Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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It was an unlikely sight for motorists on SR 4, when an errant Steller sea lion was seen testing out his land legs Jan. 6 while taking a walk on the highway in the Grays River area. The sea lion was described as a sub-adult male, likely five or six years old, and probably weighing 800 pounds, according to a report by Columbia River Pinniped Biologist John Edwards of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. In an earlier report, Captain Dan Chadwick of Region 6 wrote that when the WDFW...
Kellie Mendez had been staying at a friend's house when she developed a headache on December 12, but she didn't give it too much thought. There isn't anything too unusual about a headache. But when she went to bed that night, she felt sluggish and tired, and didn't sleep well. The next morning, on her 43rd birthday, it hit her. "I had full blown body aches," Mendez said. "It felt like when you have the flu, but it was probably 100 times worse. I was completely drained and my body was killing...
Wahkiakum County commissioners dealt with the impacts January's heavy rain when they met Tuesday. The board voted to declare a state of emergency to allow fast track repair of a failing culvert on Salmon Creek Road. Public Works Director Chuck Beyer reported that a culvert, 24-30" in size, was partially gone, taking away one lane of the road. The department is working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife on emergency permitting to allow the replacement; the new culvert will have to be 6-8' in diameter, Beyer said. The emergency...
As of Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases of covid-19 in Wahkiakum County had risen to 64, with 12 considered active. Three had been hospitalized, and 1,110 tests had been conducted so far, according to the Washington Department of Health. Pacific County was reporting a total of 616 cases, with 22 considered active, and seven deaths attributed to covid-19. The total number of cases in Cowlitz County had risen to 3,043, with 319 considered active, and 29 deaths reported. Across the river,...
We lost two more this week. Subscribers, that is, upset with my choice to run articles from the Associated Press detailing the lies and deceitful statements of President Donald Trump and his supporters. We saw the results of those lies last week with the attack on Congress as both houses gathered to certify the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The nation’s Capitol was desecrated. Five people died, including a member of the Capitol Police. Senators and representatives fled or hid. The Secret Service whisked Vice-President Mike Pence t...
To The Eagle: The November election brought out record numbers who made their choice known. Biden-Harris won decisively. Biden said he’d be inclusive in his term, which I hope he can be, to get away from the sharp divide. Will, we the people, give peace a chance? That’s to be seen; 2021 isn’t off to a good start on that! The election brought out all sorts of Democracy deniers, claiming fraud, cheating, and the biggest lie of stolen election. A short time ago, I wrote here, warning of people believing The Big Lie, same as what brought Hitle...
To The Eagle: For years I purchased my prescription drugs from our Cathlamet pharmacy, obviously a local business. When I went to fill a prescription last week, the pharmacist warned me that our Cathlamet pharmacy was no longer considered eligible for the coupon that reduced drug prices and that my prescription was now approximately 10 times more than before. Apparently, our pharmacy does not bring in enough money for “corporate” and is considered “too small and insignificant” for a courtesy that it continues to extend to vendors like WalMart...
To The Eagle: I saw a movie where Comrades greeted each other saying "May the force be with you." Comrades in our government must have seen it too. But their greeting is now "May the purge be with you." I seem to recall hearing about other governments where the words Comrade and purge were used a lot. Gilbert Vik Puget Island...
To The Eagle: My, how quickly things change. For the past four years, McConnell, Graham, Cruz and many other politicos have been waxing poetic about Donald Trump. Of a sudden it seems, fueled by what appears to have been a botched coup attempt or at best a rebellious bunch of spoiled children trying for insurrection, the game changed. The gentlemen mentioned above turned around so quickly that if they were tigers, their black stripes would be lying in the dust behind them leaving their true color. American politics are a barrel of laughs for a...
To The Eagle: There is goodness and beauty all around us, yet we grow accustomed to it and sometimes fail to notice or feel gratitude. That is why I wish to extend my thanks to The Wahkiakum County Eagle for setting aside a full page each January to share poetry written by the residents of this community. The annual poetry corner invites all of us to take a break from the discord and unrest in the world and redirect our focus. It gives us an opportunity to find commonality, to see that we are not that different from each other. It lifted my...
To The Eagle: Miracles abound in Wahkiakum County. My wife and I got our Coronavirus vaccine shots on January 11, 2021, one year to the day after the first covid death was reported by China, and 10 days prior to the anniversary of the first reported case in this country, in Washington, on January 21. Our shots were administered by Wahkiakum HHS. Our doctor at PeaceHealth in Longview observed that they are still two weeks away from even making lists of civilians to be vaccinated, and most other states and counties are even further behind. Could...
Local restaurant owners are eager to reopen and are developing outdoor solutions, but the question remains whether outdoor dining will happen in Wahkiakum County. Abiding by state and local guidelines proves difficult both financially and logistically. Under regional reopening the county is at the mercy of its neighbors Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat. The uncertain future of the county unsurprisingly forces restaurant owners to make difficult business decisions to ensure their...
