PORT TOWNSEND — Marine biotoxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning have declined enough to allow recreational shellfish harvesting for oysters, manila clams and mussels at Fort Flagler, Kilisut Harbor and Mystery Bay, Jefferson County Public Health announced Thursday.
The state Department of Health continues to close those areas for harvesting of butter and varnish clams due to the fact that they remain toxic for longer than other shellfish species.
In August, paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) concentrations quickly rose to over 1,700 micrograms per 100 grams of shellfish, and remained high into the fall. PSP levels above
80 micrograms are considered unsafe, and levels in the thousands can be lethal to humans.
Still closed to harvesting of all species of shellfish are Sequim Bay in Clallam County. Discovery Bay is closed to harvesting of butter clams and varnish clams.
Ocean beaches are closed to harvesting of all species.
Other beaches in Clallam and Jefferson counties are open to shellfish harvesting.
Recreational shellfish harvesters can get the latest information before they leave for the beach by visiting www.doh.wa.gov or calling 800-562-5632.
The emergency regulation hotline is 866-880-5431.
Medical evacuation
PORT TOWNSEND — A Search and Rescue team from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island evacuated an 80-year-old man from Jefferson Hralthcare to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton early Thursday morning.
The man had suffered a pulmonary embolism. Due to weight limitations of the hospital helicopter landing pad, the patient was taken to Jefferson County International Airport where he was transferred onto the SAR helicopter, the Navy said.
The helicopter lifted off shortly after 1 a.m., and landed in a field at a nearby school to transfer the patient to an ambulance. Jefferson County and Bremerton Fire Departments coordinated with the crew to clear a landing zone and have the ambulance waiting.
The patient was transferred to the ambulance for ground transport to Harrison Medical Center at about 1:40 a.m., the Navy said. His condition is unknown.
Cutter Healy set to return home today
SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy is scheduled to return at
11 a.m. today to its homeport in Seattle after a four-month deployment in the Arctic.
The Healy crew completed three research missions in partnership with the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Office of Naval Research, conducting physical and biological research in the Arctic Ocean.
Under the command of U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Greg Tlapa, the Healy is the nation’s premiere high-latitude research vessel and is the only U.S. military surface vessel that deploys to and is capable of operating in the ice-covered waters of the Arctic.
At 420-feet long with a displacement of over 16,000 tons and a permanent crew of 87, the Healy is the largest ship in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Garden lights up
VICTORIA — The Magic of Christmas, now in its 32nd year, returns at Butchart Gardens beginning with the annual Light Up ceremony at 5 p.m. Saturday.
That’s when the switch will be flipped to officially welcome the season at the 55-acre display garden.
The Rose Carousel on Saturday will be complementary.
A family tradition since 1987, the gardens are transformed with tens of thousands of twinkling lights, outdoor skating rink, festive brass, and traditional carollers. The seasonal celebration will run through Jan. 6.
The gates are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and visitors are welcome to stay until 10 p.m.
On Christmas Day, gates will open at 1 p.m.
Created in 1904 by Jennie Butchart, and still privately owned and operated by family descendants, Butchart Gardens has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada and welcomes more than 1 million visitors a year.
Chorale sets performances
The NorthWest Women’s Chorale will present two performances of “Listen to the Sounds in Heaven” this weekend.
The chorale will perform in Sequim at 7 p.m. Saturday at Dungeness Valley Lutheran Church, 925 N. Sequim Ave.
They will also perform in Port Angeles at 7 p.m. Monday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 Lopez Ave.
A donation of $15 is suggested.
For more information, call Joy Linerfelt at 360-477-3526, email director@nwwomenschorale.com or visit www.nwwomenschorale.org.
Hour of Code events slated
Libraries in both Clallam and Jefferson counties will celebrate Computer Science Education Week with Hour of Code events.
The Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave., Port Hadlock, will have interactive Hour of Code stations available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday as part of its regular Tech Tuesday series.
The Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St., will host an event from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The Forks Library, 171 S. Forks Ave., will host another from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The final event will be held at the Sequim Library, 630 Sequim Ave., from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.
Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer coding designed for children 4 years or older.
The events are sponsored by the Washington State Library, Microsoft and the Friends of the Library groups.
For more information in Clallam County, email discover@nols.org or visit www.nols.org.
In Jefferson County, call 360-385-6544 or visit www.jclibrary.info.
Nonprofit compliance webinar set
SEATTLE — Washington Nonprofits will present a webinar on how and why nonprofits are regulated in Washington state from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The webinar is presented in partnership with the Office of the Secretary of State and Wayfind.
The webinar is oriented toward people working in nonprofits.
The presenters will be Scott Douglas and Dave Horn.
Douglas is the director of the corporations and charities division in the Office of the Secretary of State.
Horn is senior counsel for the consumer protection division of the Attorney General’s office.
For more information or to register for the free webinar, visit www.tinyurl.com/PDN-Nonprofit-webinar.
Tisdale awarded
PORT ANGELES — Graphic designer Trish Tisdale of Port Angeles recently won awards for three designs.
The American Graphic Design Awards competition, sponsored by Graphic Design USA, drew more than 10,000 entries.
Tisdale was awarded for a volunteer firefighter recruiting advertisement for Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue, a new business logo design for Patton Construction and for an event booklet for the Olympic Medical Center Foundation.
Tisdale works as a designer at Olympic Printers, 310 E. First St.
For more information call 360-452-1381 or visit www.olympicprinters.com or www.tisdalegraphicdesign.com.
Unity speaker
PORT ANGELES — The Rev. Patricia Coughlin Mawson will present “Hope and Faith” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Mawson will be the guest speaker at Unity in the Olympics, 2917 E. Myrtle Ave.
Sunday service begins at 10 a.m.
Child care is available.
For more information, call 360-457-3981 or visit www.UnityintheOlympics.org.
Christian concert
PORT ANGELES — Violinist Jaime Jorge will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The public is invited to attend this concert at the Port Angeles Seventh Day Adventist Church, 120 W. Eighth St.
The free concert will feature music ranging from hymns to contemporary praise songs.
