Harrington News

Aqu-ammonia leak injures four in Harrington

By MARJORIE WOMACH

Friday, an ordinary afternoon in Harrington, the ambulance siren sounded as it rounded the corner past city hall about 1:30 p.m. Within five minutes, the town's atmosphere was changed. State patrol and Lincoln County sheriff's officers had responded to the ammonia spill at Crop Production Services at the edge of town. Ryan Behrens and Cal Gilmer had been taken by ambulance to the hospital in Davenport, and Ryan was soon air-lifted to Harbor View in Seattle. The school was in lock-down. Mayor Paul Gilliland had been advised of the situation.

Behind the broken valve on the railroad car was 20,000 gallons of ammonia. Water trucks arrived, as did trucks loaded with dirt ready to aid in the disaster. Evacuation of the nearest three blocks to the spill site occurred smoothly. One deputy was also removed to be checked by medical personnel. The crew from Davenport Crop Production Services was able to shut off the valve while the ammonia was continuing to escape. No water was used with the spill, and dirt was used to cover the flow of the ammonia. The city was notified by the sheriff's office after approximately 2 hours that the situation was sufficiently resolved to allow the town to return to normal, residents were allowed to return and the school was released from lock-down.

PTA

In the absence of Karen Balfe, Wednesday afternoon Mrs Susan Larmer called the meeting to order with 5 others in attendance, and a number of youngsters enjoying a play-time. The PTA organizes a number of fund-raisers throughout the year, the funds of which are available to make purchases for the school's wish list, as well as provide money for scholarships. Some of last year's money went for books and clip boards for classrooms. This year the school has a need for a color printer to replace the deceased one. "Energetic and enthusiastic" are the keywords for the ladies at this PTA meeting. Their agenda moved quickly from one project to the next, assigning roles, and voting on details. For the Fall Festival project, they intend to sponsor their "Cupcake Project" which last year utilized 14 dozen cupcakes. In addition, they will be selling Titan T-shirts. Other activities discussed included Odessa-Harrington Booster Club Auction and Dinner (Saturday, Oct 26), Box Top & E-label project, and a Halloween Carnival (Monday, Oct 28). Children should be excited to learn that there will be an addition of new games for that carnival. The Homework Club, for K-6, is a program on Mondays (beginning Oct 7) in the library for students to spend extra time at school working on their homework where assistance is available.

City Council

Harrington City Council met Wednesday evening (Sept 11) with Mayor Paul Gilliland opening with the introduction of Mayor Mike Evans and a councilman, both of Sprague. Seven other visitors attended with only three local council members in attendance. Resolutions of the dog issues were addressed again with a committee report and specific changes suggested to the original 1985 ordinance, in particular raising and enforcing the fines for violators. The Mayor reported on the potentially dangerous dog incident, that a person had been bitten, the dog had no rabies shot and was not registered. When the city then found the dog abandoned, it was removed to the Spokane Humane Society. Since the council members were informed that the standing ordinance for barking dogs only carries a $10 fine, they suggested an increase in the fine and definite rules for its application. Dog waste at the city park was also addressed and the council voted to have an additional waste station placed near the new restrooms where transient people are more apt to see it.

Alan Gay of the USKH, Harrington's city engineer, spoke at length of the waste water treatment program and the repairs following the damages of the lightening strike. Special attention was placed on the valves opening and closing properly. Financing the repairs was also discussed.

The Public Hearing on Revenue Sources for 2014 briefly discussed potential sources of additional revenue: cemetery fees, abandoned vehicle and building permits, license fees for dogs, utility rates and sales tax; no decision was made. The mayor was emphatic that no increase would occur on the utility rates. Regarding the new state law allowing marijuana, licensing this was also discussed as a potential revenue source. The city also expressed concern that the growing of marijuana would require that business to be located in a commercial zone. It was stated that only two dispensaries would be granted in Lincoln County. Potential obstacles between the growth of medical marijuana and recreational marijuana were noted, as well as the requirement that growers be non-felons, a matter for law enforcement.

Library Meeting

Librarian Vivienne Schultz called the meeting to order on Thursday afternoon with Betty Warner, Susan Larmer and Marge Womach in attendance. Susan Larmer was appointed secretary and chaired the meeting. Vivienne gave a brief report of the meeting she attended last week in Sprague, sponsored by Carolyn Peterson of Washington State Library. The focus was to address ways of creating community interest and support in the local libraries and stimulating more activities on limited budgets. New business included the suggestion of creating a Saturday Story Hour or having "story hour" during school vacations, potential book sale for Fall Festival (too late to organize), opening the library for a portion of the Fall Festival, arranging for projects for students from our school to work off community service hours. A few moments were spent introducing the new members to the newly acquired electronic devices with accompanying check-out forms: Nook, e-books and the cassette player for the visually impaired. The board was informed of the new grant materials, primarily DVDs and CDs that were recently ordered, more than half of which will be in the children's section of the library.

Opera House Meeting

Monday evening, Sept 9, President Linda Wagner opened the Harrington Opera House Society meeting with 8 persons present. Primary focus for the meeting was the need for preparedness for the upcoming opera house events. Although the stage lighting was completed, the scaffolding is in need of removal. Sept 22, "The Grande Interlude," will be the next event. The rental piano will be brought up on the 20th.

The following weekend will be the Harrington Fall Festival with Tina Turner-Fisher having a showing in the Art Room of the Opera House building. Saturday evening James Clarkson and wife Leanne of Olympia will have a presentation on UFO activity. Mr Clarkson is a personal friend of Peter Davenport and comes highly recommended as a skilled investigator. His presentation will contain significant past and present cases. This event is requesting a minimum $5 donation for admission in support of the Harrington Opera House Elevator Fund. Until such time as the elevator is a reality, these functions can be "beamed down" to the first floor for patrons unable to use the stairs if pre-requested.

"Saucers Invade Neighbor News Papers Headlines. (1947). Flying Saucers? 'Now they're see'n 'em in Odessa', says the Record. Two employees of the Odessa Union Warehouse saw the spectacle last Wednesday morning; W G Kuch and Leroy Hook. The first disc was indistinct; the second one stayed in their range of vision for several seconds. It came from the west and headed east and traveling at a speed estimated three times that of an airplane. They listened for noises, but none came. Ritzville reports-'The disc, one of the elusive things that has been giving everyone in the Northwest a stiff neck lately, was sighted by P M Kennedy and a party of three, all of Seattle. These travelers were 7 ½ miles west of Ritzville, Sunday evening July 6, when they sighted the disc which they describe as shining like polished chromium, and was really traveling. It disappeared in a cloud and didn't appear again. Mrs Mel Jones of Sprague upon seeing an object in the sky Tuesday July 8, that resembled sunlight reflected from a plane's wing, says 'I'm sure I saw something, and I'm beginning to believe some of these stories I read in the papers'. The Citizen hasn't heard of any of these bright 'phantoms' overhead here yet, but we'll bet there were saucers, together with the cups, spoons and coffee, in the air last Thursday evening, and again Monday. One couldn't discern the objects for the dust." (Harrington Citizen: 7-18-1947)

Two sets of used stage curtains have been obtained for the Opera House stage. Plans are being discussed for the refurbishing of the drapes, cleaning, mending, and adjusting to fit this stage. Each of the sets are in varying shades of green.