Columbia River Reader October 2024

COLUMBIA RIVER READER PRESS BOOK BOUTIQUE

LEWIS AND CLARK REVOLUTIONIZED

What really happened during those final wind-blown, rain-soaked thirty days of the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s trek to the Pacific? Southwest Washington author and explorer Rex Ziak revolutionized historical scholarship by providing the answers: day by day and week by week.

IN FULL VIEW

Rex Ziak

$29.95

A true and accurate account of Lewis and Clark’s arrival at the Pacific Ocean, and their search for a winter camp along the lower Columbia River.

EYEWITNESS TO ASTORIA

Gabriel Franchére

$21.95

The newly edited and annotated by Rex Ziak version of Franchére’s 1820 journal, Narrative of a Voyage to the Northwest Coast of America in the Years 1811, 1812, 1813 and 1814, or The First American Settlement on the Pacific.

We’ll send your recipient a printed gift notification card.

In three editions:

• Boxed Signature Edition, with color $50

• Collectors Edition, with color $35

• Trade paperback B/W $25

• Audiobook $15 read by Hal Calbom (online only)

DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL A Layman’s Lewis & Clark by Michael O. Perry. •BW Edition $35

Greetings, and welcome to the October issue, always one of my favorites. The pleasures of this most delicious season are arriving, right and left! And this issue is full of examples.

First, there is the start of the performing arts season. So much music, and social gatherings of all types (see page 36-37).

And the weather! Nice, crisp air and, with luck, lingering days with filtered, golden sunshine. Perfect for walking in your neighborhood or nearby park, crunching through the leaves. It’s getting darker earlier, so that means more opportunities to look at the night sky. Be sure to note Greg’s astronomy column (page 14) and learn about the comet in the low western sky right about now. Don’t miss seeing it!.

It’s also fireplace and candle season, a good time to invite people over, or cozy up with a book by the fire. For everyone’s enjoyment, we offer here John Keat’s ode “To Autumn,” beautifully describing the essence of the season.

Publisher/Editor: Susan P. Piper

Columnists and contributors:

Hal Calbom

Cheryl Caplan

Nancy Chennault

Alice Dietz

Joseph Govednik

Michael Perry

Ned Piper

Judy McLeod

Robert Michael Pyle

Charles Rak

Krysten Ralston

Marc Roland

Alan Rose

Greg Smith

Andre Stepankowsky

Debra Tweedy

Steve Warning

Judy VanderMaten

Editorial/Proofreading Assistants:

Merrilee Bauman, Michael Perry, Marilyn Perry, Tiffany Dickinson, Debra Tweedy, Ned Piper

Advertising Manager: Ned Piper, 360-749-2632

Columbia River Reader, llc

1333 14th Ave, Longview, WA 98632

P.O. Box 1643 • Rainier, OR 97048

Office Hours: M-W-F • 11–3*

*Other times by chance or appointment

E-mail: publisher@crreader.com

Phone: 360-749-1021

Sue’s Views

And the food!

Mushroom soup (page 29) , pumpkin pie, butternut squash soup, bratwurst, hot spiced cider...it’s a wonderful time of year. Enjoy!

Sue Piper

ON THE COVER

Artist Gregory Gorham in his Ocean Park studio. His “catalog raisonne,” A Lifetime of Art, will be released Nov. 1, with a gala book launch Thurs., Dec 6, at CRR’s office in Longview (details, next issue). See story, page 21.

Photo by hal Calbom Columbia River Reader ... helping you discover and enjoy the good life in the

Columbia River Reader is published monthly, with 14,000 copies distributed in the Lower Columbia region. Entire contents copyrighted; No reproduction of any kind allowed without express written permission of Columbia River Reader, LLC. Opinions expressed herein, whether in editorial content or paid ad space, belong to the writers and advertisers and are not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Reader.

Submission guidelines: page 36.

General Ad info: page 6.

Ad Manager: Ned Piper 360-749-2632.

Visit our website for the current issue and archive of past issues from 2013.

To Autumn

By John Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease, For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells. Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store? Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find Thee sitting careless on a granary floor, Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind; Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep, Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers: And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep Steady thy laden head across a brook; Or by a cyder-press, with patient look, Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they? Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,— While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day, And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue; Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn Among the river sallows, borne aloft Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies; And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn; Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft; And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

In this Issue

Northwest Gardener: Herbs in the House

Out and About with Kids: A Family Afield

Cover photo, CRR

Thank you for the gift of the Columbia River Reader to this area. It has helped me to grow more in love with this community and strengthen my sense of belonging since moving here last March.

Cheryl Caplan Longview, Wash

Editor’s note: Cheryl came into CRR’s office to inquire about publicity for her church bazaar. A delightfully personable and friendly woman, she moved to Longview from Roseberg, Oregon, and said she is enjoying getting to know her new community.

Lewis & Clark

DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL EPISODE 7

York: The Big Medison

Heading for South Dakota

By Michael O. Perry

Charles M. Russell’s 1908 watercolor titled “York” depicts a March 1805 event, when a Hidatsa chief spit on his finger and tried to rub the black color off Clark’s slave, York, but to no avail.

York, about 30, was a big, very dark, strong, agile man who had been Clark’s lifelong companion from childhood. Although he was a slave, York was treated as a full member of the expedition.

Throughout their journey, Indians were fascinated by York and thought he was “the big Medison.” Plains

Last month, this column found the Corps of Discovery looking for a place to spend the winter. After their tense confrontation with the aggressive Teton Sioux in late September 1804, they were anxious to be on their way. The men had covered 1,300 miles in the previous six months — an average of just seven miles per day. While they hoped to get further up the Missouri, they

Indians frequently shared their wives with strangers possessing wealth or power they didn’t have.

While Expedition journals make no mention of York’s sexual activities, the 1814 narrative edition, prepared by Nicholas Biddle from the original journals, included additional information based on discussions with Captain Clark.

Biddle’s account tells of a warrior who invited York to spend the night with his wife. The warrior stood guard at the door to prevent any interruptions, believing some of York’s power would be transferred to himself through his wife.

had underestimated the challenge of the rapidly flowing river. So the Corps decided to try to make it to the Mandan Indian villages in present-day North Dakota if possible.

The expedition reached the Arikara Nation in present-day South Dakota on October 8th. Things went much better than when the Corps had met with the Teton Sioux two weeks earlier. As usual, the keelboat cannon was fired

Charles M. Russell

Montana’s famed “cowboy artist” was fascinated by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Having grown up in St. Louis, he witnessed the continuous embarkation of traders, trappers and explorers up the Missouri and listened to their exploits and tales. His painting of York and the Hidatsas meeting at Fort Mandan depicts the Hidatsa chief Le Borgne putting spit on his finger and attempting to rub the black away, believing it was only painted on. With his grand sense of the dramatic, Russell can be accused of romanticizing the west and the Native Americans. On the other hand, he was among the first to give the Indians primacy in many of his narrative works. Near the end of his career, Russell wrote, in 1914, “This is the onley real American. He faught an died for his country. To day he has no vote, no country, and is not a citizen but history will not forget him.”

to impress the Arikaras, and Lewis also fired his air rifle that “astonished them much.” But the Indians were even more amazed by one of the men in the expedition; Captain Clark had brought his slave, York, along. “Those Indians wer much astonished at my servent, They never Saw a black man before, all flocked around him & examined him from top to toe... he made him Self more terrible in their view than I

would have wished him to Doe… telling them that before I cought him he was wild & lived upon people, young children was verry good eating. Showed them his Strength &c. &c.”

Another court martial took place on October 13th where John Newman was sentenced to 75 lashes and was banished from the party. His crime? He had “uttered repeated expressions of

... the second Mandan village ...

“

The thing I found most compelling about Mandan villages was that before the trappers and everybody came, there were some 10,000 Mandans up there and by the time Lewis and Clark got there, there were 1,000. And this happened all over the west, from smallpox and other diseases brought by the white men. It was a devastating thing to the Indians that, besides the white man coming in and taking their land, they were killing off their way of life and their population.”

“York,” bY Charles M. russell

“A Bird’s EyE ViEw of thE MAndAn VillAgE,” By gEorgE CAtlin 1,800 miles above St. Louis, 30 years after Lewis & Clark visited.

Lewis & Clark from page 5

a highly criminal and mutinous nature.”

The Arikara chief was horrified by the whipping, since his people “never whiped even their Children, from their burth.” Newman would be allowed to stay with the crew, along with Moses Reed who had been expelled earlier for desertion. Both men would be sent back to St. Louis in the spring; to do otherwise would have meant certain death.

On October 14th, the group spent their first night in present-day North Dakota. Progress remained slow as they fought the rain, wind, and cold. Fortunately, elk and bison herds were plentiful, but several of the creeks that flow into the Missouri were brackish enough to act as a laxative on anyone drinking from them. A grizzly bear was encountered on October 20th, but efforts to kill it proved fruitless.

Snow began falling on October 21st, five days before they reached the first Mandan village at the mouth of the Knife River. White men were nothing new to the Mandans since French and British fur trappers had been trading with them for many years. However, as had been the case with many Indian encounters along the way, York intrigued the Mandans.

Lewis visited the second Mandan village soon afterwards. Besides these two villages, there were three Hidatsa villages near the Knife River. With a total population of about 4,500 in the area, this was where the Corps wanted to spend the winter. Without the help of the Indians, it is doubtful the Expedition could have survived the winter facing them.

A council was held with members of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes on “a fair fine morning after Brackfast.” As usual, members of the Corps wore their dress uniforms, firing their guns and performing drills to impress the Indians. They also demonstrated wonders such as magnets and Lewis’ air gun. The captains gave their standard speech about how the land was now ruled by the United States government, and that the Great Father (Thomas Jefferson) wanted peace among all Indian nations. Furthermore, Jefferson wanted the Indians to quit trading with Great Britain. The chiefs then received numerous gifts such as uniform coats, cocked hats, medals, flags, etc. After the speeches, a Mandan boy set fire to the prairie which spread so fast that a man and woman were caught and burnt to death, while three others were severely burned.

With one exception, all the French boatmen that had been hired to help get the boats up the Missouri River were discharged on November 3rd (one was enlisted as a private to replace John Newman who had been expelled three weeks earlier). Most of the Frenchmen headed downriver, but a few decided to stay and go back with the return party in spring.

On November 4th, Toussaint Charbonneau was hired as an interpreter with the understanding he would bring one of his two wives. While he had no particular skills, he had lived with the Hidatsas for five years and both of his wives were Shoshone (Snake) Indians. The captains now realized there was no water route to the Pacific; they would need to obtain horses from the Shoshone Indians to cross the

Rocky Mountains in 1805, so having someone who could translate would be invaluable.

The Corps decided to build winter quarters downstream from the first Mandan village since other potential sites lacked an adequate supply of wood. A triangular log stockade, with cabins along two walls, was built and named Fort Mandan. Winter arrived in full force by mid-November when ice began to form on the Missouri, just two weeks after the Corps decided to stop. Temperatures as low as 45 degrees below zero slowed construction, and the fort wasn’t completed until Christmas.

Next episode we will learn more about the Mandan-Hidatsa villages. They were a major trade center and, during the winter months, Lewis and Clark would learn a lot about what to expect west of there as they talked to visitors.

four years ago, we introDuceD a reviseD version of Michael Perry’s popular series which began with CRR’s April 15, 2004 inaugural issue and was reprised three times and then expanded In the new book, Dispatches from the Discovery Trail, edited by Hal Calbom and published by CRRPress. It includes an in-depth author interview and new illustrations and commentary.

Michael Perry enjoys local history and travel. His popular 33-installment Lewis & Clark series appeared in Columbia River Reader’s early years and helped shape its identity and zeitgeist. After two encores, the series was expanded and published in a book. Details, page 2.

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin

Feet on the dashboard, fear of flying, admiring strangers

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My sister-in-law has been invited to several family functions. She attends, but then always leaves without saying goodbye. We look up, and she is gone without a word to anyone.

I think this is rude behavior. There have been some family disagreements in the past, but nothing too major. I’m starting to think she doesn’t like us and comes out of obligation. What is your take?

GENTLE READER: Your sister-in-law’s take is probably more relevant than that of Miss Manners. She therefore suggests you say, “We were so happy to see you at Cousin Ethan’s retirement party, but you left before we got a chance to say goodbye. Is it something we said?”

At which point, she will tell you, or not. But at least she will have been put on notice ... that you noticed.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Thirty years ago, I embarked on a career as a professional pilot. Early on, I changed careers, although I kept flying for pleasure.

I have purchased a small airplane and was not prepared for the seemingly endless stream of unsolicited advice from my acquaintances, friends and family to “not kill” myself and my spouse. My aunt expressed concern that I would “JFK Jr.” myself in an airplane.

While many of these people don’t know that I flew professionally in the past, I still find these comments distasteful and disrespectful. Is there a polite way to shut down these conversations?

GENTLE READER: “I doubt that I would have been issued a pilot’s license if I didn’t know what I was doing. I can’t speak for poor Mr. Kennedy, but I gather that you would prefer not to fly with me.”

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am an observant and visual person. Occasionally I’ll see a stranger wearing a beautiful outfit or someone with gorgeous hair. I’ll say something like, “What a beautiful dress” or, “What lovely hair.”

No one has been offended. Is this inappropriate? Should I refrain?

GENTLE READER: You should watch out. Perhaps you brighten others’ days — or perhaps you frighten them.

It is dangerous; people like to be admired, but we do not like to have strangers sizing us up. The key is to avoid seeming as if you expect any compliments in return. So: Say nothing the least bit flirtatious. In fact, you should not be addressing anyone with whom you might plausibly seek romance. And absolutely no commenting on bodies.

Miss Manners’ best advice is to drop your compliment and keep moving.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Will you please address car passenger etiquette — more specifically, passengers placing their feet on the dashboard? My dilemma is whether it is disgusting and unladylike, or a subliminal message implying some sort of positional engagement readiness.

GENTLE READER: Huh? Is this person expecting an engagement toe ring?

