Kenmore Air Loses Money, Vows to Keep Flying

Kenmore Air had a 23% reduction in passenger boardings during 2011, which will result in the loss of a $1 million entitlement grant to the Port of Port Angeles.  This could jeopardize the removal of trees in Lincoln Park, but airport and FAA officials are confident that the tree removal will still be funded.

Kenmore's marketing manager has said Kenmore will stay put.  Kenmore is the only air passenger service between Port Angeles and Seattle.

Lawsuit Over Shoreline Development

The National Wildlife Federation is suing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over shoreline development in the Puget Sound region.  The suit claims shoreline development is being improperly managed and is therefore a threat to endangered species.

The lawsuit seeks to prohibit the sale of flood insurance along the shoreline.  This prohibition would apply to development in flood zones.  And the entire Port Angeles waterfront is a flood zone.

The City of Port Angeles is joining about a dozen other cities to fight this lawsuit.

Unemployment Up on Peninsula

Clallam County's unemployment rate is 10.4%, based on statistics from December.  The previous month it was 9.2%.

The unemployment rate in Jefferson County is 9.7% as of December.  It was 8.6% the previous month.

30-Year Lease for New Black Ball Owners

Port of Port Angeles commissioners have agreed to a 30-year lease with the new owners of Black Ball Ferry Line  The lease also solidifies arrangements for a $4 million dock replacement for the ferry terminal.  Commissioners were relieved that the ferry line is under regional ownership again, having been purchased from the Oregon State University Foundation.  Commissioner John Calhoun said:

“I feel extremely comfortable having a local ownership group.  It's a vital part of our community's infrastructure.”

All Three County Commissioners to Speak at Chamber Luncheon

Mike Doherty, Mike Chapman and Jim McEntire will be the guest speakers at tomorrow's Chamber of Commerce luncheon.  They'll be discussing events from 2011 and prospects for this year.

Columbia Bank will be the luncheon's featured business.

City Council on Weekend Retreat

The Port Angeles City Council is on its annual weekend retreat, which is being held at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center.  During this retreat they'll be discussing the city's ethics policy, economic development and two proposed bond issues for Civic Field and the downtown waterfront project.

Money from Sale of Methane

The City is hoping that methane from the former Port Angeles landfill can be sold for cash.  The site releases 220 cubic feet of gas per minute.  Half of that gas is methane and half is carbon dioxide.

You can get more information here.

Combined Sewer Overflow Project

Port Angeles' Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) project is costing the City $42 million.  Darlene Schanfald and Tyler Ahlgren have described the CSO project as "a $42 million bandaid."

Here's the link.  You'll need to scroll down to page four.

This project is mandated by the state Department of Ecology.  Darlene Schanfald and Tyler Ahlgren believe there is a more sustainable and more cost effective way to handle the City's stormwater.

Last May, Darlene Schanfald spoke to a meeting of the Port Angeles Business Association.  She spoke in favor of disconnecting residential downspouts, which would allow stormwater to filter through the soil.  She also favored planting trees for filtration.  She said these methods were preferable to installing new sewer lines.  She referred to the city of Saginaw, Michigan (warning: .pdf file) as an example of how this could be done.

She continued:

"The debate is to minimize it or to stop combined sewer overflow.  The city is looking at how to minimize it. We are proposing ways to stop it...We are saying, use the money you have to upgrade and expand the stormwater collection system... low-impact development is the best way to clean stormwater, the best way to recharge our aquifers.”

Here are some more links.

Union vs. Olympic Medical Center

Over 100 health care workers demonstrated last week, asking Olympic Medical Center to settle a contract with its union workers.  Over three hundred Olympic Medical Center employees are members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

OMC and the union have spent the past year negotiating a new contract.

Nippon Biomass Project OK'd

The State Pollution Control Hearings Board has ruled in favor of Nippon's biomass project.  Seven environmental groups had appealed Nippon's construction permit for the project.  The project is now expected to be completed by early next year.

Black Ball Ferry Line Has Been Sold

Black Ball, the owner of the MV Coho ferry service, has been sold to the company's five senior managers.  Black Ball was previously owned by the Oregon State University Foundation.

Paul McHugh Named to Port of Port Angeles Commission

Paul McHugh is the Port's newest commissioner.  He's a retired real estate broker and a former member of the Sequim City Council.

Port Angeles Still Trying to Get Seat on Rayonier Panel

City Manager Kent Myers has sent a letter to Governor Gregoire protesting the fact that Port Angeles was not included on the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Team.  This team was put together to assess the environmental damage caused by the mill at the former Rayonier site.


The team is made up of the state Department of Ecology, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam and Lower Elwha Klallam. Kent Myers said:


“It just seems really unfair that a local government that has that many stewardship and ownership interests would not be part of the process.”

Bell Street Bakery Closed

Bell Street Bakery, in downtown Sequim, has closed. The bakery had recently merged with The Garden Bistro, also in downtown Sequim, but the partnership didn't work out.

I never went to Bell Street Bakery but they always featured excellent breads and pastries at the Port Angeles Farmers Market.

Four Finalists for Port of Port Angeles Vacancy

The field of candidates for Jim McEntire's vacant port position has been narrowed down from twelve to four:

Paul McHugh, retired real estate broker and former Sequim City Council member;

Gerald Stiles, retired aeronautical engineer and currently on the executive committee of the Clallam County Republican Party;

Sterling Epps, cold case investigator for the Port Angeles Police Department and the Clallam County Sheriff's Office; and

Shawn Hankins, a Port Angeles Chiropractor.

Mayor Cherie Kidd

The City Council has elected Cherie Kidd to be the next Mayor of Port Angeles.  Brad Collins will be Deputy Mayor.  Both votes were unanimous.

First Phase of Port Angeles' Waterfront Redevelopment

By the end of 2012, the first part of the Port Angeles Waterfront Redevelopment plan will have been completed.  This will include an esplanade on the west side of the ferry terminal.  There will also be a makeover of Railroad Avenue from the western edge of the ferry terminal to Oak Street, and Oak Street between Railroad Avenue and Front Street.  This will include repaving, widening the sidewalks and improving the lighting.

Dungeness River Fish Population

A letter in today's PDN reads:

"Isn't it amazing that the Department of Ecology wants us to use less water so there will be more water in the Dungeness River for the fish the Department of Fish and Wildlife will not let us catch?  And we pay these people good money."

Damn right!  But the letter writer doesn't go far enough.  What's the deal with all these "endangered" species anyway?  Tigers, elephants, wolves — they serve no purpose whatsoever.  If you can't eat 'em, what good are they?