FIS May and June Students of the Month
THURSDAY
JUNE 25, 2015 Opinion ��������������Page 4
Page 13-14
Community News ���Page 5 Sports ���������������Page 7 Classifieds ���������� Page 17
SERVING THE WEST END SINCE 1931
Volume 83 No. 42
• WWW.FORKSFORUM.COM •
Hot and dry conditions increasing fire danger statewide
LAPUSH
Lieutenant governor makes a stop in Forks Lt. Gov. Brad Owen addressed a packed house at the Forks Chamber of Commerce meeting June 17 at JT’s Sweet Stuffs in Forks. He started off his talk expressing his love for this area of the state, the Hoh, the Bogachiel and the other recreational activities the West End has to offer. Owen recognized Bill and Kitty Sperry, who were in the crowd, calling them Forks’ biggest cheerleaders. He mentioned their efforts in projects such as the Fort Núñez Gaona – Diah Veterans Park in Neah Bay and the more recent Sv. Nikolai monument on the Hoh Rain Forest Road. Owen told the group that as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives, starting in 1976, he represented the district that includes Forks. Over the years Owen also has been active in mentoring programs.
BEAVER
Owen was elected as Washington’s 15th lieutenant governor in 1996 and re-elected in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. He explained just exactly what the lieutenant governor does. Some of the duties include taking the place of the governor if he leaves the state, assuming all authority, he can cast the deciding vote in case of a tie vote. Owen said the general political climate has changed so that members of both sides are reluctant to even talk to “the enemy.” He added that the greatest impediment to good government is partisan politics. “It is the same problem we are seeing on the federal side, we need to get together. We are all Americans.” Owen said the current impasse in the state is about the source of funds to pay for increases in school funding ordered by the state Supreme
CLALLAM BAY
SEE OWEN, page 2
SEKIU
NEAH BAY
PRSRT STD US Postage Paid Permit No. 6 Forks, WA
FORKS
Forks drivers Cary Bourm (near) and Ron Clarke burn their way to the starting line Saturday at the Forks Municipal Airport during the West End Thunder Drag Races. Next races and Show and Shine are scheduled for July 18-19. See race results on page 7. Photo by Lonnie Archibald
ECRWSS - BOXHOLDER
With heat and drought rapidly increasing fire danger in western Washington, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources is expanding last week’s burn ban from DNR-protected lands in eastern Washington to include those west of the Cascades. The statewide burn ban will run from June 22-Sept. 30. “Westside forests are drying out and the outlook is for continued warm, dry weather,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark. “These conditions make it clear it’s time for a statewide burn ban.” The statewide burn ban applies to state forests, state parks and forestlands under DNR fire protection. It does not include federally owned lands such as national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges or other areas administered by federal agencies. In 2015 so far, there have been 306 wildfire starts throughout the state. Last year’s fire season was the biggest on record in Washington, with the largest state fire ever, the Carlton Complex, destroying more than 250,000 acres. More than 1 million acres of Washington’s landscape has been consumed by wildfire since 2009. DNR is awaiting legislative action this summer on requests for $4.5 million for additional firefighting teams and equipment, and $20 million to improve the health of drought-ravaged, flammable forests. The statewide burn ban applies to all outdoor burning on DNR-protected forestlands with the exception of recreational fires in approved fire pits within designated state, county, municipal and other campgrounds. Charcoal briquettes may be used only in approved campground fire pits. Fireworks and incendiary devices, such as exploding targets, sky lanterns or tracer ammunition, are illegal on all DNR-protected forestlands.