CRR March 2018

CRREADER.COM • March 15 – April 14, 2018 • COMPLIMENTARY Helping you discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region at home and on the road

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OUT•AND•ABOUT

LEWIS & CLARK TRAIL RUN TOLEDO: EYE CANDY & GOOD FOOD AUTHOR JAMIE FORD VISITS LONGVIEW WORLD-CLASS APPETIZERS • AND MORE! page 29

COLUMBIA RIVER

dining guide

LONGVIEW COUNTRY CLUB Part of our community since 1925...

F

ounded on July 15, 1925 with the mission to facilitate and encourage the development of the game of golf ... and to promote social and friendly relations among its members... and to provide for their amusement, recreation and entertainment, Longview Country Club soon set about building nine holes above what was then known as Hillside Acres Road. Led by President Kenneth F. Park and Vice-president Tom M. Foster, the club retained an architect and hired its first golf professional, Jack Rogers, who supervised construction.

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The course opened April 30, 1927. Just prior to that in 1926, the new clubhouse was completed, thanks to the help of Robert A. Long, Longview’s founding father, who though not a golfer himself, was quoted as saying the golf club “would make an impressive picture for the tourists this summer.”

Maggie Anderson General Manager

“New members are welcome!

Please call with any questions or to arrange a tour.”

In 1958, nine more holes were built, completing the 18-hole, 6,215-yard course played today. Featuring scenic panoramic vistas and fast, annual bluegrass greens.

Longview Country Club has played host to numerous club, regional and Washington State championships and continues to thrill

e

and delight its members with a course they never grow tired of playing.

In August 2017 Maggie Anderson became the club’s new general manager.

“I had a vision for the Club as I remember it when I grew up here,” she said. “My parents were members and we had so much fun — swimming, dancing and playing golf.

access to all club and golf privileges for themselves, their spouse or domestic partner and dependent children, ages 23 and under.

Unlimited golf, clubhouse, golf shop and pool access and two free golf lessons with new membership. Monthly Dues: First year $199, Food Minimum $40.

NON-RESIDENT 20-Mile or greater door-to-door

mileage restriction. Non-resident members have access to all club and golf course privileges for themselves, their spouse or domestic partner and dependent children ages 23 and under. It also includes Unlimited golf, clubhouse, golf shop and pool access, two free golf lessons with new membership, and $50 Clubhouse credit in pro INDIVIDUAL GOLF Individual members who shop or restaurant. Monthly Dues: First year $149, are unmarried and have no dependent children Food No Food Min. have access to all club and golf privileges for JUNIOR MEMBERS, ages 21–40, have access themselves. It also includes Unlimited golf, to all club and golf privileges for themselves, clubhouse, golf shop and pool access, two free their spouse or domestic partner and dependent golf lessons with new membership, children, aged 23 and under. Unlimited golf, and $50 Clubhouse credit in pro clubhouse, golf shop and pool access and two shop or restaurant. Monthly free golf lessons with new membership and $50 Dues: First year $149, Food Clubhouse credit in pro shop or restaurant..

Min. $25.

Monthly Dues: First year $149, Food Min. $25.

41 Country Club Dr, Longview, WA • www.longviewcountryclub.net

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reader approached me recently, saying she was sad that our 33-installment Lewis and Clark series was coming to an end.

I was pleased to tell her we had just decided to launch a second encore of this labor of love by Michael Perry.

This decision was made after I — worried we might be beating the topic to death by running “Dispatch from the Discovery Trail” a third time — surveyed a few readers to see how familiar they were by now with this epic story.

The experiences and endurance of the Expedition, their courage in setting out into the unknown, and their sacrifices and suffering formed a fundamental part of the fabric of America’s history. And their journey through our own backyard left unique and colorful strands in the tapestry of our local culture and history.

The Expedition camped at Prescott Beach (near the present day Goble Tavern) and at the base of Beacon Rock in the Columbia Gorge and made salt at Seaside. They were here!

We can all appreciate this story.

I asked one reader, “Where did Lewis and Clark spend their first winter?”

