GRANITE FALLS — A magnitude-3.4 earthquake followed by additional smaller quakes rattled an area in the western foothills of the Cascade Mountains but didn’t cause any damage.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake hit about 7 miles southeast of Granite Falls at 11:36 a.m. Friday.
The site is about 50 miles northeast of Seattle in the western foothills of the Cascade Mountains.
Dozens of people in the Snohomish and Lake Stevens areas reported feeling the quake. Officials say it was about 15 kilometers deep.
On Friday afternoon, three smaller earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0, 2.6 and 2.5 were recorded nearby.
Outdoor games
SEQUIM — Free outdoor games for adults are planned on the Sequim Library’s back lawn between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Bocce ball, bean bag toss, ladder toss and other outdoor games will be offered along with bubbles and lemonade at the library at 630 N. Sequim Ave.
The games are part of the 2016 adult summer reading program at Clallam County public libraries.
“Exercise your mind — and more,” said organizers.
If the weather is bad, some activities will take place inside the library meeting room.
Scarecrows
EVERETT — Wildlife officials are hanging dead sea gulls underneath a Washington pier, hoping the sight will scare off live birds. The tactic is upsetting some human residents as well.
The dead birds strung up below the Port of Everett Mt. Baker Terminal Pier are visible only from the water.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been using the tactic for years, but bird enthusiasts have reacted with disgust to photos recently posted to social media.
The Pilchuck Audubon Society based in Snohomish said in a statement that it was “shocked and disturbed” by the practice. The group plans to meet with officials to discuss alternatives.
The USDA says the dead gulls are effective at keeping sea gulls off the pier, where their droppings are hazardous for the longshoremen who work there.
Crews collect refuse, trim plants, trees
PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Chain Gang removed a 24-foot travel trailer from Siberts Creek Road, totaling 3,600 pounds of refuse during the week of May 16-20.
The crew cleaned and scraped sidewalks and curbs on Monroe Road, weed-eated the west side of North Brook and U.S. Highway 101, sprayed weeds over a total of 3 miles of county pits and weeded and pruned the County Rain Garden on Mount Pleasant and Garling roads.
During the week of May 23-27, the chain gang removed a bicycle frame and couch.
A total of 100 pounds of trash was removed from one illegal dump site on the 2500 block on Mount Pleasant.
They weeded and spread approximately 10 yards of Beauty Bark at Fuel Island and stripped and waxed the floors in the jail Trusty’s Tank.
In addition, they weed-eated and removed about 100 scotch broom plants at Old Olympic Highway, adding to the 2016 annual removal total of 5,265 plants.
During the week of May 30 through June 2, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Chain Gang trimmed and cleared brush from the U.S. Coast Guard tower at Pearson Creek, weed-eated at Detachment 53 and stripped and waxed the floor in the female dorm.
It also brushed and chipped limbs on Olympic Hot Springs Road, cleaned the county wash rack, weed-eated and brushed off limbs on Black Diamond Road, and weed-eated around the guardails on Black Diamond, Woodcock, Kitchen-Dick and Cays roads.
From June 6-10, the chain gang removed a carcass from the 200 block of Blue Mountain Road, planted trees at Deer Park Park and Ride, and performed trail maintenance on the Olympic Discovery Trail.
In addition, it weed-eated Edgewood Drive, Old Olympic Highway, and Reddick, Monroe, Draper, Deer Park, Wild Current, West Lake Pleasant, Maxfield, Quillayute, Mina Smith, Black Diamond, Whiskey Creek, Joyce Piedmont, Peters, Miller, Nordstrom, Camp Hayden, Freshwater Bay, Oxenford, Eden Valley and Dan Kelly roads, and scraped sidewalks on Mount Pleasant Road.
During the week of June 13-17, the chain gang removed 600 pounds of refuse from 20 miles of county roadways.
Items removed included two TVs, a copy machine, a couch and a mattress.
A total of 80 pounds of trash was removed from the Deer Park park-and-ride illegal dump site.
Crews cut back weeds on guardrails on Place, Laird, Granite, Crown Z Water, Elwha River, Hot Springs, O’Brien, Blue Mountain, Marmot and North Barr roads.
The crews brushed, chipped and limbed the county right of way on Gossett Road, Seventh Avenue, Bourchier Street, the corner of Baker Street and Pioneer Road.
They also pulled weeds at Deer Park park and ride.
During the week of June 20-24, the chain gang removed 580 pounds of refuse from illegal dump sites on Pioneer Street and Strait View Drive.
Crews weed-eated guardrails on Sherbourne, Hooker, Lost Mount, Fish Hatchery, Happy Valley, Louella and West Washington roads.
They also weed-eated the ditch line at Reservoir Road, plus chipped and removed a fallen tree.
They brushed and chipped the county right of way at Gossett, Whiskey Creek, Wasankari and Liljedahl roads.
In addition, they filled both of the pavement rollers with approximately 250 sandbags.
