Grand Canyon drops wait list
A plan that allows more people to float down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon each year but spreads them out over more months and in smaller groups has been adopted by the National Park Service.
The new Colorado River Management Plan also eliminates the current waiting list for those who want to raft the river in noncommercial boats, replacing it with a lottery. The lottery will give preference to the many people who have been on the waiting list for more than a decade. But they won’t be guaranteed a slot.
Info: www.nps.gov/grca.
Associated Press
NATIONAL FORESTS
Agency jobs lost
About 110 U.S. Forest Service jobs are leaving Montana, North Idaho and North Dakota as part of a massive reorganization involving hundreds of positions within the agency.
The latest cuts are in human resource, budget and finance departments, said agency spokesman Steve Kratville in Missoula.
In North Idaho, 16 positions in human resources will be eliminated in Orofino, where employees handled personnel duties for the Clearwater, Nez Perce and Panhandle national forests.
Another 15 Forest Service employees working on budget and finance at locations across North Idaho will also be cut for a total of 31 jobs lost.
Associated Press
FISHING
Sekiu’s April lure
Salmon and halibut are on the angler’s fresh sheet at Sekiu in April.
The Sekiu Spring Chinook Salmon Derby is next weekend with prizes up to $1,000. The fishing is technically for immature chinooks (blackmouth) but bigger fish are in the waters this time of year and the 20-pounders can be kept through April 15.
Halibut fishing in Washington Coast areas 3 and 4 opens May 9. Sekiu’s halibut season starts May 25.
Contact: Sekiu area resorts www.sekiu.com; Olson’s Resort, (360) 963-2311.
Rich Landers