Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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When the Wahkiakum County commissioners met Tuesday, April 22, for their regular meeting, they were presented with requests to approve maintenance contracts for county properties. The landscape maintenance contract for the courthouse property with Forrest Mora Landscaping was approved for $5,405 annually. The landscaping contract for county properties with Zack’s Lawn and Property Maintenance was approved for $16,000 annually, a “good price,” according to commissioner Gene Strong. Building Inspector/Planner Dave Hicks presented the commi...
The 79 Main Boutique features handmade goods from about 20 vendors and is located at its namesake, 79 Main Street, in Cathlamet. Every item in the store was handcrafted in Wahkiakum by local residents. This collection of local crafters works together to make the store work, using a consignment-based sales approach and taking turns running the shop during the open season. The idea for the group began around 10 years ago with Made in Wahkiakum, where vendors shared equal space to sell their items...
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 transportation i...
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,...
The Wahkiakum County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 8, where they approved a letter to be sent to Senators Trudeau and Schoesler requesting support for fully funding the Encumbered Lands Gap Funding. The Senate’s proposed budget currently allocates only $1 million to Wahkiakum, Pacific, and Skamania Counties, leaving Wahkiakum County struggling to compensate for the funding shortfall. If the Senate approves the Encumbered Lands Gap Funding, it would provide each of the three counties with $1.8 million, enabling t...
The South Columbia County Chamber of Commerce held its annual Celebration of Excellence Awards Banquet on Saturday, March 29, at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. The event included a time for cocktails and mingling, a four-course dinner, and an awards ceremony that honored local businesses, non-profits, and citizens who have impacted the community. Along with a chance for business owners to network and dine together, the banquet also provided the opportunity to learn about some of the small businesses in South Columbia County that the people...
The Commissioners met on March 25 for their regular meeting, during which they approved the lease agreement with St. James Family Center for the Charlotte House location, which serves as a domestic violence shelter. The commissioners also voted to accept the bid from Bush Whackers LLC for roadside mowing, totaling $72,833 for 2025. During a work session with the Heritage Group Coalition to discuss plans for the Johnson House. The group intends to utilize it as a central point for their planned Heritage Campus, which will encompass the Julia...
The Wahkiakum County PUD commissioners met on Tuesday, March 18, and approved Shelby J. Garrett’s appointment as the new director of finance. Erin Wilson, the current director of finance, will retire at the end of April after 21 years with the Wahkiakum PUD. The Puget Island Well Project is running on schedule, and test results for water quality are expected to be ready by the next meeting on April 1. Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), which provides power to Wahkiakum PUD and a third of the Northwest, recently announced it intends to m...
The people of Wahkiakum rely on the small businesses in the area for everyday needs unless they’d like to make the drive to Longview or Astoria. However, businesses in rural towns like Cathlamet face unique challenges compared to big cities. A recent PR Newswire article for rural businesses in “underserved populations” states that the most significant hurdles impacting startup and growth lie in three primary areas: access to labor, connectivity (internet service, updated technology), and capital. The article also states, “Rural entrepr...
The Wahkiakum County Commissioners met on Tuesday, March 18. The commissioners began the meeting approving the liquor license renewals for Skyline Golf Course and Cathlamet Mini Mart. The commissioners then voted to approve the appointment of Heath Yob to the Real Property Rights Advisory Board. Public Works Director Chuck Beyer presented the commissioners with a request to call for bids for landscape maintenance. HHS Operations Manager Duncan Cruickshank requested approval for funds for door replacements at the Elochoman Campus in building 3,...
The Wahkiakum County Commissioners met on Tuesday, March 11, for their regularly scheduled meeting. Commissioners approved The Duck Inn’s liquor license renewal and Public Works Director Chuck Beyer’s request to call for bids for landscape maintenance on county properties. Dave Hicks, Wahkiakum County’s Building Inspector, asked for approval on the Shoreline permit with Wooden LLC; this would allow the installation of conduit fiber Optic cables across the Julia Butler Hansen Bridge. Carrie Shofner, County Director at the WSU Wahkiakum Exten...
The Wahkiakum County PUD Commissioners met on Tuesday, Feb. 25, for their regularly scheduled meeting. Jamie Samms was appointed to the Johnson Park Board unanimously. The Fairgrounds Horse Arena Footing Project had a change to be made to the contract; the soil depth in the horse arena did not meet the minimum requirements. An additional $9,960 plus tax was added to the contract for the additional soil, which will be covered by the initial grant. Public Work Director Chuck Beyer presented the commissioners with quotes on rock and asphalt...
Since its opening, The Dollhouse (73 Main Street) has almost exclusively sold collectible and antique dolls on consignment; owner Sue Scott opened The Dollhouse in March of 2023 after moving to the area. Scott made a friend with someone while she was staying at the hotel Cathlamet whose mother had a vast collection of dolls. This collection inspired Scott and was the starting point for the shop, but if you were to visit the store now, you might be surprised at what else you would find. Scott’s daughter passed away very suddenly in October, l...
