State increases patrols and outreach in an effort to reduce litter and traffic fatalities
OLYMPIA – Every year in Washington, debris from unsecured loads causes more than 300 traffic crashes and 30 injuries. In 2022, that toll included five deaths attributed to debris in the roadway. Not only is litter unsightly and diminishes the beauty of our state, it’s dangerous to travelers, roadside workers and people who walk, bike and roll. Additionally, 40% of roadside litter comes from unsecured items falling or blowing from trucks and cars, according to the 2022 statewide litter study.
So how can we prevent this? It all starts with simply strapping down and securing all items in your car, truck or trailer on every trip – even if it’s just across town.
“We are calling on everyone in Washington to help save lives by securing their cargo every time they drive,” said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. “Two out of three Washingtonians do the right thing and properly secure their loads, but the truth is that five of our fellow residents lost their lives last year due to unsecured cargo, and that is unacceptable. We all need to do our part to protect each other, and to protect our state’s environment.”
On June 6, the Washington State Patrol, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Washington Department of Ecology are banding together to mark National Secure Your Load Day. Along with raising public awareness about the importance of properly securing cargo, the event commemorates people whose lives were taken or impacted by unsecured loads. “Our troopers and commercial enforcement officers contact more than 1,000 motorists each year for failing to properly secure their vehicle’s loads,” said Washington State Patrol (WSP) Chief John Batiste. “Collisions caused by unsecured loads are entirely preventable. Ensuring all items are properly secured enables us all to have safe roadways.”
As a part of the annual campaign, state troopers are conducting emphasis patrols across Washington for three consecutive weekends between June 9 and June 25. Emphasis patrols during that time will have Troopers looking for unsecured loads, stopping drivers and handing out tickets to those whose loads are not properly secured in accordance with state law. Fines for littering and unsecured loads range from $50 to $5,000. If an item falls out and causes bodily harm or property damage, the driver could also face jail time. The largest fines are for “lit debris” — primarily cigarettes — and items that can cause vehicle crashes.
Today marks the second anniversary of the We Keep Washington Litter Free campaign. Roadside litter is an expensive and unrelenting problem in Washington. Ecology and the Department of Transportation spend a combined $12 million a year on efforts to clean the state’s roads and highways. Last year alone, Ecology-funded pickup programs spent more than 150,000 hours collecting 5.4 million pounds of litter and cleaning more than 21,000 miles of road.
“Debris from unsecured loads causes more than 15 million pounds of litter on Washington’s roads every year,” said Amber Smith-Jones, Ecology’s statewide litter prevention coordinator. “Securing your load and keeping your truck bed clean and free of loose debris saves lives and ensures nothing will blow out. It also saves taxpayer dollars by eliminating the need to clean it up.”
Tarps, straps and cargo nets are easy and effective solutions for securing many types of vehicle loads and preventing road hazards, and are available at any hardware store or online. Ecology is working with retail hardware stores across Washington to share best practices and products to safely secure loads.
To learn more about this campaign and how you can help keep Washington roads safe and litter free, visit SecureLoadsWA.org or SujetaTuCargaWA.org.
Regular Board Meeting
June 08, 2023, 4:10pm
Bumgarner Meeting Room, 142 Pedoi Street, Manson WA 98831
1. Call to Order
2. Flag Salute
3. Agenda Additions and Deletions
4. Public Comment
5. Approval of Minutes
a. May 11, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes
6. Financial Review
a. Review Monthly Financial Report
b. Review and Approve Monthly Voucher
7. New Business
8. Old Business
a. Updates:
i. Old Swim Hole development project
ii. Manson Bay Marina planning project
iii. Leffler Field soil remediation planning project
b. Director’s Report
IX. Adjournment
Next Regular Meeting: 4:10pm on July 13, 2023 at 142 Pedoi Street, Manson WA, 98831 (unless otherwise posted).
Two Washington State leaders in publishing head to Oregon in June to share wisdom and encouragement with writers at the Cascade Christian Writers Conference June 25 through 28 at the Canby Grove Christian Center.
Do you enjoy listening to audiobooks? Would you like to learn how to create your own? Christy Hall of Fame author James L. Rubart of Manson, Wash., whose 16 novels have won Carol, INSPY, and Romantic Times Book Reviews awards, will teach a three-day, intensive coaching class on “Recording Your Own Audiobooks.” The longtime marketer and branding expert and audio book narrator will mentor authors at the conference.
