Clam diggers just got the go-ahead to proceed with the second razor-clam dig of the fall season starting Wednesday on evening tides at two beaches.

Twin Harbors will open for four late-evening digs Wednesday through Nov. 7, while Long Beach will open Wednesday, Nov. 6 and Nov. 7 only. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife Ok’d the digs after marine toxin tests confirmed the clams were safe to eat.

Here is the rest of the news release:

Digging at the beaches will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight. Additional digging opportunities are planned at

…

Read more »

Jon Knechtel, director of trail operations for the Pacific Northwest Trail Association, has sent out a plea for help after a fire damaged a bridge over Fidalgo Bay just outside of Anacortes. The bridge is a key link for two trails.

Here is his letter:

As you may or may not know, in early October a fire damaged a major portion of the trestle on the Tommy Thompson Trail, across Fidalgo Bay. Unfortunately there is no insurance available to replace the damaged section.

The trestle is an integral part of not only the Tommy Thompson Trail, but also of the

…

Read more »

STATE HIGH POINTS
STATE HIGHPOINT HEIGHT (feet)
Alaska Mount McKinley 20,320
California Mount Whitney 14,494
Colorado Mount Elbert 14,433
Washington Mount Rainier 14,411
Wyoming Gannett Peak 13,804
Hawaii Mauna Kea 13,796
Utah Kings Peak 13,528
New Mexico Wheeler Peak 13,161
Nevada Boundary Peak 13,143
Montana Granite Peak 12,799
Idaho Borah Peak 12,662
Arizona Humphreys Peak 12,633
Oregon Mount Hood 11,239
Texas Guadalupe Peak 8,749
South Dakota Harney Peak 7,242
North Carolina Mount Mitchell 6,684*
Tennessee Clingmans Dome 6,643
New Hampshire Mount …

Read more »

We’re switching to a new blogging system here at The News Tribune and hope you’ll like the changes. We also hope you’ll try it out and give us your feedback.

A few of the changes you’ll notice:

&bull We’ve separated content and advertising by implementing the right ad column you’ll see on the rest of our site and a left content “widget” column.

&bull In that left column, we’ve added a tag cloud that shows the most blogged current topics. The tag cloud also allows us to streamline our category lists which got out-of control after

Read more »

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial in Concord, Calif., has become the newest unit of the National Park Service.

With President Obama’s signing of the Defense Authorization Act, Port Chicago today became the 392nd unit of the park system.

Here is the rest of the news release:

“The addition of Port Chicago demonstrates a commitment to make America’s best idea even better – more relevant to Americans, more expressive of our nation’s history, and more representative of our diversity,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis.

On July 17, 1944, crews at the magazine in the San Francisco Bay

…

Read more »

REI and Arbor, a collective of artists, designers and friends who snowboard, skateboard and surf, are asking people to submit designs for a snowboard design contest.

One winning design will be picked and featured in Arbor’s 2010-2011 snowboard lineup and sold exclusively at REI. The winning designer will also receive a snowboard featuring their design and a $1,000 REI gift card. Four runners-up will each receive a $500 gift card.

This free contest is open to artists of all skill levels.

Click here for the contest rules.

Entries will be accepted from Monday through Dec. 31. As soon as …

Read more »

We’re switching to a new blogging system here at The News Tribune and hope you’ll like the changes. We also hope you’ll try it out and give us your feedback.

A few of the changes you’ll notice:

• We’ve separated content and advertising by implementing the right ad column you’ll see on the rest of our site and a left content “widget” column.

• In that left column, we’ve added a tag cloud that shows the most blogged current topics. The tag cloud also allows us to streamline our category lists which got out-of control after awhile (sorry about …

Read more »

Two marine areas in Puget Sound will reopen to recreational crab fishing Sunday. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife made the decision based on summer catch assessments that show more crab are available for harvest.

Starting at sunrise Sunday, Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), and most of Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) will reopen for sport crabbing seven days a week through Jan. 2.

The part of Marine Area 9 that will remain closed is south of a line from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point.

Crab fishing will remain open seven days a week through Jan.

Read more »