He said “Dismal Nitch?” No. “Fort

Publisher/Editor: Susan P. Piper Columnists and contributors:

Steve Anderson Tracy Beard Dr. Bob Blackwood Nancy Chennault Alice Dietz Ted Gruber Jim LeMonds Gary Meyers John L. Perry Michael Perry Ned Piper Perry Piper Alan Rose Gordon Sondker

Production Manager/Photographer: Perry E. Piper Editorial/Proofreading Assistants: Merrilee Bauman Lois Sturdivant Michael Perry Marilyn Perry 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 Website: www.CRReader.com E-mail: publisher@crreader.com Phone: 360-749-1021

Subscriptions $28 per year inside U.S. (plus $2.34 sales tax for subscriptions mailed to Washington addresses).

Sue’s Views

Pat Palmer, of GoodSpellas (sponsored by Pioneer Lions) reacts to ribbing from Kate Packard (pictured alongside teammate Bob Pyle), captain of the Onomatopoeians (sponsored by Columbia River Reader) over a missed word at the March 9 Spellabration spelling bee presented

by Altrusa International of Cowlitz County.

O

Under the spell of Lewis and Clark Clatsop?” No. In fact the Expedition spent that first winter at Fort Mandan (North Dakota). Duh.

nce again my hopes were dashed when our team, the “Onomatapoeians,” missed the word “syzygy” in Altrusa’s Spell-abration held March 9 at the Kelso Theatre Pub. We were pleased to win second place, however. It’s interesting to note that the word “syzygy” means an alignment of celestial bodies, which evidently was not the case if that’s what it would’ve taken for us to win. Congratulations to “Spellbound,” sponsored by the Emergency Support Shelter, who walked away with the coveted, crystal first-place trophy. Watch out next year! of old readers and new, longtime residents and newbies alike. You don’t need to take notes, but there may be a quiz. Enjoy!

In this Issue

5

Dispatch from the Discovery Trail : Clark’s Life Afterwards

6

Besides CRR...What Are You Reading?

7

Cover to Cover ~ Bestsellers List / Book Review

ON THE COVER

Cover Design by

Columbia River Reader is published monthly, with 14,500 copies distributed free throughout the Lower Columbia region in SW Washington and NW Oregon. Entire contents copyrighted by Columbia River Reader. No reproduction of any kind allowed without express written permission of the publisher.

Opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, not necessarily to the Reader.

Reader submission guidelines: See page 26.

For ad info: Ned Piper 360-749-2632.

CRREADER.COM Visit our website for access to the current issue and the archive of past Columbia River Reader issues (from January 2013),

Sue Piper

Columbia River Reader . . . helping you discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region at home and on the road.

So we will begin the series anew in April for the benefit and enrichment

From the mural on an abandoned gas station in Toldeo,Wash., painted in 1994 as an Eagle Scout project led by John Morgan. The motocycle make is “Indian,” the same name as the local high school team. See story, page 19.

Photo by Gary Meyers

As we bid “Adieu” to winter and rev up for Spring, I wish everyone good health and happy times. And a good reading lamp.

10

New Medical Options for Knee Replacement

12

Miss Manners

13

Celebrate the Arts with Jamie Ford

15

HaikuFest 2018 : Basho Bash on the Beach

16

Movies by Dr. Bob Blackwood

17

Out & About: Lewis & Clark Trail Run

19

Out & About: Toledo’s Eye Candy and Culinary Cornucopia

20

Tracy Beard’s Favorite World-class Appetizers

22

Lower Columbia Informer: Danger, Will Robinson!

23

In Fond Memory: It’s a Guy Thing, by Patrick Kubin

24

Build a Birdhouse

26-27 Outings & Events Calendar /Hikes 27

Quips & Quotes

28

Astronomy ~ Night Sky Report

29

Lower Columbia Dining Guide

31

Northwest Gardener: How to Spend your Daylight Savings

33

Where Do You Read the Reader?

34

The Spectator ~Writer’s Block and a Full Schedule

34

Plugged In ~ to Cowlitz PUD: It’s OspreyCam Season!

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 3

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Lewis & Clark Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasure (1789–1795).

He wrote most of the Federalist Papers that explained and defended the newly-drafted Constitution before it was approved in 1788. Hamilton was responsible for the election of Thomas Jefferson as President in 1800 — and died four years later because of it.

