Lots of Halloween events scheduled

HALF NICE--Last weekend was a mixed bag of weather for us, as Saturday turned out pretty nice after some early morning clouds and the sun looked good and felt even better after the cool start. Then Sunday came along and we were gloomy, drippy and a tadbit windy at times, and it just stayed that way all day long. It's one of those days that makes staying indoors to do those "inside chores" a little less annoying. Of course if you're a football fan, it was the perfect kind of day because you didn't have to feel guilty about just kicking back and watching TV on a day like that!

However, that wet/breezy day was nothing compared to those who had to deal with Hurricane Patricia which hit a stretch of coastline in Mexico before coming inland and really soaking Texas and other southern areas, causing massive flooding and misery. While the hurricane broke records for being the strongest storm, it also broke apart faster than any other hurricane, so it was a huge relief to those in its path as it could have been much, much worse.

STARTING TODAY--It's time to check out the Haunted House at the Wahkiakum Fairgrounds in Skamokawa starting this evening from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The entrance fee is $3 or $1 per person if you bring three cans of food for the food bank. The Haunted House will also be open Friday and Saturday nights, 5:30 to 11 p.m. and 5:30 to 10 p.m. respectively. Don't forget, the Halloween Carnival is just being held on Friday evening, Oct. 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. so come on down and win a prize and have some fun!

FRIDAY PM--Many of our local artists have their works located in the Tsuga Gallery in Cathlamet, so if you'd like to shop around on Friday evening, and enjoy an early Halloween treat, you can stop by there from 5 to 7 p.m., tomorrow, the 30th and check out the latest exhibits. There is everything from paintings to photography, to ceramics and wood carvings and more. While you're there, you can enjoy a few refreshments while pianist, Kathleen Petersen entertains you on the keyboard!

FRIDAY NIGHT/SENIOR NIGHT--Also this Friday evening, the Mules football team will take the field for their last home game and that means it will be Senior Night. It's always a night mixed with emotions as the kids and parents know that this is their very last football experience "at home" with their friends and family surrounding them during their high school years. The team will take on Toledo at 7 p.m. Go Mules! Here's to an injury free game!

WATCH OUT--Here's wishing all the kids and "big kids" a safe and Happy Halloween, as grown ups need to make sure their little ones aren't dashing to houses for treats so fast that they forget to watch for traffic, and their kids have light sticks or something else to illuminate them and keep them visible in the dark. Now if you're one of those bigger "kids," let's hope you enjoy yourself at one of the grown up functions but have arranged for a ride if you opted to imbibe!

Don't forget that the "King Brothers" will bring their full band sound, complete with saxophone, to the Duck Inn this Saturday night for an evening of fun, as there will be a costume contest and other prize giveaways, so head the Skamokawa way" for a "spook-tacular" Halloween night!

ALSO THIS SATURDAY--Besides the Halloween doings this Saturday, there are a couple of other things going on, such as the fantastic music that will be played by pianist, John Nilson at the Skamokawa United Methodist Church. This is a great opportunity to hear the inspirational and relaxing artistry of this renowned talent right here in our little town, so we hope you can come and enjoy his music this Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.

There's also time in the morning before this event, to head to the Rosburg Community Hall and enjoy their bazaar there between 10 and 2, so it's shopping, listening to music and going to the haunted house with the kids, before heading to the late night things, whew, busy day indeed!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from Oct. 29-Nov. 4 are Maury Mooers, Hoby Thacker, Carol Blalock, Tristan Parker, Brad McNally, Christie Davis, Mike Wright, Elaine Britt, Britt Boldt, Starla Hanson, Lisa Robinson, Mary Simpson Moonen, Mitchel Vik and Linda Palmer Spieth. Happy Birthday one and all!

Happy Anniversary wishes go out to Leroy and Dawn Wika and Ed and Susan Edminster this week. Have wonderful celebrations!

