Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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To The Eagle: Are you middle class? Every time I hear a talking head use the phrase “middle class,” I seethe. The implications are obvious and offensive in the extreme. For a middle class to exist, there has to be an upper class and a lower class. Point me out a lower class American. Show me a countryman that is locked in that strata. Our nation was crafted as a Republic, under the rule of Law, which affords the rights and protections of the Law equally to all citizens. To be locked into a “class” is the first bond of slavery. I refuse to be d...
To The Eagle: In the December 9, 2010 issue of The Eagle, Mr. Gordon had a letter with several questions for the Cathlamet Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services staff. Question 1 concerned being insulted by a referenced document from 1932. Why should anyone be insulted by the age of a document? Our U.S. Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787 and serves us well today with no one worried about its age. The remaining questions refer to individuals in the Fire Department that he feels wronged him on a civil matter. His letter...
To The Eagle: Questions for Cathlamet Fire Department/Emergency Medical Service managers and staff The citizens of Cathlamet and Wahkiakum County are and will always be indebted to its volunteer Fire Department (FD) and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) members. They have our continued thanks. However, some serious questions need to be asked of FD/EMS managers and their immediate staff. 1. Should City Council members and citizens be insulted by being giving a 1932 document by FD/EMS managers as justification for their managing these entities?...
To The Eagle: State governments, local governments, plain old citizens and most assuredly our Federal government are all having a tough time financially. Financiers, bankers and economists created a world wide financial crises that blew up in their faces. They were busy worshipping at "The Market is God" altar. But we know that they were not true believers because no only did they create the "products," bonds, and derivatives that created the crisis, they also created "financial instruments" whereby they would also make big bucks if the whole...
To The Eagle: I would like to thank The Eagle for getting the word out to the community about last Saturday's kick-off to the holiday season. The general theme was to "shop locally" so almost all the shops extended their hours, showed off their wares, provided tasty munchies, and welcomed Santa to town. The new feature of a "Walk Down Christmas Lane" seemed to really be enjoyed by the young folks, especially and the following people won the drawings: Howies' Coffee Shop Basket - Dallas Gott; Artisan Market Basket - Chrissy Teach; and Riverview...
To The Eagle: Bad news is that Sargasso Sea Antiques was unable to find a wholesaler to provide Christmas trees for our annual benefit sale for St. James Family Center. Good news is that both of our local suppliers (McCoy's Tree Farm and the Cathlamet Market) are really inexpensive so you can get your tree, help your local economy and still afford to send a donation to St. James at 1134 Columbia Street, 98612 and brighten everyone's Christmas. Howard Brawn Puget Island...
To The Eagle: This weekend will kick off the holiday shopping season in Wahkiakum County with the annual tree lighting and the arrival of Santa. We are very fortunate to have some great businesses in Cathlamet, but they cannot survive without everyone's support. If each one of you would purchase at least one gift in Cathlamet, think of the revenue it would create. I realize that you're not going to find everything here that you need, but I'm sure that you can find at least one item on your shopping list. Give it a try and support our home town...
To The Eagle: I do not know the Cathlamet mayor, nor the accused former firefighter. I do, however, have knowledge and expertise through three decades of Emergency Medicine practice at St. John Medical Center regarding the department's ambulance personnel and know what the community at large could not. The level of training and skill of the Nurse/Paramedics and EMTs has been unusual for a community this size, and their success has been unparalleled. I cite as an example a patient whom they successfully resuscitated from out of hospital cardiac...
To The Eagle: Reading the article about the rift between the mayor and the fire department, I have mixed emotions and questions. While we certainly have the utmost respect for all our volunteers in the First Aid/Fire Dept. and are truly thankful they're there 24/7 for us, rain, snow, ice or sunshine, it seems to me too much stress was emphasized on personal issues rather than business. As a taxpayer who is concerned as to where and how our money is spent, I'm not happy with the way bookwork was handled. Let alone, it boggles my mind how the...
To The Eagle: I want to restate what I said at the town council meeting of November 15. The present EMS accounting system was devised and put in place by Mayor Dick Swart and the Cathlamet Fire Department effective January, 2006. The accounting system had the approval of the State Auditor. Now Mayor Wehrfritz is implementing changes to the current EMS accounting system by terminating my contract and having the Town Clerk-Treasurer perform all accounting duties. He claims for transparency reasons and better financial control, that this change...
To The Eagle: The Cathlamet Fire Department has existed for 70 years and this totally volunteer group has served the county well over the years. The people who serve in it are dedicated, hard working and provide a quality of service which is better than some paid departments. Two former area firefighters, one from this outstanding organization, the other from Fire District 4, were instrumental in establishing the Volunteer Firefighters Pension System in Washington State. For the mayor to chastise the Fire Department over the single incident of...
To The Eagle: In reference to the article in The Daily News on November 9, George Wehrfritz wants to force Jerry DeBriae out as chief of the Cathlamet Fire Department. Who does he think he is? Jerry and Linda have done nothing but support the department for many years. Does the Mayor even know that if it was not for the DeBriaes, there would not be a beautiful new Cathlamet Fire Department complex? Doesn't he realize that all of the fire departments and first aid divisions are volunteer and everyone gives of their time to keep our county safe?...
