South Bend, Washington – The Pacific County Emergency Management Agency will be hosting an emergency supply kit event designed to distribute starter emergency supply kits to low income families of Pacific County. Participants will learn how to respond personally to a disaster, as well as how to use the supplies in their kits. Everyone is encouraged to attend this training; however, kits are limited to the first 20 residents who meet specified income levels.

Supplies to create these kits were donated by Pacific County residents in a disaster preparedness supply drive that was held in January. Supplies gathered include 101 bottles of water, 26 flashlights, 13 fleece blankets, 50 knit hats, and many others.

The event will be held at the North Willapa Harbor Grange (3198 State Rt. 105, Grayland, WA) on Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.

For more information about this event please contact Kirsten Harvill at 360-875-9409 or kharvill@co.pacific.wa.us.

Montesano, WA - Unbuckled AND distracted drivers will be the target when “Click it or Ticket Patrols return to Grays Harbor County. Beginning next week, motorists can expect to see law enforcement patrolling city and county roads in search of unbuckled drivers and passengers and drivers using their cell phones. 

Ever wonder why Washington has one of the highest seat belt use rates in the country? It is due, in large part, to the highly visible “Click It or Ticket” campaign which includes publicity, extra enforcement, and signage. In June 2002, when the primary seat belt law went into effect, approximately 82 percent of Washington drivers wore seat belts and today, nearly 97 percent of Washington drivers are buckling up. Now, it’s time to focus on another important traffic safety concern – distracted drivers who are texting and talking on their cell phones!

Between May 20 and June 2, motorists in Grays Harbor County can expect to see law enforcement patrolling city and county roads in search of unbuckled drivers and passengers and drivers using their cell phones.

Last year, during this same time period, officers on routine and extra patrols statewide issued 3,171 seat belt violations amongst the 11,047 motorists who were stopped.

Similarly, last year during this time period, 1,059 cell phone violations were written. However, taking a historical look, in 2010, (the same year cell phone use became a primary law in Washington), only 63 drivers were cited statewide.

Raymond, WA - Sevengill sharks of the Pacific Northwest will hit the spotlight as the Animal Planet show Off The Hook: Extreme Catches comes to Willipa Bay this week. Raymond shark fishing guides Seven Gill Outfitters welcome host, novice outdoorsman and professional wrestler Showtime Eric Young and his Animal Planet film crew for a Department of Fish and Wildlife approved 3-day run for the sevengill shark in Willapa Bay. The state earlier this year closed the fisheries for sixgill, sevengill, or thresher sharks.

Captain Kelly Barnum tells us "If all goes well, and the sharks cooperate, the Sevengill Sharks of the Northwest, will be known and much more understood nationwide." Barnum went on to thank all those involved in making the fishery happen "I would just like to state that without the cooperation of all of our supporters, the staff of WDFW, and Part 2 Pictures none of this would be possible. THANK YOU"

Barnum teamed up with the Northwest Shark Preservation Society, last season to start a massive tagging and data collection research project. The team will be at it again, catching and studying the amazing sharks of Willapa and Grays Harbor to better understand their movements and habits. Barnum said his guides have also been approved to offer research trips to the general public, "These fish are very important to our estuaries ecosystem and it is vital that they are understood and properly managed."

Barnum also commended NWSPS members, Greg Harris and Dennis Jones for their incredible work helping organize and conduct this important research. For more info on the research plans or how you can help out got to www.nwsps.com.

Off the Hook: Extreme Catches showcases some of the hardest playing and hardest working fisherman in the country, some of whom have pioneered ingenious and insane methods of catching fish for both profit and play.

Aberdeen, WA - How and why do tsunami affect our coastline? What is subsidence and liquefaction and how and why do they impact our county during an earthquake?

Learn about these questions and a great deal more during a FREE Tsunami Awareness Course this Thursday, May 16th at Grays Harbor College, room 2250 in the 2200 building (the tall one) from 6-9pm. This is a shortened version of the day long course offered by Washington State Emergency Management. The time was selected so students and people who work can attend. This is a great course for everyone, especially students, parents, group leaders, employers and elected officials. 
Please RSVP to: GHCDEM@co.grays-harbor.wa.us or call (360) 249-3911 if you plan to attend so enough materials are available for attendees.

Montesano, WA - Candidate Filing Week begins today, the official kickoff of the 2013 campaign season, County Auditor Vern Spatz tells us 122 positions are up for election. "Although this is considered an off-year election we actually have more people on the ballot than we do during a more visible election year."

Seats are open on the city council of 9 Grays Harbor cities, from Ocean Shores, to Westport, Oakville to McCleary including Montesano, Hoquiam, Elma, Cosmopolis and Aberdeen, school, fire, and hospital district boards, and two mayor's seats. "We have three water districts, we have a cemetery district - the only [one] we have is up in the Humptulips area, hospital district commissioner, and we also have a parks and recreation commission in the South beach area.
Like spring flowers in the planting strips, the campaign signs will begin to blossom throughout the county. Spatz says some candidates will have a lot of doors to knock on "What's going to make a county-wide election is this year, we also have a partisan Sheriff's race on the ballot. This is the first year that Rick Scott is going to have to run for office, so he will be on the ballot this year, on the primary ballot as well as the general election.” County Sheriff Rick Scott was appointed by the Grays Harbor Democrats to complete the term of Mike Whelan who retired last year.
Spatzs said May 13th starts filing week, and it runs through Friday the 17th "Anyone who is interested in one of these positions can look on our website and see which positions are open and if there's a filing fee."

https://wei.sos.wa.gov/county/grayshar ... /Pages/ElectionsHome.aspx