Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 1651 - 1675 of 2699
One has to wonder where our nation is headed when elected leaders ignore practical facts and favor rigid ideological doctrine. I'm speaking, of course, of the conservative fringe of the Republican party in Congress which refuses to consider raising taxes on the nation's wealthiest persons and thereby has hamstrung efforts to address the end of the Bush Tax Cuts, automatic federal budget cuts and other aspects of the so-called fiscal cliff scheduled to arrive in January. It's amazing that a couple dozen members of the majority party in the US...
The US Army Corps of Engineers has construction of a new portion of Steamboat Slough Dike and turning approximatly 200 acres of the Julia Butler Hansen National Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer into wetlands. The new dike would be built inland from the existing dike, which the Columbia has been eroding for the past few years to the point that geotchnical engineers feel a slide could occur at any time and send a portion of the dike into the river. Such a breach would flood the refuge and make it subject to the river's tides. The Corps...
It’s nearly Christmas and Mother Nature is doing her best to give us a white one. We have seen a little of everything in the last few days, from sunshine to hail to snow and as usual, lots of rain with some wind thrown in. Now the weatherman is calling for more low elevation snow, KM Mountain has already claimed a few fender benders, I’m told. Here’s hoping you are all ready for the big guy in the red suit to make his visit to your house. It looks like we will welcome some of our kids for Christmas Eve dinner for the first time since our house...
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...
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 Town of Cathlamet opened its second round of bids for remodeling the old town hall and library building Monday and found them well over their architect's estimate for the work. Pacific Tech Construction was the lower of the two bids at $369,957. Five Rivers Construction came in at $495,902. The estimate of the town's architect was $260,000, including contingency funds. Mayor George Wehrfritz and Council Member Dick Swart were present and said they would bring the bids to the full council, which meets next Monday, for further discussion....
Wahkiakum County officials took steps Tuesday to clean up some issues concerning their 2013 budgets and tax levies. Auditor Diane Tischer had informed the board during the week that the 2013 Current Expense Fund budget approved last week was actually $42,975 short because of changes in property taxes. Assessor Bill Coons also reported that as outlined, the budget would short the County Road Levy about $100,000. Coons explained that the total county levy would be for $1,006,004, up from $998,604 this year because of new construction. Otherwise,...
Wahkiakum County commissioners handled a variety of business when they met Tuesday on topics ranging from the treasurer's office to participatoin in economic development districts. New Treasurer Tammy Peterson asked the board to consider increasing funding for staffing her office. Peterson and the board discussed the matter last week, and commissioners asked Peterson to wait a few months to see what levels were needed. This week, Peterson returned and said the situation couldn't wait till spring. "My office is stretched to the max," she said. "...
While the national media are filled with coverage of the looming fiscal cliff, residents of communities and consumers of commercially caught fish of the lower Columbia River region are facing a cliff of another kind. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted last Friday to ban the use of gillnets on the main stem of the Columbia River, relegating them to side channels and tributaries. The move is part of a plan proposed by Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber that would also give allocation priority to recreational fishers and the professional...
The Naselle High School basketball schedule for the coming week is as follows: Thursday (tonight)- girls home game against North Beach at 5:45 p.m.; Friday, girls away game at LaConner at seven p.m. and boys away game at LaConner at 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, LaConner Tourney with the girls playing at two p.m. and boys playing at 3:30 p.m. Go Comets! For a fun family evening, plan to attend the annual Christmas program at Naselle School scheduled for seven p.m. on December 17. This program is always a big hit with everyone, both those who perform...
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing an emergency translocation of Columbian white-tailed deer from Julia Butler Hansen (JBH) Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer near Cathlamet to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Ridgefield. Steamboat Slough dike, a dike owned and maintained by Diking District 4 along the Columbia River boundary of the JBH Refuge, is eroding and, according to geotechnical engineers, could fail at any time. A December 3 news release said the Fish and Wildlife service believes a dike breach...
The local effort to find new owners and tenants of the closed Columbia View Care Center found a new hurdle to overcome last week. The real estate investment firm that owns the building, Aviv REIT Inc., of Chicago, offered to sell the building to the Town of Cathlamet earlier this fall. Mayor George Wehrfritz formed two advisory groups to look into possible uses and operational costs of the building. When the groups met last Thursday, however, they learned that Aviv has put the building up for sale in an online auction to be held January 23....
Two new laws that reflect a change in values on the part of Washington voters take effect today (Thursday). First, same gender couples will be able to obtain a marriage license, with the first weddings coming Sunday after a mandatory three-day waiting period. Second, possession of small quantities of marijuana will be legal under state law. This change in law, officials say, leaves a lot of questions to answer. Adults 21 years of age and older will be able to possess an ounce of marijuana in plant form, 16 ounces infused, and 72 ounces cooked...
