Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 2326 - 2350 of 2699
The Wahkiakum School District board of directors last week approved a proposal to put fencing around the old high school baseball field. The high school baseball team has used the field which is adjacent to the district's elementary and middle school buildings since schools were built in Cathlamet. School officials had planned to move baseball games to new athletic fields near the high school, but poor drainage makes the new baseball field too wet, said Superintendent Bob Garrett. A softball field on the new athletic fields is drier and...
The Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board came to Cathlamet Monday to gather public input on proposed amendments to the Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery Plan. Only five members of the public, including the press, attended the meeting, but they still had a 90-minute discussion of salmon recovery and related issues. The agency held four public meetings on the plan during the past two weeks. Public comments on the plan, which are available on the Internet at www.lcfrb.gen.wa.us, will be accepted through April 9. The salmon recovery plan was adopted in...
The ferry Wahkiakum should be running today (Thursday) as Clatsop County completes emergency repairs at the Westport ferry landing. The pontoon and loading ramp structure broke apart at mid-day last Friday. Sediment had built up under the float, and at low tide, twisting from lying on the slough bottom caused the float to break away from the ramp. Wahkiakum Public Works Director Pete Ringen reported Saturday that Clatsop County had the necessary permits for the emergency work, and Clatsop has contracted with Bergerson Construction to do the...
Federal officials are showing little willingness to give a break to the contractor who constructed the new Puget Island ferry ramp. The contractor, Bergerson Construction of Astoria, awarded a contract to build the pontoon that supports the floating end of the ramp to an Indiana company, and that firm hired a company that built the ramp in Mexico and incorporated Mexican-made steel in the structure. That violated federal law prohibiting the use of foreign-made steel in construction projects which used federal grant funds. Bergerson officials...
Wahkiakum County commissioners appointed a citizen representative to the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board and acted on other business at their meeting on Tuesday. The fish recovery board evaluates projects that would enhance runs of salmon and steelhead in the lower Columbia region and channels state and federal money into them. Each member county has two representatives, an elected official and a citizen. Hank Johnson, Wahkiakum's citizen representative, recently retired from the board, and commisisoners had three applicants to fill the...
I had the pleasure of finding my first trillium of the year on the hill behind my house, and also my first butterfly of the season. It must mean that spring is really on the way. News from Naselle: No school for Naselle-Grays River Valley students on March 19. Teachers will be working on curriculum improvement. Sports for the week include Thursday, boy’s and girl’s varsity baseball/softball at Ilwaco starting at 4 p.m.; also on Thursday - high school track at South Bend starting at 3:30 p.m.; Friday, baseball at Warrenton starting at 4:30 p.m...
Wahkiakum County commissioners and biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are making progress in their plan to create a chum salmon spawning channel at the Elochoman Salmon Hatchery. WDFW Biologist Bryce Glaser presented a conceptual plan Tuesday with three options to create for the channel, each larger than the previous. "The key is money," said Regional Habitat Biologist Pat Frazier. The department would like to submit a proposed plan to Bonneville Power Administration for funding through one if the agency's salmon...
A drunk driver smashed head on into a school bus, killing two persons and forcing a region wide response by emergency responders to aid the injured. That was the scenario Saturday morning as Wahkiakum County's fire and aid departments, the Washington State Patrol, and Life Flight Helicopter Service practiced responding to a mass casualty scene. Local students and their parents played roles of victims, drivers, and grieving parents. Event coordinators filled an old school bus with children made up with injuries and a list of symptoms to portray....
Members of the Cathlamet Town Council on Monday gave approval to a proposal to site a community garden in Erickson Park. Wahkiakum County's Health and Human Services Department is proposing the garden. Representative Kelly Guest said it would provide a site for people to raise vegetables, and it would involve youth in creating and maintaining the project. Council members approved a draft memorandum of understanding, and Town Attorney Tom Doumit said he would pass it to county officials for their approval. Guest said she wants to start tilling...
Wahkiakum County commissioners acted on two appointment issues when they met this week. The board passed a resolution relinquishing the power to appoint the county fair manager and passing that authority to the county fair board. The board also interviewed three citizens applying to fill a vacancy on the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board, a board which guides enhancement efforts for salmon and steelhead streams in Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Lewis, Clark and Skamania counties. Commissioners said they passed the authority to appoint the fair...
Commissioners of Port District No. 2 discussed a variety of personnel moves as they completed their first month without a port manager. The board voted to fire 28-year manager Steve McClain at its February meeting. They have been advertising for applicants to take his place. In the meantime, Commissioner Kayrene Gilbertsen has been volunteering much time at Skamokawa Vista Park, and the port has been using part-time employees and volunteers to keep the park going. Janet Bryan, who, with husband Rick, is park host at Port 2's Svensen Park on...
Port District No. 2 of Wahkiakum County may get access to county funds to completed facility installation at Svensen Park on Puget Island. The port completed basic work at the park last year, installing a boat launch and dock. However, restrooms and playground equipment haven't been installed, and port representatives on Tuesday asked county commissioners to provide funding to help the port complete that work. Under original plans, volunteers were going to construct the restrooms. The site has a drainfield, water lines and other utilities...
The Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board is seeking public input on proposed amendments to the Lower Columbia Salmon Recover Plan. The agency is holding public meetings on the plan starting next week. The meeting schedule is --March 16, Cowlitz Historical Museum, Kelso; --March 18, Skamania County Annex Conference Room, Stevenson; --March 22, River Street Meeting Room, Cathlamet; and --March 24, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Conference Room, Vancouver. All meetings start at 7 p.m. Public comments will be accepted through April 9....
Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to new plans for culvert and streambank work along the Elochoman and Grays rivers. The Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST) plans to apply for state and federal grants to undertake the projects, said Amy Ammer, CREST habitat restoration specialist. She asked if the commissioners would write letters supporting the projects and grant applications. Ammer said that without county commission support, she wouldn't pursure the funding grants. One project, which has been...
It’s certainly hard to figure out what Mother Nature has been trying to tell us for the last week or so. One day we have shirtsleeve weather and the next is snow flurries, lightning, thunder, hail, wind and long underwear. It looks like a not so nice forecast for the next few days. News from Naselle: It looks like Barb Swanson’s music class had a rare treat on February 26. Local musician, Wilho Saari brought his 16 string Kantele to introduce to the Elementary Music students. He played familiar melodies for them and allowed the students to ask...
What happens when you put together four quarters of high quality basketball game after game? For the Wahkiakum Lady Mules, it meant winning the SW Washington District 2B Basketball Tournament last week. After opening the tournament with wins February 16 and 18, the Mules qualified for state by downing the third-ranked Napavine Tigers 47-40 on February 24. They took on Pacific League champion NW Christian Navigators last Saturday and demolished them 58-44. It was the Mule girls' first district...
Cathlamet Mayor George Wehrfritz this week announced the appointment of a group to advise him on Main Street revitalization. "I have called upon these people to offer me guidance, share their experience, and develop new ideas regarding business retention and new business creation in Cathlamet," he said. Wehrfritz said the objectives are: --Support existing business; --Identify opportunities for new business creation with a focus on those providing goods or services to residents of Wahkiakum County; --Support would-be business owners through men...
Wahkiakum County commissioners hope to get to the bottom of a debate over dates: Does the contract with the ferry crew's union expire March 31, 2010, or March 31, 2011? Commissioner Blair Brady reported Tuesday that the union negotiator makes the case that the contract expires March 31, 2011. The contract was signed March 31, 2008, and it contains a table showing wage adjustments for a three-year period. The negotiator, Brady said, claims that any references to March 31, 2010, are incorrect and stem from use of a new version of computer...
Work on the new Puget Island ferry ramp is nearly finished, but the contractor and county officials have a long way to go to resolve a violation of grant funding conditions. Officials in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are threatening to pull funding after learning that a sub-contractor used Mexican steel in the project. County officials have been seeking a waiver or other solution that would keep funding intact and not severely penalize the contractor, Bergerson Construction of Astoria. So far, that solution remains elusive,...
At the end of their meeting Februrary 16, Port District 2 Commissioners Kayrene Gilbertsen, Carlton Appelo and Brian O'Connor adjourned to executive session with Manager Steve McClain and Attorney Jennifer Hanigan. The board then voted to fire McClain, who has worked for the the district 28.5 years. On Wednesday, Hanigan accompanied him as he cleared his personal effects from the office. The district faxed this statement to The Eagle on Wednesday afternoon, "Port District No. 2 of Wahkiakum County ended its employment relationship with former...
Ask for more, opponents of the proposed Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving plant told Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday. County officials are negotiating with Bradwood Landing's parent company, an agreement to provide maritime security for LNG tankers headed to the proposed terminal. Three weeks ago, the NorthernStar negotiator told Sheriff Dan Bardsley the company would withdraw from negotiations, but the following week, the company asked to resume negotiations, and Bardsley and Commissioner Lisa Marsyla met during...
Eight architects from a variety of firms in Oregon descended on Cathlamet Monday to gather input on possible development of Cathlamet's Town Hall and nearby facilities. The architects spent the morning taking measurements and touring the buildings to see their uses and structure. In the afternoon, they met with town council members and around 80 members of the public to discuss ideas and suggestions for use of the town hall, Pioneer Church and adjacent empty lots. "It's exciting to me that we're...
Voters in the Wahkiakum and Naselle/Grays River Valley school district approved special school levy requests when mail-in ballots were counted Tuesday. Both levies would continue measures which voters had previously approved. Wahkiakum School District voters approved a four-year levy that will raise $927,000 the first year and increase $20,000 per year to a total of $987,000 the fourth year. Estimated tax rate is $2.49 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The vote was 636 in favor, 58 percent, 466 opposed, 42 percent. School levies need only...
The contract to construct the ramp for the ferry "Wahkiakum" may end up in court. The contractor, Bergerson Construction of Astoria, has admitted using steel made in Mexico in the project, which goes against clauses in the federal funding grant which require all steel to be produced in the United States. The contractor, state, local and federal officials are discussing the matter to determine whether not the grant terms have been violated. "There is a potentially serious problem brewing with the ferry landing contract," Pete Ringen, county...
The ferry "Wahkiakum" is scheduled to be out of service February 15 and 16 as Bergerson Construction installs a new ramp at the Puget Island ferry landing. Wahkiakum County Public Works Director Pete Ringen said late last week that the contractor is "able to delay the shutdown for the early morning runs on the 15th which will provide a little more lee-way to those who depend on the ferry." The ferry will be shutdown starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday, he said, and it will resume normal operating schedule at 5 a.m. on Wednesday. "In other words, we...