BACK IN MAY--We said good-bye to "Ship Channel Coffee" operators last weekend at Skamokawa Vista Park, but they plan on returning next May, so we'll be wishing them a nice winter break but we'll be looking forward to their return in the Spring! They say they really enjoyed their time at the park, as between the gorgeous view and meeting lots of really nice folks, it was a great spot to set up.

GOOD TURN OUT--The Skamokawa United Methodist Church had a good turn out for their Arts and Crafts bazaar last Saturday, so they were quite pleased about that, and the fact that it was a nice day, they got a lot of folks stopping by without fear of getting soaked. It was great to gab with everybody down there and it's always nice to see the products that these talented folks make. From needlework to baked goods, there seemed to be something for everybody.

Becky Ledtke, who has "Heavy Stone Jewelry" was there and she has some absolutely gorgeous pieces in her collection, so if you're looking for an exceptional piece of jewelry at a very reasonable cost, Becky's one of those talented people that you should be contacting. She has incorporated the talents of a man that does carvings in some of her stones, and combined with just the right beads and other stones, these necklaces that she's made, are just stunning.

SONS OF NORWAY--Lefse making at the Norse Hall on Puget Island will take place on Nov. 6 and 7. This is a change from what is on the community calendar.

ANOTHER MONTH--The 11th month of the year starts on Sunday, wow, amazing! As the holiday festivities get closer and closer, the weekends will be booked with things to do and places to go, so I hope you're ready to shop local, and help families whose kids could use your help with their Christmas wishes and of course, local food banks could use a helping hand as well. So, be sure to mark down the food drive on Nov. 14 held by our local Lions Club that day as it's a great time to help our local food banks, but remember, your donations are welcome anytime.

NEXT SATURDAY--If you've got the time to head "over the hill," the American Legion will serve their legendary breakfast in their hall down in Deep River on Nov. 7 from 8 to 11:30 a.m., so if you'd like to support them, there's your chance! If you haven't been there before, you'll find that they'll be dishing up ham, sausages, eggs, pancakes, juice and coffee at the Deep River Hall for just $6, so it's a great deal to boot! For more information, you can contact Barbara Rose at 360-645-2234.

GREAT GIFTS--With Christmas just a couple months away, remember that a lot of seniors don't really need more "stuff" but they might just need a little help with their power bill, water bill, or maybe they would enjoy some gift cards/coupons from our local eateries and stores. A food basket made up of some local C & H Smoked Fish along with specialty breads and crackers might be just the thing for your loved one, or maybe they'd enjoy a basket full of homemade jams, jellies, or pickles, which are sold at several of the bazaars. Whichever you do, we hope you'll try to "keep it local." We all reap the rewards of supporting our own businesses!

NEW HOURS--Just in case you hadn't heard yet, the Wahkiakum Clinic is changing their hours as of Nov. 1 for the convenience of the community, as now you'll be able to get an appointment later in the day, which I'm sure will make things much nicer for the working folk. The clinic will now be open Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., so this should alleviate taking time off of your job in order to make an appointment. The trade off will be that the clinic will now be closed on Mondays, along with the weekend. If you have questions, call them at 795-3201. As always, in an emergency, call 911.

LAST EXTEN-SION?--The deadline for the culvert work on SR 4 has come and gone several times now, but hopefully this last one will materialize and our trip through the poorly marked, winding back roads will come to an end this Friday. I don't believe I've ever seen such little warning for a 90 degree turn onto a detour before. As people travel eastbound, they see a sign that says there's a detour ahead and then before they have time to let it sink in, there's a detour sign and barriers and an extreme left hand turn. As evidenced by the amount of skid marks there, it's obvious that many people did not feel there was enough warning to slow down prior to the turn. After traveling through several construction sites recently and seeing the massive amount of signage and warnings well before their work sites, it's just amazing that this minimal amount of signage on a major roadway was deemed sufficient. One can only hope we are free of the whole mess this weekend as promised.