Community Immunity Is In Reach For Some Northwest Cities And Counties, Further Away For Others

By Tom Banse
Eager seniors filled up all of the first come, first serve slots at a drive-thru COVID vaccination clinic before the first shots were even given on Thursday in Sequim, Washington. CREDIT: Tom Banse/N3
Hesitancy to get vaccinated against the coronavirus has justifiably drawn considerable attention because some counties and neighborhoods are lagging far behind in the campaign to stamp out COVID-19. Less often do you hear about the COVID-19 vaccination overachievers. In recent weeks, pockets of the Pacific Northwest have exceeded the threshold for community immunity. Read More

Rocket Fireball Over The Northwest Provides Lasting Value Sleuths Tracking Where Space Junk Lands

By Tom Banse
Meteorite hunter Robert Ward with a SpaceX rocket tank that survived fiery reentry. He found it at the edge of a farm field near Beverly in central Washington. Courtesy of Robert Ward
Stargazers across the Pacific Northwest were treated to quite a light show in late March when the errant reentry of a spent rocket sent fireballs streaking high overhead. The uncontrolled disintegration of the rocket rained debris onto eastern Washington. While the search for mangled rocket parts goes on, the event also provided a great learning opportunity for researchers Read More

‘Blue Tides’ Of Sailor Jellies On Northwest Coast Correlate With Warmer Seas In Winter

By Tom Banse
A mass stranding of Velella velella at Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon, in 2015.
New research out of the University of Washington finds a correlation between warmer ocean waters and mass strandings of By-the-wind sailor jellyfish over the past two decades. The brief, widespread beachings of "gazillions" of purplish-blue jellies along the Pacific Northwest coast create a memorable sight for those who chance to be in the right place at the right time.Read More

Couples And Families Separated By U.S.-Canada Border Closure Find Oasis At Peace Arch Park

By Tom Banse
Crossing the border into Peace Arch State Park from Canada, at left, entails stepping across a ditch. CREDIT: Tom Banse/N3
This coming Sunday, March 21, will mark one year since the U.S. and Canada closed their shared border to nonessential crossings due to the pandemic. It's anybody's guess when the border might reopen for discretionary trips. In the meantime, every weekend rain or shine, Peace Arch State Park in Blaine, Washington, becomes a happening meetup point for couples and families Read More

When ‘The Big One’ Hits The Northwest, What Could You Do With A Few Seconds Warning?

By Tom Banse
A cracked road from an earthquake
Smartphone users who opted in to a test of the West Coast earthquake early warning system got an early taste on Thursday of what is to come. Mobile phones from Seattle to Olympia blared with an alarm for imaginary incoming shaking. The earthquake warning system -- already operational in California -- will launch for the general public in Oregon on March 11 and statewide in Read More

Across The Northwest, Teachers, Grocery Workers, Older Adults May Be Next For COVID Vaccine

By Tom Banse
The first shipment of COVID vaccines arriving at the UW Medical Center in Seattle on December 14, 2020. CREDIT: Pool/Courtesy UW Medicine
Western state governors and state health officials are now reviewing a finalized recommendation from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for how to prioritize future vaccination phases. The initial deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines to Oregon, Washington state and Idaho are spoken for — at least well into next month. High-risk health care workers, Read More
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