Olympic Peninsula

Incumbents rule as filing period opens
Tuesday, June 3

It’s been nearly all incumbents so far as the filing period for the 2008 elections opens at the Clallam County courthouse and the state capitol in Olympia.

This fall voters will choose people to serve in positions ranging from 6th District Congressman, to all three Legislative positions, county commissioner and Superior Court judge.

But there were no new names on the lists as filing opened Monday.

For 6th District Congressman, long-time Representative Norm Dicks is going back to the well again, hoping to hold on to the job he’s had since the late 1970s. And once more, it appears the GOP won’t come up with a viable challenger. Republican Doug Cloud has already filed to challenge Dicks for a third time, but the Pierce County attorney has had little party support in two pervious outings, finishing a distant second to the Bremerton Democrat.

Closer to home, 24th District State Senator Jim Hargrove, a well-known conservative Democrat, has filed to once more fill the position he’s held since the 1980s. Incumbent State Representatives Lynn Kessler and Kevin Van de Wege also filed for re-election. Kessler, who could draw a GOP challenger this year, has served since 1992. Van de Wege, a Sequim firefighter, will be making his first re-election bid.

In the Clallam County Superior Court races, incumbent Judges Ken Williams, George Wood and Brooke Taylor have all filed for re-election. Williams and Wood have been on the bench since the early 90s. Taylor easily won election to the new third court seat last fall and must now stand for election to a full 4-year term.

Filing continues through the end of the week.

Three hikers rescued in SW Olympics
Sunday, June 1

Three hikers are recovering after being rescued off the slopes of Mt. Elinor in Mason County Saturday night.

The Mason County Sheriff’s Department says the three were injured in two separate incidents near the summit of the 4,700’ foot peak, which overlooks Lake Cushman in Olympic National Forest.

Rescuers say one woman broke her ankle as she was sliding down an ice chute near the top of the mountain. That chute is a popular spot for climbers to slide down as they are descending after reaching the top.

Another man and woman were hit by a falling an ice chunk that was dislodged as they were descending the chute.

The rescue was dramatic because of the steep terrain and falling darkness, but all three were brought off the mountain safely. The couple were flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Federals taking comment on Makah whaling re-start
Monday, May 19

People who take sides on the future of Makah whaling are being given until early July to comment on plans to allow the tribe to resume whaling.

The July 8th date is set as the National Marine Fisheries Service issues a report saying the Makah’s continued whaling has the “least impact” of several alternatives studied over the past couple of years. NMFS has been considering the tribe’s request for a waiver to the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Makah asked for the waiver after their previous authority to hunt was blocked by legal action from anti-whaling groups.

The report says allowing the tribe to continue whaling would allow the tribe to continue their cultural identity and could increase the “sense of community” for tribal members.

Public hearings are scheduled for May 28th in Port Angeles, June 2nd in Seattle and June 5th at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Maryland. Written comments will be accepted until July 8th. The complete report can be read here.

Rescue tug to remain in Neah Bay
Monday, April 14

The State of Washington will keep a rescue tug stationed in Neah Bay throughout this coming summer, marking the first time ever that the tug will remain on station for an entire year.

Department of Ecology has stationed the tug at Neah Bay since the late 1990s as a precaution against oil spills. The tug is in a position to respond quickly when tankers or cargo ships get into trouble off the rugged entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. And over the years the tug has helped dozens of ships, usually with engine problems, from running aground, spilling oil and damaging the environment.

But the tugs are usually only funded through the stormy winter months. However, DOE is announcing that it has reached a contract agreement with Crowley Maritime which will allow a tug to remain in Neah Bay through June 2009. The funding, amounting to nearly $4-million, was approved by the Legislature.

While most of the problems with shipping traffic happen during the winter storms, the worst oil spill off Neah Bay happened during the calm, but foggy weather in September. That’s when the tanker Tenyo Maru struck a Chinese freighter west of Cape Flattery in 1991, spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel oil.

Makah whalers convicted for illegal hunt
Monday, April 7

Two Neah Bay men who took part in an illegal hunt for a gray whale last fall have been convicted on federal charges in U.S. District Court.

U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Kelly Arnold handed down the conviction today in Tacoma against Wayne Johnson and Andy Noel, saying they were guilty of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Both men waived their right to a jury trial in order to clear the way for several appeals that are expected to stem from the case. That includes the question of whether the men’s right to hunt was protected under the constitutional right to religious freedom. The Makah maintain a deep spiritual connection with whaling, which has been a part of their culture for centuries.

The convictions come just days after the others implicated in the case accepted a plea agreement from federal prosecutors. All of the men had admitted to setting off on the spur-of-the-moment hunt last September. Unlike the killing of a whale back in 1999, the hunt wasn’t authorized by the tribe, nor federal officials.

Sentencing is set for June, and the men could face jail time.

Coast Guard rescues injured ATV riders
Sunday, March 30

A Coast Guard helicopter rescued a 29-year old man from the woods north of Quilcene over the weekend, after he was hurt riding an ATV.

The accident happened near Lake Tarboo, a popular area of trails and roads near the Jefferson County town.

