Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 1876 - 1900 of 2699
Well, back to the lake in our field and driving through inches of water to get out to the highway. It’s not all bad though. We have seen swans for the first time in years, and the usual flocks of duck and geese, as well as blue herons wading in the water. It looks like more is on the way, so guess I’d better do a little stocking up. My husband and I watched our dogs run down the hill from the house on Sunday and followed to see what they were after. Lo and behold, stuck in an icy pond close to the Grays River, was a sea gull. What a sight! He...
The Washington state legislature is poised to pass a law recognizing marriages of same gender couples. Governor Chris Gregoire got the ball rolling before the state of the current legislative session when she said she would sponsor the legislation. She said she had considered the issue and concluded it would be the right thing to do. Here are her comments, as reported by The Associated Press. “It’s time, it’s the right thing to do, and I will introduce a bill to do it,” Gregoire said. “I say that as a wife, a mother, a student of the law, and...
Commissioners of Port District No. 2 reviewed their contract for legal services and discussed other business when they met for their monthly meeting on Tuesday. Attorney Tim Hanigan requested the commission consider updating their contract for legal services. Neither his office nor port staff can find a copy of the original contract, which goes back to the port's formation in the 1960s. Commissioner Kayrene Gilbertsen suggested the commission could issue a request for proposals and see if other attorneys are interested in working with the...
Wahkiakum County officials are continuing to develop their process for filling the vacant position of director of the Department of Health and Human Services. Commissioners and other officials met last week with heads of health and human services of Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania counties to get their input. Next week, they'll meet with representatives of the state Department of Health. On Tuesday, the board passed Commissioner Lisa Marsyla's motion to make the position of county Public Health Nurse a full time position. Marsyla stated that the...
Wahkiakum County officials are looking for a way to get around a major road construction project at the end of East Valley Road this summer. Storms in early 2009 led to a significant settling of the road, and a long stretch has been limited to one-lane traffic since then. The county road crew periodically has to smooth out areas where it settles, said Public Works Director Pete Ringen. The easiest way to accomplish the settlement project would be to close the road and allow the contractor to dig out the soft material and place a hard base....
By a 2-1 vote, Wahkiakum County commissioners approved payment of a $7,720 bill for a contractor's assistance to the county assessor's office. The payment went to Hagen and Son, LLC, for services dating back to July, 2011. Assessor Bill Coons used the firm to provide assistance in getting valuations done by deadline. Commissioners paid the bill unhappily. They and Coons had gone back and forth last year over funding for extra help, and when the commission refused to give Coons the funding he wanted, he said he would engage a contractor....
What a gorgeous winter wonderland to wake up to this past weekend. I’m sure not everyone thought of it that way, especially if they had to drive to work. Walking in the snow always brings back childhood memories of growing up in Maine. The dogs are in heaven with all the white fluffy stuff to bounce around and roll in. The chickens—not so much. They seem content to stay in the warm henhouse, much like most of us humans who curl up in our warm homes. It looks like the weather will take a wet turn for the rest of the week and probably w...
The Wahkiakum Lady Mules basketball had a rough week, losing two Central League games. On Tuesday, the Mules traveled to Pe Ell and lost 63-35. The Trojans jumped to a 21-4 first quarter lead, and the Mules couldn't get back in the game. Baylee Olsen led the Mule scoring with 11 points. Haylee Budd and Brieanna Olsen each scored eight, and Blaine Land and Maya Stanley each had four. Budd had nine rebounds, Brieanna Olsen six, Sam Boyce five, Stanley four and Land and Baylee Olsen three each. Brieanna Olsen made four assists, and Land, back in...
Wahkiakum County commissioners voted Tuesday to hold a public hearing on the sale of a Puget Island farm property seized from a Vancouver man convicted of drug charges. The board also held a broad discussion with citizens urging commissioners to cut other county services before cutting the sheriff's department any more. Officers seized the property on East Birnie Slough Road earlier this year. The owner was charged with manufacturing marijuana in Clark County; he pled guilty to diverting electricity around a meter in Wahkiakum County. The...
