Repair work all done

(sign on City Hall door )

Before spring clean floodgates open

(photo source Steve Willis)

Adventures with Power

So the surprise power cut happened yesterday afternoon without warning. Power returned about 9 pm. We got the house warmed up to prepare for the planned power outage to this part of McCleary and went to sleep.

And.............the power for the planned outage never went out. I don't see any updates on the City of McCleary web site yet.

Grays Harbor PUD has this about the surprise outage:

Power has been restored to customers in the Central Park, Montesano and Elma areas after an outage this afternoon at 4pm.

While the exact cause of the outage has not been determined, it appears the location of the problem is at the Elma substation. The PUD is testing equipment in the substation to determine the cause.

City of McCleary is not part of Grays Harbor PUD but in this we were affected by the same thing.

Quick snaps from power outage

Generator at police station and sign posted on city hall door.

Elma substation blew

Power went out at 4 pm and this doesn't have anything to do with planned outage for 11 pm , we walked down to city hall and were told that an Elma substation blew. Elma, Malone, McCleary and entire region now without power.

Update: Power is now back on, hurrah! We have two full hours or so to warm up the house, recharge phones, and other needed electrical tasks before the previously -planned- power outage at 11 pm til 7 am tomorrow.

Mud & Sky

Watch your step in the McCleary mud and don't forget to enjoy the sky.

Comix East County 1988

Water

Quote from Nick Bird, McCleary Public Works Director, East County News April 13, 2011 about our water:

There are high levels of manganese, which is not a health concern, but it's an aesthetic concern because it creates an odor and a stain on fixtures.

If money is available they will be able to start work on replacing well components next spring. I hope the funds do come through. The water in McCleary is drinkable but sometimes it does have a strong smell. The hard water is also hard on skin, some people get rashes from it. Sinks get stained, fixtures get eaten, coffee pots wear out faster.

Although there are some solutions. Epsom salts can help in the bath. I could use bottled water for the coffee pot. I need to look into water softeners for laundry too.

Straddleline ORV Park

Grays Harbor County Commissioners are pleased to announce as of April 8, 2011 the operations and management of Straddleline ORV Park has been leased to Promoto Promotions.

The ORV Park remains a public park. All events are coordinated and managed by Promo Promotions.

Promoto Productions

Spring Clean Up Day McCleary

Spring Clean Up Day: Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 8:00 AM to Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 2:00 PM

YOU MUST BRING YOUR UTILITY BILL WITH YOU AS PROOF OF RESIDENCY.
You must live within the City Limits or pay a utility bill to the City.

Items that will NOT be accept are:

Oil, grease or any other petroleum based products,
Paint and Chemicals
Hot Ash
Propane Tanks
Truck , tractor or oversized tires

Items that require a fee:
Refrigerators and freezers. $30 Freon disposal fee.

Maximum of 4 regular tires per utility bill.

Only a Drill

Around 3 pm today in McCleary we heard quite a variety of sirens from SR 8. I assume they are from the Boots on the Ground full scale exercise today.

Don't Do What I Did (As the Hydrant Flushes)

One morning a month or so ago we had brown water. I double checked to make sure that this was due to normal hydrant flushing. Yes, it was. I took note of the advice to run outside hose bibs until the water cleared and odor dissipated.

So I was properly informed and advised but I continued to do laundry once the water seemed to be clearing up. I assumed that if need be I could just rewash laundry later. Surely it couldn't be that bad.

I was wrong. Laundry done in brown (even brownish) water can't be later cleaned. My white hooded jacket never recovered even with clear water and bleach.

Eventually I did turn on the outside water, it ran for quite awhile until clear.

So this time around if our water has any hint of brown and/or extra odor I'll stop with the household chores til the water runs completely clear again. I'll make myself a cup of tea (with bottled water of course) and take a break.

Emergency Drill on Thursday

On Thursday, April 21st 2011, from 9am -7pm, Grays Harbor County will be conducting a “Boots on the Ground” Full Scale Exercise.

The exercise will involve virtually every area of the County, Cities, Tribes, schools and response agencies. Citizens may see Law Enforcement vehicles, Fire Apparatus and Public Works vehicles moving around the county in response to the local emergency plans of their jurisdiction. The regional Hospitals and Grays Harbor Community Hospital will be taking part in a functional exercise as part of their capabilities preparedness plans. All Police & Fire entities of the County will also be testing their secondary communications during the events.

Participants will be involved at varying times through the day and will include neighboring counties and the WA State Emergency Management Division

April 21st Drill a Test for the Big One

Sam's Canal - Who has jurisdiction?

I see in the city council packet for 4/13 that the city met with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Washington State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife back on 3/30 about Sam's Canal. Meeting was regarding:

...the maintenance project of removing sediment at the culvert outfall. The Corps still believe that they have jurisdiction, but suggested that we start the process (SEPA/JARPA) to see what, if any significant requirements develop through permitting.

I wondered why jurisdiction wasn't clear, but now that I've started reading up, I can see why.

