Sand Lake Recreation Area dropping holiday permits

Recreation permits are being dropped for holiday weekends at Sand Lake Recreation Area south of Tillamook on the Oregon coast.

"We are discontinuing the recreation-permit system for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day holiday weekends," said Terry Klingenberg, a recreation technician for the Hebo Ranger District on the Siuslaw National Forest. "This also means that the users will not be charged the $10 permit processing and administration fee as they have in the past for those weekends."

While the permits are not required for holiday weekends, fees for campground sites and and for the Northwest Forest Pass apply year-round.


"We've noticed that the overall use on holiday weekends is down, so the need to regulate with a permit system is no longer necessary," Klingenberg said in a press release announcing the dropping of the mandatory permits.

For more information, go to www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw.
Celebrate fossils, beach finds at festival today in Newport

This year's Fossil Fest is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today in Newport.

Bring your fossils or other beach finds to the Hatfield Marine Science Center for identification by Dr. William Orr, a paleontologist and co-author of "Oregon Fossils."

The Science Center is about a quarter-mile past the entrance to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in South Beach on the south side of the Yaquina Bay Bridge.

Orr also will give a presentation at 1:30 p.m. titled "Digging up the Kings Valley Groundsloth."

Other Fossil Fest activities include a fossil swap and special displays staffed by the North American Research Group.

Admission is by suggested donation.