Fourth of July brings thousands of visitors, leaves with scores of emergency responses and more than 29 tons of trash



North Beach Now staff



Fourth of July festivities brought three days of fireworks and thousands of visitors to the beaches of Ocean Shores, also causing nearly 70 call responses from the Fire Department and depositing more than 29 tons of trash collected off the main beach approaches. North Beach Community TV reporters Michael Gershman and Scott D. Johnston have completed a video documentary that looks at the event from fireworks to cleanup.







Ocean Shores Fire Department 4th of July weekend: 23 Aid Calls 14 Fire Calls 1 CPR in progress 1 Airlift (Child Fireworks Injury) 1 Car Accident with Injuries 2 Surf Rescues 25 Illegal Burns.
"We were able to stop Dune Fires before any structures were damaged. No fatalities! A huge success thanks to our partnering agencies and extra resources Thank You: Grays Harbor 911 Dispatchers, Ocean Shores Police Dept., Shilo Hotel, CERT, Fire District 7, Hoquiam Fire Dept., Washington State Parks Dept., Grays Harbor County Sheriff deputies, WSP, Airlift Northwest, Grays Harbor Regional Health."


North beach senior center feeding youth this summer



The North Beach Senior Center in Ocean Shores has taken over coordinating and organizing the Green Lantern Lunch Program started in 2015 by Phyllis Shaughnessy of Copalis Beach. The lunch program delivers meals to youth under the age of 18 living in the North Beach School District during the summer months. To receive the lunches or for more information, phone 360-289-2801, text 360-589-3080, or email greenlanternlunches@gmail.com





Rockfish for recycling: New Ocean Shores artwork has environmental purpose too



Ocean Shores has a new public art sculpture that also can be used to collect those plastic bottles that often litter our beaches and city streets. Located at the main beach approach, the Recycling Rockfish was designed by Grays Harbor artist Abe Singer, and was installed this week with Mayor Crystal Dingler putting the first plastic into the metal sculpture and Convention Center General Manager Diane Solem explaining how the idea began and took shape, with other coastal communities doing similar projects.




North Beach High school2021 graduation held outside for second consecutive year



North Beach High School Graduation for 2021 was held outside again for the second consecutive year due to Covid-19 precautions, with 47 seniors earning their diplomas. Dr. Russell Evans, principal, addressed the class, followed by remarks from salutatorian Ivazie Lippie and valedictorian Lana Holt. School Board president Jessica Iliff certified the class after the announcement of the numerous scholarship award winners by Assst. principal Wendy McCoy. Peter Fry sang the national anthem and also presented the students with their certificates as the impending rain storm held off until the ceremony was complete, with family and friends looking on from their cars parked on the football field.





Stage 1 Water Emergency enacted for Ocean Shores due to disinfection supply problems





From Ocean Shores Public Works Director Nick Bird



A Stage 1 Water Emergency is intended to identify an anticipated water shortage. In this case, a critical chemical supplier for disinfection of drinking water in Ocean Shores has notified customers of an expected inability to meet demand due to manufacturing limitations.


Issuing this notice does not mean that the City will not be able to produce and deliver water, it is intended to raise awareness that if the City consumes the on-hand supply of disinfection material, the Washington State Department of Health will likely require the City to issue a Boil Water Notice, which will change how customers use drinking water. The City’s on-hand supply is limited and expected to last for approximately 30 days.


The City of Ocean Shores is asking both residential and commercial customers to be more aware of their water usage as this event unfolds. City staff has been informed that product manufacturing is expected to resume at the end of June, but staff does not have confirmation of when the next material order will be filled.


Depending on the usage rate of the on-hand supply and product availability, the City anticipates moving to a Stage 2 Water Emergency near the beginning of July. A Stage 2 Water Emergency is a serious water shortage and identifies that voluntary reductions in usage is necessary. It is important to note that as water usage decreases, the on-hand supply will last longer, buying valuable time and potentially staving off a Boil Water requirement.







