SEATTLE - Ample moisture and cooler temperatures for Alaska and Pacific Northwest states may keep 2009 fire potential in normal ranges, but after multiple weeks of warm weather, fuel supplies are drying out. Persistent drought conditions may well drive significant wildfire risk for north-central Washington, and the recent near-record spring dry spell is boosting fire risk in western Washington as well. FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger encourages residents living on wooded lots and wildland/urban interface areas to stay informed on local conditions and take steps now-clearing brush and creating defensible perimeters around their homes.

    On June 5th, 2009, The Albatross Motel in Westport, Wa, burned down to the ground. The owners, Scott and "Jo" Eun young Langworthy have lived in Westport for many years, raising their children, supporting their community, and working hard to build their business.
 
     Scott is a commercial fisherman who deckhands in the dungeness crab industry out of Westport and also fishes out of Alaska in the summer. Jo took care of the Albatross motel year round. She is a hard worker who always treated guests like family. To her, the Albatross was always your home away from home.They are still supporting two children, one a freshman in college, the other a sophomore in high school.

Shelton, WA - Mason County Sheriff's Deputies are looking for a homeless man reported as missing from his campsite in the Mill Creek area of Mason County.  David J Curtis, 52, Shelton, was reported missing today by family members.  According to investigators people familiar with Curtis have not seen him for the past nine days.  Investigators say Curtis maintains a room at a nearby residence from time to time, and camps near the banks of Mill Creek in off the Binns-Swiger Road. 

TIMOTHY ALLEN, 52, of Elma, Washington was sentenced today to two months in prison, four months of home electronic monitoring and one year of probation in connection with the taking of a bald eagle nest in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.  At the time Allen committed the violation, the bald eagle was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.  ALLEN is the owner of Allen's Forestry Services, a timber management company.  At sentencing Magistrate Judge Karen L. Strombom said she had no choice but to send ALLEN to prison due to his efforts to obstruct the law enforcement investigation.  ".... what you did to avoid detection.... you signed an affidavit under oath, and still would not tell the truth," the Judge said. 

The Grays Harbor County Commissioners yesterday approved a supplemental budget hearing, to discuss an expendature of 98 thousand dollars from the County Auditor's O&M fund, which would allow the office to convert microfilm images into an electronic format.

the office is asking to spend reserve account monies toward moving these 29 years of microfilms into the digital era and as Spatz explained that although website availability would not be included in the initial project to convert the microfilm, online access is a future goal.