Politics and destiny

Lost in the mail?

When I submitted the February 2018 Dispatch From The Trail column, I thought it was the final installment.

But the editor pointed out there were supposed to be 33 columns… and we had we only printed 32. It turns out the column that should have been published in the January 2016 issue of the Reader got skipped. Rather

We are pleased to present

Installment 33 of Michael Perry’s popular 33-month series which began with CRR’s April 15, 2004 inaugural issue. During the 2004-2007 Bicentennial Commemoration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, each installment covered their travels 200 years prior. We have repeated the series for the enjoyment of both longtime and more recent readers.

To find prior installments visit crreader.com Click “Archives.” Installment #1 appears in the July 2015 issue.

than run it now, out of sequence, we decided to just write a new Dispatch Number 33 to wrap up the series.

Same old political turmoil

Many CRR readers are frustrated with the today’s political gridlock and the “do-nothing” Congress in Washington D.C. It seems like it has been impossible to get politicians to work together for America’s future over the last couple of decades. So it was illuminating to me as I read

Thomas Jefferson, an American founding father, was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. He served as our third President (1801–1809). After Alexander Mackenzie’s 1801 trip to the Pacific across Canada, Jefferson decided to send the Corps of Discovery to explore the Missouri River drainage and beyond to the ocean.

cont page 8 Michael Perry enjoys local history and travel. His popular 33-installment Lewis & Clark series appeared in CRR’s early years and began an “encore” appearance in July 2015.

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BESIDES COLUMBIA RIVER READER...

What are you reading?

Coordinated by Alan Rose A Gentleman in Moscow

By Amor Towles

By Steve Anderson

D

u r i n g S t a l i n ’s B o l s h e v i k Revolution in 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is arrested and convicted of being an aristocrat. He is sentenced to life imprisonment in the environs of the Metropol—a luxurious hotel on Moscow Square where he has long been a resident. Stripped of most of his belongings, he is transferred from his luxurious suite to a tiny, rough room in the attic quarters once used by domestic staff. If he steps foot onto the street, he is to be shot on sight.

Rostov is determined to master his new circumstances. Having hidden away an abundance of gold coins, he continues to enjoy the cultivated Steve Anderson is a Longview writer, working on the third volume in his Book of Hours trilogy. The first two books, The Beguilement of Brother Alphaios and Unholy Errors, concerns the discovery of a medieval parchment that the Holy Church wishes to suppress.

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food, wine and company he had been accustomed to (until the hotel’s food stores run out and its extensive wine cellar deprived of all labels distinguishing one bottle from another.) Over decades, he becomes the de facto manager of the hotel staff and an essential favorite uncle—even a substitute father—to young patrons.

His adventures with them, though confined by his circumstances, are the stuff of life. And when he finally does step out of the Metropol …Well, you’ll have to read the book.

This is not a light read, but it is an engrossing one. Its setting, the satisfying weight of its prose, its scope and pathos took me back decades to my love affairs with other Russian storytellers: Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Gogol, whose novels I have boxed up and carried with me for years. And now there is Amor Towles.

••• ATTENTION, READERS

Read a good book lately? To be miniinterviewed by CRR Book Reviewer Alan Rose for a future “What Are You Reading?” spotlight, please contact him at alan@alan-rose.com or the publisher/editor at publisher@ crreader.com.

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Cover to Cover

Top 10 Bestsellers PAPERBACK FICTION 1. Lincoln in the Bardo George Saunders, Random House, $17 2. Pachinko Min Jin Lee, Grand Central, $15.99 3. The Underground Railroad Colson Whitehead, Anchor, $16.95 4. Exit West Mohsin Hamid, Riverhead, $16 5. The Sun and Her Flowers Rupi Kaur, Andrews McMeel, $16.99 6. Beartown Fredrik Backman, Washington Square Press, $17 7. All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr, Scribner, $17 8. Annihilation Jeff VanderMeer, MCD/FSG, $14 9. Milk and Honey Rupi Kaur, Andrews McMeel, $14.99 10. Ready Player One Ernest Cline, Broadway, $16

