Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 1626 - 1650 of 2699
Wahkiakum County and Diking District 4 are a step closer to approving a plan to address the possible breach of Steamboat Slough Dike. The Columbia River is eroding the dike, a breach would allow flooding of the 2,000 acres of the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge. On Friday, officials from the county, diking district, US Army Corps of Engineers, and US Fish and Wildlife Service met to go over the plan and iron out differences. None of the parties have funding to armor the shoreline...
Wahkiakum County should receive around $1.2 million this year from the harvest of state-managed county trust timberland. The figure is in line with the $1.26 million the board of commissioners listed in their 2013 county budget. Eric Wisch, regional manager for the state Department of Natural Resources, and Steve Ogden, district manager, presented an update revenue report on Tuesday. In 2012, the county received almost $1.89 million, $600,000 over the figure the commissioners expected for 2012. The major timber sale of the year, Hayduke Sorts,...
The Cathlamet Town Council discussed but didn't act upon a proposal to lease a town-owned lot to the Helping Hands Food Bank. In other action, the council awarded a bid for remodeling the old town hall and library; the council upheld a variance granted by the town board of adjustment; the council gave conditioned approval to a new ordinance regulating signs, and the council rejected an ordinance of and a resolution authorizing the mayor to contract for forestry consulting services. For almost a year, Helping Hands Food Bank directors have been...
Following the shooting deaths of first graders in Newton, Connecticut, the nation has started talking about ways to curb such violence. Last week, President Obama announced recommendations of a taskforce, headed by Vice-president Biden, that asked Congress to tighten gun laws. Among other provisions, the recommendations call for a ban on both military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and a requirment for background checks for all gun sales. The Associated Press reported that, seeking to circumvent at least some...
News from Naselle: Naselle-Grays River Valley sports calendar for the coming week includes: Thursday-high school girls basketball at Raymond at seven p.m.; Friday, high school boys basketball with Ocosta in Westport at 5:45 p.m.; Saturday, home high school girls basketball against Ocosta at 7 p.m.; Monday, middle school boys basketball at Raymond at 5:45 p.m.; Tuesday, home high school boys basketball against South Bend at 5:45 p.m.; Wednesday, high school girls basketball at South Bend at 5:45 p.m. and home middle school boys basketball...
Commissioners of Port District No. 2 agreed to hire a consultant to update their comprehensive plan when they met Tuesday. Commissioners Lori Scott, Kayrene Gilbertsen and Brian O'Connor also voted to revise the price of sand they sell from Skamokama Vista Park. Commissioners started work on updating the 2006 comprehensive plan last year, but the project languished after commissioners held sparsely attended public meetings to gather public input. Last fall, they put out a request for proposals for planning assistance, and two firms responded....
A former King County police officer has become Wahkiakum County's new undersheriff. Sheriff Mark Howie appointed Steve Marshall to fill the vacant position effective January 1. "Steve brings a wealth of experience to the sheriff's department," Howie said Tuesday. Marshall began his law enforcement career in 1977 as a security guard at Highline Community College, where he was a student. He later joined the Kirkland Police Department where he was a motorcycle patrolman. He became supervisor of the motorcycle unit, worked as a detective...
Wahkiakum County commissioners handled a variety of business Tuesday including taking steps to continue discussion over the Steamboat Slough Dike. Commissioners also passed resolutions setting property tax collection rates for the year and met with landowners and commissioners of Consolidated Diking District No. 1 to discuss drainage issues on Puget Island. Assessor Bill Coons reported that changing property values would have mixed impact on property taxes. Overall, the tax levy will collect $166,641.10 less than last year because of a decline...
Even though the temperatures have been really cold, the sunshine has been a welcome sight. We should see more of it in the next few days according to the weather news. Here’s hoping. News from Naselle: Sports coming up this week for the Naselle-Grays River Valley School: Saturday, varsity boys basketball at Lacey at 4 p.m. and varsity girls basketball at Lacey at 5:45 p.m.; Tuesday, varsity boys basketball at Raymond at 5:40 p.m., middle school boys basketball at Valley at 5:45 p.m.; Wednesday, middle school boys basketball with South Bend i...
Above: Bob Pyle and his wife, Thea, watch the world from their Grays River home. Bob Pyle has recently published his 17th book, "The Tangled Bank." Photo by Rick Nelson. ----------- The photo of author Robert Michael Pyle that appears on the back cover of his latest book, “The Tangled Bank, Writings from Orion,” shows him wearing a thick coat of moss. But if moss doesn’t grow on moving objects, it didn’t grow on Pyle, for he has covered a lot of ground in 40 years as a naturalist. Including two educational coloring books for children, “The Ta...
News from Naselle: Sports calendar for the Naselle Comet teams this week include: Thursday, varsity girls basketball at Valley at 7 p.m.; Friday, varsity boys basketball at North Beach at 5:45 p.m.; Saturday, varsity girls basketball with North Beach in Naselle at 3 p.m.; Monday, middle school boys basketball at Ocosta at 5:45 p.m.; Tuesday, junior varsity boys basketball with Lake Quinault in Naselle at 4:30 p.m. with varsity girls following at 5:45 p.m. and the varsity boys playing at 7 p.m.; Wednesday, middle school boys basketball with...
Wahkiakum County commissioners reorganized and handled a light agenda of business to start 2013 at their meeting yesterday (Wednesday). Newly elected Commissioner Mike Backman joined the board; he replaces Lisa Marsyla who didn't run for re-election at the end of her first term. The board has reorganized, with Blair Brady assuming the role of chair and Dan Cothren moving to vice-chair. Backman will represent the board on the Lower Columbia Community Action Council, the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce executive committee, the county fair board,...
