Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 3187
We had a wonderful time attending two amazing community events this past Saturday. The lasagna dinner fundraiser hosted by the Wahkiakum Fair Foundation at Rosburg Hall was absolutely delicious. That was the best lasagna I’ve ever had! It was a delight to meet all the fantastic volunteers who pour their hearts into planning and organizing events at the fairgrounds. Their dedication keeps the fairground facilities filled with activities all year round. About 40 people came out to the Grays R...
Local history comes alive again at Little Island Creamery when local historian and author Janine Klint Davidson presents the “History of Ocean Beach Highway.” Hundreds of vehicles travel the route between Naselle and Longview/Kelso daily. Still, many don’t realize the history that this highway has shaped or the economy that has boomed due to its installation. Cathlamet is the county seat, the hub of the community, so to speak, and early highway planning nearly passed the town by. The Little Island Creamery will present “The Highway that Al...
Hundreds of bills died in committee last month, extinguishing their hopes of passing and becoming law in this year’s Washington state legislative session. Among the legislation that lawmakers are no longer considering is Senate Bill 5247, sponsored by state Sen. Jeff Wilson (R-Longview), which would transfer ownership of the dormant Naselle Youth Camp property from the state to the Chinook Indian Nation. But Wilson hasn’t given up the fight for a solution to the youth camp’s fate during this year’s session, turning his attention to the state bu...
My column is brief this week because we returned from a 7-day cruise to Mexico on Saturday to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was a fantastic week spent lounging in the sun and enjoying much-needed downtime. Unfortunately, on the day we traveled home, I came down with a bad cold and was laid up in bed. In the coming weeks, I will continue my series on the Department of Health and Human Services. I will also feature a spotlight on the Appelo Archives Center, introducing its new director, Angela Metcalf. I wanted to highlight two events happening...
High School wrestling is off the mats and onto the offseason for Washington schools, and this year, both Naselle and Wahkiakum had athletes representing them at the state championships in Tacoma. The Mat Classic XXXVI Boys & Girls Wrestling Championships played out at the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 21-22, and both programs saw wrestlers win matches and score points for their schools. Wahkiakum Three Mules wrestled at the Tacoma Dome on different ends of the age spectrum. For Senior Marlon Aparicio,...
Gary Raymond Tischer (GTO Gary), 81 passed away February 28, 2025, at Chaplaincy Hospice Kennewick, WA. With his family by his side. Gary was born October 11th, 1943, in Breckenridge Minnesota to Raymond and Artyce Tischer- Quigley Gary graduated from Naselle High School class of 1962; he then joined the US Air Force Reserves. He married Sharon Bunn June 4th, 1966, in Skamokawa WA. She preceded him in death in 2004. Also preceding were his brother John, sister Janine, nephew Jeff Pummell and...
Hello from your Sheriff! We certainly had a wild and windy day last week. The Sheriff’s Office, including myself, Undersheriff Howell and Deputy Getman, and the Washington State Patrol Naselle detachment were out and about assisting our great PUD with traffic control for the majority of dayshift on Tuesday March 25th. Trees blown down from the storm took out power lines and blocked roadways in multiple locations. The response from the PUD, local Public Works, and DOT was much appreciated as many of them worked tirelessly to restore power and c...
The Wahkiakum County PUD Commissioners met on Tuesday, Feb. 25, for their regularly scheduled meeting. Jamie Samms was appointed to the Johnson Park Board unanimously. The Fairgrounds Horse Arena Footing Project had a change to be made to the contract; the soil depth in the horse arena did not meet the minimum requirements. An additional $9,960 plus tax was added to the contract for the additional soil, which will be covered by the initial grant. Public Work Director Chuck Beyer presented the commissioners with quotes on rock and asphalt...
I am excited to be sharing a series of articles over the coming months that will highlight public servants and the wide range of services available in Wahkiakum County. I will start with the Department of Health and Human Services, as they play a crucial role in our community by offering a comprehensive set of services. By showcasing their work, I hope to increase awareness and appreciation for the important contributions they make to our county. Every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the office at Johnson Park opens its doors to the public,...
Following interviews of the three finalists, the Naselle-Grays River Valley School District (NGRVSD) Board of Directors selected Josh Brooks by a majority vote to be the next NGRVSD superintendent. Brooks has been the Principal at Morton Elementary School for the past 21 years. He is scheduled to begin his new position as the NGRVSD superintendent on July 1 ,2025. The other two finalists were Mark Westley and Ralph Watkins. Westley was employed as a math teacher at Centralia Middle School for over two decades and, in addition to serving on the...
Welcome to this week’s rendition of The Eagle Outdoors. A lot to cover this week, but first, I want to thank all of you who have commented on the column and how much they enjoy it. The feedback is taken to heart, greatly appreciated and helps on several fronts, the least of which isn’t to make The Eagles Outdoors. I tip my hat to y’all for taking the time to read, reply and, at least to this point, not toilet papering my home in response to something I’ve said. Outdoor News By now, many of you avid anglers will already have heard the news as...
