Lacey man to lead state parks commission; Skagit eagle center opens

Lacey man to lead parks board

Lacey resident Mark Brown will serve a second term on Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, and will serve as commission chairman in 2017.

Brown was reappointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to serve another six-year term, beginning Jan. 1 and running through Dec. 31, 2022.

The seven-member commission sets policy for the state park system, with 124 parks on more than 120,000 acres, as well as statewide programs including boating safety, winter recreation and long-distance trails.

"I am excited about the opportunity to continue serving the public through our amazing state park system, one of the oldest and most diverse in the nation,” Brown said in a statement. “The park system has an important role for our state. State parks contribute to our health and quality of life, and with more than 30 million park visits each year, state parks are a significant economic driver for our state and local communities.”

Brown, 67, is president of Connections Public Affairs. He also has served as the mayor of Lacey and director of the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.

Skagit eagle center opens

The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center will be open weekends through January with special programs, guided walks and recommendation on where to see eagles congregating.

The Skagit River Valley is known to host the largest concentration of bald eagles outside Alaska. Often, hundreds of eagles are counted in a season.

The center is focused on the area’s natural history and on environmental education, explaining the relationship among bald eagles, salmon, the river and the old-growth forest. Nearby Rockport State Park provides companion programs.

The center in Rockport will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through January. The center also will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily Monday-Jan. 1. Admission is free, and donations are accepted.

The center is in Howard Miller Steelhead Park, 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport. Take Highway 20 east to Rockport and turn right on Alfred Street.

Find a list of presentations at skagiteagle.org or call 360-853-7626.

Work will slow US 101 traffic

A project to rehabilitate 12 miles of U.S. Highway 101 around Lake Crescent and 4 miles of East Beach Road will begin in March and is expected to take three work seasons.

The work is expected to take place from March through November in 2017, 2018 and 2019, according to Olympic National Park managers. The work will take place on weekdays only and not holidays or weekends.

Daily work hours will also vary during the season, according to the park. From April 1 to Sept. 23, the contractor’s work day must begin no earlier than two hours after sunrise and must be completed no later than two hours before sunset.

During the work on Highway 101, there will be a limited number of four-hour delays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and some six-hour delays from 10 p.m.-4 a.m.

Work on the East Beach Road will take place next year only, with the schedule calling for completion by Nov. 18. The road will be closed to through traffic for a maximum two-week period between Aug. 1-Oct. 31 to replace one culvert.

The project will be managed by the National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration. A contractor has not yet been selected.

This story was originally published December 24, 2016 at 4:52 AM with the headline "Lacey man to lead state parks commission; Skagit eagle center opens."