OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington state has made swift changes to the definition of marijuana amid concerns about the impact of a voter-approved law.

Gov. Jay Inslee approved a revision Wednesday after prosecutors and crime lab scientists said a little-noticed provision had jeopardized their ability to go after any pot crimes at all. The Seattle lawyer who drafted the initiative that legalized recreational marijuana was among the supporters of the change.

The problem centers around a part of the initiative that was written to distinguish marijuana from industrial hemp, which is grown for its fiber. Instead of accounting for just one compound, the new measure focuses on two components that contribute to potency.

Inslee says it was important to get the change done in a timely fashion.

Ocean Shores, WA - A Free Shred Event is being held in Ocean Shores this Saturday, May 4th. Hosted by Timberland Bank, the LeMay Mobile Shred truck will be at the Ocean Shores IGA between 10:00AM and 1:00PM.
Bring up to 3 grocery bags of shred-able documents. Along with Timberland, the free shred day is also brought to you by, John L. Scott Real Estate, Ocean Shores North Beach Chamber of Commerce and Ocean Shores IGA.
If you miss this weekend's event, the truck will be in Aberdeen in late September.

Olympia, WA - May is a month when new fishing opportunities start popping open like tackle boxes at first light. Lingcod and shrimp in Puget Sound. Halibut there and off the coast. Spring chinook salmon in the Chehalis River and in some areas of the Columbia Basin.

State shellfish managers also plan to announce two razor clam digs this month. When they do, the details will be available on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) website at http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/.

With so many new options, anglers can find themselves facing some tough choices about how to spend their time on the water, said Kirt Hughes, a WDFW fishery manager based in Montesano.

“I know a lot of people who start the day digging razor clams or setting shrimp pots and then spend the afternoon fishing for trout on a lake,” Hughes said. “I’ve done it myself plenty of times.”

While every fishery has its fans, none draw bigger crowds than the lowland lakes trout-fishing season, which opened throughout the state on the last Saturday in April. Several hundred thousand anglers traditionally turn out for that event and most continue to fish for trout during the six-month season.

For catch rates at nearly 100 Washington lakes on opening day, see the news release on the department’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/may0113a/.

Aberdeen, WA - The Grays Harbor College Foundation will award approximately 240 scholarships for the coming school year, totaling more than $450,000 donated by generous individuals and businesses connected to the Twin Harbors. Both the deserving students and their donors will be recognized at the College’s annual awards event on Tuesday, May 21, at the Bishop Center.

The total amount includes about $80,000 allocated for 55 qualifying high school students graduating as World Class Scholars who plan on attending GHC. As middle-schoolers, students commit to graduating with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average from high school, plus compiling a portfolio documenting their activities and community service hours. Those meeting the requirements will be honored by the College Foundation with medallions presented at graduation time. Then those World Class Scholars enrolling at GHC will receive a partial tuition scholarship of $1,500 for their first year at the College.

Lake Quinault, WA - Wearing vintage World War II military uniforms, vocalist Dina Blade, WWII veteran and storyteller Ray Puddicomb, and pianist Hans Brehmer will perform a 1940s USO-style show in honor of Armed Forces Day (May 18 this year). A 15-minute Q & A will follow. The event is free of charge and will be held in the Quileute Room at the Lake Quinault Lodge, 345 South Shore Rd, Quinault, on Saturday, May 18 from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m.

The performance will feature popular songs from the World War II era featuring vocals with piano accompaniment, matched with stories by storyteller and WWII veteran, Mr. Puddicomb, who will speak about his wartime experiences. Topics will include anecdotes about the draft, soldier life, films, radio, railroads, returning home to the Northwest, and of course, the timeless music of the era. Puddicomb’s memorabilia such as dog tags, military uniforms, photos, letters, train schedules/tickets, a Nazi flag, armband and helmet will be on display.

Dina Blade is a vocalist who specializes in singing American popular songs from the 1930s and 40s, preserving the work of master composers and lyricists from that era. She has performed and toured in the U.S., Canada, Cuba and Brazil. Her relaxed and swinging sound has earned her acclaim with radio airplay both worldwide and at home in Seattle, on KPLU’s “Best of the Northwest” list. She maintains a busy schedule recording, teaching vocal classes and performing.