Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 1051 - 1075 of 2280
Members of the Cathlamet Town Council had a quick and easy meeting Monday. Three of four different presenters in the new business section of the agenda were unable to come to the meeting. Councilmembers discussed the pending move of town offices from the Scarborough Building on Main Street to a building on the town's old sewer lagoon property. The Cathlamet Fire Department has used the building for storage, and it will need some remodeling, including addition of a restroom, to accommodate the town offices. Councilmember David Goodroe suggested...
There won't be a religious manger scene this year on the Wahkiakum County courthouse lawn. The Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce has, for years, decorated the lawn and plantings with holiday lights and figures, including a Santa Claus. On Tuesday, five men asked the board of commissioners for permission to add a religious manger scene to the decorations. "All we're asking is to put up a small scene out there which wouldn't interfere with anything else out there," said Len Lindsey. "We just feel we have a right to put this out there, and we would...
Wahkiakum County commissioners will lobby this winter for better representation of the commercial industry among high level state officials. Gillnetter Kent Martin of Skamokawa presented Tuesday an economic analysis of the industry's value to the county and suggested how it would fade under current fishery management practices, which, he said, increasingly put recreational fishers' interests over those of commercial fishers. "It's an attempt to castrate the economy of the county and turn it into a service industry," he said, adding that coastal...
Wahkiakum County commissioners approved budgets for 2015, approved road and ferry improvement programs and acted on other business when they met Tuesday. The board had met on Monday for the statutory public hearing on the proposed budgets, and the only real discussion concerned salaries in the public works department. Public Works Director Pete Ringen plans to retire, and the board has planned to fill the position in-house with a staff member who won't have his engineering license until 2017. He would become public works director, and until he...
Members of the Cathlamet Town Council on Monday reconvened their recessed November 17 session to act on a resolution raising property taxes. The council voted 4-0 (Council Member Wally Wright was absent) to raise the tax rate 1 percent, the maximum allowed by law without a vote by the public. The increase will be $725.98 for a total levy of $73,324.13. The proposed 2015 budget totals $3.4 million. Among the funds totalling over $100,000 are the Water Operations and Maintenance fund, $784,700;...
Wahkiakum County commissioners will hold their annual public hearing on their 2015 budgets next Monday, 10 a.m. in the commission's meeting room. Commissioners went into the budget preparation process thinking they were looking at a revenue shortfall for the Current Expense Fund, which covers most courthouse services, and the preliminary budget shows $900,000 deficit that the board will have to clean up during the week. Estimated Current Expense revenues are $4.5 million, while expenditures are $5.4 million. Overall the treasurer's predicted...
Wahkiakum County's lawsuit with the state Department of Ecology over the application of biosolids is attracting attention across the state and nation. National groups are weighing in on the biosolids issues, and counties and municipalities across the state are watching the case to see how it applies to the regulation of marijuana cultivation, processing and sales. In 2011, Wahkiakum County adopted an ordinance banning the application of Class B biosolids, septage or sewage sludge to any land within the county. The ordinance allows application o...
The Cathlamet Town Council gave initial approval to the town's 2015 budget when it met Monday. After going into executive session, the council also authorized Mayor Dale Jacobson to seek legal counsel regarding potential litigation against Skillings Connolly, the firm that has been designing the street light improvement project, and the council approved a $23,197.70 payment to the lighting contractor for recent work. The budget has little change from current levels, officials said Monday. The committee that drafted the budget focused on...
Wahkiakum County commissioners discussed their comprehensive plan and other issues in a 25-minute meeting Tuesday. Lily Kolditz, a member of the commission's Real Property Rights Advisory Committee, said that board has been examining the work done a few years ago to begin updating the county comprehensive land use plan. They discussed that update with the county planning commission at a recent meeting, and they feel the draft needs to be changed to keep the plan from tying the county to onerous land use controls. Kolditz suggested the board see...
Commissioners of Port District No. 2 on Tuesday approved expansion of electrical connections, removal of some trees, and purchase of small computers for commissioners. Commissioners authorized Manager Janet Bryan to call for bids on extending RV electrical connections to camping sites along Skamokawa Vista Park beach. "I think we are in agreement that this would be a plus for the park," said Commissioner Kayrene Gilbertsen. Commissioners also authorized Bryan to look for a contractor on the port's small works roster of pre-qualified...
Individuals and families looking for health insurance this fall have 15 insurers and 230 health plans to choose from starting Saturday, Nov. 15. According to a news release from the Washington State Office Insurance Commissioner's Office, the average approved rate change was 1.5 percent. Originally, the insurers requested an average 8.3 percent increase, but it was lowered after a review by the commissioner's office. “The number of choices consumers have this year is evidence that Washington state’s individual market is thriving under hea...
The Washington Court of Appeals on November 4 ruled against the Wahkiakum County ordinance banning the application of biosolids. In 2011, Wahkiakum County adopted an ordinance banning the application of Class B biosolids, septage or sewage sludge to any land within the county. The ordinance allows application of Class A biosolids, which have a higher standard of treatment than Class B biosolids or septage. According to a Department of Ecology news release, the decision, that state law cannot be overridden by a local ordinance, was upheld by...
