Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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An article in The Daily News of Longview this past week came home for the Wahkiakum County Board of Commissioners. The article reported comments from Port of Kalama personnel saying they are preparing to begin depositing dredge spoil sand on Puget Island farmland owned by Philip and Ivy Lou Vik. The site was identified nearly 20 years ago as part of the project to deepen the Columbia River channel and is just now being developed. According to land use permits, the dredge spoils will be pumped inland and over years piled to a level at the...
By Rick Nelson The Washington Supreme Court last Thursday announced its opinion in the appeal of the recall charges against Cathlamet's mayor and three council members; the court upheld the ruling of Wahkiakum Superior Court Judge Donald J. Richter that the recall charges were insufficient. Following is the opening of the state court's opinion, written by Justice Susan Owens: "This case concerns a recall petition filed against the mayor and three members of the town council of Cathlamet. All of the charges against the councillors and most of...
The Adna Pirates showed why they're ranked fourth in the Associated Press Class 2B state rankings with a 39-21 win over the Wahkiakum Mules last Friday in Cathlamet. The Pirates scored four touchdowns in the first quarter and two in the second to lead 39-6 at halftime. The Mules scored on a long pass play from Kaden Anderson to KC Berry at 3:31 of the first quarter. They added two more scores in the third quarter with Braxton Johns scoring on runs of one and 20 yards. Johns was the Mules'...
Today, the Washington Supreme Court announced its opinion in the appeal of the recall charges against Cathlamet's mayor and three council member; the court upheld the ruling of Wahkiakum Superior Court Judge Donald J. Richter that the recall charges were insufficient. Following is the opening of the state court's opinion, written by Justice Susan Owens: "This case concerns a recall petition filed against the mayor and three members of the town council of Cathlamet. All of the charges against the councillors and most of the charges against the...
Wahkiakum County commissioners covered a lot of ground as they worked their way through a light agenda Tuesday. Public Works Director Chuck Beyer said an examination of a new engine on the ferry Oscar B. showed no overheating problems. The ferry had been out of service Monday morning for mechanics to look for the source of a hot reading. "The engines are fine," Beyer said. The inspections will continue, he said, focusing on transmissions and then other possible sources until they find the source of the heat. Service could be suspended during...
The Wahkiakum Mule football team opened the 2019 season with a 54-21 loss to the Colfax Bulldogs last Friday. The game was part of a double header featuring the Napavine Tigers and Liberty Lancers. The teams met last year at the Mule Stadium in Cathlamet. And what a difference a year makes. Only two of the Mules had played in last year's victory over Colfax. The Mules have just two seniors, and most of last year's mainstays on the line and in the backfield are gone. The host Bulldogs piled up 35 points in the first quarter for a 35-7 lead; they...
Some of Wahkiakum County's eroding beaches will receive dredge spoil replenishment this year, and some won't. Residents of the Cape Horn neighborhood last week learned they can expect a Port of Portland dredging crew to begin depositing spoils along their waterfront. Estimated starting date is September 27. Dredging crew members and US Army Corps of Engineers personnel walked the beach last week with Cape Horn residents to talk about the process. Depositing the sand will take approximately three weeks. Crews will be on the job 24 hours a day,...
With 27 players on the roster, the Wahkiakum Mule football team is ready to start the 2019 season. The Mules will leave school Thursday to travel across the state to take on the Colfax Bulldogs in a non-league game on Friday. They feature just two seniors with playing experience and a bunch of juniors and sophomores who are coming of age, and a couple freshmen who, says Coach Eric Hansen, "might surprise some people." Junior quarterback Kaden Anderson will lead the offense; he missed most of last season because of injury. Experienced running...
Procedure versus practicality: That was the debate Tuesday when Assessor Bill Coons met with the Wahkiakum County board of commissioners to discuss a request to promote two employees. With a senior analyst departed to a new job, Coons said he wants to realign his staff. He'll assume some duties of the departed employee, and he wants to promote chief deputy/residential appraiser to chief deputy/commercial appraiser to take over some other duties. He also wants to promote his chief deputy/clerk to an administrative position to reflect additional...
In a 2-1 vote, Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday voted to dispose of an unused house on county property. In other business, commissioners raised the ceiling for contracting off the small works roster; Sheriff Mark Howie discussed the need for more evidence storage space, and they heard a request from Assessor Bill Coons to promote two employees. Commissioners have been debating what to do with the Johnson House, a 100-year old house on Cathlamet's River Street that formerly housed a county mental health program but is now not used. The...
The Cathlamet Town Council covered a lot of ground at their regular monthly meeting on Monday. The meeting was the last for Council Member Sue Cameron who is moving to Clark County. Sheriff Mark Howie reported officers are close to making arrests in a burglary last week of the Skamokawa Resort. The business had security cameras which captured images of the perpetrators, and Howie recommended all businesses install the cameras. Overall, crime is down in the county, Howie said. His department is now fully staffed, he said, adding that he has...
Community activists have begun surveying Wahkiakum County residents about their likes and dislikes for potential parks and recreation facilities. Survey responses will go into development of a county parks and recreation plan. Ron Wright of the Wahkiakum Resource Action Plan (WRAP) workgroup said the effort arose after comments from the public at bi-partisan community meetings last winter. Following up, WRAP members learned that there is significant state grant funding for parks and recreation f...
