Naselle resident raises bridge/flooding issues

News from Naselle:

Sports calendar for the Naselle Comet teams this week include: Friday, the 12th-football at Rockaway at 7 p.m .; Tuesday, the 16th-volleyball at Kelso at 5:45 p.m .; Thursday, the 18th-volleyball at Quinault at 5:45 p.m. Go Comets!

The Naselle-Grays River Valley School District board meeting will be held on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

A few years back, a Naselle resident, Chuck Wolfe, lost a lawsuit he had filed against WSDOT relating to the loss of property due to the SR4 Bridge over the Naselle River directing the flow of water towards their property. Since then he has learned that the problem of the bridge is much more severe than he had previously known, specifically that the highway and bridge were obstructing the floodplain of the river and had been doing so since the highway itself was built, in 1926.

As a result, he has filed another lawsuit, and the point of doing so is that this obstruction affects all property located within and adjacent to the floodplain of the river, which extends from the hatchery on down to Willapa Bay (almost 20 miles). The 100 year flood level has been raised up approximately three feet. At any rate, all of the effects that this has had are detailed in the complaint. This lawsuit itself is a public record.

Anyone who owns property that might have been affected by any flooding damage caused by the river overflowing its banks might possibly want to file what is called an RCW 4.92.100 tort claim against WSDOT. Here is a website describing this:

http://www.des.wa.gov/services/Risk/claims/Pages/standardTortClaims.aspx.

If you want more information or have any questions regarding your own property having been damaged, please contact Chuck Wolfe in Naselle. There is a possibility of a class action suit if enough people are affected.

Westend news:

Don’t forget our free Friday night movies at the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park each week. In the words of our humble projectionist, “This week’s outing will be a popular 2014 film, a comic book superhero adventure rated PG-!3. We’ll take a break halfway through the 136 minute runtime. Bring your dollar bills, as we have candy, sodas and popcorn. Such a deal. The movie is free.

This is one of the most gripping of sci-fi/thriller adventures, as someone tries to take over SHIELD. There’s a conspiracy. Our hero- and millions of lives- are in jeopardy. I would judge this film to be one of the most worthwhile of this type to come along in a long time. Much better than the “Man of Steel” iteration or the Batman series.”

Thank you to our wonderful donors of pies for the pie social at the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park last Sunday. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of our local pie makers. They were beautiful and appreciated—tasty too. The event was a huge success,

If you are interested in serving on the Johnson Park Advisory Board, you can fill out an application or call Marsha Lafarge, clerk of the board for the county commissioners, for more information. Applications are being accepted until September 12th. This is a volunteer board.

Our next big event at the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park is our annual Oktoberfest dinner. Authentic German sauerbraten, with all the trimmings and strudel for dessert. Tickets are now on sale for $10.00 each, $5.00 for kids under 10 years. To get yours now, please call 465-2731 or 465-2960.

I have had a request for a volunteer instructor to teach a class in Tai Chi in the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park. Are you that person, or do you know someone who is? Please call 465-2960.

Almost everyone in the community has been in the Rosburg Hall for one reason or another, but do you have any idea what goes on behind the scenes there to keep the building and their projects going? If you really want to know, why not join in with the members of the Rosburg Community Club, at their first meeting back from their summer hiatus. The group meets every other month at the hall on the third Thursday of each meeting month at 2:00 p.m. There are no dues to pay to join, and the group is delightful to work with.

The Rosburg Community Club maintains the Rosburg Hall and grounds as well as the Rosburg Cemetery. They also give a scholarship to a local student each year, and are a very important part of our community life here in Wahkiakum County.

The hall is used for many gatherings, which help to defray the costs of keeping it going. Senior lunches are served on Wednesdays and Thursdays each week, and it is rented for many more various events for a nominal fee, including wedding receptions, anniversary and birthday parties, funeral luncheons, meetings, etc.

The group holds two main fundraisers each year with their annual chicken dinner and their Holiday Bazaar (coming up faster than any of us would like). The funds raised at these two events are used to maintain the hall. Their next meeting will be held on Thursday, the 18th at 2:00 p.m. at the hall. If you have questions, please call Barbara Rose at 465-2234 or Sonja Kruse at 465-2251.

Do you have a child who is 3 ½ years old and ready for pre-school? Valley Bible Preschool located in the Valley Bible Church in Rosburg, still has openings for both morning and afternoon classes which begin on Monday, September 29th and will meet each Monday and Wednesday after that. The program is a self-pay per student program. For more information, questions or to enroll your child, please call Becky Erickson at 465-2555.

An Open House for filling out the necessary paperwork will be held on September 22nd at 9:30 a.m. for morning class students and at 11:30 a.m. for afternoon students. Supplies needed for each child include: one box of 8 crayons, a pair of child’s scissors, a large glue stick and a painting shirt.

The Rosburg Wednesday Senior Lunch Bunch meets at the Rosburg Hall each week for a home cooked meal prepared and served by Pat Potter and her volunteer crew.

On Thursdays a senior meal is also served at the Rosburg Hall and is sponsored by CAP. Lunch is served at noon for both venues.

Happy Birthday to the following folks this week: Bekah Wirkkala, Joanna Fauver, Bill Wuorinen, Darlene Ammer Paula Rogers, Shawn Gilbert, Clair Stephan, Stephanie Noll, Cole Dorman, Gerrad Lemon, Sean Welsh, Sheila Kilponen, Edna Miller, Jeff Linquist, Jason Ammer, Eugene Saari, Regan Wirkkala, Rachel Katyryniuk, Aubrey Katyryniuk, Paul Costello, Mariah Corbin, Joe Helvey, Katriina Ervest, Marie Fauver, Jennifer Blanchard, Amy Kittinger, Jimmy Strange, Tim Tienhaara, Sofia Heaton and Betty Blain. Wishing each of you a perfect day.

Happy Anniversary to Mike and Gail Queener, Eugene and Linda Strong, Jim and Josie Eastham, Jim and Darrylin Eastham, Jeff and Brandi Tarabochia, Dan and Clair Stephan, Don and Sheryl Pearson and Randy and Debbie Saari. Wishing you many more celebrations together.