Large Cylinder Washes Ashore On Washington Coast
A large cylinder that washed ashore on the Washington coast near the mouth of the Columbia River may be debris from the 2011 Japan tsunami. But a spokeswoman for the Washington Marine Debris Task Force, Virginia Painter, says an official determination is unlikely because there are no markings. The cylinder looks like a 19-foot-long pipe, 3 feet in diameter with end caps. A ranger found it Tuesday on Long Beach at Cape Disappointment State Park. Painter says it will be removed. The state Fish and Wildlife Department is checking for any invasive species in the seaweed clinging to the cylinder. A 66-foot dock found Dec. 18 on a remote beach near Forks was determined to be tsunami debris from Japan.
Washington State Parks photos: http://bit.ly/129RWzm
 
Gypsy Moth Eggs Removed From Cargo Ship At Tacoma
The Customs and Border Protection agency says inspectors found Asian gypsy moth egg clusters Jan. 23 on a cargo ship at the Port of Tacoma. The vessel was ordered into international waters for cleaning. A commercial cleaning company removed 275 egg masses from the surface of the ship. It was re-inspected and allowed to dock in Tacoma to unload cargo.The eggs were laid by moths apparently attracted to lights on the ship when it was in port in East Asia. If allowed to hatch, the caterpillars would threaten Northwest forests and urban trees and other plants.
 
Spanaway 2-Year-Old Died Of Meth Toxicity
Pierce County sheriff's detectives are investigating the death of a Spanaway 2-year-old who had a fatal amount of methamphetamine in his system. The Pierce County medical examiner's office said Tuesday that Nathan Iverson died Dec. 6 of acute methamphetamine toxicity. Emergency crews took him from a house to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma where he died. Spokesman Ed Troyer told The News Tribune the house is well-known to deputies. Residents admitted they used drugs but there were no signs of drugs when deputies arrived. Troyer says, "The bottom line is, one way or another, this kid ingested enough meth to kill him."

Grounded Boat Leaked Fuel At Leadbetter Point
A salvage contractor plans to cut up a 61-foot crabbing boat that ran aground last Friday at Leadbetter Point at the entrance to Willapa Bay. The state Ecology Department and Coast Guard are monitoring the work, which should be completed by Friday. The department says the boat leaked about 650 gallons of fuel and another 650 gallons were pumped off last weekend.

Mercer Island Residents Oppose I-90 Tolling
The Transportation Department holds more open houses Wednesday at Bellevue City Hall and Thursday at Yesler Community Center in Seattle on plans to add tolls on Interstate 90 between Bellevue and Seattle. The tolls would balance the toll already charged on the Highway 520 floating bridge and help pay for a new bridge on Lake Washington. More than 100 people attended Tuesday's open house at Mercer Island. KOMO reports they objected to a toll on the only roadway off the island.
The Transportation Department will take a tolling recommendation to the Legislature.

Allen Foundation: $1.35M In WA, OR Library Grants
Library programs in Washington and Oregon will receive $1.35 million in grants this year from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. The Seattle Times reports that those benefiting will include the Washington State Libraries, for development of a smartphone app that will provide service to rural patrons, and the Kitsap Regional Library Foundation for a teen library program. Paul G. Allen and his sister, Jody Allen, started the foundation. Their father worked for the University of Washington library system and their mother promoted reading throughout her life.

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