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

BRRR--As this last week of October started, we woke up to a very cold, frosty white but clear morning on Sunday and it was just 27 degrees. I am thankful we had power because it would have been even colder in a hurry! I heard that some folks in Cathlamet and Puget Island wound up without any power for a bit that morning, so those folks who had alternative heat/power sources, were certainly glad they had that option. Considering this is the second outage in a short amount of time, I hope it's not a sign of things to come as Winter has yet to even begin! But once again, this is a good test run for whether or not you are really ready for a truly, long lasting emergency situation, and if you were feeling without during these short outages, now is the time to act and plan accordingly so you'll have everything you need to get through it and still be warm and cozy instead of cold and miserable!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from Oct. 29-Nov. 4 are Brad McNally, Tristan Parke, Maurice Mooers, Elaine Britt, Aubrea Helms, Christie L. Davis, Ellee Crouse, Tim Patching, Mike Wright, Miley Montgomery, Chris Spitzer, Pete Cooper, John Hannah, Lisa Robinson, Aki Yokoyama, Starla Hanson, Mitchel Vik, Phil Corbin, Carol Blalock, Bev England and Steven Ronninghaug.

Those celebrating anniversaries this week are Mr. and Mrs. Gene Dixon, Mr. and Mrs. Aki Yokoyama and Eric and Rachelle Velezquez. May you all have wonderful birthday and anniversary celebrations! Belated anniversary wishes go out to Herb and Anita Mosteller who celebrated their special day this past Monday.

ENGAGED--It looks like the Chamberlain/Blain/Cochran families will have another addition to the family before long, as Tiernan Cochran of Richland, grandson of Jim and Karen (Chamberlain) Blain and son of their daughter, Jenny, has just recently gotten engaged to Amber Gatewood of Pasco. That was certainly exciting news so we want to send our hearty congratulations to the couple and we'll be looking forward to their wedding in the near future!

THIS IS IT: HALLOWEEN WEEKEND--I have to say, the current weather forecast isn't looking too bad for Halloween this year, but then around here, one just never knows. I'm writing this at the beginning of the week and often times the forecast changes several times during the week, so let's hope that the wet Friday forecast is wrong this time, as it certainly would be nice if the Neewollah Days at the high school on Friday afternoon would see some drier weather. Then on Saturday, the kids are looking forward to the "trunk and treat" event held at the River of Life Church on Main Street in Cathlamet on Halloween beginning at 5 p.m., and they are sure hoping to see that nice weather that's forecast. Have a great Halloween that just so happens to fall on a Saturday and includes a full moon that evening to boot; enjoy!

ALSO SATURDAY--To those who would like to pay their respects to Jean Wika Kenner, don't forget that there will be a gathering at the Norse Hall on Puget Island this Saturday at noon. You are asked to wear a mask and practice social distancing while you are there. Once again, our sympathies to the family.

Also during the day on Saturday, there will be the Rosburg Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., so head on over the hill to the hall and enjoy all of their various goodies. Want to be a vendor for $10 or have other questions? Call: 360-465-2574.

WALK-N-KNOCK CHANGED--Every year, the Wahkiakum Lions Club members and helpers go around and collect food for our local food banks. They will still be collecting food, only this year, due to Covid-19, they won't be able to come directly to your house and pick up things, and instead, they will be at the Puget Island Fire Station on Nov. 7, where you can come by and drop off your items between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Food Drop Boxes: I'm told there will also be places around town where you can drop off groceries so watch for those and please help the Lions Club out again this year, as this is a very important food drive for our community. As we all know, the holidays are fast approaching and times have been extra tough this year and many are in need of assistance, so please do what you can. Trust me, your generous donation will truly be appreciated! If you have any questions, contact Renee Robert at 360-849-4003.

MUSEUM--There are many interesting things at the museum in Cathlamet and even more things coming to light every day as members browze through old records and people offer up more insights into the past. Many things get forgotten over time, so often old scrapbooks or diaries in one's family can shed light on some of these events, so if you happen to find something that you think might help in the continuing search for relative information about our area, please give the curator a call. More importantly, they could certainly use our financial help to make ends meet and to improve other aspects of things that are already there, so if you could, please make a donation by sending it to: WCHS (Wahkiakum County Historical Society) at 65 River Street, Cathlamet, WA 98612.

