Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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Newspapers like to get letters to the editor. They represent the diverse points of view in our community, and they're often informative. Writers will take on public officials, who by the nature of their elected position, are subject to criticism that goes beyond the limits normally given to private citizens. This week, we received three letters on Tuesday, one past deadline, criticizing Mayor George Wehrfritz and his handling of Cathlamet Fire Department business. Specifically, writers focused on a grant the department solicited from the...
To The Eagle I want to make sure there is no confusion regarding the appeal rights of the Puget Island property owners relating to the new property valuations issued by the Board of Equalization. By now, all of the owners of property on Puget Island should have received their new property valuations issued by the county’s Board of Equalization. Regardless of whether an individual’s property valuation went up, down or stayed the same, property owners have the right to appeal that valuation to the Board of Equalization. If you are a Puget Isl...
To The Eagle: It appears that the "surge" is working. The shock troops that we sent to Washington D.C. last November to fight against President Obama's War on Prosperity managed to make some gains in the deficit and health care battles while keeping the tax monster under control. Not bad considering that our invading troops only nominally control one half of one of the three branches of the Empire. Most observers and tacticians agree that real significant gains will have to wait until next year when we can replace the chief executive and...
To The Eagle: In last week's Eagle, Trudy Fredrickson submitted a letter entitled Land Trust Not Our Friend. She was commenting on the Kandoll Road CLT project where they finally succeeded in forcing landowner Raven Webb to sell her property. I was also sad to see Raven leave. But this is only the beginning. In a recent county commissioners meeting, Mr. Dan Friesz of Columbia Land Trust admitted he was wrong on an issue regarding CLT's Indian Jack Slough, formally known as the Nelson Creek project. In 2010, he said that the project would have...
To The Eagle: Thank you, Cathlamet, Wahkiakum County and Port District #1! During Bald Eagle weekend, nearly 30 boats from the Portland Yacht Club (PYC) enjoyed the newly redone E dock and pavilion at the marina. Five of the classic "woodies" from PYC also participated in the Wooden Boat Show and we cheered as Don Peterson's tug "Hoot" was named Best of Show. Again this year, our members thoroughly enjoyed the parade, the food, the displays and the superb fireworks show but most of all we loved your hospitality. We'll be in Cathlamet again...
To The Eagle: I've been here at the Fort Harrison VA Hospital a week with an infected diabetic foot. Should be released today. I can't say enough good things about the care one gets here. It's not my first time here or in VA hospitals. I had a triple bypass at the Denver VA in 2005 and went to the Salt Lake City VA for my eyes three times. All my experiences have been good. I'm especially impressed with the staff, from the kitchen crew who bring the meals to the nurses and others on the floor, to the doctors I've seen this trip. All are outstan...
To the Eagle, This letter is a little hard to write, as I feel like I’m saying good bye to a dear friend and a true champion of property rights. I want to share my thoughts with her as well as The Eagle readers. This letter is written as my own opinion. Raven Webb has sold her property to the Columbia Land Trust, and will be leaving the area to a new home soon. As she said in her recent letter to the editor, she truly was not a “willing seller.” But what do you do when you don’t have the money to fight any longer against a group that always...
To The Eagle: I am writing to you so that I may publicly thank all who have helped with painting the horse barn and fixing the stalls at the fairgrounds. It was something that needed to be done and the horse people pulled together to get the work done. My thanks go out to Joni Matthews and her daughters Makaya and Makenzie. Also a member of her 4-H group, Jordan Smith, and her friend Robert Eaton. I would also like to thank Starsha and Shakesha Rose. A special thanks goes to Lois Wakefield, who put together wonderful lunches for us and is truly...
To The Eagle: The two food banks of Wahkiakum County are always in need of donations of food and personal hygiene items for families in need. When children and their parents step forth to fill a portion of that need, it is especially poignant. This summer, the Wahkiakum Interfaith Network sponsored Vacation Bible School collected and donated a huge supply of needed food and personal hygiene items for both of our local food banks. On behalf of the board of the Wahkiakum Helping Hand Food Bank, we thank the children and parents who understand...
To The Eagle: Property owners of Wahkiakum County, we must give credit when credit is due. The Board of Equalization held a meeting for the property owners on Puget Island, July 27. The meeting represented at least four months work for the board working against huge odds such as the State doing everything in their power to keep tax assessments as high as possible with total disregard to the true market value of the property. The previous appraiser used a bewildering and impossible grading system which led to many properties being very much...
To The Eagle: Last week's Eagle contained an obituary for Ken Terhaar which listed his extensive community involvement in the Longview area, but what was not included was the role he played in Wahkiakum County. I would like to make sure that local residents realize this and how important it was. For a number of years, Ken served on the board of the United Way of Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties. In that capacity he was appointed to serve as the liaison between that organization and St. James Family Center, which has long been supported by it....
To The Eagle: For years LNG energy speculators promised us, “If we import foreign LNG it will diversify the supply and stabilize natural gas prices.” Now they claim, “If we export our generous supplies of domestic natural gas in the form of LNG it will stabilize prices.” Thanks to Ted Sickenger (Oregonian, July 17) for exposing this ultimate bait and switch scheme. If we allow these energy speculators to export away America’s energy future, you can kiss any form of economic recovery goodbye. In addition LNG terminals will destroy critical...
