Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Sorted by date Results 2507 - 2531 of 2595
To The Eagle: A recent announcement by a county commissioner said that he would vote against the NHA as per the wishes of a vast majority of his constituents. This announcement quickly drew a cheap shot (in my opinion) from his political party chairman. Many of us feel we would like a representative form of government, representing the people who put them there, regardless of party pressure, which I feel Commissioner Brady was practicing, just as he promised during his campaign. Mike Mouliot Cathlamet...
To The Eagle: I know this is a crazy time in politics not only in Washington DC, but also here in little Wahkiakum County. I am very disappointed in one of our county commissioner's comments in the May 27 issue of The Eagle. Commissioner Blair Brady said at a meeting three weeks ago that he was going to study the National Heritage Area issue before he makes a decision. Then he said that he had "concluded the NHA wouldn't have the adverse impact that the opponents predict." Then he said, "residents of my district are overwhelmingly opposed to...
To The Eagle: Regardless of being Democrat or Republican, representatives in Congress work to bring home the bacon. In this case, it’s $10 million with this thing called a National Heritage Area (NHA) -- a federal program supporting local history, culture and natural beauty. Commissioner Blair Brady has looked at this gift-horse. Even though he “has found no downside” Brady will still vote no -- only because he wants to represent his constituents. But who are these constituents? As far as I can tell, it’s a very vocal group of partisa...
To The Eagle: Just a note to say thanks for the Focus in The Eagle. I was getting so tired of the long drawn out letters on LNG and NHA ,taking over the paper. Then, on Focus I saw Jerry DeBriae's picture and the article of a home-town kid that has really done well. I knew his parents Ray and Marie DeBriae, very nice people and I know if they were living they would be so proud of him. Fred Johnson and his barn added to the hometown feeling, that is what I like about The Eagle, especially now that I am transplanted, I loved Cathlamet. Keep up...
To The Eagle: In all of the pro and con letters to the editor I've seen since Bradwood closed up shop, I notice there's not been much said about what our community will lose. Many people might not realize that Bradwood Landing contributed more than $100,000 per year to arts, kids, senior programs, the needy, and sponsorships for community events locally and regionally. Some were major contributions of $5,000 or more, but often, Bradwood helped groups at a time they needed help. We made thousands of free photo copies for events. I offered free...
To The Eagle: I fall into the unenlightened camp in the debate over the national heritage area (NHA) and ShoreBank. I came away more confused after the meeting (last Tuesday with county commissioners), but now that I have read the great shining light on the hill, also know as The Eagle/Rick Nelson, it is all clear: "Let's get on with it." What's wrong with trying to get informed? Rick's opinion column took a page right out of the liberal playbook: If the people question, imply they spoke of death threats and/or that a revolution has to be...
To The Eagle: Like us, many of the property owners in Wahkiakum County have invested their entire lives into their property. It is their savings, retirement, future and more. If this makes us a "special interest group" then yes, we are a special interest group that is not interested in risking our investment to more government oversight. The equivalent for the stock investors would be being told what to buy, for how much and when to sell to whom and for how much. The stock investor would then become a special interest group like the property...
Memorial Day is Monday, and here is some information from Flagandbanner.com about related observances, Armed Forces Day and Peace Officers Memorial Day: In the United States, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. It falls near the end of Armed Forces Week, which begins on the second Saturday of May and ends on the third Sunday of May. The day was created in 1949 to honor Americans serving in the five U.S. military branches – the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard – following the consolidation of the mil...
To The Eagle: Re: proposed Columbia Pacific National Heritage Area discusssion at the meeting of the Wahkiakum County Commissioners. We feel compelled to correct statements made by John Berdes of ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia in his guest column in both the Chinook Observer and The Wahkiakum County Eagle last week. It is illusion to say, "the federal government does not run NHAs." The facts are that when any NHA is created by congressional legislation, the Secretary of the Interior and a management entity create a land management plan. That...
To The Eagle: In the orgy of breast-beating and finger-pointing that followed 9/11, many officials and agencies were accused of the sin of "not connecting the dots" to outline a trail of conspiracy that seemed fairly obvious viewed from atop the rubble. The lengthy plea in last week's Eagle from Mr. Berdes, CEO of the euphoniously named ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia prompts an advance exercise in dot connection. In 1973, several social activists and bankers raised funds and bought a failing bank in Chicago known as South Shore Bank, and...
To The Eagle: You may not be aware but the Elochoman Grange is on the verge of disappearing. For some, the Grange may be a place that brings back memories of social functions, bake sales, dinners and more. For others, there may be sense of mystery; not really knowing what it's all about. For me, the Grange is a big unknown. I have no history with the Grange -- I didn't know much at all until I attended an informational meeting and was given some material to read. But I knew it had something to do with farming, and families, and community. It's...
I don't know about you, but I'm ready to make up my mind on the proposal to form the Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area and include Wahkiakum County in it. Business organizations throughout the region requested the formation of the NHA as a means of creating an internationally recognized brand for the area that could be used in marketing. The idea came out of the coalition formed in the Lewis and Clark bicentennial. Over the years, The Eagle has had occasional stories about the movement, but they've been few and far between because...
