Northwest Briefly: State studies second daily Amtrak run to B.C.
Published 10:31 pm Sunday, August 8, 2010
OLYMPIA — Officials with the Washington state Department of Transportation say they hope to launch a second train this month from Lacey to Vancouver, B.C.
Andrew Wood, the agency’s deputy state rail and marine director, says the train would originate in Portland, Ore., depart Lacey at 4:38 p.m. daily, stop in Tacoma and Seattle and arrive in Vancouver about 10:45 p.m.
Wood says the additional train will serve the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. But he says it’s also part of a long-term DOT goal to expand service to Canada by up to four trains by 2025.
Electronic waste recycling program popular
Washington state has collected 22.1 million pounds of unwanted televisions, computers and monitors since its free electronics recycling program began Jan. 1.
The latest figures, through July, show that televisions account for 57 percent of the weight collected so far.
Washington officials had expected 25 million pounds in the program’s first year.
The Washington law passed in 2006 was the first to require manufacturers to be responsible for recycling electronic waste.
Leavenworth: Trail closed after cougar encounter
A popular trail two miles north of Leavenworth has been closed until a cougar that chased a mountain biker is removed.
The Wenatchee World reports that U.S. Forest Service officials closed the Freund Canyon Trail Friday and hope to reopen it in about two weeks.
Officials have received a few reports of cougar encounters in the last six weeks.
Wenatchee River Ranger District wildlife biologist Don Youkey said the biker did the right thing by stopping, putting his bike between himself and the cougar and then yelling.
He said the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is trying to find a hound hunter to help track the cougar.
North Bend: Man recognized for helping fallen hiker
An Ellensburg man was honored Saturday for rescuing a solo hiker who had fallen nearly 200 feet from the Pacific Crest Trail near North Bend.
Matthew Thyer was on a trail run Tuesday evening when he heard cries for help and found a 73-year-old hiker 200 feet below him.
Rescue officials say the hiker from Santa Cruz, Calif., would not have survived without Thyer’s help. Thyer phoned 911 and built a fire to help rescuers find them.
City and rescue officials recognized Thyer at a ceremony in North Bend.
Ephrata: Museum building destroyed in fire
Ephrata fire officials are investigating a fire that destroyed a building on the campus of the Grant County Historical Museum.
Kyle Foreman, a spokesman with Grant County Emergency Management, said the Friday fire caused up to $1 million in damage. The building housed two antique fire engines and other antique vehicles.
The building was engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived Friday afternoon. Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to nearby museum buildings, which are built to resemble early 1900s stores.
A museum volunteer who was inside the building when the fire started had minor burns to his arm. He was treated at a local hospital.
Yakima: Land purchase conserves 201 acres
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has acquired 201 acres of private land near the Cowiche unit of the Oak Creek Wildlife Area to conserve for public use.
The Nature Conservancy and Cowiche Canyon Conservancy helped secure a grant to purchase the $141,000 private property. The parcel is surrounded by the 1,800-acre Snow Mountain Ranch, which the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy acquired in 2005.
Alaska: Fishing vessel rescues Anacortes crew
The U.S. Coast Guard says five crewmembers have been rescued after their fishing vessel took on water near Juneau.
The Coast Guard says it got a mayday call from a crewmember aboard the Anacortes-based, 59-foot fishing vessel Patty J early Saturday about 26 miles southwest of Juneau in Square Cove.
A Good Samaritan on a nearby fishing vessel responded to the call and rescued the crew. No injuries were reported.
Associated Press
