PACIFIC COUNTY PUD CUSTOMERS FACING RATE INCREASE

Grays Harbor PUD announced earlier this month that its work on the 2012 preliminary budget had a goal of  holding the line on rates.

But in Pacific County, a rate increase looks to be inevitable.

The Chinook Observer reports Pacific County PUD customers could be facing as much as a nine percent jump in electric rates.

Much of this is due to a nearly eight percent increase in electricity prices from the Bonneville Power Administration.

BPA’s rate increase took effect at the beginning of the month and will stay the same through 2013.

NEW REPORT ADDRESSES COST OF LIVING FOR GRAYS HARBOR

If you’re a minimum wage earner in the Harbor you’re just barely making enought to be self sufficient.

That’s according to the data in a newly released report from the UW and the Workforce Development Council of
Seattle-King County.

The report says a single wage-earner needs to make just under eight bucks an hour to meet that standard of
self-sufficiency – meaning the costs of living without depending on Welfare or food stamps.

A family of four in the Harbor needs an annual income of just under $45,000 to be self-sufficient – the equivalent
of both parents having jobs that pay at least ten sixty five an hour.

Costs of living were slightly lower in Pacific County and Wahkiakum County in Southwest Washington had the lowest
self sufficiency costs.

You can find the full report at http://www.selfsufficiencystandard.org

SHOPLIFTING BECOMES ROBBERY AFTER ASSAULT

Hoquiam police were called to Swanson’s Foods on Saturday on a suspicious persons complaint where a clerk was reporting a large white female, 6’00, 300 lbs, entered the bathroom with a hand basket full of merchandise. The clerk said that the female was now exiting the bathroom with a heavy coat and backpack, approaching the clerk, no longer carrying the basket. The clerk hung up the phone while she contacted the female.

The clerk called 911 back hysterical stating she had locked the female in the store as she was attempting to leave with the merchandise. The clerk asked dispatch to “Get an officer here!” and disconnected.

As officers arrived they noticed two employees, a male and female standing to the side of the described white female customer just inside the door. As the officer approached the door the white female customer charged the female employee striking her with a fist in the chest area.

The door was unlocked and officers were allowed entry and they took the female into custody.

Investigation revealed the female had also pushed the female employee several times prior to officers arriving. The white female had a bottle of wine stuffed in her brazier which was partially exposed, and approximately $200 worth of cosmetics hidden on her person.

The 30 year old Hoquiam woman was booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail where she is being held for alleged Robbery in the 2nd Degree.

2 DAYS. 2 STOLEN VEHICLES

It was a busy few days for Hoquiam Police and stolen vehicles.

Detective Sergeant Shane Krohn says that officers were dispatched to Beacon Hill Road regarding a truck being stuck in the mud. When they arrived they saw a 2nd truck trying to pull out a white 1995 GMC pickup out of mud. Investigation revealed the GMC pickup was a confirmed stolen out of Shelton.

The 30 year old Hoquiam man in possession of the GMC was booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail for alleged Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and is also being submitted to the Hoquiam City Prosecutors Office for Driving While License Suspended 3rd and Possession of Marijuana (40g) or less.

2 days later Officer Daniel McCartney saw a maroon 2007 Ford Focus, with an Oregon plate, parked in front of a residence on Cherry Street. A neighbor informed the officer he had confronted a male exiting the vehicle thirty minutes prior, asking if he was “picking up or dropping off drugs?” The male did not respond and went into the known drug house.

A check on the vehicle showed it was a confirmed stolen vehicle out of Aberdeen three days prior. Detectives saw a male subject matching the description from the neighbor emerge from the residence with a female following behind, heading towards the stolen car. Both stopped short of the vehicle, hesitated, and started to retreat back towards the residence. The male went to the vehicle and retrieved something quickly and then went back inside.

After watching the vehicle for a period of time no one returned to the vehicle. Officers made contact with the residents and were allowed entry.

