Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 1201 - 1225 of 2581
To The Eagle: We do live in interesting times. Our little county is forever trying to find more revenue to the point of being willing to strip our mountains of every tree of a ‘certain' size, ever smaller of course. Replacing the trees bound for everywhere else with a mono culture that precludes normal diversity and involves spraying herbicides to kill everything that won't be marketable in, say, sixty years or so. When was the last time you saw a grouse or heard the hooting of owls? Finally something that may actually bring in the much s...
To The Eagle: Due to our various parcels we own, I have made several trips to the assessor’s office. Every time my visits are always friendly and welcomed. Bill Coons and Marsha, along with their co-workers, have treated me with the utmost respect and I very much appreciate that. Just recently we sold a piece of property and there was debate on who should pay what percentage of the property taxes for the remainder of the year. I immediatly drove over and asked Bill for help. He dropped what he was doing and proceeded to assist me. Within 15 m...
To the Eagle: By now, most of you are aware of the large, negative, political ad that was published in last weeks paper and paid for by Bill Coons, which featured my name and parts of a column that I wrote several years ago. You may also be aware of just how unhappy I am about it. I had written quite a long letter in response, in total outrage about this but you know what? I'm pretty sure everyone has figured out by now that my words were taken out of context and spun to fit the negative agenda of the writer, so writing a long tirade about it...
To The Eagle: The job of county auditor includes five departments, Dept. of Licensing, recordings, accounts payable, elections and HR/payroll. When I hired Nicci Bergseng I knew she would be the perfect fit for the job and when I retired last year I knew she was the one to carry on as county auditor. She has the abilities to multi-task, communicate and work with the county commissioners, elected officials, dept. heads, employees, other agencies and Wahkiakum County citizens. County commissioners finalize the budgets and the auditor oversees...
To The Eagle: I want to take this opportunity to address what I feel is misinformation being directed at Wahkiakum Sheriff's Office candidate Graham Phalen. That misinformation relates to allegations and inferences that Phalen, while employed as a lieutenant in the Professional Standards Unit of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office was somehow derelict in his duties in the tragic Jeff Grahn incident in Gresham, Ore., in 2010. First, my name is Mark White and I am a retired Police Officer from the Portland Police Bureau. I have a total of over...
To The Eagle: Several items in last week’s Eagle beg response, but we’ll keep it in the realm of general information and elucidation since our editor has adopted the Wehrfritz Commandment limiting specific political criticisms to one shot: For those of you fascinated with the concept of “experience” as it applies to political candidates, the day-to-day nuts ‘n bolts of property valuation are handled by an appraiser who works for the Assessor and one of the most experienced we ever had here was a fella by the name of Funderburg who raised a...
To The Eagle: A number of years ago when former Sheriff, Jon Dearmore, brought Mark Howie in as his under sheriff, it was one of the best things that could have happened for Wahkiakum County. Mark Howie brought with him big city experience and exposure to different crimes that haven’t gotten to this county yet. His managerial expertise learned at Tukwila fits well with Wahkiakum County and the sheriff’s department. He has really become a part of the county, his family has moved here, his grandchildren now go to school here. Mark Howie has bee...
To The Eagle: A few words spring to mind when I’m asked about Sheriff Mark Howie. Before we get into that, let me share with you how I came to my understanding of what is true leadership. I was 25 when I joined the Army. Our country was at war. The frightening circumstances I found myself facing could only be overcome by one thing… leadership. I found myself under some of the most dedicated and experienced combat soldiers in the world. When facing death every day, you’ll find something, someone, anything, to follow. Ultimately though, we all e...
To The Eagle: Everyone knows real property value. They’re all experts. No different than all the Monday-morning quarterbacks who are out there. But the problem is, they don’t. Assessing real property value for banks or for county taxation is tedious and vexing, especially in a county as small as ours where there are few comparables. There’s plenty of nuance. And rules and rations, etc. If you have any doubt about that, talk to any real estate agent in the county. They’ll tell you how difficult it is. An assessor needs to be able to walk in...
Elochoman Valley residents were surprised this weekend by an announcement that the new owners of the Strueby Farm plan to start a farming cooperative and build a Renaissance style village there. Word spread; neighbors began studying the project website, townoftaylor.com, and concerns began to mount. Residents brought those concerns to the county board of commissioners Tuesday--noise, increased traffic, environmental impacts, and potentially unsavory activities reminiscent of Rajneeshpuram, the Oregon town/commune of devotees of the religious...
To The Eagle: I am voting for Bill Coons as county assessor. He worked for five years as a local real estate broker and seven years as assessor. His opponent has no experience with real property values. His opponent has run a campaign promising he’ll be nice, and that Bill hasn’t been “nice.” However, I know that many have had courteous and effective service from the assessor’s office. And more importantly, the position requires experience. It’s a big risk hiring someone with no experience in real property values and hoping he’ll learn what’s...
To The Eagle: My wife, Roberta, and I have been acquainted with Sheriff Mark Howie since the middle of 2011. Since that time, we have been in a position to observe and discuss his positive professional development within the Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Howie was thrust into his current position by a sudden and unexpected tragedy, the death of then Sheriff John Dearmore. Mark kept the department on a steady course while guiding the employees of the department through a very dark and saddening episode that impacted every member of...
