Westport, WA - Coast Guard crews responded to a boat fire approximately 40 miles from the coast of Wallapa Bay, Wash., Monday. Coast Guard Group/Air Station Astoria, Wash., received a call at 6:38 a.m. from a crewman aboard the 39-foot charter fishing vessel Titan reporting that the vessel was on fire.

The two crewmembers aboard Titan were able to relay coordinates to a Coast Guard watchstander before abandoning ship into a liferaft. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and Station Grays Harbor, Wash., launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew to assist. The crew aboard the charter vessel Ms. Magoo was in the vicinity and was able to recover the Titan’s crew from the water.

The MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew arrived on scene at 7:36 a.m. The MLB crew met the Ms. Magoo at 8:10 a.m. where the crew from the Titan was transferred to the MLB and are in route to Westport, Wash. The Titan reported having approximately 400 gallons of diesel fuel.  There were no reports of injuries.

Coffee Talk at the D&R Theatre with Doug McDowell, click the picture for more.

Montesano, WA - With the financial future of nearly 40 Washington State parks now tucked under a new 5$ op-out licensing fee, State Parks Planner Brian Hovis is asking the public for their ideas on Lake Sylvia and Schafer State Parks. A Workshop will be held Monday evening from 7 until 9pm at the Montesano (Mont-ee-say-no) city hall to discuss the land use planning project for both parks, as well as to establish a land classification system. The planning process, also known as Classification and Management Planning, or CAMP, includes four planning stages expected to span over 9 months of public meetings to address development and management of the park's programs and facilities, as well as the protection of natural and cultural resources.