Wahkiakum County commissioners adopted an ordinance Tuesday that will lower the speed limit on the Elochoman Valley Road from SR 4 to Family Camp Road later this year. Valley resident Mike Mouliot had asked the board last year to consider the move. He said population growth had increased the number of driveways and drivers in the lower portion of the valley, and safety was becoming an issue. Commissioners asked Public Works Director Pete Ringen to prepare an engineering and traffic inspection of the road. Ringen presented the report in...
A Vancouver woman has filed a $200,000 claim against Wahkiakum County for the slaying of her son by a Cowlitz County man. The victim, 26-year-old Jeremy McLean, had been shot four times in the head. He was found in the Columbia River at Willow Grove near Longview on December 31, 2008. McLean had been a confidential informant working for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Narcotics Task Force (NTF). His testimony helped send William Reagan to jail on trafficking charges in 2008. While on pre-trial release, Reagan got an aquaintance to lure McLean to a...
We had a wonderful surprise visit from our daughter and son-in-law when they showed up on Saturday. They decided to make the trip to pick up some firewood and deliver a sample of some of their latest brewed beer. We certainly enjoyed the visit and the nice weather to boot. News from Naselle: If you don’t have one already, the Comet Booster Club birthday/anniversary calendars are available now. They can be purchased at the school in the district office, at Okie’s in Naselle and at the Rosburg Store for $4. A great way to keep track of bir...
Wahkiakum County Commissioners handled a variety of business Tuesday in their first meeting of 2012. Public Works Director Pete Ringen reported that a landslide is threatening Loop Road. A portion of the slope between the road and the Grays River slid away on Friday downstream of the Covered Bridge. Ringen said the County Road Department would install barriers to close the road down to one lane while he works on a solution to the problem. "There are many components to consider," he said. The river is eroding the toe of the hill, and the top of...
Wahkiakum County Commissioners heard some good advice Tuesday about replacing retired Health and Human Services Department Administrator Judy Bright, who announced her resignation in December for health reasons. Commissioners heard from the administrators of health and human services departments in Skamania, Clark and Cowlitz counties from Dr. Alan Melnick, health officer for Clark and Wahkiakum counties, and Wahkiakum's deputy directors weighed in also. Commissioner Lisa Marsyla invited the officials to offer input and insights, saying that th...
In a special meeting last Friday, the Cathlamet Town Council formally accepted a contractor's bid for constructing a new waste water treatment plant. The new plant will replace the sewage lagoons at the mouth of Birnie Creek with a new facility across SR 4 from Thomas Middle School. Construction should begin this winter. In other business, council members agreed to seek re-negotiation of a contract with Wahkiakum PUD for supplying water for the Puget Island Water System, and they adopted a resolution to update emergency medical services...
Happy New Year to everyone. Here’s hoping this year brings only good things to all of you. News from Naselle: After a nice long school break, classes are back in session and students are ready for a new year, hopefully. The sports calendar for this week includes Thursday-high school girls basketball with Valley at home at 5:45 p.m.; Friday-high school boys basketball with North Beach at home at 5:45 p.m.; Saturday-high school boys basketball at Montesano at 5:45 p.m. and high school girls basketball with North Beach at home at 5:45 p.m.; W...
The end of 2011 brought a lot of transitions to the ranks of Wahkiakum County's public employees and volunteers. Three county employees retired after decades of public service--Kathy Durrah, a clerk in the auditor's office, Danny Eaton, a skipper of the ferry Wahkiakum, and Eddie Blaine, a member of the road crew on the Westend. It's time for a break--I hope they enjoy it. Some of the people leaving their jobs leave big shoes to fill, and I hope we'll continue to see them involved in public service. David Goodroe has left the Cathlamet Town...
