Skamokawa News

COLD AND COLDER? Last week was plenty cold, with temperatures down to 23 degrees here in the west valley, which allowed the fallen snow from earlier in the week to linger. Thankfully, as I begin this column at the start of a new week, it’s about gone. This week is looking to be just as frigid, and I hope you all survive with no frozen pipes. My weather app is showing temperatures down in the teens... burr! We’ll be warming up for the weekend and getting some rain, which isn’t great, but it beats many other options. I wonder if the rain might start as snow, with temps plunging before the rain coming and weekend temps predicted to be in the low thirties, perfect snow weather. Ugh, I certainly hope not!

VALENTINE’S DAY. Happy Valentine’s Day! Hopefully, you’ll be taking out the love of your life to one of our local eateries; I know they all have some kind of sweetheart menu happening. There’s nothing like a special night out to put a smile on your lady’s face. Not to mention, it’s a good time to help support your local businesses, as they have all supported our many, many local fundraisers, and showing up for them is crucial right now. It’s been a tough winter for a lot of them. Anyway, what do you have planned for Valentine’s Day? Are you surprising them? Do you have a special memory of a Valentine’s Day treat that blew you away? Want to share? Give me a call! I hope its a wonderful day and that no weather events prevent us from having a heartfelt celebration.

BINGO ON SATURDAY. Due to weather, the Sons of Norway lodge members had to cancel the usual Bingo games last week and have rescheduled it for this Saturday, Feb. 15. Doors open on the lower level at 5:30 p.m. and games begin at 6 p.m. So, head to the Norse Hall at 444 SR 409 on Puget Island and have an evening of fun. Bingo cards are five dollars each. I hope you’re lucky and win some cash! With exception of this weekend, Bingo is held the second Saturday of each month,

SPECIAL DAYS. Those celebrating birthdays this coming week, Feb. 13 through 21 are Connie Shrum, Vickie Reid, Jade Mahitka, Alyssa Stratton, Sara Buennagel, Allie Helms-Lampitt, Brandon Souvenir, Wendy Havens, John Thompson, Sherry McCormack, Sean Brennan, Meiko Burke, Diane Garrett, Derek Phipps, Austin Havens, Emma Fauver, James Sorensen, Angel Thompson, Angela Stensland, Jan Caliman, Selah Hoven, Cindy Grasseth, Koen Gibson, Christa Hoven, Kim Waddell, Milli Elven, Melody Brown, Melissa Wakefield, Goldie Valentine, Sarah Lundgren, Michael Watkins Jr., Rebecca Costillo, Ashellie Elfers, Gene Dixon, Hailey Blain, Justin McCarthy, Blake Hess, Kris Baldwin, Mackenzie Pedersen, Morgan Spieth, David Pedersen Jr. and 67’er Pamela Below Lazor. Those celebrating anniversaries during these dates are Mr. and Mrs. Jerry DeBriae, David and Julie Black, Christie and Ray Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Troy Gorley, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Fladebo, Steve and Stephanie Leitz, and Mr. and Mrs. Victor Wiedermann. May all of you have wonderful celebrations in the coming days ahead! Just a quick reminder: If any changes should be made to the Lions Club Calendar, let them and me know so that I don’t post outdated information.

GET WELL. It seems one of our Cathlamet residents has had a tough time lately, as Ellen Cothren not only had to be in the hospital for some time due to a surgery involving her heart and was having to behave herself for six weeks, but she sadly didn’t get to have time away from that ole hospital for long. You see, Ellen took a fall and broke the big bone in her leg and wound up having to have some surgery, which resulted in having to put a metal rod in her leg. Unfortunately, this was not a quick fix kind of thing, as it seems the doctors told her that her recovery time is between six to twelve months. We are so sorry to hear about this, and we hope that she will be out of Rehabilitation sooner than later. In the meantime, Ellen will be getting the care she needs and working to get back home. Take care, Ellen. Everyone is thinking of you!

