12/21 Idle No More, state growth, creosote cleanup, bag ban, Blyn conservation, rockfish, naming orca, hummers

Still here to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Light the bonfires. Go, Oak King!

Victoria will see two Idle No More events Friday as part of a day of aboriginal protest. The grassroots movement, which has included a hunger strike by Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and rallies across the country, is planning a rally in front of the legislature at 1 p.m. and a flash mob at the Bay Centre at noon. At the same time, thousands of First Nations and their supporters are expected to converge on Ottawa for a mass rally calling for social and environmental justice. Judith Lavoie reports. First Nations protest rally planned Friday for Victoria

Washington had the eighth largest population increase among the states in the year between July 2011 and 2012, according to new census data. The state grew at a rate of 1.1 percent, adding nearly 74,000 new residents during that 12-month period — with more than a third of them relocating here from overseas. Lornet Turnbull reports. State has 8th largest population gain in U.S., a third from overseas

The damage was done decades ago. Ships needed to reach the Milwaukee Dock off the former town of Creosote, so a channel was dredged through an eelgrass meadow offshore. The dock has long since been demolished but two gouges remain on the seabed below. Work began this week on a project to erase those scars. Contractors will fill one of two depressions at the site with new sediment and replant eelgrass this winter, restoring about 1.4 acres of subtidal meadow at the mouth of Eagle Harbor. Tad Sooter reports. On Bainbridge, cleanup from old creosote plant continues

A new survey of consumers and businesses in Bellingham shows widespread support of the plastic shopping bag ban that took effect Aug. 1, 2012. The survey was conducted by Environment Washington Research & Policy Center, a statewide organization that supported the Bellingham ordinance and has campaigned for similar policies elsewhere. John Stark reports.  Poll: Bellingham's shopping bag ban widely supported  See also: "Plastics Unwrapped" puts eyes on everyday objects at Burke Museum

Local health officials have issued a seven-day shellfish closure for Sinclair and Dyes inlets, as well as Port Washington Narrows. The health advisory follows a discharge of 6,714 gallons of sewage mixed with stormwater as well as a discharge of treated sewage and stormwater into Port Washington Narrows, according to officials with Kitsap Public Health District. Warning issued after sewage discharge

The North Olympic Land Trust and landowner Phil Schenck have finalized an agreement that conserves 75 acres along Jimmycome-lately Creek in Blyn.  The land, which includes a 1-mile stretch of the creek that is considered prime salmon habitat, is now permanently protected with a conservation easement that is immediately adjacent to protected state, federal and tribal lands. The easement means the lower 2 miles of the creek have now been conserved by local landowners. Land trust finalizes agreement on 75 acres in Blyn

In Alaska, it’s still child’s play to catch black rockfish, one of the many species of rockfish that inhabit coastal waters. I’ve been on trips in the Gulf of Alaska when four or five of us — everyone on board — caught a 10-fish limit of these eager biters in less than an hour of fishing. Sometimes it took longer to fillet the fish than to catch them. The good times may not be over for Alaska, but we could learn a thing or two from what has happened to rockfish in Washington state, where the good times have been over for decades. Les Palmer writes. Rockfish at risk

Local whale advocacy groups are putting a call out to name the next baby orca born in Washington after one of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Jessica Rekos, 6, reportedly became fascinated with orcas last year after watching the movie “Free Willy” and spent time researching them. The Orca Conservancy, Free Willy-Keiko Foundation and the Pacific Whale Watch Association sent out a press release with an unusual request. Travis Pittman reports. Whale groups want to name orca after Sandy Hook victim

As winter begins, humming bird experts say more of the tiny birds may be sticking around the Northwest instead of migrating south. There are three types of hummingbirds Northwesterners might be seeing more of at feeders or in their yards this time of year: the Rufous, the Anna’s or the Allen’s hummingbirds. These little birds are able to survive the cold by lowering their body temperature, hiding in the lees of tree trunks, shivering to warm up and eating a lot. Laura Erickson with Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology says because of climate change we might be seeing more of these birds. Anna King reports. Seeing More Hummingbirds In Winter Lately?

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST FRI DEC 21 2012
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
 THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
E WIND 25 TO 35 KT BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT. COMBINED SEAS 9 TO 12 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 15 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.
TONIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT AT 14 SECONDS SUBSIDING TO 7 FT AT 13 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.
SAT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.
SAT NIGHT
SE WIND 25 TO 35 KT EASING TO 20 TO 30 KT. COMBINED SEAS 5 TO 8 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 9 SECONDS.
SUN
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 7 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
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