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Peninsula Daily News Port Townsend-Jefferson County’s Daily Newspaper
May 8, 2011
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So far, so good at lakes No algae blooms, but bad signs seen By Leah Leach
Peninsula Daily News
Philip L. Watness/for Peninsula Daily News
Noted Whidbey Island sculptor Georgia Gerber sits on her bronze sculpture, “Three Otters,” following its unveiling Saturday on the Northwest Maritime Center’s commons.
Lake Anderson history
Boating season arrives — so what if it’s raining! By Philip L. Watness
salute to Port Townsend Yacht Club Commodore Fred Bell in his boat, Roundabout. The yacht club opened the event to the community about four years ago, said Rob Sanderson of the Northwest Maritime Center, co-sponsor of the day’s events with the yacht club. The rain didn’t daunt the several dozen boating enthusiasts and supporters on the maritime center pier. They cheered on their friends and neighbors as they paraded past while Sanderson announced the crew and craft.
For Peninsula Daily News
PORT TOWNSEND — Landlubbers and sailors alike braved pelting rain Saturday afternoon to celebrate the opening of boating season. Dozens of sailors with seawater in their blood got out in Port Townsend Bay to sail, row and pilot their craft in the Opening Day on the Bay and Parade of Boats. With no wind, the sailboats had to power by as they gave the traditional
He said the weather “is a good idea of what you’re going to get around here” through the spring and summer.
Bronze sculpture unveiled The day featured the unveiling of the bronze sculpture “Three Otters” by Whidbey Island artist Georgia Gerber and a blessing of the boats by Pastor Wendell Ankeny of Port Townsend. The event brought out Joel Goldstein of Port Townsend, a sailboat owner. Turn
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Toxin levels remained low in Lake Anderson and other East Jefferson County lakes in samples taken last week. Lake Anderson, Lake Leland and Gibbs Lake all remain open to fishing. But yellow caution signs sprouted on the shores of those lakes last week. “The only reason we have the caution signs up is that for the first time this season, we’re seeing some toxic algae species showing up” in water samples, said Gary Thomason, Jefferson County environmental health specialist, by cellphone as he planted the signs at the lakes Friday. “None of the three lakes have any [algae] blooms, which is great,” he said. “The water is clear. “Go for it,” he told fishermen.
Boating/A5
Toxins created by blue-green algae have especially plagued Lake Anderson, a popular 70-acre trout fishing hole between Chimacum and Port Hadlock, since May 2006, when two dogs died after drinking water tainted with anatoxin, a quick-acting neurotoxin, and the lake was closed. In April 2010, Anderson Lake was opened for fishing for the first time since 2008 but was closed three weeks later when toxin levels shot up as the weather warmed and encouraged the algae growth. In 2008, lake samples had the largest concentration of toxins measured in Western Washington when samples tested at a level of 170 micrograms of toxins per liter in June 2008 reading. A dangerous level of toxin is one microgram per liter, environmental health officials have said. Anderson Lake opened April 30. “At this time last year, we had a big bloom in Anderson,” Thomason said, attributing the slow growth of algae in the lake to cool, rainy weather. Turn
Peninsula pot outlets untouched by Olympia By Tom Callis
Peninsula Daily News
Gov. Chris Gregoire’s partial veto of a medical marijuana bill last month doesn’t change anything for North Olympic Peninsula dispensaries, police said. The bill as signed into law April 29 extends arrest protection to users of medical marijuana, but the governor’s veto pen eliminated provisions that would officially recognize dispensaries as legal operations. State law does not address dispensaries, which provide marijuana to qualifying patients. That has prompted authorities in some cities to crack down on them.
■ Federal warnings chill states that allow medical pot/A4
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By Diane Urbani
Charlie Bermant/Peninsula Daily News
Karyn Williams and Kyra Williams of Red Dog Farm in Port Townsend staff their Port Angeles Farmers Market booth Saturday.
Paz
Washington state’s organicfarming picture has dimmed slightly, but some farmers in Jefferson and Clallam counties are enjoying a ray of sunshine — in terms of popularity, that is. A recent Washington State University report showed a slight decrease in organic operations, with 104,962 organically farmed acres across the state in 2009 slipping to 100,553 acres last year. Turn
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Inside Today’s Peninsula Daily News 95th year, 107th issue — 8 sections, 78 pages
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Some medical marijuana advocates believe Gregoire’s move will lead to additional shutdowns. But police in Clallam County, which is home to the Peninsula’s three known dispensaries, said they are going to continue to give them a fairly wide berth. “As things do stand, we do not anticipate any policy changes to medical marijuana,” said Port Angeles Police Chief Terry Gallagher.
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