Week of April 17, 2025
Week of April 17, 2025
During its monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 9, the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce approved an amount of $35,000 to be invested in the production of Wahkiakum West's (WWest) future TV series "Columbia Coast." During the Feb. 12 Chamber meeting, WWest CEO Ken Johnson announced a pilot episode had already been filmed for the series and that he was in talks with a network to have a 13-episode season's worth of stories that would showcase Wahkiakum and Pacific Counties on the Washington side of...
Ana Rosa Bello broke down in tears as she recalled the repeated abuse she has endured as a housekeeper in Seattle. Bello described wage theft, discrimination, threats to her and her family, withheld documents, and being unfairly fired. But, as a single mother, she said she’s had no choice but to keep working and endure these conditions to provide for her family. “It’s difficult to talk about this,” she said in Spanish, taking a deep sigh. When Bello started out as a housekeeper about four years ago, she said she worked independently...
Today is Thursday, April 17, the 107th day of 2025. There are 258 days left in the year. Today in history: On April 17, 1961, some 1,400 CIA-trained Cuban exiles launched the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in an attempt to topple Fidel Castro, whose forces crushed the incursion within three days. Also on this date: In 1964, Jerrie Mock completed the first solo around-the-world flight by a woman, landing her single-engine Cessna plane in Columbus, Ohio after a 29-day journey. In 1969, a jury in Los Angeles convicted Sirhan Sirhan of...
In partnership with Delphine Criscenzo from the Little Island Creamery, The Cathlamet Public Library is sponsoring the first ever Cathlamet Library Open Mic night. The event will take place at 6 p.m. on Friday April 25, at the Pioneer Community Center (125 Columbia St.). This event is a great opportunity for you to grab the microphone and read some poetry, the lyrics of a favorite song, tell a story, or maybe perform your own rhymey piece that you’ve always wanted to share. Library staff are encouraging folks to come, bring the kids, and...
Transportation for residents of rural areas can be considerably difficult for those living without their own reliable vehicle, those without a driver's license, or those whose health inhibits their ability to drive. Being able to get wherever and whenever necessary is a critical part of many Americans’ identities, but many still struggle to navigate public transportation or find a ride. Wahkiakum-Cowlitz Council of Governments has launched a resource for the community called Trip Assistant, a tool which shows how to use public...
I'm writing this on Monday, April 14. It's an absolutely gorgeous perfect morning. The sun is coming up. Anna's hummingbirds are at the feeder. Golden-crowned sparrows are up front. Mama English sparrow is working on her nest in a house I built. Now there's a good feeling. Birds bringing off broods in a house you built with your own two hands. That and picking apples (or cherries or peaches) from a tree you planted (what's it been) four years ago? It's the little things, my friends. The small...
Many gardeners use transplants to get earlier vegetable harvests. Transplants allow the gardener to space the plants perfectly, so you don’t have to “thin” like you would if you direct sowed vegetable seed. Germinating weed seeds are at a disadvantage when they face the more competitive transplant. However, home grown transplants receive quite a shock when they are moved into the garden. First, they have been living in a greenhouse or cold frame. Greenhouse soil and air temperatures are far warmer than the garden soil they will be going...
NICE BEGINNING. As this week begins, it’s a sunny Sunday following a fairly chilly evening and a foggy start, but boy, is it nice to see the sunshine. Better yet, our forecast looks dry for the entire week, so now we’ll keep our fingers crossed that it stays this way. I know the folks organizing Easter Egg Hunts, as well as those dressing in their Sunday best to get to church, would love to see some lovely, dry, sunny days this coming weekend. It would also be great for those who enjoy being out in their yards and sprucing them up a bit,...
The Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington (AAADSW) announces the opening of the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program which provides eligible seniors with an $80 benefit card once a year to purchase fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, and honey at participating farmers markets and farm stores from June 1 through October 31, 2025. Participants must apply for the program each year. Benefit cards are distributed first come, first served until they are gone, and limited quantities are available. In order to qualify, one must...
Spring has definitely arrived in Grays River Valley. The days are getting longer, and the sun is higher in the sky. I can feel the winter blues fading away, replaced by glorious sunshine and the sweet smell of freshly cut grass. Flowers and trees are blossoming, and wildlife is returning to the lower pastures. Recently, we've enjoyed some clear evenings filled with the chorus of frogs. The early misty mornings have revealed elk grazing in our lower field. I am looking forward to soaking up some...
The Wahkiakum PUD commissioners met on Tuesday, April 15 and approved a resolution to accept the Department of Retirement Systems Deferred Compensation Participation, an alternate compensation option that employees had requested. Director of Finance Erin Wilson requested approval to apply for Planning and Engineering funding of $300,000 for the manganese treatment of Puget Island well through the Washington State Department of Health Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The commissioners unanimously approved the request. During the meeting,...
I recently interviewed my daughter, Erin Turner for our ninth installment of Reader's Fave, a casual talk with someone who shares their favorite book. Erin was visiting with her husband and daughter, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk with her about one of her favorite books. As we talked, Erin shared The House Of The Spirits by Isabel Allende, an author who is originally from Chile and now lives in California. She has written a number of books and is considered one of the leading...
Following its meeting earlier this month, the Clatskanie Chamber of Commerce officially cut the ribbon for Trinity Outdoors, LLC. Located at 183 N. Nehalem Street in Clatskanie, Trinity Outdoors, according to co-owner Jason Folden, offers work clothes, ammo, hunting gear, and "most everything fishing," as well as offers to sell used firearms on consignment. " I've always wanted to do a gun store," Jason said. "It just happened that we needed fishing gear. I had seen an opportunity and jumped on...
