SEQUIM — Russell Lewis will host a free meet-and-greet at the Bell Street Bakery, 173 W. Bell St., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
The bakery closed about four years ago and will officially reopen April 2 under Lewis as a leased turnkey operation from owner Andre Barritelle.
Lewis and his family hail from northern New York and plan to operate the bakery from 8 a.m. to
4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The bakery will offer samples of European crusty breads, strudels and gourmet cookies.
“We will have a soft opening during the Art Walk on Friday, April 1, but will be fully operational April 2,” he said.
Phone Lewis at 360-797-5983, email bellstreetbakery@gmail.com or visit the Facebook page.
Jobless numbers
OLYMPIA — The state added an estimated 10,600 jobs last month and the unemployment rate is holding steady at 5.8 percent.
Numbers for Clallam and Jefferson counties will be unveiled this Tuesday.
In numbers released Wednesday by the state Employment Security Department, officials said the February jobless rate matches January’s numbers. The national unemployment rate for February was 4.9 percent.
Officials said that during the one-year period ending in February, about 96,200 jobs have been added statewide.
The biggest job gains in February were seen in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and retail.
Government also saw an increase, as did information, other services and transportation, warehousing and utilities.
Job losses were seen in education and health services, wholesale trade and manufacturing.
Toastmasters contest
PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Toastmasters Club No. 25 recently held its evaluation and international speech contest.
The winner of the evaluation contest was Leah Erb of Port Angeles, with Leilani Wood of Sequim as runner-up.
The evaluators listened to a five-to-seven-minute test speech, then gave a two-to-three-minute evaluation speech.
The international speech competition was composed of five-to-seven-minute original speeches on any topic.
The winner was Brent Powell of Port Angeles with his talk “Teeter Totter World.” The runner-up was Leilani Wood of Sequim.
Erb and Powell will compete in the Area 21 Speech Competition on Friday in Poulsbo.
The club meets Mondays from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Clallam Transit Center business offices, 830 W. Lauridsen Blvd. The public is welcome.
2016 books battle
PORT ANGELES — Eleven teams of Clallam County fourth-graders will battle in a trivia-style competition at the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St., at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Battle of the Books 2016 is the culmination of a yearlong collaborative project between the North Olympic Library System (NOLS); the Port Angeles, Sequim, Quillayute Valley and Crescent School districts; and Queen of Angels.
Throughout the year, more than 180 fourth-graders participated in the program, each of whom received free copies of the five books read as part of the project.
The students also received a T-shirt featuring art created by a fellow student during a design contest held last year.
This year’s participating schools include Jefferson, Greywolf, Forks Intermediate, Olympic Peninsula Academy, Hellen Haller, Franklin, Roosevelt, Queen of Angels, Crescent, Dry Creek and Hamilton Elementary.
For five months prior to the final competition, library staff led book club discussions at each of the schools to help support and encourage student reading.
Books read during the year included Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos and Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman.
The competition will include trivia questions about each book.
For information about this and other programs for youths, visit www.nols.org; contact the Youth Services Department of the Port Angeles Library at 360-417-8500, ext. 7705; or email youth@nols.org.
Writing talk set
SEQUIM — Mary Lou Sanelli will speak about writing at Nash’s Farm Store, 4681 Sequim-Dungeness Way, from 5 p.m. to
6 p.m. Saturday.
The event is free and open to the public.
Sanelli will talk about what’s involved in becoming a writer.
For more information, email patty@nashsorganicproduce.com or phone 360-681-7458.
Oiled wildlife
PORT ANGELES — A seminar, “Oiled Wildlife Basic Intake & Stabilization,” will be offered at the Clallam County Fairgrounds from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Clallam Marine Resources Committee together with Island Oil Spill Association offer this free oiled wildlife rescue training.
Participants will learn basic bird anatomy and how to take care of oiled birds, including holding, washing, weighing, giving the birds fluids and performing a general health examination.
For more information, email clear@co.clallam.wa.us or phone 360-417-2361.
Port Scandalous
SEQUIM — Port Scandalous’ season six, game two will be played at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, 400 W. Fir St., on Saturday.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the game starts at 6 p.m.
The cost is $10 for adults, $8 for kids 7 to 12 and free to kids younger than 6. Military and senior discounts will be available.
Port Scandalous Strait Shooters will take on the Rolling Hills Derby Dames in the game.
There will be merchandise for sale, a 50/50 raffle, snacks and a beer garden.
Tickets are available at the Sequim Gazette, from any local derby ladies and at the door.
For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/h3ycuqk.
Scholarship set
PORT ANGELES — A $1,000 scholarship is available to a single mother attending Peninsula College during the 2015-16 academic year.
Applications for the Bright Haygood Copsey Scholarship are posted on the college’s financial aid website, http://tinyurl.com/hfz75ym.
The application deadline is April 1. The award is based on the potential to benefit and financial need.
Applicants can be part-time or full-time students attending the entire 2015-16 academic year.