If your implication is that this type of familiarity displays a desire for further intimacy, Miss Manners suggests you quickly dissuade the passenger of the idea. Otherwise, you may be in for a lifetime of gross behavior and confusing subliminal messages.

Simply say, without an ounce of charm in your voice, “I just cleaned the dashboard, but if you need more room, try reclining the seat.”

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a young woman who was brought up by my parents to bring or send a gift to my host when I have been invited for a meal or a visit.

I am in the fortunate and enviable position of having several generous elder relatives and family friends who have opened their homes to me, and not just for an evening of dinner and conversation — think a week at an urban pied-aterre, or a weekend at a luxurious lake cottage.

I try to be a considerate guest, cleaning up after myself and always sending a handwritten thankyou note. However, I find myself frequently flummoxed by the question of a hostess gift in these situations.

damage trees.

trees.

Drug Court proven to reduce crime, save taxpayers money

By Stephen M. Warning Retired Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge

From 1997 through 2020, I had the privilege of serving as a Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge, a job that was tremendously challenging and incredibly rewarding. I have many fine memories, and many very difficult memories from my time on the bench, but the moment I am most proud of— and am most proud of this community— happened on August 13, 1999. That was the day I presided over the first session of Adult Drug Court in Cowlitz County. In the 25 years since then, 661 people have graduated from the program.

There are now approximately 4,000 drug court programs across the country. Hundreds of scientific studies of those programs show two highly significant results.

Drug Courts reduce crime—by 45 percent compared to all other sentencing options. Nationwide, 75 percent of drug court graduates remain crime-free three years after completing the program. In Cowlitz County, 86

percent of graduates remain crimefree three years after graduation. (Cowlitz County also has one of the highest graduation rates in the country, 56 percent compared to 48 percent nationally.)

Drug Courts save money. Those national studies show that for every $1 invested in drug courts, we save $3.36 in incarceration and other criminal justice costs. When you include cost savings from reduced victimization and reduced healthcare costs, taxpayers actually save $27 for every $1 spent.

Drug Court is court-supervised and court-monitored drug treatment. An eligible defendant who has committed a qualifying crime and wants treatment comes to court, admits to their crime, and enters into a minimum oneyear program that includes drug treatment, regular court appearances, drug testing, and community service. They are also required to pay court costs and any restitution owed to the victim of the crime. Through frequent

court appearances, defendants are held accountable for meeting their obligations to the court, to themselves, their family, and to the community. If they become and remain clean and sober and successfully complete all program requirements, the felony charge is dismissed.

It’s a program that’s been shown to work, benefiting the individual and the community. Yet, despite this record of success, there is a question whether the Cowlitz County Commissioners will continue to fund this program.

Since 2013, our Drug Court has been funded by the Mental Health Tax. This is a 1/10 of 1 percent tax on sales—so, if you spend $800 on a new television, it costs you 80 cents.

The County Commissioners have allowed this tax to lapse and have called for an advisory vote on its continuation in the November election. It will appear on the ballot as Advisory

Vote 1. After considering the advisory vote, the Board of Commissioners will decide whether or not to continue the Mental Health Tax.

All of us would prefer to pay less tax rather than more, but this very modest tax pays for a program proven to save us taxpayers money and to make our community safer. Please join me in voting YES on Advisory Vote 1.

Steve Warning and his wife Angie live in Kelso, Wash. He served as a Cowlitz County Superior Court judge from 1997 to 2020. Now retired, he enjoys woodworking and is involved in the Civil Dialogue Project.

Guess who came to dinner . . . and stayed all winter? Herbs in the House

As the new season brings shorter days and cooler temperatures we move indoors and somewhat reluctantly toward winter. The simple summer pleasure of pinching fragrant herbs from our deck or patio pots is drawing to a close. But wait! Autumn does not have to mean the end of clipping a snippet of French tarragon to garnish salmon or signal an end to muddling mint for a Mojito.

This is the perfect time to invite a selection of herbs to live with you for the winter. As your focus turns to fall many of the potted, edible foliage plants that you have nurtured all summer are adaptable to indoor living. The following tips will help make the “move in” effortless and cohabitation beneficial for all.

Herbs generally include three types of plants

1. Perennial varieties that live from year to year, such as rosemary and sage top right photo), will survive outdoors through most winters. They can be harvested even though they become dormant and although they will not continue to grow. Place them under an overhang and watch for severe cold temperatures (below 25 degrees) when you will bring them temporarily into a garage or indoors. Protect from soaking winter rains and water minimally when dry. Thyme plants are winter hardy but will produce more succulent, flavorful foliage with indoors temperatures. Keep the plants blossom-free (bottom right photo) . Candidates for indoor growing are Chives, French Tarragon, Mint, Oregano and/or Marjoram, Lemon or English Thyme.

2. Biennial herbs include Curled and Italian parsley. These plants will be vegetative the first year and then will flower and go to seed the next. Then the plant will die. If your plants have wanted to bloom this summer, the plant should be composted. Purchase fresh starts for bringing into the house this winter or wait until spring. Italian Parsley is a candidate for indoor growing.

3. Annual plants only live one summer and often into fall. Popular basil will continue to produce aromatic, edible foliage if protected from frost. Basil will not survive long with the reduced lighting indoors. However, bring the last of the pots inside and they will provide a few more leaves for your favorite pesto for a short time. Cilantro, (coriander after it has gone to seed) is much more resistant to cold temperatures. However, to keep your crop of cilantro actively growing, sow seed every few weeks. Harvest by clipping the young plants with scissors to keep vegetative growth active (top left photo). When plants become old and woody you can compost these and move on to the next generation. Fresh cilantro at your fingertips for enchiladas and fresh salsa is a winter treat you don’t want to miss. Cilantro, Stevia, Lemon Grass, Scented Geraniums are candidates for indoor living.

WHERE TO PLACE

Choose a location that receives the brightest winter light possible. If the plants stretch toward the light, get spindly or no longer have rich foliage color, they are not getting enough light and you may have to find another spot for them. The plants will need to be watered occasionally, so make sure drips will not damage interior surfaces.

HOW TO GROW

Safe & Easy Insect Spray

1 cup Rubbing Alcohol 1 tsp. Liquid Dish Soap ½ tsp. Vegetable Oil 4 cups Water Use in spray bottle. Apply directly on insects. Rinse foliage before consuming.

Make sure the pots and foliage are clean and free from insects and disease before moving your herb collection indoors. Clean the pots with a mixture of 1 tablespoon bleach per 1 gallon of water. I like to mix in a little liquid dish soap as well. Rinse the foliage with clear water and then give them a misting of “Safe Spray” (see sidebar). When the plants are dry, they can be moved indoors. Keep the Safe Spray on hand for any outbreak of injurious insects. Your house will be a haven for these uninvited guests as well. They will think they went to Scottsdale!

Water only as needed. If you can move them to the kitchen sink to give them a good drink at that time, it would be an excellent opportunity to check for disease and insects. Let the water run through and once they have quit draining, move them back to their window. Fertilize once a month with a liquid houseplant food.

A long sleepover

Maintaining a supply of unpretentious herbs through the winter can be a rewarding experience. Invite some to dinner and ask them to stay over. You will harvest savory, original seasonings to use in recipes throughout the long winter months.

Bon appétit!

Nancy Chennaul and her husband, Jim, operated a landscaping business and independent nursery/garden center for 20+ years. She wrote CRR’s Northwest Gardener in CRR’s early years. A seven-year hiatus she came out of “retirement” to reconnect us with some of her favorite gardening topics. Nancy is founder of “Castle Rock Blooms”community of volunteers.

Story & PhotoS by NaNcy cheNNault

A family afield

Story

and photos by Krysten Ralston

Traditions include pumpkins, hayrides, hot cider

Of the many autumn traditions, my family’s favorite is — hands-down — our trip to the local pumpkin patch to find the perfect gourd to grace our front porch through the month of October.

This year, we headed to The Patch, a local farm in Woodland, Wash. This one is a triedand-true family favorite due to the free entry, variety of pumpkins and the many activities to choose from. The Patch offers hayrides, a hay maze and haystack pyramid, two corn mazes, corn hole, a shopping market, and even food trucks. The roaming chickens, kittens, and bleating goats add to the overall charm of the place.

After piling out of the car, my kids immediately raced over to the barn and scrambled up the pyramid of hay bales and then down into the hay maze where they would have happily spent all day winding through corridors and playing hide and seek.

Thankfully, the promise of a pumpkin hunt was enticing enough to lure them away after 20 minutes. It’s a quick walk from the main barn to the pumpkin fields and corn maze, but the farm offers hayrides into the fields, as well.

Rows and rows of pumpkins, bright bursts of orange against a gray sky, make for the perfect backdrop for those family photos, so be sure to snap a few pictures before everyone embarks on their pumpkin search.

My son, 4, loved crashing through the sprawling fields in search of that perfect pumpkin, while my daughter, 2, was more interested in running wild down the rows and dirt paths, squatting on makeshift pumpkin “stools.” Adjacent to the pumpkin fields, the free-entry, one-acre corn maze is perfect for littles in need of a bit of exercise, while the five-acre corn maze might be more of an adventure for older children and the young at heart.

Exhausted from our autumn romp, we loaded both children and pumpkins into the wheelbarrow and made our way back to the market area to pick out a few more goodies and to enjoy the festivities.

Now of course, finding the pumpkin is only half the fun. In our home, an evening of pumpkin carving calls for homemade chili, steamy cups of cider, and a cozy movie — traditions I hope to carry on for many years to come. See carving tips, facing page.

Whatever your fall traditions may be, as the leaves begin to change color and as night falls a little quicker, may your autumn be spent gathered close with friends and loved ones. A sampling of local pumpkin patches are listed on page 11.

Krysten Ralston is a freelance writer and poet based in Longview where she resides with her husband, Ryan (pictured here), and their two children. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her garden, thrifting at local shops, or exploring nature.

Pacific Northwest Culture

T1. For an easy cleanup, line the table or floor with newspaper or a disposable tablecloth, and have a trash can or bowl nearby for the scraps.

Editor’s note: If using copies of CRR, please be sure to thoroughly read them first)

2. On the side you intend to carve your design, be sure to scrape the inside until it’s thin and more manageable to carve.

3. Use a dry erase marker to sketch out your design.

4. Rub Vaseline/petroleum jelly on the cut edges to help retain moisture.

5. Soak in a mixture of bleach/water to preserve your pumpkin longer.

IF YOU GO: PUMPKIN PATCHES

WASHINGTON

R&B Farms

3849 Pleasant Hill Rd, Kelso, Wash. Daily 10am –6pm

The Patch

636 Whalen Rd, Woodland, Wash. Daily til 6pm, closed Mondays Opens 11am W-F, 10am Sat, 12 noon Sun

Little Island Farm

316 E Little Island Rd., Cathlamet, Wash.

Sat-Sun, 10am – 5pm

OREGON

Harrel Family Farms

27192 Dike Rd, Rainier, Ore.

Fri-Sat-Sun, 10am – 4pm

Conyers Creek Pumpkin Patch 75656 Clatskanie Heights Rd, Clatskanie, Ore.

Fri-Sat-Sun, 10am–6pm

Blackberry Bog Farms

40271 Old US Hwy 30, Astoria, Ore. Daily 10am –5pm, closed Thursdays

MUSEUM MAGIC

By Joseph Govednik, Cowlitz County Historical Museum Director

Foss Waterway Seaport A Tacoma Waterfront Delight

his month, Museum Magic takes us to Tacoma, a city known for a concentration of museums including history, art, automotive, maritime, and glass. Tacoma also shares history with the Lower Columbia region through the Northern Pacific Railroad’s final leg from Kalama to Tacoma’s waterfront, which was completed in 1873.

Celebrating this important artery of commerce is the Foss Waterway Seaport’s Maritime Museum, located in an historic and renovated 124-yearold wheat warehouse. This building is where “Rails Meet Sails,” as railroad cars full of Eastern Washington wheat emptied at the Northern Pacific Railroad terminus and cross-loaded onto large sailing ships to faraway ports.

The Foss Waterway Seaport is a maritime center that houses museum exhibits, a heritage wooden boat shop that was recently upgraded, and marine science education programs that supplement local school curriculum.

The building itself is impressive in its own right, with 147-foot spans of old growth Douglas Fir beams supporting a truss that its roof sits upon.

Exhibits inside the Seaport include a model of the Tacoma railway yard that fed the waterfront warehouses, large models of sailing ships such as George Vancouver’s “Discovery” and the Mosquito Fleet steamer “Tacoma.” For those interested in marine natural history there is a humpback whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling and a fin whale skull on display.

The Seaport makes a complementary experience to the Port of Kalama’s Transportation Interpretive Center (previously profiled in Museum Magic) as both Kalama and Tacoma bookend the final stretch of railroad completing a connection to Puget Sound waters and the world. Adjacent to the Seaport is 1,100 linear feet of dock to stroll along as part of a 1.5-mile waterfront esplanade. The Seaport is open Thursdays –-Sundays, 10am – 4pm. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, children over 5, and military. Children under 5 are free. For more information please visit www.fosswaterwayseaport.org or call 253-272-2750.

No thanks, I’ll walk Longview man takes to the trail

By Charles Rak

It’s an easy thing for most of us to take our “dogs” —ahem, excuse me, our feet — for granted. After all, unless they’re bothering us for some reason, we simply get up and go on them! I have come to realize that they really can hold the key to some pretty cool adventures.

Meaning, exactly this: Like most people, yes, I had my hobbies and such, but one summer maybe 10 years ago after reading about them in a local paper, I dropped a dime on the Mount St. Helens Club. Just to learn more about the hiking they offer. It turns out through that phone call, I learned they do more than hike. Yep! They also bike kayak, snowshoe and — best of all — they socialize.

After contacting one of the hike leaders — WHAM! — before you can lace up your shoes, I find myself in the wilderness one Saturday with a really cool bunch of people. And, Lordy, I LIKE it!. Nope, correction…I LOVE it!