PAPERBACK NON-FICTION

HARDCOVER FICTION

HARDCOVER NON-FICTION

1. Being Mortal Atul Gawande, Picador USA, $16 2. On Tyranny Timothy Snyder, Tim Duggan Books, $7.99 3. How to Love Thich Nhat Hanh, Parallax Press, $9.95 4. You Are a Badass Jen Sincero, Running Press, $16 5. Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer, Milkweed Editions, $18 6. The Stranger in the Woods Michael Finkel, Vintage, $16 7. How to Fight Thich Nhat Hanh, Jason DeAntonis (Illus.), Parallax Press, $9.95 8. Astoria Peter Stark, Ecco, $15.99 9. Mindfulness on the Go Jan Chozen Bays, Shambhala, $12.95 10. Other Minds Peter Godfrey-Smith, FSG, $16

1. The Great Alone Kristin Hannah, St. Martin’s, $28.99 2. A Gentleman in Moscow Amor Towles, Viking, $27 3. The Power Naomi Alderman, Little Brown, $26 4. Little Fires Everywhere Celeste Ng, Penguin Press, $27 5. The Woman in the Window A.J. Finn, Morrow, $26.99 6. Sing, Unburied, Sing Jesmyn Ward, Scribner, $26 7. Norse Mythology Neil Gaiman, Norton, $25.95 8. Artemis Andy Weir, Crown, $27 9. An American Marriage Tayari Jones, Algonquin, $26.95 10. Don’t Skip Out on Me Willy Vlautin, Harper Perennial, $22.99

1. Educated: A Memoir Tara Westover, Random House, $28 2. Enlightenment Now Steven Pinker, Viking, $35 3. Killers of the Flower Moon David Grann, Doubleday, $28.95 4. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning Margareta Magnusson, Scribner, $18.99 5. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos Jordan B. Peterson, Random House, $25.95 6. Fire and Fury Michael Wolff, Holt, $30 7. No Time to Spare Ursula K. Le Guin, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $22 8. Braving the Wilderness Brene Brown, Random House, $28 9. The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck Mark Manson, HarperOne, $24.99 10. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry Neil deGrasse Tyson, Norton, $18.95

BOOK REVIEW

By Alan Rose No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters

By Ursula K. Le Guin Houghton Mifflin Harcourt $22 Ursula K. Le Guin, beloved author of The Left Hand of Darkness, the Earthsea fantasy series and numerous other books, was one of our most influential writers of science and speculative fiction. Along with her novels, she also wrote poetry, essays, children’s literature, and, since 2010, blogs. No Time to Spare is a collection of her online writings.

She begins pondering a questionnaire from Harvard, which asks, In your spare time, what do you do? —“What is Harvard

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CHILDREN’S INTEREST

1. Ready Player One Ernest Cline, Broadway, $9.99 2. The Left Hand of Darkness Ursula K. Le Guin, Ace, $9.99 3. American Gods Neil Gaiman, Morrow, $9.99 4. 1984 George Orwell, Signet, $9.99 5. The Wise Man’s Fear Patrick Rothfuss, DAW, $9.99 6. The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss, DAW, $9.99 7. Good Omens Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, HarperTorch, $7.99 8. Red Sparrow Jason Matthews, Pocket, $9.99 9. No Middle Name Lee Child, Dell, $9.99 10. To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee, Grand Central, $9.99

1. A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle, Farrar Straus Giroux, $8.99 2. The Hate U Give Angie Thomas, Balzer + Bray, $17.99 3. The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage Philip Pullman, Knopf Books for Young Readers, $22.99 4. Wonder R.J. Palacio, Knopf Books for Young Readers, $16.99 5. Turtles All the Way Down John Green, Dutton Books for Young Readers, $19.99 6. Drama Raina Telgemeier, Graphix, $10.99 7. The Cruel Prince Holly Black, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $18.99 8. The Hazel Wood Melissa Albert, Flatiron, $16.99 9. The Girl Who Drank the Moon Kelly Barnhill, Algonquin Young Readers, $16.95 10. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Becky Albertalli, Balzer + Bray, $10.99

How do you spend your spare time? thinking of? I am going to be eightyone next week. I have no time to spare.”

