Downriver Dispatches

Good Morning, Neighbors! I just listened to the Ship Report on KMUN. Joanne Rideout and Gordon McCraw are my coffee friends every morning, and I plan my days around their weather forecasts. They are saying a cold front is coming this week with lower night temperatures for us on the coast and snow on the higher hills. So, it's true fall is stepping back so the inevitable wind and rain can take over. I should have cut the grass yesterday.

Like many of you, colds and flu become an issue in the fall, so get that flu shot. I rarely have a cold, but I've had a cough for months and I'm now wheezing, so I looked in my collection of cold remedies and was shocked to see how old they are. The boxes were due to expire from 2010 to 2015. Guess I'll have to go shopping for new medicine and throw the old ones away. We often hear it's a good idea to sort through old medications, but I personally was not listening.

On Saturday, Bendog and I drove out Altoona/Pillar Rock to see what's going on out there. The first thing I noticed was that the Lewis and Clark historic sign is gone at the turn around spot. This is about as low as any vandal can get. I am assuming it wasn't removed by the County crew. There is only one sign there now about the dead end, but we sure could use the one that was requested last winter about large RV's knowing there is no easy turn around for them and to proceed with caution.

Photo of the Week: While driving out to the Stefan property on Altoona Pillar Rock

Road, I noticed some new for sale signs along the way. The old cabin with a roof that's fallen in, a bit past Crooked Creek, is now for sale, so I assume there is land along with it that has a lovely view directly across from Oneida on Deep River across the Bay. It's offered by a realtor, so I think Andrea Vincent would know about that one. At the corner turning from Grays Bay to the Columbia River, there is a new road going up with land for sale. Then past that corner (in the photo with this article) with a fantastic view of both the Bay and the River is a sign showing a realtor's name and it's for sale. The Cottardi Heights road has a for sale sign on it too. So here again, for sale signs are indicating ongoing growth in that area. The current residents are concerned about the amount of traffic, as reported by Cheryl Dutcher several months ago in this column, but no signs warning of narrow roads or limited access have been posted. If you are concerned about the increasing traffic, please contact your County Commissioners and let them know of your concerns. New buyers out there need to be aware of the limited resources in that area, such as the length of time needed for a fire or water truck to respond to a fire, the weak roads that need constant repair due to slides, the dangerous areas further past Stefan's with a sign saying "one lane road" and the proximity to the River which makes a vehicle accident dangerous in a winter storm at high tide. It's hard for the UPS truck to get all the way out to Gollersrud's, let alone an RV where there is very little area for turning around. However, no warning signs are posted as you enter the area. Growth can be good, but in this area, it is not always safe.

Here is some fun news. After the last Senior Lunch, I talked with the neighbor next to

Rosburg Hall where they have done a beautiful job of creating a home and campground along the riverbank. I believe her name is Barbara, she reported that she has a couple rescue draft horses coming in the future. She has spoken with both Earl Johnson and Austin Burkhalter who have neighboring fields with the hope she might be able to pasture her horses in their fields. There is no firm arrival date, but she said she would let me know when they show up. The horses are coming from Texas, and are now getting closer to our area. The last draft horses we had in Grays

River belonged to Johnny King who drove his team and wagon through the Covered Bridge on the day it was rededicated after being restored and repaired in the 80's. He gave folks rides in his wagon that day. They were a beautiful, matched team. I saw them in a video of that ceremony.

Calendar of Events:

Mondays/Wednesdays: Balance Class at Naselle Community Center 2-3.

Tuesdays: Naselle Lutheran Church sponsors morning quilters and knitters in afternoons.

Second Tuesday: Johnson Park Board meeting at 10.

Second Tuesday: American Legion meets at 6 at Rosburg Hall.

Third Tuesday: Naselle Grays River School Board meets at 6:30 in school library.

Wednesdays: AA meeting at the Grays River Grange at noon.

Wednesdays: Play Group for little ones at the Naselle Library from 10:30 to 11:30.

Second Wednesday of the month: Grays River Flood Control District meets at Fire Hall across from Duffy's at 5:30. Also available by Zoom.

First and third Wednesdays in October: Senior Lunch at Rosburg Hall at noon. Nov.

Thursdays: CAP Senior Lunches are located at Rosburg Hall at noon on Thursdays.

October 27: Aging in Place class at Naselle Community Center. 10-11:30.

October 28: RCC's Annual Christmas Bazaar and chicken lunch at Rosburg Hall.

October 28: Halloween Celebration at Naselle Community Center. 4:30 (360) 484-3948.

October 31: Trunk or Treat at State Troopers in Naselle

November 4: Appelo Archives' Harvest Auction and Dinner at Rosburg Hall at 5.

November 5: Krist Novoselic and Jennifer Goodenberger at 4 at Naselle Community Center.

November 11-12 and 18-19: FAFF Tapestry Show at Naselle Community Center.

December 2: FAFF Christmas Bazaar from 9-2. Vendors contact: http://www.nasellefinnfest.com.

December 3: FAFF Christmas program at Deep River Church at 1.

December 17: Lighted Christmas Parade at 4:30 along Knappton Road in Naselle. Parade begins

at See's house.

Word for the Week: Children