Week of February 19, 2026
Week of February 19, 2026
During the Tuesday, Feb. 3 meeting of the Wahkiakum County Commissioners, Wahkiakum County resident Jon Thompson presented a letter to the commissioners regarding the Grays River Flood Control District (GRFCD) board and “its relationship to the county and the Board of County Commissioners.” Thompson’s letter states the GRFCD board has made “repeated attempts to assume authority granted to Wahkiakum County and the Board of County Commissioners.” Regarding this “assumption of authority,” Thompson’s letter asks the County Board...
With data centers expected to become the largest source of electricity demand in the Pacific Northwest, Washington legislators are pressing ahead with a bill aimed at protecting the grid and offsetting potential hikes for utility ratepayers. House Bill 2515 passed out of the Appropriations Committee on Monday afternoon, with two Democrats and all of the Republicans on the panel opposed. Reps. April Berg, D-Mill Creek, and Larry Springer, D-Kirkland, cast the two Democratic “no” votes. The bill next awaits a floor vote in the House and...
During their meeting Tuesday, Feb. 17, the Wahkiakum County Commissioners unanimously approved a Museum Service Agreement between Wahkiakum County and Wahkiakum Historical Society in the amount of $2,000 for funding for 2026. The Wahkiakum County Historical Society is recognized as “a licensed nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of Washington,” and the contract is meant to “provide a museum for the general health and benefit of the residents of Wahkiakum County, which has been declared a county purpose by the Washington...
Because the dates line up, The Eagle has decided to reprint events from 1976. Thank you to volunteer Julie O’Neil and volunteer curator, genealogist, and board member Kari Kandoll. Celebrate Birthday Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hosley and son of Longview spent Sunday at the home of Mrs. Vera Hosley. They celebrated Howard’s birthday. From Oregon Mr. and Mrs. Phil Pedersen of Albany, Ore., were weekend houseguests at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Verne Dodge. Daughter Visit Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Davis of Bothell visited for the weekend at the home of her...
I first met Ray Prestegard in 2016. I was outside of the Rosburg store and Ray was driving by. He stopped his car and introduced himself, then told me about watching a recent TV performance I did. The Skamokawa Grange was reorganizing at the time, and I urged Ray to attend an upcoming meeting. We chatted a little more and the encounter was over. Ray showed up at the meeting. There was some social time after. I had brought my accordion and Erik Friend happened to bring a mandolin. Erik showed me...
I recently interviewed Eden Valley resident Barbara Rasmussen for our 51st installment of Reader's Fave, a casual interview with someone who shares their favorite book. Opening our conversation, Barbara said, "I'm always surprised that others can have just one favorite book. Not me. For example, for the last five to 10 years, I've been reading non-fiction. I retired in 2012, and we travelled for six years in a RV. Wherever we went, I wanted to learn about the local history, fauna, geology, just...
World Ballet Company proudly announces the 2025–2026 national tour of "Cinderella," an irresistibly fun (and funny) take on one of the world's most beloved fairytales. With performances scheduled in more than 130 cities across the U.S., this enchanting production will bring a Broadway-style ballet experience to audiences of all ages. The production will make its way to Longview's Columbia Theatre (1231 Vandercook Way) on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. At once timeless and delightfully...
On Saturday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Longview Public Library (1600 Louisiana Street) will be holding its annual, community-led “Longcon,” a mini convention “that transforms the library into a hub of creativity, fun, and fandom.” This free, family-friendly celebration brings together comics, gaming, sci-fi, cosplay, anime, fantasy, and every fandom in between. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just curious, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. There will be vendors and artist booths, panel discussions, hands-on...
The West End Food Pantry's Valentine's Day fundraising dinner was an enormous success. With minimal promotion, organizers Diane Hollenbeck and Shonda Ware were pleasantly surprised when 96 people filled Rosburg Hall for an evening centered around good food and a good cause. Guests enjoyed a hearty meal of tender prime rib, tasty green beans, twice-baked potatoes, a full salad bar, and strawberry shortcake topped with whipped cream. Tables were dressed in red and white tablecloths and set with...
