Fire in Aberdeen causes approximately 75 thousand in damage

The Aberdeen Fire Department responded to a fire on the 1000 block of Lafayette St. in Aberdeen late last night with assistance from the Hoquiam Fire Department.

At 20 minutes to midnight the Fire Department was dispatched to the home and as they arrived they saw smoke coming from the back.

Interior fire crews entered the building and found that the fire was extending to the second floor.

No injuries were reported. It is unknown at this time what started the fire that caused approximately 75 thousand dollars in damages but the investigation is ongoing.

Power outage in the Moclips area believed to be caused by a bird

The Grays Harbor PUD responded to an outage that impacted about 50 customers yesterday in the Moclips area.

The outage began just after 2:30 yesterday afternoon and lasted till just before 7 in the evening.

The PUD says the outage was believed to be caused by a bird into the wires.

New licenses for clam digging required tomorrow

This is the last day before clam diggers need the new 2014-2015 licenses.

Residents will need a 2014-2015 license starting tomorrow and the low tide for tomorrow will be at 8:22 a.m. on Twin Harbors and Long Beach as the shift to morning tides began on Sunday.

Today’s low tide is at 7:39 a.m. for Twin Harbors and Long Beach.

Additional razor clam digs are tentatively scheduled for April 14-20.

March 31, Monday, 7:39 a.m.; -0.5 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 1, Tuesday, 8:22 a.m.; -0.7 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 2, Wednesday, 9:05 a.m.; -0.6 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 3, Thursday, 9:49 a.m.; -0.3 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach

Tentative Dates

April 14, Monday, 6:46 a.m.; +0.2 feet; Twin Harbors
April 15, Tuesday, 7:24 a.m.; -0.3 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 16, Wednesday, 8:03 a.m.; -0.6 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 17, Thursday, 8:43 a.m.; -0.8 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 18, Friday, 9:26 a.m.; -0.8 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks
April 19, Saturday, 10:14 a.m.; -0.7 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
April 20, Sunday, 11:06 a.m.; -0.4 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks

Grays Harbor Community Foundation celebrates 20 years

The Grays Harbor Community Foundation celebrated 20 years on Friday night and they released their annual report for 2013.

The Foundation started the year with $37.36 million in assets and ended the year $46.96 all while helping local non profits, schools as well as scholarships.

Chair of the Foundation Tom Quigg said the giving nature of the community was a huge part of their success. He also said that they set a goal to have 50 million in assets by their 20th year anniversary and they are confident they will reach that goal in a few months.

The foundation says they are more committed than ever to making the community a better place.

Increased traffic expected due to Army Corps work on Taholah seawall

The U.S. Corps of Engineers has commenced work on the Quinault Indian Nation seawall and Quinault has issued an advisory that this will result in increased traffic from Aberdeen to Taholah along the ocean beach road and State Route 109 for the next 48 hours, according to QIN President Fawn Sharp.

More than 100 dump trucks are engaged in the project. “With clam digging this weekend and Quinault’s General Council meeting taking place, it is projected that there will be more than 1000 additional vehicles on the road already, so we advise people to drive with extreme caution,” said Sharp.

The Corps approved Quinault’s request for emergency assistance shortly after it concurred that an emergency situation exists, posing an imminent threat to the lives and safety of residents of the Lower Village of Taholah due to breaching of the seawall and encroachment of high waves and sea water.

High waves and winds are anticipated over the week end and the threat continues. “But it is important for people to remain calm and follow the instructions of our emergency workforce,” said President Sharp.

“We wish to acknowledge and thank the help of the Corps of Engineers as well as Grays Harbor Emergency Services, the elected officials and all others who have sent their prayers and offers of support. Our people will be kept safe and we will continue to seek a more long term solution to this dangerous situation,” said Sharp.

Both suspects now in custody from the Lebam area burglary

The Pacific County Sheriff’s now have both suspects in custody for the burglary that took place in the Lebam area.

The Sheriff’s Office received a call around 11 yesterday morning that there were two masked individuals burglarizing a home that was occupied at the time and responded to the situation. Pacific County Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock said the suspects had been chased from the scene when they arrived.

The sheriff’s deputies then set up a perimeter and brought in their K9 tracking dog, but they were unable to locate the suspects at that time.