Fast forward a few years and I find I can’t stop myself from buying books, watching videos, totally immersing myself in this craziness. I learn as much as I can and yes, dare to go shopping for the gear I’ll need to do more than simply day hike. I m talking backpacking. Yes, backpacking, loosely defined as wandering multiple days

traveling distances on foot, carrying all the supplies needed for basic shelter, cooking, sleeping, hygiene, food, water, navigation, etc. Whew! I’m tired.

But what I don’t know about this newly-acquired activity will soon become evident. I do a few “trial” backpack adventures of no more than an overnight or two. Mess up a lot. Discard some ideas, latch onto some things that do seem to work. Aha! I’m ready! Meticulously plan a backpack to loop all the way around Mount Hood, only three nights and four days. Turns out, not too many things go wrong, although I find out that there are 11 unbridged streams to wade. Hmmm…I learn about the force of rushing water, moss-covered, rounded rocks underfoot, and…fear. Spoiler alert: Nothing bad happens. Emboldened, a month later, the Three Sisters Loop doesn’t look so tough. Then the loop around Mount St. Helens. Child’s play.

In 2023, I decide that I should hike northbound on something called the Pacific Crest Trail from the California state line to Washington’s state line (Bridge of the Gods). I’d read much about the famed PCT and wanted to give it a try. Talked my wife into giving me a ride to a point south of Ashland Oregon, called Pilot Rock.

Kissed her goodbye and set out solo hiking northbound. They call us NOBO’s. Within a few days, I found out that this old body cannot carry as much pack weight as I had on without sustaining what they call an “overuse” injury.

Went home. Rehabbed for a week and started again at the Columbia River, this time heading southbound. Oh, yeah, with a lighter pack, less bravado. That summer I learned a lot, but managed only 213 miles in two or three goes at it.

This last summer (2024) with the great forbearance of a wonderful wife, I was driven down to southern Oregon once again. From there, the goal was to hike northward the remaining 240 miles to complete the border-to-border trek. Except for a stretch where I had to shuttle around wildfires burning just north of Crater Lake, Mount Thielson and Diamond Lake, I finally accomplished it. There, at Burning Lake (near Bend, Ore.), my lovely wife once again picked up her tired hungry, grizzled husband. I truly owe her a lot!

What I learned:

One thing is there will be setbacks, challenges, and even failures in nearly every endeavor in our lives. But sometimes, with perseverance and determination, we can reap rewards. Another thing. I was amazed at the camaraderie of the PCT “thru hikers” (Mexico to Canada). People so willing to help others reach their goal, which they all had in common. Clearly, when people have a common goal, it unifies them.

Finally, a certain clarity comes to one who is alone for long stretches. No radio, newspaper, TV, etc. Seems like the human brain finds things to “chew on” and I found myself thinking about all kinds of things. Some small and inconsequential, some serious, even past happenings and events that I now viewed in a different light, through a “new” lens. Even laughed out loud at some of these musings.

In short, if you’re able, let your feet open some doors for you. Mine sure did. Happy trails!

Charles Rak, pictured above near Elk Lake, Oregon, summer 2024, operates a sign & graphics business with his wife Myrna. They live in Longview.

Editor’s note: The Mount St. Helens Club is known for its varied outings — some easy, some more challenging — with food often involved during or after the hike. They welcome newcomers, first-timers, and shy hikers. See page 13 for upcoming opportunities.

VISITOR CENTERS

FREE Maps • Brochures Directions • Information

• Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce Kelso Visitor Center I-5

39 105 Minor Road, Kelso • 360-577-8058

• Woodland Tourist Center I-5 Exit 21 Park & Ride lot, 900 Goerig St., 360-225-9552

• Wahkiakum Chamber 102 Main St, Cathlamet • 360-795-9996

• Castle Rock Visitor Center Exit 49, west side of I-5, 890 Huntington Ave. N. Open M-F 11–3.

• Naselle, WA Appelo Archives Center 1056 SR 4, Naselle, WA. 360-484-7103.

• Pacific County Museum & Visitor Center Hwy 101, South Bend, WA 360-875-5224

• Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau 3914 Pacific Way (corner Hwy 101/Hwy 103) Long Beach, WA. 360-642-2400 • 800-451-2542

• South Columbia County Chamber Columbia Blvd/Hwy 30, St. Helens, OR • 503-397-0685

• Seaside, OR 989 Broadway, 503-738-3097; 888-306-2326

• Astoria-Warrenton Chamber/Ore Welcome Ctr 111 W. Marine Dr., Astoria 503-325-6311 or 800-875-6807

informationPoints of SpecialRecreationInterest Events Dining ~ Lodging Arts & Entertainment

Looking UP

SKY REPORT

By Greg Smith

Oct 17th – Nov 17, 2024

The Evening Sky

A clear sky is needed.

Saturn returns to the evening sky in the east just after 6pm and is up and readily visible by 6:30pm. It will be visible all night long. Venus returns to the evening sky in October. It will be just above the western horizon around 6:30pm on the 16th shortly after sunset. It will go below the horizon around 7pm. Also in the western sky a big show may well be in play at the same time, as Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS (C/2023 A3) is to make a brilliant appearance. It is predicted to be a naked eye comet with a long tail. October 10th the comet will be rising above the western horizon by 7pm. It will be visible until the 18th. Have your binoculars at hand early in the month and watch for the rising tail.

The Morning Sky

A cloudless eastern horizon sky is required. October 18th will see Mars and Jupiter very high in the southern sky in the hour before sunrise. The Constellation Orion will be situated below Jupiter.

Night Sky Spectacle

A clear sky is a must.

As stated above, the Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS (C\2023 A3)should give a grand show. As of this writing in late September it is giving a great show in the southern hemisphere. It is hoped it will survive its trip around the sun and start to give us in the northern hemisphere a great show. You will need your binoculars to see the tail rising around the 9th of October in the western sky along with a setting Venus. I sure hope we have a clear evening at this time of October, keep attuned to the media, as it will be a big story.

Pacific Daylight Savings Time ends pm Sunday, Nov. 3rd

MOON PHASES:

Full: Wed, Oct 16th

Last Quarter: Thurs, Oct 24th

New Moon: Fri, Nov 1st

First Quarter: Fri, Nov 8th

END OF TWILIGHT- when the brightest stars start to come out. It takes about another hour to see a lot of stars. It’s beginning to get dark a lot earlier now.

Thurs. Oct 17th, 6:51pm

Thurs, Oct 24th, 6:39pm Thurs, Oct 31st, 6:29pm Thurs, Nov 7th, 5:20pm Thurs, Nov 14th, 5:12pm

A COMET FROM THE ORT CLOUD

A visitor from far away

By Greg Smith

Last month I wrote about T Corona Borealis, the exploding star that may show up this year. While you are waiting for that to appear, you can focus on something closer to home, something in our own solar system.

A comet is passing by or may have already passed by the time you read this. Early October will have a naked eye comet in the low western sky during the evening hours. Comet Tsuchinshan ATLAS (C\2023 A3) will have been in all the media by now, I hope you have taken — or will take the opportunity — to try to view it. It will pass by Earth relatively close (by astronomical standards), several million miles (43.9 million miles) by October 17th.

Binoculars are always the best way to see it, if you have a small telescope, great. Aim at it and take a look. Be amazed at what you see. A telephoto lens on a camera will give you a great picture, as well, and something you can enjoy for a long time after the Comet has gone, and you can show it off to your friends too.

Comets are notoriously unpredictable in how they appear in our skies. They may not show up due to falling apart as they pass close to the sun in their orbit around our solar system. They come in from deep space. This one is coming from the outer reaches of our solar system in the Ort Cloud, far out beyond Pluto. It is headed for the sun as the sun’s gravity pulls it in and is slung around the sun and will be thrown back out to the Ort Cloud. This comet may return in the far future. Or it might fly out of the Ort Cloud completely. That may be the case with this one, as its not marked by a P (meaning Periodic) in its name. This may be a “one and done” comet, at least for our lifetime.

How is it that it is heading into the sun, anyway? It may actually be a long term comet that came a long time ago, and we have no record of it. Or it may have collided with something in the Ort Cloud and been nudged out of its balanced orbit around the sun, and then fell in toward the sun with the slight pull of gravity that the sun had on it. It may have taken a hundred years for the comet to fall from way out there to get this close to the sun.

Longview resident Greg Smith is past president of Friends of Galileo. Meet him and other club members at monthly meetings in Longview. For more info about FOG, visit friendsofgalileo.com.

HIKES

Mount St. Helens Hiking Club

(E) - Easier: Usually on relatively flat ground (up to 5 miles and/or less than 500 ft. e.g.)

(M) - Moderate: Longer and more elevation gain (over 5 miles and/or over 500 ft. e.g.)

(S) - Strenuous: Long hikes and/or elevation gain (over 8 miles and/or over 1200 ft. e.g.)

Call leader to join outing or for more info. Non-members welcome. Driving distances are from Longview, Wash.

Oct 16 - Wed   Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls (M)  Drive 162 miles RT. Hike 5 miles RT out and back with 1,000’ e.g. Spectacular path passing many waterfalls, winding through old-growth forest. Located off I-84 just past Bonneville Dam. In a few places you walk along a cliff edge. One short section has a cable to hold on to as you walk along the cliff edge. People afraid of heights might not want to go on this hike. A Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass is required. Leader: John & Mary Jane M. 360-505-0878

Oct 23 - Wed   Comet Falls and Van Trump Park (S)  Drive 220 miles RT. Hike 5.6 miles with a 2200’ e.g. Hike is located 4.4 miles uphill from Longmire at Mt Rainier. Trail is steep with beautiful views of Comet Falls in 1.8 miles. It is rocky and considered strenuous. Mildred Point is another 1 mile beyond Van Trump Park and an additional 800’ e.g. if you choose. No permit is required at the Nisqually entrance in October. Leader: Susan M. 360-751-1255

Oct 30 - Wed   Coweeman River Dike Trail (E)

Hike 3+ miles up and back on a gravel trail. Leader: Art M. 360-270-9991

Nov 1 - Friday Cape Horn (M)

Hike 7 miles RT with 1600’ e.g. to the top of a Columbia River ‘landmark.’ Out and back hike with some of the best views of the Columbia Gorge. Leader: Bill D. 503-260-6712

Nov 1 - Fri Lake Sacajawea (E)

Walk 4 miles on flat ground around the whole lake or any loop/portion for a shorter walk. NOTE: This walk is designed for Super Seniors and /or people with physical limitations at a slow pace. Leader: Susan S. 360-430-9914

Nov 6 - Wed Lake Sacajawea (E)

Walk a 4 mile loop around the lake or a shorter loop around the lake. Very little e.g. mostly flat gravel path. Leader: Art M. 360-270-9991

Nov 8 - Friday Ramona Falls (M/S)

Drive 184 mile r.t. Hike 7.1 miles out and back with 1046’ e.g. The hike will use the Ramona Falls Trail (vs. the Pacific Crest Trail) through forest along Ramona Creek. The falls are stunning and a “must see.” Leaders: John & Mary Jane M. 360-508-0878

Nov 13 - Wednesday Willapa Hills Trail (E)

Drive 90 miles r.t. Hike 5+ miles passing through the serene countryside on mostly flat gravel and paved trail. Leader: Barbara R. 360-431-1131

Nov 15 - Friday Bumping Knots Loop (E/M)

Drive 115 RT. Hike 6.4 miles with 1115’ e.g. May be muddy if wet but it’s a good November workout! Leader: Joe H. 360-430-8447

Nov 16 - Sat Marquam Nature Park (S)

Drive 104 miles RT. Hike 5 mile loop with 1200’ e.g. A great work-out with forested scenic views inside Portland Parks & Recreation’s 3rd largest natural area. Leader: Bruce M. 360-425-0256

Nov 20 - Wed Burnt Bridge - (E)

Drive 80 miles RT. Hike 5 plus miles on mainly level path. Leader: John R. 360-431-1122

Nov 27 - Wed Castle Rock River Trail (E)

Drive 30 miles RT Hike 4.5 to 5 miles up and back. Walk a level paved river trail along the Cowlitz River. Optional hike up the “Rock.” Leader Art M. 360-270-9991

Nov 29 - Fri Angels Rest / Devils Rest (S)

Drive 136 miles RT Hike 4.4 miles RT with 1800’ e.g. through forest and rock bluffs to scenic Angels Rest. Option to continue for another 3 mile loop with an additional 600’ e.g. to Devils Rest. Great views of Columbia River Gorge and chance to hike on remote trail spared by the Eagle Creek fire. Leaders: Jackie 360-430-1111 & Bruce 360-425-0256

Bats,

Spiders,

Owls—Oh My!

Friday, Oct. 25th at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

Do bats do aerobatics when they’re not hanging around? Have a hoot and an owl-right time as we spin some fun tales and learn about night creatures with our ranger-led talks! The 14th annual “Bats, Spiders, Owls – Oh My!” event is Friday evening, October 25th. This event is free! Tours will run every twenty minutes with the first tour starting at 6:00pm. and the last tour starting at 7:40pm.

Rangers will be stationed at three stops on a ¼ mile walk presenting information and telling stories about three creatures of the night: bats, spiders and owls. Please bring a flashlight and wear sturdy shoes. Arriving in costume is welcome! Enjoy crafts and treats outside the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center while you wait for your tour.

The park is open daily 9am to 5pm. This event is free, but normally admission is $10 per adult and free for youth 15 years old and under. Passes to National Park Service sites are accepted. For more information, call the park at 503-861-4414, visit www.nps.gov/lewi, or lewisandclarknps on Instagram, or Lewis and Clark National Historical Park on Facebook.

Candidate for Cowlitz County Commissioner Pos. 2 (R)

What does Steve Ferrell stand for?

TAXATION Don’t collect taxes the county doesn’t need. Every tax dollar represents a portion of your time. Steve doesn’t want the county to be collecting tax dollars and taking time out of your life that the county doesn’t need.

PERSONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS There are too many restrictions that prevent people from utilizing their own personal property the way they want to.

