Basketball, New Year set for this Saturday

It looks like Mother Nature has decided to cooperate with the calendar and as I complete this column I watch big puffy snowflakes falling outside and actually sticking to the ground. My young dog, (almost 3 years old and 150 pounds) is rooting around in the snow trying to figure out what’s going on. Quite comical to watch.

On the other hand, all the daffodils are about to bloom and we are now getting freezing temps. Go figure.

News from Naselle:

Sports for the upcoming week: The Naselle high school boys basketball team will compete on Saturday in the WIIA Regional Tournament against Pateros at Mark Morris High School in Longview at 2 p.m. Go Comets!

This weekend, the Chinese New Year Celebration, sponsored by Liu Xing and the Naselle Elementary School will take place in the Naselle Commons on Saturday at 5 p.m. Celebrate the Year of the Dog 2018, with performances by the Mandarin Immersion program students, poetry, songs, a live auction and much more fun.

This event helps to cover expenditures for the Mandarin Immersion program which has been a welcome cultural teaching tool for the Naselle families taking part in the program.

The Naselle Booster Club calendar is now available for purchase; the price is $6. You can pick one up at Okies or from a Booster Club member. Check out some of the birthdays, anniversaries and upcoming special school events listed on the calendar.

Westend news:

The Grays River Fire and Ambulance Foundation, is a 501(c)3 and welcomes and appreciates tax deductible donations made to them, with all monies collected used locally. The foundation came about several years ago to assist Fire District #3 in providing better services to our local families and is a totally separate entity from the fire district. In some instances public funds can’t be utilized due to state laws that prohibit how tax dollars can be spent such as special funding for a family recovering from a house fire or fundraising.

For more information, you can contact one of the board members, Jon Gudmundsen, Amber Davis, Ed Hunt, Freida Footh or Kim DeJesus. Tax deductible donations can be made directly to any branch of the Bank of the Pacific or mailed to Grays River Fire and Ambulance Foundation, PO Box 5, Grays River, WA. 98621.

As anyone knows, that has been through a house fire and lost nearly everything, the immediate expenses of getting your life back together can be a daunting task. If you have insurance, it takes time and effort to get that taken care of, and if you don’t have insurance it can be devastating. This foundation can help. So if you are looking for a worthy place to donate, please consider the Grays River Fire and Ambulance Foundation.

Two meetings have been scheduled for comments on the updated Wahkiakum County Hazard Mitigation Plan. The public is invited to attend, give input and ask questions at one of two meetings scheduled on March 6. The plan identifies hazards that could affect or impact Wahkiakum County.

Meeting locations and times: March 6 at 2 p.m. in the Grays River Valley Center at Johnson Park (old Rosburg School) located at 30 Rosburg School Rd. in Rosburg. The second meeting will also be held on March 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the River Street Meeting Room, located at 35 River Street in Cathlamet.

Happy Birthday to the following celebrants this week: Delaney Kragerud, Judy Indermark, Shannon Tetz, Craig Mattson, Marsha Woods, Shirley Miller, Kelsi Bennett, Stephanie Forbes, Hayden Gudmundsen, Marie Rogers, Jeremy Forbes and Mike Matthews. Good wishes on your special day.

Happy Anniversary to Jon and Noralyn Pakenen. Here’s to many more celebrations together.

I would like to wish my sister, Sharon (who reads our Eagle regularly even though she lives in California), a very happy 70th birthday. We miss you and wish you were here to celebrate, so enjoy your day with the rest of your family and we will see you soon. Sending love.