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May 26 5:21 a.m. A driver on SR4 near Miller Rd. called to report that they had struck a deer, but there were no injuries and they did not need emergency services. 11:14 a.m. A Puget Island resident called to report that three known individuals broke into their home while they were away and stole items valued at up to $6,000. The resident only wanted to document the situation and did not want the individuals charged. 12:34 p.m. Sheriff’s deputies assisted a Cathlamet resident who locked their keys in their vehicle. 3:06 p.m. The Cathlamet A...
There have been several recent posts on one of the Grays River Valley history pages that serve as a great reminder of the constant changes in our community. Change is inevitable. Even if we long for the "good old days," time marches on, technology advances, and new ideas lead to more efficient ways of doing things. Over 100 years ago, access to the valley was mainly limited to boats navigating various waterways. Steamships traveled up Grays River to W.N. Meserve General Store, located along the...
At the beginning of the season, Naselle Head Coach Randy Lindstrom and the Comets set their goals sky-high. The program sought a return to the state finals and, though they fell just short in the semifinals, the season was still a success, decided by the finest of margins. "When we started, we set our goals very high and checked almost all the boxes," Lindstrom said. "Baseball is such a funny sport. You can play well and almost perfect all year, but all the pieces of the puzzle have to fall...
On Thursday, I attended a meet-and-greet with local author A.S. Martin as part of the Appelo Archives Author Series. It was an informative afternoon discussing his debut book, Chasing Shadows, the first installment in the Whispers of the Forgotten series. The book's back cover synopsis provides a glimpse into the story: "Secrets never die; they wait. When Evelyn Hart inherits her grandmother's bookstore, she expects a quiet life filled with childhood memories. However, a hidden letter changes ev...
Wahkiakum baseball and Naselle softball have seen their seasons come to an end, with the Mules dropping in the state quarterfinals and Comets softball falling in the opening round. Meanwhile, the Comets' baseball team has continued to light it up, and they have just one game standing between them and the state final. Naselle's quarterfinal was "bittersweet" Naselle earned its spot in the baseball state semifinals with a big 25-4 win over Northport on Saturday, May 24. However, Northport entered...
Wahkiakum beat Ocosta in a nailbiter, while Naselle dominated Oakville on May 14, which set up a rivalry matchup between the Mules and the Comets for the 2025 District 4 1B Baseball championship. Naselle ended up walking away the winners, but both teams earned a state berth, cementing themselves as two of the top 12 teams in the state. District tournament The Mules and Comets could not have had more different state-clinching games. Both teams were in a "win or go home" situation when they lined...
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing public understanding of mental health and reducing the stigmas associated with mental illness. This month also celebrates the importance of mental well-being and encourages individuals to seek help when they need it. Unfortunately, stigma surrounding mental health continues to cause discrimination and social isolation, leading many to feel ashamed and unworthy. In any given year, one in five American adults experiences some form of mental illness, and one in every 20 adults...
On Saturday evening, I attended the final performance of The Drowsy Chaperone, Jr., presented by the Naselle Drama Club. The Naselle School Commons was packed for closing night, with family, friends, students, and faculty coming out to enjoy the show. A total of 32 cast members took to the stage, delivering an engaging and creative production. The Drowsy Chaperone, Jr. is a story within a story. The nameless Man in the Chair, played by Arin Sabey, sits off to the side of the stage, listening to...
One self-service library, high school, and grocery store serve the 519 people of Naselle, Washington. The piles of felled logs along the roadsides dwarf the passing cars, signaling to drivers that this town was built on logging. Many Naselle residents have family roots in the forestry sector, allowing them to be intimately familiar with its demands. They also do not often push back on timber harvests that pose no threat to endangered species or their habitats. But an upcoming harvest will fell trees surrounding one of two creeks that supply...
Just like that, the regular season for 1B baseball has come to a close. While it might feel like the spring season has flown by, the biggest games are still to come, and both Naselle and Wahkiakum's baseball programs have a swing at qualifying for the state championships this month. While Naselle has enjoyed resurgent form after a slow start, Wahkiakum's season has been something of the inverse. After starting hot, the Mules have ended the regular season on a cold spell. The following provides...
After being out of town for a week, we returned to a vibrant spring landscape. Areas we hadn't mowed yet had grass growing two feet tall, blackberry bushes were thriving, and the trees had fully leafed out. We spent Sunday afternoon on the mower and tractor cleaning up our property. While I was writing my column today, temperatures soared into the 80s. If the weather continues like this, we may be in for a long, hot summer. On Sunday, we attended the chicken dinner fundraiser at Rosburg Hall...
My grandpa, Edwin Wirkkala, was one of the most important men in my life. A few years before his death, since I was living in Colorado, I committed to visiting him at least every six months. Thankfully, with the support of my husband, a job that allowed me to travel, and sufficient financial resources, I was able to keep that promise. The last time I saw him in person was in Feb. 2020. I had planned to visit again in March with my brother, sister-in-law, and sister, but due to the pandemic, we...
