Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 1155 - 1179 of 2579
To The Eagle: I am writing this letter to encourage all voters to seriously consider retaining Nicci Bergseng as county auditor. She has a proven record as a forward thinking professional with excellent analytical, organizational and critical thinking skills. Nicci not only brings her extensive work experience to the position but she also is a very active member of the community and is always willing to take the time to listen to citizens’ questions and concerns while maintaining a high degree of confidentiality and integrity. The county a...
To The Eagle: If you need some help with providing Christmas gifts for your children up through the age of 17, please fill out an application or contact our Star Program phone at 360-431-5232. All calls will be handled discreetly. This is a need-based program. You may pick up applications at either the sheriff’s office or Health and Human Services on Elochoman Valley Rd. They must be returned no later than November 20. Monetary donations are greatly appreciated and needed to provide for the stars that are not taken. You may leave donations a...
To The Eagle: With the General Election just weeks away, I would like to thank this community for the incredible support. No one said that being in an elected official position would be easy, however, if you love what you do, all the hard work is something that comes second nature. Throughout my campaign, I have so enjoyed talking with both new community members and those I’ve known for years alike. From previous schoolteachers to parents I used to coach with, it has been fulfilling to share my professional career and accomplishments. The o...
To The Eagle: I’m voting for Bill Coons for assessor in November. Why? It’s simple. He has years of experience assessing real property values. His opponent has none. I just don’t think there’s time to learn on the job. I don’t understand why someone with experience didn’t run against Bill Coons. That could have provided two viable choices. But, it’s clear to me there’s really only one qualified choice. Kim Christianson Puget Island...
To The Eagle: Because of my association with Stewart Feil and my experiences with him as I enlisted his professional services as an attorney, I will cast my vote for Stewart for Wahkiakum County Prosecutor and the attending responsibilities of coroner. There is much to be said for those who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities for years and sometimes with family members holding political offices. Those who have served for extended periods of time remain viable candidates and continue to immerse themselves in training for...
To The Eagle: In at least three races across Washington state, last minute flyers have been mailed out that are designed to trick voters into voting for a write-in candidate that is not running, does not want to run, and is supporting the Democratic candidate that is on the ballot. All three of the candidates that these flyers are attacking are women. One of them, Erin Frasier, is running against incumbent Jim Walsh for State Representative, Legislative District 19-Position 1. These flyers are designed to split the Democratic vote by offering u...
To The Eagle: National Make A Difference Day is an annual community service event which is held on the fourth Saturday in October across the US. Millions across our country will turn out to lend a hand and clean up, as they join their friends, family, coworkers, teammates, and neighbors in making a difference where they live. You can show your community support by being part of Tidy Up the Town 2018. There are projects around town that need our attention. The Waterfront Trail is a blackberry jungle, weeds are poking their noses in places they...
To The Eagle: There is one quote by Abraham Lincoln that is included at the end of all of my emails from the sheriff. It is this: “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place is proud of him.” The core values of the sheriff's office are “Service with Integrity and Respect.” These are two basic credos I live by every day. I stand before you as a man of integrity and honor and know that those who have known me for half a day, or half a century, can attest to my actions both on and off dut...
To The Eagle: During this campaign season there have been quite a bit of unrealistic comments made by the opposing party. Here are a few facts that I do know. My dad, Mark Howie, has continued to work diligently without bias in the sheriff’s office. He has not allowed this campaign season to interrupt his position as your current sheriff. He has been firm and steadfast. He has also campaigned when it was appropriate to do so. I recently moved my entire life and family to this beautiful county of Wahkiakum for many reasons. One big reason is t...
To The Eagle: Thank you, Eagle, for covering our local races! I have not seen anything (may have missed it), on Senate and congressional races. Jaimie Herrera Beutler proudly announces that she voted for the tax cut for the rich and corporations, while also voting for the huge spending bill. She’s proud of helping raise the deficit 17 percent, in just one year. That alone should get her voted out! My third grade math told me that cutting revenue while increasing spending, will lead to a negative outcome! Vote Carolyn Long, to help put checks a...
To The Eagle: My purpose in writing is to express the support of my wife Dee and me for the re-election of Wahkiakum County Sheriff Mark Howie. We have watched Sheriff Howie as he has hired, promoted, and organized his staff making it a more vibrant and more responsive professional team. His ethics and sense of duty are outstanding. He was already an experienced law officer when he first came to our county. Through his personal attention to the task in the years since, he has gained significant insight in the county and its residents. That...
To The Eagle: In the current mass of political mailings did you see the one that asks you to write-in Teresa Purcell, Progressive, instead of voting for Erin Frasier or Jim Walsh? Teresa Purcell isn't even running in this election for state representative. In fact she has endorsed and is campaigning for Erin Frasier. This flyer is playing the voters (us!) for fools. There is nothing true about it and could effectively divide the vote in favor of Jim Walsh. While Walsh has uttered some weak objections to this deceptive mailing, it appears he...
To The Eagle: We have two candidates for sheriff. Both have law enforcement experience. That makes sense. We have two candidates for prosecutor. Both are attorneys. That makes sense. But we have two candidates for county assessor. One has years of experience in real estate and property valuation. That’s Bill Coons. And the other candidate has no experience at all in real estate and property valuation. That’s Brian McClain. He works on the ferry. He was employed at the Skamokawa post office for a very short time and left. Because HR records are...
