OLYMPIA — Improved water quality led to the reopening of about 700 acres in Dungeness Bay to shellfish harvesting, the biggest area to be reopened recently in the Puget Sound area.
Washington health officials say they’ve been able to open about 1,000 acres of shellfish harvesting areas in Puget Sound.
Pollution-reduction efforts included eliminating pollution sources, modifications in wastewater treatment and inspections of private septic systems.
Other recent successes were at Ketron Island in Pierce County and Poverty Bay in King County, the state said.
While the news was encouraging, tests show that water quality has worsened in a few areas in Mason and Pierce counties.
About 500 acres of Portage Bay in Whatcom County were downgraded earlier this year due to poor water quality.
Tests show the area was impacted by polluted runoff from the Nooksack River.
Energy Lunch set Oct. 22 at PT yacht club
PORT TOWNSEND — Dave Sjoding will be the key speaker at the October Energy Lunch at the Port Townsend Yacht Club, 2503 Washington St., on Thursday, Oct. 22.
The lunch takes place from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Sjoding, a renewable energy specialist in Washington State University’s Energy Program, has led research into a broad range of energy issues and sources, including biomass, combined heat and power applications, distributed generation and energy policy and pricing.
In his presentation, he will addresses local energy plans, including formation of a local energy development company, financing of local energy development projects and the need for local energy project “champions.”
Attendees can arrive early to network with local alternative energy advocates and professionals. Those interested can bring a brown bag lunch.
For more information, email Nina Burokas at nina@ninaburokas.com or visit www.tinyurl.com/p7zhfk3.
Camera club talk
SEQUIM — Witta Priester will explain Adobe’s Lightroom Develop module at the Olympic Peaks Camera Club speaker night at Dungeness Community Church, 45 Eberle Lane, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22.
Lightroom is not only a database for tracking photos; it also is a sophisticated yet relatively simple photo editor, according to a news release.
The event is free and open to the public.
For more information, phone Priester at 360-565-6655, email witta@aol.com or visit www.olympicpeaks.org/news.
Meditation retreat
PORT TOWNSEND — Vipassana Buddhist teacher Heather Martin will give a dharma talk at the Port Townsend Yacht Club, 2503 Washington St., from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.
This free talk, open to the public, is followed by a two-day retreat: 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25.
The retreat includes periods of sitting and walking meditation, plus dharma talks on the topic of “turning toward and staying with our experience, however dreary and difficult.”
Registration is $20, though no one will be turned away.
To register, email ptsangha@grantway.us.
For more information, visit www.ptsangha.org.
Magic of cinema
PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College’s Magic of Cinema will present Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s “The Mask You Live In” in the Peninsula College Maier Performance Hall, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23.
The film follows boys and young men as they struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating narrow definitions of masculinity.
Written, produced and directed by Newsom, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015.
“The Mask You Live In” is the companion piece to Newsom’s 2011 “Miss Representations,” which explores media’s representations of girls and young women.
Peninsula College students get in free with ID; general admission is $5.
Tickets can be purchased at the door.
For more information, contact Dr. Helen Lovejoy at hlovejoy@pencol.edu or 360-417-6362.
‘Lock-Ins’ slated
The North Olympic Library System will host two after-hours “Lock-Ins” for teens ages 12-18 at the Port Angeles and Forks libraries.
Each night will feature karaoke, crafts, snacks, video gaming and more.
The first Lock-In takes place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St.
The Forks Library, 171 S. Forks Ave., will host a second evening of activities from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30.
For additional information, phone the Forks Library at 360-374-6402 or the Port Angeles Library at 360-417-8500, ext. 7705, or email youth@nols.org.
Harvest dinner
PORT ANGELES — Park View Villas will host a Harvest Dinner fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.
All ages are welcome to join the event at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St.
Luck of the Draw will perform while guests have a hot winter meal.
The menu includes eggplant Parmesan, herb-crusted pork loin, salad, harvest-blend roasted potatoes, green bean almondine and berry cobbler.
Tickets are on sale at the Port Angeles Senior & Community Center, 328 E. Seventh St., and Park View Villas, 1430 Park View Lane, for $20.
All proceeds go to the senior center’s programs.