The state playoff picture is falling into place, and Wahkiakum boys basketball has danced through the district gauntlet to earn a first-round matchup in the Washington 2025 1B Boys State Basketball tournament. Wahkiakum basketball After losing to Willapa Valley in the District 4 1B Boys Basketball Tournament semifinals on Monday, Feb. 17, the Mules battled their way through the backdoor bracket to advance to state as the third-place team in the district. Despite the loss to Willapa Valley, the...
The postseason is underway, and Naselle and Wahkiakum are still battling to earn spots in the 2025 1B Washington State Basketball Tournament. Naselle and Wahkiakum met in the first round of the boys and girls district tourneys last week, and the Mules came away victorious in both matchups. Let's look at how those games played out and what the Comets and Mules must do to advance to the big stage. Girls Basketball Wahkiakum came away with the win when they took on Naselle at Wahkiakum High School...
Spotlight on Sierra Williams I am excited to introduce you to Sierra Williams, a talented resident of Grays River and a freshman at Naselle School. At only 14 years old, Sierra demonstrates remarkable maturity and dedication. She has excelled in school as a straight-A student, is an active member of the robotics team and Knowledge Bowl and is taking on a leading role in the spring drama production. She has a passion for English and enjoys writing short stories and creative narrative essays. The...
Nina Jean (Haataja) Berg, beloved sister, cousin, aunt and friend, passed away on Feb. 4, 2025, at the age of 70 in Bellingham, Wash. Nina was born April 24, 1954 in Long Beach, Wash. to Harold and Kathleen (Harrison) Haataja. Nina was the youngest member of the family and grew up in Rosburg. She attended Grays River Valley Elementary School and graduated from Naselle High School. Nina worked many years in the food industry, first as a waitress and later as a cook at the Naselle Youth Camp in...
Last week, the winter weather had a significant impact on the area. Icy roads made it difficult for commuters, leading to slow drives. Many events and meetings were canceled, and several businesses closed their doors to ensure the safety of patrons and employees. People stayed home, only venturing out when absolutely necessary. Naselle School was closed for four days, giving students and staff an unexpected winter break. Yards were filled with snowmen, snow forts, and snow angels, while...
The first round of the boys and girls District 1B basketball tournaments has been set, and for Wahkiakum and Naselle, the games are another chapter in the rivalry; only with a little more on the line than just the KM Trophy. Both the boys and girls teams faced off against each other on Feb. 12 at Wahkiakum High School in Cathlamet. The results of the games were not available at the time of press. As the games usally promice to bring out a good crowd, these contests also brought with them a shot...
The Dress a Girl Around the World program is proudly entering its seventh year in Wahkiakum County, bringing joy and hope to countless girls in need. Leading this impactful mission is Rosburg resident Pearl Blackburn, who serves as the Ambassador for Oregon and Washington. In 2024, an inspiring total of 1,628 dresses, along with 117 pairs of boy shorts and an abundance of T-shirts, fabric bags, underwear, pocket toys, and stuffed animals were joyfully distributed across the globe. Through the...
Ah, smelt. Despite the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) best intentions to provide us with smelt dipping opportunities, the first two days were not approved. Fishery managers evaluate weekly commercial test fishery landings, or catch reports, to determine if the smelt run size is large enough to support a recreational harvest. This week’s catch reports did not provide enough information to confirm whether the run is large enough to open a recreational fishery in the Cowlitz Ri...
I dropped in briefly at Rosburg Hall on Saturday evening to take some pictures at the American Legion’s annual Crab and Oyster Feed dinner at Rosburg Hall. The hall was packed with hungry patrons. Nick Nikkila reported to me there were 199 paid attendees. Fifty items were raffled off, including a Benjamin Marauder high pressure .22 caliber air rifle, the booze wagon, and a cord of firewood exclusively for seniors, won by Sonja Kruse for the second time. There was also an auction that featured it...
The Naselle-Grays River Valley School Board met for their monthly meeting on Jan. 21. During Public Comment, Luke Gardner expressed his desires regarding the selection of a new superintendent stating, “Please choose wisely with a new administrator lead. Please look for someone with good communication skills. Please find one who will be truthful and transparent, and can communicate.” Roman Garcia, an eighth grader, bravely addressed the school board with his request. He said, “Today I am coming before the school board to ask that myself and a...
The girls basketball season is steaming along, and Wahkiakum and Naselle both have teams competing to try and make it to the 1B state playoffs this year. Wahkiakum The Mules have had mixed results this season but have more wins than losses, and their overall record currently stands at 8-6. Though the overall record is just above .500, the Mules have played some of their best basketball in their conference games. Wahkiakum has a 6-1 conference record, sufficient to see them in second place in the...
Charlie the Champion Naselle residents Nate and Holly Engleson have been integral in our community for a long time. Nate is a key volunteer in the Naselle Fire Department, and Holly has spent countless hours putting on events like the Halloween Bash at the Naselle Community Center and the Easter egg hunts for the kids. They are also very involved at Naselle School, where their four kids attend. I chose to write a spotlight on them after the heartwarming homecoming they received this past week fr...
Naselle sophomore captain Aubrey Katyryniuk once again showcased her dominance against the Mary M. Knight defense as she scored an incredible 32 points. The Comets defeated a very solid Mary M. Knight basketball squad 67-45. Photo by Rob Hilson....