The Port Angeles Air Station got a call from Jefferson County authorities around 1pm in the afternoon saying the man and his daughter had been injured while riding the quad in the area. The girl was transported from the accident scene to a clearing where she was picked up by an Airlift Northwest chopper. (Watch video of the rescue)

However, the man was down in the woods and had to be airlifted from where the ATV had crashed.

Both were transported to Jefferson General Hospital in Port Townsend.

Whaling defendants’ trial could start soon
Tuesday, March 25

Attorneys for the federal government and five Makah accused of illegally killing a gray whale last year will be back in court Thursday, with a hearing that could determine whether the whalers stand trial in a couple of weeks.

The five are charged under both federal and tribal law with killing the whale on a spur-of-the-moment hunt east of Neah Bay last Septemeber. The case has raised interesting legal questions over the men’s right to kill the whale under the Makah treaty allowing whaling, which dates back to 1855.

Discussions had been underway for a possible settlement that could have averted the trial. But the Peninsula Daily News was reporting this week that the most recent settlement had fallen apart.

All parties will be back in federal court in Tacoma Thursday afternoon, and if no new plea bargain emerges in the meantime, it appears the five will go on trial as scheduled April 8th.

Van de Wege “goes to the phones”
Monday, March 17

24th District State Representative is turning to the phones for his next town hall meeting, letting people “conference call” to catch up on the issues.

Van de Wege is planning a series of town hall meetings in the coming weeks and will be making stops in Port Angeles, Aberdeen and Chimacum on April 26th. But the Sequim Democrat is also trying something different as he updates constituents on the recent Legislative session.

On Tuesday, Van de Wege will hold his first tele-town hall from Sequim, where people can join the conversation conference call-style, having the opportunity to listen in and ask questions. The call is set to go for an hour. Van de Wege is promising to talk about issues from the session, but wants to spend most of the time answering questions.

Around 26,000 invitation calls are expected to be made to people in the district, but people can also call in using (866) 447-5149 and entering this PIN number, 13575.

ONP storm damage tops $4-million
Monday, March 17th

Olympic National Park officials now estimate damage from last December’s severe storms have topped $4-million, nearly equaling the damage sustained during last winter. Hoh Road damage last December- ONP photo

The latest estimates come as park maintenance crews step up efforts trying to re-open popular areas for spring and summer visitors.

In December, a massive storm with 100-mile per hour winds swept across the western Olympic Peninsula, with drenching rains that caused slides and flooding. Most of the damage occurred along the coast, although storm and its 10-inches of rain caused scattered problems across the park.

Much of the major repairs are focused in areas like the Hoh and Quinault valleys where some roads and campgrounds are still closed. (ONP photo- December '07)

Last year, similar storms caused more than $5-million dollars in damage, and follow repeat years with extensive slides, washouts and downed trees that have occurred since the late 90s.

Sequim charged in chase
Friday, March 14

A 47-year old Sequim man is facing charges in Kitsap County for leading police on a high speed chase across the Hood Canal Bridge.

Prosecutors say Daniel Bresler took off after a Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy attempted to stopped his car west of the bridge on January 3rd. He was wanted on several outstanding misdemeanor warrants.

Authorities say Bresler came across the bridge where he attempted to stop his car and hide from the pursuing deputy. When the officer found him standing in the road away from his hidden car, he refused orders to lie down and was hit with a Taser and taken into custody.

Formal charges were filed this week in Kitsap County Superior Court. Besler could face a $10,000 fine and up to five years in prison if convicted.

Beach walkers told to watch for pesticide canisters
Friday, March 7

Hikers and beachcombers are being told to keep an eye for canisters of pesticides washing up along the rugged North Coast this week.

The Coast Guard says the canisters are being found all along the beaches of the Olympic Peninsula, from Ocean Shores in the south to Ozette at Cape Alava on the north.

Authorities have analyzed the canisters and are saying they contain fumigants used to kill rats and other pests in the cargo holds of ships. They says the contents may post a health threat to people. Beach goers that find canisters should contact the Washington State Department of Ecology Environmental Hotline in Olympia at (360) 407-6300. Beach goers should not handle the canisters because they contain toxic chemicals.

The Department of Ecology and the Coast Guard are investigating the source of the containers.

Report: Parks tainted with contaminants
Wednesday, February 27

The final version of a new report is confirming what scientists have suspected for several years. Our wilderness lakes in places like Olympic National Park are contaminated with a variety of pollutants, including mercury and pesticides.

The report covers six years of research in the National Parks of the west, including Olympic and Mount Rainer National Park here in Washington.

Biologists have been warning about climbing levels of contaminants in the otherwise pristine backcountry for the past several years, saying research was showing pesticides and other airborne pollutants were showing up, especially in lakes and fish.

However, the new report shows the problems may be even worse than some had suspected. In Olympic National Park, mercury levels in some places were the highest in the study, and above the recommended “safe” levels from the Environmental Protection Agency. That poses a danger for wildlife that eat the fish, will prompt the park to post precautions for backcountry anglers to not eat fish they catch.