HOMELESSNESS Don’t just give them a handout. There’s a big difference between a hand-up and a hand-out. Now we expect government to do it all, and government can’t do it all.

STAND UP FOR WHAT’S RIGHT

Despite his employer threating to fire him for running for PUD Commissioner Steve ran anyway. He believes that being involved in local government is as American as motherhood and apple pie.

GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS Steve will look at everything from the eye of the taxpayer. What is the benefit to the citizens of Cowlitz County? How do we justify money for programs that we are required to implement?

THE PROPER ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

Steve feels there is too much government infringing on charity organizations, roles, and rules. Charities, churches and community organizations have taken care of the homeless, the sick, and even the mentally challenged people in their community —that is not the role of government.

REPRESENTING CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY

Steve doesn’t fit “in a box” very well, as he’s been on both sides of the fence, from the hourly employee, union employee, all the way through to the executive management level.

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION Steve feels we shouldn’t have to go to jail for what we believe in and we should be able to fight city hall peacefully.

COUNTY RULEMAKING Sunset clauses should be used on lots of things, and not just taxes. This is an opportunity to revisit decisions made by other councils. All things you make a decision on don’t stay the same every day of your life for the rest of your life.

COWLITZ COUNTY GOVERNMENT  Steve is very confident in the current department heads and sees no issue right now to go rushing in with the idea to go in and fix something.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Steve feels we have a wonderful opportunity with our deep-water ports, Interstate 5, and rail.

Steve Ferrell

What’s Happening Around the River

Biz Buzz notes news in local business and professional circles. As space allows, we include news of innovations, improvements, new ventures and significant employee milestones of interest to readers. Please email to publisher@crreader.com

Longview welcomes new fire chief

The City of Longview, Washington recently appointed Brad Hannig as the new Fire Chief of the Longview Fire Department. Hannig brings more than 31 years of fire service experience, including 21 years in leadership positions, to his new role in Longview.

Hannig most recently served as the Deputy Director of the Utah Communications Authority in Salt Lake City. Prior to that, he held the position of Fire Chief for the Logan City Fire Department in Utah for six years, overseeing a department of 80 employees and a $10.6 million budget.

will have on our fire and emergency services.”

“We are excited to welcome Chief Brad Hannig to the Longview Fire Department. His extensive experience, proven leadership skills, and commitment to continuous improvement make him an outstanding fit for our community,” stated Interim City Manager Jim Duscha. “We look forward to the positive impact he

SPENCER CREEK STATION

Hannig holds a Bachelor of Science in fire administration from Columbia Southern University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in occupational safety and health. His qualifications include numerous NFPA and EMS certifications, reflecting his commitment to professional development and effective leadership within the fire service.

Left to right, Paul McCarty, Castle Rock Public Works; Julia Collins, CRHS Agriculture/ Horticulture/Floral Teacher and CTE Director; Nancy Chennault, Castle Rock Blooms Volunteer Coordinator; Dave Vorse, Castle Rock Public Works Director; Sherisha Aylesworth, Castle Rock Blooms Volunteer; Tyler Stone, Castle Rock Public Works.

Castle Rock receives national recognition from America in Bloom

Columbus, OHIO —Top honors for the prestigious 2024 America in Bloom Program were announced at the annual symposium and awards celebration in Columbus, Ohio, September 26-28. Castle Rock, Wash., won the Floral Impact and Community Involvement Outstanding Achievement Awards, Alive with Flowers - Sunbeam Social Media Award, and the 1,500 –3,500 Population Category Award. Castle Rock also received special recognition for its Floral Impact from AIB Advisors Kristina Whitney and Laurie Lafferty, who spent two days in

the summer touring the community, meeting municipal officials, residents, and volunteers.

AIB Executive Director said in a press release: “America in Bloom is helping communities of all sizes achieve their potential... Congratulations to Castle Rock for the excellent work making their community more beautiful and vibrant.”

America in Bloom is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting nationwide beautification programs .

Chief Brad Hannig

Longview’s “Complete Streets” projects enhance safety and accessibility

The City of Longview has made good progress on its Complete Streets projects, aimed at improving safety, accessibility, and mobility for all road users. These projects are transforming key corridors throughout the city.

“Our primary focus...is safety,” said Jim Duscha, interim city manager. “By redesigning our streets to accommodate all users — drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders — we’re creating a more connected and safer Longview for everyone.” Key changes include:

• Washington Way: Reduction to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane and buffered bike lanes. Studies have shown this configuration will adequately serve current and future needs while improving safety.

• Beech Street: Addition of bike lanes and implementation of a “road diet” * to naturally slow traffic. The bike lane switches sides for improved visibility.

• 30th Avenue: Reconfiguration based on extensive parking studies to optimize parking availability.

• Nichols Blvd and Olympia Way: Nearing completion of improvements.

Changes are based on comprehensive traffic studies, crash analyses, and community input, align with the City’s 2022 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, and support the goals outlined in Longview’s comprehensive plan.

Benefits of the Complete Streets approach include:

• Reduced likelihood of crashes

• Improved pedestrian crossings and accessibility

• Enhanced bicycle infrastructure

• Traffic calming measures for more consistent speeds

• Better accommodation for all road users

“We understand that residents are seeing significant changes to familiar streets,” Duscha added. “While some may have concerns about bike lanes, it’s important to emphasize that these projects are about comprehensive safety improvements for everyone, not just cyclists. We’re creating a more community-focused environment that serves all residents and visitors.”

The City of Longview remains committed to transparent communication throughout the implementation process. Residents can find more information and updates on the Complete Streets projects at www.mylongview.com/658/ Complete-Streets.

The city anticipates these projects will contribute to Longview’s goal of zero traffic fatalities and create a more vibrant, accessible community for all.

*A “road diet” is a technique in transportation planning whereby the number and/or the width of travel lanes of the road is reduced to achieve proven benefits, including a statistically attested crash reduction rate of 19% to 47%.

--Wikipedia

Left to right: Former Port of Kalama Executive Director Lanny Cawley, SAJ Principal Architect Jonah Jensen, Port Commissioners Troy Stariha and Randy Sweet; Wash. 20th Dist. Rep. Ed

Where do you read THE READER?

From Down Under Andrea Coleman, Gavin Mills, both from Castle Rock, Tim Coleman and Suzanne

Bend,

WHERE DO YOU READ THE READER?

Send your photo reading the Reader (high-resolution JPEG) to publisher@ crreader.com. For cell phone photos, choose the largest file size up to 2 MB. Include names and cities of residence. Expect an acknowledgment within 5 days of submission; otherwise, please re-send. Thank you for your participation and patience, as we usually have a small backlog!

Pie and coffee on Highway 30

Michael Luevano from Bakersfield, California, at Westport’s Berry Ranch restaurant, while on a visit to Astoria, Ore.

from

Sorry, Disney fans, they’re visiting the real Little Mermaid

“Greetings from Copenhagen!” wrote Kim Worrall, from the final stop in his and his wife Tami Tack‘s 12-day Baltic cruise They also spent 5 days in Amsterdam prior to the cruise, and planned to visit Luxembourg and Belgium after disembarking, to celebrate Kim’s 75th birthday. The two live in Rainier, Oregon.

Greetings

Minnesota Longview residents Mark and Karen Thorson in Brainerd and Bemidji, MN, July 2024, with Paul Bunyon and Babe, the Blue Ox.

Karnofski from

Oregon, visit Uluru in the outback in Australia.

Central player captures hearts Cabernet Sauvignon’s starring role in world of wine

by Marc Roland

Idon’t have to introduce you to a grape known around the world as the most loved and esteemed grape in modern times… the little grape that could and did— Cabernet Sauvignon! It has captured the hearts of many and will soon capture yours, if you let it.

Cabernet Sauvignon’s natural resistance to disease, its thick skin, and ability to thrive in diverse climates make it a star. For these reasons it is favored by growers and has a rich history with the development of winemaking itself. One thing you may not know is how this grape came about. The unlikely development of this grape can be traced back to 17th Century France, where a chance crossing between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc (white wine grape) created this remarkable varietal. The unity of these two grapes produced a grape with both the bold structure of Cabernet Franc and the fresh, aromatic qualities of Sauvignon Blanc. The result: a full-bodied, deep-colored wine.

The Bordeaux region, particularly the Médoc area on the Left Bank, played a pivotal role in Cabernet Sauvignon’s early development. Its gravelly soils, warm climate, and proximity to the Gironde estuary proved ideal for growing this grape. The first documented use of Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux blends occurred in the late 18th century, when it was combined with Merlot and Cabernet Franc to create what would become the iconic Bordeaux blend. The success of these blends, particularly those from top estates like Château Margaux and Château Lafite, helped establish Cabernet Sauvignon as a central player in the world of wine.

Throughout the 19th century, the grape expanded across Europe, and by the 20th century, it had made its way to the New World, including the United States, Australia, Chile, and South Africa. In California’s Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon found its ultimate expression. In the 1960s and 1970s, Napa winemakers began producing high-quality, single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon wines that garnered international acclaim.

Today, Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in nearly every major wine-growing region, but with mixed outcomes. The grape needs heat to ripen and does exceptionally well in Washington State and the valleys of Chile, and in South Africa. Its adaptability, longevity, and capacity for aging have increased the value of well-made wines that populate the cellars of the rich and famous.

But you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a wonderful bottle near home. One of my favorite is Cold Creek Vineyard, one of Washington’s oldest and most acclaimed vineyards. Made by Chateaux Ste. Michelle, this Cabernet has broad-shouldered structure, concentrated fruit characters and deep color. It will still set you back about $35 but is well worth it. You might even find it at Safeway or Fred Meyer.

Cheers!

Longview resident and former Kelso teacher Marc Roland started making wine in 2008 in his garage. He and his wife, Nancy, now operate Roland Wines at 1106 Florida Street in Longview’s new “barrel district.” For wine tasting hours, call 360-846-7304.

NOTES FROM MY LIVES

Sby Andre Stepankowsky

Talking Turkey

This

Thanksgiving,

take time to better know family, friends

ometimes I’m shocked at how little we know about even our best friends. Two cases in point:

First, I learned last week that the father of my friend Pete Z. won The New York Police Department’s second highest honor for valor by chasing down an armed robber. And as a volunteer firefighter, he descended by rope deep into the shafts of an abandoned iron mine to recover the bodies of some kids who had fallen in. No one else was willing to take the risk.

Second, after he read my memories of Sister Josephine Coleman last month, John McClelland told me how the late teacher and state legislator Arlie DeJarnatt had mentored him as a student at R.A. Long High School. He wept at Arlie’s memorial service

I’ve been friends with Pete Z. for 65 years. We went to grade school, high school, and college together. I’ve known John for 45 years. But I had no idea these inspirational stories lay embedded in their family and personal histories.

Back when I was a newspaperman, I often was surprised upon reading obituaries at the fascinating tidbits and histories of people who were no longer with us. Too bad their families didn’t share them with us while they were alive, I’d lament.

Nearly everyone, I believe, has a story that should be told. But they fade with passage of time and our preoccupation with the present and the future. Deeds of love, bravery, courage, intellect or special poignancy get lost and often die in the avalanche of daily chatter.

Chit-chat about the weather, the latest fashions, Hollywood gossip, or football games is a necessary social lubricant of daily living. However, we should occasionally make deeper dives and put aside our eagerness to steer conversations toward ourselves so we better appreciate and understand our friends, neighbors and co-workers.

This need not be intrusive, and it can be a lot of fun. For example, I like to pose an “around-the-table” question at our extended family’s Thanksgiving dinner every year. This year, in keeping with my column about Sister Josephine, I’ll ask this one: Who, besides a relative, was a teacher who was especially inspirational to you or made a decisive impact on your life?

Other variations: Describe one of your best friends, what makes them special and what do you do to make one another better people? What was a pivotal moment in your life, and why. Who are your heroes? What are you doing to make Christmas extra special this year?

You get the idea: take a moment away from describing how you cooked the turkey to bake up some real meaningful and memorable dialogue that reveals the stories — and even the souls — of the people you love.

Award winning journalist Andre Stepankowsky is a former reporter and editor for The Daily News. His CRR columns spring from his many interests, including hiking, rose gardening, music, and woodworking. More of his writing can be found under “Lower Columbia Currents” on substack.com

I never know where she’ll drop me in.

stop working on their issues just keep pressing onward start playing against type turn the page on the past stop minding their p’s and q’s keep their minds out of the gutter seek treatment for de-pression continue living on the margins

to our sponsors: Weatherguard • Cutright Supply The Evans Kelly Family Joe Fischer • Cowlitz PUD

For information about becoming a sponsor, please contact publisher@crreader.com or call 360-749-1021.

Production notes

Seeing is Relieving: Take THAT, words!

A s if writers needed more fuel for their inbred insecurities, the old adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words” certainly doesn’t help.

Napoleon apparently had a similarly low regard for the spoken, not just the written word: “A good sketch is better than a long speech.”

You get the picture.

Yet we can’t resist words and their allure. Everybody’s a writer these days. Social media are a black hole consuming zillions of words seemingly off the top of our muddled heads: foggy recollections, boring anecdotes, political diatribes, shameless bragging, and the “journaling” that falls between cringe-worthy selfrevelation and gross offenses to privacy, civility, and morality.

There are too many words. So, whatcha gonna do about it?

Well, here at the Reader (no, we’re not about to change our name to The Looker) our newest book is a picture book. And we couldn’t be happier about it!

Not only that, we’ve come up with a cool new package and presentation schtick that puts the pictures proudly prominent. (Word people also fall victim constantly to trite, time-tested tropes like alliteration, allusion, and accumulating things in threes.)

And we proudly introduce our “Easel-y Art” system — your own gallery in a box. Your taste on the tabletop: a convenient way to display the brilliant offerings in Greg Gorham’s A Lifetime of Art as part of your own decor, asserting your “wild beast” within.

We’ve run out of words to describe our delight in Greg’s art and his career story, his catalog raisonne. All that’s left is to amplify, to publicize, and to share it with you.

