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

Coast Community Radio will celebrate its 35th birthday with a party for the entire community on Saturday, April 14.

The bash will take place from 6-10 p.m., at the Ruins of the Astor Hotel, 1425 Commercial St., Astoria. DJ and Coast Community Radio programmer Joey Altruda will spin tunes. The event will have a no-host bar as well as snacks and birthday cake for everyone. Admission to the party is free, although donations will be gratefully accepted for the nonprofit organization. All ages are welcome.

Founded by a small group of local individuals, KMUN went on the air on April 17, 1983, with Astorian Liam Dunne voicing the first words: “Welcome to the birth of a station.”

Now called Coast Community Radio, it is the only community station in the region, offering eclectic programming in diverse genres of music as well as local and national public affairs, and children’s programming. The station is also an NPR affiliate.

The station has also endured a storm of a different kind, the perennial threat to defund the federal Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides one-fourth of the station’s budget.

The Tillicum Foundation Board of Directors, which oversees the station and sets policy for it, is working to make the organization less reliant on the federal grant, in part by seeking other grants and holding various fundraisers.