But Olympic isn’t alone. Rainer lakes also showed high mercury contamination, while other parks like Glacier and Rocky Mountain National Park had fish actually showed genetic mutations, such as female cells and proteins showing up in male fish. Researchers blame that on high levels of man-made chemicals in the environment.

Overall pollution levels were highest in Glacier, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Rescue tug helps drifting cargo ship
Thursday, February 27

The state’s Neah Bay rescue tug is staying busy this winter, helping yet another drifting ship near Cape Flattery.

Department of Ecology says the tug Gladiator was sent out again early Wednesday morning after he 651-foot bulk carrier Star Indiana lost propulsion as it was entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca, in-bound from Los Angeles.

DOE says a pump failed on the Norwegian-owned ship, so the tug as sent out as a precautionary measure. The ship eventually regained propulsion and was able to proceed onto Canada.

The Caption of the Port did order the Star Indiana to have a tug escort for the rest of its trip through U.S. waters. The tug Hunter, out of Port Angeles took over the escort around 6:30am.

Neah Bay man hurt in crash
Sunday, February 24

A 34-year old Neah Bay man is being treated at a Seattle hospital after he was seriously injured in a wreck on Highway 112.

Washington State troopers say Robert Cummins was westbound on the twisting highway late Saturday night when he lost control of his Ford pickup at the Makah reservation boundary just east of Neah Bay. Troopers say the truck crossed the road and went over an embankment on the opposite side, slamming into a telephone poll.

Cummins had to be airlifted to Harborview Medical Center after the wreck.

WSP says he was drunk and driving too fast for conditions.

Rescue tug helps drifting cargo ship
Tuesday, February 5

The rescue tug Gladiator was pressed into service again Tuesday afternoon to help to a 540-foot bulk carrier after it lost power in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and drifted into U.S. waters.

Department of Ecology says the Global Ace, which is owned by a Japanese shipping company was outbound to Portland when the crew shut down power to replace a fuel injector. But the Canadian Coast Guard called the rescue tug to assist when the vessel drifted sideways about 90-degrees and into U.S. waters. The Gladiator set out from Neah Bay mid-afternoon.

As a result, U.S. Coast Guard Captain Stephen Metruck, Captain of the Port for Sector Seattle, directed the Global Ace to take the Gladiator as an escort to Port Angeles. The vessel will be moored in Port Angeles and Coast Guard inspectors will ensure that repairs are properly completed and systems are verified to be operating properly before the vessel can resume its voyage.

It was unknown what type of cargo the Global Ace was hauling but bulk carriers can carry hundreds of thousands gallons of fuel to power the ship's engines and other systems.

It was the 38th time the state-funded rescue tug has helped a ship that was disabled or had other propulsion problems along the coast or transiting the Strait.

Fishers return to Olympics
Sunday, January 27

For the first time in nearly a century, fishers are roaming the woods of the Olympic Peninsula, after several were released Sunday morning.

About the size of a house cat, fishers are members of the weasel family related to minks and otters that were largely wiped out by trapping and a loss of habitat in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They were given endangered species protection in 1998, and although they’ve been recovering in other areas, they still weren’t found in their native habitat on the Olympic Peninsula. (ONP photo)

Last year, ONP worked with the state to study the idea of re-establishing the fisher to the Olympics, and final approval was given to the plan last fall.

Sunday morning, biologists and students gathered in the woods of the Elwha Valley near Altair Campground to release 11-fishers into the wild. Each of the animals is fitted with a tiny radio transmitter so biologists can track their movements and activities. Over the next three years, 100-fishers will be released in the park.

Canadians considering their own high-tech border docs

Tuesday, January 22

Facing their own problems getting across the border because of tough, new U.S. security restrictions, Canadian officials are toying with the idea of having their own high-tech identification cards.

While much of the furor over requiring passports to cross the border by land and sea at places like Port Angeles, Canadian officials have been equally concerned over how the new rules could interfere with their residents coming to the U.S. and interfering with lucrative American tourism.

Monday, British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell announced the province will try its own pilot program for enhanced driver’s licenses that incorporate a radio “chip” containing personal information. Those could be scanned at border crossings like Port Angeles and Victoria, and contain enough security information to satisfy the U.S. passport rules. 500 people will take part in the initial testing this spring.

Washington is experimenting with a similar enhanced license. However, a move to have a federally-issued license known as “Read I-D” is coming under increased opposition from states who say the system comes too close to a mandated national identification system.

Hearing for Makah whalers delayed
Sunday, January 20

Makah tribal leaders are still looking for someone to step in and take care of the hearing of five men who accused of illegally killing a whale last year.

The whalers, who are also facing charges in federal court, have been charged under tribal law for killing the whale during an unauthorized hunt last September.
A trial date was expected to be set this week. But the tribe is having problems in finding someone to handle the case.

The contract for the tribe’s former judge wasn’t renewed a few weeks ago. And the new associate judge, Emma Doulik, has declined to hear the case, citing “strong emotions” about the proceeding. The Makah’s ask for help from the Quinault Nation’s judge from down the coast, but she won’t step in because of health reasons.

That means the hearing to set the trial date for the five has been postponed for the time being and no new date has been set. The whalers are still set to be tried in federal court this spring.

