Jefferson County Buses — Point-Counterpoint

Buses in Jefferson County might start looking like a He-Said-She-Said billboard on wheels.

Next month The ACLU is planning to put the following sign on Jefferson County buses:

“YOUR RIGHTS with Border Patrol Agents on this bus — If you’re a U.S citizen, you don’t have to prove it. If you’re not a U.S. citizen and you’re age 18 or older, you must show your immigration papers to federal agents. Everyone has the right to remain silent.”

And now Ron Gregory, chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party, wants to put this sign on the same buses:

“PLEASE COOPERATE! If a Border Patrol Agent questions you on this bus. Agents are doing their job. If you are questioned, be courteous. If you are not a U.S. citizen, always carry your immigration papers and please show them. Cooperation is always better than confrontation!”

This seems a little different from previous Republican slogans about “big intrusive government” and “too much government meddling,” but what do I know?

Ex-Governor Locke: Local Boy Makes Good

Well, he hasn’t made it yet, but former Governor Gary Locke might be the Obama Administration’s Secretary of Commerce.

And there’s a theory — whether it holds any water or not — that this could give Port Angeles an edge over the competition for attracting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NOAA is moving from its current Seattle location in 2012, and Port Angeles is a contender.

The Port of Port Angeles is hoping the NOAA will relocate to Terminal 3 in Port Angeles.

Eighth Street Bridges to OPEN this Tuesday!

If Mardi Gras isn’t reason enough to party, celebrate this.

The Eighth Street bridges will be reopening this Tuesday. The bridges will be open to pedestrians starting at 9 a.m., and they’ll be open to vehicular traffic around 2 p.m., after a brief ceremony at the intersection of Eighth and Cherry Streets.

Steve Bridges — owner of three businesses which have been isolated by the bridges’ closure — probably summed up most people’s sentiments: “I don't care if they have a procession. Just give me my traffic back.”

The construction work still isn’t complete. Sealer will need to be applied to each bridge, probably later this spring or early in the summer. At that time they’ll close one bridge at a time to apply the sealer, and the other bridge will remain open.

Biomass Power Plant in Western Washington — Possibly on the Peninsula

Energy Northwest, a public utility consortium, and Adage — a private company — are planning to build a biomass plant in western Washington. They haven’t determined a specific location yet. The plant could be built as early as 2012.

This will generate energy through the burning of wood waste from logging and mill operations.

Rep. Kevin Van De Wege and Senator James Hargrove have introduced legislation to encourage the development of biomass energy in Washington. Van De Wege said a plant on the Peninsula would be a “win-win” for the timber industry and for renewable energy. “I think that there is a lot of promise. I think that the timber industry needs it. It creates family-wage jobs based around energy.”

Wherever it ends up being built, this plant would generate about 50 megawatts of electricity — enough to supply 40,000 households in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.

The Port Townsend Paper Mill and Nippon Paper Industries USA Co. mill in Port Angeles both burn wood waste that could be used for this plant.

Mardi Gras in Port Angeles

Port Angeles will be celebrating Mardi Gras this year. On Saturday there will be a guided tour for children, starting at 11 a.m. at My Favorite Memory. Other local businesses taking part in the tour include: Cottage Queen, Odyssey Books, First Federal Bank, Maurices, Veela Café and Rick’s Place.

There’ll be various Mardi Gras events throughout the day in the parking lot at First and Laurel (next to The Toggery).

On Feb. 24th (Fat Tuesday), Michael’s Seafood & Steakhouse will be featuring a Taste of New Orleans, starting at 4 p.m. Wine on the Waterfront will have open mic from 7 to 10 p.m. And it’s Karaoke Night at the Lyre’s Club.

Sequim Radio Station

Sequim’s noncommercial radio station — KSQM-FM 91.5 — is now online.

The station offers music from the 1940s through the ‘80s, and public service announcements. It broadcasts from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. One of their DJs is Susie Pearce, a retired University of Denver project administrator.

Here is the link to the station. Check it out.

The Deer That Ate Port Angeles

I don’t want to discredit somebody’s first-hand account of an event, but today’s front page story sounds too much like one of those reality TV shows. When Animals Attack! Pets Gone Wild!

A person being charged or attacked by an aggressive deer?

I can see both sides of this bill that’s been introduced in Olympia — whether or not to prohibit people from feeding wild animals in their yard. This bill (House Bill 1885, introduced by Rep. Kevin Van De Wege) would institute a $104 fine for feeding certain types of wildlife.