To The Eagle: My name is Michael Dahle. I am the Chief Appraiser for Wahkiakum County. In 20 plus years in this profession I’ve never written a letter related to an election, however, this year I feel that I am forced to do so. Following are my informed opinions. Due to space constraints I have left out a lot of details and have tried just to highlight the main points. First a few negatives (unfortunately) and then some of positives. 1. The assessor’s office is always a lightning rod for criticism. This often originates out of a misun...
To The Eagle: The assessor’s office has been around this bend before. The assessor elected to office for the 2006-2010 years tried the ‘on the job training’; working overtime and meeting with tax payers. The campaign promise to take courses after the election proved difficult however, because there was not the time to attend classes to learn the job sufficiently. The deputy appraiser, at the time, realized the situation and ran with it, unencumbered, raising property values with no apparent rhyme or reason. The county Board of Equalization (BOE...
To The Eagle: Last week's front page story about Lee Wages getting the sentence he received was a testimonial to the wonderful job that both Sheriff Howie and prosecutor Dan Bigelow are doing in their respective positions. After the situation when Mr. Wages was actually shooting at police and was arrested without anybody getting hurt brings home how well trained our deputies are. Thanks, Mark Howie. As a retired RN that spent over thirty years of hospital nursing, much of it on psych units, I approached Dan Bigelow shortly after the arrest and...
To The Eagle: As longtime residents of Wahkiakum County, my husband and I see the value in qualified elected officials. County government is critical, but even more so in a small county such as ours. Strong relationships with the vast array of departments, knowledge of operations within the office, and ties to the community and its way of life are just a few qualities that Nicci Bergseng exhibits. Often times the west end of this county feels overlooked, but Nicci has made sure to make her presence known. She has demonstrated that our little...
Our vote-by-mail ballots for the general election will soon arrive, and many people will pick up a pen and fill them out right away. I learned a long time ago to wait till just before election day to make my choice. I had endorsed a candidate in the last issue before the election, and she came to our town and made some statements that changed my mind about her. It was too late for the newspaper but not the ballot. We have an overwhelming number of letters to the editor this week; it’s good that citizens are taking the election seriously. N...
To The Eagle: I am writing to support Brian McClain for assessor. Brian is my neighbor and friend. I’ve talked to Brian about access to hunting lands I previously used to be able to hunt that are now off limits. He has told me that he will look into this and see what the facts are regarding their tax liability and public access. Remember, if all else fails, vote out the incumbent to keep them honest. Also a vote for Carolyn Long is a vote for the left wing radical leadership! Tony Cleveland Skamokawa Editor's note: This letter has been c...
To The Eagle: Although no Democrat is running in the race for Wahkiakum County assessor, both candidates have come to Wahkiakum County Democratic Party meetings and asked for our endorsement. The decision whether to endorse a candidate in a Democrat-free race was one we discussed for some time. We decided that the party has a duty to promote excellence in government, so we should take a stand and endorse a candidate in the Wahkiakum County assessor race. Once we made that decision, the hard choices ended. The Wahkiakum County Democratic Party...
To The Eagle: I encourage you to vote and to retain Mark Howie as the Wahkiakum County Sheriff. I worked at the courthouse when Mark was hired as undersheriff and I witnessed Mark take on the unexpected duties as sheriff after the death of Sheriff Jon Dearmore. Mark lead the sheriff’s department through rough times and proved himself as a strong leader. That’s not the only reason I am encouraging you to vote for Sheriff Mark Howie. Mark and Debb have a vested interest in our county and it shows every time they volunteer their personal time for...
To The Eagle: One could perhaps drum up a little sympathy for a political candidate reeling from multiple criticisms and recovering from a star-crossed performance at the Grays River Grange Forum, but the latest retaliatory letter from Candidate Coons truly qualifies as “a bridge too far.” Bill’s opponent had told many of us of his impending candidacy last winter, and actual campaign launch was an unintended consequence of a legitimate complaint letter by Lori Hamp in the March 22 Eagle, giving Brian a graceful entre, which he took the follo...
To The Eagle: In answer to a previous letter from Mr. Coons, I never launched Brian McClain’s run for assessor. He did that all by himself. Please get the facts straight. The first straw for me was that he inflated a property value to $165,000 when my business partner and I bought it for $120,000 even after we showed you the bill of sale. That property was on the market for over four years. We paid fair market value. The real frustration was when he turned me into the Washington Department of Revenue for personal property taxes on “Welcome Slou...
To The Eagle: Bill Coons, in playing the “pass the buck card” in his reply to my letter, speaks untold volumes about his desperation. That’s right, he did say he wasn’t old enough for social security. Let’s just cut to the chase. 1. His wife owns the property 2. He lives on the property 3. He is the experienced county assessor 4. The “mokki” in question was constructed while he resided on the property on Welcome Slough. Now, one of the following occurred: 1. He knew about the construction and with all his experience chose not to inform the pers...
To The Eagle: What has happened to access for health care? As a surgeon privileged to take care of many wonderful people from Cathlamet and our beautiful Southwest Washington region during the past 40 years, it is sad to see now how hard it is for people to get healthcare. There is always blame for local hospital administration, but this is a national problem. Bizarre decisions are made primarily because those running health care locally must try to figure out what “system” is being developed in Washington DC. I have been suspicious of politici...
