NEWS BRIEFS: Clallam County commissioners to meet in closed session today . . . and other items

PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners will discuss pending litigation in closed session today.

The special meeting will be from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the commissioners’ meeting room (160) at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

Commissioners will meet with representatives of the prosecuting attorney’s office and the human resources/risk management department to discuss Lange, et al. v Clallam County, et al, which involves an allegation that the county violated the state Public Records Act in 2014.

After the executive session, commissioners will convene in open session to take action, if any is taken.

Bunco party

PORT ANGELES — Jet Set Soroptimists will host a Spring Fling Bunco Party at the Elks Naval Lodge, 131 E. First St., at 7 p.m. today.

The event includes prizes and a silent auction. Beginners are welcome.

The cost of admission is $10.

All proceeds will go to the nonprofit Youth Committee, which funds programs for girls in the Port Angeles community.

For more information, phone Danetta Rutten at 360-452-9900.

Discussion group

SEQUIM — The Great Decisions Discussion Group will meet at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon Friday.

New members are welcome.

The topic is “The Next Front on Climate Change — How to Avoid a Dimmer, Drier World.”

“After dithering for decades, governments finally seem to be paying serious attention to the problem of global climate change,” according to a news release.

“But there is more to climate change than higher temperatures. Many of the activities that cause greenhouse gas emissions — burning coal for power, diesel for transport and wood for cooking, for example — also yield ultra-small particles known as aerosols, which blanket vast areas in a haze that blocks and scatters sunlight.

“By reducing the solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface, aerosols reduce evaporation and slow the water cycle that governs where, when and how much rain falls.”

For more information, email jcpollock@olypen.com or phone 360-683-9622.

Family photos

CHIMACUM — Megan Friedel, curator of photography at the History Colorado museum, will present “Identifying Family Photographs” at the meeting of the Jefferson County Genealogical Society at the Tri-Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road, on Saturday.

Social time with coffee and tea will be at 9:30 a.m., with the lecture starting at 10 a.m.

The meeting is open to members of the public for a donation that helps pay to bring future genealogy speakers to the area.

Friedel has been managing History Colorado museum’s historical photography and moving image collections since 2013.

Prior to moving to Colorado, she was the first photo archivist for the Massachusetts Historical Society and worked with the historical photography collections of the Oregon Historical Society and the University of Alaska, Anchorage, where she was assistant professor of library science.

Animal benefit

PORT ANGELES — A Disco Dance Fitness Benefit for Peninsula Friends of Animals (PFOA) will be held at the Port Angeles Senior & Community Center, 328 E. Seventh St., from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Sponsored by the Sequim Gym, the cost is $8 per person.

All proceeds will go to PFOA, a nonprofit.

All ages are welcome.

Dancers are encouraged to wear costumes.

Seven local instructors will lead two hours of simple disco dance and fitness moves.

For more information, email JaciSheefra@yahoo.com or phone 360-477-0623.

PA semifinalist

PORT ANGELES — Roosevelt Elementary School student Jayde Gedelman is a finalist in the Letters About Literature contest.

“The Letters About Literature contest encourages young readers in grades 4-12 to read a book and write a letter to the author about how the book changed their view of the world or themselves,” according to a news release.

Students can write about works of fiction, nonfiction or poetry.

“I wrote to Suzanne Collins, the author of the Hunger Games,” said Jayde, a sixth-grader.

“I chose to write to her because in the story, there is hope, bravery and tragedy — all things happening in our world today. I chose to write about hope. I really felt strongly about this book, so it was easy for me to write this letter.”

Crystal Lentz, Letters About Literature coordinator for the Washington State Library, reported, “1,575 [Washington] students in grades 4-6 submitted letters in Level 1.

“Of those, 303 advanced to round 2 of judging, and 61 returned to [Washington] for round 3. Our state winner will be chosen from the 61 semifinalists.”

The state winners will be publicly announced on or before Friday.

Dean’s list

SEATTLE — Several North Olympic Peninsula students have been named to the dean’s list at the University of Washington for the 2015 fall quarter.

To qualify, a student must have completed at least 12 graded credits and have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 (out of 4).

■ Neah Bay: Kylie Maria Kimble, senior.

■ La Push: Teela Sablan, senior.

■ Clallam Bay: Matthew Wright Mohr, sophomore.

■ Port Angeles: James Louis Gallagher, sophomore; Jenna Annabell Han, senior; Megan Harrison, sophomore; Carly Lynn La, senior; Jeffrey Micah Kevin Mordecai-Smith, freshman; Lauren Patrice Norton, senior; Samuel Moffett Otto, freshman; Tara E. Price, senior; and Samson Moss Waddell, sophomore.

■ Sequim: Blake William Bryant, senior; Katrina Chan, senior; Sarah Halyna Doty, junior; Shannon Ashley Gordon, junior; Katherine Louise Hedgecock, senior; Brendon Jordan Hudson, junior; Anna Elizabeth Kirchan, senior; Waylon J. Lam, senior; Austin George Law, junior; Scott Mitchel Lester, senior; Allison Caitlin Masangkay, junior; Idris Vladimir Ostrovsky, senior; Tessa Lynn Owen, junior; Travis Steven Priest, junior; and Alexandra Mclellan Stuart-Lovell, sophomore.

■ Port Townsend: Taylor Nathanial Brewer; senior; Daria-Rosemary Bugel-Shunra; sophomore; Luke Aloys Coppenrath, senior; Eliza Joy Dawson, senior; Kate Darby Flanagan, senior; Eleanor Glynis Forbes, senior; Xavier Chao Frank, junior; Luca Nicolas Freier, sophomore; Ian Mckenzie Hadden, junior; Hopi Deva Jayne, senior; Emma Charlotte Kelety, senior; and Natalie Jean Toews, junior.

■ Chimacum: Rachel Ann Maki, junior.

■ Port Ludlow: Kali Sue McConnell, senior.

Dental care issues topic of PT talk

PORT TOWNSEND — A presentation with Sea Mar Community Health Centers and the Washington Dental Service Foundation will take place at Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2333 San Juan Ave., from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27.

Presenters include Jefferson County Public Health Community Health Director Dunia Faulx, Sea Mar Dental Director Dr. Alex Narvae and Washington Dental Service Foundation President Dr. Tom Locke.

The presentation will focus on access to preventive care (both medical and dental), access to mental health and substance abuse care, immunizations and healthy living.

Admission is free, with donations welcome.

For more information, contact Kees Kolff at 206-295-22275 or kkolff@jgh.org.

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