Writing from her “crabby old age,” she takes on a number of subjects, including aging. In these blogs, she is not ashamed to reveal her humanity in all its final frailty, vulnerability, and uncertainty, illuminated with occasional grace notes of wisdom that also come with age: “My fears come down to fear of not being safe (as if anyone is ever safe) and of not being in control (as if I ever was in control).”

There are a number of posts about her independently-minded cat, Pard (“If I wanted to be the center of the universe I’d have a dog.”)

She shares her frustration with readers who write, Please tell me the meaning of this book—“But that’s not my job, honey. That’s your job. I know, at least in part, what my story means to me.

It may well mean something quite different to you.” She is gentler in her responses to letters from children, though frustrated when the letter was clearly an assignment: “One desperate

Alan Rose, author of The Legacy of Emily Hargraves, Tales of Tokyo, and The Unforgiven, organizes the monthly WordFest events and hosts the KLTV program “Book Chat.” For other book reviews, author interviews, and notes on writing and reading, visit www.alan-rose.com.

Because competition for primacy, for literary supremacy, doesn’t seem as glamorously possible for women as it does for men, the whole idea of singular greatness—of there being one great anything—may not have the hold on a woman’s imagination that it has on a man’s…The hell with The Great American Novel. We have all the great novels we need right now—and right now some man or woman is writing a new one we won’t know we needed till we read it. ~ from No Time to Spare

in the fellowship of women: “ad hoc rather than fixed, flexible rather than rigid, and more collaborative than competitive.” Pleased to see women making in-roads in a male-dominated world, she nonetheless wonders “Can women operate as women in a male institution without becoming imitation men?” Feisty, frustrated, impatient with injustice, she does not apologize for her anger. There’s just too darn much to be angry about!

Le Guin’s time finally ran out in January, but her voice will continue through her imaginative stories, through her poems and essays, and now, through these last blogs.

•••

ten-year-old forced to write the author told me: ‘I have read the cover. It is pretty good.’ What am I supposed to say to him?”

She ponders The Great American Novel, finding the whole idea rather silly. “I’ve never heard a woman writer say she intended, or wanted, to write the great American novel. Tell you true, I’ve never heard a woman writer say the phrase ‘the great American novel’ without a sort of snort.” It seems to be a guy thing.

A long time feminist, she argues for those qualities more typically found

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Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 7

Lewis & Clark

from page 5

the history books to realize modern America’s impression of our early Presidents and Congressional leaders might best be described as looking through rose colored glasses! Our “heroes,” like George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, etc., weren’t always viewed as favorably as they are today.

America’s first two political parties were beginning to take shape by the 1800 Presidential election. America’s second President, John Adams, was a Federalist who narrowly defeated Thomas Jefferson (the DemocraticRepublican candidate) in the 1796 election — resulting in Jefferson being Adams’ vice president. Prior to 1804, the Presidential candidate who received the second-most Electoral College votes became vice president.

For the 1800 election, Jefferson and Aaron Burr each received 73 Electoral votes, so the House of Representatives had to decide which man would become President. After 35 ballots, the vote was still tied. Finally, Alexander Hamilton, America’s first Secretary of the Treasury and a well respected Federalist party leader who hated Aaron Burr more than he despised Thomas Jefferson, convinced a few Federalists to switch their vote and Jefferson became President and Burr became vice president. If Hamilton hadn’t done that, it is quite possible Aaron Burr would have been chosen to be President, and thus Jefferson’s dream of expanding the United States might never have come to be. For that reason, we should probably consider Alexander Hamilton to be just as important as Thomas Jefferson in the Corps of Discovery.

Like Father, Like Son

Burr was furious at what Hamilton had done, and in 1804, while still vice president, Burr shot and killed Hamilton in a duel! Surprisingly, Burr was not charged for the illegal duel, but he was charged with treason in 1807. Interestingly, Hamilton’s 19-year-old son had been killed in the same manner in 1801.

The bitter 1800 election campaign had been characterized by personal attacks and slander. Federalists were convinced the Democrat-Republicans would destroy the country; even George Washington had nothing good to say about the DemocratRepublicans. Much of what has gone

on in our recent elections appears tame compared to the dirty dealings of 200 years ago.