As usual, Wahkiakum County commissioners covered a variety of business when they met Tuesday. Commissioners heard a request from Auditor Nicci Bergseng to add another deputy to her office. At the request of Commissioner Mike Backman, the board agreed to hold a workshop discussion at the end of their August 20 meeting to go over the details of the request. Bergseng told the board she wants to train the new deputy to handle a variety of tasks, including payroll, now handled by just one clerk...
The Washington State Department of Transportation has announced late last Friday that full overnight closures of the SR 409 Puget Island bridge will take place four nights next week to accommodate paving work. The closures would run 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday nights. However, Wahkiakum County officials have asked the department to delay the closures one week to accommodate Wahkiakum County fair activities. People will enter items and animals Monday through Wednesday evenings, and the fair opens next Thursday, closing for the day a...
Wahkiakum County commissioners addressed two property issues when they met Tuesday. First, they agreed to delay a decision on the fate of the Johnson House two weeks, and next, they authorized the Public Works Department to obtain quotes for security improvements to the courthouse and other county owned buildings. Two weeks ago, commissioners received a report from county Building Inspector David Hicks saying that the 100-year-old Johnson House, which formerly housed a mental health program, should have $58,000 in improvements, that annual...
Construction work on the Puget Island bridge should wrap up this year, according to the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT). "The contractor anticipates all work to be completed before the end of the year, ahead of schedule," Tamara Greenwell, WSDOT regional communications officer reported Tuesday. "Work was originally scheduled to continue through spring 2021. "It is important to note that the schedule can change due to weather or other delays, but so far, things are looking good."...
Election officials across Washington state have sent vote-by-mail ballots to registered voters for the August primary election. Unless, of course, one lives in a county such as Wahkiakum County, which has no contested races on the ballot, and therefore, has no need for a primary election. However, election activities continue. Several positions on the 2019 election ballot drew no candidates, and the Wahkiakum auditor's office will hold a special filing period Aug. 12-14. Candidates can file 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the auditor's office in the...
Photo and story by Rick Nelson Washington State Treasurer Duane Davidson visited the Wahkiakum County Courthouse last Thursday to meet officials and citizens and comment on issues with which his office must address. The state's pension system is in good shape, Davidson said, and he resists efforts to see the legislature access the fund to make loans for other uses. The $100 billion fund has earned annual interest at 8-10 percent, over the last 10 years he said. "Should it be loaned out to a...
Wahkiakum County commissioners and residents of Cape Horn shared frustrations Tuesday over lack of information about US Army Corps of Engineer beach nourishment plans. Commissioners also received an evaluation of costs of maintaining a vacant house on county property, agreeing to vote on its future at their August 6 meeting, and going over other varied business. County officials and staff succeeded this year in an effort to set up a 10-year program to enable the Corps to deposit dredged sand on eroding beaches on Cape Horn and Puget Island,...
Members of the Cathlamet Town Council acted on a variety of business when they met Monday, including debating park maintenance and a possible town administrator. Council Member Sue Cameron, who announced she is moving away from Cathlamet and will attend her last council meeting in August, said she has been unsatisfied with maintenance of town parks by the current landscape contractor and had sought a quote for services from a different company, Elochoman Valley Partners (EVP). Public Works Director Duncan Cruickshank had met with EVP personnel...
Will staff of Port District No. 2 take over maintenance and operation responsibilities for Wahkiakum County's Fairgrounds Park? At their monthly meeting Tuesday, commissioners and staff of Port 2 said they are willing to consider the possibility. "We could take care of it (the park adjacent to the fairgrounds in Skamokawa)," said Commissioner Lee Tischer. Tischer acknowledged that a similar proposal a few years ago was soundly rejected by supporters of the county fair, who feared they would lose the ability to use the fairgrounds for...
By Rick Nelson There is change ahead for the traffic pattern at Johnson Park. Wahkiakum County Engineer Paul Lacy on Tuesday reported that the Washington State Department of Transportation has relocated the painted stop bar that guides vehicles leaving the campus and entering SR 4. The long standing traffic flow pattern has been for vehicles entering the park campus to leave the highway and proceed to the left in a clockwise fashion and follow the circular route up the hill to the Johnson Park buildings. Vehicles leaving the campus descend the...
Wahkiakum County commissioners authorized emergency repairs and a weight restriction load limit for Wirkkala Road north of Deep River when they met Tuesday. Last week, area resident Nick Nikkila reported the culvert was failing and had only a very small opening for drainage. This week, County Engineer Paul Lacy said the culvert had almost collapsed and recommended the county impose a 10,000 lb. weight restriction on the road. The road crew has already placed steel plates over the 4-foot diameter culvert for basic vehicle safety, he said....
Planning was a major concern for members of the Cathlamet town council during two meetings Monday. In a special meeting held Monday afternoon, councilors met with John Morgan to plan the process for developing a strategic plan to guide the council's decision making process. Later, in their regular evening meeting, the council approved a contract to update the town's comprehensive plan by the end of the year, and they met with Department of Ecology Regional Planner Michelle McConnell to go over the final steps to finish the first update of the t...
Wahkiakum County commissioners covered a lot of ground when they met Tuesday, discussing issues ranging from a new store to coming community activities. Puget Island resident Kristen Lee questioned the board's commitment to researching the adverse issues that could arise from the opening of a Dollar General store in the Rosedale neighborhood. Lee reminded the board that she had asked them two weeks ago to do the research, especially in regard to potential adverse impacts. She said she learned that the board had received a staff report the same...
