Up, up and away!

PHOTO BY RICK WOOD STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS A Hughes 500 helicopter, flown by HiLine Helicopters, was hired by Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to remove nearly 100 tons of creosote logs from Livingston Bay beaches Thursday morning. DNR officials credit the partnership of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Island County, Twin City Foods, the Nature Conservancy, Whidbey/Camano Land Trust and shoreline property owners with ensuring a successful operation. Since 2004, more than 8,200 tons of creosotetreated debris has been removed from shorelines throughout Puget Sound. Creosote, a toxic substance believed to cause cancer, can leach out of treated logs and contaminate the environment