We are looking to adopt a cat and im wondering if this is a reputable organization. By that, I mean I am wondering if it is the type of animal rescue that is responsible with its funds, resources, and decision-making position- basically that animals are euthanized when it's the best decision for the animal's quality of life and / or that will allow the organization to help more animals or prioritize animals with better odds off getting adopted. I am hoping it is not the kind of place that tends to refuse to euthanize except in the most extreme circumstances, or that will keep an animal with severe health issues alive for the sake of "life" when really the most humane thing would be euthanize. I work in horse rescue and the VAST majority of horse rescues fall into the latter category. I cant quite get a feel for CVAR just from their website- what do you guys think of them? Especially if you have experience and you know what I mean about crappy "rescues" that prioritize a comeback story over what's actually best for the animal. Thank you in advance!

I’m looking for good Halloween displays in the Port Angeles or Sequim area? I can’t find any maps that show this area. Or, I find maps with broken links. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Hello! I hope it’s ok to post this here- a dog was found in Port Angeles, near the Domino’s just off of Race st around 10pm. The dog is medium sized, very sweet, and is wearing a harness without any id tags. She is safe and well but I’m sure someone is missing her very much! Please put the word out if you are able. Thank you!

OLYMPIA – Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) shellfish managers confirmed today, the first round of razor clam digging opportunities at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, and Mocrocks beaches from Oct. 3-7.

“It’s very exciting to get back to razor clamming again and begin the 2024-25 season,” said Bryce Blumenthal, a WDFW coastal shellfish biologist. “It’s common to encounter some small clams this early in the season, so we want to remind everyone that the rules require each digger to keep their first 15 clams regardless of size or condition in their own separate container.”

In early fall the beaches still have a lot of sand built up, which can make beach driving hazardous. WDFW asks diggers to drive carefully on the uppermost part of the hard-packed sand, avoid wet sand and not to create congestion leading on and off the beach by parking on the approaches.

Diggers heading out to Copalis on Friday or Saturday need to be aware that Highway 109 is closed west of Hoquiam and there is a detour via Highway 101 North and Ocean Beach Road.

The Washington Department of Health (DOH) requires test samples for marine toxins, and domoic acid levels must fall under the guideline level before a beach can open for digging. Domoic acid, a natural toxin produced by certain types of marine algae, can be harmful or fatal if consumed in sufficient quantities. Final approval usually occurs about a week or less – sometimes two to three days – before the start of each digging series. More information about domoic acid, as well as current levels at ocean beaches, can be found on the WDFW’s domoic acid webpage.

The following digs during evening (p.m.) low tides will proceed as scheduled, after marine toxin results from the DOH showed razor clams are safe to eat:

• Oct. 3, Thursday; 7:38 p.m.; 0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Oct. 4, Friday; 8:10 p.m.; 0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Oct. 5, Saturday, 8:44 p.m.; 0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Oct. 6, Sunday, 9:20 p.m.; 0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Oct. 7, Monday, 10:02 p.m.; 0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks

Below are additional tentative dates:

• Oct. 15, Tuesday, 5:31 p.m.; 0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Oct. 16, Wednesday, 6:18 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Oct. 17, Thursday, 7:03 p.m.; -1.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Oct. 18, Friday, 7:49 p.m.; -1.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Oct. 19, Saturday, 8:35 p.m.; -1.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Oct. 20, Sunday, 9:24 p.m.; -1.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Oct. 21, Monday, 10:16 p.m.; -0.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis

• Nov. 1, Friday, 7:15 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Nov. 2, Saturday, 7:47 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks (switch to standard time)
• Nov. 3, Sunday, 7:22 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Nov. 4, Monday, 8:00 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Nov. 5, Tuesday, 8:42 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks

• Nov. 13, Wednesday, 4:15 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Nov. 14, Thursday, 5:02 p.m.; -1.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Nov. 15, Friday, 5:48 p.m.; -1.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Nov. 16, Saturday, 6:33 p.m.; -1.9 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Nov. 17, Sunday, 7:19 p.m.; -1.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Nov. 18, Monday, 8:05 p.m.; -1.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Nov. 19, Tuesday, 8:54 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis

• Nov. 29, Friday, 5:20 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Nov. 30, Saturday, 5:54 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Dec. 1, Sunday, 6:30 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Dec. 2, Monday, 7:06 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Dec. 3, Tuesday, 7:46 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Dec. 4, Wednesday, 8:28 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Dec. 5, Thursday, 9:13 p.m.; -0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis

• Dec. 12, Thursday, 4:00 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Dec. 13, Friday, 4:50 p.m.; -1.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Dec. 14, Saturday, 5:36 p.m.; -1.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Dec. 15, Sunday, 6:21 p.m.; -1.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Dec. 16, Monday, 7:05 p.m.; -1.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Dec. 17, Tuesday, 7:48 p.m.; -1.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Dec. 18, Wednesday, 8:31 p.m.; -0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks

• Dec. 28, Saturday, 4:58 p.m.; 0.0 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Dec. 29, Sunday, 5:36 p.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Dec. 30, Monday, 6:14 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Dec. 31, Tuesday, 6:51 p.m.; -1.0 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations/razor-clams

Date: September 26, 2024
Contact: Public Affairs Office, 360-565-3005

Port Angeles, Wash. – Starting on October 3, 2024, Olympic National Park will remove hazardous trees along the Lake Crescent section of US 101. Drivers should expect up to half-hour delays for alternating single-lane traffic from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days of the week. The project is expected to finish by October 14, 2024.

For real-time traffic information, check Washington State Department of Transportation Traffic Alerts: Travel Center Map | WSDOT.

Current road and travel information is available on the park’s recorded Road and Weather Hotline: 360-565-3131. Project updates, including schedule changes, will be posted to: Alerts & Conditions - Olympic National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

Hi! So we're going to the Quileute Oceanside Resort this weekend- been looking forward to it all summer- but my partner just found out they're on call for work so must have at least cell phone coverage if not internet access. From previous times at the resort they didnt have internet and we didn't get cellphone (Verizon) service- but that was years ago. Have things changed? Is there now internet or Verizon cell phone coverage? Or will my partner have to stay in Forks while I'm at La Push? Thanks for your advice...

SR 109 closure and detour west of Hoquiam

• Starting 12:01 a.m. Monday, July 22, SR 109 at milepost 4.4 will close around the clock. The highway will close between Bay Ridge Lane and Valley Road. The roadway will reopen 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11 
• Travelers will detour via US 101, Ocean Beach Road, Grass Creek Road, and Powell Road. Travelers can expect about 20-minutes to use the 12-mile detour route between Hoquiam and SR 109.  
• SR 109 will close Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Saturday, Oct. 5. The closure will be near Kessler Lane.

SR 109 closures and detour between Ocean City and Seabrook

• SR 109 at milepost 24.5 is closed around the clock. The roadway will close to all travelers for approximately 28 days. 
• Starting 12:01 a.m. Monday, July 28, SR 109 at milepost 19.4 will close around the clock. The highway will close between Pacific Lane and Chabot Road. The roadway will close to all travelers for approximately 30 calendar days.  

Access to residents and business is maintained.

Olympic National Park News Release

Port Angeles Wash. — Due to rising temperatures and increasingly dry conditions, campfires will be restricted to established fire rings in designated areas in the Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park. This fire restriction will be effective at midnight on July 13th, 2024.

All backcountry and dispersed area campfires, charcoal grills, and other equipment that creates ash will not be allowed. Gas or propane camp stoves with a shut-off valve or lever that extinguishes the flame immediately are permitted in these areas. These stoves should be operated far from flammable vegetation and forest litter. Extreme caution is urged when using any open flame.

Campfires on Olympic National Park's beaches will not be permitted. "Abnormally dry and drought-like conditions have lingered over portions of the peninsula for the past several years. This is leading to live vegetation being in a state of stress and dead vegetation is quick to react to localized weather patterns, like the recent heat dome" said Jeff Bortner, Fire Management Officer for Olympic Interagency Fire Management. "These changes line up to quick changes in fire danger. Places like the Quinault, Hoh, and coastal beaches are especially sensitive to prolonged dry periods and drought as they have not evolved to survive in a moisture deficit."

