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

PRETTY NICE--The first weekend in July was pretty doggone nice, as we had temperatures in the 70's and a nice breeze, so that was much more to my liking than those higher temps we had a short while ago. It was also looking dry for the big 4th of July celebrations that were going on, so that's always nice, as last year we were a little wet out here in West Valley. Here's hoping we keep that good weather for all our upcoming festivities around our area!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from July 6-12 are Irene Martin, Jaiden Mahitka, Patricia Dursteler, Samantha McClain, Jalynn Rainey, Mallory Bosch, Lee Wages, Kurtis Bergseng, Justin Perkins, Tyler Heagy, Steve Hart, David Shrum, Mike Thomas, Megan Miller, Jayla Grasseth, Sunny Manary, Brad Towery, Dean Takko, 67'er David West and grandsons, Bryce Good and Blake Sechler. Enjoy those birthdays everybody!

Belated birthday wishes go out to Philomena Thomas; sounds like she had a good one!

Celebrating their anniversaries this week are Gary and Pam Emery, Lance and Heidi Souvenir, Rex and Veronica Gilbertsen, Carol Carver and George Exum, Mr. and Mrs. Dana McClain, Paul and MaryAnn Ehrensberger, Ken and Beverly Peterson and Greg and Cindy Lloyd. May all your wedding anniversaries be super special for you this year!

AS OF FRIDAY--In case you missed hearing it, there is a Burn Ban in our county beginning tomorrow, Friday, July 7, so don't risk a fine and start up a big burn pile. Check out last week's Eagle for all the dos and don'ts of burning in approved fire pits, etc., and the same goes for campfires. With things drying out quickly in our area, and the breezy afternoons, it wouldn't take much to have a fire spread quite quickly. Recently there was a massive wildfire in our state which got started because someone just wanted to burn a couple of weeds, which was certainly a costly and devastating result of a very poor decision, so don't be like that guy!

THIS SATURDAY--It's Flea Market time at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds this coming Saturday, July 8, so come down and check out their treasures, or you can rent a table and sell some of your own! The event begins at 9 a.m., and goes until 3 p.m.

THIS SUNDAY--If you want to meet some of your west end folks, why not bring a potluck dish with you and head over to the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park, and join in a Community Potluck Picnic? That's this Sunday, July 9. For more information, call 360-465-2310.

GET WELL--We want to send our "get well" and "here's to a great recovery" wishes to Art Pedersen, aka "Big Art" or "Gunther." According to his sister, Sherry, he recently had knee surgery and came through the surgery okay and now just needs to go through the recovery and rehab time. By the time he gets all done with that, we hope he'll be in much less pain than he had been and won't have to rely on a wheelchair anymore.

I also heard that Sharrel Mooers took a little tumble and we wish her a speedy recovery, as even when nothing is broken, those bumps and bruises can often be quite painful. Take care Sharrell!

BED BEGINS NEXT WEEK--It won't be long and our long awaited Bald Eagle Days celebration will be upon us. There are a few of the festivities that start on Friday, July 14, so you may want to check those out. There's going to be a Kick-Off to the BED at the Tsuga Gallery that Friday, as it's also their anniversary so stop by the gallery and check out all the fabulous art work there, from paintings, to carvings, to jewelry, photography and more! There's also going to be a fun time over at the Puget Island Farmer's Market that day, with their opening hour at 3 p.m. A sidewalk chalk contest is going on by the Bank of the Pacific as well.

Then it's full steam ahead on Saturday: Breakfast by Kiwanis, beer at the brewery, parade, vendors, and more, topped with fireworks in the evening. What a great day it will be; don't miss it!

SYMPATHIES--Sorry to hear of the passing of Pat Potter, as she was instrumental in putting on the dinners in Grays River, so I know she will be truly missed by all those who counted on her services. We send our condolences to her family.

REMEMBERANCE--The basement was full at the Norse Hall this past Saturday, July 1, as family members and friends came to the Celebration of Life Memorial Service for Ronda Brown Rose that day. Pastor Theron Hobbs emphasized cherishing the people we love, and as we grieve, remember the good times and good memories that those we have cherished, have brought to us.

ROADKILL--With all the activities going on and masses of people traveling to and fro this holiday weekend, there weren't too many people able to bring tractors to the Roadkill Saloon for their first Tractor Poker Run, but kudos to those who did show up for a bit, before having to take those tractors back to work, after all, it is hay time in Skamokawa! At any rate, I understand Ric Murdock took First Place, Roy Pfenniger took Second Place, Third place was Mason, who showed up between chores driving a tractor from Skamokawa Farmstead Creamery, so congratulations to them!

According to their list of upcoming events, they will have a Rod Run and local Poker Run on July 15 between Noon and 3 p.m. For any information, either stop by the Saloon or call April, Thursday through Sunday at 360-606-0179. In case you haven't heard, the Roadkill Saloon is located at 8 Fairgrounds Road here in Skamokawa and was formerly known as The Oasis Tavern.

ALUMNUS SINGS--Recently, Laurie Miller, who was a WA-KI-HI graduate, sang the National Anthem for the Puget Sound Senior Baseball league, so kudos to her for another fantastic rendition of our anthem. Laurie has been asked to sing the anthem at many events, and with her lovely voice, she wows them every time. She will soon be singing at the Washington State Fair, so once again, we offer her our congratulations for being chosen for this honor. Way to go Laurie!

FOURTH CELEBRATIONS--Some folks started celebrating the Fourth of July a bit early and held family gatherings and BBQ's a little early, as not everyone had the day before, or the day after the Fourth free, so the only way to celebrate with their family members, was to do it early. Of course, the early fireworks were not exactly welcomed by everyone and I heard plenty of complaints, especially from the animal owners, as the big booms were especially terrifying for the outdoor critters. I see where Italy has made their fireworks silent, so while they still have the huge splashes of color in the sky, there is not the huge booms that frighten animals or bother other people who may suffer from PTSD.

LOOKING AHEAD--It's already time to start thinking about what you can donate to the Friends of Skamokawa's annual Wine Tasting and Auction event that is held on the second Saturday of September every year. Your help is greatly appreciated and we hope you'll donate something fabulous for the auction, like baskets of goodies, gift certificates, artwork, etc. Any questions, call 795-3007.

A new event is happening in mid-September as the members of Tsuga Gallery are going to be putting on an Art Festival. There will be nine places showing art work with many more things going on, from poetry readings to music, so keep Sept. 15 and 16 open and check it out. For more info you can call the gallery at 795-0725. It is open Thursday through Sunday.