The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

HEAT WAS ON!--The forecasters were right when they said it was going to be a warm one this past weekend, as it was plenty hot out here in West Valley! The cloud cover and cooler temps on Monday made for a much more comfortable and welcomed relief from the heat.

SLIGHT CORRECTION--If you read my column last week, you would see where the WCHS Museum in Cathlamet is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., but unfortunately, the "header" on my column said it was open on Friday and Saturday, which is not correct. Sorry for any confusion!

SPECIAL DAYS--Celebrating birthdays from June 29-July 5 are Matt Helms III, David Hjaltalin, Opal Whitaker, Sandie York, George Exum, Austin Luthi, Debbie Kuller, Danny Poe, Skip Nortrup, Clara Olson, Dale Jacobson, Kelly Melton, Justin Norris, Kathi West, Steve Schwarze, Finley Schillios, Steve Macchione, Tim Pedersen and Nathan Chamberlain.

Happy Anniversary wishes this week go out to Mr. and Mrs. Bob Montgomery, Mr. and Mrs. Maury Mooers, Mr. and Mrs. John Adams, Mr. and Mrs. Dean Seaberg, Mr. and Mrs. Hap Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Al McClain, Steve and Lori Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Florek Jr. and Pete and Katie Sechler. Enjoy those special days!

If you want your name listed on either the birthday list or the anniversary list and you haven't seen it there, please give me a call and I'll get it included.

FARMERS MARKET--Every Friday afternoon, the Puget Island Farmers Market is open on West Birnie Slough Road, so for the freshest, local produce and other goodies, head over that way at 3 p.m. Often times there's live music to entertain you, so it's all great fun.

FRIDAY MOVIE--The free Friday night movie at the Community Center in Cathlamet is an animated film for youth. As always, the movie starts at 7 p.m., and not only do you get in for free, but popcorn is provided for free as well. Of course, you can always bring your own snacks and as always, call ahead to have pizza delivered at 6:45 from Sharon's Pizza Mill, 795-3311.

SERVICES THIS SATURDAY--In case you haven't heard, or need a reminder, according to a family member, the Celebration of Life Service for Ronda Brown Rose will be held this Saturday, July 1, at 1 p.m., at the Norse Hall on Puget Island. Again, our sympathies to the entire Brown and Rose families.

BUSY WEEKEND--According to their advetised schedule, the Roadkill Saloon will have a Tractor Cruz, a Poker run and a Bike run on Saturday, July 1. The tractor cruz and poker run lasts from noon to three, and the "Against the Wind" bike run goes all day, so if you're in the neighborhood, stop by the Saloon and see what's going on. Of course, if you've got a tractor or bike, join in the fun!

TIME FOR A COOL DRINK--With all this sunshine, I think you'd be up for a smoothie or some other cold, refreshing drink, so why not check out the Ship Channel Coffee Trailer at Vista Park? You wouldn't even have to cook either, as you can enjoy a hot dog with that as well, so hey, try it out; no cooking sounds good to me! The coffee/espresso trailer opens at 7 a.m., and closes at 2 p.m., so don't be late!

BIG HOLIDAY--Do you have big Fourth of July plans? Well, beings that day is on a Tuesday, I'm not sure how many get a four day weekend out of it, but if you're lucky enough to be one of those that do, here's to a joyous, fun-filled Fourth of July, extended weekend to you! Don't forget to buy your fireworks at our local Lions Club fireworks stand, as the proceeds go towards sight and hearing programs (& more) that the Lions Club support. Keep things safe and please be mindful that others may have to work the following day, so I'm guessing that cutting all the noise and racket off by 10 that evening would be appreciated.

FLEA MARKET--The Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds will be a place to shop, as they continue to hold their Flea Markets on the second Saturday of each month, to help raise money for the fair. It opens in the morning at 9 and goes until 3 in the afternoon. According to Jean Beerbower, they are still taking items to sell. Please remember, no junk or dirty clothing or anything beyond repair. (If it's that bad, take it to the dump, which is open on Thursdays and Saturdays on top of KM.)

SON--The first Wednesday of every month is the regular meeting time for the members of the Sons of Norway, and this coming month that will be July 5. The meetings begin at 7 p.m., and everyone is welcome to attend. The Norse Hall is located on Puget Island on SR 409, just south of the Birnie Slough bridge.

BINGO--Speaking of which, it's going to be bingo time again soon, as the members of the Sons of Norway always have an evening bingo session during Bald Eagle Days, so be sure to head over to the Norse Hall on Puget Island and have a bit of bingo fun on the evening of July 15. Here's to winning one of those cash prizes!