A hidden agenda?

As I read the dozens of books I bought during the Bicentennial of the Corps of Discovery’s epic journey, I was fascinated to learn more about how and why Thomas Jefferson was able to fulfill his vision of expanding the United States. The 1803 Louisiana Purchase actually occurred a year after Jefferson created the Corps of Discovery. I always assumed Jefferson and Congress were extraordinary visionaries to have been willing to explore the western lands and expand the country just 25 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. But after reading countless books, I now realize it was a miracle any of this happened.

Surrounded by bitter political dissension in 1801, Jefferson needed a private secretary he could trust. He remembered Meriwether Lewis who had grown up a few miles from the Jefferson estate at Monticello. But most people found it hard to know what Jefferson saw in the young man known to be moody, serious and awkward. Letters Lewis wrote show that, despite a good education, his grammar was dubious and it was evident Lewis was never going to be a good speller (his journals prove that!).

None of these deficiencies bothered Jefferson since he saw in Lewis a man capable of carrying out some very special duties in the next year or two.

Jefferson had not reached the point of publicly admitting his plans in 1801, but he had been dreaming for 20 years of exploring the vast lands west of the Mississippi River. Jefferson, who never traveled more than 50 miles from his Monticello estate (except for five years when he served in Paris as Minister to France), wanted to take the entire fur trade away from the British. In addition, he felt America needed to expand all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Jefferson had been trying to get support from the government to explore the western part of North America since at least 1780, but his position as Secretary of State was not enough to win Congressional or party support. When just 18, Lewis had begged Jefferson to let him join a proposed 1792 expedition to explore the uncharted west; that scheme, like several before, was abandoned due to lack of governmental interest.

8 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

However, when Jefferson became President, he had the power to send out the explorers if he could get Congress to appropriate some money. He knew Congress wasn’t going to willingly fund such an expedition, so he had to keep the true intent secret. Jefferson immediately wrote to Lewis and offered him the job as his secretary. The letter was written so it was plain enough to Lewis what Jefferson really wanted, but nobody else would understand.

Lewis immediately accepted, and the rest is history. Four years later, Captain Lewis would fulfill Jefferson’s dream, and forever lock in America’s claim to the land west of the Mississippi River.

Discovery Trail starting next month (hopefully we won’t skip a column this time). We hope you will enjoy another chance to read about America’s greatest explorers.

•••

Original • Local • Organic All about the good life “News you can use”

Deja Vu all over again

We all love living here

Continuing reader support and interest in the Lewis and Clark story has been amazing. For that reason, we have decided to re-publish the 33-installment Dispatch from The

Every cover suitable for framing!

Where to find the new Reader It’s delivered all around the River by the 15 of th

each month. Here’s the list of handy, regularlyrefilled sidewalk box and rack locations where you can pick up a copy any time of day and even in your bathrobe ...

RYDERWOOD Comm. Center LONGVIEW Post Office RAINIER Bob’s (rack, main check-out) Post Office In front of 1232 Commerce Ave Cornerstone In front of 1323 Commerce Ave Glaze, Gifts & YMCA Giggles Fred Meyer (rack, grocery entrance) Rainier US Bank (15th Ave.) Hardware (rack, entry) Fibre Fed’l CU - Commerce Ave Earth ‘n’ Sun (on Hwy 30) Monticello Hotel (side entrance) El Tapatio (entry rack) Kaiser Permanente DEER ISLAND St. John Medical Center Deer Island Store (rack, Park Lake Café) Cowlitz Black Bears box office COLUMBIA CITY - Post Office LCC Student Center WARREN Mini-Mart next to Regents Warren Country Inn Indie Way Diner ST HELENS Columbia River Reader Chamber of Commerce 1333 14th Ave. Sunshine Pizza KELSO Post Office Heritage Bank Visitors’ Center/ Kelso-Longview Wild Currant Olde Towne (near Bemis Printing) Chamber of Commerce Safeway KALAMA SCAPPOOSE Fibre Fed’l CU For more Post Office Kalama Shopping Center locations or Road Runner

corner of First & Fir the pick-up Fred Meyer WOODLAND point nearest (east entrance) Visitor’s Center you, visit Fultano’s The Oak Tree Ace Hardware crreader.com and click “Find CASTLE ROCK CATHLAMET Lacie Rha’s Cafe (32 Cowlitz W.) Cathlamet Pharmacy the Magazine” Four Corners General Store under CLATSKANIE Parker’s Restaurant (rack, entry) “Features.”

