The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

SPRING HAS BEGUN--There were a couple of very nice days last week with plenty of sunshine to make us "drowned rats" feel a lot better and of course, give those avid lawn lovers a chance to head into their yards as it was perfect weather for mowing the lawn. Our actual first full day of Spring, which was last Sunday started out pretty wet though so I'm hoping that the weather forecast for a drier weekend actually winds up being true.

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from March 24-30 are Sharyl Iblings, Makenzie Anderson, Vance Miller Jr., Leif Carroll, Aaliyah Montgomery, Jordyn Wirkkala, Daniel Rust, Jeri Webb Foster, Hap Anderson, Mary Dominique, Karl Johnson Jr., Buzz Moore, Gordon Souvenir, Sandi Cik, Phil Rolf, Judy Bates, Emily Tanksley, Pam Emery, Hank Hanigan, Sandy Anderson, Dawn Pedersen Machione, and 67'er Melvin Brown. Happy Birthday everyone!

Those celebrating anniversaries this week are Mr. and Mrs. Brian McClain, Joel and Pam Moore, Rodney and Patty Ingersol, Richard and Roberta Backman and Scott and Deanna Ahrndt. Here's to wonderful anniversary celebrations to all of you!

TODAY--It is Maundy Thursday at the Skamokawa United Methodist Church and they will hold a special dinner for the occasion. Hopefully you've already contacted them if you want to attend as the food supply is limited for this once a year event. It may be too late to join in on this if you haven't already called, but contact Randi Curtis at 795-0628 just in case they made a little extra.

FRIDAY BINGO--We hope all you bingo players will head to the multi-purpose room at the grade school in Cathlamet this Friday, where there will be a fun evening of bingo with the doors open at 5:30 and games beginning at 6 p.m. This is a fund raiser for the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds.

FRIDAY MOVIE--The Community Center in Cathlamet will show a free movie this Friday evening, which is labeled as a "classic, foreign film" but it is R rated. This film won an Oscar for best foreign film in 1990. Start time is 7 p.m.

There are many other things going on at the center, like "brown bag lunch and social time" from 11 to 3 every first, third and fourth Friday of the month, so that could be a great way to meet some new friends. There's also a group that likes to walk and another that enjoys reading so if you'd like to learn more, you can either stop by sometime or call the center's co-ordinator, Cheryl at 795-7870 Ext.2.

CUB SCOUTS--The Skamokawa Grange at 18 Fairgrounds Road is the place to be for youngsters on Friday evenings who want to be involved in Cub Scouts troop #556. You're invited to stop by and see them and check out how you too can join the group; they meet at 6 p.m.

SATURDAY AM EGG HUNT--Don't forget to gather up the little ones and come to Vista Park where the Lions Club will hold their annual Easter Egg hunt on Saturday morning. All the fun begins at 11 a.m. Don't be late as those kids have a way of sweeping an egg field clean in no time!

DEMOCRATS GATHER--Also this Saturday morning, beginning at 10 a.m., the Democratic caucuses will be held. All those east of KM mountain will meet at the multi-purpose room at J.A. Wendt Elementary school in Cathlamet and on the west end, they will be at the Rosburg Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend but only those who will be 18 before the general election and registered voters will actually be able to vote for the nominee of their choice.

FOS/ROBOTS--Don't forget that this Saturday afternoon, March 26, is the big day for the "Battle of the Robots" event being put on by area students at Redmen Hall from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information contact Redmen Hall at 795-3007 or Jill at 795-8675. The hall is open Thursday-Sunday from noon to four.

EASTER--We hope you all have a "Happy Easter" with friends and family as we celebrate this holiday a bit earlier than usual. The date of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around as we use the Roman calendar.

SPORTS--There will be lots of action when our Mule athletes take to the various fields this coming week, as the boys baseball team will play Winlock at home this Saturday at noon; and the track and field team will host a home meet next Thursday at 3:30, while the golf team will be away at Adna on March 28 but will play at home at the Skyline Golf Course on March 31, with both taking place at 3:30. We wish all these teams the best as they take to their various fields.

The Warriors track and field team will play at home on March 30 at 3:30, so we wish them the best as well.

SALMON DERBY SOON--All you fishing buffs should be headed out to buy tickets to enter the annual "Hook the Hawg" contest at the Elochoman Slough Marina on April 1 and 2. The cost to enter depends on your age, so the cost will be from $5-$20. These tickets can be purchased at the marina, the Bank of the Pacific in Cathlamet, Moore's Auto, the Wahkiakum Chamber and at the Skamokawa Resort. Monies raised from this event help fund scholarships for graduates at Wahkiakum High School and other Chamber events.

SYMPATHIES--We learned of the passing of Fred Stanley earlier this week and we want to send our sympathies to his wife, Crystal and the rest of his family at this sad time.

OUT OF THE PAST--During the last half of March in 1941, word was received that the Selective Service called up five more men from our area: Obert Peterson from Puget Island; Alvin Chastain from Cathlamet; Willard Haataia and Walter Wirkkala from Rosburg; and William Anderson of Grays River. They would start their year of training beginning March 24. Already inducted and and training in Camp Roberts as of March 7 were Jack Martin, Pete Carstad, Pete Souvenir and Wiljo Kandoll.

Also that week, in 1951, the Skamokawa Grange basketball team finished its season by playing five games in eight days, winning three of the five. In the annual Goldenball tourney in Longview, they got first place in the consolation bracket. Fred Greitl of the Cathlamet Athletics was named to the second all tourney five in that tournament with Ken McNally of Skamokawa receiving votes for the All Star Squad. The new Wahkiakum County Public Utility District #1 building had about 300 visitors checking it out during its Open House.

In 1991 the first full day of Spring was on March 21. It was not a great beginning however, as it was not only wet and nasty, but it hailed and even snowed for a bit! Later on that week it was a mixture of rain, sunshine and clear days but those were accompanied by freezing temperatures at night. It was during this week that Don and Carol Smith (my Mom) moved from their double wide trailer to the single wide one at Marv's court. Needless to say, the whole family was busy moving, rearranging things and cleaning. The third annual Hosanna Musicale took place at the Methodist Church that week with 40 people signed up to sing and entertain the masses, with the theme being "See the World Through Children's Eyes." The 63rd Oscar ceremonies were held with "Dancing With Wolves" taking a lot of hardware and won for Best Picture of the year. Easter was on March 31 that year and after a busy day of fence work, which resulted in my getting my foot smashed by a fence post and barb wire cutting my ear, I was so ready for a break! Thankfully, we met with various family members and had dinner at the Duck Inn and enjoyed their Easter buffet, which was very good and we left feeling like stuffed Easter bunnies! Easter dinner was probably cheaper then as ads were showing a two pound block of Tillamook Cheese for only $3.99 and Wilson's bacon was just $1.09 a pound; a far cry from today's prices! All this coming from old newspaper clippings, Grandma Elsie Everest's diaries and the diaries of Kay Chamberlain.