Wahkiakum County election officials tallied late arriving general election ballots last Thursday, and results remained unchanged from the county on November 4. The count did solidify passage of the Wahkiakum School District special levy, which needed only a simple majority vote to pass. The levy will raise $125,000 for four years for purchase of computers and other equipment of classroom use and school building security. The count also solidifed re-election for four county officials who faced challenges from candidates who qualified by drawing...
by Rick Nelson There were few surprises in Wahkiakum County's general election voting on Tuesday. The county auditor's elections officers counted 1,492 votes and have another 200 that will be counted 9:30 this morning (Thursday). That count may well decide the Wahkiakum School District's request for a special levy to raise money for security and technology upgrades. In Tuesday's tallies, there were 582 votes in favor of the measure, 50.65 percent, and 567 against. The measure needs a simple majority to pass. Incumbent Prosecuting Attorney Dan...
by Rick Nelson Health officials and service providers are preparing for the possiblity that the Ebola virus may arrive in the region. Speaking Tuesday before the Wahkiakum County board of commissioners, county health officer Dr. Sarah Present said health officials feel very confident that the threat of Ebola's arrival is very low. State health departments in both Washington and Oregon have had response teams on low level alerts for three weeks, she said. "Here in Wahkiakum County, we are at very low risk," she said. "In Washington, there have...
Gail Wahlstrom and Jill Merrill are showing their art in the Luminari Arts Gallery opening this Saturday as part of Astoria's Art Walk. They'll be on hand 5-8 p.m. in the gallery. "Gathering" presents the joint efforts of the two Naselle/Grays River artists, who work with an environmental consciousness, using natural and repurposed materials, and capture the spirit of the northwest with their creations. Wahlstrom has been drawing and creating since childhood, and delights in painting on organic surfaces such as birch bark, pressed leaves and...
The Wahkiakum Mule 2014 football season came to a close in a 46-21 loss to the Toledo Indians last Thursday. The Mules had a bright start; they dumped the Toledo ball carrier for a four-yard loss on the game's first play from scrimmage. However, on the second play, the Toledo runner took off for a 63-yard touchdown. A conversion kick gave the hosts a 7-0 lead at 11:15 of the first quarter. The Indian defense kept the Mules on their heels most of the game. Toledo scored three more times in the first quarter for a 27-0 lead after 12 minutes. The...
Wahkiakum County and the US Army Corps of Engineers plan to team up with Puget Island residents to sponsor and finance placement of dredged sand on eroding shoreline. The erosion is a recurring problem, and over the years county government has taken the lead in sponsoring projects with the Corps to replace the eroded sand. The county can't continue to keep sponsoring the project on its own, commission Chair Dan Cothren told a group of Island residents invited to meet Tuesday with Corps and...
There were few surprises in Wahkiakum County's general election voting on Tuesday. The county auditor's elections officers counted 1,492 votes and have another 200 that will be counted 9:30 this morning (Thursday). That count may well decide the Wahkiakum School District's request for a special levy to raise money for security and technology upgrades. In Tuesday's tallies, there were 582 votes in favor of the measure, 50.65 percent, and 567 against. The measure needs a simple majority to pass. Incumbent Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow had a na...
Wahkiakum County commissioners heard a report from the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce and handled other items of business Tuesday. Chamber Executive Director Ashley Turner said Chamber events and activities in the past year have shown success. Membership has grown and now stands at 129 members, 115 from Wahkiakum County. The Chamber crab feed in March was a successful fundraiser. About 65 percent of the customers were from outside the county. The Chamber will have a seating for people under age 21 next year, she said, and that should draw local...
Joey Moore caught a 5-yard pass from Gunnar Blix as time expired to give the Wahkiakum Mules an 18-13 win over the visiting Mossyrock Vikings. The Mules battled adversity all game as steady rain made ball handling treacherous. Mossyrock scored at 5:33 of the first quarter after getting a Mule fumble at the Mules' 20-yard line. The conversion kick gave the Vikings a 7-0 lead. In the second quarter, the scene repeated as the Mules fumbled away at their own 20 and the Vikings scored at 4:44. The...
Wahkiakum County commissioners heard a variety of reports and requests at their meeting Tuesday: --Cathlamet resident Ora Prestegard asked what the county could do to help establish a clean and sober house for people recovering from substance abuse; --After discussion with US Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager Gail Saldana, the board agreed to extend the closure of Steamboat Slough Road to allow a contractor to complete work on the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge setback dike; --Commissioners rejected a request from District...
Joey Moore caught a 5-yard pass from Gunnar Blix as time expired to give the Wahkiakum Mules an 18-13 win over the visiting Mossyrock Vikings. The Mules battled adversity all game as steady rain made ball handling treacherous. Mossyrock scored at 5:23 of the first quarter after getting a Mule fumble at the Mules' 20-yard line. The conversion kick gave the Vikings a 7-0 lead. In the second quarter, the scene repeated as the Mules fumbled away at their own 20 and the Vikings scored at 4:44. The...
Members of the Cathlamet Town Council acted on a variety of business when they met Monday. The council will hold a town hall meeting November 10, 6 p.m., in the River Street Meeting Room, to discuss hookup fees for sewer and water systems. A Rosedale business man has suggested the county and town discuss and update utility line connection fees in the Rosedale area served by the Boege Road line. The town and county, which funded the extension, charge different fees. The town's is lower to encourage connections, of which there have been few, if...
The Wahkiakum Mules edged the visiting Winlock Cardinals 18-13 in the Mules' homecoming football game on Friday. Winlock took the lead at 11:49 of the second quarter when Dawson Hall shot a gap in the Mule line, snatched the ball from Mule quarterback Zach Brown and raced 60 yards for a touchdown. The conversion kick put the Cards up 7-0. The Mules scored with 1:21 left in the first half on a 15-yard pass play from Gunnar Blix to Joey Moore. The conversion kick failed, leaving the Mules...