Post Office Visitor’s Center Chevron / Mini-Mart 890 Huntington Ave. N. Wauna mill (parking area) Exit 49, west side of I-5

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roadway in Portland has announced a digital lottery for $10 tickets before each performance of the national tour’s March 20-April 8 run in Portland.

INTRODUCING...

Forty tickets in the orchestra section will be available for every performance at Keller Auditorium. According to a news release: “The digital lottery will open at 11:00 AM PT on Sunday, March 18 for tickets to the Tuesday, March 20 performance. Subsequent digital lotteries will begin two days prior to each performance.” The lottery will close at 9 a.m. the day before the performance.

A new monthly feature by Emmy Award-winning journalist and Longview native HAL CALBOM.

“Hamilton,” which won 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2016, tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the nation’s founding fathers and its first U.S. treasury secretary, using hip-hop and a heavily multicultural cast. It catapulted its composer, lyricist, playwright and lead actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda, to household-name status.

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To enter the lottery, use the Hamilton app, available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Or register at http://hamiltonmusical.com/lottery.

You must be at least 18 to enter. Repeat entries are not allowed.

Those who enter the lottery will know if they’ve won by 11am the day before the performance. They’ll be notified by email and/or text.

The lottery is free to enter. Winners can buy one or two tickets and pick them up at Will Call two hours before the show. Tickets purchased through the lottery may not be resold.

Watch for it in our April 15 issue, featuring

Robert Michael Pyle

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NEW MEDICAL OPTIONS

Kung spearheads new knee replacement procedure Less expensive, great results

By Jim LeMonds

P

eter Kung, MD, of Longview Orthopedic Associates (LOA) is a big fan of the unicompartmental knee replacement (uni-knee or partial knee replacement) – because of the numerous benefits for patients.

The knee can be broken down into three compartments: the medial (inside), the lateral (outside) and the patella-femoral (beneath the kneecap).

A traditional knee replacement replaces all three compartments and removes the ACL, one of the ligaments in the knee. A partial knee replacement (uni-knee) replaces only one compartment and spares the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).

The most common place to get symptomatic arthritis is the medial aspect of the knee. This occurs when – over time – people lose the cartilage covering the bones; once bone-on-bone contact occurs, pain results. While the uni-knee procedure

Former R.A. Long English teacher Jim LeMonds is a semi-retired writer, editor, and marketer who rides his mountain bike whenever he gets the chance. He lives in Castle Rock, Wash. His published books are South of Seattle and Deadfall.

is done most commonly for the medial compartment, it can be performed on the lateral and the patella-femoral compartments as well.

Replacing only a single compartment has numerous benefits, Kung said.

Normal cartilage is left alone. There is less blood loss, recovery is much quicker, and range of motion is typically much better with a uniknee procedure than a total knee replacement.

Kung was the first Cowlitz County surgeon to perform a uni-knee procedure in an outpatient setting (Pacific Surgical Center). Bill Turner, Jon Kretzler, and Tony Lin have also performed uni-knee surgeries at PSC. Dr. Kung has traveled throughout the country to demonstrate techniques for this procedure to surgeons and industry leaders.

“I started doing this surgery at the hospital in 2014 and at PSC at the start of 2016,” said Kung, who has performed more than 50 uni-knee procedures. “We’ve had great results, with no infections and a 100 percent satisfaction rate.”

“Cost savings are anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 for the insurance c o m p a n y, ” Kung said.

“Depending on the p a t i e n t ’s deductible a great deal of that savings is translated over to the patient.”

•••

Rainier’s food bank invites new volunteers

R

ainier Mayor Jerry Cole will declare April “The Month of HOPE” at the next city council meeting and encourage the public to join in support of the food bank during its “Keep HOPE Alive” annual community campaign.

