Seattle Times story:

The National Weather Service will test its tsunami-warning system this morning along the West Coast to make sure the alert system is working.

A test message will be sent out at 10:15 to those who subscribe to the alert, including emergency managers and the media.

At the same time, the Weather Service will use the alert as an earthquake drill for some schools and businesses.

Normally, the alert would say the magnitude of an earthquake, where it occurred and whether a tsunami was likely, said Jeff Michalski with the National Weather Service. But today’s test will only ask if the alert was received, Michalski said.

link to story

By Bryan Johnson

Watch the story

Ocean Shores EMS Billing Review B

Mr. Peck also gave a presentation on EMS billing to at the City Council meeting. Two of his points: bill for ever call (even if it doesn’t result in a transport to the hospital); and make the North Beach cities pay into the system (rather than just per call).

Readers Interest Group (RIG), second meeting, this Thursday 10 a.m. — 11 a.m., Ocean Shores Library meeting room.

Agenda:

10-10:30 “political issues,” including: is another candidate/issues forum needed?

10:30 – 11: non-political issues, anything else the paper should cover (people, news, features etc.) that is NOT related to City government.

Last week’s first meeting came up with a hearty list of questions for City Council candidates.

Al was not permitted to use City equipment to present a Powerpoint last night at City Council. He did give a summary of it (conclusion: don’t raise taxes, just do a better job of collections/hire a professional service).

al lizakowski EMS Audit

al lizakowski EMS Audit

*Round-a-mess: Some businesses in the “war zone” strugglingg

*Support Your Local Businesses

*Dueling EMS presentations at City Council

*Beach Eats! (new feature) reviews Seabrook deli, Caffe Amici dinner

*Apolo hearts Moclips: skater/TV star raves about Moclips, Ocean Crest

*Paddle the Shores is on this weekend

*Police log: woman left her sandals on the beach, wants an officer to return them

EMS Levy-2010 Final

Presented last night at City Council:

He didn’t say “vote yes on the levy” or “vote no on the levy,” but with the concluding slide leaves little doubt what Mayor Bunkers wants you to vote on the levy “lid lift” of 50 cents per thousand dollars assessed, to support EMS, on the November ballot:

“What will the 2010 Levy Cost?

“In 2010, property valued at $200,000 will cost ($.50/$100) $100 per yer

“The entire EMS Levy would cost 27 Centers per Day!!!”

(Click on “EMS Levy-2010 Final” above to see the entire presentation.)

Fresh off his “don’t raise taxes for EMS, just do a better job on collections” (to paraphrase) last night in front of City Council, the energetic local activist Al Lizakowski announces:

To all Residents of Ocean Shores,

 On Wednesday, September 16, we are having a meeting at the 

public library at 5:00pm.
 Any and all who would like to participate in  volunteering 

to help place street signs or helping to prepare a mail-out to all 

Ocean Shores registered voters for the purpose of rejecting the 

current Lid Lift are invited.
 Jean Snyder and Al Lizakowski

I saw a couple of dead ducks on the beach south of Marine View yesterday, didn’t think anything of it until I saw this Seattle Times story on dead ducks on LaPush and Kalaloch beaches: (anyone else seeing dead ducks around?):

By Jonathan Martin

Seattle Times staff reporter

Researchers have found at least 100 dead or sick sea ducks on two Northwest Washington beaches since Friday, likely due to a bloom of toxic algae in the coastal waters.

The bird kill appears to be mostly afflicting two specific breeds of sea ducks — the white-winged scoter and the surf scoter — that eat shellfish. The kill also appears to have hit only the Kalaloch and LaPush beaches, said Julia Parrish, executive director of Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), a citizen science project from the University of Washington.

Associated Press story:

SAN FRANCISCO — Dangerous staph bacteria have been found in sand and water for the first time at five public beaches along the coast of Washington, and scientists think the state is not the only one with this problem.

The germ is MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – a hard-to-treat bug once rarely seen outside of hospitals but that increasingly is spreading in ordinary community settings such as schools, locker rooms and gyms.

The germ causes nasty skin infections as well as pneumonia and other life-threatening problems. It spreads mostly through human contact. Little is known about environmental sources that also may harbor the germ.

. . .

In the new study, researchers tested 10 beaches in Washington along the West Coast and in Puget Sound from February to September 2008. Staph bacteria were found at nine of them, including five with MRSA. The strains resembled the highly resistant ones usually seen in hospitals, rather than the milder strains acquired in community settings, Roberts said.

The researchers declined to identify the beaches where the germ was found.