Peninsula Housing Market to be Topic at PABA meeting

At this Tuesday's meeting of the Port Angeles Business Association, the topic will be the housing market on the North Olympic Peninsula.  Guest speakers will be Port Angeles Association of Realtors president Kelly Johnson and past president Dick Pilling.

Another Round of Upgrades for William Shore Memorial Pool

Clallam County Commissioners are expected grant a request to issue a bond for some sweeping upgrades to the pool.  Executive Director Steve Burke says the bond is needed to help pay for upgrades to the pool's water and air-handling systems.

Most of the work will be done in June when the pool will be closed for three weeks.

Possibility of Lyme Disease on Olympic Peninsula

A tick near Lake Crescent tested positive for the pathogen that causes Lyme Disease.  Dr. Tom Locke, public health officer for Clallam and Jefferson Counties, said:

“Lake Crescent and the area around Lake Crescent is tick heaven.  People report tick bites from around there all the time.  So, given that this is an area where we see a lot of tick bites, this is significant news.  We want people to know about it. At the same token, we don't want them to overreact to it, this one test result.  We've never had a confirmed case of Lyme disease in Clallam County, although we've had anecdotes of people being bit by ticks and getting rashes and taking antibiotics.”

Port Angeles Forum to Discuss Ocean Acidification

There will be a forum tomorrow evening on the subject of ocean acidification.  The forum will be at the Port Angeles Senior Center,328 East Seventh Street, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The forum is free and will be hosted by the Clallam County Marine Resources Committee.  The guest speakers will be from the Washington State Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification.

PenPly Smokestack Still Standing

As of 5:39 p.m. today, the PenPly smokestack is still with us.  Implosion didn't work because of a web of steel rebar inside the tower.  They won't be using any more explosives today.

Next they'll try to topple the tower by cutting through the rebar with electric saws.

UPDATE:  The tower has fallen; it went down at 6:15 p.m.

Sequim Elk Herd vs. Farmers (continued)

The six-month hunt to "cull" the Dungeness Elk herd has now ended, and farmers are fretting over damage to their crops.

Lots of interesting comments at the linked article.  (Hurry up and read them while they're still there.)  A farmer claims that fences, no matter how high they are and even if they're electric, can't keep out the elk.  But some of the commenters are saying their land is near the elk herd and that the elk have never gotten past their fences.

P.A. Ferry Terminal Improvements are On Schedule

Black Ball Ferry Line co-owner Ryan Anderson said the construction project at the ferry terminal is on schedule and most of the work should be completed later this month.  Motorists will be able to drive on the area sometime in May.

 Black Ball is stepping up their campaign to encourage Vancouver Island residents to visit Port Angeles.  In addition to the "Get Off the Rock" slogan, there will be a promotion called the Pub Crawl to bring Victoria residents over to Port Angeles to sample the local brews.