Articles written by Ruby Murray
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School board considers dual sport athletics
The Wahkiakum School Board reviewed a policy prepared by athletic staff regarding dual sport participation, learned of an incident of drug abuse at school, and conducted routine business at its meeting Monday. The board learned that five high school...
House committee hears bill to cut child care aid
On Thursday, January 12, the Washington House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee held a hearing to examine Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposal to cut 4,000 families off of the Working Connections Child Care program for a savings of $50...
PUD begins union negotiations, plans Feb. 21 meeting in Rosburg
(Editor's note: Our original headline had the incorrect date for a PUD meeting planned in Rosburg to consider a time for meetings in the Westend. The correct date is Feb. 21) The Wahkiakum County Public Utility District board met Tuesday to conduct...
Bill would allow PUDs, ports to provide retail Internet
Wahkiakum Public Utility District commissioners are keeping an eye on Washington House bill 1711, which authorizes PUDs and rural port districts to provide retail telecommunications services to customers within or adjacent to their district. The...
Sandbags available across the county
Emergency supplies to protect property from flooding are available at fire stations through the county, Wahkiakum’s Department of Emergency Management Coordinator Beau Renfro said. Renfro has both sand and sand bags available, but residents must...
County residents register for emergency calling
At present, 208 Wahkiakum County residents have taken advantage of an Emergency Community Notification System offered through the Wahkiakum’s Sheriff’s Office, Department of Emergency Management, that sends emergency phone calls to their cell...
PUD commission reviews infrastructure
During a short meeting Tuesday, Wahkiakum Public Utility District commissioners reviewed the district’s plan to maintain and replace its infrastructure. Gene Healy accepted his new role as president and began by thanking Commissioner Dennis Reid...
Local resources can help keep resolutions
People who use the beginning of the year to consider lifestyle improvements may benefit from local support. While county residents are not statistically different from state residents on many health measures, there is room for improvement according...
Library sponsors Teen Library Night
The Wahkiakum Community Network (WCN) wanted to see a safe, fun place for teens to spend time when they funded Cathlamet Public Library’s $2,000 proposal to create a Teen Library Night. The library hired Patrick Carrico, a local artist and...
Irene Martin puts finishing touch on Bumble Bee
Flight of the Bumble Bee: the Columbia River Packers Association & a Century in the Pursuit of Fish, by Irene Martin and Roger Tetlow, is a tribute to the fishing communities of the Columbia and the company that employed thousands of workers and...
Tsuga Gallery reopens
Cathlamet’s Tsuga Gallery, Janet Cimino’s gift and vision to the community, has re-opened following a remodeling that created more display space and a classroom area with a kitchen. The Tsuga Art Association runs the gallery and includes about 25...
PUD considers health care
Wahkiakum Public Utility District commissioners will pass the gavel in their usual rotation in 2012. Commissioners agreed that Gene Healy will be president, Bob Jungers, vice-president, and Dennis Reid, secretary. The PUD did routine business and...
School board considers 2-sport athletics
The Wahkiakum School Board asked district coaches to propose how student athletes could participate in two sports concurrently. The board continued the discussion it started in November with parents Lamar and Wendy Blix whose sons, in junior high...
Liquor initiative bringing change to county consumers
While she waits for the outcome of two lawsuits filed to stop the implementation of Initiative 1183, which eliminates state-run liquor stores, Cathlamet Liquor Store owner Janelle Seaberg is considering what to do if the law takes effect on June 1....
Two-sport athletes at WHS?
The Wahkiakum School Board met the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and considered allowing student athletes to participate in two sports concurrently. Board members Tony Boyce and Tina Schubert were absent; vice-chairperson Mike Quigley conducted the...
Census shows county's ethnic mix unchanged
According to the 2010 census the ethnic breakdown for Wahkiakum County’s population of 3,978 is 94 percent White. Black persons were .03 percent of the total, American Indian and Alaska Native 1.3 percent, Asian persons 0.6 percent, Native...
Veterans Day assembly celebrates freedom
The Veteran’s Day celebration at Wahkiakum High School has taken on a familiar form in recent years, with student leaders lighting a candle for each branch of service and reading essays or poems they write in Mrs. Tina Landroche’s classes. For...
Port 1 raises rates, salaries, cuts rentals
Port District No. 1 commissioners raised management employee salaries 2.5 per cent at their meeting November 10. The manager’s annual salary will be $47,279 and the assistant manager’s $29,456. Both positions are full time and receive health...
Veterans appreciate community's support
Veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam attended ceremonies at Wahkiakum High School on Wednesday, and Julius Wendt Elementary School on Thursday morning, last week. Elementary school staff wiped tears during the assembly, and they weren’t...
PUD considers waiving water connection fee
During a brief meeting Tuesday, Wahkiakum Public Utility District Commissioners Dennis Reid and Gene Healy discussed reducing or waiving connection fees for the Western Wahkiakum Water Systems (WWWS) or the Puget Island Puget Island Water System...
Donkey ball raise funds for coaching
The Donkey Ball game scheduled for this Saturday is being played to offset the cost of coaches’ stipends for the school district. Two years ago, with basic education suffering budget cuts, the Wahkiakum School District board decided to look at...
Marine Resources Committee considers projects
The Wahkiakum County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) is working through its second funding cycle and discussing more projects that could improve the local Columbia River fishery long-term. The committee includes Port District 2 commissioner Kayrene...
Low income energy application deadline near
Wahkiakum residents who have received LIHEAP or Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds in the past, or who think they may be eligible, must call to make an appointment on November 16. People who qualify receive funding for electricity, firew...
PUD increases water, electric system rates
The Wahkiakum Public Utility District commissioners increased rates for its water and electricity customers at its regular meeting Tuesday. The board also agreed to travel to the west side of the county for the second meeting of the second month of e...
Census: Little change locally in 10 years
The 2010 census provides no big surprises for Wahkiakum county residents. The county grew four percent, from 3824 in 2000 to 3978. Averages can be misleading, but they offer food for thought. Wahkiakum County lines up with Washington state on many...