State-managed lands to remain closed to the public

OLYMPIA — One elected state official and two bureaucrats have moved to keep publicly owned lands managed by their agencies off limits to the public.

On Friday, State Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, D-Poulsbo, and appointed Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind and Washington State Parks Director Don Hoch said they will not be opening up public access because of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.

Rather, they have said they will keep publicly owned lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources, the State Parks and Recreation Commission and the state Department of Fish and...