To The Eagle: As you may or may not know, we have in Wahkiakum County some of the best emergency services and a Sheriff's Office which is very much a part of this community, as shown by the recent election. Our fire and ambulance services, which are volunteer, are far better than many private or full time salaried emergency services. Our people are experienced, fast to respond, efficient and very caring. Their response time compares to paid responders and in many cases, is quicker. Any mistake made has been corrected and they are moving...
To The Eagle: Unfortunately we have a serious disconnect between the Cathlamet volunteer Fire/EMS and the town/state/budget/? This needs to be resolved, now, by reasonable people sitting down and coming to reasonable conclusions. It is worth bringing in an experienced peacemaker to broker the peace and get this situation fixed, now. Cindy made a very moving statement regarding volunteers toward the end of the meeting which left me wondering what life in our town/county would be like without the many volunteers who work huge periods of time lead...
As community meetings went, Monday's town council meeting wasn't too bad. Sure it lasted almost three hours. The hot part, though, was the first two hours in which citizens generally criticized Mayor George Wehrfritz for his handling of proposed changes in management of accounts of the Cathlamet Fire Department and its First Aid Division. For the most part, discussion was fairly civil; only once did the crowd shout someone down. "You're smearing our reputations," the crowd told the mayor. He should have handled the issues more diplomatically, t...
To The Eagle: Now that our elections are over, I can say what I want to say without being accused of "thumping" for one candidate or another (by golly, I am sick of this election!) I am motivated to write this letter to the editor after hearing for the third time in recent weeks a Cathlamet person say, "I don't think I can afford my medication." I am, I think rightly, upset when I hear people that I view as responsible, normal citizens of various ages state that they cannot afford medications for diseases such as heart trouble, diabetes, and...
To The Eagle: We just returned from a fortnight odyssey to Wichita, where our six Irish Wolfhounds served as the reception line at Judy's mom's 90th birthday party. The visit was delightful but the drive, over on the northerly routes and back along old Route 66, was a graphic tour of the havoc wrought by a federal government trying to turn us into a European style social democracy by strangling free enterprise in a web of taxation, regulation, and litigation. The southwest looks particularly hard hit, and southern California is all shabby, bump...
To The Eagle: The Eagle Point apartments are a great example of public housing in Wahkiakum County. Before the county provided a low interest loan, there were promises made. The local property taxes would be paid on the million dollar project, they now pay based on a $53,000 assessed value of the land prior to construction. Not much support of schools, police and fire. The project was developed with half the units getting low rents and half market rate. The market rate units sat vacant. Solution, project based vouchers. This means if you want...
To The Eagle: I just lost a dog to salmon poisoning. I did not know about this disease, I did not realize it is endemic in our area, and I did not recognize the symptoms (lethargy, anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting, depression, possible fever). The veterinarian said that at this time of year, she encounters a dog a week that dies from this disease--in many instances, the dog's person was as ignorant as I. Salmon poisoning manifests five to seven days after the dog eats raw salmon or trout, possibly dropped by eagles. If it is identified early, it...
To The Eagle: As a retired public safety officer who served a major metropolitan area of California where liquor was available at all but four hours of the morning, 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., and had to respond to the consequences of that open market, I'm concerned that too many Washington voters have overlooked the most tragic potential of privatizing liquor sales in our state, initiative measure 1100 and 1105. I agree with the current sheriffs in Wahkiakum and Cowlitz counties as well as the current prosecuting attorneys in both counties who oppose...
To The Eagle: On Monday, November 1, supporters of Cathlamet Library will meet with Wahkiakum Board of County Commissioners, at 3 p.m., to request reinstatement of funding for the county’s public library in the form of $3000 for 2011. Wahkiakum County provided financial support for the library for over 15-years, until 2008. Rationale for the request includes the fact that over 60 percent of the library’s card holders do not live in Cathlamet town limits and pay taxes to support the library. Support of $3000 represents less than 10 percent of...
To The Eagle: A great American resource and bulwark of the American way of life has been withering on its branches and is now in danger of falling from the tree of liberty entirely, unless we get together and help it, now. I'm talking about your public library. Overstating the case a bit with that dramatic intro, you might be thinking? Think again. America is not just a place name on the world map. It is above all, about you, the story that is your life, and the billions of stories of all the people of this nation whose experiences and ideas ha...
To The Eagle: Throughout this month of October, The Charlotte House hopes you have noticed the large purple ribbons lining Main Street and on various businesses as well as individual homes. As October and Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to an end, the ribbons will come down but our work to end violence against women, and to keep families and individuals safe continues. We hope the awareness continues as well. Why is awareness important? Domestic violence continues to be misunderstood and shrouded in secrecy and shame. It is painful to t...
To The Eagle: It's election time, probably the most important in a long time for many reasons. National security, national debt, and direction of our nation, to name a few. Locally, taxes, land use and public safety. I have little comment on national elections only to say that if the voters have not figured it out then we as a nation are truly in trouble. Locally: 1. In public safety we have two candidates, one of whom is a lifelong public servant with over 20 years of experience. Then we have a candidate who has virtually no experience in law...
To The Eagle: The meetings and negotiations involving the Kandoll Road project and it's affect on the properties adjacent to the Kandoll farm, and Kandoll road itself, have been ongoing for a few years now, and final resolution of the issues is nowhere in sight. It seems like a good time to employ the services of knowledgeable negotiators/mediators, and such can be found within the Washington State Environmental Hearings Office (http://www.eho.wa.gov/Default.aspx). The EHO consists of two state boards, which deal specifically with the...
