A year ago this week there was no Forks Forum …it was over … after 89 years it was taken out by COVID …but thanks to a supportive community the newspaper lives on. Thanks to those who signed up for subscriptions and to the many who have stopped in to renew. If you signed up for a year you should get a renewal notice …thanks again to everyone.

It has been a weird year when a lot has happened and nothing has happened. It has been a challenge to fill pages when not much in the way of community events are happening …but thanks to the return of school sports we do have something to celebrate as the Spartan Soccer team became 1A league champs on Monday night at Spartan Stadium!!!!

A few weeks ago I shared here that unfortunately, the annual Kid’s Fishing Day was not happening this year and the fish had been placed in Lake Wentworth. So yesterday after someone had questioned if it was happening I thought I had better post it on the Forks Forum Facebook page …Facebook the place for angriness …Many demanded to know who had made this decision …some blamed it on a particular political party …and county officials …anyway …the decision was made by the West End Sportsmen’s Club. They sponsor this event each year. Thank you to Jessica Sorensen, she shared the rest of the story …

Jessica said, “Just to answer a couple of your questions – the West End Sportsmen’s Club contributes to the funding to raise these trout. The extras from ‘fishing day’ have always gone to Lake Wentworth, except the last couple of years that we’ve been lucky to have the South Pond (Bogachiel Hatchery) available (they have never been planted in the Bogachiel River).

The decision to cancel the event had to be made months ago and was strongly influenced by the fact that the majority of the volunteer crew at the Sportsmen’s Club is over 70 and in the higher risk group.

The rainbow trout for ‘fishing day’ comes from another facility, and are raised to size at the Sol Duc Hatchery.

The smolts in the rearing ponds are steelhead from this river, raised here and released back into this river.”

It has not been an easy year for the WESC they like many non-profits have not been able to fundraise. It costs money to raise the fish for this event, that they didn’t know if …it may or may not happen …maybe instead of criticism, those questioning their actions could join the Club? I’m sure they would love some new members.

No Rainfest

So there is/was no Rainfest this year but the Rainforest Council for the Arts did offer a free play via Zoom on Saturday night. The play May’s Vote was about the women’s suffrage movement and was wonderful!

Now for some

good news …

Mocha, Edna Leppells’ chunky chihuahua recently went missing. Mocha is sort of a celebrity joining Edna for many years in her golf cart for the 4th of July parade. Anyway, she was gone for several days, no sign of her and then on Friday, some neighbor kids spotted her in a ditch just down the street! Mocha is now home. She is doing well, given everything. She’s drinking water and eating and walking a little.

Coming Soon

In the very near future, the Forks Police Department will have a presence at the Forks Transit Center. FPD will be taking over one of the empty retail spaces at the facility. Chief Rowley recently shared that Department will operate patrol out of the space and he hopes that being right on Mainstreet will help with response as well as assisting tourists etc. who stop at the Transit Center. Maybe there will be fewer people doing ‘burnouts’ in front of my office!

Rain of Terror Update

That crazy group that loves to scare people has already begun building sets at the Quillayute Airport Hanger.

4th of July update

The 4th of July committee continues to plan …The Demo Derby guys are in, so get your car ready!

Snack accident?

I stopped into Forks Outfitters on Monday after work to find that there had been some sort of “Snack Accident” as a new snack display at the front of the store was sporting crime scene/caution tape. You have to know that the yellow tape only made customers more curious as to what was going on?? I will follow up today …snacking is not a crime …

Christi Baron

Editor