Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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Washington is the apple growing capital of the nation and is home to Walla Walla onions, Penn Cove mussels, Rainier cherries, and Yakima Valley hops. While the state’s residents know these agriculture and aquaculture stars well, the rest of the country and world do not. To change that, the state Department of Agriculture is assembling a program to help promote products grown, raised, caught, baked, and brewed in Washington. “People are really excited. It’s something producers want,” said Lora Liegel, program administrator for the agency...
Speckles of blue dot the Washington landscape from backyard gardens to the farm fields of the upper Willamette Valley. Blueberries are viewed as a blessing of antioxidants and are known as a superfood in the nutritional world. They have earned this status as they provide vitamins C, K, and manganese, making them a well-loved summer crop. Their health benefits abound and the Washington Blueberry Commission lists some of those benefits: decreased inflammation, improved memory, lowered blood...
IN THE BOOKS! The Bald Eagle Days festivities for this year have come and gone but boy, did they get nice weather and a good crowd! I thought it was terrific as I attending a reunion near the marina and the breeze blowing all day made it just perfect. We woke up Sunday morning to some thunder and lightning along with a light sprinkle, I'd say the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Hats off to all those who were in charge of this event and those who took part, from parade participants to vendors and more; It is always a success when...
Educators from around the nation convened in Salt Lake City, Utah June 24-27th for a three-day conference to honor and recognize efforts of teaching agriculture in the classroom. Over five hundred teachers and industry partners came together for farm tours, workshops, and award recognition of teaching excellence of agriculture literacy in the United States. Local Julius A Wendt 5th grade teacher Jamie Brown was awarded the Whites-Reinhardt Award for excellence in teaching agriculture literacy...
In 2019, my wife and I decided we needed to do something about the cut bank along our section of the Elochoman River that was sloughing off with each winter flood, dropping big chunks of dirt and grass into the river. Worried about losing more land and the sediment being deposited in the river, we looked around for help in dealing with this problem. Additionally, we had a serious problem with Japanese knotweed that was spreading along the riverbank. We were aware of the Wahkiakum Conservation...
A wildfire broke out six miles south of Pe Ell on Friday, July 12 around 12:30 p.m. The Donkey Fire is currently 38 acres and 87 percent contained as of July 16. The fire is in steep, timbered terrain and the cause has not been announced, though Statesman Journal data reports it is a human incident. Skamokawa residents noticed the "Super Scooper" planes Friday afternoon moving water from the Columbia River north for several hours to mitigate the growing fire, located only 6.8 miles north of...
Students attended a 3-day sewing class earlier this month in the latest event held by the Wahkiakum County 4-H in association with the WSU Extension office. Students assembled in the Sewing Room of the Johnson Community Center where they were paired with an adult mentor and received one-on-one instruction on using a sewing machine. The volunteer mentors guided the students in their projects, teaching them the basics of sewing with a machine: winding the bobbin, threading the needle, lining the s...
What would you do if the internet is down, the cell phone towers are overloaded or gone and you want to get a message to far-off relatives that you are alright? The Wahkiakum County Amateur Radio Club (call sign N7WAH) is prepared to help you. Stop by our booth at Bald Eagle Days on Saturday to experience how easy sending that message is. We will be located in front of the courthouse. At our booth you can quickly fill out a simple radiogram form that will place your message into a global radio message system named WINLINK. From our booth,...
There is a new leader at the helm of Wahkiakum School District who has already dove in and immersed himself in the duties of the superintendent role prior to his contracted start day. The district welcomed Ric Palmer, who will be serving as an interim over the next school year while we undergo an in-depth superintendent search moving forward. Wahkiakum School District Board of Education approved Palmer as the new interim at their regular June meeting and he will work at an hourly contract basis. Five candidates were originally interviewed for...
STILL DRY. It is hard to believe we are still in a dry spell, though temperatures have thankfully cooled down to the mid and upper seventies, with a good breeze that beats those higher temps by a mile! It's very dry however and the burn ban is still in effect. Please continue to use extreme caution during this time because one spark and a little breeze can start a roaring, out-of-control fire in just minutes. The house you save may be your own. SPECIAL DAYS. Those celebrating birthdays this coming week from July 18 through 24 are: Naomi Meyer,...
The Robo Rascals 4-H Club will be putting on a food drive to benefit St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Bank in Cathlamet. The drive will run from July 22 through Aug. 2. This group of students ranges in age from five to 14, and meet twice a month after school to learn about robotics, electrical, engineering and design for 3D printing. Each year they do a community service project and this year the students wanted to help the food bank. Drop boxes will be available at the following locations: WSU Wahkiakum County Extension 4-H Office, Puget Island F...
In late March, the Washington Department of Natural Resources put the Freedom timber sale up for auction. Located on 138 acres of state forestland 17 miles northeast of Naselle, the sale offered over 8,500 metric board-feet of hemlock and Douglas fir. The DNR’s timber cruise report calls it some “nice looking wood.” Nice enough for Stimson Lumber to bid more than $3 million, despite a conservation group’s appeal of the sale in Pacific County Superior Court a few weeks earlier. To the nonprof...
Sue Zabel is the focus of our latest Community Member spotlight, she owns and operates The Jabber Shack and is heavily involved in her community. Sue and her husband are from Vancouver, Washington and moved to Cathlamet around nine years ago. They found our little slice of heaven through their fishing endeavors. For several years they were fishermen, renting a camping spot at the Marina and mooring their boat in the summers. After making their home in Cathlamet, Sue wanted to start a business....