Visitors can prevent avoidable wildfires by following these fire and safety tips: Check current fire restrictions before lighting a fire Fire conditions are subject to change quickly. Always check with the appropriate land management agency before starting a fire.

For updated fire restriction information, visit:

Olympic National Park www.nps.gov/olym

Olympic National Forest www.fs.usda.gov/olympic

Washington State Department of Natural Resources https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/protection/firedanger/

The closure came after shellfish samples were found to be high in the PSP biotoxin sometimes produced by Alexandrium spp., a microscopic marine organism.

n the Washington coast, “commercial harvest of all species has been shut down in Willapa only,” David Beugli, executive director of Willapa-Grays Harbor Oyster Growers Association, said Monday, June 3. “The next step is for samples of harvested product to be sent out to DOH for testing. I was told that a lack of capacity of testing at DOH is a huge constraint currently and the farmers are working to coordinate sampling efforts from the growing areas in Willapa.”

High Steel Bridge in Washington State (stock photo)

"Rescuers said about five to seven people fall off the bridge every year, and there are 20 dead bodies recovered for every person found alive at the bottom.

"...West Mason fire said: 'Luckily the 19-year-old made it out alive. A lot of our rescues aren’t so lucky. Remember, do NOT hike down next to the bridge.'"

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/28/washington-canyon-teenager-survives-fall

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has closed all of Grays Harbor to the recreational harvest of shellfish due to recent shellfish samples testing high for the biotoxin that causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP).

The Grays Harbor County Environmental Health team has posted signs at key recreational shellfish harvesting locations, including Damon Point and the North Jetty in Ocean Shores. Signs have also been posted in the Westport area by our partners at DOH and the Washington State Parks. The closure includes clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, and other species of mollusks. Crabs are not included in the closure. Continued sampling will determine when closures will be lifted or expanded. Commercial shellfish are sampled separately and should be safe to eat. 

https://preview.redd.it/w7df0ecrk23d1.jpg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c254bb9339259bfad71a75604f88916e6a230d1

"In 2009, the Legislature designated them as the state’s official endemic mammal.

"But environmentalists say the species is in trouble, with around 2,000 to 4,000 of the animals believed to be left after a sharp population decline from the 1990s to mid-2000s.

"With this in mind, the Center for Biological Diversity this week petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to grant the marmots... new protections under the federal Endangered Species Act."

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/environmentalists-seek-protections-for-marmots-on-olympic-peninsula/

https://preview.redd.it/ma29io90l23d1.png?width=818&format=png&auto=webp&s=1ca174620b82c499fb7412a57bfc43d3e3c9a1fc

"Tracking data show most died within five years."

https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/few-survivors-remain-after-relocation-to-north-cascades/

Cooke Aquaculture is the same company that had farmed fish net pens that fish escaped from in the Port Angeles harbor area, to the detriment of native fish and the Strait of Juan de Fuca water, which leads to the Pacific Ocean, of course.

https://olyopen.com/2024/05/22/cooke-aquaculture-gets-2b-lawsuit-alleging-violated-u-s-fishing-laws/

Online open house.

Multiple projects on sections of US 101, US 12 and State Routes 8, 19, 20, 104, 108 and 109 in Grays Harbor, Mason, Jefferson and Clallam counties.

​

I'm planning a proposal on the Olympic Peninsula on April 6th (not sure where yet; maybe Cape Flattery or Rialto Beach), and I'm wondering if anyone knows where I might look for a local photographer who I could work with to be around at the right time to take photographs at the right time. Obviously I'm looking at this as a paid service, but professional packages are exorbitant and I'm having a tough time figuring out where to start. Any advice welcome. Thanks!

We’re looking to drive up 101 to Port Townsend and Port Angeles over the weekend. Wanted to get recs on stops along the way. What are you favorite nature spots that are easy to pull off and check out? Salt Creek is on my list so other options like that would be great. Would also like to find fresh oysters and seafood. Hama Hama would be my go to but they’re booked up and I’m afraid to waste the day trying to get in. Thought about taking some to go and enjoying them that day at one of our stops.