At this time, there are no health or safety risks. The Stage 1 notice is intended to provide information for the general public regarding the immediate benefits of water conservation. Water conservation tips can be found in the City’s Annual Water Quality Report. Additional conservation tips may be made by the City as this emergency continues.


For more information regarding this information, please contact Nick Bird at (360) 940-7542.



Coastal interpretive center reopens for summer 2021 with new exhibits, staff, treasures from the shores



The Ocean Shores Coastal Interpretive Center, located at the south end of the Ocean Shores peninsula, has reopened with new exhibits, additions and attractions after being closed for more than a year during the Covid pandemic. Staff and board members provided North Beach Community TV and North Beach Now with a look into the changes and the reopening, with the center now open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.





Fresh waterways corp. members help keep canals, lake clear of debris, fallen trees



Volunteers with the Ocean Shores Fresh Waterways Corp. have been working over the past several weeks to cleanup the canals and lakes of the many branches and trees that have fallen during the winter's ice storm. The non-profit group also monitors conditions in the 23 miles of Ocean Shores fresh waterways and sponsors events like the annual Paddle the Shores and Wine and Weeds gatherings. For information and to help out, visit www.oceanshoresfreshwaterways.com





Oyhyut bay blossoms this spring with new phase of development for ocean shores' growing south-peninsula community



Oyhut Bay blossoms this spring with a new phase of development, expanded restaurant, grocery and retail service as well the continuation of its original plans for a multi-use home-vacation community at the southern end of the Ocean Shores peninsula. North Beach Community TV reporter Sasha Terry toured the bustling activity on the grounds with Oyhut Bay's Pat Bruntad on a picture-perfect spring Saturday.





OCEAN SHORES RECOVERS FROM ICE STORM WITH HELP FROM LOCAL VOLUNTEERS, CITY CREW WORKERS



North Beach Community TV reporter Sasha Terry highlights the impact the recent ice storm had on Ocean Shores, which was inundated by downed trees and broken branches and limbs across the peninsula. Terry provides a close-up look at how city crews and neighborhood volunteers have been hard at work in the aftermath.





Resources available in the North Beach
through Project Connect





Project Connect brings together people helping
people for North Beach community assistance.



The first session of Ocean Shores Project Connect brought together representatives from several area entities that provide health and social services and many other forms of help to folks in need. It was a sort of one-stop shopping place, hosted at the North Beach Senior Center, at 885 Ocean Shores Blvd. NW. The event is planned to take place quarterly, and the tentative dates for the rest of 2020 are April 29, July 29 and October 28. North Beach NOW was on hand to collect a little bit of information, including how to contact them, from the providers that were present.Sandy Harley Ocean Shores Food Bank oceanshoresfoodbank.org 360-289-2171 Pam Tuttle NB Senior Resource Center 360-289-3352 Cindy Warren Vietnam Veterans of America, Call Otis Warren at 360-903-7699 Kevin Schneeloch Ocean Shores Cares 714-478-8856 Robert Moyer Catholic Community Services ccsww.org 360-580-6923 Adult Behavioral Health 360-612-3839 Anthony Airhart Connections Center for Healthy Families harborconnections.org 360-249-8820 Schuyler Burkhart Grays Harbor PUD ghpud.org 360-532-4220 Aideet Pineda Molina Healthcare MolinaHealthcare.com 360-296-6481


Firebreak public discussion draws large crowd
as ocean shores city council continues to eye
options to protect hotels, properties along dunes



North Beach Community TV video of the full discussion





The Ocean Shores City Council continues to move forward toward a proposed 50-foot wide firebreak buffer between properties along the dunes and the often tinder dry vegetation that has taken over much of the outer dunes. Residents and longtime condo owners, as well as those in the hotel industry urged the council to consider the rising fire danger as well as the need to protect and mitigate any encroachment in the wetlands the city recently had fully mapped out in a delineation process. North Beach Community TV was filming the full council proceedings, seen starting Tuesday on Channel 68 for those having Coast Communications cable. For our online viewers, here is the video of the firebreak full discussion with public comment:







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