Some resources:

Water law awash in debate

Clean Water Act

McCleary & Prisons

The Department of Corrections did not choose McCleary as one of their top three selected sites for a new DOC reception center. Turns out the City of McCleary has gone through a version of this before, back in 1959.

Info (my use of bolding to draw attention to a humorous quote) from McCleary Time Capsule, 1943 - 1963 by Steve Willis:

Sept. 17, 1959
Norman Porter editorializes that the northwest corner of Mohney's Prairie would be a perfect spot for a new prison as the State searches for an adequate site.

Oct. 19, 1959
State officials inform the Grays Harbor County Commission that Mohney's Prairie is on the list of sites under consideration for a new prison.

Jan. 19, 1960
A delegation comprised of Mayor Beerbower, Councilmen Davidson and Curran, and businessman Cal Clark meet with Dr. Garrett Heyns to lobby for Mohney's Prairie as a new prison site.

Feb. 1960
State officials, working from a list of 30 sites, announce they have narrowed the choice of a new prison location to two cities -- McCleary and Shelton.

Mar. 29, 1960
State officials announce that Shelton has been selected as the site for a new prison.

Comments Porter, "The editor of The Stimulator, a gullible country boy, believes that no politics were involved and that the final decision was in the best interests of all the tax payers of the State of Washington."

Apr. 14, 1960
Dr. James Arima, President of the Chamber of Commerce, announces that the Mohney's Prairie site will be given to the State for free should they change their minds about the Shelton prison.

From City of McCleary website - Note from Mayor

Note From Mayor

Hydrant Flushing public notice

Hydrant

Random Saturday Around

Mysterious art found on garage door

Goldfinches seen flitting around trees in Sam's Canal

The sound of lawnmowers - everywhere!

Luckily our cats are all inside

McCleary no longer in running for new DOC center

I really hoped McCleary would be chosen.

Department of Corrections news release

OLYMPIA – The Department of Corrections has narrowed its site selection search to the three most suitable sites for a reception center.
The locations that will move forward in the process are located in Mason County, Kitsap County and Thurston County. These sites are identified on the prison siting website as Mason County 1, Bremerton, and Thurston County. These sites were selected based on a range of physical, environmental, engineering and community characteristics.

Teen Birth Rate

Grays Harbor County has a high teen birth rate. Think about it - this means a lot of unsafe sex is going on.

Teen pregnancy is associated with poor prenatal care and pre-term delivery. Pregnant teens are more likely than older women to receive late or no prenatal care, have gestational hypertension and anemia, and achieve poor maternal weight gain. They are also more likely to have a pre-term delivery and low birth weight, increasing the risk of child developmental delay, illness, and mortality.

Grays Harbor County

Do you know what local resources are available? Even if you aren't a parent or a teen yourself, you can help. A teen may confide in you, maybe you will have a chance to pass information on.

Take Charge! of your sexual health, for teens - free pregnancy and std testing, birth control - Grays Harbor County Health 1-800-464-7277

Also available is Teenwire (Planned Parenthood)

Save $ with Energy Conservation Program - City of McCleary

The City of McCleary has started up their Energy Conservation Program and I encourage everyone in town to look it over. There are reimbursement possibilities for quite a range of items - from $4 for compact fluorescent bulbs to $1,800 for a New Built Green 5 Star Home with a PTCS Heat Pump.

Conservation Program

Pond & Bushes Searched in Training Exercise

MCCLEARY, Wash. -- Police and FBI agents are conducting a training exercise, searching a pond and nearby bushes in the area where Lindsey Baum disappeared almost two years ago in the Grays Harbor County town of McCleary.

KIRO

My guess is that the pond referred to might be one located on the other side of SR8, but that is just a guess.

View Larger Map

Update: Search was done in pond area behind Simpson Door plant (info via websleuths.com )

Don't feed that Raccoon

Saturday morning well after dawn we watched a raccoon squeeze under a fence and then make its way hurriedly to a backyard tree. Fortunately all our pets were inside and we were able to stay clear of it.

As long as raccoons are kept out of human homes, not cornered, and not treated as pets, they are not dangerous.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has a great page with everything you need to know about raccoons. Something extra important to know is to never feed raccoons, this includes not leaving pet food outside overnight:

Don’t feed raccoons.
Feeding raccoons may create undesirable situations for you, your children, neighbors, pets, and the raccoons themselves. Raccoons that are fed by people often lose their fear of humans and may become aggressive when not fed as expected. Artificial feeding also tends to concentrate raccoons in a small area; overcrowding can spread diseases and parasites. Finally, these hungry visitors might approach a neighbor who doesn’t share your appreciation of the animals. The neighbor might choose to remove these raccoons, or have them removed.

Have any raccoons in McCleary stories? Feel free to let us know via comments or mcclearychronicles(at)gmail.com.

Teen Dance Tonight

Community Center

Help in Troubled Times

Times are tough and more of us can use some help. The Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services Department has a good explanation online about how to get mental health services in the area:

How to Get Mental Health Services

In a mental health crisis you can always call the Crisis Line (360) 532-4357. This is free of charge.