Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014 - Mason County Journal - Page A-25
A section of the Mason County Journal
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Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014 - Serving the communities of Belfair, Allyn, Grapev]ew, Tahuya, Mason
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South Shore and Victor
STAFF REPORT dock at the Southworth Ferry Thomas R. Eisner, 60, was
news@masoncoun com Terminal seven miles east of driving a gray 2012 Ford Es-
Port Orchard in Kitsap Coun- cape east on state Route 160 at
A Belfair man died Friday ty, according to the Washing- 6:13 p.m. Friday.
evening after driving off the ton State Patrol (WSP). According to a WSP report,
E, isner failed to stop at the ter- at a high speed and drove offthe
minal's traffic gate. The gate's end of the dock into the water.
warning lights were activated, WSP could not confirm
the report states. • Whether drugs or alcohol were
Eisner's SUV Struckthe gate a factor in the incident.
Chefs wanted for
,chowder cook-off
The Great Peninsula Conservancy will use a $302,868 grant to restore
Estuary in Belfair. The estuary includes the Theler wetlands.
More than $760K will pay for salmon restoration
in Lynch Cove, Skokomish River Estuary
By GORDON WEEKS District plans to build 10 new stream
gordon@masoncoun com crossings on a power,line access road
connected to U.S. Highway 101 and sev-
Salmon habitat in Lynch Cove in en new stream crossings on Skokomish
Belfair and the Skokomish River Estu- Flats Road. The district will also re-
ary will benefit from $766,488 in grants store a half-mile of stream habitat on
awarded by the Washington State Rec- the old Nisqually Farm, which is west
reation and Conservation Office Salm- of Nalley Island and Nalley Slough.
on Recovery Funding Board and Puget The state reports that the goal of the
Sound Partnership. estuary restoration is to restore historic
The two grants were among 28 grm ts conditions that created and maintained
ing $24.8 million awarded last week high quality and complex habitat; re-
by the two agencies. All the projects are connect side channels, tributaries and
located in 10 counties surrounding Puget backwater habitats; and restore con-
Sound. The grants focus on improving nection between intertidal estuary and
salmon habitat and conserving pristine forested wetland habitat.
shoreline and riverbanks. The state reports the project will sig-
The Mason Conservation District nificantly increase the area of brackish
will use a $463,600 grant to continue habitat, which is critical for the growth
the restoration of the Skokomish River of juvenile salmon before they migrate
Estuary. The Great Peninsula Conser- to the ocean.
vancy will use its $302,868 grant to The state reports the Mason Conser-
restore habitat in Lynch Cove on the ration District will contribute $1 rail-
Union River Estuary in Belfair. lion from a U.S. Army Corps of Engi-
The Mason County Conservation neersgrant.
Journal photo by Gordon Weeks
habitat in Lynch Cove on the Union River
The conservancy will remove struc-
tures, fill, infrastructure and invasive
plants; restore the grade to conditions
before it was filled in 1973; restore side-
channel habitat; and plant native trees
and bushes.
The state reports the work will re-
store about a quarter mile of natural
shoreline, almost a quarter mile of tid-
al channels, and about 7 acres of tidal
marsh and estuary habitat.
On the Union River Estuary, the
Great Peninsula Conservancy will also
accept a donation of a voluntary land-
preservation agreement on 7 acres,
preserving salt-marsh habitat that fills
the final gap in the surrounding pre-
served estuary.
The estuary provides habitat vital
to Hood Canal summer chum, Puget
Sound chinook and winter steelhead, all
of which are listed as endangered under
the federal Endangered Species Act.
The restoration, along with the 7-acre
conservation easement donation, will
reconnect the estuarine habitats run-
ning along the northern shore of Lynch
Cove, creating 1.7 miles of" contiguous,
preserved estuarine habitat for salmon.
see SALMON, page A-26
Chowder chefs are sought to
compete in North Mason Resources'
Chowder Cook-Offfrom 11 a.m. to
3 p.m. Oct. 25 at Prince of Peace
Catholic Church, 1171 Sand Hill
Road, Belfair.
Chefs will pay a $50 entry fee
and will need to bring 3 gallons of
any type of chowder and a digital
thermometer.
The event also features a Clean
Joke Contest. Patrons will pay $20
for each joke they tell.
Public admission to the event is
$10. Patrons will vote for their fa-
vorite chowder and joke. A prize for
best chowder also will be awarded by
judges.
For $50 or $100, sponsors can .
have their names on the aprons of
contestants.
North Mason Resources is an
umbrella organization that helps
serve hungry residents, the home-
less, veterans and others.
Clog dancing
classes offered
The Hood Canal Masonic Tem-
ple in Belfair is offering clogging
dance classes every Tuesday eve-
ning at 23341 NE state Route 3.
Beginning dance classes start
at 6:45 p.m. and last an hour. For
more information, call 275-8800 or
908-5431, go to countrycloggers.org.
Kids Fun Day
benefits project
Pumpkin painting, mummy
wrapping and games are among
the activities at the Kids Fun Day
in the Park event from 1 p.m. to 4
p.m. Oct. 18 at the Allyn Water-
front Park Gazebo.
The event raises money for the
Allyn Playground Project.
Admission is $2 for children, $5
for a family.
The offerings include smashing
a pifiata and treats.
For more information, call 275-2430.
• Compiled by reporter Gordon
Weeks
