Community news briefs — Feb. 21, 2024

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Pageant determines royalty for 129th Irrigation Festival

Four teens — Kailah Blake, Ariya Goettling, Ashlynn Northaven, and Sophia Treece — compete in the Sequim Irrigation Festival Royalty Scholarship Pageant at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 in Sequim High School’s Auditorium, 533 N. Sequim Ave.

They’ll share creative displays, answer impromptu questions, and more.

Tickets are available in advance from contestants and at the First Federal Sequim Avenue branch; and at the event door. Cost is $15 for adults and $5 for 10 and younger.

The Irrigation Festival celebrates its 129th year this year with the festival set for May 3-11. Read more about upcoming events at irrigationfestival.com.

Wild Birds to host bees presentation on Feb. 24

The Gardiner Wild Birds Unlimited store at 275953 U.S. Highway 101 hosts Carrie Morlag, the new owner of Knox Cellars Mason Bees, for a presentation on Orchard Mason bees from 101-11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24.

Morlag will offer a family-friendly talk on the benefits of the Mason bee and how to attract them and keep them in one’s garden. She invites attendees to bring in their bee houses or straws to troubleshoot problems or to get tips on placement and cleaning.

The event includes question-and-answer session following the talk.

Call 360-797-7100 to reserve a place, as seating is limited. A $5 contribution to the Community Education Fund holds a seat for attendees at the presentation; proceeds benefit Discovery Bay Wild Bird Rescue.

Kids Fest event set for March 2 in PA

Port Angeles Kiwanis hosts its 35th Kids Fest, with information and hands-on activities for all ages scheduled for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

The event is free, and also features Clallam County Community Safety Day, sponsored by Clallam County Emergency Management.

For more information, call Lutheran Community Services NW at 360-452-5437.

College foundation announces scholarships

The Peninsula College Foundation is offering nearly 60 scholarships totaling $130,000 for students who plan to attend Peninsula College in the 2024-25 academic year, the college announced last week.

The application process is now open for these scholarships.

Applicants must meet the application deadlines to be considered: May 20 for general scholarships and July 22 for nursing scholarships (available only to students accepted into Peninsula College’s nursing program).

Applicants will be notified shortly after these dates of their award status.

Note that applications submitted after these deadlines will not be eligible.

To apply, visit the WashBoard.org to create a new user profile (or update an existing one), and then search for “Peninsula College” to find scholarships, each with specific eligibility criteria.

For more information about the scholarships, email to foundation@pencol.edu or call 360-417-6246

Election logic, accuracy tests scheduled

The Clallam County Elections Division will perform the county’s official Logic and Accuracy Test of our ballot tabulation system at 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 26.

Testing of the Accessible Voting Unit (AVU) will be conducted on 8:30 a.m. in the Elections Center on the basement level of the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Room 072, Port Angeles.

A standard pre-election procedure the testing ensure the AVU and tabulation system (hardware and software) function properly and are accurately programmed for each election, county officials said.

A representative of the Office of the Secretary of State will also be in attendance.

The testing is open to the public, with limited in-person observation space available. The testing will be livestreamed for anyone who would like to observe virtually; go to clallamcountywa.gov/elections to view the testing virtually.

The presidential primary is Tuesday, March 12.

Seminar set on historic railroading

Learn more about North Olympic Peninsula Railroading at a free seminar set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 9, at the Dungeness River Nature Center, 1943 W. Hendrickson Road.

There will be displays and presentations throughout daylong event, concluding with reunion of former railroad employees.

Community members are invited to remember the legacy of the Milwaukee Road on the Olympic Peninsula, including the last few years of its existence as the Seattle & North Coast Railroad.

There will be presentations by Steve Haupf and Allen Miller, an update on the Restore the 4 project, and a reunion of railroad employees. The event will be livestreamed and recorded, organizers note.

For more information, email to info@DungenessRiverCenter.org, call 360-681-4076 or visit DungenessRiverCenter.org.

Diabetes support group to meet next week

The Olympic Medical Center Diabetes Support Group will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the Seasons Café private dining room at Olympic Memorial Hospital, 939 Caroline St., Port Angeles.

This free support group will feature an interactive game of Diabetes Bingo with prizes.

For more information or to sign up, visit olympicmedical.org/calendar or call 360-417-7125.