It can be a hazard — more to animals than people — when wild animals get too tame and lose their fear of people.

But this issue should be debated logically, without stirring up a bunch of hysteria about killer deer. Animals already suffer enough cruelty from people; this paranoid “When Animals Attack!” mentality only makes things worse.

Rayonier Mill, Harbor-Works PDA, Local Taxes, Public Input

I don’t have a firm opinion one way or the other on this; it’s a complicated contentious issue. Today’s PDN has an excellent letter to the editor that raises some important questions. The few other times I’ve reprinted a PDN letter, I’ve left out the author’s name. But the author of this letter, Norma Turner, has been active in local politics, and I’m assuming she would want her name used.

Here’s the entire letter:

The Peninsula Daily News’ series about Rayonier mill property from February 8th through 10th underscored why the Harbor-Works Public Development Authority chairman said it would take 12 to 18 months to complete “due diligence” on the site. Forbes Business Website defines due diligence as “the care a reasonable should take before entering into an agreement or a transaction with another party.”

The board approved completing the purchase and sale agreement by April 2009. (“Harbor-Works wants mill site by April. P.A. agency to use loans to buy Rayonier property,” Feb. 5th PDN.) How did eighteen months get reduced to three?

Harbor-Works is funded with local tax dollars — but spends it without customary public-purse safeguards. Every executive-level position has been filled without public advertisement, including one at $195 an hour and another at $125 an hour. Two weeks ago they decided to hire somebody who did not even apply for the position, relying instead on private conversations.

The total cost to taxpayers of acquiring the Rayonier site remains a huge unknown. Cost was one of several important issues never answered at the City Council/Port of Port Angeles meeting. PDA ownership of Rayonier’s property means a loss of at least $50,000 a year in property taxes. Responsibility for removing the pier, if it is removed, is estimated at $4 million by the State Department of Natural Resources, and the site cleanup costs cannot be determined until the extent of contamination is fully known and remedies are selected.

Rayonier’s aggregate market value is more than $3 billion. It’s 2007 annual financial report reports a “very good year,” with plans to raise stockholders’ dividend payments. Meanwhile, the state and local governments’ balance sheets are grim. Why are local tax dollars being spent on this project?

Norm Dicks, Patty Murray Have Questions About Border Patrol

Congressman Norm Dicks and Senator Patty Murray are both looking into the increased Border Patrol activity on the Olympic Peninsula.

Norm Dicks has written to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, asking her to review the bus boardings and vehicle checkpoints conducted by the Border Patrol on the Peninsula.

His letter said: “The national security value of this checkpoint strategy on public roads, inconveniencing hundreds of legitimate U.S. citizen motorists during each instance, is unclear to me and my constituents. Border Patrol agents have adopted an even more aggressive strategy of performing ad hoc traffic stops, making individual arrests. While I understand that the Border Patrol mission includes coordination with local law enforcement on border control issues, I have serious questions about the agency's direct authority to stop individual automobiles and detain, in some cases, legal residents of the United States until they are able to prove their status. I would appreciate your personal attention to the question of whether these activities are the appropriate and best use of the limited resources available to your department as it confronts the myriad of serious threats to the security of our homeland.”

And Patty Murray is reviewing information from Clallam and Jefferson County officials, to gauge public opinion on Border Patrol activities in both counties.

End of Wave-Energy Project Near Cape Flattery

A wave-energy project off the coast of the Makah Reservation has been discontinued by the developer, Finavera Renewables.

The company is based in British Columbia. They’ve decided to drop all of their wave-energy projects and put all of their resources into wind power.

The project was supported by the Makah tribe and Clallam County Public Utility District. It would have been located in Makah Bay in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. It was supposed to produce enough electricity to power about 150 homes. The project uses turbines to produce electricity from the rolling of the waves.

This method has potential, and we need all the renewable energy sources we can get. There’s already a wave-energy project in operation off the coast of Portugal.

Second Weekend in Port Angeles

Don’t miss Port Angeles’ Second Weekend this Friday and Saturday, February 13th and 14th.

On Friday:

Studio Bob, 118 ½ East Front Street, will be showing the work of Anna Nichols, Valle Nevaril and Roxanne Grinstad. Food and drinks are catered by Michael's Steak and Seafood. Starts at 6:00 p.m.

Art Front, 118 East Front Street (below Studio Bob) — Showing the work of Michael Anderson. 6 to 9 p.m.

