Port Angeles May Purchase Rayonier Tank

The City Council's meeting this Tuesday will deal with the proposed $995,000 purchase of the tank. The Council will go into executive session at 5 p.m., and hold their regular meeting at 6, when they'll decide whether to ratify the agreement.

Port Angeles Waterfront Workshops

Public workshops for the downtown Waterfront Redesign and Transportation Improvement Plan will be held at 106 North Laurel Street this week (the building where Tiger Lily was before they moved).

The studio is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Thursday.

For more information click here and here.

State Supreme Court Sides with Port Angeles on Fluoridation

The State Supreme Court has ruled 5 to 4 that Port Angeles' water fluoridation plan cannot be challenged through the initiative process.

Two organizations, Protect Our Waters and Our Water-Our Choice! each filed an initiative in 2006 to challenge fluoridation. The Court ruled that fluoridation is an administrative action, and only legislative actions can be challenged by a public vote.

Harbor-Works Will Return $168,588

That's how much Harbor-Works has left, out of the original $1.3 million loaned to them by the City and Port of Port Angeles.

The City Council will presumably vote to dissolve Harbor-Works at its October 19th meeting. After that, Harbor-Works will present a cashier's check to the city.

“Port Angeles: The Authentic Northwest”

This is the new Port Angeles slogan chosen by the Chamber of Commerce.

It’s short; a lot less cumbersome than the previous slogan.

Clallam Business Incubator Might Dissolve

The Business Incubator had a board meeting today, where a decision to dissolve “may or may not” be reached, according to board president Craig Johnson.

In a recent nonscientific survey of Port Angeles residents, 46% said funding for the Business Incubator should be discontinued. 21.6% said funding should continue.

Jefferson County Commissioner Candidate: “Them Black Helicopters is Gonna Get Us!”

I always thought global conspiracy theories — and calling one’s political opponent a Communist/Nazi/Fascist/Terrorist/whatever — were confined to national politics; and local issues were argued on their own merits.

Apparently not. Jim Boyer, District 3 county commissioner candidate, has called his opponent — incumbent John Austin — an “enviro-wacko.” Not only that, but since Clallam and Jefferson Counties are near Olympic National Park, a United Nations-sponsored Biosphere Program is going to swoop in on us and steal our property rights. Freedom will die!

The park is one of 500 sites around the world that are overseen by the Biosphere Program, which is overseen by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Boyer said:

“I have concerns about why it seems like we have subordinated our sovereignty to an international body that makes its own rules.”

He’s also deeply concerned about the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). The city of Port Townsend is a member of this organization, but Jefferson County isn’t. This group “provides technical consulting, training, and information services to build capacity, share knowledge and support local government in the implementation of sustainable development at the local level” according to their website.

Boyer said: “There is a link to all these things that makes me curious. I would like to know why all these guys are tied together and who's making the rules.”

Mental Health Home in Cherry Hill Neighborhood

I don’t have any answers to this. But apparently a lot of people do, judging by all of the comments at the end of this article.

(Hurry up and read them before they disappear.)

R Bar Incident, PDN Articles and Disappearing Comments

I have no knowledge or opinion about the recent incident at the R Bar. I've been following it on the PDN website at these two articles (here and here), and the comments at the end of each article.

And then suddenly, the comments have all "disappeared" from both articles. I've seen individual comments "disappear" from PDN articles, but never an entire comment section; let alone all of the comments from two articles on the same subject.

Anyone know what happened?

A Chance to Express Your Opinion

The Institute for Culture and Ecology and the Pacific Northwest Research Station of the National Forest Service will be conducting a workshop in Port Angeles on Monday, September 20th at 6:30 p.m. The location hasn’t been given yet.

Port Townsend will have a similar workshop on September 21st. Each workshop will have twenty participants. Participants will be asked what’s important to them in their communities, in terms of economics, recreation, spirituality or other priorities.

Kelly Biedenweg, with the Institute for Culture and Ecology, said:

“We are seeking area residents with diverse perspectives. Understanding more about the areas and resources Peninsula residents value and use can inform planning and decision-making. Mapping will also allow residents to identify shared values and resource areas that are important to communities.”

If you’re interested in participating, contact Kelly Biedenweg at kellybiedenweg@ifcae.org or 206-883-5612.

Requiring Voter Approval for Public Development Authorities

Today's PDN online poll asks:

"Should creation of public development authorities — like the current ones in Port Angeles and Port Townsend — require voter approval first?"

With 621 votes cast so far, the results are:

Yes — 89.4%

No — 7.2%

Undecided — 3.4%