Clatskanie son, author and poet Raymond Carver once described a signal moment in his development when a stranger offered him a lens to a broader world. “I was just a pup then, but nothing can explain, or explain away, such a moment: the moment when the very thing I needed most in my life—call it a polestar—was casually, generously given to me,” wrote Carver. “Call it a Polestar” is the theme of the 2025 Raymond Carver Writing Festival, which will be held on May 3, 2025 in multiple locations around Clatskanie. The Festival runs...
After two rainouts to begin their week, the Clatskanie Tigers had a five-inning, mercy-rule victory over Rockaway Beach's Neah-Kah-Nie on Friday, April 11. Jumping out to an early 5-0 lead in the top of the first, Clatskanie added three more in the second and an overwhelming seven runs in the third to pave the way for the Tigers. Will Van Voorst and sophomore Gunner Engen led the Tigers with three RBI each and a combined three hits and three runs scored. Senior Ben Blackwood and juniors Finn...
Hunters, anglers, and 20 tribes in western Washington are among those pleased with three nominees Gov. Bob Ferguson announced this week for the state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission. In January, shortly after he took office, Ferguson halted two nominations former Gov. Jay Inslee made to the commission, including the reappointment of Tim Ragen, a retired marine mammal expert who had served as the panel’s vice chair since last year and had strong support from wildlife protection groups. Though Ferguson removed him from the nine-member...
Lower Columbia College (LCC) is pleased to announce that it will offer a four-year Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS) degree beginning in the fall of 2025. In April 2021, the Washington State Legislature passed SB 5401, authorizing community and technical colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in computer science to support the state technology sector’s workforce needs. When the legislation was written, the state had more than 24,000 job openings in the technology sector, most requiring bachelor’s degrees. Given the scarcity...
Washington is poised to require clergy members to report child abuse or neglect, even when it is disclosed in confession. Nearly two-thirds of state House members approved a Senate bill on Friday night to make religious leaders mandatory reporters of abuse and neglect, adding them to a list that includes school counselors, police, and nurses. With passage of Senate Bill 5375 on a 64-31 vote, the legislation now goes to Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson for signing. “It’s long past time for this protection for children,” said state Sen. Noel...
The state Senate, which often hears a wide range of opinions between Democrats and Republicans, gave rare unanimous approval March 5 for a $7.3 billion capital budget. “It was important to be responsive to the needs of all Washingtonians, regardless of the district they live in,” said Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma. The budget allocates $2.25 billion to natural resources, $1.2 billion for higher education, $1 billion for K-12 schools, and $770 million to housing projects. Funding for natural resources will go toward a variety of projects,...
Milford Wayne Free, lovingly known as Butch, passed away from lung cancer on March 24, 2025, in Seattle, Washington. He was 78. Born on August 10, 1946, in Bryan, Texas, to Eileen and Alson Free, Butch was raised in Cathlamet, Washington, alongside his brother Ron. The family first lived in Crown Zellerbach's Family Camp on the logging company's property along the Elochoman River, a setting that instilled in him a love of nature and a spirit of adventure. Butch himself described his childhood...
To The Eagle, Last fall, I did a column lamenting the loss of local news coverage with the closure of the Columbia County Chronicle and Chief newspaper. As someone who spent over seven years working as a reporter, I’ve become all too familiar with the ups and downs of that industry. Almost every news outlet I ever worked for either changed owners or went out of business. Those unfortunate changes and realities eventually inspired me to seek a different career path, even though I absolutely loved what I was doing. I recently had the chance...
The Clatskanie track and field team competed at two different meets over the weekend, beginning with the Tenino Twilight Relays Friday, April 11. For the boys, the quartet of Daylon Gutierrez, Aidan Bailey, Ayden Blackshire, and Ryder Gorley finished third in the Men’s 4X100 Relay with a time of 47.04; second in the Men’s 4X200 Relay with a time of 1:38.62; and third in the Men’s 4X400 Relay with a time of 3:46.09. The team of Tristan Bocanegra, Quin May, Mickey Simpson, and Zach Swinford finished third in the Men’s SMR 800M with a...
Following the rainout of its April 8 game at St. Paul, the Clatskanie girls softball team returned home Saturday, April 12 to take on Warrenton. Scoring a run in the bottom of both the third and sixth innings, the girls were able to hold off the Warriors 2-1. Clatskanie was led at the plate by Senior Karielle Carlson and sophomore Olivia George, who had an RBI each. In fact, Carlson and George scored Clatskanie's only two runs, accounting for practically all of the team's offense. Juniors...
Spring break is in the rearview mirror, and now the attention of Wahkiakum's baseball and softball programs turns back to the strike zone. Both teams have taken wins in games after the hiatus, starting the second half of their seasons on a bright note. Mules' three-game winning streak The good times continue to roll for the Mules baseball team, which hasn't tasted defeat since losing to Naselle on March 25. Wahkiakum is 3-0 since that point, with the two most recent W's coming against...
April 7 4:10 a.m. A caller on E SR4 near the west passing lanes called to report that a fallen tree was entirely blocking the eastbound lane. 7:17 a.m. The Cathlamet Emergency Services responded to assist an elderly Cathlamet resident who was experiencing pain in their arms. 1:41 p.m. A Cathlamet resident called to report seeing suspicious lights on in an abandoned neighboring residence. 4:53 p.m. The Puget Island Fire Department responded to reports of a power outage on W Sunny Sands Road on Puget Island; PUD was advised. 5:43 p.m....