Hood Canal Bridge closed to check mystery pack
Sunday, January 13

The Hood Canal Bridge was closed to traffic in both directions Sunday afternoon while a bomb squad checked out a discarded backpack.

But instead of a bomb, the pack merely contained some bicycle parts.

The backpack was spotted on the Kitsap County side of the span around noon Sunday and authorities immediately shutdown all vehicle and marine traffic in the area. A State Patrol bomb squad was called to the scene and were able to remove the device with a robot.

It turned out the pack only contained a jacket and some bike parts and was likely lost by accident.

The bridge was re-opened shortly after 2pm, but by then the traffic had backed up for miles in either direction.

Passport cards available next month
Thursday, January 10

People who make regular trips into Canada will be able to start applying for the new “passport cards” in February.

The State Department announced Thursday that the new wallet-sized cards will go on sale this coming month, offering travelers an alternative to the more expensive passports.

Under the Western Travel Hemisphere Initiative, the U.S. has planned on requiring travelers to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean to start showing passports when they cross the border. But that caused major concerns in border communities like Port Angeles, where a major part of the economy is tied to tourism headed to and from Vancouver Island. The requirement was also causing a major backlog in passport applications last year.

The Bush Administration is still planning on requiring the additional ID for sea and land crossings by the middle of this year, although Congress is pushing for a delay to next year. Air travelers have needed the passports since last year.

Under the new program, travelers can apply for the passport cards, which will cost $45 for adults and $35 dollars for children. There will also be a discounted rate for adults who already have passports but want to have the new cards. They’ll cost just $20.

Temporary ONP superintendent named
Monday, January 7

For the second time in recent years, Assistant Olympic National Park Superintendent Sue McGill will run the park while the search is underway for a new park administrator.

The park announced this week that McGill will be the interim superintendent while the Department of Interior conducts a search for the person to replace Bill Laitner, who retired last week. Laitner had been the park’s chief officer since 2003.

McGill, who also came to the park at about the same time, had filled the post on an interim basis before Laitner was hired to replace former Superintendent Dave Morris, who also retired from the post.

It wasn’t immediately known whether McGill might compete for the permanent assignment. The new superintendent probably won’t be named until later this spring.

Dept of Interior looking at Park gun rule
Sunday December 23

Officials with the Department of the Interior are reviewing a letter from nearly 50-U.S. Senators who believe gun owners should be able to keep their firearms inside National Parks.

The letter, forwarded to the D.O.I. this past week, is the latest development in the long-running debate over allowing private citizens to keep their guns accessible while their inside park boundaries.

It’s been the policy for years that gun owners are allowed to transport firearms through Olympic National Park and other parks, but only if the guns are unloaded and “inaccessible”, such as in a vehicle trunk.

But the letter signed by the senators this week argues that people have a right to keep their guns handy while on National Park lands as protected by the Second Amendment. And they’re also calling for Interior to make gun rules more uniform on all federal public lands by changing the Park Service policy. Guns are allowed on National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands and follow the laws in individual states.

A spokesman for Senator Max Baucus, one of those advocating the rule, says the Montana senator believes people should have the right to keep their guns loaded and intact as they are crossing park lands to access hunting areas.

A spokesman for the D.O.I. says Interior has received the letter and will “take the senators’ views into consideration”. The National Park Conservation Association wants the present rules to stick, saying allowing guns in the parks could lead to accidents and cause other problems.

Olympic is one of the parks where the gun rule effects sportsmen the most, with county roads, logging roads and Highway 101 repeatedly bisecting park boundaries. Hunters driving from Port Angeles to West End hunting areas can cross park boundaries multiple times during a single trip.

Olympic forest damage will take months to repair
Sunday, December 16

Damage to Olympic National Forest roads, timber and improvements from this month’s storms is more extensive than first thought, and is now estimated at more than $8-million.

It’s the third or fourth time in the past decade that major storms have caused millions in damage to the forest infrastructure. (ONF photo)

Most of the damage was along the coast, where hurricane force winds swept across the Olympic Peninsula from the southwest for the second time this winter. This storm was even more extensive though because of the heavy rains. As much as 14-inches of rain fell on the west and south sides of the Olympics.

Forest managers are working to try and clear primary roads first, but say it could take months to clear away all the downed trees that have blocked backcountry travel routes. In other areas, bridges have been washed away and communications equipment was wiped out.

Westport donates to flood recovery
Sunday, December 16

Westport Shipyard and its employees are pitching in to donate tons of food and thousands of dollars to the needy this holiday season, including many who lost everything in the December 2nd storm.

Westport announced this week it’s giving $57,000 to area food banks and charities, with a lot of the money targeted to agencies that are helping with storm recovery efforts in Lewis, Grays Harbor and other Southwest Washington and coastal counties.

During the annual food drive, the company and its employees donated more than 13,700 pounds of food. Works at all three Westport operations in Port Angeles, Hoquiam and Westport took part. The company donated an additional $1 for every pound of food collected, resulting in an additional $10,000. The donations were delivered this past week to the PA Food Bank, and food banks in Westport and Hoquiam. Westport also donated $15,000 to United Way of Grays Harbor County and $20,000 to the Red Cross to help with storm relief.

