The Eagle brings Community to Wahkiakum

Since 1891, The Wahkiakum County Eagle has reported on our little community by the river, and it's time we return the favor. This article and the other stories on this page were written by Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce staff with the goal to spotlight the past, present, and future of this community newspaper. We hope we can accomplish that, and want to start it all off by asking these questions to readers What's your first memory of The Wahkiakum Eagle? What's an article that sticks in your head? Have you ever been featured in an article? These are things to ponder as we dive into the folks that keep this community informed by reporting on the seemingly small and mundane but truly meaningful to those who call this place home.

A community newspaper with humble beginnings

As Ian Brandon shows me around The Eagle office, the smell of newspaper and clanking of old metal printing tools take over the senses. The Main Street office is as much a journalism museum as it is a functioning newspaper headquarters. Ian explains to me that at The Eagle's beginnings - and for a good chunk throughout its history - publishers would piece together articles and ads and then load into a large press for print. With the large old printing press sitting grandly in the middle of the office and the shelves filled with old prints of past editions, one can't help but to think if these walls could talk...

If they could talk, they certainly would have some stories about Rick Nelson, who served as owner and editor for decades. Rick's memory is certainly still felt by everyone, as stories were abundant during my visit. Even those that didn't get to meet him, like current editorial assistant Jennifer Figeroa, still feel the connection as she wrote last week's feature about the Rick Nelson.

"I never got to meet Rick, but it's clear he set the standard and made an impact on this community in a positive way," Figeroa commented.

"Rick treated everyone equally," Ian chimed in. "Whether you agreed or disagreed, he respected you and you respected him."

For decades, Eagle readers would open their paper Thursday mornings to see his articles, photos, and the stories they portrayed. As many employees of The Eagle do, he wore many hats and put his nose to the grindstone. Former Production Chief Geri Florek knew this all too well. By chance, Geri happened to be stopping by the office for some copies when I visited. Despite the fact she was running errands in her retirement, I was able to speak with Geri for a few minutes.

"Bob was really the best boss," Geri recalled of Rick's father and former Eagle Editor, Bob Nelson. "But then Rick came in and bought us [an] A/C, so he got bumped up." Overseeing much of the business operations, Geri worked at the Eagle from 1994 until 2024. Through the many stories and experiences, Geri can't seem to choose one that stands out, but her relationship with her coworkers was like family. "For 30 years we worked side by side and just developed a relationship where we knew what the other was thinking... except the program password that one time," she joked with Ian.

135 years later, and here we are. Still the same small community newspaper. While the times and technology has certainly changed, the true spirit of The Eagle has not.

It takes a village

The Eagle is still owned and published by the Nelson family. Jacob Nelson who lives and works in Seattle is still involved on a daily basis. Jacob manages the financial side of The Eagle and is a repository of institutional knowlege having grown up in the newsroom. Every Wednesday morning Jacob joins the staff by zoom for final editing.

The night before they publish the paper there is someone behind the scene that most people don't know about. Melinda Pride starts proofreading the paper from her home in Corvallis, Oregon after the staff goes home. Melinda, Rick Nelson's cousin also grew up in the newsroom. Melinda makes comments on grammar, and is a fresh set of eyes that catch typos and layout mistakes.

Looking up at a white board in The Eagle office, one can see news stories and dates, assignments to reporters, and page by page layouts of the upcoming issue. One thing that stands out is that every staff member's name is assigned not just somewhere, but everywhere. Like many in our community, The Eagle staff wears many hats.

Take Editor Kirk McKnight for example. A recent addition to the Eagle, Kirk brings his skillset as a writer and published author everywhere. Chamber of Commerce Board meeting? He's there. Clatskanie Track Meet? He's getting the results. Right back across the river to feature a Puget Island resident? He's asking all the great questions. Born and raised in Las Vegas, his passion for sports and journalism is apparent when talking about a news article that stands out. "UNLV Running Rebels upset of Duke in the NCAA tournament," he says firmly after a quick ponder. "Seeing the headlines and the picture, reading about the game. It just brings me back," he added.

Then there's Paula Marx-Rush, the advertising manager who coordinates everything from classifieds, legals, business ads, and more. Paula uses her past experience as a paralegal to handle the legal notices. "There's so many important nuances when it comes to the legal stuff, it's not always fun," Paula says. "But someone has to do it, because this community needs that information. We're often the only source for some."

Even in this day and age, with diverse news and media sources so plentiful, some seek out the Eagle for its focus on the local people and stories.

"That's one struggle for journalism in general I would say," commented Figueroa. "People either don't trust the news, or are simply burnt out by it. Especially on the national level. So, we keep it local, transparent, and neutral." Figueroa commutes from Kelso where she was born and raised before enlisting in the United States Navy as a personnel specialist. The veteran and mother, no stranger to chaos, thrives on the local aspect of reporting on people and events that matter to readers and actually impact their lives.

It's safe to say that the Eagle wouldn't be what it is today without Ian Brandon. Part business manager, part photographer, part historian, Ian seems to dabble in just about everything. "I moved into this community and everyone was so welcoming," Looking back to his start at The Eagle, Ian said, "I was doing odd jobs here and there, and then decided to send some stuff to The Eagle. It worked out. I kept doing it, not expecting much, and then out of nowhere, I got a check. I guess I was hired then." That was in 2021. Since then, Ian has helped oversee and get through arguably the toughest times in Eagle history, including the passing of beloved Publisher Rick Nelson. "Because of the institutional knowledge lost, it was a very tough time," Ian said. "But this community and the citizen journalists that reported while we were short [on] writers really stepped up and helped us get through it."

Through the long hours, fast approaching deadlines, and occasional grammatical errors, The Eagle still prides itself on its ability to bring local news to a rural environment like Wahkiakum County. The importance of small-town journalism can be summed up by Geri, who said, "It's the only way people have to know. Don't cover local, people don't know. People need us to be informed and we have an obligation to inform them."

Soaring into the future, and into the surrounding region...

According to the Northwestern University Local News Initiative, "more than 3,200 print newspapers have vanished" since 2005. Newspapers continue to disappear at a rate of more than two per week. In the past year alone, 130 newspapers have shut their doors. In addition to these closures and mergers, papers are reducing their print coverage, including shifting from dailies to weeklies or ending print publishing altogether." So how has The Eagle lasted for 135 years? Consistency in focus of articles and, yet, at the same time, changing with the times. First, it was moving from a physical print set-up to computer editing, then the Internet and web publishing, and now beyond into the ever-uncertain landscape of social media. The Eagle has endured its growing pains throughout these changes, but it still remains.

The Eagle, as we've known it, simply can't survive without expanding. New pages featuring Rainier and Clatskanie Oregon have been included. "We simply have to expand in order to survive," explains Ian. "We will always focus on Wahkiakum County but expanding into these other towns allows us to increase our readership. The loss of the Clatskanie Chief which was formed in 1891, the same year as The Eagle, was seen here as an opportunity."

Territory is not the only change on The Eagle's radar. A much needed improvement to computer software and technology is their hope for the near future. "We're definitely using outdated software that has its challenges," said Paula. "For example, the newest update to our editing program can't actually happen because our computers are too old."

No matter the social, economic or political climate, The Eagle has always endured because its focus remains the same: community. With community and reader support, The Eagle can continue to endure for generations to come.

Thank you to the readers, the letter writers, the citizen journalists, photographers, the business owners placing ads every week, the Sheriff's department for their cooperation, the groups and individuals bringing together community events and programs for newsworthy stories, and the many, many more we're sure to have missed. Please continue your support of independent community news and support The Wahkiakum County Eagle.