A caller says a coyote almost got her cat, fortunately our North Coast Taxi man Brian saw what was going on and scared off the coyote. Apparently several cats have gone missing, lately . . .

Your time on the bridge detour was . . .

World’s smallest bear nabbed in a trap on Sunset Ave.? Or, as submitter Robert Stermer-Cox suggested, this little one to Officer: “You got the wrong guy!” (Yeah, right, Shorty. Get in the wagon and none of your lip . . .)

Weather.com says there’s a 40% chance of rain today, for the Ocean Shores area. If it does rain, it would be the first since July 2. In any case, the forecast/guess is for a week of sun, starting tomorrow afternoon. Yeah, I know, you’ll believe it when you see it/feel it . . .

Mon
Aug 9

AM Clouds / PM Sun

56°
49°

10%

Read more…

My source was just crossing the detour bridge from Aberdeen to Hoquiam when I called him; he said it took an extra 15 minutes, with the Simpson Avenue Bridge closed.

Here’s what awaits west-bound travelers headed our way:

Looks like Ocean Shores is on pace for a good year in tax collection. Through June 30, the city has collected $2.15 million, or 49.71% of the year’s budget of $4.33 million; Art Wuerth, the finance director, said that the Utility Tax – Waterworks is a few months behind, so that would bring the total to just over 50%. General Property Tax collections, the biggest tax revenue source, are at $1.3 million, or 55% of the budgeted $2.4 million. The second biggest, Sales Tax – General, is at $316,000, or 48% of the year’s budget of $656,000; the year-to-date total does not include July, August and September, typically by far the biggest months for sales tax.
Taxes make up 88% of the budgeted General Fund revenues. The second biggest revenue source, Licenses & Permits, is far ahead of pace, with year-to-date revenues of $207,890, or 70% of the budgeted $295,650.

On the agenda for the Monday, Aug. 9 (2 p.m.) County Commissioners meeting agenda: “Set hearing date – August 30, 2010 – Petition for formation of a public hospital district – North Beach” hospital district hearing date

Randy Peck, who with Al Lizakowski and a few others has been working to create a hospital district for the North Beach, explains the process:

WSDOT site on the Simpson Avenue Bridge closure/repair (thanks for this, “who knows”).

From the state Dept. of Transportation: Due to the closure of the US 101 Simpson Avenue Bridge, motorists traveling to Ocean Shores or other coastal destinations this weekend should plan ahead for congestion and delays in Hoquiam.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced Thursday, Aug. 5, the US 101 Simpson Avenue Bridge is closed until further notice after severe degradation of piles in the easterly pier was discovered.

From the Friends of the Clinic, the group that has tirelessly worked on local medical issues, first to keep a doctor here, then to bring providers here: The Ocean Shores Sea Mar Clinic is scheduled to open on Monday, August 9th in their new location here in Ocean Shores: 597 Point Brown Blvd. (location previously known as Coastal Family Medicine/Dr. Holm).
AND…they need help!  The plan is for the Copalis Sea Mar Clinic to close its doors on Friday, August 6th….and that’s where and when the help is needed …… to move them into Ocean Shores!!
Friday, August 6th, from 6 pm – 8 pm
Trucks and people to help load and move furniture, equipment, etc