11/14 Eagles, B'ham port, Oly Pipeline, biz climate action, Sound rockfish, Navy Growlers, 'British' Columbia

(PHOTO: Jim Lawrence/CBC)

If you like to watch: Bald eagles descend on southwestern B.C. for salmon, overwintering
Thousands of bald eagles are expected to return to the Fraser Valley this year to feast on salmon along the banks of the Harrison River. Eagles that had been living in northern B.C., Alaska, and Yukon have started arriving in Harrison Mills, B.C. for the winter. (CBC)

New blog: Bring Out Your Dead
“I thought about Ebola early last month flying at 35,000 feet with a plane full of people I didn’t know. Liberian Thomas Duncan had entered this country by air, took ill with what was diagnosed as Ebola in Dallas, was eventually quarantined and treated, and died. Makes one look around and want to see what all the coughing is about in the seat three rows back….”

Bellingham port close to waterfront deal with Irish developer Harcourt
By the end of the year, the Port of Bellingham could reach a deal with an Irish development group that hopes to help rebuild some of the city’s waterfront. Port Executive Director Rob Fix has been working with Dublin-based Harcourt Developments since February to pen a development agreement that meets the port and city’s expectations for style and speed of improvements on the waterfront while suiting the firm’s needs. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

BP's Olympic Pipeline repaired at Burlington
The pipeline that connects four north Puget Sound oil refineries with Seattle and Portland is operating again after a small leak at Burlington was repaired. The 400-mile Olympic Pipeline is operated by BP and runs from Blaine to Portland, carrying diesel and gasoline for fuel customers as well as jet fuel for Sea-Tac Airport and Portland International Airport. BP spokesman Scott Dean says the line was shut down Nov. 5 and resumed full operations Monday. He says the fuel had leaked from a half-inch valve fitting. About 60 gallons of mixed fuel spilled. (Associated Press)

What’s in a name? Time to move beyond “British”?
While former colonies like British Guiana (Guyana since 1966), British Honduras (Belize since 1973), and the Thirteen Colonies (United States of America since 1776), all opted to throw off the colonial lexical yoke and exorcised “British” from their names, the shameful epithet of colonial enterprise still follows us like a shadow in BC. Small, encouraging steps were made in 2010, with the official renaming of the Queen Charlotte Islands as Haida Gwai, and an unofficial renaming of the Georgia Straight and Puget Sound as the “Salish Sea.” The next logical step in recognising BC history of BC as distinct from an Anglo-Teutonic monarchy is to rename the province to reflect its past and present history and demography…. So, with this mind, what about choosing a new name? Hamish Stewart writes. (Vancouver Observer)

Washington businesses unite on climate action
With a snow-capped Mount Rainier as their poster child, Washington businesses have joined forces to take a stand on climate change. More than 100 businesses — from REI and Virginia Mason to Taylor Shellfish and Microsoft — launched a declaration calling for “climate action.” While they didn't know what the outcome of the November election would be when they came together, their message remains the same. “Tackling climate change,” a declaration from the group says, “is one of Washington's greatest economic opportunities of the 21st century. And it's simply the right thing to do.” Martha Baskin reports. (Crosscut)

Agency lists critical habitat for endangered Puget Sound rockfish
National Marine Fisheries Service has designated more than 1,000 square miles of Puget Sound as “critical habitat” for rockfish — a colorful, long-lived fish decimated by over-fishing and environmental problems. In Hood Canal, we know that thousands of rockfish have been killed by low-oxygen conditions, and their populations have been slow to recover because of low reproductive rates. Elsewhere, rockfish are coming back with mixed success, helped in some locations by marine protected areas. Chris Dunagan reports. (Saving Our Water Ways)

Public meeting set in Port Townsend to discuss proposal to add 36 Growlers at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
The Navy plans a public meeting in Port Townsend in December on a proposal to increase the number of jets originating from its base on Whidbey Island. Navy officials will take public input on a proposed increase of up to 36 EA-18G Growler aircraft at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. An earlier proposal called for an additional 14 jets. The Port Townsend meeting will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at Fort Worden Commons. It will be the first held on the proposal on the North Olympic Peninsula. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 257 AM PST FRI NOV 14 2014
TODAY
E WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT
E WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
E WIND 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
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