Makah whalers to go on trial next month
Friday, December 14

Five Makah who are accused of illegally killing a whale this fall off Neah Bay will face their first courtroom challenge when their case is heard in tribal court in mid-January.

Wayne Johnson, Frankie Gonzales, Andy Noel, Theron Parker, and Bill Secor for killing a gray whale east of Neah Bay on September 8th.

The five launched their own unauthorized hunt that morning, attempting to kill the whale with harpoons and high powered rifle shots. The whale was seized by the Coast Guard and died that evening. The hunt has been condemned by tribal leaders and the five were charged in tribal court late last month. They pled not guilty to the charges this week and remain free on bond.

Under the tribal charges the five could face as much as a year in prison and a $5,000 fine. The federal fines filed in October have the men facing an additional year in jail and fines that could go as high as $100,000.

The tribal court trial will take place January 22nd, with the federal trial scheduled for next spring.

Park grapples with Ridge road problems
Wednesday, December 12

Olympic National Park road crews are running into major problems with storm damage to the Hurricane Ridge Road, problems which will keep the road closed again this weekend.

The road was the scene of a major slide at the Switchback Trail during last week’s heavy rains. That’s just two miles from the summit. Workers were able to clear away the slide debris easily enough, but the road was kept closed because of damage to the shoulder on the downhill side of the pavement.

Now, closer inspections are showing the problem is worse than first believe, with the runoff causing erosion that is undercutting the road itself. And the erosion is happening along three sections.

That means park managers are going to keep the road closed again this weekend as crews install Jersey barriers and traffic safety signs and continue to monitor the stability of the road and the slope beneath it.

Other park roads remain closed because of storm damage. The Sol Duc Road is closed because of a mudslide near Salmon Cascades and the Hoh River Road is closed because of a washout just outside the park boundary in Jefferson County. There are also closures on the Queets Road and the North and Shore Shore and Graves Creek Roads in the Quinault Valley. Ozette and the Elwha have been re-opened.

Ferry problems to cut access for hundreds of thousands
Tuesday, December 11

Nearly 400,000 cars will have to find another way to reach the North Olympic Peninsula next year, or may scrap their trips altogether. That’s the harsh reality of the state’s decision to scrap plans to try and save four aging ferries for the Port Townsend ferry run.

Washington State’s Joint Transportation Commission decided Monday to recommend Governor Christine Gregoire scrub a plan to try and retrofit the ferries, the last of which were pulled out of service a couple of weeks ago because of cracked hulls and other structural problems.

The state had hoped to spend about $4-million to restore the Quinault, Illahee and Klickitat. But engineers say when they took a closer look at the Quinault in a Seattle dry dock they discovered the old boats are a lost cause.

That means new ferries, and probably that a new ferry won’t be ready for the Port Townsend-Keystone run until next November.

The news is devastating not only for Port Townsend, but for the entire North Peninsula’s economy. The state says some 370,000 vehicles and almost 800,000 foot passengers depend on the route every year. Most of that traffic comes during the heavy summer travel months. While some of the difference might be made up by having drivers use the Edmonds-Kingston route instead, or by taking a foot ferry, the lack of car service is guaranteed to present problems for travelers, and especially tourists on busy summer weekends.

Department of Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond is meeting with Port Townsend officials to discuss the crisis Wednesday.

The problems with the old steel-electric ferries are not as unexpected as it might seem. The state already re-stored the 1920s-era ferries in the 1980s and at the time said the work would add about 20-years to their lifespan.

Ressam case won’t go to high court until next year
Monday, December 10

It will be next year before the terrorism case against Ahmed Ressam goes before the U.S. Supreme Court. And in the meantime, Ressam will continue in “supermax” confinement at a federal prison in Colorado.

That has Ressam’s attorneys worried about their client’s state-of-mind.

Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced the high court has agreed to hear Ressam’s appeal of the 2005 convictions for attempting to smuggle explosives into the country for an attack on the Los Angeles airport. Ressam was caught as he got off the Black Ball ferry in Port Angeles, attempting to enter the country from Canada in December 1999.

Ressam was sentenced to 22-years in prison. But the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals threw out a conviction on a charge of carrying explosives while committing a felony. Prosecutors had said he lied on a customs form, but the Appeals Court said the prosecution failed to show the connection. That’s the point the Supreme Court will review. Although Ressam might be re-sentenced after the high court hearing, it’s not expected the ruling will bring a significant change on the penalty he faces.

WSP identifies accident victim
Sunday, December 9

Washington State troopers have released the identity of a Pacific man who was killed when his car ran off Highway 101 in Jefferson County over the weekend.

WSP says 52-year old Mark Stinson was killed instantly when his Mazda 626 left the road, struck a tree and rolled over just after midnight Friday. The accident happened on Highway 101 north of Brinnon.

Troopers say Stinson lost control of the car and it ran off the road to the right, striking a guardrail and smashing trough the barrier. The car then hit a tree and rolled, coming to rest upside down.