Here are some of the news highlights that we covered in 2012. One may conclude that the more things change, they more they stay the same: There's always something going on in Wahkiakum County and Naselle. January Judy Bright, administrator of Wahkiakum County's Department of Health and Human Services and a volunteer in the county Search and Rescue program, retires to battle cancer. She died later in the year; Sherrie McDonald of Raymond was appointed interim director, and Sue Cameron was hired this fall as permanent director. The Wahkiakum...
Lisa Marsyla's last week at work as a Wahkiakum County commissioner was quiet. The board held their final meeting of 2012 on December 26, and it would have been the final meeting for Marsyla as a commissioner, for she didn't seek re-election. However, Marsyla's daughter was ill. Marsyla stayed home to care for the child, and she was able to leave office without a lot of fanfare. That's too bad. She has been a good commissioner and deserves a salute. Marsyla has been a committed official and worked hard on the tasks she tackled. An accountant,...
My apologies to the readers for not having a column in last week. Thank you to those who called to see if everything was okay with us. We are fine, but it was a very busy time for me, so unfortunately I didn’t get a column written. I hope everyone had as wonderful Christmas and New Year celebration as we did. Our daughter and son-in-law from Redmond, Oregon, our son from Ellensburg, our son, his wife and two grandsons from Cathlamet, our grandson from Eugene and my sister joined us for Christmas Eve dinner and enjoyed a little family time a...
Wahkiakum County commissioners had resolutions to consider creating new positions in county departments when the board met Wednesday. Sheriff Mark Howie has created a sergeant's position for the sheriff's department, and Public Works Director Pete Ringen presented redefined positions for his department's staff that, he has said, more closely represent the tasks the employees handle. The county employee's union has adopted the job descriptions for the positions into their contract with the county. The new sergeant would be responsible for superv...
A dozen teams from Washington and Oregon competed in the Downriver Challenge Saturday at Wahkiakum High School. Left, Mule Adam Vasion (160) ties up an opponent enroute to a win by fall; he placed second in the weight class. Below, Jesus Crawford (138) grapples with an opponent in the opening round; he won by a pin and placed fifth in the weight class. Nate Cothren was champion of the 160 lb. division; Trystan Mendez was second at 182; Alex Johnson (132) and Mason Mackey (145) placed third; Ben Vasion (195) placed fourth, and Brandon Burdick...
The Wahkiakum School District board of directors heard reports in a short meeting December 18. Superintendent Bob Garrett reported that enrollment dipped a bit from 415.20 full time student equivalents (FTEs) to 413.1 in December. State funding is based on enrollment, and the district based its 2012-13 budget on 430 FTEs, based on the enrollment at the end of the previous school year. The district started the year with 403.4 FTEs. Wahkiakum High School Principal Stephanie Leitz reported that school staff are working to implement a variety of...
Commissioners of Port District No. 2 voted Tuesday to increase the price of sand they sell at Skamokawa Vista Park. The port has been selling sand for $2.25 per cubic yard for several years. Commissioners learned this fall that the price hardly covered their expenses, which includes an 80 cent royalty to the Department of Natural Resources, which claims ownership of the dredge spoil sand. A survey of companies selling sand showed retail prices ranging from $16-42 per cubic yard. Commissioners settled on a new price of $4.50 per cubic yard, or...
Fred Johnson is the new chief of the Cathlamet Fire Department. Johnson takes over after the retirement of Chief Jerry DeBriae, who served in the department for 52 years. Members of the town council on Monday approved a proclamation honoring Chief DeBriae. Mayor George Wehrfritz said DeBriae would have the title of fire chief emeritus for his more than 50 years with the department. "He has made the department a model for operation in the lower Columbia area," Wehrfritz read from the proclamation. The proclamation also recognized "the generous...
Town of Cathlamet officials are struggling to find a way to pay for remodeling of the old town hall building. The town received two bids for the project, and the lower bidder, Pacific Tech Construction, came in at $369,957, which is $130,000 over the architect's estimate for the work. Council members discussed whether or not to accept the bid or how to pay for the complete cost of the project. They asked for further information and said they would make a decision at their January 22 meeting. The project calls for installing public restrooms...
(Editor's note: The initial publication and posting for the article incorrecty stated the council had voted to reject the appeal. The council voted to continue consideration and action to its January meeting.) The Cathlamet Town Council on Monday decided to wait till January to act on an appeal of a board of adjustment variance that would allow a couple to build a garage on a Columbia Street Lot. Council members heard comment and commented on the appeal for 34 minutes but asked the town attorney to provide more information about variances...
The outlook for deepening soon the channel for the ferry Wahkiakum isn't optimistic, Wahkiakum County officials learned this week. The channel has silted in over the past few years, and at low tides during the low flows of August and September, the ferry had trouble making its crossing without running aground. Wahkiakum County commissioners have asked the US Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the channel as part of their maintenance program, but the Corps hasn't been able to put the project on its dredging program. Commissioners have enlisted...
The outlook for deepening soon the channel for the ferry Wahkiakum isn't optimistic, Wahkiakum County officials learned this week. The channel has silted in over the past few years, and at low tides during the low flows of August and September, the ferry had trouble making its crossing without running aground. Wahkiakum County commissioners have asked the US Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the channel as part of their maintenance program, but the Corps hasn't been able to put the project on its dredging program. Commissioners have enlisted...
Visiting South Bend took an early lead and never looked back enroute to a 63-47 win over the Wahkiakum Lady Mules last Friday. South Bend led 17-5 at the end of the first quarter on a combination of hot shooting and domination under the boards. The Mules outscored the visitors 11-9 in the second quarter to narrow the margin to 26-16 at halftime. They narrowed the South Bend's lead to nine in the third quarter, but South Bend went on a run and closed out the third quarter with a 46-27 lead. Sophomore Sam Boyce led the Mule scoring with 20...
