Pacific NW News Service

Bob Shannon, Kathy Meader US Editors
Ron Rattray, Rick Price British Columbia and Alberta Editors

Ron Rattray, British Columbia

SPOKANE, Wash. -

While people driving high have always been a concern, it's even more so now that legal weed is so accessible. The Washington Transportation Safety Commission is going to extra lengths to inform people that driving high is a crime.

“Our deputies are actually seeing an increase in drivers under the influence of marijuana,” Spokane Valley Police Chief Rick VanLeuven said.
He said that it's been a busy year for his officers in the Spokane Valley. Only eight months in and already there's been 37 DUI arrests for marijuana impairment. That number is getting ready to exceed the 44 arrests seen in 2013 and is triumphing over the 17 in 2012.

"Renewal and rebirth
cannot occur without endings -
as the new year's crop
can only be planted and flourish
in the decay of last year."
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

techranger
Larry Doyle

Harrisburg, PA, United States

"If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever." - 1 Peter 4:11 AKJV... "But by the grace of God I am what I am..." - 1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV ... a retired high school biology, photography and computer literacy teacher... Happily married (this year will be 45 years) with two grown children. Continuing in my spiritual growth. My other loves include, Bible study, reading, photography, friends, nature, gaming, and our three cats. 

 Rick Price

There are several reports about a new scam that could do serious damage to your bank account and financial well being. The IRS is saying that if you get a call from (202) 609-7070, whoever is on the other end of that line is someone impersonating an IRS agent. Most likely this impostor will ask for tax information and credit card information according to Fox13.

Global Warming Scientists believe that unusually warm water off the Washington coast is sending the vast majority of sockeye salmon to Canadian waters, leaving Puget Sound fishermen with nearly empty nets.

According to data from the Pacific Salmon Commission, nearly 2.9 million sockeye salmon have been caught in Canadian waters, while only about 98,000 have been netted in Washington through Aug. 19

California's lakes run dry

Humpback whales and great white sharks are surging in numbers in the waters around New York city this summer due to cleaner waters in the River Hudson.

"New York City is the new Cape Cod," said Paul Sieswerda, head of tracking group Gotham Whale. "You can see whales and dolphins with the skyline in the background."

Rare marine life is swimming closer to the city's shores and Sieswerda believes the increasing abundance of whales in New York waters is largely prompted by cleaner waters that have encouraged huge rises in the populations of fish which the whales eat.

Sieswerda takes boat tours to locations where giant humpback whales can be seen feeding off the coast of Manhattan, reports the Guardian.

Sieswerda's citizen scientists are cataloguing the city's marine mammals, identifying individual whales by their unique markings. 

Lake Shasta

Jane Inc. aka bobshannon.org

  Unusually warm water off the Washington coast is sending the vast majority of the sockeye salmon run to Canadian waters, leaving Puget Sound fishermen with nearly empty nets.
According to data from the Pacific Salmon Commission, nearly 2.9 million sockeye salmon have been caught in Canadian waters, while only about 98,000 have been netted in Washington through Aug. 19.
That means 99 percent of sockeye salmon have gone through the Johnstone Strait around the northern part of Vancouver Island into Canadian waters.


The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said Wednesday the Umatilla Pack west of Pendleton has been confirmed responsible for killing a sheep last week in a private pasture. Two other attacks occurred in June.
If this pack is caught attacking and/or killing more sheep then this pack will be eradicated but not before shepherds try less deadly measures. Conversationalists helped in constructing the new rules in Idaho and far from perfect, they protect both sides to a great degree..
It is well known and many times told that Anglos came n the iron horse for gold and had to be fed and clothed. It is also recognized that Native Americans, previously called Indians, were here hundreds of years before while men and we stole their land, putting the natives who fought or were thought to possibly fight into reservations. It is also known that Washington DC thought the Native Americans were stupid savages and could be fooled into signing treaties which were then broken. When this didn't work, Natives were killed. Anglos were never once kind to Natives. I'm fairly certain there were no sheep here before we came. Matter of fact the cattlemen didn't like sheep. Now we have no liking everywhere which led to great wars. Could all have been avoided? Possibly if the French, Anglos and others had stayed home and left American alone without a name. BUT none of it worked so now we are killing wolves again. Good God. Why can't we just get along?

Rob Fry

"The miracles of God’s Providence take place every day."
— St. John Baptist de la Salle

Cherries in Grand Forks

by Ron Rattray

The city of Cheney, which opted out of the Spokane County regional trash system, is opting back in to a major part of it.

This summer, Cheney became only the second city in Washington – behind Seattle – to win approval from the state for a plan to operate an independent garbage system. Cheney will handle its own recycling, household hazardous waste, trash education programs and garbage. But it needed somewhere to put its garbage.

Most trash systems in Washington are county-led and countywide. In November, control of the regional solid waste system in Spokane County will shift from the city of Spokane to Spokane County. It no longer will include all cities within the county.

While some cities opted out of the system to find a cheaper way to dispose trash, Cheney has chosen to stick with the Waste-to-Energy Plant, which is owned by Spokane and will be the main place of disposal for the new regional system.

Though Cheney will remain outside the regional system, it will contract with Spokane to dump it’s trash at the Waste-to-Energy Plant.

"The miracles of God’s Providence take place every day."
— St. John Baptist de la Salle

Cherries in Grand Forks

Kathy Meader