THINKING OF THEM--I was sorry to hear that Debbie Beebe-Olson had to have more surgery this week and is still asking for folks to keep her in their thoughts and say a few prayers for her. Sadly, she has lost all her toes on one foot, so that's really devastating news, but hopefully all the infection will have been removed and she won't have any more issues with that.

Also, I've heard of several others that have not been well lately or are undergoing some serious issues, so for all those who we know, but wish to be nameless, we are thinking only positive thoughts on your behalf. Take care!

BALLOONS--We all love balloons but they can certainly be destructive, and in so many ways, so if you do get them for an upcoming celebration, please be responsible and dispose of them properly and whatever you do, do not let them loose! Not only do they not "evaporate" or disappear into our environment, but they can kill birds or cows or horses or marine life after they've been set free, so besides polluting, they are actually killing things. To top it off, these things have also started many fires, as they get caught in power lines and short out, causing sparks, which in dry areas, can lead to an out of control fire in no time. So, let's enjoy the balloons but when we're done with them, let's be sure to deflate and dispose. It's the right thing to do!

NEW FOLKS--It seems like every day I hear of someone who has joined the "Cathlamet Area News" Facebook page, and who say that they are new to the area, and I have to say, the list is getting pretty long. Some folks have actually moved to Puget Island or down here in Skamokawa, but at any rate, they are new to our general area and we certainly want to welcome them here. If you happen to be one of those people who have gotten new neighbors, I hope you've introduced yourselves and you've also told them about our local newspaper. Many are wondering what to do and some are already willing to jump right in and volunteer, so that's great to hear! If they get this paper, then they will be able to keep up on all the latest and also find a group that is looking for extra hands (all of them are) and they'd love to welcome new members to their group or a volunteer to help with the various events and things that go on around here. While this is a challenging time with Covid restrictions in place, some things are still going on, so please feel free to inform your new neighbor of all the opportunities for him or her to get involved in their new home. So here's a big, "Welcome to Wahkiakum County," folks!

GREAT ARTICLE--If you are one of those folks who gets the Seattle Times, you will have noticed in the October 18 edition of the PacificNW section, a very nice article about our one and only, the "Duchess of Cathlamet," the Congresswoman from Wahkiakum County, the late Julia Butler Hansen! For those of you who are new to the area, her home sits at the corner of Main and Butler streets in Cathlamet and you have probably driven over her other namesake many times, as the bridge to Puget Island is named after her. She was quite the force to be reckoned with back in the day, as she was reelected six times and took part in many ground-breaking bills in regards to equal pay and higher education and more. She retired in 1975 and passed away in 1988 at the age of 80.

Back in the day, all of my kids got to work for her in one capacity or another, and they all remember her with great fondness. She loved her yard and garden and taught the boys a lot about taking care of her beloved plants and she made sure my daughter made those windows in the house shine by using newspaper to clean them! At any rate, it's a great story of a great lady, which covers pages 10-18; I hope you got to read it, as it's a great history into the role of women in politics, and one of the leaders which came from our very own little county.

OUT OF THE PAST--This week back in 1950, the big news on Halloween was that many towns and roads were under water in Oregon, after five days of pouring rain, which led to several deaths and others missing in the flood waters. Many towns were isolated due to the highways being blocked and trains were unable to run as well. This all meant that schools were closed and lumber mills were forced to close and new areas were evacuated due to the rampaging Willamette River. Hundreds of people had been evacuated from Eugene, OR as the river crested.

Shocking news that week as President Truman was the target of an assassination attempt at his home, the Blair House, by two gunmen carrying German luger pistols. A battle with guards ensued and one of the attackers was killed and the other wounded, while three of the president's guards suffered gunshot wounds as well. There had been no warning about the attack coming, which took place just prior to the president's scheduled departure from his home, as he was on his way to make an appearance at the Arlington National Cemetery.

The Everests were happy that week, as Ralph Everest returned home after spending five weeks at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland. All this according to my Grandma Elsie Everest's diary.