Think about A Lifetime of Art as your gift to yourself this holiday season. And the endlessly adaptable displays and décor that can be yours to share and brighten your days.

people+place

Coast to Coast Gregory Gorham’s lifetime

of art

Greg Gorham seems more a teddy bear than a wild beast, but proudly proclaims his homage to Les Fauves, the post-Impressionist masters of color.

Gorham marvels that the more color he applies to his traditional sea side and harborside scenes, the more patrons and critics seem to want.

Led by Henri Matisse, Les Fauves followed mainstream Impressionism and pre-dated cubism. Borrowing

HC: Were you born to draw and paint?

GG: I always painted. I always drew and painted. As a youngster I loved to do that. I would have sketchbooks that would have nothing but trees. I lived in Michigan at the time, and it was winter and I would love the intricacy of all the branches on certain types of deciduous trees.

HC: Painting, or drawing?

GG: Pen and ink. I’ve always loved pen and ink.

HC: How much did Michigan shape you?

GG: I was a true Michigander. I grew up in Northern Michigan, closer to The Thumb. I hunted with my dad, we fished, and it wasn’t really until after I married that I went east and saw Cape Cod.

HC: When did water colors enter into the picture? At the sea?

GG: Much earlier. My dad had a sporting goods shop, and he had posters of the pheasants, you know, the hunting dog with the pheasant in his mouth, and the scene was all these corn fields that had this wonderful kind of sepia color. That and the colorfulness of the pheasant, that’s what inspired me to do water colors.

HC: You still work a lot in water color, in fact in a pretty remarkable variety of different media?

influences from Cezanne and especially Van Gogh, they often used “unnatural” colors (straight from the tube as opposed to mixed to simulate natural hues) and bold brush strokes. Soon labeled the Wild Beasts (Les Fauves) their ranks also included notables Andre Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck.

Today, Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula hosts an inspired Fauvist descendant. Whether straight from the tube or not, Gregory Gorham’s wonderful, watery works appear to be both of this world and transcending it.

GG: I love the qualities of each — oil, acrylic, water color, inks. I’ve been doing a lot of linoleum block carving and printing, too.

HC: A lot of boats, I see.

GG: Yes, except I don’t believe in calling them boats. They’re “vessels” to me.

I DON’T BELIEVE IN CALLING THEM BOATS

cont page 22

Gregory Gorham

Gregory Gorham at work in his Ocean Park, Washington, studio.

HC: May lightning strike me dead!

GG: You’re forgiven. It just helps me to think of them as vessels, that contain things. They hold people, they hold fish, they hold the aspirations and everything else that goes along with being a fisherman.

HC: That’s well put.

GG: A boat to me is like a rowboat. So much pride goes into the vessels from people that are in the fishing industry. And the vessels are so humble and magnificent at the same time. More than boats.

HC: You seem to have an almost architectural view of these “vessels” you paint.

GG: I’m so interested in the gracefulness and the complication of the fishing vessels. All those riggings, all those lines at all those right angles and diagonals, and the fishing nets, and the gentle slope of the hull that is so reassuring and beautiful in a way.

HC: So, in reading the book it’s hard to minimize your coming to Cape Cod, and experience of it.

GG: It wasn’t until I was married, and my father-in-law, Frank, introduced me to New Bedford, and Cape Cod. Frank was great. He loved the Cape and he knew all the places to go. It’s really different than any of the other coastal communities. You have this wonderful mix of scrubby pines, all the different odors of the jasmine, the wild roses, this salt air. The sea food. The sunlight is so bright and inviting.

HC: Did you have a “painterly” view of the place, already?

GG: There’s a certain light that artists talk about when you’re on Cape Cod. You get a different light there than almost any other place, because it’s right out in the middle of the ocean.

All this reflected light, and sand. Painters talk about it really imbuing what they paint.

HC: And you ended up out here on another finger of land. Differences? Similarities?

GG: We actually moved to Vancouver, Washington, and still have a house there. But we’d been looking for a second place. I love the idea of being by the ocean. We thought about the mountains, we traveled to Arizona. Then we came out here, we heard the real estate prices were pretty good. And that was it. There was the ocean. There were the boats. Oh oh, I said it!

HC: For an artist, differences?

GG: The Cape has people who are very privileged. You have older architecture, and immense wealth. You don’t see that out here. It’s a different kind of charm. It’s more rustic. More independent. Kind of a wild west feeling out here. And I don’t think there’s a trailer out there on Cape Cod!

HC: But the vessels…

GG: As good as the Cape, certainly. And I’m very conscious of the River. I’ve done several paintings where I’ve included the freighters or the cargo ships, where I show a trawler going out towards the bar on the Columbia and there might be a freighter coming in from the bar heading upriver.

HC: Your different uses of color is a highlight of your work. Influences? Impressionism?

GG: Probably more of a whim and exploring the particular medium — acrylic, oils, watercolor, inks, markers. I didn’t always use all the color. I was more into the line and black and white and a sepia tone kind of very traditional way of painting very realistically. Some of my heroes are Andrew Wyeth, his dry point and what he was able to capture; Edward Hopper, who I’ve really recently delved into. We went to his show back in Gloucester. But as far as color goes, I’m probably more of a Fauvist than an Impressionist.

HC: They preceded the impressionists?

GG: Yes, Les Fauves were the “wild beasts.” They were known for using bright, bright colors.

HC: Do you paint on location? Are you known as a wild beast roaming the fishing community?

GG: Hardly. Not like I used to. I am an avid photographer and I try to capture the essence of a scene then have time to work it up in paint. I love the reflections. In a lot of my work you will find reflections. Reflections that are very docile, from still water, where there is a mirror image of the boat in the water. But then you’ll also find, especially in the works I call Working the River, where I’m showing the boats as they appear on the Columbia, working

Linoleum block printing: “Negative spaces” carved in the linoleum block; vigorously inked; image pressed onto custom paper; completed print

JuNior lEaguE of lowEr coluMbia

Paintings by Gregory Gorham

Top

In these four images I used warm red to compliment the composition. The blue areas are a mix of cooler aqua “Red Tie Down“ is an interesting approach to making a blurring the background and sharply focusing on the red immediate foreground, giving an impression of depth. paintings, contrasting from what is seen in the imagery

COWLITZ PUD

Northwest hydropower produces no carbon emissions, thereby significantly reducing the total carbon footprint of the region’s energy production.

Top left: “Bright Morning at Lydia Cove”

right Bottom left: “Old and New Provincetown” Bottom

“Reflections at Wellfleet”

Above: “The Blynman Bridge House Detail Acrylic

“The Blynman House Detail”

“Asian Figure III”

“Bright Morning at Lydia Cove”

“Pines and Birches”

“Reflection at Wellfleet”

“Clouds at Baker Bay””

People

from page 22

HC: Are we likely to see you by the road with a camera in your hand?

GG: My wife Judy always fears I’m taking my life in my own hands when I jump out of the car and take pictures all the time. She just waves her hands and shrugs her shoulders and says ‘artiste!’ when the cars race by. But I have a whole trove of photos, accumulated over time, from both coasts and from trips abroad, as source material and history.

HC: Do you feel like you’ve found a home here, especially out on the Long Beach Peninsula? I always used to say it was in some ways more Cape Cod than Cape Cod. Are you developing a feeling for this shore, too?

GG: We’ve only been here, at the ocean, for five years, but we love it. I’m displayed in some of the local galleries. And my wife and I love the arts scene here. We try to go to new restaurants, and buy the work of other artists. We go to our local arts center and hear the musicians. I enjoy being part of all of it.

Hal Calbom, a thirdgeneration Longview native and author of Empire of Trees: America’s Planned City and the Last Frontier, produces CRR’s People+Place monthly feature, and is CRRPress associate publisher.

Where to find the new Reader

It’s delivered all around the River by the 15th of each month. Here’s the handy, regularly-refilled sidewalk box and rack locations, where you can pick up a copy any time of day and even in your bathrobe:

LONGVIEW

U.S. Bank

Post Office

Bob’s (rack, main check-out)

In front of 1232 Commerce Ave

In front of 1323 Commerce Ave

In front of Elam’s 1413 Commerce

In front of Freddy’s 1110 Commerce

YMCA

Fred Meyer (rack, service desk)

Grocery Outlet, OB Hwy

Fibre Fed’l CU - Commerce Ave

Monticello Hotel (front entrance)

Kaiser Permanente

St. John Medical Center (rack, Park Lake Café)

LCC Student Center

Indy Way Diner

Columbia River Reader Office 1333 14th Ave. (box at door)

Omelettes & More (entry rack)

Stuffy’s II (entry rack)

KELSO

Visitors’ Center / Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce

KALAMA

Etc Mercantile

Fibre Fed’l CU

Kalama Shopping Center corner of First & Fir

Columbia Inn

McMenamin’s Harbor Lodge (rack)

Luckmans Coffee, Mountain Timber Market, Port of Kalama

WOODLAND

The Oak Tree

Visitors’ Center

Grocery Outlet

Luckman Coffee

CASTLE ROCK

Parking lot near Post Office

Cowlitz St. W., near Vault Books & Brew

Visitors’ Ctr 890 Huntington Ave. N., Exit 49, west side of I-5

Cascade Select Market

VADER

Little Crane Café

RYDERWOOD

Café porch

TOUTLE

Drew’s Grocery & Service

CLATSKANIE

Post Office

Mobil / Mini-Mart

Fultano’s Pizza

WESTPORT

Berry Patch (entry rack)

RAINIER

Post Office

Cornerstone Café

Rainier Hardware (rack, entry)

Earth ‘n’ Sun (on Hwy 30)

El Tapatio (entry rack)

Grocery Outlet

Senior Center (rack at front door)

DEER ISLAND

Deer Island Store

COLUMBIA CITY

Post Office

WARREN

Warren Country Inn

ST HELENS

Chamber of Commerce

Sunshine Pizza

St. Helens Market Fresh

Big River Tap Room

Safeway

SCAPPOOSE

Post Office

Road Runner

Fultano’s

Ace Hardware

WARRENTON

Fred Meyer

CATHLAMET

Cathlamet Pharmacy

Tsuga Gallery

Realty West/Computer Link NW

Puget Island Ferry Landing

Little Island Creamery

SKAMOKAWA

Skamokawa General Store

NASELLE

Appelo Archives & Café

Johnson’s One-Stop

ILWACO

Time Enough Books (entry table)

Marie Powell’s Gallery

Mt. St. Helens Gifts

• T-Shirts • Hoodies Ash Glass & Hellenite Jewelry

Good books • Good cheer

1254-B Mt. St. Helens Way 360-274-7011

Clatskanie Mini-Storage

Storage

Boat Moorage Quality since 1976 On-site Manager 503-728-2051 503-369-6503

No batteries required Nice crinkly paper

Optimistic • Local Old covers make great gift wrap

Carve pumpkins on it

Thanks for reading

From day one, I will bring the same strong, sensible leadership to Cowlitz County as commissioner that I brought to Kalama as mayor for the last seven years.

With two brand new Commissioners, and the third in his first term, my experience and institutional knowledge is a critical piece to making certain that Cowlitz County is on the right track.

While we may not always agree, we must always collaborate with civility and open minds.

You are invited to attend Stella Lutheran Chapel’s Annual Harvest Fest event on Saturday, Nov. 2, 4–6pm.

The evening’s activities include a delicious meal prepared by our kitchen staff. Visit with friends and neighbors, discover a variety of silent auction items created and donated by local artisans and members of Stella Lutheran Chapel. Purchase raffle tickets for our 50/50 jackpot and hold on to your dinner ticket for chances to win door prizes. The silent auction closes at 6pm.

Dinner is served from 4:00pm to 5:45pm.

Menu: Smoked Bratwurst on a Bun, Coleslaw, Chips, Pie, Coffee and Apple Cider. Suggested Donation: $15 at the door. Please call to make a reservation. Seating is limited. Proceeds benefit Stella Lutheran Chapel. Event made possible in part by Thrivent Financial for a Thrivent Action Team Project

Mark you calendar for Saturday, November 2, from 4 –6pm. and come enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship!

DIRECTIONS: 124 Sherman Road, Longview. Enjoy the beautiful drive west from Longview on Ocean Beach Hwy to the historical Stella area. Turn onto Germany Creek Rd. and proceed two miles.

More Information and reservations: Laura McCartney 360-636-2032

The experienced staff at Longview Orthopedic Associates has been providing sports medicine care to local prep, college, club, and recreational athletes since 1983. In addition, several of our physicians have treated college and professional athletes in the Seattle and Los Angeles areas.

Our staff understands that every athlete wants to get back in the action as quickly as possible, and we do everything possible to make that happen..

Longview Orthopedic Associates is located at Pacific Surgical Institute, where MRI and physical therapy services are available on site. Call today to schedule an appointment.

MAN IN THE KITCHEN CLASSICS

Mushrooms: Heaven is about to bloom on Earth

Mushrooms can add a subtle, gourmet touch to the dish you are creating. A lovely, thick mushroom soup uses chicken stock as its base, but is transformed to its unique flavor when the mushrooms are added. More often the mushroom flavor is less apparent, as in a fritata or gravy.

Many mushrooms, domestic and tame, have very similar flavors when prepared. I have compared soups made from the common white mushroom, the chanterelle wild mushroom, and the gourmet Shiitake. They are all delicious.

I look for the opportunity to add mushrooms to various dishes. I cut them into thin slices, place them in a frying pan, covered, over low heat, adding a small amount of lemon juice and water. In about 5 minutes the mushrooms will soften and reduce their bulk, ready to use. If the mushroom texture is undesirable in the recipe, puree before adding, or press out all the juice in the frying pan and use that for flavoring.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms

2 Tbl chopped onions

6 Tbl butter

1-1/2 Tbl flour

1 14-oz can chicken stock

1/4 cup cream

1 egg yolk

2 tsp. chopped Italian parsley

– Paul Thompson

“With fall rains, the Northwest takes on a new guise. The salmon begin their charge up the rivers. Hungry fishermen can’t miss. Killer frost works its way down the mountainsides, extinguishing everything in its path. And for the mycologist, heaven is about to bloom on earth.”