The wreck continued a string of fatality accidents that have plagued Highway 101 along the east side of the Olympic Peninsula all year.

Storm damage closes Hurricane Ridge Road
Wednesday, December 5

Olympic National Park crews will spend the next few days repairing storm damage that will keep the Hurricane Ridge Road closed for the time being. It’s one of several areas workers will have to fix after the damage from this week’s heavy rain, wind and snow.

Just a year after all of the park’s interior was cutoff by major storms in November 2006, ONP is dealing with another round of damage, although this time the ruin is quite as extensive.

ONP spokeswoman Barb Maynes says the Hurricane Ridge Road was blocked by a large slide near the Switchback Trail parking lot that brought mud, debris and water across the road. She says the slide has already been cleared away, but crews discovered “extensive damage” to the road shoulder on the downhill side. The road will remain closed through the weekend so repairs can start. Further down the hill, Heart O’ the Hills campground remains closed from the damage during the November 12th windstorm.

Elsewhere in the park, roads are blocked by downed trees and power lines with some washouts, although nothing like last November.

In the Quinault Valley, both the North, South Shore and Graves Creek roads were still closed Wednesday. The Hoh Road is closed at Highway 101 because of a washout that wiped out one lane just outside the park boundary.

Rangers say the Altair Campground on the Elwha wasn’t as severely damaged as first feared and the roads in the valley have been re-opened. The Sol Duc Road is still closed because of a mudslide near Salmon Cascades. Ozette Road was still blocked by trees Wednesday.

Dosewallips, Staircase and Queets Roads are still closed because of previous damage.

The park says it’s welcoming volunteer help in cleaning up the storm damage. People interested in helping can check more information on the park website .

Visitors advised to stay out of Olympic Nat’l Forest
Wednesday, December 5

Managers of Olympic National Forest say they haven’t had a chance to assess all of the damage from this weekend’s rain and windstorms, and they’re advising people to stay out of the forest, or at least use extreme caution in the woods.

Many parts of the forest, especially along the coast, experienced winds of 100 miles per hour late Sunday and early Monday as the powerful storm moved on shore. Those high winds, combined with warm temperatures and heavy rains, knocked down trees and caused extensive flooding on the rivers and streams on Olympic National Forest lands.

Rangers are finding landslides and debris all over the forest roads, many of which are closed. They say some bridges haven’t been checked out, and may be unsafe to cross. This is a popular time for families to go after Christmas trees, but forest managers are recommending people stay out of the forest and postpone their trips until next week, so ONF staff have a chance to assess the damage.

Much of Peninsula cutoff by storm damage
Tuesday, December 04

Most of the Olympic Peninsula remains cutoff from the outside world this morning by downed trees and mudslides. And it’s expected to take most of the day for some of the highways to re-open.

Washington State Patrol says Highway 101 has been the hardest hit by the damage from the storm.

Highway 101 remained closed Tuesday morning because of downed trees at Sappho and mudslides and downed trees around Lake Crescent. Some local traffic was driving between Sappho and the lake, but was driving around down trees near the Snider work camp. 101 was also closed by downed trees at Duckabush in Jefferson County, and further south along Hood Canal by trees and mud at Lilliwaup in Mason County. 101 is also closed north of Hoquiam because of downed trees.

Highway 112 remain closed at several points between Clallam Bay and Lyre River because of trees and mud slides.

Drivers can call 511 statewide for the latest road and travel info. Alerts are also available from the Department of Transportation website .

Rescue tug saves disabled container ship
Monday, December 3

Department of Ecology officials say the state “dodged a bullet” when the Neah Bay rescue tug was able to help a disabled container ship to safety off the coast.

DOE says the 720-foot container ship Kauai was smashed by a large ocean swell as it was underway near Cape Flattery. The waves broke out the wheelhouse windows, damaged electrical systems and knocked out the ship’s primary steering system.

The tug Gladiator was able to steam out from Neah Bay and meet the Kauai near the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and escort the ship to safety in Port Angeles. Another tug took the Kauai from there and the Gladiator returned to Neah Bay. The Kauai was proceeding to Seattle for repairs.

DOE says having the tug stationed in Neah Bay and close-by the shipping lanes probably kept the ship from foundering and possibly creating a massive oil spill along the coast.

Coast Guard crews rescue dozens from flooding
Monday, December 3

The Coast Guard… including crews from the Port Angeles Air Station… have been scrambling since stormy conditions developed over the weekend, helping to rescue 90-people trapped by high water.

The rescues have taken place all over the coastal region as rivers and streams are swollen by melting snows and record rains.

Helicopter crews from Ediz Hook has been involved in several of the rescues, including the retrieval of dozens of people who’ve been trapped by the rapidly rising Lewis River west of Chehalis.

Another chopper was called to the Tahuya River along Hood Canal in Mason County where ten people had to be rescued after a dike broke, flooding their homes. Two flood victims lost their lives
in the Grays Harbor area.

Storm gives Peninsula sole claim to record tree
Monday, December 3

Sunday’s high winds have given the Olympic Peninsula a bittersweet victory in the competition for the world’s largest Sitka spruce.