As they were still working on the case the sheriffs received a call at around 6:45 in the evening from a neighbor of the residence saying that someone had come out of the woods and asked to use their phone.

The sheriffs arrived on the scene and were able to indicate that it was one of the suspects from the burglary and take the 52 year old Grayland man in to custody.

Matlock said that the second suspect was taken into custody at around 2:30 early this morning.

The second suspect a 32 year old Aberdeen woman came out of the woods about two and and a half miles from the site of the burglary and went to a house. The house owner called the Sheriff’s and the woman was arrested without incident.

The two suspects are now being held at the Pacific County Jail.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to respond to QIN request for help

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it’s responding to a Quinault Indian Nation request for help to fix a seawall breach at the lower village of Taholah and prevent further flooding.

The tribe says the seawall was breached Tuesday by pounding waves in high winds. The water has destroyed a smokehouse and several outbuildings. Tribal President Fawn Sharp issued a voluntary evacuation order and asked for federal help.

The corps has outlined a plan to complete the repair before a new storm that’s forecast for Saturday.

In January, the corps placed 800 tons of rock along the seawall.

Clam digs continue tonight, prior to shift in tides

Razor clam digs continue tonight before switching to morning tides this weekend for Grays Harbor beaches.

Digging tonight on Twin Harbors, Long Beach, and Mocrocks has a low tide of at 5:38 pm and tomorrow the low tide will be at 6:23 pm for those same beaches before the switch to morning tides Sunday for five more days.

Residents will need a 2014-2015 license to dig starting on Tuesday.

Additional razor clam digs are tentatively scheduled April 14-20.

March 27, Thursday, 4:48 p.m.; 0.1 feet; Twin Harbors
March 28, Friday, 5:38 p.m.; 0.0 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks
March 29, Saturday, 6:23 p.m.; 0.0 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks
(Seasonal switch to morning tides)
March 30, Sunday, 6:53 a.m.; -0.1 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks
March 31, Monday, 7:39 a.m.; -0.5 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 1, Tuesday, 8:22 a.m.; -0.7 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 2, Wednesday, 9:05 a.m.; -0.6 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 3, Thursday, 9:49 a.m.; -0.3 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach

Tentative Dates

April 14, Monday, 6:46 a.m.; +0.2 feet; Twin Harbors
April 15, Tuesday, 7:24 a.m.; -0.3 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 16, Wednesday, 8:03 a.m.; -0.6 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 17, Thursday, 8:43 a.m.; -0.8 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach
April 18, Friday, 9:26 a.m.; -0.8 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Mocrocks
April 19, Saturday, 10:14 a.m.; -0.7 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
April 20, Sunday, 11:06 a.m.; -0.4 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks

Grays Harbor Community Hospital needs 2,000 signatures

Grays Harbor Community Hospital Board of Directors has voted to move forward with exploring the formation of a Public Hospital District.

In order for the formation of the Public Hospital to be placed on a ballot for a public vote, a petition must be signed by 10% of the registered voters that live within the proposed Hospital District.

The County has stated that 2,000 signatures must be collected by April 4th. David Quigg of Grays Harbor Community Hospital says there are many places to find and sign the petition.

Petition Forms are available to sign at Grays Harbor Community Hospital main registration desk from 7am until 5pm. Petitions forms are also available at Coastal Woman’s Health on the 4th floor of the East Campus in Aberdeen, Hoquiam License Agency, and at Oceana Spa.

Registered voters living west of the Satsop River in the proposed District are being sought to sign the petition. For more information on where you can sign the petition, go to Facebook.com/GHPHD.

One suspect in custody in Pacific County burglary

The Pacific County Sheriff’s have one suspect in custody for a burglary that took place in the Lebam area.

The Sheriff’s Office received a call around 11 yesterday morning that there were two masked individuals burglarizing a home that was occupied at the time and responded to the situation. Pacific County Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock said the suspects had been chased from the scene when they arrived.

The sheriff’s deputies then set up a perimeter and brought in their K9 tracking dog, but they were unable to locate the suspects at that time.

As they were still working on the case the sheriffs received a call at around 6:45 in the evening from a neighbor of the residence saying that someone had come out of the woods and asked to use their phone.

The sheriffs arrived on the scene and were able to indicate that it was one of the suspects from the burglary and take him in to custody. Matlock said that there is still one suspect at large and the case is still on going and pending.