After the fall rain, chanterelles are popping up in our evergreen forests, ready to pick. But whether you go tramping to the woods, to the local farmers market, or to your grocery store, it’s easy to imagine a lovely, slightly golden soup on your dinner table. Maybe tonight?

Paul Thompson wrote his popular “Man in the Kitchen” column and other features since CRR’s first issue. After a decline in health, he passed away in July 2021. We re-run some of his classic recipes and excerpts from columns from time to time, in fond remembrance, and appreciation for his friendship and role in CRR.

Cook the onions in 3 Tbl. butter over medium-low heat about 5 minutes. Add flour and continue cooking another 3 minutes, while stirring. Add the chicken stock and mushroom stems and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Strain the stock. Slice the mushroom caps and saute in 3 Tbl. butter for 2 minutes, then cover, and reduce heat to low for 5 minutes. Add them to the strained stock and heat. Combine egg yolk and cream. Add hot stock one spoonful at a time to the yolk-cream mixture, while stirring until you’ve added about 1/2 cup. Then slowly add the yolk-cream mixture back into the hot stock while stirring. Stir in half of the parsely, heat and serve, adding the remaining parsley as garnish.

Chanterelles are commonly found all over Western Washington under fir forest cover after fall rains and until frost. Mycology organizations often sponsor identification hikes, a good place to start. If you go on your own, be sure to get a safety check before eating your bounty.

THE TIDEWATER REACH FIELD GUIDE TO THE LOWER COLUMBIA IN POEMS AND PICTURES

Poem

by

Robert Michael Pyle

Photograph by Judy VanderMaten

Field Note by Hal Calbom

FERRY FOG

The last ferry operating on the Lower Columbia is the Oscar B, which replaced its long-time predecessor, the Wahkiakum. From the Washington side, ferry riders leave Cathlamet and cross a bridge to Puget Island, where they board the ferry for the 15-minute crossing. Oscar B holds 19 vehicles and is owned and operated by Wahkiakum County. It drops passengers hourly at the Oregon-side town of Westport, just downriver from Clatskanie.

River Monsters

Lake monsters, like Nessie, Ogopogo, and Champ, rear their heads in the form of sinker logs, looping otters, rafts of mergansers in the fog, and maybe sometimes, random fins of plesiosaurs.

It’s the mergansers that gulled a watcher at Loch Ness in one famous encounter (Scots call them goosanders).

Once upon Loch Ness at Castle Urquhart, I beheld the goosanders—lined up as prescribed, dipping and diving, only needed fog. I could see it.

Here on the big river? Oh, we’ve got the otters, the mergs, and plenty of loopy lions rampant on the whitecaps. But mostly our monsters are logs — waterlogged sinkers, slinking out of the murk, rearing back, and roaring silently into the river mist their very name which no one yet has ever heard.

EMPIRE OF TREES

AMERICA’S PLANNED CITY AND THE LAST FRONTIER

by Hal Calbom

Staggering Achievement, Staggering Cost

R.A. Long and his lieutenants were now making day-today decisions with huge consequences, especially financial. In many cases they flew blind; the lack of available engineering and construction talent and experience made estimating virtually impossible.

J.D. Tennant was charged with doing the estimating. And breaking the news to the boss.

Mr. Long was in Kansas City, waiting for a telephone call that would tell him what his biggest project at Longview, the mill itself, was going to cost. He was alone…in the directors’ room when the call came through from Kelso. Mr. Long took the phone. The West Fir Unit alone — half the mill — plus the powerhouse to run it, Tennant had to report, would run at least $11 million. Mr. Long sank into a chair, aghast.

J.M. McCLelland, Jr.

R.A. Long’s Planned City

WORDS AND WOOD

by Debby Neely

PACIFIC NORTHWEST WOODCUTS AND HAIKU

A giant of a whale

Deep dives or surface feeding Baleen filters food Breaching Gray

This page and page 5 feature excerpts from CRRPress’s four books.

CRRPRESS was founded in 2020, with the first printing of Tidewater Reach, followed by Dispatches from the Discovery Trail (see current episode, page 6), Empire of Trees, and Words and Wood. For purchase info, see page 2.

photo courtEsy of loNgviEw public library

UIPS & QUOTES Q

Selected by Debra Tweedy

Peril, loneliness, an uncertain future, are not oppressive evils, so long as the frame is healthy and the faculties are employed; so long, especially, as Liberty lends us her wings, and Hope guides us by her star. -Charlotte Bronte, English novelist, 1816-1855

My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations.-Michael J. Fox, Canadian-American actor and activist, 1961-

Success is more permanent when you achieve it without destroying your principles. --Walter Cronkite, American broadcast journalist, 1916-2009

I think baking cookies is equal to Queen Victoria running an empire. There’s no difference in how seriously you take the job, how seriously you approach your whole life. --Martha Stewart, American businesswoman, writer and TV personality, 1941-

What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it. --Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French writer, journalist and aviator, 1900-1944

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. --John Muir, Scottish-born American naturalist and writer, 1838-1914

It is difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a home-grown tomato. --Lewis Grizzard, American writer and humorist, 1946-1994

To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves...let us be above such transparent egotism. --Will Durrant, American historian and philosopher, 1885-1981

Without music, life would be a mistake. --Friedrich Nietzsche, German scholar, philosopher, and critic, 1844-1900

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. --George Carlin, American comedian, critic and author, 1937-2008

What are you reading?

The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati

by Judy MacLeod

2019 mArked the centenniAl celebrAtion of women’s suffrAge, a huge step forward in the fight for women’s rights. Things were very different in 1883 for two young female doctors trying to practice in New York City where the decadent rich ruled over an impoverished majority.

Nursing students were charged $2.00 a week for room and board while Mrs. Vanderbilt decorated a costume party in her latest mansion with dozens of roses costing $1.50 apiece. Tens of thousands of orphans struggled to survive on the streets without adequate clothing or shelter. A fortunate few were provided with bare necessities in orphanages, luckier than those who were rounded up and shipped out by train to labor in mines, factories, or under slave conditions on farms.

Against this backdrop of misery and deprivation, Anthony Comstock, a postal inspector and Secretary

for the Society for the Suppression of Vice, vigorously prosecuted women doctors for possessing medical texts about female anatomy. Doctors were arrested for counseling patients on reproductive issues, and desperate women searched for illegal abortions.

The Gilded Hour is a poignant reminder of the reproductive freedoms women have gained and which are being currently eroded or lost in some states. As a woman,

Monthly feature coordinated by Alan Rose

I’m grateful for this account of where we’ve been, where we are now, and the work that’s yet to be done to safeguard our freedoms. This is a must-read to truly appreciate the contrasts between the United States today versus the Comstock era.

Kalama resident Judy MacLeod is a retired high school English teacher, a voracious reader, and an activist for a better world for her grandchildren. She and her husband of 55 years spent ten years full-time RVing as volunteers with a service organization.

Located in the historic Castle Rock Bank Building 20 Cowlitz Street West Mon-Sat 8:30–5 • Sun 10–4 360-916-1377

Longview native Debra Tweedy has lived on four continents. She and her husband decided to return to her hometown and bought a house facing Lake Sacajawea.“We came back because of the Lake and the Longview Public Library,” she says.

At St. Stephen’s Church 1428 22nd Ave., Longview Nov. 12

1. Fourth Wing

Rebecca Yarros, Entangled: Red Tower Books, $20.99

2. Demon Copperhead

Barbara Kingsolver, Harper Perennial, $21.99

3. A Court of Thorns and Roses

Sarah J. Maas, Bloomsbury Publishing, $19

4. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Gabrielle Zevin, Vintage, $19

5. Never Whistle at Night

Shane Hawk (Ed.), Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. (Ed.), Vintage, $17

6. A Court of Mist and Fury

Sarah J. Maas, Bloomsbury Publishing, $19

7. The Mountain in the Sea

Ray Nayler, Picador, $19

8. Graveyard Shift: A Novella

M.L. Rio, Flatiron Books, $16.99

9. The Nightingale

Kristin Hannah, St. Martin’s Griffin, $17.99

10. The Bee Sting

Paul Murray, Picador, $20

Brought to you by Book Sense and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, for week ending Sept. 29, 2024, based on reporting from the independent bookstores of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. For the Book Sense store nearest you, visit www.booksense.com

PAPERBACK NON-FICTION

1. Braiding Sweetgrass

Robin Wall Kimmerer, Milkweed Editions, $20

2. The Backyard Bird Chronicles

Amy Tan, Knopf, $35

3. The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine

Rashid Khalidi, Metropolitan Books, $19.99

4. The Truths We Hold Kamala Harris, Penguin, $20

5. The Body Keeps the Score

Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., Penguin, $19

6. The Art Thief

Michael Finkel, Vintage, $18

7. All That the Rain Promises and More

David Arora, Ten Speed Press, $17.99

8. Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World

Naomi Klein, Picador, $20

9. Solito: A Memoir

Javier Zamora, Hogarth, $18

10. All About Love: New Visions bell hooks, Morrow, $16.99

1. Intermezzo

Sally Rooney, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $29

2. Playground

Richard Powers, W. W. Norton & Company, $29.99,

3. Somewhere Beyond the Sea

TJ Klune, Tor Books, $28.99

4. We Solve Murders

Richard Osman, Pamela Dorman Books, $30

5. The Life Impossible

Matt Haig, Viking, $30

6. Tell Me Everything

Elizabeth Strout, Random House, $30

7. All Fours

Miranda July, Riverhead Books, $29

8. James Percival Everett, Doubleday, $28

9. The Women

Kristin Hannah, St. Martin’s Press, $30

10. The Empusium Olga Tokarczuk, Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Transl.), Riverhead Books, $30

1. On Freedom

Top 10 Bestsellers

Timothy Snyder, Crown, $32

2. Nexus

Yuval Noah Harari, Random House, $35

3. The Small and the Mighty Sharon McMahon, Thesis, $32

4. Does This Taste Funny?

Stephen Colbert, Evie McGee Colbert, Celadon Books, $35

5. The Creative Act Rick Rubin, Penguin Press, $32

6. Lovely One: A Memoir Ketanji Brown Jackson, Random House, $35

7. Something Lost, Something Gained

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Simon & Schuster, $29.99

8. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder David Grann, Doubleday, $30

9. The Anxious Generation Jonathan Haidt, Penguin Press, $30

10. Want: Sexual Fantasies by Anonymous Gillian Anderson, Harry N. Abrams, $28

1. The Most Boring Book Ever

Brandon Sanderson, Kazu Kibuishi (Illus.), Roaring Brook Press, $19.99

2. Room on the Broom

Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler (Illus.), Dial Books,$9.99

3. Bluey’s Halloween Mix-andMatch

Penguin Young Readers, $9.99

4. Goodnight Moon

Margaret Wise Brown, Clement Hurd (Illus.), Harper, $10.99

5. Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue!

Sherri Duskey Rinker, AG Ford (Illus.), Chronicle Books, $18.99

6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle, World of Eric Carle, $10.99

7. How Do Dinosaurs Say Trick or Treat? Jane Yolen, Mark Teague (Illus.), Scholastic Press, $18.99

8. Room on the Broom Special Edition Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler (Illus.), Dial Books,$8.99

9. Hey! Look at You! Sandra Boynton, Boynton Bookworks, $9.99

10. Little Blue Truck’s Halloween Alice Schertle, Jill McElmurry (Illus.), Clarion Books, $13.99

GRADE READERS

1. Impossible Creatures

Katherine Rundell, Ashley Mackenzie (Illus.), Knopf Books for Young Readers, $19.99

2. Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes that Dot Our Planet

Geo Rutherford, Abrams Books for Young Readers, $24.99

3. Warriors Graphic Novel: The Prophecies Begin #1 Erin Hunter, Natalie Riess (Illus.), Sara Goetter (Illus.), HarperAlley, $15.99

4. Working Boats Tom Crestodina, Little Bigfoot, 19.99

5. Leonard (My Life as a Cat) Carlie Sorosiak, Walker Books US, $8.99

6. Frizzy Claribel A. Ortega, Rose Bousamra (Illus.), First Second,$14.99

7. A Time Traveler’s Theory of Relativity Nicole Valentine, Carolrhoda Books, $10.99

8. The New Girl: A Graphic Novel Cassandra Calin, Graphix, $12.99

9. Twins: A Graphic Novel Varian Johnson, Shannon Wright (Illus.), Graphix, $12.99

10. The Mystwick School of Musicraft Jessica Khoury, Clarion Books, $9.99

BOOK REVIEW Horrors of both supernatural and natural kinds

By Alan Rose

IThe Reformatory Tananarive Due Saga Press

$28.99

$19.99 Paperback

n 1950, 12-year-old Robert Stephens, Jr., fights off a teenage boy who is making aggressive sexual advances on Robert’s sister. Robert is black, the older boy is white and the son of a prominent citizen in the Jim Crow south. You know immediately it’s not going to go well for Robert. He’s sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a

reformatory notorious for its brutality and from where some boys never return. This is where the horror begins.

Robbie enters the cruel system, quickly learning rules for survival from his friends Blue and Redbone — how to not-see what they witness, how to avoid the sadistic Warden Haddock—and adopts the dread the boys feel at being sent to the “Fun House.”

What adds to the horror is that this reformatory is based on the infamous Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, operated by the state of Florida from January 1900 to June 2011. Hundreds of men have testified to the cruelty, gruesome beatings, and rape they suffered while youths at the school, often sent there for minor offenses or for the crime of being orphans. In recent years, researchers from the University of Florida have found the remains of at least 55 boys buried on the grounds.

Alan’s haunting novel of the AIDS epidemic, As If Death Summoned, won the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award (LGBT category.) He can be reached at www.alan-rose.com.

