The state Fish and Wildlife Commission plans to select a new director for the Department of Fish and Wildlife when it meets Sept. 11-12 in Olympia.

The commission, after interviewing six candidates Wednesday and Thursday, after narrowed the field to two finalists, a commission news release said.

The finalists' references and backgrounds will be checked over the next couple of weeks, according to commission chairwoman Miranda Wecker.

Former director Jeff Koenings resigned last December after serving for a decade. Since then, Phil Anderson has served as interim director.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to hold public meetings next week to discuss green-dot road management on several central Washington wildlife areas. Since the meetings will take place before the next Adventure section prints, I posted the info here:

Green-dot road systems are those where only roads marked by circular green reflectors are open to motor vehicles.

Department wildlife area managers Condi Confer, Shana Winegeart and Pete Lopushinksy are seeking input on proposals to change the number of green-dot roads on the Wenas and Colockum wildlife areas, and on acreage in the Skookumchuck and Parke Creek areas of the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area.

Wildlife area citizen advisory groups and several sportsmen's organizations have been reviewing the proposals that will be discussed in the public meetings.

The meetings, which all begin at 6 p.m., will take place:

Tuesday: In Ellensburg, at the Hal Holmes Center, 209 N. Ruby Street
Wednesday: In Selah, at the Selah Civic Center, 216 S. First St.
Thursday: In Wenatchee, at the Campus Theater in Wells Hall on the Wenatchee Valley College Campus, 1300 Fifth St.

Final green-dot road plans and maps will be completed in time for roads to be posted for the beginning of hunting seasons.