Park to re-open; donations continue to be accepted for Coast Guard

By Leah Leach

Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES — Olympic National Park is expected to be re-opened by Monday — perhaps as soon as Sunday — now that a deal has been reached to end the shutdown, said acting Superintendent Lee Taylor.

“In terms of the timing, it’s not clear,” Taylor said, adding she could not tell by watching President Donald Trump’s address earlier today.

“Based on what the President said, it seems like Monday is a sure thing.”

About 100 park employees on furlough during the shutdown must be notified to come back to work, joining the approximately 20 who have been working without pay, Taylor said.

Hurricane Ridge Road has been plowed during the shutdown, she said, and will be re-opened as well the ridge’s visitor center.

“Everything will be open as normal,” she said.

So far today, the Peninsula Daily News has no information on skiing availability. This will be updated as soon as information is received.

The Chief Petty Officers Association (CPOA) will continue to accept donations to be given to Coast Guard members and their families, who also have been furloughed or are working without pay during the shutdown, according to Jacob Linder, president of the nonprofit association, after President Trump’s announcement that the shutdown would end for at least three weeks..

“We’re going to just plan to continue to help out until we’re sure the shutdown is completely over,” he said today.

He did not know when Coast Guard personnel would be paid. The next regular payday is Feb. 1.

Donations not used for Coast Guard personnel and their families will go back to the community, probably to food banks, Linder said.

About 300 active duty Coast Guard members are on the North Olympic Peninsula, working in Port Angeles, Neah Bay, La Push and Port Townsend.

Add in their families, and the CPOA has helped about 1,000 people, Linder said today.

He said that donations had been pouring in from members of the community from all across the Peninsula. Some people even came to the gates of the Coast Guard station to ask what they could do.

“It’s been very humbling and very awesome the way the community is coming together to help the Coast Guard members,” Linder said.

More in News

Residents of various manufactured home parks applaud the Sequim City Council’s decision on Dec. 9 to approve a new overlay that preserves manufactured home parks so that they cannot be redeveloped for other uses. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim preserves overlay for homes

Plots can be sold, but use must be same

A ballot box in the Sequim Village Shopping Center at 651 W. Washington St. now holds two fire suppressant systems to prevent fires inside after incidents in October in Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore. A second device was added by Clallam County staff to boxes countywide to safeguard ballots for all future elections. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Political party officials fine with Clallam’s loss of bellwether

With election certified, reps reflect on goals, security

For 20-plus years, Bob and Kelly Macaulay have decorated their boat and dock off East Sequim Bay Road for Christmas, seen here more than a mile away. However, the couple sold their boat earlier this year. (Doug Schwarz)
Couple retires Christmas boat display on Sequim Bay

Red decorations lit up area for 20-plus years

Hurricane Ridge day lodge funding held up in Congress

The fate of $80 million in funding to rebuild… Continue reading

Judy Davidson, left, and Kathy Thomas, both of Port Townsend, look over the skin care products offered by Shandi Motsi of Port Townsend, one of the 20 vendors at the second annual Procrastinators Craft Fair at the Palindrome/Eaglemount Cidery on Friday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Procrastinators Market

Judy Davidson, left, and Kathy Thomas, both of Port Townsend, look over… Continue reading

Services could be impacted by closure

Essential workers won’t get paid in shutdown

A now-deceased male cougar was confirmed by Panthera and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff to have been infected with Avian influenza on the Olympic Peninsula. (Powell Jones/Panthera)
Two cougars infected with bird flu die

Risk of human infection still low, CDC says

D
Readers contribute $58K to Home Fund to date

Donations can be made for community grants this spring

Jefferson Elementary School in Port Angeles designated Thursday dress up like a candy cane day. Back row, from left to right, they are: Wyatt Farman, Ari Ownby, Tayo Murdach, Chloe Brabant, Peyton Underwood, Lola Dixon, River Stella (in wheelchair), Fenja Garling, Tegan Brabant, Odessa Glaude, Eastyn Schmeddinger-Schneder. Front row: Ellie Schneddinger-Schneder, Cypress Crear, Bryn Christiansen and Evelyn Shrout. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Dress like a candy cane

Jefferson Elementary School in Port Angeles designated Thursday dress up like a… Continue reading

EYE ON THE PENINSULA: Jefferson commissioners to meet on Monday

Meetings across the North Olympic Peninsula

A 40-year-old Quilcene man died and a 7-year-old boy was airlifted to a Seattle hospital after the car in which they were riding collided with the back of a school bus on Center Road on Friday morning. (East Jefferson Fire Rescue)
One dies in two-vehicle collision involving school bus

A 40-year-old Quilcene man died and a 7-year-old boy was… Continue reading

Iris McNerney of from Port Townsend is like a pied piper at the Port Hudson Marina. When she shows up with a bag of wild bird seed, pigeons land and coo at her feet. McNerney has been feeding the pigeons for about a year and they know her car when she parks. Gulls have a habit of showing up too whenever a free meal is available. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Feeding the birds

Iris McNerney of from Port Townsend is like a pied piper at… Continue reading