2012 in review: there was a lot going on

Here are some of the news highlights that we covered in 2012. One may conclude that the more things change, they more they stay the same: There's always something going on in Wahkiakum County and Naselle.

January

Judy Bright, administrator of Wahkiakum County's Department of Health and Human Services and a volunteer in the county Search and Rescue program, retires to battle cancer. She died later in the year; Sherrie McDonald of Raymond was appointed interim director, and Sue Cameron was hired this fall as permanent director.

The Wahkiakum County Emergency Management Department implemented a system to notify residents by phone or email of emergencies. One may contact the sheriff's department to join the list.

February

Wahkiakum High School senior Blayne Edwards repeated as a state wrestling champion.

March

The Wahkiakum Mule boys basketball team finished fourth in the state Class 2B basketball tournament.

Working with community organizations, WHS students raise $3,396 for the Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

Secretary of State Sam Reed visits Cathlamet schools to talk about voting and citizenship.

The Town of Cathlamet adopts a new ordinance for management of the Cathlamet Fire Department, replacing a 1932 ordinance that had put management under direction of the defunct Cathlamet Commercial Club.

The Wahkiakum School District approves summer construction projects including asbestos removal and new lighting installation at WHS. Summer also saw replacement of the troublesome sewer main at elementary and middle schools.

April

County commissioners appointed Marlena Silva as treasurer, replacing incumbent Paula Holloway, who retired and moved to eastern Washington.

A crew of volunteers from Home Depot in Longview spends a day working on fences, water lines and other projects at the Community Garden in Cathlamet.

Naselle resident Annie Strange runs the Boston Marathon in unseasonably hot weather.

May

US Fish and Wildlife Service reports the shoreline under the Steamboat Slough dike is eroding. After a geotechnical engineer reports a strong possibility of a major slide, Wahkiakum County closed the road in the area. USFWS, the county, the US Army Corps of Engineers and local diking district looked for funding sources to armor the dike; in December, the Corps proposed building a setback dike and turning 200 acres of refuge land into wetlands for fish habitat.

The WHS Mule golf team qualified for the state golf tournament; Austin Good placed 27th overall.

Wahkiakum Mule and Naselle Comet athletes competed in the state track meet. Wahkiakum's Blaine Land placed fourth in the discus and fifth in the shot put, and Brett Chaput placed second in the discus and 15th in the javelin. Naselle's Rob Baker was fifth in the 110m hurdles and sixth in the long jump; Chandler Chapman was fourth in the high jump, and Katie Green was eighth in the 3200m.

Wahkiakum School District decided to implement a late start program in which school would start one hour late one day per week to allow teachers to collaborate and go over each student's needs and accomplishments.

June

The state Board of Natural Resources approved a transfer of 67 acres of county trust timber land to a natural resources reserve and compensate the county $505,000. The land is habitat for an endangered species, marbled murrelets, and couldn't be logged. The county can use the money to purchase other revenue producing timberland.

The Cathlamet Town Council voted to reject a proposal to allow construction of a building for a food bank in Erickson Park. In the fall, Helping Hands Food Bank requested the town consider leasing a lot near the Elochoman Slough Marina, and in December, the town's public works director suggested land between the marina and the Family Practice Clinic. The matter is still under consideration.

The Hotel Cathlamet reopened after being closed several years. New operators are the families of Kevin and Stephanie Prestegard and Wayne and Kay Cochran.

Operators of the Columbia View Care Center announced the closure of the nursing home. No new operators have been found, and facility owner Aviv REIT offered it to the Town of Cathlamet for $1. As town committees were investigating the feasibility of taking over the building, Aviv decided to put the facility up for sale by auction, which is scheduled January 23.

July

WHS math teacher John Hannah, took the job of principal at an elementary school in Harrah, and left the district after 14 years.

A contractor started construction of a new sewer waste water treatment plant and finds bedrock blocking the underground crossing of SR 4; the town council approves a change order of $97,000 to take care of the problem. The plant is due to go online in the fall of 2013.

August

Zach Brown, a 12-year-old Cathlamet resident, is a pitcher for a Longview team that competes in the Cal Ripken National Baseball Tournament in Maryland.

A crew of volunteers from Home Depot in Longview spends a day working on the Naselle Lions Club Park.

County Assessor Bill Coons reports that property values have fallen across the county, but property owners will find their tax bill going up to raise statutorily approved levies.

Cathlamet resident Wally Wright retires after serving 49 years in the Cathlamet Fire Department as a fire fighter and emergency responder.

September

The town and Wahkiakum PUD agree to consider the feasibility of combining reading of meters and billing for utility service.

Wahkiakum School District Superintendent Bob Garrett reports that September enrollment is 403 full time student equivalents (FTEs), down from 430 last May and level upon which the district's 2012-13 budget was based.

County commissioners approve a design for a new ferry. The project should go to bid in early 2013, and the ferry should be in service in 2014.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife wildlife managers hold a meeting at request of Wahkiakum County commissioners to discuss hoof rot illness in elk; WDFW biologists say the cause of the condition is unknown and they ask the public to supply information about sightings of elk with hoof rot.

Volunteers pack up books and move the Cathlamet Library to the county's River Street Meeting Room so the old town hall building can be remodeled.

October

Retired state Senator Sid Snyder passes away; a Long Beach resident, he served as senator for several terms and was majority leader; he also helped found the Bank of the Pacific.

At the request of Cathlamet merchants and the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce, county and town officials hold a meeting to discuss the impacts of sewer and water rate increases. Also on the agenda is discussion of connection fees and the possibility of extending sewer service to Rosedale Heights.

County residents are shocked and saddened by the suicide of popular Sheriff Jon Dearmore. Undersheriff Mark Howie is later appointed to fill the vacant position.

November

NHS Comette Katie Green finishes 13th in the state cross country race.

The WHS Mule volleyball team qualifies for the state tournament; the Lady Mules win one match and lose two.

Election results: County commissioner, District 1--Mike Backman 1111, Greg Prestegard 1091; District 2--Dan Cothren 1238, Joan Harvey Chester 645. County treasurer--Tammy Peterson 1065, Marlena Silva 755. Wahkiakum PUD, District 1, Gene Healy 1121, Lisa Marsyla 742; District 2 (unopposed) Bob Jungers 1286.

Statewide, voters approve measures to allow limited possession of marijuana by persons age 18 and above, and they vote to permit marriage of same gender couples; the measures take effect in December.

Under the leadership of Wendt Elementary School teacher Lisa Ridout, school staff and community volunteers begin the Giving Action Program (GAP) to provide weekend and holiday food in backpacks for children from low income families.

Wind and rain wallop the region, causing flooding in the Grays River Valley.

County commissioners propose 2013 budget with the first raises in three years for county employees.

December

At the request of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, Oregon's Fish and Wildlife Commission adopts salmon fishery management changes that, briefly, move gillnetting to side channels of the Columbia, give priority allocations to recreational angler, require use of barbless hooks on the Columbia, and call for development of seine fisheries on the Columbia. Washington's Fish and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to vote on the recommendations this January. Wahkiakum officials lobby against the proposal, saying they will adversely impact the commercial fishing industry and its contribution to the local economy.

The town council opens a second round of bids for remodeling the old town hall, with the low bid of $369,957 being well over the $260,000 architect's estimate. Town officials are studying possible funding sources to move the project forward.

Mayor George Wehrfritz appoints Fred Johnson as Cathlamet fire chief, he replaces Jerry DeBriae, who retired after 52 years in the department.