The Naselle Comettes claimed the girls' KM Trophy with a 63-32 win over the Wahkiakum Mules last Thursday. The Comettes roared to an 18-5 first quarter lead and never let the Mules into the game. Carly Kitzman led the scoring, scoring 36 points for the Comettes. Makenzie Matthews added 10, Katie Green six, Victoria Corona and Ciara Sandell four each, and Briannan Olson two. Sam Boyce led the Mule scoring with 11 points. Baylee Olsen added eight, Haylee Budd seven, and Brianne Helms and Marissa Washington three each. The Mules, playing without...
Wahkiakum County Commissioners last Wednesday closed the upper end of the Elochoman Valley Road temporarily because of danger from a rockslide at Milepost 10.3. At this point, the County Road Department will install safety barriers, and then the road may re-open. Engineers will observe the slide and develop a long term solution to the problem. "We will be monitoring the slide, particularly after intense rainfall," Public Works Director Pete Ringen said Friday. "Unless we see a dramatic change, we will add features at this location in the next...
Wahkiakum County's department of Health and Human Services is looking for a new director. Current Director Judy Bright informed the county board of commissioners last week that she is resigning effective the end of this month. "Due to ill health, I am resigning my position of Wahkiakum County Director of Health and Human Services effective January 1, 2012," she wrote in her letter of resignation. "I want to thank each of you for this amazing opportunity to work for Wahkiakum County and wish you the very best." On Tuesday, county commissioners...
Wahkiakum County Commissioners on Wednesday closed the upper end of the Elochoman Valley Road temporarily because of danger from a rockslide at Milepost 10.3. At this point, the County Road Department will install safety barriers, and then the road may re-open. Engineers observe the slide and develop a long term solution to the problem. "We will be monitoring the slide, particularly after intense rainfall," Public Works Director Pete Ringen said Friday. "Unless we see a dramatic change, we will add features at this location in the next couple...
The Wahkiakum Lady Mule basketball team had ups and downs in action this past week. On Tuesday, the Mules beat the visiting Mossyrock Vikings 62-34. The Mules led 25-21 at halftime. Their press crushed the Vikings in the third quarter, with the Mules outscoring the visitors 24-7 in the period and moving to a 49-28 lead going into the final quarter. Brieanna Olsen led the scoring with 21 points. Sam Boyce added 14, Haylee Budd nine, Baylee Olsen eight, Maya Stanley six, and Brianne Helms and Marissa Washington three each. Boyce also had 10...
Law enforcement officers from two counties praised the work of the Cowlitz/Wahkiakum Drug Task Force when they met with the Wahkiakum County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. Wahkiakum commissioners haven't funded the county's membership fee in the organization for a couple of years, and Wahkiakum Sheriff Jon Dearmore and the other officers suggested the commissioners should fund the membership fee and negotiate to catch up with the county's $150,000 unpaid fees. Speaking on the issue were Cowlitz Sheriff Mark Nelson, Kelso Police Chief Andy Hami...
The Wahkiakum County Board of Commissioners held a special meeting Wednesday, 2 p.m., to consider the possible closure of the upper Elochoman Valley Road. A landslide blocked the road near Milepost 10.3 last Friday, and the County Road Department had to clean rock and debris to reopen the road. On Tuesday, Public Works Director Pete Ringensaid he was concerned about the stability of the slope above the road, which consisted of fractured basalt. Ringen has asked a geo-technical engineer to check the slope and give an evaluation so that he can...
The Wahkiakum Lady Mule basketball team gained two wins this past week. On Thursday, the Mules rallied in the second half to edge the Naselle Comettes 48-44. The two teams ended the first quarter tied 5-5. The Mules led 18-16 at halftime as Haylee Budd put in a shot at the buzzer. In the third quarter, Comette Carley Kitzman led a Comette surge that built a four point lead, but the Mules, sparked by freshman Sam Boyce, responded and led 31-27 at the end of the frame. The Mules built a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and held on for the...
