11/21 Salish Sea News and Weather: State budget, Coast Guard, Green councillor, restoration coalition, stormy weather, Doc Hastings, Tacoma shores, coho return, Brazil spill, coal export, Gazzam Preserve

PHOTO: Stephan Michaels

Bellingham journalist-photographer Stephan Michaels captured the crux of the coal export issue in a fine photograph taken this past Saturday.

The Lady of the Slough invites all to visit her new blog, “Skagit Leeks” -- “boldly dabbling in that fertile ground between parody and expose...” Do check it out.

New blog: “Get real; raise revenue”   Tacoma’s News Tribune reporter Jordan Schrader puzzles out the different ways Democrats and Republicans look at the state’s budget State's budget in perspective  Then, today, Gov. Chris Gregoire to release budget proposal

Guarding, not coasting: The Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Unit practices boat tactics, security zone maintenance and weapons capabilities, including the shooting of blank rounds. Coast Guard conducting exercise on Hood Canal Monday 

Monday weather: Snow accumulating along Hood Canal  Week’s weather: Prepare for a wet and windy Thanksgiving week   Century’s weather: Canada facing violent weather, report warns; Intergovernmental panel sees worsening of conditions around the globe

Voters have elected to the Vancouver city council its first Green party member-- successful after seven tries.  Adriane Carr city’s first Green councillor 

South Sound cities Lacey, Olympia and Yelm will partner with the Squaxin Tribe as a watershed-restoration coalition to restore Budd Inlet and the Deschutes watershed. Squaxins, 3 local cities to run water-restoration fund 

Our state’s Rep. Doc Hastings wants to open up Alaska’s Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil drilling. He’s also objected to the proposal to create new wilderness and conservation areas, one in the San Juan Islands. Rep. Hastings renews fight to drill Alaska Refuge

Revising shoreline rules to govern 42 miles of the city’s shorelines has taken five years and may now be coming to decision time. Tacoma is in stretch run to finish onerous shoreline-rules update

Check out the returning coho at local creeks and streams after you’ve stuffed yourself full of Thanksgiving turkey.  Salmon are returning and you can get a close-up at Piper's Creek

Marine exploration for oil has its consequences. An ongoing oil spill off the Brazilian coast occurred because Chevron underestimated the pressure in an underwater reservoir, the head of the company's Brazil operations said Sunday.... Brazil's National Petroleum Agency has said it's possible more than 110,000 gallons of oil have spilled into the Atlantic Ocean.  Chevron takes blame for ongoing oil spill off Brazilian coast

Coal export also has its consequences. A proposed coal-export terminal near Bellingham is likely to affect residents in Marysville and in other cities throughout Snohomish County, according to the “Coal Hard Truth” forum. Marysville would be hurt by coal exports in Bellingham, panel says during forum

Folks are trying to keep the Gazzam Lake Preserve ‘wild’ by purchasing 30 acres that would prevent construction of a road through the 445-acre south Bainbridge preserve. They need to raise another $225,000 by the April 1 deadline.  Group hopes to halt road's intrusion into Bainbridge nature preserve

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON NOV 21 2011
  GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING
  TODAY
 SE WIND 25 TO 35 KT...BECOMING S 10 TO 20 KT IN THE MORNING...THEN RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 8 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 9 FT AT 8 SECONDS. RAIN EARLY...THEN SHOWERS.
 TONIGHT
 SE WIND 30 TO 40 KT...BECOMING S 35 TO 45 KT...THEN BECOMING SW LATE. WIND WAVES 4 TO 7 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 9 SECONDS. RAIN.

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