Wahkiakum County commissioners adopted their 2013 budgets and acted on other business at their Tuesday meeting. Commissioners held a public hearing on the budgets on Monday; new Treasurer Tammy Peterson was the only person to comment. Peterson asked that the board increase a part-time position from 88 to 89.5 hours per month, the standard for county part time positions. She also asked that a staff position paid partially out of the Current Expense Fund and partially out of the Treasurer's O&M Fund be paid completely by Current Expense. The O&M...
Wahkiakum County commissioners plan to hold a meeting next week in Rosburg to gather public input on the potential effects of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber's plan to move gillnetting out of the main channels of the Columbia River. Kitzhaber's plan would move gilletting into side channels called select areas where hatchery fish are conditioned to return. The plan would give priority on allocations of salmon to recreational fishers, and it would allow commercial fishing with new methods such as beach and purse seines that provide better release...
Members of the Wahkiakum School District board of directors had a quick, light meeting on November 20. Superintendent Bob Garrett said there was no new or old business to consider, only staff reports and approval of meeting minutes, volunteers and supplemental contracts for coaches, and for two new policies. Wahkiakum High School Principal Stephanie Leitz reported that high school staff are using the free hour of the Thursday late start for collaboration. Teachers are working in two groups, math and English/language arts. Both are looking at...
Commissioners of Port District No. 2 last week approved a $227,300 budget for 2013. The budget includes funding for a new office for the port district. The port has used a building owned by the now-defunct Skamokawa Park and Recreation District as its office on the edge of the port's Skamokawa Vista Park. Port officials say the office is run down and inadequate for office needs. Commissioners agreed to proceed with purchase and installation of a park model building as the new office. The building would be located inside the park, and if the...
Wahkiakum County election officials wrapped up the 2012 General Election this week. Officials on Monday counted the nine ballots which had arrived since the previous count on November 6; on Tuesday, they reviewed results and certified the election. In the county's closest race, for the District 1 county commission seat, Mike Backman maintained his lead over Greg Prestegard. Backman led by 22 votes on December 6; he led 1,116-1,093 after votes were counted Monday, a 23-vote difference. In the county's other contested races, Dan Cothren defeated...
Wahkiakum County officials crunched numbers one more time Tuesday as they put finishing touches on their proposed budgets for 2013. The board went over requests for increased spending from department heads and wrestled with projecting how much, if any, deficit the Current Expense Budget will have next year. In the end, the board of commissioners decided to plan to divert $200,000 from the County Road Levy to cover a possible shortfall in the Current Expense Fund, which finances most county departments. It would be the third year for a diversion...
Wahkiakum County commissioners handled a variety of business at their Tuesday meeting. Emergency Management Director Beau Renfro reported he plans to evaluate possible new sites for the county's Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The center is activated in times of natural disasters or public health emergencies. Currently, the center is in the basement of the River Street Building. However, its quarters are temporarily filled with the Cathlamet municipal library while the old town hall building is remodeled. Renfro has designated the Cathlamet...
A winter storm that packed hurricane force winds and dumped five inches or more of rain hit the lower Columbia River region Sunday and Monday. The heavy rains brought flooding to the Grays River Valley on Monday and led to landslides that closed SR 4 in several places Monday afternoon between Cathlamet and Longview. The National Weather Service reported a gust of wind of 104 miles per hour was recorded on Naselle Ridge. Wind gusts tipped a semi trailer on the Astoria-Megler Bridge Monday morning, and the bridge was closed most of the day....
Members of the Helping Hand Food Bank have asked the Town of Cathlamet to consider leasing a parcel of land to become the site of a new food bank. Helping Hand representatives discussed the matter with members of the Cathlamet town council at the council's monthly meeting Tuesday. Craig Brown, architectural advisor for the group, said the site offers numerous advantages over the food bank's present site at the foot of Broadway Street. Among the advantages, he said, the new site would offer better access for the public and for deliveries of food...
The LaConner Braves put an end to the Wahkiakum Mule football season with a 41-20 decision last Saturday at Mount Vernon. LaConner advances to meet the Raymond Seagulls next Saturday, 3 p.m., also in Mount Vernon. The Mules finish the season with a 8-2 record. "They were a good football team," Mule Coach Eric Hansen said of LaConner. "They were bigger and faster." The Mules started the game with a bang, taking the opening kickoff and moving downfield through the passing of quarterback Lars Blix, who completed the drive with a two-yard plunge...
Wahkiakum High School observed Veterans Day last Friday by listening to speakers, enjoying music by the band, reading poems and essays, and thanking veterans for their sacrifices. Two veterans addressed the crowd, which included middle and high school students, staff and faculty, and veterans and their families. Lt. Commander Brent Freeman, a Cathlamet resident about to be deployed to the western Pacific, told the crowd that veterans "are special people who we hold dear to our hearts." "I ask you students to make a donation that won't cost you...