“Don’t b’lieve in ‘evil’ in most ways,” Miz Lottie said. “I believe in the devil, all right, but man don’t need no help from Satan to do what folks call ‘evil.’ Man do evil ev’ry day and call it doin’ their job. Slave drivers was ‘doin’ their job,’ beatin’ the skin off folks… ’Cuz, see, colored folks fighting for what’s theirs is like a virus to white folks—and they kill a virus so it don’t spread. That killing is the work of man, not the devil.”

From The Reformatory

Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys (2019) is also based on the Dozier School, a tense, gritty novel with a jawdropping twist at the end. Tananarive Due is a major writer of Black horror and speculative fiction, author of such works as The Between (1995), The Good

House (2003), and The Living Blood (2001), which won the American Book Award, and she adds a supernatural element to the “natural” horrors of the school: Robbie is able to see the ghosts, or haints, of the boys who died there, and through them, he learns the full extent of the horrors that have been committed, and why many boys have gone missing. Their spirits are now seeking revenge for the injustices that were their lives.

For readers, supernatural horror is easier to live with. We can put the book down when finished, knowing it’s fiction. It’s much more discomforting when realizing the horror actually happened.

Both Colson’s and Due’s novels are riveting and disturbing mirrors to the racial injustice that is part of our nation’s history. But for Due, there is also a more personal connection. The Reformatory is dedicated to her great uncle, Robert Stephens, who was killed at the Dozier School for Boys in 1937. He was 15 years old.

I know it’s the thought that counts, but my hosts are wealthier than I am by several orders of magnitude. I want to offer them a token of my gratitude for their hospitality, but I often feel embarrassed by the limits of my budget.

Perishables such as flowers or homemade baked goods are tricky because my hosts are often letting me use the property when they aren’t present. In the past, in addition to the aforementioned thank-you note, I’ve sent gifts such as hand towels, a small piece of art that’s in their style, a bottle of wine, a Christmas ornament, etc.

Such gifts feel meager, especially considering I’m not in a position to reciprocate. What is the correct etiquette for overnight or multi-day visits?

GENTLE READER: Kind people who are in the position of making such offers are not in it for the thankyou gifts. As these are relatives or family friends, they are already aware of your limited finances.

A gracious letter, paired with a token present that shows you pay attention to their style, is perfect. Other than that, Miss Manners will just add this request: that if one day you are in a position to offer a young person

similar luxuries, you will do so -without the expectation of anything but expressions of genuine gratitude.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’ve just returned from having my hair cut and styled. As I waited to pay, the woman in front of me (someone I do not know) turned around and said, “I read an article that said old ladies should not have long hair.”

Somewhat shocked, I turned away and said nothing. It was really unsettling for all present. How would Miss Manners have handled the situation?

GENTLE READER: By saying gently, “There are more important things that a lady should not do.”

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I let a young couple I know use my vacation house. I asked them to bring me the used sheets and towels after their stay, since the laundry facilities at the house are unreliable.

They did as I asked, and also left a bottle of wine with the linens. I assumed our transaction was finished. However, I just got a note asking if I had received the wine, implying that I owed them a thank-you. Do I?

GENTLE READER: Yes, but Miss Manners notices that there are two letters of thanks missing here.

You have made the common mistake of believing that a present given as a gesture of thanks does not require thanks in return. A letter of thanks does not require acknowledgment, but a present does.

And no, it is not an endless cycle: See sentence above.

Speaking of which, such a letter was due from the young couple. The bottle of wine was all very well, but the loan of a house is an enormous present that deserves a written outpouring of heartfelt gratitude.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Diane Kenneway Escrow Closer / Assistant

Celinda Northrup Escrow Officer / LPO

Alison Peters Escrow Officer / LPO

Submission Guidelines

Letters to the Editor (up to 200 words) relevant to the publication’s purpose — helping readers discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region, at home and on the road — are welcome. Longer pieces, or excerpts thereof, in response to previously-published articles, may be printed at the discretion of the publisher and subject to editing and space limitations.

Items sent to CRR will be considered for publication unless the writer specifies otherwise. Writer’s name and phone number must be included; anonymous submissions will not be considered.

Political Endorsements CRR is a monthly publication serving readers in several towns, three counties, two states and beyond, and does not publish Letters to the Editor that are endorsements or criticisms of political candidates or controversial issues. (Paid ad space is available.)

Unsolicited submissions may be considered, provided they are consistent with the publication’s purpose. Advance contact with the editor is recommended. Information of general interest submitted by readers may be used as background or incorporated in future articles.

Outings & Events calendar (free listing): Events must be open to the public. Non-profit organizations and the arts, entertainment, educational and recreational opportunities and community cultural events will receive listing priority. Fundraisers must be sanctioned/sponsored by the benefiting non-profit organization. Commercial projects, businesses and organizations wishing to promote their particular products or services are invited to purchase advertising.

HOW TO PUBLICIZE YOUR NON-PROFIT EVENT IN CRR

Send your non-commercial community event info (incl name of event, beneficiary, sponsor, date & time, location, brief description and contact info) to publisher@crreader.com

Or mail or hand-deliver (in person or via mail slot) to: Columbia River Reader 1333-14th, Longview, WA 9863

Submission Deadlines Events occurring: Nov 25, 2024–Jan 15, 2025 by Nov 1 for Nov 25 Holiday issue Jan 15 – Feb 20, 2025 by Dec. 26 for Jan 15 issue.

Calendar submissions are considered for inclusion, subject to lead time, relevance to readers, and space limitations. See Submission Guidelines above.

Mushroom Identification with Field Journaling Kwis Kwis Trail–Upper Loop (about three miles) Sat, Oct 19, 10am–1pm. Join Lewis and Clark National Historical Park for a guided walk through the upland forest to look for and identify mushrooms. Not a foraging expedition, but an opportunity to collect observations in a journal, describing with words and sketches. Leave the picnic area at Fort Clatsop at 10am and follow the Fort to Sea Trail to the Kwis Kwis Cut-Off, following the upper Kwis Kwis back to the picnic area. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, 92343 Fort Clatsop Road, Astoria, Ore. Info: 503 861-2471

Bats, Spiders, Owls — Oh, My! Friday, Oct. 25, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. See story, pg 15.

SWW Symphony Fall Concert SatSun, Oct 19-20. See ad, next page.

The Empty Bowl Event Thurs, Oct 24, 6–8pm. Music, testimonials, silent auction, dessert dash. $50 per guest, includes a one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl crafted by local artists, and a variety of soups from renowned restaurants. The Salvation Army, 1639 10th Ave, Longview, Wash. Info/sponsorship opportunities contact Lawry.smith@usw. salvation.org. Phone: 360-423-3990.

THE MINTHORN COLLECTION

OF CHINESE ART

A gift from Dr. and Mrs. H. Minthorn to the community via Lower Columbia College Foundation, The Minthorn Collection of Chinese Art encompasses a wide range of styles and is displayed in the upper level of the art gallery in LCC’s Rose Center, open M-Th 10–3 during current Forsberg Exhibition only. Free.

Outings & Events

Drug Take-Back Event Oct. 26, 10–2. See ad, page 20.

Halloween Carnival Oct. 31, 5-8 pm, Quincy Grange Hall, 78314 Rutters Rd., Clatskanie, Ore. (follow signs from Clatskanie). Games, bingo, prize store, Tombstone Cafe for dinner and snacks. Fun, affordable for the whole family. Follow us on Facebook. Info: Barb Kallio 503-728-4143 or Ellen Nieminen 503728-2886. Proceeds benefit scholarships, youth programs, and community services.

River Life Holiday Auction Nov. 1, 6pm, thru Nov 10, 6pm. Fundraiser for Friends of Skamokawa. Items incl dinners, gift baskets, vacation getaways, home décor, etc. Bid/donate online :www.friendsofskamokawa.org. Or donate via mail, FOS, PO Box 67, Skamokawa, WA 98647. Proceeds help operate and maintain the historic River Life Interprtive Center at Redmen Hall1894 Central School.

Annual Harvest Fest Nov, 2, 4-6pm. Bratwurst dinner, silent auction, raffles. Stella Lutheran Chapel, west of Longview. Details, page 27.

Holiday Bazaar Nov. 2, Rainer Senior Center, see ad, facing page.

A Fantastic Voyage: Music for River, Sea and Space North Coast Symphonic Band. Nov. 3, Liberty Theatre, Astoria, Ore. See ad, page 35.

Teddy Bear Tea Thurs, Nov. 7, Calvary Community Church, 2655 38th Ave. (corner of Pennsylvania Ave), Longview, Wash. 2:00–3:30pm. Seating begins at 1:40pm. $20 per guest donation, $160 table for eight. Doll display, raffle for collectible dolls, centerpieces available for purchase. Proceeds benefit Gilmore/ Knowles Children’s Christmas Center. Pre-paid reservations required. Beverly: 360-577-6060.

A Joyous Holiday Bazaar Sat., Nov. 9, 9am-6pm. Crafts, food, gifts, & 2 Santa visits (11–1, 4–6). Kelso United Methodist Presbyterian Church. 206 Cowlitz Way, Kelso, proceeds go to charities. See ad, page 43.

Mysterious Codes: Passenger Manifests Letters and Numbers

Nov. 14, Lower Columbia Genealogical Society’s Zoom meeting . Speaker: Christine Cohen, genealogist/ lecturer, Whittier Area Genealogy Society.. Virtual “doors”open at 6:30pm; program will begin at 7:00pm. Public is invited For link to join the meeting contact lcgsgen@ yahoo.com

Thanksgiving Dinner

Sat. Nov.23, 2pm. $20. Rainier Riverfront Center, aka Rainier Senior Center, 48 West 7th St. 503-556-3889 Reserve earlyLimited seating. Turkey,stuffing,potatoes & gravy,cranberry sauce,green bean casserole,fruit salad,roll and dessert.

HIKES see page 14

Outings & Events in the spotlight

Do some early Christmas Shopping!

HOLIDAY BAZAAR

Sat., Nov. 2

9 – 3pm

Crafts, Gifts, Décor, Vendors

And from the Kitchen: Beef Stew Lunch $10 Zucchini Breads $7 RAINER RIVERFRONT CENTER

aka Rainier Oregon Senior Center 48 W. 7th & “A” St., Rainier, Ore. INFO: 503-556-3889

by Hal Calbom

They’ve traveled 2,500 miles to play Longview’s Columbia Theatre. They are veterans of 4,500 shows, fixtures of Toronto’s celebrated music scene. They’re the Lonesome Ace String Band, and this month they are IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

Yes, Canadians do have a sense of humor. Often at the expense of their neighbors to the south.

ME AND MY PIANO*

*or other instrument

Share the story of your relationship with a musical instrument in 500 words or less and mail to CRR, 1333 14th Ave., Longview, WA 98632, or email to publisher@crreader.com. If possible attach/include a current mugshot and/or a photo of you with your instrument, then or now. Don’t worry about perfect spelling or syntax. If your story is chosen, we will provide editing services and contact you for additional details or embellishments as needed.

BROADWAY GALLERY

1418 Commerce Avenue, Longview Tues thru Sat, 11–4. Visit the Gallery to see new work. For event updates check our website: the-broadwaygallery.com, at Broadway Gallery on Facebook, and broadway gallery longview on Instagram.

FEATURED ARTISTS

October Fall Gallery Show by Broadway Co-op Artists

November Rosemary Powelson (ceramics), Arlys Clark (painting & fabric art)

FIRST THURSDAY • Nov 7 • 5:30–7pm Join us for New Art, & Nibbles Music by Dennis Harris

HOLIDAY OPENING SAT NOV 16

Artisan ornaments, cards & gifts just for the season Refreshments & Music

OPEN Tues - Sat 11–4

Free Gift Wrap on request.

Check out our New Classes and Free Drop-in Art Workshops Visit our website.

Voted one of top 3 Galleries in SW Washington.

Find a unique gift! We have beautiful artisan cards, jewelry, books by local authors, wearable art, original paintings, pottery, sculpture, photographs and so much more.

I asked John Showman, impresario, spokesperson and fiddle player, what you call the Canadian version of what has come to be known in this country as “Americana” music. He wasted not a moment.

“We call it Americana.”

The String Band — Showman on fiddle, Chris Coole on banjo, Max Malone on upright bass — seems too energetic and innovative to be deemed a “fixture,” but appears to be one in Canada. In 2007 they took up residence at Toronto’s notorious Dakota Tavern, playing as many as 10 sets every weekend. They stayed seven years before taking their show on the road.

“I’m not sure it’s so much Americana,” said Showman in a phone conversation earlier this month, “that tends to be almost historical, traditional. I guess you might call our music more “Texas Music.”

Texas Music?

“That’s more confessional, more personal, more heartbreak music,” he said. “We’ve been described as an old time trio with bluegrass chops that plays folk and country.” Showman thinks the fundamental style of folk and country

Hal Calbom is associate publisher with CRRPress, and produces CRR’s monthly “People+Place” feature. See his bio, page 22.

music has changed, from an emphasis on historical or “old timey” tunes to a more contemporary, intimate sound.

“You have to love what you’re doing,” he said, “play as well as you can and be vested in the outcome. If you do that you’ll bring the audience with you. And you remind yourself every night why you love it.”

Lonesome Ace plays the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts Friday night, November 8th, as part of the CTPA’s Centennial Season.

I asked if a string band with three acoustic instruments has the firepower to fill up the historic Columbia, and its 800 seats, with sound.

He assured me, “We sound a lot bigger than three people should sound. We try to play music for all the occasions of life, and bring our audiences with us.”

The band will spend two weeks touring the Northwest. “I love the art of cruising between these great venues,” he said. “That’s one of my favorite parts of the job.”

Showman looks forward to greeting audience members “at the merch table” and hopes to fill up the historic theatre.

“We have CDs and music galore, and love to meet the people that enjoy our sound.”

IF YOU GO

LONESOME ACE STRING BAND Friday, Nov. 8 • 7:30pm Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts 1231 Vandercook Way, Longview Tickets: $40 /$35 /$20 columbiatheatre.com Box Office 360-575-8499

watErcolorizEd skEtch by thE latE dEENa MartiNsEN,

John Showman, Max Malone, Chris Coole • photo: JoEl varJassy

Clatskanie, Ore.

