Graduation on the horizon

Is it ever going to be spring? It has been so cold; I’m surprised any gardens are growing. Some folks haven’t even planted yet. Hopefully it will warm up soon.

News from Naselle:

It’s hard to believe another school year is about to end. The kids that are graduating this year are the class that I volunteered in when we first moved here. This class has come a long way and we should be very proud of them. No matter what they choose to do, I wish them well, and much success.

On that note, I have received a graduation invitation from one of those students in that former 3rd grade class, who will graduate from Warrenton High School. Her name is Ashley DeJesus and she has become quite a lovely young lady, with much ambition and hopes to become a dental hygienist. Her grandparents are Merlin and Judy Durrah of Grays River and her mom, Kimberly DeJesus, also lives in Grays River.

There are lots of activities still going on before the end of the year. Next Wednesday is the date for the annual “all school carnival” at 6 p.m. Great family fun.

June 3 will be the Athletic Awards at 7 p.m. Friday; June 4 is “senior sneak.” That is just a few of the events prior to graduation which will take place on June 12 at 4 p.m. Congratulations to the Class of 2010.

On May 18 and May 20, Undersherifff Jon Dearmore of the Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Office demonstrated the Fatal Vision® impairment goggles and go-cart education for the Naselle High School driver’s education class. The driver’s education instructor, Joan Johnson, in collaboration with the Wahkiakum Sheriff’s Office demonstrated how easily drivers can be impaired by driving the go-cart with the Fatal Vision® goggles on. Students maneuvered through a skill course of traffic cones only to be followed up by Dearmore administering Field Sobriety Test (FST) to nearly 29 students. Joan Johnson has utilized the Fatal Vision® goggles in the past for driver’s education, but this was the first year using the go-cart component. It is believed that students who experience this demonstration will see the negative effects of driving a “motor vehicle” under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

The Fatal Vision® goggles were purchased for the Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Office by Wahkiakum Community Network in 1996, and the Network purchased the go-cart in 2009.

Other news from the Westend:

My most sincere apologies to the Grays River United Methodist Church Friendship Circle for getting their name wrong in my column last week. The Friendship Circle was the sponsor of the Tea and Luncheon at the Rosburg Hall, not Martha’s Circle, from the Naselle Congregational Church. Both groups are involved in community service and wonderful groups to be affiliated with but I guess my mind was wandering as I was writing. I will try and pay better attention. Don’t forget the annual American Legion Deep River Post #111 breakfast on Saturday, the 29th from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Where else can you get as many pancakes as you want, plus eggs, ham or sausage, juice, milk or coffee, all served and cooked by legion members, for $5 for adults and $3 for kids under 12?

This is the perfect weekend for this event, as we remember our fallen heroes who have given their all for our freedoms. The proceeds from the breakfast will be used to help out some of our less fortunate veterans as well as youth in our area.

Please make the effort to support this American Legion Post #111, in their goals to help others, who have already helped us.

The Farm on Grays River Bed and Breakfast, located just south of the Altoona/Pillar Rock Road Bridge, is open once again and is a truly beautiful place to visit. It is situated right on the river, overlooking the beautiful mountains in the distance, where you can walk along the river’s edge and relax in the solitude of the Grays River Valley.

Also located on the property is Georgene Scott’s old historical barn that is filled with antiques and unusual items from her many trips to Mexico and elsewhere. She has quite a collection of items for sale, in particular a beautiful wall hanging tapestry from Mexico. Scott’s Barn will be open starting this Friday, the 29th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Regular hours will be Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekdays by appointment. On holiday weekends, the Barn will also be open on Fridays. For more information, contact Georgene Scott at 465-2227.

The Wahkiakum Dollars for Scholars and Naselle Education Association will be hosting the 10th annual Derby Dollars for Scholars Sturgeon Derby and Barbecue and the 5th annual Rods and Reels Car Show at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds in Skamokawa on June 5.

There is fun for the whole family and all proceeds benefit scholarship programs in the Wahkiakum and Naselle-Grays River Valley School Districts. Last year’s event raised nearly $30,000 for students in both schools. Derby events begin at 9 a.m. with raffle tables, a silent auction, a dart board (with hundreds of dollars in prizes), and a youth trout pond stocked with large trout.

Classic cars begin arriving at 8 a.m. Families can arrive at any time after 9 a.m. to partake in the days’ events and to check out between 200-300 classic automobiles from throughout the Northwest. A salmon and chicken barbecue begins at Noon. The Naselle Marimba Band will also perform from noon-2 p.m. The fish weigh-in begins at 1 p.m. and concludes at 3:30 p.m., sharp. Only legal sturgeon caught on the day of the event can be entered in the derby.

The cost for the barbecue is $8 for adults and $5 for youth 10 years and under. Families are encouraged to come for the barbecue and to join in on the other activities. For those interested in participating in the sturgeon derby, entry forms are available at various locations throughout the Naselle, Grays River Valley, Cathlamet, Astoria, Chinook, Ilwaco, Long Beach, and Willapa Harbor communities as well as sporting goods stores in the Longview area. The cost to enter the derby is $35 which includes a barbecue dinner, a t-shirt if supplies remain (the deadline for a guaranteed free derby t-shirt was May 15th), and entry into prize drawings. Derby participants can mail in their registration forms and fee(s), drop registration forms off at Naselle Hardware, Cathlamet Chevron, or the Cathlamet Bank of the Pacific, or bring them the day of the event. Derby and car show t-shirts are also available at the drop off locations in the Naselle and Cathlamet communities as well as the Naselle School District for $15. Entrants are encouraged to register at their earliest convenience to maximize their chances of a free t-shirt.

On the day of the event, families can enter raffle drawings for $1 per ticket for prize packages valued at several hundred dollars. The day concludes with raffle drawings, derby awards, and prize drawings for derby participants. For more information, contact Justin Laine at 360-484-7121, ext. 301 or Pat Kehrli at 360-849-4193. All contributions are greatly appreciated and volunteers are welcome.

Do you own a video camera? Are you interested in making videos with other like-minded individuals? Give Tim Virkkala a call at 465-2980 and maybe start a group at Johnson Park.

I had a call from Peter Lyon with Department of Ecology on Tuesday morning, regarding the SEPA permit for the proposed Evergreen Septic Land Application Plan, where they propose to dump lime treated human waste in the flood plain in Grays River. It seems that the permit will be reposted to the SEPA register in the near future, and will once again be open for comments. You can access that posting for comments at the following web address:

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sepa/e-review.html.

According to Mr. Lyon, all the previous comments and testimony from the hearing in Rosburg will also be included in the new posting. It seems that DOE will be making some changes in the permit and that is why the comment period will be reopened.

Birthdays being celebrated this coming week include Katie Ashe, Joyce Rangila and George Vernon on the 27th; Toni Smith and Doug Wirkkala on the 28th Brian Penttila and Kaisa Saari on the 29th; Amanda Badger, Ted Swanson and Tylor Nortrup on the 30th; Oscar Penttila and Alex Bighill on the 31st; Derek Johnson, Cramer Smith, Kerry York, Jacob Eaton and Kaden Cooper on June 1st; Charlie Otterson and Grace Zimmerman on the 2nd. Happy Birthday everyone!

Happy Anniversary to the following couples this week: Trudy and Randy Heriot on the 27th; Billy and Lois Bighill on the 29th; Vincent and Kathy Stoeff, John and Anne Marie Didion and Gerrad and Courtney Lemon on the 31st. Wishing you many more.