Regional briefs for Nov. 15

• Published November 15, 2008

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Mount Rainier

Flooding closes access to some park entrances

Flooding at Mount Rainier National Park has closed several entries for at least a week, park officials said Friday.

The Nisqually entrance road (state Route 706) will be closed through Friday, the result of flooding along Kautz Creek. Crews are working to repair the damage.

A 200-foot section of the road at the Carbon River entrance in Pierce County has washed away. Trails, foot bridges and river crossings in the area are hazardous, officials said, adding that "hiking in the Carbon River area is not recommended."

On the east side of the park, state Route 410 is open with delays. However, state Route 123 is closed at the Stevens Canyon Road junction.

The Grove of the Patriarchs bridge was damage by flood debris, as it was during the 2006 flood. The trail is closed.

For updates on the status of the park, call 360-569-2211, ext. 2334, or go to www.nps.gov/mora.

Tenino

Project aims to urge students to buckle up

Tenino High School will be one of the sites involved in a new project called Click it And Ticket, an effort to increase seat belt use among teens.

Students arriving at Tenino High will be "ticketed" for wearing their seat belts from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Monday. They will be able to exchange their tickets for a chance to win a $124 debit card. That amount was selected because a ticket for not wearing a seat belt is $124.

The event is supported by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

There will be three more Click it And Ticket days at Tenino High, most in November and December. For more information about the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, go to www.wtsc.wa.gov.

South Sound

FEMA gives money to local fire agencies

On Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded $669,547 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program to local fire departments and organizations in Washington.

The money will fund operations and safety initiatives. Locally, the Riverside Fire Authority in Centralia received $45,000, and Lewis County Fire Protection District No. 5 in Napavine received $139,650.

Olympia

Help clean Mission Creek Park today

The Olympia Volunteers In Parks program is sponsoring a work party from 9 a.m. to noon today at Mission Creek Park, at San Francisco Street and Marion Street Northeast.

Participants will remove weeds and English Ivy and do a general cleanup of the park. Participants are advised to dress for the weather and wear sturdy boots or shoes. Tools and refreshments will be provided.

For more information, call coordinator Todd Smith at 360-753-8365.