The Sunday through Wednesday conference features six in-depth morning coaching classes on the business of publishing; deep point-of-view; the differences between self-publishing, indie publishing, and traditional publishing; recording your own audiobooks; starting a podcast; and creating unforgettable memoirs.
“I owe a great deal of my writing career to the connections I’ve made at writing conferences,” said Christina Suzann Nelson, an award-winning author of six novels and coordinator of the conference. “I met my first agent at the Oregon Christian Writers Summer Conference. The friendships have been an added blessing.”
Ghostwriter Josh Kelley of Mount Vernon, a former pastor of 14 years and nonfiction author with Harvest House, will teach two workshops at the conference: “Public Speaking for Writers” and “From Novelist to Full-Time Ghostwriter.” With more than a dozen books written, he will mentor writers in one-on-one meetings.
For more information and to register for the Cascade Christian Writers Conference, visit
https://oregonchristianwriters.org/events/cascade-conference/.
Registration closes June 15.
VANCOUVER - On Sunday evening, May 14, around 9 p.m. a landslide caused significant damage to the upper portion of State Route 504 at milepost 49, leading up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory north of Mount St. Helens. The event followed a recent warming trend and significant snowmelt.
The slide washed out an 85-foot bridge, damaged the roadway, and severed power to Johnston Ridge Observatory. No one was injured because of the incident and twelve members of the public who were stranded overnight at Johnston Ridge Observatory were safely flown out the following morning.
In coordination with federal agencies, the Washington State Department of Transportation closed the highway to all travelers. Travel along SR 504 remains open with multiple scenic viewpoints up to milepost 43 near the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater.
There is currently no access to Coldwater Lake, the Hummocks Trail, and the Johnston Ridge Observatory. For safety, WSDOT and federal agencies strongly encourage people not to venture beyond the highway closure location due to the severity of the unstable hillside.
The USDA Forest Service is in the process of exploring alternative options for visitors who would like to visit the north side of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument this summer and develop a plan to manage the influx of visitors in a safe manner. Several other visitor centers located along SR 504 remain open to the public, including scenic viewpoints where visitors can see Mount St. Helens and learn about the history, eruption, and recovery of the volcano. As the snow melts and forest service roads open for the season, additional sites on the Monument and surrounding communities will begin to open for visitors to explore.
WSDOT and federal agencies are working together to assess the slide area and develop next steps. Due to continued landslide instability, data collection is being conducted from the air.
WSDOT is scheduled to conduct a fixed wing aircraft LIDAR (Laser Imaging, Detection and Ranging) flight over the area on Friday, May 19 to gather preliminary data, weather permitting. This is an important step in collecting data to help inform when on-site access, cleanup and work can begin. It is too soon to tell when crews may be able to access the slide from the ground or when the highway may reopen.
A National Incident Management Organization team arrived on Friday, May 19 to support coordination across agencies.
Updates will be available on the following:
Gifford Pinchot National Forest Information
Washington State Department of Transportation Information
OLYMPIA – On Friday, May 19, WSDOT will deactivate the 511 phone number which provides automated statewide travel information. As announced last month, the number is being discontinued due to declining call volumes, the advancement of new technology and the cost to operate and maintain the system.
At the height of the program, 511 received more than 2.2 million calls a year. However, since 2009, call volumes have decreased 89%. The program also costs more than $150,000 a year to operate and requires staff time to update the travel information and maintain signs. Once discontinued, these resources will be reallocated to more efficient and emerging information technologies to better serve Washington travelers.
There are many resources available for timely and accurate travel information, including the WSDOT app, statewide travel maps, Twitter accounts, Facebook account, electronic highway variable message signs and highway advisory radio stations – as well as several third-party mapping apps for smartphones. Travelers without access to these technologies can call local WSDOT offices for assistance.
Additional information regarding the deactivation of 511 was provided in an April 24 online blog post announcing 511 will be discontinued.
Consult variety of WSDOT tools before heading outOLYMPIA – With warm weather arriving in the Pacific Northwest that means Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner and people should make plans now for a busy travel weekend – whether by road, rail, plane or ferry.
Memorial Day weekend is often the unofficial start of summer and means increased travel and congestion on most major routes, so travelers are encouraged to pack their patience. The Washington State Department of Transportation’s travel charts are available to help people plan ahead and make the most out of their weekend, whatever their travel plans may entail.
