Other Headlines

Ocean Shores center of annual Garden Tour
The Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties Master Gardeners again will present a spectacular tour of gardens in Grays Harbor. This year’s tour, “The Beach in Bloom,” will take place at Ocean Shores and promises to be one of the best, organizers say.

Four of the five gardens are owned by Master Gardeners and will feature a wide variety of plant materials. The fifth garden is a lovely retreat behind a garden wall and located very near the ocean. This year’s attendees will learn about specific techniques and successful plants for our coastal climate. One garden will display more than 100 varieties of dahlias. This is an event folks will not want to miss.

“The Beach in Bloom” is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 19. Tickets are $10 and will be available at Gallery Marjuli at Ocean Shores, Marshall’s Garden and Pet in Aberdeen, Harbor Drug in Hoquiam, Valu Drug in Montesano, Elma Variety Store in Elma and the Coastal Garden Center in Grayland.

Seven seeking election to commission participate in forum
About 75 people attended a forum July 2 at Elma High School to check out the seven Grays Harbor County District 1 Commission candidates. District 1 is the East County area.

“There’s never a dull moment … so be prepared for almost anything ’cause it will happen …,,” Commissioner Bob Beerbower of Elma, who isn’t seeking re-election after 13 years in office, told the candidates before they were “interviewed” by county Auditor Vern Spatz.

The forum was sponsored by Whitney’s of Montesano and the rules were reminiscent of the old “Beat the Clock” game show. Each candidate had only a minute or two, sometimes just 45 seconds, to have their say on issues and their qualifications.

Filmed by the school’s Video Department, Eagles TV, for public access Channel 26, it was also a bit like “American Idol,” Spatz said. The primary election Aug. 19, with only District 1 voters casting ballots, will eliminate five candidates. The top two vote-getters regardless of party will face off Nov. 4 in the general election, with all voters in the county eligible to participate.

Other Sports

Montesano High School names two new coaches
Montesano High School’s girls soccer and cross-country squads will have new coaches next year. Elma boys soccer head coach since 2006, Jeff Lenherr was selected to replace Ken Mathews as coach of the Monte girls soccer team, while long-time assistant coach James Edwards will succeed Doug Shupbach as head of the Bulldog cross-country program. Lenherr will remain as the Elma boys coach as well, since the girls play in the fall, and the boys in the spring.

Hoquiam’s Simpson continues winning ways at Grays Harbor Raceway
ELMA – Hoquiam’s Zack Simpson put another victory notch on his belt after taking the checkered flag in the Cut Rate Auto Parts Hobby Stock feature race on Saturday, July 5, at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma. Through eight events this year, this is the fifth time Simpson has found himself in victory lane. In the other three feature races, Tacoma’s Shawn Rice, Yakima’s Blair Shoemaker and Olympia’s Brian Izzi all prevailed. Rice in the Whitney’s Auto Group 360 Sprints, Shoemaker in the Shipwreck Beads Modified class and Izzi in the HiLine Homes Hornets.

Aberdeen Parks & Rec. Slow-Pitch Results
First Division
Chico’s Bail Bonds 13
Hawk’s Superior Rock 9
Brian Matisons had three hits; Zac Reynvaan had two hits, while Jeff Nations had a homerun for Chico’s. Lyle Miller had two hits, including a double, while Derek Pedrazzetti, Kris Jerles, Spence Cearns, and Kyle Manneman had two hits each for Hawk’s.