The heat wave we had offered a big boost to our gardens growth, and encouraged the faithful growers that summer has indeed arrived. The boost in vitamin D comes at a cost for both human and plant life as the intense heat can quickly sap the energy from all of us. While you are looking for a nice shady spot to enjoy an icy glass of tea, don’t forget to offer teatime to your garden as well. Tea leaves in the garden offer a healthy boost to plants and work to deter pests. It encourages healthy leaf growth with a boost of nitrogen, potassium, a...
It’s time for the 3rd annual Food drive competition between businesses around Cathlamet. The business that brings in the most donations will win the “Cup of Sunshine” chalice and subsequent bragging rights. Heading up this drive is Sue Zabel, local business owner of the Jabber Shack and someone who understands first-hand what it’s like to be in need “[cup of sunshine] started because I felt at one point in my life I needed help, and the food bank was there to help us.” Sue knew how hard it can be for families, especially in the summer “I t...
Wahkiakum PUD met on the morning of July 2 and received the welcome news that the department of ecology fully funded the engineering project to extend the Westend water system over the Grays River bridge to Salme Hill. This grant for $395,000 will get the ball rolling, and has been a top priority for residents on the Westend of Wahkiakum county. The PUD shared pictures of the finished looping project that has taken place on Puget Island. Wahkiakum PUD tied water mains together to make the system more resilient. The next part of the project...
Child & Adolescent Clinic, Wahkiakum County Health & Human Services, Cowlitz Family Health Center, Wahkiakum School District, CHOICE (Community Health Organization Improving Care and Equity), and ESD 112 comprises Brighter Futures Wahkiakum, a home-grown effort to improve health outcomes for children in the community. Partner agencies have come together in Wahkiakum to provide education and support to families, encourage well-child visits, increase access to emotional care, and help connect people to community services. Justin Helms stepped...
An image of a rich, flakey croissant caught my eye, leaving me intrigued by the taste and the artist behind the masterpiece. The social media post did just as it had intended and lured me in for more than just a bite. Don and Kitty Speranza at Crippen Creek Farm are the chefs' extraordinaire behind the tasty images that caught my attention on a Puget Island Gardens post. The Speranzas have received a cottage license from Washington state, allowing them to sell their baked goods to the public at unique venues that offer pop-up opportunities,...
The Cascade Brass, a military brass band will perform a free concert at the Birkenfeld Theatre in Clatskanie. Cascade Brass, led by Staff Seargent James Cameron, is a five-member brass quintet whose members are citizen soldiers from the 234th Army Band of the Oregon National Guard. The quintet will perform twice in Clatskanie on Monday July 22. Cascade Brass performs classical music throughout the year in public and military events such as ROTC and Officer Candidate School commencement, changes of command, promotions, retirement, and...
TOO HOT. Well, there might be a few folks who love this heat wave, like haymakers, but I would much rather have temperatures in the 70-80 degree range and not the 90-100 degree range. It always amazes me that, despite how wet it was, in a very short amount of time we are dry as a bone. That being said, please be aware that a burn ban is in place and we hope that folks will be very careful with anything hot getting too close to something combustible. From machinery in the fields to your grills and BBQs, having a water hose or fire extinguisher...
The Skamokawa Valley, nestled in the heart of Wahkiakum County, is not only renowned for its picturesque vistas on the Columbia River and its vibrant location on Highway 4, but also for its rich dairy history, which flows like a river through the region’s cultural and economic landscape. From its early settlement as a logging community, the rich landscape includes the tradition of dairy farming. The Skamokawa Valley’s dairy history is a tale of resilience, innovation, and community. The Riv...
On Tuesday morning, July 2nd, in the presence of a large audience, the Wahkiakum County Commissioners approved the appointment of Sergeant John Mason to the position of County Sheriff. Following a retirement party last Saturday that appeared to include every resident of the county, Mark Howie’s retirement as Sheriff officially began on July 1st. During the past year, he has mentored Sheriff Mason for the position and recommended his appointment to the County Commissioners. Following the a...
The Wahkiakum School District received a stamp of approval for the Economy and Efficiency Waiver (WAC 180-18-030) by Washington OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) on June 28th. The Board of Education submitted the application following the June meeting and have been eagerly awaiting the announcement. Washington raised the waiver allotment from 10 to 30 this year. Wahkiakum is one of several districts that applied for the waiver. According to OSPI’s website, “part of the basic education requirements in Washington state mus...
During the Fire District’s regular Monday evening meeting on July 1, Cliff Kilponen was surprised when the dispatcher toned out his number and announced that as of today, Cliff Kilponen has served as a member of Pacific County Fire District 4 for 50 years. “I knew it had been somewhere around that long,” said Kilponen, “but I thought the anniversary was later in the year.” Assistant Fire Chief Nate Engleson had researched the department’s record books and found the entry where, on July 1, 197...
The Cathlamet Town Council met on Monday where the Mayor read a proclamation declaring July 1, 2024, as Sheriff Mark Howie Day in recognition of his dedicated service to the Town of Cathlamet and Wahkiakum County. Sheriff Howie addressed the Council, “I look forward to seeing you on the streets when I meet for coffee with the guys.” Enjoy your retirement, Sheriff Howie! A citizen expressed their concern about speeding all along Columbia Street. Suggestions were changing the speed limit to 20 MPH, just plain driving the speed limit and/or pai...