Fultano’s Pizza

770 E. Columbia River Hwy

Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more!

Dine-in,Take-out and Home Delivery. Visit Fultanos.com for streamlined menu. 503-728-2922

Ixtapa Fine Mexican Restaurant

640 E. Columbia River Hwy

Fine Mexican cuisine. Daily specials. The best margarita in town. Daily drink specials. Dine-in, curbside pickup. M-Th 11am–9:30pm; Fri & Sat 11am–10:30pm; Sun 11am–9pm. 503-728-3344

Rainier. Ore.

102 East “A” Street Microbrews, wines & spirits 7am–8pm Daily. Inside dining.

Interstate Tavern 119 E. “B” St., (Hwy 30) Crab Louie/Crab cocktails, crab-stuffed avocados. 17 hot and cold sandwiches. Amazing crab sandwiches. Full bar service. Catering for groups. 503-556-9950. interstatetavern@yahoo.com

El Tapatio

117 W. ‘A’ Street

Mexican Family Restaurant. Open Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, rest of week 11am-10pm. Full bar. 8-11pm. Patio seating. 503-556-8323.

Longview, Wash.

1335 14th Avenue

18 rotating craft brews, pub fare. M-Th 11am–9pm. Fri-Sat 11am–10pm; . Local music coming soon. 360-232-8283. Wine Wednesdays: $5 pours.

Bruno’s Pizza 1108 Washington Way. Pizza, breadsticks, wings, salads, fish & chips. WE DELIVER. Four beers on tap. 360-636-4970 or 360-425-5220.

COLUMBIA RIVER dining guide

Carbon Steak House

936 Ocean Beach Hwy. Lunch & Dinner. Great steaks, pot roast, burgers, Friday night smoke BBQ, banquet room. Open Mon-Thurs 11am–9pm, Fri-Sat 9am–10pm. 564-217-4129.

Eclipse Coffee & Tea In the Merk (1339 Commerce Ave., #113) 360-998-2139. Mon-Fri 8am–4pm. Specialty coffees, teas, bubble teas and pastries....drinks with a smile. Takeout and on-site.

Freddy’s Just for the Halibut 1110 Commerce Ave. Cod, Alaskan halibut fish and chips, award-winning clam chowder. Burgers, steaks, pasta. Beer and wine. M-Wed 10am–8pm, Th-Sat 10am–9pm, Sunday 11am–8pm. Inside dining, Drive-thru, outdoor seating. 360-414-3288. See ad, page 9.

Hop N Grape 924 15th Ave., Longview Tues–Thurs 11am–8pm; Fri & Sat 11am–9pm. BBQ meat slow-cooked on site. Pulled pork, chicken, brisket, ribs, turkey, salmon. Worldfamous mac & cheese. 360-577-1541.

Kyoto Sushi Steakhouse 760 Ocean Beach Hwy, Suite J 360-425-9696. Japanese food, i.e. hibachi, Bento boxes, Teppanyaki; Sushi (half-price Wednesdays); Kids Meal 50% Off Sundays. Mon-Th 11-2:30, 4:30-9:30. Fri-Sat 11am10pm. Sun 11am-9pm. 360-425-9696.

Lynn’s Deli & Catering 1133 14th Ave.

Soups & sandwiches, specializing in paninis, box lunches, deli sandwiches and party platters. Mon-Fri 8-3, Saturday 10-2. 360-577-5656

Roland Wines

1106 Florida St., Longview. Authentic Italian wood-fired pizza, wine, beer, specialty cocktails. Casual ambience. 5–9pm Wed-Sat, 360-846-7304

Scythe Brewing Company 1217 3rd Avenue #150

360-353-3851

Castle Rock, Wash

Luckman’s Coffee Company 239 Huntington Ave. North, Drive-thru. Pastries, sandwiches, salads, quiche. See ad, pg 38

Vault Books & Brew 20 Cowlitz Street West, Castle Rock. Coffee and specialty drinks, quick eats & sweet treats. See ad, page 32

Kalama, Wash.

LUCKMAN’S COFFEE Mountain Timber Market, Port of Kalama. Open 8am–7pm. 360-673-4586.See ad, pg 40.

215 N. Hendrickson Dr., Port of Kalama. A Northwest pub and unique bars serving breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. Info & reservations, bar hours at mcmenamins.com. 8am–midnight daily. 360673-9210. Indoor dining, covered outdoor seating.

Antique Deli 413N. First. M-F, 10–3. Call for daily sandwich special. 360-6733310.

FIRESIDE CAFE 5055 Meeker Dr., Kalama. Open Wed-Sun, 9–4. 360-673-3473.

St. Helens, Ore.

Sunshine Pizza & Catering 2124 Columbia Blvd. Hot pizza, cool salad bar. Beer & wine.

Limited inside seating, curbside pickup and delivery. 503-397-3211 See ad, page 26.

Scappoose, Ore.

Fultano’s Pizza 51511 SE 2nd. Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more! “Best pizza around!” Sun–Th 11:30am–9pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am–10pm. Full bar service ‘til 10pm Fri & Sat. Deliveries in Scappoose. 503-543-5100. Inside Dining.

Ixtapa Fine Mexican Restaurant 33452 Havlik Rd. Fine Mexican cuisine. Daily specials. The best margarita in town. Daily drink specials. M-Th 11am–9:30pm; Fri & Sat 11am–11:30pm; Sun 11am–9pm. 503-543-3017

Warren, Ore.

Toutle, Wash.

Woodland, Wash.

Formerly The Carriage Restaurant & Lounge located on 14th Ave. 3353 Washington Way. Chinese & American cuisine. Full bar, banquet room stage room with balcony; available for groups, special events. Restaurant: 11am–9pm, Lounge 11am–1:00am. 360-425-8680.

The Corner Cafe

796 Commerce Ave. Breakfast & Lunch. Daily Soup & Sandwich, breakfast specials. Tues-Sat 7am-3pm. Closed Sun-Mon. 360353-5420. Email: sndcoffeeshop@comcast.net

Mon-Thurs 11:30am -8pm; FriSat 11:30am -10pm. Sun 12-8pm. Family-friendly brewery/restaurant with upscale, casual dining, lunch and dinner.

Stuffy’s 804 Ocean Beach Hwy

360-423-6356

8am–8pm. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. American style food. Free giant cinnamon roll with meal purchase on your birthday with proof of ID. Facebook: Stuffy’s II Restaurant, or Instagram @stuffys2.

Teri’s Café on Broadway 1133 Broadway. Lunch and Dinner, full bar. Mon12–8pm. Tues-Thurs 11am–8pm, Fri 11am–9pm; Sat 12–9pm. 360-577-0717

Big River Tap Room 313 Strand Street on the Riverfront. Lunch/Dinner TueThurs 12–8pm; Fri-Sat 12–9pm. Chicagostyle hot dogs, Italian beef, pastrami. Weekend Burrito Breakfast, Sat 8-11, Sun 8am-3pm.

Restaurant operators: To advertise in Columbia River Dining Guide, call 360-749-2632

By Cheryl Caplan

TThe Kindness of Lasagna Love

he aroma just about does me in every time I deliver a baked lasagna. The only thing better than smelling a lasagna is eating one. Thanks to the Lasagna Love program, I’ve delivered 30 homemade lasagnas in the last two years as a way to show my love to my community.

Lasagna Love is a nonprofit organization started by a mom who was looking for ways to help other moms in her community during the pandemic. She and her toddler began making meals for families who were struggling. Four years later, Lasagna Love is now an international movement, its mission to feed families, spread kindness, and strengthen communities.

I love to prepare food, but as an empty nester I’m feeding just the two of us at home these days. When I heard about the Lasagna Love program, I signed up as a volunteer and started looking up lasagna recipes. I don’t have a cherished family recipe like some of the volunteers. I don’t even eat lasagna because I’m gluten- and lactoseintolerant. But I do know how to follow a recipe.

I usually get matched with a request for lasagna on Mondays. Some weeks I can do two lasagnas, some weeks it’s just one, and other weeks I schedule myself for none. I never know who I am going to get matched with, but I am able to limit how far I need to drive to deliver the dish.

When I’m ready to make lasagna, I begin thinking of the family I’m helping as I brown the ground beef and add the sauce. Sometimes I pray for the family. Building a four-layer lasagna on a rainy day is my “happy place.” I hope that my sharing the lasagna will make others happy, too.

I once gave a lasagna to a woman finishing her last chemotherapy treatment that day. Another one went to a dad-and-son household where the son was missing his mom’s lasagna. I’ve delivered to people who didn’t have enough grocery money for the week, older people who no longer cook, and even unhoused people who don’t have a kitchen.

For me, Lasagna Love is a way to learn to help people in a nonjudgmental way and without expecting anything in return. Getting a lasagna can be like a hug that someone desperately needs. I usually deliver the meal to the doorstep without seeing the person, because people can be embarrassed about asking for food. At other times, the recipients want to say thank you in person. Each delivery is unique.

If you’d like to make lasagnas or if you want to request one, sign up on the non-profit’s website at www.LasagnaLove.org. Today, Lasagna Love has 50,000 volunteers spanning every U.S. state and two other countries, with more than 500,000 lasagnas delivered. That’s a lot of hugs! The program has become an international kindness movement.

Cheryl Caplan moved to Longview in early 2024, bringing her hard-won lasagna skills with her.

Spring used to be my favorite season of the year. In recent years, however, I’ve been won over by Sue’s love of autumn.

By mid-August she would often be heard to say, “The nip of fall is in the air!” When questioned what she meant, she’d offer something like, “I don’t know, I just feel a touch of fall.” Not everybody “gets it,” she’d explain and :The Nip” was not so much to do with the temperature, but rather a certain slant of the sun or subtle feeling in the air.

These days, when the leaves on our massive oak tree begin to cover the backyard and the last of our roses dry up on the vine, that’s when I “get” The Nip..

For me, it’s the beginning of football season and the baseball playoffs leading up to the World Series that actually herald the demise of summer and the first days of fall. It’s the smell of burning leaves in the neighborhood, the need to run the heater in the car and adding another layer of clothing to offset the change in the weather.

Most of my fondest memories as a child took place in the Fall. The annual R.A. Long High

School / Kelso High School “Turkey Day” football game My dad was R.A.Long’s assistant football coach in those days. My Uncle Walt Piper was Kelso’s assistant, so the rivalry was, shall we say, intense. But, following the game, our two families would set aside school loyalties and sibling rivalry and gather for Thanksgiving dinner, alternating with one year at our home, the following year at Walt and his wife Marty’s home in Kelso. We cousins loved those times.

One moment that stands out in my mind: The families were seated around the table in Kelso. Family-style, the dishes were being passed around. My brother Perry loaded his plate with mashed potatoes and said, “Aunt Marty, we’re out of potatoes.” Marty got up from her chair, took the serving dish from Perry and said, “That is all the potatoes we have.” It seemed my younger brother had put all of the spuds on his plate. After we shared Perry’s pile of potatoes with those who had yet to be served, we enjoyed the dinner and had a good laugh at Perry’s gaff. A laugh, by the way, that remains in our family’s lore.

Ned Piper coordinates CRR’s advertising and distribution, and enjoys meeting and greeting old friends and new. In his spare time, he enjoys watching TV sport, and political news.

PLUGGED IN TO COWLITZ PUD

Autumn arrives LOWER COLUMBIA CURRENTS

By Alice Dietz, Cowlitz PUD Communications / Public Relations Manager

Public Power is community-powered

Cowlitz County receives electricity from Cowlitz PUD, one of approximately 2,000 public power utilities that provide electricity to 54 million people across the country.

Cowlitz County residents have been served by Cowlitz PUD since 1936.

Cowlitz PUD not only works for our community, it is our community. Public power utilities are community-owned, which means the people of Cowlitz County are included in making key decisions about our energy future.

We are committed to building for the future to ensure reliable, affordable, sustainable, and customer-focused service to our community for many years to come. That means we’re working hand-in-hand with customers and community leaders to make sure our utility reflects the long-term goals and needs of members of our community. Knowing our community and its needs helps us keep homes, schools, businesses, and public places powered year-round.

As a not-for-profit public power utility, our loyalty is to our customers – not stockholders. We work hard to ensure that our electric rates are some of the lowest in the nation. We take pride in having a locally-elected governing board that has open meetings the second and fourth Tuesday at 2pm. at 961 12th Ave. Longview, Washington.

Cowlitz PUD will continue to provide cost-effective, reliable electricity.

We thank you for your support of public power — an American tradition that works.

Alice Dietz is Cowlitz PUD’s Communications /Public Relations Manager. Reach her at adietz@cowlitzpud.org, or 360-501-9146.

Elizabeth Marrs Branch Manager

Sandy Fromm Escrow Officer-LPO

A Different Way of Seeing...

THE TIDEWATER REACH Field Guide to the Lower Columbia in Poems and Pictures THREE EDITIONS • $25, $35, $50 By

Robert Michael Pyle and Judy VanderMaten

“Tidewater Reach is a pleasure to hold; it provokes delights, both intellectual and emotional. I commend all who were involved in bringing us this treasure. It deserves a place on your bookshelf and in your heart.”

-- Cate Gable, “Coast Chronicles,” Chinook

author Interviews DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL A Layman’s Lewis & Clark $35 By

Michael O. Perry

Books also available at:

• Columbia Gorge Interpretive Museum Stevenson

• Broadway Gallery Longview

• Cowlitz County Historical Museum Shop Kelso

• Kelso-Longview Visitor Center

• Vault Books & Brew Castle Rock

• Morgan Arts Center Toledo

• Tsuga Gallery Cathlamet

• Redmen Hall Skamokawa

• Skamokawa Store Skamokawa

• Appelo Archives Naselle

• Time Enough Books Ilwaco

• Godfathers Books Astoria, Ore.

• RiverSea Gallery Astoria,Ore.

• Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum The Dalles, Ore.

Please support our local booksellers & galleries

woodcut art by Debby Neely