Travel charts for the Interstate 5 US-Canadian border are returning this year after a pause for several years due to pandemic-related uncertainty about travel times. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is no longer a requirement for entry into Canada. Please note that average traffic volumes for I-5 represent 2019 pre-COVID pandemic volumes on routes for Olympia to Tacoma and Bellingham to the border. Average traffic volumes for both the I-90 and US 2 routes represent 2022 volumes as traffic has largely returned to pre-COVID volumes for those routes. The representations for all three routes are illustrated in the travel charts.
WSDOT encourages travelers to “know before they go,” and follow these tips whether traveling across town or statewide:
Weekend traffic is expected to begin as soon as Friday morning, May 26, on key routes, including I-5 and I-90 and on Thursday, May 25, for ferry service throughout the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands. Crashes or emergency work can add to delays during high congestion periods.
Highway construction paused
Most state highway construction work is suspended through the holiday weekend – from Friday, May 26, through Monday, May 29 – to ease congestion. Please stay alert for new lane shifts or work zone staging areas that may remain in place. And please give any emergency repair crews plenty of space to work safely.
Snoqualmie Pass
No construction or lane closures are planned on I-90 from Friday, May 26, until Tuesday, May 30. However, the usual holiday increase in traffic volumes means travelers should expect eastbound delays beginning on Friday, May 26, and westbound Monday, May 29 (see charts for more detail). Receive text message alerts about significant delays by texting the number 468311 with the words "WSDOT Snoqualmie."
Both State Route 123/Cayuse Pass and SR 410 Chinook Pass remain closed due to adverse road and weather conditions. A reopening date has not been determined, although crews typically reopen both routes each year around the Memorial Day weekend. Travelers can check the Chinook Pass and Cayuse Pass online reports for updates on the reopening status.
Tolling
In the Puget Sound, weekend toll rates will be in effect Friday through Monday, May 26-29, on the State Route 520 bridge and SR 99 tunnel. The I-405 express toll lanes will be free and open to all drivers on the weekend and Monday holiday.
Ferry travel
People boarding a state ferry by vehicle should prepare for long waits. Peak travel times on most routes are expected to be westbound Thursday through Saturday, May 25-27, and eastbound, Saturday through Monday, May 27-29. Customers can bypass vehicle lines by traveling as a walk-on passenger.
Trains, airports and transit
Travelers making a trip by train, personal aircraft or bus also should plan ahead to avoid holiday delays:
The Manson School District is in the process of hiring a new superintendent. Our consulting firm would like to get your feedback by completing a three-question survey to assist in the process.
The consulting firm will also hold two public forums on Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 pm and again on Friday, May 19th at 3:30 pm in the elementary library. Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts with us as we begin the is very important process.
If you have any questions, please contact the district office at 509-687-3140.
Go here to take the survey: Manson School District seeks new Superintendent
The 103rd year of Manson Apple Blossom will begin with the crowning Pageant on Friday night, May 12th. This will take place at the Manson High School at 6:30 pm.
Saturday is full of festivities, starting with the Pancake Breakfast from 6:30am-10am at the Manson Grange Hall, followed by the Manson Apple Blossom Fun Run at 8:30am.
The Grand Parade begins at 11am along Wapato Way. This is a favorite of locals and visitors to line the streets and watch this amazing parade come through town! If you cannot make it to the parade in person, listen in live on KOZI Radio.
Quilt Show: 8:30am to 3pm at the Manson Grange Hall.
Apple Blossom Fun Run 8:30am
The Art Show, featuring community and student art, will be displayed at Radiance Winery.
For the past royalty, they will have a Royalty Tea from 1:30pm-3pm at the Manson Grange Hall.
Finishing off with the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, starting roughly around 1pm after the parade.
Regular Board Meeting
May 11, 2023, 4:10pm
Bumgarner Meeting Room, 142 Pedoi Street, Manson WA 98831
1. Call to Order
2. Flag Salute
3. Agenda Additions and Deletions
4. Public Comment
5. Approval of Minutes
a. April 13, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes
6. Financial Review
a. Review Monthly Financial Report
b. Review and Approve Monthly Voucher
7. New Business
8. Old Business
a. Updates:
i. Old Swim Hole development project
ii. Manson Bay Marina planning project
iii. Leffler Field soil remediation planning project
b. Director’s Report
IX. Adjournment
Next Regular Meeting: 4:10pm on June 8, 2023 at 142 Pedoi Street, Manson WA, 98831 (unless otherwise posted).
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