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.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Two small wildfires in California's wine country this week could be a harbinger of a nasty summer fire season across the West.

Officials with the National Interagency Fire Center said Wednesday a dry winter and predicted warming trend mean the potential for significant fire activity will be above normal in the West Coast states, the Southwest, and portions of Idaho and Montana.

The national fire agency in Boise, Idaho, issued its first 2013 fire outlook extending through the summer months.

Ed Delgado, manager of the center's predictive services unit, says fire season in Southwest states like Arizona and New Mexico likely will start soon and quickly escalate until the July monsoon season.

Delgado says the rest of the country is expected to experience normal fire conditions, though rains in the South mean below-normal danger.

PASCO, Wash. (AP) - An attempted bank robbery drew a large police response in Pasco Wednesday when officers thought the robber was still in the building and a backpack he was carrying was checked for explosives.

A man who indicated he had a gun tried to hold up the Bank of the West branch about 10 a.m.

Capt. Jim Raymond told the Tri-City Herald a bank employee set off an alarm.

Police interrupted the robbery, and all the bank employees and customers were safely evacuated. No money was stolen.

Police set off loud diversionary bangs and a bomb squad robot checked the man's backpack. Nothing suspicious was inside.

The suspect got away.

He's about 6 feet tall, 250 pounds and may have been wearing a disguise, possible a fake beard.

Elma, WA - Tickets went on sale this week for the Clay Walker concert at the Grays Harbor County Fair, August 7th. The county music star will perform on opening day of the Fair in Elma, Tickets are $30 and include Fair admission.

Walker has released 11 albums, the title track from his most recent album  "She won't be lonely long" peaked at #10 on the Billboard hot country charts for 2010.

The Grays Harbor County Fair this summer will run from August 7th, to the 11th, for ticket info call 360-482-2651 or stop by the Grays Harbor County Fair & Event Center office located at 32 Elma-McCleary RD Elma, WA 98541