Update, 5 p.m.: Issued by The National Weather Service

4:58 pm PST, Sat., Feb. 27, 2010

… TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS CANCELLED FOR THE WASHINGTON COAST…  

We’ll be back around 3 o’clock, BT (Beach Time), day and month TBA . . .

So that your friendly neighborhood Editor can focus all his time on making the North Coast News the best weekly newspaper on the entire North Beach (and I won’t rest until . . .), the northcoastnews.com will is going “on Hiatus.” My travel agent tells me that Hiatus is surprisingly nice, this time of year, and the food can even rise to mediocre, if you catch the cook after a good nap.

Rest assured, or assuredly rest (take your choice): the northcoastnews.com will come back, bigger, better, stronger, bloggier. Not satisfied to merely be “the Facebook of the 289″ or “Youtube without the videos,” this site may even completely reinvent itself, a la Cat Stewart. (Replace local tidbits, beach photos and random irony with Buddhism? Ponder.)

Some helpful links, to help you get information, waste a little time, or just waste a little time (0r even waste some time):

Subscribe to the North Coast News ($19.95 per year, or make us an offer!): 360-289-2441.

weather.com for the North Beach area

Aberdeen Daily World

Ocean Shores government

Grays Harbor County Emergency Management

Tsunami warning center

Recent earthquakes: USGS

Gary Iversen

Bruce Richardson

. . . Happy surfing, stay safe out there on that big scary ‘net!

The sports star apology once was a deeply humiliating event, for all involved. How the mighty has fallen!
Now, we’ve become accustomed to the press conference to boo-hoo over wild promiscuity, abuse of steroids and recreational drugs, or just random crime sprees.
Most recently, it was golf mega-star Tiger Woods (who, apparently, became confused and believed he was part of the Professional Girlfriends Association), before him retired baseball slugger Mark McGwire (“Um, remember those home runs I hit from here to Canada? Surprise: steroids.”). Football and basketball players, boxers . . . name any sport, and you’ll find a disgraced hero, sniffling at the microphone.

For those sure to follow, here’s an all-in-one guide that, with slight modifications, can work for any sports hero who needs to do a little explaining:

“First of all, I’d like to say that, because certain crime investigations may or may not be ongoing, I can’t go into details or answer questions.

Clam dig + Chocolate on the Beach Festival + EMS Conference = big weekend on the beach

From the county:
The National Weather Service has predicted high winds for the Southern Washington Coast for Thursday night and Friday. Winds are expected to be sustained at 20-25 mph out of the Southeast changing to the South  with gusts possible to 40 mph.
All residents should prepare for intermittent power outages , and the possibility of falling power lines and trees associated with the winds.

The new mayor is on Ernie Nelson’s KOSW 91.3 show, right now. (He just said “we’re in good shape” as far as bond rating.)

This week’s Police log was cut, due to space limitations. Here it is:

Ocean Shores Police Dept. Excerpts from call log
Feb. 11, 2010
Barnacle St NW
Neighbors dogs trying to attack him.

Discovery Ave
Woman says husband and son arguing.

Pt Brown Ave NE
Driving with license suspended citation.

Feb. 12
Sand Dune Ave NW
4:30 a.m.
“Sounds like someone trying to break in.”

OS Blvd NW
Window to bedroom broken.

Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Dept. Excerpts from North Beach call log

Feb. 11
Humptulips
Dog attacking cat. Reporting person “wants to know if she can shoot the dog.”

Feb. 13
Ocean City
2:08 a.m.
Padlock to gate broken.

Humptulips
“Dog attacked and mauled her goat.”

SR 109
10:22 p.m.
Man “calling to say he is afraid. Took his girlfriend to Ocean Shores for dinner. She started drinking so he decided to leave on foot. Stated he’s not sure where he is or where he’s going.” Dispatch recalled man, offered him number for taxi. Man “said he has no money and requests someone pray for him, disconnected.”

In the fall, the North Coast News submitted Readers Input Group (“RIG the Paper”) questions on various issues to City Council candidates. Garland French was running unopposed for reelection. Here are the answers provided by the man just appointed mayor of Ocean Shores for the next two years:

1. General Fund Balance / Reserve

The general fund balance should provide for reasonable contingency needs and maintain a level satisfying current and future credit rating requirements. This must be established during annual budget development and reviewed along with regular budget and financial status.
Interfund loans should not be used for reserve creation. These loans should be used only for emergency funding needs that can arise during the course of the year, and only with proper validation of need and repayment assurance.

*Interview with the new mayor: “I feel very optimistic about where we’re going.”

*Chocolate on the Beach Festival: Sweets up on the North Beach

*Goats to guns: The North Beach Resident Deputy program

*$1.3 million winner: Quinault slot rolls big

*Expensive consultants: Ocean Shores pays LID, water consultants $1.5 million over the last four years

*Guest Editorial: New credit card rules

*Honor Roll: High school and junior high students hitting the books