Portland television station KATU was reporting that the co-champion Sitka spruce has been toppled by the hurricane-force winds that hit the coast over the weekend. The tree, which is along Highway 26 just outside of Seaside, Oregon was knocked over in the winds and destroyed, leaving just a few dozen feet of the trunk upright.

The tree had shared “co-champion” status with another Sitka spruce in the Quinault Valley of Olympic National Park. The size claim was based on the circumference and height, as well as the crown spread of the tree. It was damaged by a lightening strike in the 1960s and had been battered by recent storms, leaving it vulnerable with rot in it’s trunk.

Makah whalers face tribal charges
Tuesday, November 27

Five Makah who are already facing federal charges for an illegal whale hunt in September are now in trouble with their peers.

This week, the Makah Tribal Council announced tribal charges are being filed against Wayne Johnson, Andy Noel, Theron Parker, Frankie Gonzalez and Bill Secor for killing a gray whale east of Neah Bay on September 8th.

The five launched their own unauthorized hunt that morning, attempting to kill the whale with harpoons and high powered rifle shots. The whale was seized by the Coast Guard and died that evening. Some of the men were involved in the legal hunt that killed a whale in 1999. But this hunt wasn’t authorized by the tribal Whaling Commission, and has been condemned by tribal leaders. They had committed to filing tribal charges shortly after the whale was killed.

Under the tribal charges filed this week, the five could face as much as a year in prison and a $5,000 fine. The federal fines filed last month have the men facing an additional year in jail and fines that could go as high as $100,000.

ONP visits up this year
Sunday, November 25

Even with last winter’s windstorms that closed the park most of the year, and high gas prices that may have discouraged some tourists, Olympic National Park visitation is up for 2007.

The latest reports from ONP show the park has seen 3.5-million visitors for the year-to-date. That’s a 10% increase over the visitation total for the same time last year. And park officials expect park visits to continue at the usual seasonal pace through the end of December.

The number of park visits is up despite last year’s storms which kept nearly all of the park’s interior valleys and destinations closed because of downed trees and other damage through April.

Canadian drug smuggler caught west of Sekiu
Saturday, November 24

Detectives say they’ve apprehended a Canadian man as he attempting to smuggle thousands of dollars worth of Ecstasy and marijuana through the West End.

Officers with the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team got a call from a resident who reported seeing some suspicious activity early Saturday morning along a remote section of Highway 112 between Sekiu and Neah Bay.

OPNET detectives went to the scene and found a 48-year old Canadian man in the area. They searched and found he was in possession of 193-pounds of Ecstasy, a potent manufactured drug usually in tablet form and 98-pounds of marijuana. He was taken into custody and is in the Clallam County jail. Prosecutors will consider what charges to file this coming week.

This is the second time in a year that OPNET has apprehended Ecstasy smugglers along the beaches of the western Strait.

Passenger ferry takes over PT service
Sunday, November 25

Passenger ferry service returned to the Port Townsend-Keystone route Sunday afternoon.

But state ferry system managers admit it could be February before anyone can take cars across Admiralty Inlet.

Ferry service on the PT route has been down since Tuesday, after the state responded to a Coast Guard report saying the state’s 80-year steel-electric ferries were no longer safe. The report confirmed earlier suspicions that the hulls on the old ferries had corroded too far for them to remain in service. One of the ferries had been knocked out of service earlier this year after cracks were discovered.

The decision has left Washington State Ferries scrambling to make other plans. The first step will be putting the 350-passenger ferry Snohomish into service so people can at least make the trip between Whidby Island and Port Townsend. A crew was trained and adjustments to the landing were completed so the ferry could begin service. That happened with the first runs Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the state added a third ferry to the Kingston-Edmonds run to handle the extra vehicle traffic that’s shifted to that route.

And WSF managers are admitting it could be months before a vehicle ferry returns to the Port Townsend route. The apparent replacement for the steel-electrics will be the Quinault, which is currently undergoing maintenance and repairs and would be ready for service until February.

Man killed when car plunges off forest road
Saturday, November 17

Investigators say alcohol may have played a role in the death of a Lacey man who was killed Friday when his car plunged hundreds of feet off a Forest Service road in the eastern Olympics.

The accident happened not far off Highway 101 near the Hamma Hamma campground in Mason County Friday afternoon.

Mason County Sheriff’s deputies say the man and his fiancée had parked to enjoy the view and the victim decided his car might be too close to the edge of the road. Deputies say the man made the mistake of driving straight back toward the bank, which then gave way, with the car plunging an estimated 500 feet to the bottom of the hill.

The woman called 9-1-1 and rescuers managed to find her as it got dark. Deputies climbed down to the wreck but found the man had been killed as he was thrown from the car as it plunged down the mountain.

Whale death took hours
Friday, November 16

A new report from the Makah Tribe confirms it never got permission to kill a gray whale after it was injured by hunters in early September.

The report was released this week to federal fisheries officials, providing the tribe’s perspective on the rouge hunt, which has resulted in charges against the five unauthorized hunters who shot and harpooned the whale. (U.S. Atty's Office photo)

The Makah report confirms earlier eyewitness accounts the whale didn’t die even after it was harpooned and shot multiple times with a high-powered rifle. Tribal officials say it was 7-hours before the feds decided to put the whale out of its misery, and the big mammal didn’t expire until 10-hours after it had first been harpooned.