This year's legislature won't just be about numbers and budgets: it will explore social inequities, the proper role of policing and just how much authority the governor is due. Gov. Jay Inslee said his budget proposal specifies funds for marginalized communities, who have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. His plans to address these issues include forming independent agencies to investigate police violence, expanding early childhood education and increasing access to healthcare. “You can't just address economic dispariti...
A proposed ban on the use of chokeholds, unleashed K-9 dogs and other use-of-force tactics by law enforcement is just the beginning of an effort by several state lawmakers to address police violence and its impact on marginalized communities. If passed, House Bill 1054 would ban several tactics, including the use of tear gas on civilians, shooting at or pursuing a vehicle, and the use of military-grade equipment by officers. Several community activists testified in a public hearing Tuesday saying these changes would address racism in policing,...
Desperately needed covid-19 relief is a top priority for this year's Legislature, and Republicans and Democrats generally agree it will be necessary to get that aid out as soon as possible. The parties are split, however, when it comes to increasing some taxes to erase a pandemic-caused revenue shortfall. House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, outlined on Jan. 7 some of the early action economic relief Democrats have lined up. This included, among other things: at least $300 million for rental and utility assistance, $120 million for business...
NICE, THEN SOGGY--It was certainly nice to enjoy some sunshine this last Friday and Saturday, as it was a much needed break that gave the high waters time to recede and gave all the outdoor lovers a time to stroll or bike in some dry conditions, awesome! I think we often take nice days for granted, so when they show up after a week of steady rains and nothing but dark gloomy skies, those bright, clear skies and sunshine are really appreciated that much more! The coming week looks a bit wet, with even some blustery winds and minor flooding, but...
Due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, meetings and events usually listed here have been canceled or changed to online participation until further notice. The Eagle was advised of the following events: Online Recovery Meeting, Lower Columbia River Refuge Recovery. Mondays 6:30 p.m. Zoom ID 960 8413 9102. Community Center, Mon. 9-12 & 1-5. Tues-Thurs. 9-1. Friday by appointment. Cathlamet Library T-F 2-5 p.m. Covid restrictions enforced....
Lower Columbia College (LCC) has announced the line-up for the Winter 2021 Community Conversations lecture series. LCC's free, online, weekly lecture series focuses on a different theme each quarter. This quarter's theme is "Get the Message." Lectures are held on Thursdays from noon to 12:50 p.m., via Zoom. Links to all sessions can be found on LCC's website at lowercolumbia.edu/conversations . Participants can log in up to 10 minutes before each session. All lectures are free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are needed....
On January 19 at noon, Attorney Chris Roubicek, of Castle Rock, will address the importance of having a will. A will is a legal document that allows you, not the Washington legislature, to determine where your estate will go. Wills are necessary for people with stepchildren, children under 25, or a child or children with disabilities as well as people with no children. A free presentation will be followed by the opportunity to ask questions. No need to register, just pop in. Connection information (you must have a zoom account!--sign up for...
Greetings from the fair office; hope everyone had a great new year. Thanks to everyone who donated their time in the first Christmas lighting at the fairgrounds; it was a huge success. Also, thank you to all of you who came out and drove through. Anyone having fair theme ideas should get them to me by February 1st. The board will choose the 2021 fair theme at the February board meeting. Valentine's Bingo is scheduled for February 6. I will know on Wednesday if this is going to happen so watch next week’s What's Happening at the Fair for this i...
Rain and Boredom Wahkiakum County is one of the rainiest places in the nation with an annual accumulation of over 94 inches compared with the national average of 38 inches of rain annually. There are on average 126 sunny days per year in Wahkiakum County. With that in mind the question I have been periodically asked by newcomers is what one can do when it is raining all the time. For many of the area farmers nothing really changes except everything including the cows get wet. The local businesses that are open get busy, yet some who are older...
January 3 — 10:32 a.m. A caller reported that a man in a trench coat was holding two men at gunpoint at an address on Altoona/Pillar Rock Road. Deputies, state patrol, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers responded. An individual was taken into custody. A search warrant was issued for the house and a firearm was located. 4:46 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance aided a Cathlamet resident with a blood pressure issue. January 4 — 7:11 a.m. The Cathlamet ambulance aided an ailing Rosedale resident. 7:57 a.m. A caller reported a sus...
Each year, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United State selects emergency medical technicians, law enforcement and firefighter personnel to receive Public Servant Awards. Local VFW Posts submit a winner from each category to their State VFW Department Headquarters. The department then selects a single winner for each of the three awards and submit those to VFW National Headquarters. The VFW National Emergency Medical Technician Public Servant Award applies to any individual, who actively gives...
Gene Healy took the oath of office on December 15, 2020, to begin another six-year term as District #1 commissioner for the Public Utility District of Wahkiakum County. Healy, a native of Wahkiakum County, resides on Puget Island with his wife Karen, and has served as a PUD commissioner since 2011....
Washington State Library (WSL) announced that Cathlamet Public Library was selected to receive a $2,000 grant to advance digital equity in Wahkiakum County. Provided by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the funding will be used by the library to provide patron access to the internet away from library facilities and help close the digital divide, by making five mobile hotspots available for checkout. The hotspots will allow patrons to complete tasks that require internet access such as completion...