CLASSMATES LOSS. The funeral services for Shawn Mace, who passed away on Jan. 17, will be held at noon this Saturday, Feb. 15, in Longview at the Robert Gray Baptist Church located at 2448 46th Ave. Shawn was the brother of our classmate, Sherrolin Mace Powell. We certainly send our sincerest sympathies to her as well as the rest of the Mace family, which includes three brothers, Larry, Randy, and Kelly and his three children: Shelby, Shaylee, and Shawn Jr. It was just a few months ago in October that Shawns’ wife Sheila passed away, so the family has certainly had their share of grief recently. His family says that all are welcome to attend this memorial service and that flowers may be sent to the church address listed above.

ANOTHER LOSS. One of the great guys who has been around the Duck Inn for years and years has just recently passed. I was asked to pass on the following information: Bob Falk passed away recently and there will be a service for him at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the Steele Chapel at 5052 Mt. Solo Road in Longview. We send our deepest sympathies to his wife, Jean, and all their family members and dear friends. More information may be found on the Steele Chapel website under their current obituary section.

YET ANOTHER LOSS. We also heard that Linda Roseberry just recently passed away. According to a post by Akaysha Riley, there will be a memorial service for Linda at the covered area down at the Elochoman Slough Marina, 500 2nd St. In Cathlamet, on Mar. 1 at 3 p.m. All those who knew Linda are invited to attend. Most of us around here knew Linda from the old Oasis Tavern days. Linda lived next door to the historic building, which she took over when her Mom, Wanda Rudy, passed away. Our deepest condolences to all of Linda’s family members and friends. I had just seen Linda this past August at a birthday party. She was looking forward to an upcoming trip that she was about to take, and I was quite shocked to hear of her passing. I guess this is yet another reminder to hold your loved ones close and don’t forget that there may not always be tomorrow.

ONE MORE LOSS. Once again, we send our condolences to another community member: Pam Emery, a Cathlamet resident and president of the Friends of Skamokawa recently lost her sister, Margaret Pringle. I’m told that a memorial service will be held this summer in Colville. Again, we are so sorry for your loss, Pam, and we extend our condolences to all of Margaret’s family. I understand an obituary will be published in the Colville paper The Statesman Examiner.

HAPPIER NEWS. If you are holding tickets to the Crab and Oyster feed on Puget Island at the Columbia River Ranch Retreat, don’t forget that this Saturday, Feb. 15, is the night to head that way. The fun begins at 3 p.m. According to the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce, this event is sold out, meaning their 39th annual event is a success. Have fun, folks!

BLAST FROM THE PAST. You may not believe this, but back on Feb. 15, 1995, there was a whole lot of excitement going on with an event that was the first of its kind and possibly the last. That night, Duffy Mayr, owner of the North Star Saloon, sold 165 tickets for a “ladies only” event: Portland’s Men of Paradise. Yep, male strippers! I bet you hadn’t heard of that happening around here. What a night it was, or so I heard and read. I wasn’t there. But it seems like there were women from all walks of life in attendance, and they had a rousing good time. “It’s the best thing that’s happened here for years!” said one Cathlamet woman. With the guys just stripping down to speedos, which are common swimwear in many parts of the world, it wasn’t like anyone was running around naked. Though, you’d never know it from the excitement generated by all the ladies. At any rate, there had been talk of folks who were going to protest, but nobody showed up. It was all harmless fun, and it was indeed a change of pace for the old saloon and for the women in town, who’d never seen such a thing. This revelation was a shock to the guys even, no wonder the place was packed. This saloon was formerly called the Columbia Saloon and had been closed since 1986; what a way to reopen the place. We old folks knew it as Mickey’s Tavern, and the building still stands today. It is empty right next to the Cathlamet Pharmacy. Just look at the building the next time you go through town and visualize it full of 165 screaming women. What a hoot! Weather-wise, that time of 1995 was horrible and a flood watch was out for the county’s westend, and Skamokawa and West Valley Road went underwater. With the wind blowing, the power went out here for most of the day. It was a miserable time indeed. But it wasn’t as bad as back on Feb. 10, 1990, when KM slid and wiped out SR 4. Now that was a brutal day; our peaceful West Valley Road turned into the alternate SR 4 route. What a mess. Let’s hope we don’t have to ever deal with that again.