The Wahkiakum Mules baseball team had a tough loss last Tuesday against Naselle, giving up seven runs over the first three innings and only coming up with two over the following four. Israel Velke had the lone RBI of the game for the Mules, and Zane Propst and Preston West scored the team's only two runs. Aiden Scott and Parker Leitz three three innings apiece for the Mules, striking out a combined four batters and allowing only two earned runs. The Mules rebounded Friday, April 25, against Oakv...
The Wahkiakum High School girls softball team got off to a decent start last tuesday, April 22 against Naselle, but the home-team Comets were able to thwart every offensive showing their Mule opponent had to offer. Scoring once in the second inning and three more in the third, Naselle tied the score at 4-4 entering the fourth inning. After the Mules scored in the top of the fourth, the Comets scored with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth. When the Mules scored two in the top of the sixth, the Comets put up three to take the lead...
Following its opening two mercy-rule wins of the season, the Naselle varsity baseball team had to swallow down three straight, low-scoring losses, culminating in a 6-5 loss on April 9 against Knappa. Since then, the Comets have reeled off seven straight victories, including two mercy-rule victories against visiting Ocosta in a double header on Thursday, April 24, and another against Oakville on Monday, April 28. The Comets were led by right-handed pitcher Leith Chadwick, who allowed just one ear...
Following its 10-9 walk-off win against Wahkiakum on April 22, the Naselle Comets softball team took a tough 12-5 at Ilwaco last Thursday, April 24. The Comets were led by Avrey Ford, who knocked in two runs while collecting two hits and scoring a run. Maddie Dielman, Jessie Smith, Brooklyn Leggett, and Brooke Davis each had two hits, and Dielman, Smith, Leggett, and Jaylee Bonk scored a run each for the Comets in the losing effort. From the mound, Ford took the loss for the Comets, striking...
During a recent visit to the Appelo Archives Center, Anita Raistakka lent me the book Recollections of Deep River by Mildred Evans McLean. Throughout her life, Mildred shared numerous stories with her friends and family about the school year of 1913-1914, when she taught in the Salmon Creek District near Deep River. Encouraged by her grandchildren, she decided to write this book about her experiences. Coming from the wide-open plains of Nebraska, Mildred found the Finnish logging community in so...
The Finnish American Folk Festival is sponsoring a Paint Party with Abbie Smith Mumley on Saturday, May 3 beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Naselle Community Center, 14 Parpala Road, Naselle, The cost is $40 which includes supplies, materials and refreshments. Please contact Barb Swanson at bibs40@hotmail.com to sign up....
Featuring students grades 6-12, the Naselle Drama Club presents "The Drowsy Chaperone Jr." for its spring production. Directed by Karli Nelson, the production begins in the apartment of an unnamed character known as the "Man in Chair." He invites the audience to listen to his favorite Broadway record, "The Drowsy Chaperone." As the record plays, Man in Chair takes his guests on a journey back to the 1920s to witness the musical come to life. We are introduced to the wealthy widow, Mrs. Tottendal...
As of today, we're 10 days into the 2025 spring turkey season here in Washington. I don't have much from the field except for a handful of birds taken during the Youth Turkey Season, which was offered statewide to hunters ages 15 and younger from April 1 to 7. During our 18 years in Iowa, Julie and I 'sponsored' (per se) many young turkey hunters. To me, it was the most enjoyable part of the season. These kids asked questions, sometimes a lot of questions, but it reminded me of the basics of Mot...
It was a relatively tame time in the schedule for Wahkiakum's baseball and softball last week. After the teams played against Oakville on April 14, each squad had just one more game. Both squads took on Ocosta, a conference foe, on Apr. 14, but the games had very different results. Both teams played on home turf and, while baseball took home a nail-biting victory, the softball team took a tough defeat by a wider margin. Baseball hangs on It was a razor-thin margin that decided the contest...
FRIDAY- 4/25 River City Strippers Quilting group, 9a.m. - 3 p.m. , 400 Columbia St., Cathlamet. Cathlamet Public Library, 2 - 5 p.m., 115 Columbia St., Cathlamet. Johnson Park Public Library, 5 - 9 p.m., 30 Rosburg School Rd. AA Meeting Hope Center, 6:30 p.m., 320 S. 3rd St., Cathlamet. SATURDAY- 4/26 Redmen Hall noon - 4 p.m., 1394 WA-4, Skamokawa. Cathlamet Public Library, 2 - 5 p.m., 115 Columbia St., Cathlamet. Music Night with Mel & Leah and Friends 4 p.m., 125 Columbia St., Cathlamet. SUNDAY- 4/27 Redmen Hall noon - 4 p.m., 1394 WA-4,...