Editor's note: John Berdes, president of ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia, submitted this response to recent articles and letters to the editor regarding the proposal to form a national heritage area including Wahkiakum and parts of Pacific and Clatsop counties. Although it is much longer than we normally like for letters, we are running all of it because of the amount of public interest in the issue. To The Eagle: ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia thanks and honors all citizens and elected officials who either attended public meetings on the feasibil...
To The Eagle: This week was the answer to our dreams and the culmination of years of incredible hard work and dedication. It proved that grassroots organizing can impact change. Thank you to all the individuals, families, and organizations that were a part of this monumental effort. To every person who showed up at a meeting, testified, rallied, wrote a letter, submitted comment, talked to your neighbors, friends, or family, or who were with us in body or spirit, the Columbia River thanks you. LNG, stay out of the Columbia River! Five years...
Kudos to Steven Sultemeier and Steve Gacke for taking the Naselle/Grays River Valley School Board of Directors to task over alleged violations of the state Open Public Meetings Act. In a complaint filed May 6 in Pacific County Superior Court, the men claim the school board violated the act by holding a special meeting March 9 without posting the required 24 hours notice in advance for the public, despite Sultemeier's warning that the notice was required. The men also claim that the board's agendas for the March 9 meeting and a February 11...
To The Eagle: Our community was stellar last night at the DOE hearing. Though most people would rather have a tooth pulled without pain killer than speak publicly, everyone had valid, well thought out statements and questions. I’d like to thank all those who came from Pacific County to lend their support. This, more than anything else is a reflection of how very much people care about our ecosystem and recognize how fragile it is. Many spoke to the issue of our five threatened species in the Grays River and the inevitable migration of waste i...
To The Eagle: Our once peaceful and "remote" over the hill valley seems to have become overrun by outside interests. We now have NGOs voting (40 votes) on local flood control issues, when they are in the business of taking out dikes. To top that, it is with your tax and ratepayer money, that is fueling this NGO ownership of local land. LCFRB wanted to install a plan for the valley without consulting the affected landowners. This is 10 years after a WDFW letter announced it wanted the whole valley to be flooded. WDFW was not allowed to buy up...
To The Eagle: I read the Naselle school board article in The Eagle last week and noted my comments were not reported correctly, practically regarding Board Policy 1440-Minutes. I have talked to several people who attended the meeting, and they said they were not able to hear everything I said. If possible, I would appreciate a correction in your next addition to reflect what I said. Superintendent Rick Pass, without board action or approval, unilaterally stopped taping the meetings at the March 16 meeting and that is supported by my verbatim co...
To The Eagle: What is a National Heritage Area? Is it a historical area? Is it a specific zoning area? What does it hope to accomplish and by what means? Who will administer it? What is the time frame to opt out and how? Most of the areas that fall into any of the above are usually administered by someone outside the affected area, that is, a board, (non-elected) who is based in another area with more population. The usual targets for historical and heritage sites are to restrict any development through the permit process. They will try and...
To The Eagle: I stopped my work day to attend the county commissioners meeting regarding ShoreBank Cascadia's proposed National Heritage Project. My first question was "Who owns ShoreBank?" Not one single person could answer. None of the people present knew with whom they were proposing to endow such a thing. The commissioners told their audience that just the day before, they had learned that those of us that did not want to participate could opt out! Are they just now being informed of what they can or cannot do? What about having all those...
Death by 1,000 cuts was the way one opponent of NorthernStar's proposed Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant described his group's strategy. It seems to have worked, for NorthernStar announced Tuesday afternoon it is suspending the project because of delays in permitting and "the difficult investment environment." Groups such as Wahkiakum Friends of the River and Columbia Riverkeeper opposed the plant every step of the way, saying the environmental and community safety concerns outweighed any economic benefit of the plant. While...
To The Eagle: In re: Hearing on spreading septage on farmland: I just got off the phone with the head of Solid Waste at the Department of Ecology. My questions were: Why we were not getting the information meeting we had requested? Why a hearing first at which they will have testimony first and a meeting, if there is time ,afterward? The man did not understand my question of why they were holding the hearing first and the meeting after. I tried to explain that it is like taking a test without knowing the material that will be asked in the...
To The Eagle: There's quite a few letters written to The Eagle about the Port District which brings to my attention regarding property tax. I thought property tax was to pay for schools, police, fire departments and roads; so why are we paying tax to the Port District? They seem to be self sustaining enough to take care of its own, especially the marina. Toni Below Cathlamet...
To The Eagle: Re: Ron Ackermann’s letter published 15 April 2010. It is obvious that Mr. Ackermann is unfamiliar with our local Representative, lame duck Democrat Brian Baird. I suggest he Google “brownshirt Pelosi Reid Baird” before drafting another letter to the Eagle. Regarding Tea Party members calling themselves ‘teabaggers’, I further suggest that Tea Party members do not ridicule and denigrate themselves with such vile sexual slang. If they would, they would probably consider themselves ‘teabaggees’ being ‘teabagged’ by Democrat polit...
To The Eagle: Heritage area??? Be very cautious in anything called special planning area, heritage area, etc. What it does is eventually form another layer of bureaucracy in the use of your property. Example: Apply for building permit with county. County determines it could be in heritage area, then it goes to that board who then takes years for that board to decide if it is in the heritage area or will have impact on same. In other areas with like heritage or whatever they may be called districts, it is not unusual to take five to eight years...
