News Briefs
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Ocean Shores police chief signs off
City of Ocean Shores Police Chief Neccie Logan, who has served in the role since 2018, officially signed off at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 30, as she was surrounded by fellow officers, Fire Chief Brian Ritter, members of the business community and residents. Deputy Chief Cari Vesco, who relocated from south Florida last year, will take up the mantle of chief of police for Ocean Shores.
Free native plants available to landowners in Chehalis River Watershed
The Grays Harbor Conservation District is offering free bare root trees and shrubs to landowners interested in planting along rivers and creeks within the Chehalis River Watershed. Planting native vegetation helps shade streams, reduce soil erosion, and provide woody material that supports diverse aquatic habitat.
If your property is along the Chehalis River or one of its tributaries, you may be eligible. If you have questions or want to confirm if your project is within the basin, contact awaldrop@graysharborcd.org.
Plants are provided through the Chehalis Basin Strategy Aquatic Species Restoration Plan and are available through April 15, 2026, or while supplies last.
Request plants here: https://bit.ly/nativeplantsfree.
New homeownership program in Raymond
Coastal Community Action Program has partnered with Weyerhaeuser and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities to bring Riverview Landing to Raymond, a new opportunity for local families to step into homeownership. This project was created to make homeownership more attainable in Pacific County by guiding families through every step, from financing to move-in day. Phase 1 of the project is an opportunity to purchase one of seven new homes in Raymond. New home prices are expected to be in the low $300,000’s. Interest forms opened on Tuesday. Visit https://www.riverviewlanding.org/ for more information.
City of Oakville debuts Citizen Report Form
To improve services and more efficiently address issues raised by community members, the city of Oakville now has a Oakville Citizen Report Form. This form can be used to non-emergency, actionable issues that require attention from the city.
For example: see a branch down on a road? Report it so the branch can safely be removed. Have a question about your water bill at 10 p.m. at night? Submit the form and someone from city hall will get back to you ASAP with an answer (likely the next business day).
There are several ways to submit a citizen report form. A paper form can be picked up at city hall and returned or filled out at the window. Community members can also call city hall and a staff member will fill it out with the info over the phone. From anywhere, on a computer or mobile device, visit the city website (OakvilleCityHall.com) and navigate to “Citizen Report Form” on the homepage, fill out the info and press “submit.”
Once submitted, forms will be timestamped, so there is a record of when the report was made, routed to the appropriate responsible department and scheduled for whatever action is required. When the issue is resolved, that too will be recorded to document how long the resolution took and to ensure the city is maximizing its efficiency.
Questions? Please feel free to reach out to city hall either by stopping in during business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. M-F, closed for lunch noon to 1 p.m.), calling 360-273-8916 during business hours, or submitting the query on a citizen report form via the city’s website and someone will get back to you with an answer shortly.
Be on the lookout for poison hemlock this spring
The Grays Harbor Noxious Weed Control Board is asking residents to look for poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) because it is popping up early this year. This plant is a Class B weed that is selected for control in Grays Harbor County. Poison hemlock is toxic to both humans and animals, and gloves and protective clothing should be worn when removing the plant.
The Grays Harbor Noxious Weed Control Board will be treating multiple properties in the Hoquiam area this week. If you spot it anywhere in Grays Harbor, please contact the office immediately or make a report via our Survey123 form: survey123.arcgis.com/share/586b919efb1547329af1e68ef8946c02?portalUrl=https://GHNWCB.maps.arcgis.com