Tribal biologists point out the difference between this unauthorized hunt, and the first time the Makah killed a whale in recent times in 1999. In that case, the whale was shot twice after being harpooned and died in less than 10-minutes. Under agreements with federal officials, the Makah are supposed to kill the whales humanely.

The report says this time, the whalers were using the same rifle as the 1999 hunt, but the gun misfired and was lost overboard. The hunters tried to use a smaller, though still powerful .460 magnum, but couldn’t execute a killing shot. The whale was harpooned four times and shot 16-times, which is slightly less than accounts from fishermen who were in the area east of Neah Bay that same morning.

The tribe had asked for the whale to be dispatched before noon, and had some hopes of recovering the animal so the meat could be saved. But biologists say that didn’t happen and the whale finally died on it’s own later than evening, sinking to the bottom of the Strait.

90-mile pour hour winds rake Peninsula
Monday, November 12

Gusts of more than 90-miles per hour ripped across the North Olympic Peninsula early Monday, knocking down trees and causing structural damage to some buildings in the West End.

Although the storm isn't quite as devestating as last year's Hannukah Day storm, it's certainly comparable. And forecasters say it could have been worse if the main force of the storm hadn't made landfill on the Northern British Columbia coast instead.

Winds gusted to as high as 92-miles per hour in the Clallam Bay-Sekiu area early Monday morning, knocking down trees and causing some damage to buildings, including the canopy of a service station in Clallam Bay. The strong low pressure system produced winds of near 80-miles per hour at Tatoosh Island and over 50 miles per hour in Forks. Conditions were much calmer in Port Angeles, where the strongest gust at Fairchild Airport hit just over 30-miles per hour shortly before 3am. However, winds were strong to the east, gusting to over 60-miles per hour on the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Gusts estimated between 40 and 50 miles per hour were reported throughout Port Angeles and Sequim, with trees and limbs down throughout the area, knocking down power lines, and heavy rains flooded intersections and streets.

The main part of the front was moving into the central Puget Sound basin around mid-day. But heavy rain was expected to continue, with snow in the Olympics.

The power knocked out power for several thousand customers of Port Angeles city light and Clallam County PUD. Most of the PUD outages were in the typical trouble spots in the foothills surrounding PA. However, a downed transmission line knocked out electricity to the entire West End.

You can share your weather pictures by sending them to news@peninsulanews.net .

Fiber line fails
Monday, November 12

A fiber optic line that feeds Internet and other services to the North Olympic Peninsula failed Monday, knocking out DSL service and causing other problems with cell phones and other telecommunications traffic.

A message on the Olypen web site said the line, which is owned by Qwest, had but cut. But there was no word on where the outage had occured. Most Internet service had been restored by mid-afternoon.

Defense attorneys want delay in Makah whaling trial
Saturday, November 10

If defense attorneys get their way, those Makah accused of illegally killing a gray whale this fall won’t go on trial until next year.

The five are accused of killing the whale on an unauthorized hunt last September. The hunt wasn’t condoned by tribal leaders and the hunters were acting on their own when they harpooned and shot the whale multiple times east of Neah Bay. They were indicted on federal charges by a grand jury last month.

Now, the Seattle Times reports that defense attorneys are asking for more time to prepare for the trial. Federal prosecutors say a delay likely means the hearing wouldn’t take place until next spring.

Tribal officials have talked of trying the men in tribal court too, although no charges have been filed.

Tribes could get more say over refuge, park management
Thursday, November 8

Congress is considering a bill that seeks to give tribes more powers of self-governance. But as presently written, it could also empower some tribes with the authority to demand more of a role in managing federal lands, including Olympic National Park and wildlife refuges.

The bill, known as the Indian Self-Governance Act of 2007, was introduced just last week by Oklahoma Representative Dan Boren (D). It was being considered during a hearing before House Natural Resources Committee Thursday morning. Among those testifying for the bill was Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chair and Director Ron Allen.

Sponsors say the legislation is aimed at giving tribes more control over their own reservations. However, provisions of the bill might allow tribes with lands adjacent or encompassing federal lands controlled by the Department of the Interior to actually take over management, or at least have a greater say in the management of those resources. And the Department of Interior would be required to continue funding the operations under tribal control through annual agreements.

A federal employees group is claiming the bill has the potential to shift control of dozens of wildlife refuges and other set-aside lands, as well as the three largest parks in the Northwest, namely Olympic, Glacier and Mount Rainer, over to tribal control. However, sponsors say that’s not the intent of the legislation. Still the point is expected to be one of the major items for debate as Congress considers the measure.

With more than half-a-dozen reservations on the Olympic Peninsula, most adjacent to ONP lands or federally-control wildlife refuges, the bill is expected to be of prime interest as it’s considered. Of particular note will be how the self-governance legislation could come to play where there are conflict between tribes and the Interior Department, such as the debate over moving tribal buildings in LaPush out of the tsunami hazard zone.