lease in September.
He expected the Aberdeen facility would be closed by the end of February. The new plans also include installing a crane and support facilities in March. Work would be going on at the Port site and would go into full production by March or April. Port Commissioner Stan Pinnick said that
he was pleased that the terminal was starting up operations again. Mike Johnson, contracts administrator for Port, said the terminal was also undergoing some infrastructure improvements including new pilings and electricity systems.
Willis said he has been working to find more space for logs as inventory has backed up during the transitions. The logs have been stacking up while his storage has started to run short. He said though the move has been going a little slower than he would like, but he believes the project has great potential. "Hopefully, the economy returns and it will be a good project in the long term," he said.
Weyerhaeuser mills go quiet
The Weyerhaeuser Company announced that it will permanently close its sawmill and the Pacific Veneer mill in Aberdeen. The closures, effective immediately, put 221 people out of work. Weyerhaeuser has eliminated nearly600 employees in the Aberdeen area since 2005, between the closure of the large log sawmill, the Cosmopolis Pulp Mill and layoffs at the Aberdeen log sorting yard and elsewhere. "It was kind of a shock," said Ray Calica, president of the Local 3099 of the Western Council of Industrial Workers. "For the community, this is going to have a very large impact. There are a lot of dollars and tax dollars that are not going to be spent in the Harbor and surrounding areas.
Pontoons will be built here
State officials finally decided that the pontoon project for the Evergreen Point floating bridge in Seattle will be located on Grays Harbor, bringing with it 250 construction jobs as the facility is built and 100 more to construct the pontoons. The $306 million pontoon construction project could start as early as August. The news comes as sharp contrast to layoff and plant closure news such as the Weyerhaeuser announcement earlier this week that it will close two local mills permanently.
The issue of where the site will be is still up in the air. The state is considering two Hoquiam sites and one in Aberdeen. Officials from both cities said they're just glad it's coming to Grays Harbor, but whichever city gets it will see significant tax revenue. Program Director Julie Meredith with the state Dot said that a shortened schedule will have engineers looking at how to start building pontoons before the full-scale facility is finished - wherever it ends up. Meredith said the department will recommend one of the three proposed sites within a couple months and finish an initial
environmental review by year's end, but preliminary construction may begin this summer. She said they may not have the time to wait until the full facility is up and running.
Engineers plan to work with local contractors to try new forming and structural methods to start building the 23, massive concrete pontoons needed to support the structurally vulnerable Highway 520 bridge in Seattle. A $2 million to $5 million preliminary construction contract could create early carpentry, steel work and concrete forming jobs.
February 2009
|
Sun
|
Mon
|
Tue
|
Wed
|
Thu
|
Fri
|
Sat
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
|
|
Groundhog Day
|
Drivers Safety 9AM – 1PM Sign-up 289-2357
|
Drivers Safety 9AM – 1PM
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
|
|
City Council Meeting 6PM
|
Stores Online Mtg. 8AM- 4PM 100 People Catered Lunch
|
FBLA Event 250 Attendees
8AM – 3PM
Catered Lunch
|
GH Comm. Hosp 8AM-4PM 100pl. Catered Breakfast & Lunch
|
Move-in\ Set-Up Antique & Collectible Show
|
Valentine's Day
Antique & Collectible Show 10AM – 5PM
|
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
|
Antique & Collectible Show 10AM – 4PM
|
President's Day
(Holiday)
|
|
Municipal Court 1:30PM
|
|
West Region EMS Conference
600 Attendees
Catered Breakfast & Box Lunch Dinner on Own
|
West Region EMS Conf.
600 Attendees Cater.Breakfast
Lunch-On Own
12:30PM -1:30PM & Dinner too anytime after 5PM
|
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
|
EMS Conf.
Final Day
600 Attendees
7 am to 1 pm
Cater.Breakfast
Lunch-On Own
|
City Council Meeting 6PM
|
Mardi Gras
(F.E.R.C.) Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Meeting Times Vary 9AM-10PM
|
|
|
|
Habitat for Humanity Back to the 50’s Dance 5:30PM-11:00PM
Buffet, Raffles & Dancing
|
Planning a visit to Ocean Shores? Go to our new website for lodging, dining, shopping and activity information and even driving directions!www.TourismOceanShores.com
Welcome to my World -
Ocean Shores, Washington!
;)
;)