A male matching the description the neighbor had given and the detectives had witnessed at the stolen vehicle was found hiding in a small cupboard space. The male refused to obey commands from officers and resisted arrest. The male had to be Tased in order to get him to comply so he could be handcuffed and taken into custody.

The 27 year old Aberdeen male, was transported to the Grays Harbor County jail where he is being held in custody for a No Bail DOC Felony warrant, a Hoquiam Municipal Court warrant, alleged Possession of Stolen Vehicle, Possession of Marijuana less than 40g, Resisting Arrest, and Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer.

In addition a 26 year old Hoquiam resident was taken into custody on an outstanding Hoquiam Municipal Court warrant.

A 21 year old female from Aberdeen was also taken into custody on an outstanding Aberdeen Municipal Court warrant and will also be submitted for VUCSA pending results from the crime lab.

NATIONWIDE EAS TEST

Washington radio and television stations will participate in the first ever nationwide simultaneous test of the Emergency Alert System at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 9. The test will be conducted by Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the FCC.

Bike 1 – Police Car 0

Aberdeen Police Officer Lougheed was responding to a report of a shoplifter at Dennis Company when she met with a local resident in a way she did not expect.

As the officer was turning onto G St heading toward South Side she pulled into the intersection and was struck by a 26 year old Aberdeen man on a bicycle.

The man told the officer that the brakes on his bike were wet and he could not stop in time to avoid hitting her cruiser.

The police car sustained minor scratches and one small dent on the passenger door. The bike and rider appeared undamaged.

The investigation is continuing.

PLAN NEEDED FOR EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE

What would you do if a 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami hit Grays Harbor? The Washington State Emergency Management Division hopes to help you find that out. On November 7th there will be a meeting discussing the response and effects to just such an event.

The meeting will take place from 12:30-5pm on Monday the 7th on the 2nd floor of Montesano City Hall.

They ask that all elected officials, service workers, non profit groups, schools, and anyone who wants to create the best possible plan of action attends. The resulting plan will determine how much and what type of assistance the area will receive in the event of the worst happening.

If you will be attending, please RSVP Grays Harbor County Emergency Management at ghcdem@co.grays-harbor.wa.us . This is to insure that space is available for all who wish to attend.

NO MORE HOLDING A BODY FOR DEBT

Metal thieves in Hoquiam will now have a harder time selling their finds. Hoquiam City Council passed an ordinance Monday that requires that anyone selling metals within city limits will be required to show ownership. In that same ordinance, it is now illegal if you “divulge a telegram” or for holding human remains due to a debt.

While the language describing statutes may be vague, the list of new penalties mirror those adopted statewide.

HOQUIAM PLYWOOD SHUT DOWN INDEFINITELY

Hoquiam Plywood closed indefinitely last week due to the decline of the housing market according to General Manager Mark McFeely. Around 100 employees were affected in this shut down.

McFeely says that the company had been shipping the bulk of it’s product to Canada, but the decline of the Canadian dollar and the weakening housing market brought shipments to a standstill.

Employees were prepared for the shutdown and were all given the opportunity for retraining similar to the employees of Grays Harbor Paper following their shutdown.

The company will meet again in early November to assess the market for a more accurate look at when and if Hoquiam Plywood will restart operations.

THE DAILY WORLD ENDORSES PAUL FRITTS

Paul Fritts has earned himself another endorsement for his Aberdeen mayoral run. Fritts had already received endorsements from three of Aberdeen’s four city unions, Teamsters Local 252, the Twin Harbors Central Labor Council, and the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs. Now The Daily World editorial board has officially endorsed Fritts in the upcoming election citing his plans for cleaning up the crime and other problems affecting Aberdeen.

The board says that “four years from now, we’d like to see more progress than we’ve seen in the past four”.

Voting pamphlets were mailed out last week and must be postmarked or returned to an official drop box or elections office by November 8th.