Waterfront Gallery is having their Grand Opening at their new location — 120 West First Street. They’ll be showing the work of Carol Janda. 5 to 8 p.m.

Hole In The Wall Gallery, 117 West First Street, will be showing southern California surf photos.

Karon’s Frame Shop, 625 East Front Street, will be showing the photography of Ross Hamilton. 6 to 8 p.m.

Necessities & Temptations, 217 North Laurel, will have a chocolate and wine tasting from local wineries. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Landings Art Gallery, in the Landing Mall, will celebrate the opening of their new gallery, featuring sculptures, watercolors, oil paintings and carvings.

The Jack Gunter Ideas & Design Gallery — downstairs at the Landing Mall — features the work of local (Camano Island) artist Jack Gunter. 5 to 8 p.m.

The Long Gallery — upstairs hallway of the Landing Mall — black and white photographs of eight different artists. 5 to 8 p.m.

On Saturday at 11 a.m., a guided walking tour of downtown public art will begin at the Landing Mall. There’ll also be a garden-art workshop at Studio Bob, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

New Blog for Hood Canal Bridge

There’s a new blog related to the Hood Canal Bridge closure this May and June. It’s put out by the Washington State Department of Transportation. Check it out.

The blog has tips and suggestions for alternate ways to get across the canal, and links to ferry schedules. There’s also a link to a ridesharing site here.

Hopefully this will make things a little less chaotic when the bridge is closed.

Port Angeles Farmers Market’s Sales Increasing

When the Farmers Market was driven out of downtown Port Angeles in 2005, their sales dropped. From 2004 to 2006 their revenues fell from $186,652 to $163,825. But in 2008 they grossed $228,248.

To paraphrase that German expression, that which couldn’t destroy them made them stronger. (This story was in today’s PDN but not on their website.)

Michele d’Hemecourt (manager of the farmers market) and Jane Vanderhoof are determined to make the market grow even stronger during 2009. Jane Vanderhoof — along with her husband Peter — runs Westwind Farm near Joyce. And Jane has just been elected to the Washington Farmers Market Association Board of Directors.

It’s becoming more popular to buy organic produce, and to buy locally in general. Jackie Aitchison, director of the Washington Farmers Market Association, said: “People want to know where their food’s coming from, and they want to keep their dollars local.”

Westwind Farm and Nash’s Organic Produce — two of the market’s longtime vendors — both reported that their sales went up by about a third from 2007 to 2008. Another regular vendor, “Tuna Dan” Dinwoodie, said his sales have gone up about 25% in the past year and a half.

The Washington Farmers Market Association — with more than a hundred members — increased their sales last year by 20 to 30%.

The Port Angeles Farmers Market has a smaller turnout at this time of year. Michele d’Hemecourt said: “Our market could be more of an event every weekend. We can make it something that people come to just for the experience.”

The Port Angeles Farmers Market is at the Clallam County Courthouse parking lot every Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hopefully this summer they’ll return to the downtown parking lot (First and Laurel, next to The Toggery) on Wednesdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information about the Port Angeles Farmers Market, check out their website.

Thirty-eight Acres of Farmland Preserved

All three Clallam County Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing a conservation easement for the Dungeness Valley Creamery Farmland Preservation project.

In return for keeping their land a farm and not selling out to developers, the landowners — Jeffrey and Debra Brown — will be compensated. They’ll receive a check equal to the appraised value of the development rights of their property.

Friends of the Fields and the North Olympic Land Trust had both been working for this arrangement. Getting county approval was their last hurdle. The project was made possible by a grant from the Farmland Preservation Program of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.

A spokesman for North Olympic Land Trust said: “That was the last signature that was needed. This conservation easement will go with the titles forever.”

Gateway (continued…)

The Gateway project can continue now. A stop-work notice had been issued on November 21st because of cracks in the concrete. This past Friday, Nathan West —economic and community development director — lifted the order.

Last week the city received a report from Berger/Abam Engineers Inc. of Federal Way. This report clears the way for Gateway construction to resume.

Meanwhile…In today’s PDN, the online survey question is: “Do you think you will use The Gateway transit center and/or its parking garage when it opens in Port Angeles?”

As of this writing, 509 votes had been cast.

39.7% said “Probably Not.”
33% said “Never.”
12.4% said “Yes, Sometimes.”
10% said “Not Sure.”
4.9% said “Yes, a lot.”