Relay for Life of Grays Harbor starts in Hoquiam

The Relay for Life of Grays Harbor has officially kicked off for it’s 27th year.

Volunteers, cancer survivors, family members, and friends started around the track on Friday evening. Thousands are expected to come to the Seabreeze Oval at Hoquiam High School 24 hour event.

Not only can those who attend fund cancer research at the event, but they can be research. The American Cancer Society has a tent set up for a cancer research study. Blood will be drawn, and residents can participate in an ongoing study to assist locally in curing cancer.

Last year the event raised over $420 thousand for the American Cancer Society, and just before the opening ceremony the American Cancer Society showed Grays Harbor already with $203,247.13 raised.

Teams have until August 31 to continue raising money to meet their goal for this year.

Congressman Derek Kilmer says not getting a budget done is anti-strategic

Congressman Derek Kilmer came to the Rotary Log Pavilion in Aberdeen for his town hall style meeting today and talked about many issues including the budget and the crude oil export project that could be coming to the Port of Grays Harbor.

Kilmer was asked what his thoughts on the potential environmental impact of the project was, and he said that while he is very environmentally conscious for his state he is also aware of Grays Harbor’s unemployment problems. Kilmer said that if the project passes all of the environmental permitting processes, it should be allowed to go through.

Kilmer also talked about the sequester saying that by not getting a budget done; it is anti-strategic to make cuts across the board.

Local Click It Or Ticket patrols already showing results

Click It Or Ticket patrols in Grays Harbor are underway and issued over 150 violations in their first weekend alone.

In numbers from Grays Harbor Target Zero, in 2 separate emphasis patrols in Montesano and Aberdeen last weekend saw 60 drivers with no insurance, 45 using their cell phones while driving, 24 seatbelt violations, 2 drug arrests, and a felony warrant.

Last year, during this time period, officers statewide issued 3,171 seat belt violations amongst the 11,047 motorists who were stopped, and 1,059 cell phone violations were written.

In 2010, the same year cell phone use became a primary law in Washington; only 63 drivers were cited statewide.

These and all extra local patrols are part of Grays Harbor Target Zero whose goal is to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030.

Extra patrols will continue through this weekend in Grays Harbor looking for unbuckled or distracted drivers.

$20,000 worth of items taken in Central Park burglary

On Thursday, during the daytime, a Central Park home was burglarized. The Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office said that the suspects broke into the home in the 6600 block of Central Park Drive sometime between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm while the homeowners were gone.

Chief Criminal Deputy Steve Shumate says that someone forcibly broke through a door and stole over $20,000 worth of jewelry, money, and computers.

Officers contacted the nearby neighbors and one of them reported hearing noises coming from the residence at around noon.

Due to the amount of the theft, detectives were called to assist.

Anyone with information regarding this burglary is asked to call the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office at 360-249-3711 or the Grays Harbor 911 center at 360-533-8765.

ISAV virus not found in Washington salmon

Tribal and federal resource managers announced that tests on salmon from Washington waters show no signs of a fish virus called Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus.

ISAV was not detected in tissue samples taken from more than 900 wild and hatchery-produced salmon.

ISAV is not harmful to people, but specific strains have caused a deadly disease in farm-raised Atlantic salmon. Outbreaks with significant losses have occurred Maine, Canada, Chile and several European countries.

ISAV has not been documented in farmed, wild or hatchery salmon in Washington.
John Kerwin, Fish Health Program manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said concerns about the possibility of the virus occurring in Washington’s salmon prompted the tests, part of a two-year monitoring program specifically designed to detect ISAV.

Elsewhere on the west coast, there have been no confirmed reports of ISAV in wild, hatchery or farmed salmon. In 2011, a Canadian researcher reported detecting the virus in some British Columbia salmon. However, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the federal agency with authority for fish health in Canada, tested fish tissue samples and found no ISAV present.

Additional monitoring programs are under way in Alaska and Canada.

Razor clam season produce highest harvest in over 20 years

This year’s razor clam season has come to an end following the final dig on Twin Harbors last weekend. Between October and May, diggers harvested more than five million clams along the coast, the highest number in more than 20 years.

Coastal Shellfish Lead Biologist Dan Ayres said that the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will be conducting an assessment of razor clam populations over the next few months to make recommendations for the 2013-14 season.

That season is expected to get under way sometime in October.

Worksource launch new system for job seekers

The statewide WorkSource system has launched a new online calendar in order to make it easier for job seekers to learn about job fairs or to register for workshops anywhere in Washington.

The calendar allows job seekers to view and pre-register for workshops on various activities.

Job seekers can search the calendar by WorkSource office or region, sign up for courses, and add reminders to social-media or email calendars.

“The WorkSource calendar is great for someone who is on the go,” said Reneda Milbourn, a WorkSource customer from Hoquiam. “It lets me organize and schedule all my job-search activities so I can get out there and look for work.”

The WorkSource calendar is accessible 24 hours a day.

To learn more, visit go2worksource.com and click the Calendar Workshops & Events icon.

Washington State Parks free day on Saturday

Washington State Parks is offering three “free days” in June, starting this weekend.

On these free days, visitors are not required to display a Discover Pass for visits to Washington state parks. Saturday, June 1, is a State Parks free day to coincide with National Trails Day. Two free days are offered in parks the following weekend, June 8 and 9, in honor of National Get Outdoors Day, on June 8.

The State Parks and Recreation Commission selected most of its 2013 free days in conjunction with the National Park Service’s schedule.

The next “free day” is scheduled for August 4.

Aberdeen woman featured on Wheel of Fortune

Last night, an Aberdeen mother of 3 was featured on Wheel of Fortune.

Local mother and blogger Ashley Emmett did not win the top prize of the night, that prize went to Autumn Erhard of Laguna Niguel, CA.

For a recap from Emmett, you can visit her blog at www.mycraftilyeverafter.com.

Relay for Life of Grays Harbor starts tonight

The 27th annual Relay for Life of Grays Harbor begins tonight in Hoquiam, but teams have spent the last year raising funds for the event.

According to the American Cancer Society, 55 teams have already raised over $200,000 for cancer research at the event. Starting tonight and running 24 hours, thousands will come out to the Seabreeze Oval at Hoquiam High School to walk the track or support a team.

The local event, started only one year after the inaugural event in Tacoma, has ranked nationally for its per capita fundraising. Money raised at the event will go to the American Cancer Society to support cancer research.

Relay for Life of East Grays Harbor will begin on June 14th, starting at 6pm at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds.

The Relay for Life of Willapa Bay is also scheduled for the 14th starting at 6 pm at Raymond High School.