Fundraiser helps

homeless families

Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club is donating two quilts to be raffled off to raise money to help homeless families in the community. A quilt will be on display at each of the Serenity Thrift Stores through Feb. 14. Tickets may be purchased at the stores. All money raised will go to the Serenity House to help support the Emergency Shelter Program for homeless families in Sequim and Port Angeles. Questions may be directed to the volunteer coordinator at 452-7224.

Get published

The Peninsula College 2008 Tidepools staff has extended the deadline to submit poetry, prose, art and photography (black_and_white or color) for publication in their annual literary and art magazine to Jan. 18. The juried contest is open to aspiring writers and artists of all ages in Clallam and Jefferson Counties, amateur and professional.

Cash prizes are awarded in adult, Peninsula College student, and youth categories in poetry, prose, and art and photography. Each adult and Peninsula College student category has a $150 prize for first place, $75 for second place, and $25 for third place. Each youth category has a $25 prize for first place in each age bracket. Contest entry fees for adults are $5 per submission; youth (age 6_17) fees are $2.50 per submission.

Entry forms are available at the Peninsula College library, The Bookaneer bookstore, all local public libraries and selected local businesses, including Port Books & News, Odyssey Bookshop and Olympic Stationers in Port Angeles; Twice Loved Books and Pacific Mist Books in Sequim; William James_Bookseller in Port Townsend; Joyce General Store in Joyce; and the Chinook Pharmacy in Forks. They can also be accessed at http://pc.ctc.edu/comingsoon/tidepools.asp.

All submissions must be postmarked by Jan. 18. Winners will be announced late winter quarter of the 2008 school year. For more information, contact Janet Lucas at Peninsula College: 360_417_6361 or janetl@pcadmin.ctc.edu.

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Learn about cruising

AAA and Holland America Line are hosting a free event for interested vacationers to learn about cruising. Highlights include itineraries to Alaska, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Europe and many other places, as well as on-board amenities, excursions and benefits. The event is at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 8, at the Quality Inn & Suites, 134 River Road, Sequim.

ONP leader steps down

Since former superintendent of Olympic National Park Bill Laitner retired the first week of January, Sue McGill is once again taking the lead in park management until a new superintendent is announced. McGill, the deputy superintendent, temporarily stepped into the position in 2003 before Laitner was hired to succeed David Morris. The National Park Service is expected to advertise the position in a few weeks at www.usajobs.gov. Laitner announced his retirement plans in early November, stating he desired more time with his family.

PA Relay for Life

organizes

Port Angeles Relay For Life 2008 invites all participants and anyone interested to come to the Jan. 10 meeting in the basement of Olympic Medical Center, 939 Caroline St. at 7 p.m. Learn about team organization, fundraising and how you can help find a cure for cancer._ The guest speaker will discuss liver cancer. There will be food, drinks and prizes._ Any team that registers for the relay at the meeting will receive a discount. For further information, call Jennie at 808-1847.

Passport office moved

The Clallam County auditor’s office is now accepting passport applications. This replaces the Superior Court clerk’s office as an official acceptance facility and has been approved by the State Department. Hours for accepting applications are 8:30 a.m.-

4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Applications are in the lobby of the courthouse, outside of the auditor’s office door. For information, phone 417-2220 or 417-2221.

PUD seeks input

on water efficiency

The Public Utility District of Clallam County drafted initial water use efficiency goals, a practice mandated by the state Legislature’s Municipal Water Law of 2003. PUD’s current measures and proposed goals can be found online at www.clallampud.net. Officials are asking for public comment on the proposal, which can be submitted online or at the regular weekly PUD commissioners’ meeting at 1:30 p.m., Jan. 14 at 2431 E. Highway 101 in Port Angeles.

The meeting will include a presentation by PUD staff summarizing the goals with special time to receive public comment.

The Port Angeles Composite water system is the only system PUD operates that requires efficiency goals going into 2008. PUD will likely begin implementing efficiency measures in smaller water systems in 2009.

Winter ferry

schedule begins

Washington State Ferries began the winter ferry sailing schedule Jan. 6 and continues with that schedule through March 29. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, winter is traditionally a slow season for the ferry system so cuts or changes in service are made to save money. The winter schedule is available at all ferry terminals, local libraries and the ferry system Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. Port Townsend/Keystone service continues to be passenger only. Port Townsend/Seattle service ended Jan. 6. See the Web site or call 888-808-7977 for updates.

Working the trails

The Peninsula Trails Coalition has its monthly Second Saturday work party from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Jan.12, to do fencing and maintenance on a new section of the Olympic Discovery Trail in Blyn. Bring work gloves, rain gear and water. Carpooling will be available at the Staples parking lot at 9:45 a.m. RSVP for lunch by Friday noon, Jan. 11. For more information, contact Lorrie at 565-2606 or lcampbell@co.clallam.wa.us.

Ham radio license

exam scheduled

The Clallam County Amateur Radio Club will have an exam session for those interested in obtaining any level of amateur radio licensing at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 19, in the training room at Port Angeles Fire Department, at Fifth and Laurel streets in Port Angeles. The test session fee is $14.

Those earning their license will be allowed to communicate with other hams worldwide, and to participate in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, an important part of the nation’s emergency response plan. For more information, or to register for the exam session, call Chuck Jones, N7BV, at 452-4672, or Tom Newcomb, KE7XX, at 452-8228.

Panel on children’s

mental health issues set

Children’s mental health issues in Clallam County will be the topic at the regular monthly meeting of the Prevention Works! Coalition on Monday, Jan. 14, starting at 4 p.m. in the Link-letter Auditorium located in the basement of Olympic Medical Center, 939 E. Caroline St., in Port Angeles. The event is open to the public. Coffee and light refreshments will be served. The panelists will include Pete Peterson, director of the Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services; Peter Casey, executive director of the Peninsula Community Mental Health Center; Steven Ironhill, director of West End Outreach Services and psychologist Maria Birch.

Prevention Works! meets on the second Monday of each month at Olympic Medical Center. For more information about Prevention Works!, visit the Web site at www.preventionworkscc.org.