Hello from your Sheriff! So far 2026 has had a busy start and our local first responders have done a great job tending to the needs of the community. Many of our first responders are volunteers within the Fire Department Districts and Search and Rescue. Our local volunteers graciously sacrifice their time in response to those in need and to maintain certifications through many hours of regular training. I send a big thank you to all our brave volunteers! I urge anyone who is interested in being a firefighter, EMT or Search and Rescue member...
This list is a update of last week’s list. John. C Thomas Middle school has announced the grade point averages recently earned by grades 6-8. The following students earned at 4.0 GPA: 8th grade: Alyssa McKay-Beach, Ava Mendez. 7th grade:Aspen Cothren, Jeremiah Garrett, Emily Sutton. 6th grade: Jarrett Aegerter, Axton Mendez, Naveah Mendez Students earning 3.2-3.9 GPA: 8th grade: Carter Carvalho, Autumn Cochran, Jace Gibson, Leah Gonzales, Max Ohrberg, Theodore Sevald. 7th grade: Ryan Alder, Eve Broten, Mieke Bubel, Dylan Cothren, Keely...
I'm in Ohio again, and have been since Feb. 9. Pop had his second chemo/immuno treatment on Tuesday, Feb. 10. I've got to say he's doing amazingly well. He's eating like the proverbial horse, which is unusual for him. He's staying hydrated; again, unusual. These are two things he didn't do on "round one," and we think it might make a difference. Still, I'm just your average writer with a first name that gives one the impression I have a doctorate in something, which I don't. I do greatly...
On Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m., Little Island Creamery (448 E Little Island Rd.) will be hosting a free screening of the 30-minute documentary “Guardians of the Waters.” Created by Amiran White, the 2025 documentary discusses the Chinook Indian Nation’s partnership with the Necanicum Watershed Council to protect and restore the Necanicum Watershed. The watershed is part of Chinook ancestral homeland on Oregon’s North Coast. The film follows this collaboration, as it brings together Indigenous knowledge and modern conservation to care...
The Columbia County Authors Alliance is pleased to announce an open call for submissions to a special community anthology commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. This anthology will capture the voices, experiences, and perspectives of Columbia County residents during this historic moment in time. Contributors are invited to share their reflections, memories, or observations about our community and county through short stories, poetry, personal essays and memoir pieces. Submissions may be historical, contemporary, or forward...
On Sunday, March 8, Clatskanie's Birkenfeld Theater (75 S. Nehalem St.) will host local acoustic performers Brownsmead Flats at 3 p.m. Come out and watch the group play traditional and original songs in that famous Crabgrass tradition (bluegrass with a maritime flavor). The musicians that make up Brownsmead Flats began playing together in the late 1970s. In addition to performing guitars, bass, mandos, banjos, harmonicas, the hammered dulcimer, and even "occasional flashes of fancy foot work"...
The FFA (Future Farmers of America) chapter has a busy and exciting month ahead, with events open to both current members and students interested in learning more about agriculture. The chapter will host a high-school lunchtime meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The meeting is open to all high-school students who want to learn about agriculture or simply enjoy fun games with the FFA officer team. FFA Week will run from Monday, Feb. 23, through Friday, Feb. 27, giving students the chance to show their...
Brandon Criss, the new owner of Rainier Grocery Outlet, is no stranger to the ins and outs of operating a Grocery Outlet franchise. His education started in 2018 working with his parents who took ownership of a Springfield, Ore., store. In 2019, the family expanded to a second store in Myrtle Creek, Ore., and Criss worked there full time, starting as a floor worker and, eventually, becoming store manager. In July 2025, he went into Grocery Outlet's Aspiring Operators Training Program with the...
