Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 1726 - 1750 of 2699
The sounds of concrete pumper trucks, cranes, excavators and trucks hangs in the air about SR 4 at Cathlamet. Pacific Crest Construction and its subcontractors are hard at work building a new waste water treatment plant for the town of Cathlamet. The $8 million plant will replace Cathlamet's sewer lagoon sewage treatment. The project is scheduled to be complted around the end of 2014. Sewage will flow down to pump stations near the present plant and be pumped uphill to the new plant. There the wastewater will work its way through an oxidation d...
What would her father say now? A child of a US serviceman, Carol Peacock spent her childhood in Germany where, in a region saturated with museums, ancient architecture and artists at work on street corners, she developed an interest in art. Her father didn't encourage that interest, telling her that art was only a hobby and to take up something that would make money. "I kept playing at it," she recalled in an interview Tuesday. "I was precocious and got sent to my room a lot, and I would draw. I liked it." Peacock returned to the US as a...
How does one adequately say thank you to a community and its people for all their prayers, love, hugs, and support when you need it? Well, here goes. Last Thursday morning, my husband suffered a stroke and lost his ability to speak and his right side is paralyzed. Thank you, Grays River EMS folks for your gentleness, kindness, speed and professionalism as well as your medical skills in getting him to Longview in a timely manner. As volunteers and friends, you are each one in a million, and I appreciate you so much. To everyone who has called,...
The Wahkiakum Mule football team opened their 2012 campaign with a 34-14 victory over the visiting Mossyrock Vikings last Friday. The Mules showed they could run the ball and pass it as well as they piled up a 21-0 halftime lead. The Vikings twice failed to convert fourth down plays in the fourth quarter and gave possession to the Mules in Viking territory. The Mules took advantage of the good field position. Steven Doumit scored on a five-yard run at 8:54 and Peter Weiler kicked the conversion for a 7-0 lead. The second drive featured some...
The constitution of the state of Washington states that to be a superior court judge, one must be admitted to practice law in the courts of record of the state. Puget Island resident Dennis Gordon is a retired college professor and still works as a consultant in his field, nutritional biochemistry. He is not a lawyer. So why is he mounting a write-in campaign for election as Superior Court judge of Pacific and Wahkiakum counties? The answer to that question, Gordon said this week, is that he had a bad experience with a divorce case in...
Wahkiakum County officials are still evaluating their choice of design for a new county ferry. The problem revolves around how much work they want to do and how much they want to spend to match the new ferry with the new ramp built two years ago at the Puget Island landing. In other business Tuesday, commissioners dealt with a variety of issues relating to county Health and Human Services Department (H&HS). With the imminent hiring of a new full-time director of H&HS, they voted to terminate the consulting contract with interim Director Sherri...
In a special meeting last Friday, members of the Cathlamet Town Council voted 4-1 to affirm overtures to Wahkiakum PUD to discuss combining water system billing. Mayor George Wehrfritz approached the PUD in August to ask if that agency would be interested in investigating the feasibility of joint meter reading, billing and posting of water system accounts. Wehrfritz said the concept had come from discussions he had had with the council's two-person utilities committee. PUD commissioners responded they were interested, but they asked that the...
This week, I announce some changes in staff. Reporter Melissa Linquist is leaving us, more or less. When we hired her last spring, she was completing her student teaching. It looked like none of the local school districts would be hiring a full-time elementary school teacher, and she would be a substitute teacher. That would have allowed her to continue as our part-time reporter. Alas, the Ocean Beach School District experienced some staff changes in August, and when an elementary position came open, they snapped up our enterprising reporter....
I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend and enjoyed the nice weather we had as well. There were lots of things going on all over the area with yard sales, bake sales, Farmstock in Naselle, and barbecues with friends and family. Haymakers are still working on getting the bales made and stored away for the winter feedings. Derek Heitsch is making hay on one of our fields, and it seems to be taking forever with the moisture in the air during the nights. His cows will enjoy it later with all the nice clover from that field. News from Naselle:...
The Wahkiakum Mules and other high school football teams start their seasons this Friday Night. The Mules will jump right into Central League play and host the Mossyrock Vikings. Mule Coach Eric Hansen expects a hard fought game. "They have the same staff as last year, and they only graduated five players," he said. "They'll be improved. "Our league is tough. It will be a war every Friday night." Hansen thinks Adna, Napavine and Morton/White Pass are the three favorites for the top spots in the league. Napavine returns their big offiensive...
In its fourth year, the Cathlamet Downhill Corral longboard festival continues to become more refined. Race organizers increased the number and difficulty of events. More racers and fans came to town, and for the most part, everyone seemed to enjoy the competition. "Cathlamet has become a major stop for downhill racing," said Rob McKendry, III, who announces the races and provides commentary based on 20 some years of skateboarding. Organizers limited the Sunday Downhill Race to 96 racers, and they enjoyed shooting down the Cathlamet Hill,...
Wahkiakum County commissioners hope they have a new administrator for the Department of Health and Human Services (H&HS). Three candidates for the job visited the courthouse last Thursday for interviews with commissioners, department staff, and representatives of community health providers. On Tuesday, Commmissioners Dan Cothren, Blair Brady and Lisa Marsyla met in executive session with interim H&HS Director Sherri McDonald to evaluate the candidates. After the session, McDonald recommended hiring Sue Cameron of Lake Oswego, Ore., and the...
After nearly a month without rain, we drove in from Oregon on Sunday evening and looking to the west, sure enough, the rain was back. Not much though, just enough to irritate the farmers who are still making hay. News from Naselle: Before school begins for the 2012/13 year, many will be enjoying a last long weekend and finishing up their school shopping. Then back to the books. Here’s to a fantastic new school year. The first day of school will be on Tuesday. Check with the school office if you have questions about classes or bus schedules. S...
