3/13 Hellebore, saving sea stars, WA lege, Kiska, NC beach erosion, sewage plant fix, forest initiative, California Cr, fentanyl disaster, Biden's AK oil

Hellebore [Myatt Nursery]

Hellebore
The common name hellebore is assigned to several species of plants in the Helleborus genus of the Ranunculaceae family, which also includes monkshood, delphinium, and anemone. Hellebore foliage is thick, evergreen, and forms a low lying clump with leaves that are lobed and palm-like. Hellebores are among the earliest perennial flowers to bloom, welcoming spring with their rose-like blossoms. (The Spruce)

Deadman Island
Friday's item describing the island as "uninhabited" drew the following comment: "Please be more thoughtful when using the term uninhabited as applied to an island such as Deadman.  From dinning river otter to nesting oystercatchers and glaucous winged gulls, the island has a habitat and occupants that are very much present, some of which is year around." The person who commented identified himself as "used to dive for the pinto abalone that thrived there years ago and would frequently see an octopus or two amid the rocky intertidal areas of Deadman."

Oregon researchers develop new treatment for endangered sea stars
Oregon researchers have developed a new treatment for sea stars with a fatal disease. Courtney Klug is with the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. For this new treatment, researchers at the aquarium place a sea star in cold water, feed it probiotics and provide medicated baths. According to Klug, they’ve saved 17 specimens so far. Nathan Wilk reports. (KLCC)

WA lawmakers pass housing, firearm bills ahead of cutoff, leave rent control, recycling bills behind
Wednesday marked the final day for legislators to pass bills from the chamber they originated in, meaning most bills that didn't receive a vote on the floor will no longer be considered this session. Jeanie Lindsay reports. (NW News Network)

Kiska, the last captive killer whale in Canada, has died
The Ontario government says Kiska, the last captive killer whale in Canada, has died. A spokesperson for the solicitor general says Marineland — the Niagara Falls, Ont., theme park where Kiska lived — told the province she died on Thursday. Kiska is believed to have been 47 years old and was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979. (Canadian Press) 

Retreat in Rodanthe
Along three blocks in a North Carolina beach town, severe erosion is upending life, forcing hard choices and offering a glimpse of the dilemmas other coastal communities will face. Brady Dennis and Jahi Chikwendiu report. (Washington Post)

Fixing errors at North Shore sewage plant
Fixing errors at North Shore sewage plant to cost Metro Vancouver an extra $85 million. Previous errors and repairs could increase the cost of “early works construction” by $85 million on Metro Vancouver’s delayed and over-budget North Shore wastewater treatment plant. Glenda Luymes reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Forest Initiative sets New Precedent in Nooksack River Basin
Counteracting the region’s previously unsustainable forestry habits, the Stewart Mountain Community Forest Initiative offers an approach to revive hydrologic function in the South Fork Nooksack River watershed and restore salmon populations. Kate Lincoln reports. (The Planet Magazine)

California Creek Estuary Park addition will protect shoreline
Blaine’s California Creek Estuary Park has a new addition: 12 acres of land for habitat preservation and recreation in waters vital for salmon and migratory bird populations. The addition, sold to the Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 by the Whatcom Land Trust (WLT), will help protect roughly 900 feet of saltwater shoreline on Drayton Harbor and 1,800 feet of freshwater shoreline along California Creek. Julia Lerner reports. (CDN)

Cascade River nominated to receive more water quality protections
The Cascade River may receive additional environmental protections later this year. Under the federal Clean Water Act, states can designate certain bodies of water as Outstanding Resource Waters, which gives them the highest level of water quality-based protection in the state. Three rivers, including the Cascade, and one lake are being considered. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) 

No easy answers to Whatcom fentanyl health disaster
Fentanyl is involved in an increasing number of deadly overdoses and getting treatment for addiction to the synthetic opioid is a complex process — creating a local health disaster. Matt Benoit reports. (Salish Current)

Biden will approve Alaska oil project, alongside Arctic protections
The administration will approve three pads for the Willow drilling project, according to people familiar with the matter. The move comes after announcing a new ban on U.S. oil and gas leasing in the Arctic Ocean. Maxine Joselow and Timothy Puko report. (Washington Post) 

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  242 AM PDT Mon Mar 13 2023   
TODAY  W wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft  at 8 seconds. A chance of rain. 
TONIGHT  SW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 10 seconds.  Showers and a slight chance of tstms in the evening then a chance  of rain after midnight.

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