Week of March 19, 2026
Week of March 19, 2026
At the beginning of the monthly meeting of Cathlamet Town Council Monday, March 16, Mayor Nicholas Sevald announced Councilmember Mike Severson has recently moved out of Cathlamet town limits and is no longer eligible to hold Position 5 on Town Council. According to Town Clerk Sarah Clark, the Town “will accept applications until it has a sufficient number for review,” after which “the council will conduct interviews and make their decision.” As part of the regular business portion of Monday’s meeting, interlocal agreements with...
During its meeting Tuesday, March 17, the Wahkiakum County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a letter of support for the Cowlitz Tribe’s request for an alternative funding arrangement from the Environmental Quality Incentive Program for the Grays Headwaters Restoration Project. According to the letter, the Tribe “has been intensely focused on restoring floodplain connectivity in the Grays River headwaters since 2018.” The letter also states the Tribe “has purchased $2.5 million of local timber, placed nearly 9,000 whole...
For a few minutes on Monday, March 9, the Washington State Senate paused its usual pace of debate and votes to recognize something older than the state itself. The Senate passed Resolution 8690 honoring the Chinook Indian Nation and acknowledging the Nation's history and continuing presence along the Lower Columbia River and the Pacific Coast of Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon. In the chamber to hear it were Chinook Chair Tony "Naschio" Johnson, Vice Chairman Sam Robinson,...
An investment company co-founded by a 21st -century German prince is joining other timber industry goliaths in gobbling up and shutting down access to hunting land in Wahkiakum and Pacific counties. The change comes as Pacific Northwest timberland values are rising, making the region attractive to European investors who value the cheap, privately owned land — unlike in much of Europe. In 2024 alone, companies affiliated with Constantin Prinz zu Salm-Salm (AKA Prince Constantin) spent more than $100 million on roughly 12,000 acres of...
I recently interviewed Cathlamet resident Kermit Chamberlain for our 55th installment of Reader's Fave, a casual interview with someone who shares their favorite book. Kermit, with a library shelf filled with C.J. Box books said, "It was probably years ago I was listening to NPR and they had a weekly show where they talked about books and C.J. Box was mentioned. I've read every book he's written. He's a great writer. I love his stuff, especially the 'Joe Pickett' series, but I intended to talk...
During its meeting Thursday, March 12, Longview City Council approved Ordinance 3572. The ordinance addresses the city’s sewer pretreatment policy, which regulates how waste water is removed from businesses within the city. Because they rarely produce harmful wastewater, retail stores were removed from the list of regulated sources. Council members noted adopting this policy helps the city remain compliant with state requirements and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Ordinance 3573 and Resolution No. 2608, focusing on ambulance...
Due to 1976 being a leap year, the dates no longer line up with 2026. We would like to hear from readers about reprinting articles from the past. Call, email, or stop by our office and let us know what you think. Thank you to volunteer Julie O’Neil and volunteer curator, genealogist, and board member Kari Kandoll for digitizing these articles. News of Grays River, Rosburg, and Deep River The Better School club theatre presents “Niki-Wild Dog of the North” and two “Three Stooges” cartoon features tomorrow night (Friday) at the Grays...
My friends, I stand corrected. It was brought to my attention recently that Daylight Savings Time (DST) does not take a 24-hour day and magically transform it into a 25-hour day. No, sir. It does require most of us, if we want to hang with the "cool kids," to move our clocks ahead an hour and, as you know, move them back an hour in the fall. A gentleman by the name of Jerry kindly explained the error of my ways with the following illustration: if you cut the head off a 38-inch/22-pound chinook...
The following is a guest editorial written by Columbia River PUD General Manager Michael J. Sykes: Last week, I joined more than 30 other consumer-owned utilities across the state of Oregon in signing a letter to Governor Tina Kotek. In late February, a court ruling required more water to spill at the Columbia and Snake River dams, which could raise electric rates an additional six percent. Governor Kotek publicly applauded the ruling, which significantly curtails the output of our largest source of clean, reliable, low-cost electricity. The...
