PUD meeting at Grange hall tonight at 6 p.m.

CLOUDY START--It was a fairly gloomy Easter morning, but around midday it turned out real nice, so it was a pretty great day to celebrate Easter. Monday morning was nice as well, but it clouded up by noon and soon the drizzle started to fall. So, it looks like our forecast is still a mix of this and that. Here's to more sunny days than wet ones as we say good-bye to April and hello to May!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays this coming week are Kent Martin, Mike Snow, Tom Blalock, Ricky Montgomery, Robert Meyer, Debbie McClain, Kelly McClain, Shannon McClain, Jenna Engle, Mike Swift, Shawn Woods, Carrie Backman, Carol Danker, Mary Vik, Melissa Garrett, Anita Hoven, Darren Olsen, Caren Chandler, Connie Luthi, Aaron Bernard, Abby Pedersen and Max Scudder.

Belated birthday wishes go out to JoAnne Pedersen and Myrna Apperson who celebrated their special days this past Sunday but who I accidently left off my list. They both said that they had great birthdays!

Those celebrating their anniversaries this coming week are Mr. and Mrs. Kent Martin, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Paulsen, Robert and Melody Blain and Tim and Margie Pedersen. Here's hoping you all have memorable celebrations this coming week!

EASTER--I trust you all had a wonderful Easter holiday, and I know some of you headed to the beach and got some clams; they were really good sized ones too! Marnee Davis said it took her longer to put on and take off her boots than it did to get her limit, so she seemed pretty happy with her clam digging experience and Tom and Rosalie Webb didn't waste any time getting theirs either. It also didn't take long for Tom to start up his big cooker just full of those fried, yummy looking clams!

TONIGHT--If you are reading this on Thursday, April 25, and you live in the Skamokawa area, or have a business there, you may want to attend the meeting with the PUD to discuss the proposed water line extension plan that will take place in Skamokawa. This is your chance to find out all the information on this proposed plan, and to ask questions (in a civil manner), so be sure to be at the Skamokawa Grange Hall tonight at 6 p.m.

FRIDAY MOVIE--If you're looking for an inexpensive night out, look no further than the Community Center in Cathlamet on Main Street, as every Friday night at 7 p.m., they serve free popcorn with a free movie, so you can't beat that! This week the movie is a classic drama that is not rated. Check the center for the actual title of it.

BOOKS--If you're a book lover, there's no better time to add to your collection as the annual Cathlamet Library Book Sale is this Friday (2 to 5) and Saturday (10 to 4), so here's your chance to add to your collection at a fraction of the usual cost!

TIDY UP--I've been asked to remind those interested in sprucing up part of Cathlamet, like around our county's wonderful museum, that this Saturday, April 27, you can join a group in doing just that. Be sure to show up at the Community Center with gloves and tools in hand that morning at 9 a.m.

FOS--If you missed the opening of the new exhibit at Redmen Hall/Central School's River Life Interpretive Center last week, you can still go and see it. The hours of the historic hall are Thursday through Sunday, from noon to four and if you have questions, call 360-795-3007.

GET BETTER--On our list of folks who are wished a speedy recovery, we want say that to Pamela Priestly as she just got out of two weeks of rehab for knee surgery she had a bit ago. We were happy to learn that surgery went well for Kathy Peek and we hope she continues to recover nicely, too. For those dealing with cancer or fibromyalgia or other serious diseases, please know you have many friends and neighbors thinking about you and encouraging you in your fight.

HAPPENING IN MAY--On the first Wednesday of every month, the Sons of Norway lodge members meet at the Norse Hall on Puget Island, and you're all welcome to join them. They'll be there on May 1, at 7 p.m., and they'll be back on the second Saturday of the month for their monthly bingo games, which start at 6 p.m., cards are $5 each.

Opening for the season on May 4 and 5, will be our Wahkiakum County Museum at 65 River Street, Cathlamet, so we hope you'll stop by and check it out. There is a small fee to get in, but it's well worth it! Docent training has begun but there will be another training session sometime next month. There is always a need for more volunteers to man the museum on the weekends, so we hope that if you weren't able to make it to the previous training session, you'll be able to come to the next one. You can also call Kari Kandoll at 360-849-4353. Donations can be sent to the above address and would be truly appreciated as the museum receives no county or city funding.

It will be Flea Market time at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds on that second Saturday of the month, so be sure to head this way on May 11 as there will be new and used things for sale that day in the Youth Building from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you'd like to rent a table, call the fair number and leave a message.

May 12 is Mother's Day, so don't forget to treat Mom extra special! I'm sure some flowers from our local nursery or a dinner out at our local restaurant, or both, would really be a big hit. Of course, Moms don't have to have fancy expensive gifts to be made happy, as a homemade card or a phone call is just as welcomed.

May 18 will be a busy day as the Silver Buckle Series continues at the fairgrounds that day. Those who like to run will take part in the 4-H Great White Tail Run and for more info on that, you can contact the WSU Extension office at 360-795-3278.

NOT ME--I just wanted to clear up a bit of confusion by a few people concerning the upcoming car show at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds on June 1. Yes, I did help out with a car show put on by the Dollars for Scholars organization that used to be in this same time slot, but this "Cruzin to the Fair" car show is being put on by the fair. So Fair Manager, Patty Dursteler is one of the people to contact regarding this show, 360-795-3480, and the other name listed is Kay Walters, at 360-795-3937, which was correctly listed in the paper last week. Time is flying by so don't forget to get those pre-registration forms in by May 24, which are available at the Bank of the Pacific or the Duck Inn.

LOOKING AHEAD--Don't forget, the big Bald Eagle Day festivities (July 20) will be here before you know it, so the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce is hoping that you'll join in the fun, which you can do by several means: 1. You can be a vendor; 2. You can take part in the parade by entering a float/marching band/cars, etc .; 3. You can be a sponsor to some activity or to the fireworks show; or 4. You can just be sure and eat a burger or an elephant ear, drink a smoothie or coffee, spend a few bucks at the vendor booths or just cheer the parade on while taking it all in with your friends and family. Naturally, the day activities give way to the evening hours and the big firework show at the end of the day, so enjoy it all! But better yet, take part in it and/or support it all, as it's a real one of a kind event! Contact the Chamber by checking them out on their website or call 360-795-9996 and talk to Megan Elliott.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES--There was a huge turn out for the Neighborhood Watch here in Skamokawa awhile back, and we hope everyone is doing their due diligence in order to keep burglaries and other incidents from happening here. It's sad, but very important, to keep everything we own not only locked up but also to be identifiable in case it did get stolen. So, besides keeping garages and storage buildings locked up at all times, having items marked with a form of ID is a good second step. Don't forget to add extra lighting to your home and surrounding areas, as the cover of darkness should be taken away from all vulnerable places on your property. With home security cameras/systems being way down in costs these days, that would be an excellent investment. Of course, part of the Neighborhood Watch is the fact that neighbors will look after neighbors, so if you see strange rigs going by appearing to be "casing out" a place, or maybe entering their place when you know the owners are away from home, make sure you write down the time and day and any identifiable information about the vehicle, so officers know what they're looking for, and yes, a picture would be great if that's possible. Here's to neighbors helping neighbors and putting an end to the loss of thousands of dollars in tools and other equipment. Remember, to report a non-emergency matter, contact the Sheriff's office at 360-795-3242.