BALD EAGLE DAYS--In just a couple of weeks, the Main Street in Cathlamet will be closed off and once again, people will be packing the streets and going from vendor to vendor while sampling the different foods and goodies along the way. Of course, everyone departs from the street when it's time for the big parade, held at noon, so with sirens blaring, horns honking, music playing, kids yelling and lots of waving going on, there'll be another bunch of happy folks toodling around through town!

Don't forget the Kiwanis' annual pancake breakfast that morning down at the Marina around 7 a.m .; always a good deal and a good cause too. There's a variety of walk/run challenges that morning, so if you're up and at 'em early, you can take part in that.

I'm sure the younger set is going to have some fun, as there's a mechanical bull this year, and that should be great for those fit enough to jump on it and test their rodeo skills! Check out the full list of things happening by checking out one of the colorful posters around town. For those web lovers, you can check out the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce website.

It's also a great time to join up with folks you haven't seen for a long time, as everyone seems to come "home" for this one of a kind event, as family reunions or class reunions seem to be held during this time too. Here's hoping we have some decent weather and a good crowd!

As always, the fireworks will end the evening, which take place at the marina and are displayed over our mighty Columbia River so they are pretty visible from many places. They begin about 10 p.m., when it's good and dark.

FAIR TIME SOON--With this being the end of June, it means that the Wahkiakum County Fair will be upon us in just a month and a half, so I hope you've planned on making something, baking something or doing anything that can be entered into the fair this year. With the "Denim -N- Diamonds" theme this year, you should be able to have a little fun with that. All those clothes makers will be strutting that denim material and having them adorned with shiny embelishments I bet, and even quilters can incorporate some of those same things too. Here's to great posters and pictures and all things fair. It's a fun time, so get those thinking caps on now, as it won't be long and it will be entry time!

Remember, there are some things that need to be done and entered way ahead of time, so check out the fair book, or ask one of the leaders of the 4-H or other groups, as you won't want to miss out on getting that animal or exhibit submitted. There are different rules and regulations that need to be considered for the various animals, so make yourself aware of what they are and don't miss out on getting your entry and your paperwork, done on time.

This year, the 109th fair is being dedicated to Lore Twiet, who has also dedicated a lot of time and energy into our fair; 40 years as a matter of fact, so congratulations to her for being chosen for this honor; it is much deserved. We need more volunteers like her, so if you love animals and kids and want to teach them how to raise and care for them, then please think about helping out at the fair.

FOS--I hope you were able to get up to see the last exhibit at the River Life Interpretive Center at Redmen Hall, as it sure showcased the talented ladies in our area. The Women's Activity Group from the Skamokawa Grange #425, had a nice array of things, and I really liked the red, white and blue patriotic quilt by Heather Pool. The "sugar egg" creations by Daria Lacy were absolutely awesome; really works of art! The quilting group called the "River City Strippers" of Cathlamet, had a very nice array of quilts as well, and the colors and workmanship were terrific. Those who belong to the Puget Island Auxillary of the Children's Hospital of Seattle did a great job as usual and I'm sure they'll all be showing off their work at the county fair! Don't forget that the GFWE Woman's Club does some great work around town, which includes keeping the Cathlamet signs looking good, helping at Erickson Park, cleaning up our highway by "adopting" a stretch of the road, as well as many other things that one might take for granted around the area. You are all talented and your work is appreciated. Good job Ladies!

CRK GROUP DEALS--If you've got a big group getting together for a family reunion or just a bunch of friends getting together, why not take advantage of a group savings deal that's currently going on with Columbia River Kayakers? If you have a group of at least 10, then you can take 10 percent off your bill. Be sure to book your tour with them right away by calling 360-747-1044. They have a variety of dates, experience levels and areas to choose from and they can be half day or full day excursions as well, so choose the one that is right for you and your group!

SWIMMING POOL IS OPEN--The JBH swimming pool in Cathlamet is now open. For further information or you if need to confirm prices and hours of operation, you can call 795-6515.

BBQ--David and Connie Shrum were in the neighborhood this past weekend and opted to hold a little gathering and BBQ at their place. John and Mary Gustafson and the Bill Chamberlains enjoyed leaving the main cooking up to their hosts and gladly brought the side dishes to share with the group. As always, they enjoyed good food and a great visit with their friends from eastern Oregon.

NEW EVENT--Did you hear the great news about the doings going on at Skamokawa Vista Park this Fall? You'll be excited to hear that there's going to be a Kite Festival going on there Sept. 23, so that should be lots of fun! Hopefully the weather will co-operate and our usally windy Fall weather will prevail and make this a destination place for kite flyers. Usually these folks spend a few bucks while they're around, so they may need a place to stay, or some meals or a drink or two, so let's hope this gives all the business owners another "shot in the arm" before the leaner Winter months kick in. It would be a great time to come up with a specialty drink or sandwich while they're in town, so business owners, how about it? Give me a call with your new "kite festival" type food or drink special.

Happy Fourth of July everybody!