The first part of my headline this week comes to me from my Jr. High English teacher Mr. Robert Hall. Mr. Hall was also my neighbor on Leppell Rd., for many years and is a Forks Forum subscriber who now lives in Bellingham. He also offers his observations on things in the world in a little column he sends in called Odds and Ends.

He sent me a Christmas card suggesting the above headline after seeing the headline for Bruce Hanify, also a Forks grad and our soon to be new Judge for Clallam County District Court II. Since I have never used that headline, for me, here it is!

Mr. Hall, also, on occasion, sends me tips on the use of the English language. Most recently my use of who and whom … The use of whom escapes me …but I will read the tips ..maybe later today. Thank you, Mr. Hall, for your kind words, in your card and I will get that newspaper out ASAP that you didn’t receive!

I would also like to thank everyone else for their cards, flowers, etc., that I received this holiday season, many cards containing words of support! Which are needed on many days! Thanks also to Hannah Singhose for sending a card acknowledging my seventh anniversary here at the newspaper!

Another thing which I have neglected to do is thank and acknowledge the Forks Lions Club for their selection of me as the Citizen of the Year this year! I think to be selected anything in 2020, the year of COVID is especially meaningful. Thanks Forks Lions for thinking of me and thanks for all you do for our community.

Forks City Council

The last meeting of the year for the Forks City Council was Monday, Dec. 28. It was sort of fitting …several people forgot …the week between Christmas and the New Year is always sort of like that.

But, it all came together, via Zoom and business was taken care of. The main item on the agenda was to set a meeting on the annexation into the city of Peterson family property on E. Division Street. Council was willing to authorize the mayor and staff to move forward and schedule a public hearing in January. Local surveyor Dan Kousbaugh represented the Peterson family via his computer.

In reports, council member John Hillcar said he was receiving positive feedback regarding establishing a Forks Police Department outpost at the Forks Transit Center, which was recently approved by the council.

Councilmember Juanita Weissenfels shared that she had attended the Clallam Transit board budget hearing and raises were approved. She also commented that the downturn in ridership, attributed to COVID, is concerning and may need to be addressed if things do not improve.

It was a very brief meeting and adjourned at 7:47.

Goodbye 2020

So I am signing off for 2020, a year with a lot of weirdness, sadness, uncertainty, and some good things …and I wouldn’t want to have spent it any other place! If you are reading this on Dec. 31, it is my birthday today and I am now old enough to retire …but …I am not quite ready yet. So I will continue on in 2021 …See you then.

Christi Baron, Editor