The Wahkiakum County PUD Commissioners met on Tuesday, Feb. 18, for their regularly scheduled meeting. The Commissioners passed a motion to change the job position title from auditor to director of finance. This new title describes the job’s duties in a more encompassing way and will better assist in acquiring a replacement for the position. The commissioners then held a workshop on the Town of Cathlamet Utilities Consolidation. Commissioner Eugene Healy drafted an opening statement that broke down the conversation surrounding the water s...
The Wahkiakum County Commissioners met on Tuesday, Feb. 11, for their regularly scheduled meeting and appointed Robert Johnson to the Johnson Park Board. Jamie Davidson and Forrest Mora were appointed to the Wahkiakum County Planning Commission, District No. 2. The time had come to reauthorize Wahkiakum County’s Associate Development Organization (ADO), which supports and coordinates community and economic development services. The Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce was appointed once again as the county’s ADO. The Commissioners approved a let...
Washington District Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez visited Wahkiakum County on January 29 to meet with PUD leaders and be updated on the progress of the Puget Island well-drilling, which went underway in December 2024. Drilling this well is among the PUD’s final steps in meeting requirements for a Washington State Department of Health-approved Water System Plan for the Puget Island Water System. Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez helped to secure funding for the project through her C...
The Wahkiakum PUD Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 4 where they discussed the recently submitted PUD/Town of Cathlamet consolidation study submitted by Grant and Osborne. Commissioner Gene Healy suggested scheduling a workshop where the three commissioners could reassess both the positive and negative implications, address any misinformation that has been circling, and answer the public’s questions. “Put notes on the whiteboard, everybody participates, and we have a workshop that allows the public and anybody els...
The Wahkiakum County Commissioners met on Tuesday, Jan. 21, for their regularly scheduled meeting. The commissioners approved the request to allot $25, 201 for a 50 percent match grant with the Washington State Military Department. The grant covers the continued support of the Department of Emergency Management program and its supporting staff. Wahkiakum Emergency Management Coordinator Austin Smith presented the Commissioners with a request for approval on the State Homeland Security Program...
The Wahkiakum County Commissioners met for their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The Commissioners approved the Wahkiakum Health and Human Services request to continue working with Qualifacts for Enhanced Support Services. This service provides training, scheduling, patient information, notes, and billing for employees at HHS. The program costs $2,900 monthly and will come out of the behavioral health fund. Representatives of the Wahkiakum Youth Mentoring Program briefed the Commissioners on the positive impact they have seen...
The Eagle is delivered to our readers’ mailboxes each week, bringing the news of Wahkiakum County and now Clatskanie with it. The Eagle wants to introduce its community to the team of dedicated people who work diligently to fill each issue with relevant content for our readers. This week’s edition of The Eagle’s Contributor Spotlight will showcase one of our photographers, Rob Hilson, who has provided The Eagle with photos of local sports since 2018. Rob began his career covering local news...
Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a missing Cathlamet resident in the early morning hours of Dec. 14. Family members said they had not seen the resident since the night before; the search began at 1:30 a.m. and a silver alert was issued later in morning. Search and Rescue was called in. Their first steps were to call the State Emergency Operations Center and establish a base camp. The resident was last seen near Columbia Street in Cathlamet. Sheriff’s deputies began driving all the roads within town limits and SR-...
The Wahkiakum County Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday Dec. 17. During the Commissioner’s reports, Commissioner Lee Tischer reported that the Town of Cathlamet will be raising sewer rates for the courthouse by nearly 17,000 dollars next year. Commissioner Gene Strong reported that the VFW requested permission to place a solar light at the new veteran’s memorial in front of the courthouse. Commissioners approved the appointment and re-appointment of several Marine Resource Center committee members: Bret Deaton, Sam...
Cathlamet residents who have ever crossed the Birnie Creek Bridge returning from the Elochoman Marina or headed to the G. Alan Johnson Riverfront trail, are likely very familiar with Cathlamet's Strong Park. The park is frequented by many residents and visitors alike daily, as it is a popular route for walking to the Elochoman Marina. The small park offers a place to take a rest and enjoy the natural landscape and river view. The Town of Cathlamet website describes the park as "Strong Park is...
Editors’s note: This story is part of the Eagle’s promise to cover Clatskanie news after the loss of their newspaper, The Chronicle and Chief. The Clatskanie People’s Utility District met on Wednesday, November 20 where the Board of Directors reviewed and unanimously approved the budget for 2025. After reviewing recent policy changes which consisted of minor language updates and alterations to ensure compliance with recent law updates, the Board of Directors unanimously accepted the policy changes. Director of Energy Resources Chris Roden...