Dawnielle Neville comes from a line of Rainier locals. Her grandfather homesteaded a property off Avery, and their current home on Thistle Hill was inherited from her father who also worked the land. In 2020, Neville formulated Thistle Hill Farm as a business when she began experimenting with baking sourdough, an activity that skyrocketed during the pandemic. "It's my personality where if I get intrigued by something then I start researching it and ask, 'I can do this, right,'" said Neville....
Clatskanie RV and camping resort River's Edge experienced some unusual flooding over the weekend. At 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Luke, the on-site camp post manager for the park, alerted residents by text that the water level was exceeding the Clatskanie River's banks. With the water continuing to rise, the second protocol, notifying emergency services, was carried out. The Clatskanie Fire Department was first on the scene, going door to door and asking everyone if they wanted to stay or leave. The...
The South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce will host its Annual Awards Banquet at the St. Helens Elks Lodge (350 Belton Rd.) on Saturday, March 28 at 4 p.m. The banquet celebrates the businesses and community members who help make South Columbia County a strong and vibrant place to live and work. Each year, the Chamber recognizes local businesses, entrepreneurs, and community leaders whose dedication and service help strengthen the region’s economy and community spirit. Award categories include Small Business of the Year, Medium Business...
The Quincy Grange will celebrate 50 years of serving their “Annual Chicken Dinner” on Sunday, March 29. The Grange’s traditional fried chicken dinner is always a treat and yes, dessert, and beverages are included. The dinner will be from noon to 3 p.m. at The Quincy Grange (78314 Rutters Road) in Clatskanie. Price for the dinner is $15 for adults, $7.50 for ages 6-12 yrs, and ages 5 and under are free. Cash only, please. Meals are available for both dine-in or carry-out. All proceeds benefit local youth programs, scholarships and...
Sandra Leigh Benbrook was born in Los Angles, Calif., on October 29, 1947 to Samuel and Barbara Benbrook. Her father was a surgeon in the Navy and her mother was working toward her medical degree, and pursued a long career in psychiatry. Sandi loved deep sea fishing and camping with her family in the Sierra Nevada mountains. She graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1965. Through high school, Sandi honed her ice staking skills, did some cheerleading, learned to speak French, and looked...
Sonja Delight George (née Multanen), beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and dear friend to so many, was born on May 28, 1937, in Fresno, Calif., to parents Clifford and Elena Multanen. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 10, 2026. She lived a life marked by deep faith, creativity, compassion, and unwavering dedication to her family and community. A woman of great faith, Sonja loved Jesus and was a lifelong member of the Apostolic Lutheran Church. Music was one of...
To The Eagle, When I first started work with the Town of Cathlamet in 1974, the Town had been fluoridating for about 10 years. At the time, I was a bit of a fluoride skeptic. One day, I asked my dentist in Longview what he thought about fluoridation. He replied that he could look in the mouth of a twelve year old and tell which city they lived in. Longview had been fluoridating for about 12 years, and Kelso was not. Then there is Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta; both were fluoridating. For various reasons in 2011, Calgary stopped and, 10 years...
To The Eagle, As the head golf coach at Wahkiakum High School, I’m proud to share that our golfers are back on the course this month and ready for another exciting season. Our program has seen tremendous success in recent years, including three consecutive district championships for the girls team, two team state titles, and the 2025 individual state champion. Our boys program also celebrated the 2025 individual district champion. None of this success happens without the incredible support of our community. Year after year, local supporters...
March 9 1:23 a.m. The Cathlamet Emergency Services responded to assist an elderly Cathlamet resident who had fallen. 8:40 a.m. A Cathlamet resident called for medical assistance for chest pain. 3:20 p.m. A Cathlamet resident was transported to the hospital for fainting. 4:07 p.m. The Cathlamet Ambulance transported a Cathlamet resident to the hospital for fever and illness. 4:18 p.m. A deer on Puget Island had to be dispatched after it attempted to jump a fence but broke its leg. 4:48 p.m. Deputies responded to reports of an unknown person...