To The Eagle: It’s only time for a change when change is for the better. Certainly not now. Not this change. We’re asked to change assessors from our current assessor, Bill Coons (with 12 years’ experience and knowledge) to Brian McClain who has had no experience or knowledge at all in real estate, none. And who recommends Mr. McClain? Mr. Baccellieri? I checked. Mr. Baccellieri isn’t even registered to vote in our county! And this outsider Baccellieri fellow has the unmitigated gall to tell us, the voters here in our own Wahkiakum County,...
To The Eagle: This is in regards to the upcoming elections for Sheriff. I am a former resident of Cathlamet and a long time friend of Sheriff Howie. In fact I was his training officer some 30 years ago. I could go on and on about him and his work ethics and his passion and undying commitment for serving the residents of Wahkiakum County but you know that already. When I was his training officer I noted right off his drive to serve the community, his honesty, fairness and doing the right thing all the time. And above all I trusted him with my...
To The Eagle: Neighbor Brawn asserts that my latest screed contained inaccurate facts and numbers while being just another sordid example of the frenzied circus attempting to discredit Trump and the Republicans. He then suggests I ought to just sit back and enjoy the show, no less. Well Howard, let’s hear your numbers and supporting facts that effectively refute my opinion, that it has been the Republican agenda for the past 30 years to brand the poor and dependent citizens of this nation as parasites sucking the economic lifeblood from our r...
To The Eagle: Thank you, Jaime Herrera Beutler, for looking out for small, rural communities like Wahkiakum County. I cannot say enough about Jaime standing up for us on the endangered species issues such as the marbled murrelet. As a Wahkiakum County commissioner since 2001, I have been striving, along with my other board members, to keep Wahkiakum County solvent. As a county, we are losing approximately $1 million a year in revenue due to the endangered species act. I sit on the DNR Encumbered Lands Group and the Solutions Table Task Force,...
To The Eagle: Most of us have been highly entertained by the political theatre provided by the deranged progressives during the rise and reign of Trump. The Mueller investigation, stumbling around desperately in search of a crime to pin on the president, has only managed to expose malfeasance in the Obama administration and crime in the Clinton campaign, while their own malpractice has caused 26 firings, demotions, and legal referrals in the highest reaches of the FBI, Justice Department, and State Department. Late breaking news shows possible...
To The Eagle: With an election just weeks away, I would like to implore the good people of Wahkiakum County to vote for candidates who are most qualified for the position. My experience in this county is that the most important requirement for landing a job or getting voted into office is how long you or your family have lived in the county; “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Matt Kuhl is running for Wahkiakum County auditor. He has the college degree and work experience to be your auditor. If this position was hired out, the minimum...
To The Eagle: I have had dealings with both Bill Coons and Brian McClain. A couple of folks that have written in the last issue of The Eagle have concerns about experience. There are many people with years of experience in Washington D.C. and they are far from honest; they believe they are entitled to be above the law. And you are concerned that Brian won the primary by over 10 percent? There were over 60 percent of the folks who voted in this last primary that still believe honesty and courtesy still mean something. Brian is smart, bright and...
To The Eagle: In 1978, I had the pleasure of going to work in the Wahkiakum County Assessor’s Office. Iris Hedlund had been named the assessor, and she brought on Kathy Peek as her appraiser and myself as clerk. I served as clerk from 1978/1986. In 1986, Kathy left to be an appraiser in another county. Iris insisted I take the place of the appraiser. I was hesitant to do so, knowing how difficult the job could be. Time was spent going out with Kathy on many visits for property valuation. The job of appraiser meant schooling and training require...
To The Eagle: This is it, after two years of non-stop vilification, slander, and legal harrassment from the establishment, all they have is this: One, the president says mean things. Two, he doesn't act like the scripted presidents of the recent past. Three, they imagine that he will do something bad in the future. With 4.2 percent GDP growth, record employment (even, locally, Norco in Longview has added more jobs due to the policies of @realDonaldTrump and his administration). The good news for real people belies the nail-biting, bed-wetting...
To The Eagle: Mark Howie has shown in several ways that he has the ability, desire and leadership skills to continue as our Sheriff of Wahkiakum County. Mark is a role model for what public service is all about. He has integrity, diligence, is ethical and trustworthy. Vote to retain Mark Howie. Jeff & Sherrill Bollen Puget Island...
To The Eagle: I would like to start by publicly endorsing Sheriff Mark Howie. Mark has been a dear friend of mine for the past 10 years. Throughout that period, he witnessed my family and I go through the best and worst of times. Words cannot truly convey my gratitude for Mark and his willingness to lend a helping hand whenever it is needed. I spent numerous years as the wife of a Wahkiakum County officer. I can tell you from my experience, I gained a greater appreciation of the daily sacrifice given by the men and women of law enforcement....
To The Eagle: Sarcastic declarations of diminished intellectual capacity aside, I am baffled by my fiscally astute neighbor, Howard Brawn's, disingenuous assertion that he "has no clue as to who is getting fleeced" by the Trump misadministration. Here are a few of those clues. Let's consider how the middle class and poorer taxpayers will now be shorn. The Republican tax "reform" package is the most egregiously immoral, ravenously greedy, singularly heartless transfer of wealth from the middle and low income classes to the wealthy that this...
To The Eagle: Last week’s letter about the experience levels of all the other assessors in surrounding counties is very interesting. Why should Wahkiakum County be the only county in SW Washington with an assessor who has no certifications and no training in real estate appraisal? Brian McClain’s lead in the primary is concerning to me. People are ignoring his lack of qualifications. He promises he’ll get certifications, but the kind of experience and training he’ll need to be competent doesn’t take just weeks or months. And of course, t...