Wahkiakum County Election officials completed counting votes from the primary election on Tuesday. The final counts didn't change outcomes from the initial tallies. In the race for county commissioner, District 1, Greg Prestegard tallied 183 votes, Mike Backman 153, Stephanie Prestegard 133, and Bill Wilkins 44. The top two candidates advance. In the race for commissioner, District 2, Dan Cothren tallied 338 votes, and Joan Harvey-Chester had 178. In the race for county treasurer, Tammy Peterson led with 579; Marlena Silva had 470, and Susan...
Commissioners of Port District No. 2 of Wahkiakum County reviewed and acted on a variety of issues at their meeting Tuesday. Commissioners decided to wait until 2013 before contracting to expand wireless internet service in Skamokawa Vista Park. The park's current service provider offered a proposal that would expand present limited coverage to cover one third to one half of the park. However, Commissioners Kayrene Gilbertsen and Lori Scott--commission Chair Brian O'Connor was ill and didn't attend--acknowledged that other providers might be...
The Cathlamet town council authorized on Monday a call for bids for remodeling the town hall building and also passed resolutions closing streets and curtailing parking in this weekend's Cathlamet Downhill Corral longboard festival. With the council's approval, Mayor George Wehrfritz said the town would call for bids as soon as possible for the town hall project. He hopes to be able to open bids in mid-September, award the contract by the end of the month and have construction going by early October. If all goes well, the work could be done by...
Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday handled a light agenda in quick fashion. The commission approved an updated contract with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agency will provide $34,871 for the county Marine Resources Committee. Committee chair Carrie Backman said the committee has earmarked a number of uses for the money in 2012-13. These include $20,000 for the director, $500 for advisory council representation, $1,050 for a Cathlamet Waterfront Visioning Conference, $1,828 for the Columbia River Citizen Science...
Thank you Mother Nature, we really are getting a summer. This weather is great, not too hot for too long and it even cools down at night. We had the pleasure of Steve and Linda Ramsay’s grandchildren coming over for a hot dog roast with s’mores and ice cream the other night after they went swimming in the Grays River near our house. Kids sure have a way of brightening the day. Thank you for the kid fix, Sarah, Skyler, Logan, Brandon and Brenton. Come back any time. Oh yes, glad to have Steve, Linda, Brandon and Amanda as well. News from Nas...
Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber's proposal last week to address salmon allocation and related issues created some surprise and dismay on the Washington side of the Columbia River. Briefly, Kitzhaber proposed moving gillnetting into the select fishing areas such as Deep River and Young's Bay, giving recreational anglers a majority of run harvest allocations, and allowing the developing alternative gear fisheries on the mainstem of the river (see adjacent story for more detail). Local fishers fear the plan, if implemented, would have an adverse...
The board voted to notify its liability and property insurer, the Washington Rural Counties Insurance Pool, on its intent to withdraw from the pool on August 31, 2013. The notice is required by the county's membership in the pool. The move allows the board to contact other carriers, such as the Washington Association of Counties (WASC), to compare rates and coverage. If the board finds no benefit to switching carriers, it can rescind the notice and maintain membership in the rural counties' pool. Commissioner Blair Brady supported the move and...
First, we are reminded once again of all the wonderful volunteers we have in our region. This week, we'll enjoy the county fair, largely run by volunteers. Last Sunday, volunteers put together a fabulous fund raiser for a cancer victim. The weekend before, we had volunteers putting on festivals in Skamokawa and Naselle, and the weekend before that, Cathlamet's Bald Eagle Festival and a new festival at the Grays River Valley Center. Volunteers put on a couple forums for political candidates in July. The Grays River Grange held one of their...
Have you had a chance to watch any of the meteor showers this week? With the clear skies most evenings, we have been enjoying a few sightings while sitting in the hot tub. What a relaxing way to spend the evening. I hope you have also taken advantage of the beautiful, warm weather this past week, but it looks like another weather alert for today with extremely warm temps. Remember to make sure your animals have lots of opportunity to get out of the heat and have access to fresh water. News from Naselle: I had an opportunity to try out the new...
Wahkiakum County Assessor Bill Coons has good news and bad news for property owners. The good news is that property valuations are going down to reflect trends in the real estate market. The bad news is that property tax rates may go up to meet the amounts already set for collection in tax levies. "Given our system of taxation, just because values go down doesn't mean taxes will go down commensurately," Coons said Tuesday. On Tuesday, Coons informed the board of county commissioners that after the valuation of property in eastern Wahkiakum...
Wahkiakum County voters whittled down a couple races and joined voters across the state in settling others on Tuesday. In Washington's new Top Two Primary, Democrats Tammy Peterson and Marlena Silva advanced to the general election. Peterson received 466 votes, and Silva had 389. Republican Susan Bate trailed with 287. Greg Prestegard, a Democrat, and Mike Backman, an Independent, led in the voting for District 1 county commissioner; Prestegard had 157 votes and Backman 134. Independent Stephanie Prestegard follows closely with 115, and...
They have a free ride through the primary election to the general election, but candidates for Position 1 on the Wahkiakum PUD board of commissioners took their campaigns across the county last week by speaking in candidate forums in Cathlamet and Grays River. Incumbent Gene Healy and challenger Lisa Marsyla are running for Position 1, which represents Puget Island and South Cathlamet precincts. Incumbent Robert Jungers is unopposed in his bid for reelection and didn't participate in the forums. An accountant, Marsyla served as PUD auditor...
