Grays Harbor, WA - The public is invited to help the state Department of Ecology (Ecology) and U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) update and improve site-specific oil-spill response strategies used for Grays Harbor. These are called geographic response plans.

Ecology and the Coast Guard will hold a workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Aberdeen Timberland Library, 121 E. Market St., Aberdeen.

The workshop will give citizens, resource managers, spill response contractors and oil-industry representatives the opportunity to help the state and federal response agencies identify any new information that might make the geographic response plan strategies for Grays Harbor more effective.

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has scheduled a public meeting Aug. 25 in Conway to discuss recreational access on portions of the Skagit and Snoqualmie wildlife areas.

The public meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Conway Fire Hall. WDFW staff will discuss the need to manage access at the two wildlife areas, where substantial portions of recreational land is being returned to intertidal habitat for fish and wildlife.

About 150 acres of the Snoqualmie Wildlife Area's Spencer Island Unit was recently restored after old dikes and levees where breached. A similar project, which is scheduled to be completed in early September, will return about 160 acres of land to estuary habitat at the Skagit Wildlife Area's Headquarters Unit.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday the publication of the 2008 boating safety statistics, reporting a rise in recreational boating fatalities.

Lewis County, WA - The Washington State Patrol Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) is seeking additional witnesses to the tragic collision that claimed the life of Lewis County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Gallagher. The collision occurred August 17, 2009 at about 8:25 p.m. on State Route 12 on the west side of Packwood where his patrol car collided with an elk.

Detectives are interested in speaking to anyone who may have seen the collision or any of the events leading up to the crash. If you know someone who may have seen the collision, please call the numbers below and give us their information so we can contact them.

If you have any information, you are asked to call Detective Sergeant Jerry Cooper at (360) 805-1192 or Detective Curt Ladines at (360) 805-1160.