Affordable Care Act to be Topic at Tomorrow's Chamber of Commerce Luncheon

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka "Obamacare") will be the topic of discussion at tomorrow's Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce meeting.  Panelists will be Eric Lewis, CEO of Olympic Medical Center; Larry Little, executive director of OMC; Andy Callis, president of Callis & Associates Insurance; and Mary Hogan, manager of Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics.

Border Patrol Agrees to Terms of Legal Settlement

As a result of a lawsuit filed last April by two Forks residents and a Neah Bay resident, Border Patrol agents based in Port Angeles will share the records of all traffic stops they make for the next eighteen months.  This information will be shared with immigrant advocacy groups.  The Border Patrol also agreed to retrain its agents in the Fourth Amendment.

I-522, Labeling of GMO Products

Today's PDN (the print version, not the PDN website) has an article on the pros and cons of I-522, which would require labels on all foods containing GMOs.  I'm guessing the PDN didn't put this article on their website because the comments would be through the roof and Monsanto doesn't want any free advertising for the Yes on 522 crowd (which is most of us).

California had a similar initiative last November which would have required all GMO products to be labeled.  The initiative was way ahead in the polls until Monsanto spend a few bazillion jillion dollars on an ad blitz to scare Californians into voting against the initiative.  It worked.  Millions of California voters were brainwashed by Monsanto, went "DUUUHHH!!!" and obediently voted against the initiative.  Let's hope Washington voters will be smarter and less gullible.

Three City Council Members to Speak at PABA meeting

Pat Downie, Brad Collins and Dan Gase will be the guests at this Tuesday's meeting of the Port Angeles Business Association.  All three are running unopposed in this November's election.  Brad Collins and Pat Downie are incumbents.  Dan Gase was the interim appointee to fill a council vacancy.  He'll be running for a different council position in November.

Local Bee Colonies in Danger from Pesticides

Beekeepers on the North Olympic Peninsula are concerned about Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).  Clallam County has six commercial beekeeping operations and about forty sideline operations.

Colony Collapse Disorder has been linked to a type of widely used pesticides known as neonicotonoids. 

ACTI being Picketed

Sixteen union members gathered outside the Angeles Composite Technologies Inc. plant today.  The business representative for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said the union has been trying to negotiate a contract with ACTI for the past sixteen months.

City of Port Angeles to Purchase Street-Fixing Machine

The Port Angeles City Council has authorized the purchase of a street crack sealing machine, which will cost $61,000.  City staff says more than 75% of Port Angeles' streets are in "poor" or "failed" condition, and that crack sealing can add three to eight years to the life of a street.

Dan Gase Named as Interim City Councilman

Real estate broker Dan Gase has been appointed as the interim city council member from now until the November election.  He will be filling the vacancy created when what's-his-face scampered off with his tail between his legs.

Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Candidates will Speak at PABA meeting

Del DelaBarre and Colleen McAleer, the two candidates for Port of Port Angeles commissioner, will be the guests at this Tuesday's meeting of the Port Angeles Business Association.