To The Eagle: It looks like EGT Development’s Larry Clark made a very clever move in his quest to hire non-union workers at the Port of Longview. This battle closely resembles a chess game, Larry’s latest move to hire a different union to man the work at the Port is an effort to pit one union against another. Now, instead of focusing the ILWU’s efforts on EGT ‘s earnings, $2.5 million yearly, they created a distraction. Meanwhile, a CEO from a very large international based corporation has decided to change the way we operate here in Cowlitz...
Once again, I have to congratulate my staff for getting The Eagle out while I was on an unscheduled vacation last week. Betsy, Geri and Caroline did a whale of a job picking up the loose ends. Ruby was on vacation, too, a planned vacation, and she's picked up a big load since she came back. It's nice to know that the paper is in good hands. Not only does the publisher not have to worry, but our subscribers also have the best quality product coming to them that we can produce. I use the term vacation loosely. I developed an infection in my leg,...
To The Eagle: I feel a portion of my duty as sheriff is to inform the citizens of the operational aspects of my office when I can. One part of the operation is vehicle management. We rent our vehicles from Public Works/County Roads Department and pay into a fund for equipment, repair, and replacement. Over a period of years and as mileage increases, a formula is used to calculate vehicle replacement. Typically, we try to replace cars with cars and SUVs with SUVs. However, I feel SUVs are more appropriate for patrol use in our county due to the...
To The Eagle: In 2007 President George Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). This bipartisan bill simply requires that new light bulbs use 25 to 30 percent less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs. No light bulbs are banned. No one will be forced to use one type of light bulb over another type. Michelle Schaefer of Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports states: "Rather, they set benchmarks that are technology-neutral, and manufacturers have already developed more efficient incandescent...
To The Eagle: The Dark Ages are upon us. Not quite here yet, but you can see the lengthening shadows approaching just as depicted in a Harry Potter movie. Using tactics of demonization, our leaders have created apocryphal shortages of energy and resources, bringing the wheels of industry and finance to a grinding halt. Let's take it from the top: Ninety four percent of global trade depends on diesel and gas turbine engines and internal combustion engines allow us commoners to participate in both the production and consumption of this global cor...
To The Eagle: Just wanted to express my thanks to all my clients throughout the years, I will miss everyone. I will be moving at the end of the month. Columbia Land Trust has succeeded in running me out of home and business. My health can not take the constant terror they put me through. This is how they get what they call “willing sellers.” I am not willing but my health and sanity must prevail. Those of you who assume they gave me big bucks are mistaken; I do not even have enough to buy a new home and the financial losses to me are exo...
To The Eagle: Consider this list of words that accurately describe our nation's bank operated money-created -as-debt system--fraud, hoax, swindle, deception, theft, legalized ongoing criminal enterprise, unstable, racket, scam, robbery and looting. These adjectives, shameful, corrupt, unethical, and immoral are also accurate. Are we supposed to be happy with a system like this? This system is forever unworkable. The longer we use this system, the worse things will get because it always creates an ever increasing unpayable debt. It is...
To The Eagle: I've been reading in The Eagle about the big 30 Year Anniversary Party for the Skamokawa Vista Park to be held the end of this month. There is one person I haven't heard mentioned in any of the articles, and had it not been for him, the park certainly wouldn't be as successful as it is today. The person I am talking about is Steve McClain. It was his many years of hard work, love, devotion, blood, sweat, and tears, that built that park and kept it going until he was dismissed. When the powers that be stand up to give their...
To The Eagle: Wallowing in projects here, I just finished The Focus on Wahkiakum, 5/26/11. It's an endearing tabloid that I will share with close friends and visitors. I thank Ruby, Rick and Kay for the thoughtful journalism; all the familiar merchants being solidly there, Geri; and the whole Eagle staff for the extra effort. It's a keeper. Vail St. Vrain Seattle...
To The Eagle: In last week's edition of The Eagle, specifically in the Skamokawa News column, the author Kay Chamberlain promoted the Smoky Water Follies. She listed many cast members and included in many cases the musical and dramatic numbers they were to perform. Kay omitted one very important name. Without this name, the Follies would not have been as successful as it turned out to be. This individual's attention to every detail along with her acting and musical abilities were the reason for the show's success. The name that was left out of...
To The Eagle: KATU, Channel 2 Portland, came to the North Coast June 15 to cover a story about tiny Wahkiakum County's fight with the state Department of Ecology (DOE), a sort of David versus Goliath issue regarding the dumping of sewage within Wahkiakum County. The DOE issues permits regarding this kind of activity state-wide, but Wahkiakum County is also claiming authority. The Wahkiakum Board of County Commissioners recently passed an ordinance regarding the dumping of raw biosolids sewage onto lands that is more restrictive than what the...
To The Eagle: As I'm driving on my way to Long Beach, I near the Wildlife Refuge. Since I'm getting bored with all the scenery, I turn on my blinker and enter. As I wind through the tall grass and trees, I notice all the trash lying around. Then I scan my car and notice all the garbage I need to throw away. "Hmm..." I grab a crumpled McDonalds bag, look around outside then chuck it out the window. "Haha! That felt great." I pass some kids sitting around a fire pit on the beach, one of them carelessly tosses a pop can over his shoulder. "Well,...
To The Eagle: Pursuant to a freedom of information request under Revised Code of Washington to Wahkiakum PUD, I am advised that the PUD manager's salary is $114,865.08 and the auditor's salary is $62,469.84. As of April 30, 2011, the PUD services 2421 electric accounts and 827 water accounts. We must ask, is the management compensation appropriate for the number of rate payers of the PUD and the number of employees? P.J. Fleury Puget Island...
