Out & About: Downtown events lack RV sites

OUTCAMP – There’s a notable lack of RV camping areas with easy access to downtown events at the Convention Center and elsewhere, said Len Zickler, chairman of the host committee for last month’s Federation of Fly Fishers International Fly Fishing Fair in Spokane.

“The hotels serve most people, but we could serve another whole group with our great downtown, the river, Centennial Trail and other facilities if we had places to camp RVs near downtown,” he said.

Columbia steelheading hot

OUTFISH – Steelheaders continue the record-setting success at catching the returning sea-run fish in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam.

The fishery developed big time last year as unusually high, cool flows turned anglers on to turned-on fish.

Joe Hymer of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in Vancouver said 20,451 steelhead were caught – some kept, some released – from the lower Columbia below Bonneville last month.

The previous record for a month was 18,516 in August 2011.

Pioneer Campground water OK

OUTDRINK – The drinking water supply has been tested and OK’d at Pioneer Park Campground near Newport, Colville National Forest officials said Friday. The water system had been shut down for a week after reports of possible contamination.

Nisbet to speak at Turnbull

OUTCLASS – Spokane author and naturalist Jack Nisbet will present a program, “David Douglas in the Shrub Steppe,” on Aug. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge headquarters south of Cheney.

Seating is limited. Sign up in advance with Louise Oleary of the Friends of Turnbull, 235-4531, or looeezoleary@netscape.net.

A $5 donation is suggested.

Among Nisbet’s books is “The Collector,” which details Douglas’ role in documenting flora and fauna in the Columbia Basin around 1826.

Douglas fir? This is the man.

Nisbet is working on a museum exhibit,  David Douglas: A Naturalist at Work, set to open Sept. 22 at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.