Posh Resale opened in Rainier mid-2025, bringing quality merchandise and brand names at deeply discounted prices. The inventory includes lightly used or new-with-tag clothing at deeply discounted prices from well-known brands to high-end designers for both men and women. According to store Manager Britannia Jones, sales have been steady. Also, a recent opportunity to expand into the neighboring storefront - formerly Sabor Mixto - has allowed the store to double in size and increase inventory...
The Rainier OHSET (Oregon High School Equestrian Teams) recently finished its first meet. Taking place Thursday, Feb. 5, through Sunday, Feb. 8, the meet saw both student and equine athletes competing in many events. Friday, Feb. 6, saw "working pairs" (team/pair) events like dressage, trail, western horsemanship, english horsemanship, and more. Saturday, Feb. 7, featured speed events like barrels, pole bending, key hole, figure eight, and versatility. Saturday also featured a grand entry where...
Kenneth Charles Wirkkala, lovingly known as "Buckshot", 84 years old passed on January 28th at Beacon Hill Rehabilitation in Longview. He was born on December 4, 1941 to Charles and Ellen (Johnson) Wirkkala in Astoria, Ore. He grew up in Deep River, and graduated from Naselle High School in 1960. He married Nora Lee Sorenson in 1962 and they had 2 sons before later divorcing. While in high school he trapped crawfish in Deep River and sold them to Jakes Crawfish House in Portland. Kenny was a...
To The Eagle, I’ve been thinking about the conversations around town that say groceries are cheaper if we drive to Longview. At first glance, that may seem true. But when we factor in gas, vehicle wear, and two hours of travel time, the savings aren’t always what they appear to be. And once we’re in a larger city with endless shopping options, many of us spend more than we planned. Our local Cathlamet Market may not match every big-city price, but it offers something just as important: accessibility, reliability, and community...
To The Eagle, Our invitation to the world is inscribed upon the plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Nearly 100 million immigrants have come to the United States since its founding. While this represents the cumulative total of arrivals over centuries, the current foreign-born population reached a record high of approximately...
The Clatskanie Tigers boys varsity basketball team closed out its regular season last Friday with a 53-47 home loss against Knappa. The loss snapped a two-game win streak for Clatskanie. Earlier in the week, the Tigers defeated the Gaston Greyhounds 55-44 on the road. Clatskanie jumped out to a 13-8 to end the first quarter, but Gaston inched back a little in the second to make it only a three-point lead at halftime. The Tigers outscored the Greyhounds 17-5 in the third quarter to take a...
The Clatskanie varsity girls basketball team found itself with its longest losing streak of the season at two games after falling 44-41 at Nestucca on Tuesday, Feb. 3. Though jumping out to a 10-3 lead to end the first quarter, the Tigers were outscored 13-6 by the Bobcats in the second and entered halftime tied at 16. Clatskanie would outscore Nestucca 19-16 in the third, but a strong fourth had the Bobcats outscoring the Tigers 12-6 to close out the game and secure the win. Clatskanie's 26...
The regular season is in the books for Wahkiakum and Naselle. Now, the attention turns to postseason action, with both the Comets and the Mules battling through the league playoffs to try and secure a coveted place in the state championships. Girls basketball Wahkiakum and Naselle faced off in a rematch of the KM Trophy game in the second round of the 2026 District 4 1B tournament, but the result was unavailable at the time of press. Preceding that matchup, both teams grabbed wins in the...
February 9 4:41 a.m. A driver on Sr 4 reported two black cows in the middle of the Eastbound Lane of the highway near Deep River Road. Another caller reported seeing the cow jump the guardrail and go down Oneida Road. WSP was updated on the cows’ location. 12:47 p.m. The Grays River Ambulance responded to transport an elderly Rosburg who wasn’t feeling well. 4:55 p.m. A driver on Puget Island reported an erratic vehicle going at a high rate of speed and almost hitting another vehicle on West Birnie Slough and offered to send photos to...