HOPE (“Help Our People Eat”), which serves residents of Rainier living within the 97048 zip code and/ or Rainier School District boundaries, is marking its 30-year anniversary this year. Part of the Columbia-Pacific Food Bank system, it relies upon volunteers and the community’s generous financial support in order to operate.

Donations may be sent to HOPE, P.O. Box 448, Rainier, OR 97048, or dropped off at the food bank, 404 E. “A” Street, Rainier, Mon-Tues, 11am–4pm or Thurs, 2–6pm.

Helpers in the food pantry are needed to unload and organize food, stock shelves and assist clients with paperwork and food selection.

Men and women, ages 16 and up, who are kind, non-judgmental, reliable, flexible and willing to follow established procedures, are encouraged to consider volunteering.

Anyone interested in filling a regular time slot is invited to contact Executive Director Bert Jepson, 503320-9435 or drop by the food bank.

Volunteer Schedule (5 different weekly time slots available) Mon 11am–1:30pm; 1:30–4pm Tues 11am–1:30pm; 1:30–4pm Thursdays 2–6pm •••

We Cure What Ales You 18 Rotating Craft Brews Pub Fare

It pays to advertise!

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M-W 12 Noon–9pm • Th–Sat - 12 Noon–11pm • Sun 12 Noon–8pm 10 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

April 15 issue: Mar 26 May 15 issue: Apr 25

For info or to reserve your space, contact Ned Piper, 360-749-2632 or nedpiper@comcast.net

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Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 11

Civilized Living

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1140 15th Ave Longview 360-636-6181

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I wanted to honor my older sister’s memory on the anniversary of her death by sending flowers to her husband and family. They live in another state and we only see them once in a while.

She died of lung cancer after a long and bitter fight to stay alive. We are all still grieving her loss, and her husband has had a very hard time adjusting to being without her.

My younger sister hesitates to send flowers, as she thinks it will stir up more grief and upset them. What do you think?

GENTLE READER: That they are already upset -- which is to say still grieving, as you are. And that they are also aware of the anniversary, which would be an especially difficult time.

Your choice, Miss Manners believes, is in letting them suffer through that with or without you.

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Technology: For Business & Pleasure 12 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am 30 years old and married. Occasionally I encounter someone I haven’t seen or heard from in a long time -- since before I was engaged. A co-worker from a past job, a former high school or college classmate, an ex-girlfriend of my brother. These people have asked me why I did not invite them to my wedding.

I am puzzled, because they never responded to any of my previous attempts to stay in contact: holiday cards that I sent to their families, lunch or party invitations that I extended through mutual friends, phone calls and social media messages that they never returned.

I assumed that we had simply parted ways in life, and moved on.

They apparently expected me to send a wedding invitation, yet they showed no interest in continuing our friendship. Why do they feel it was appropriate for them to be at the wedding?

GENTLE READER: Are you asking Miss Manners why people like to feel included? Even when they rarely make a social effort themselves? Human nature is a contradictory, if predictable, condition.

However, upon further scrutiny of your complaint, Miss Manners notices that only one of your methods of communication to your former friends was an actual invitation: Holiday cards do not require a reply; invitations through mutual friends are vague at best; and social media messages — well, surely you are familiar with how those generally go.

Perhaps your friends thought that a formal answer to these casual invitations was not necessary. And had they actually received a written invitation, they might have risen to the occasion.

Probably not. But weddings seem to be one of the few social events that are taken at least mildly seriously -and past relationships, no matter how distant they may currently be, expect to be acknowledged.

To be clear, Miss Manners does not condone your friends for chastising cont page 30

Take a native plant stroll through oak woodland, join work party at Nob Hill Nature Park

J

oin the Friends of Nob Hill Nature Park and the Native Plant Society of Oregon for a stroll through Nob Hill Nature Park to view trillium, fawn lilies and other native plants on Mar. 24, 1–3pm. The park is a 6.6-acre oak woodland, perched on a basalt bluff, overlooking the Columbia River. Come and learn about native plants found in this Lower Columbia River ecosystem.

Long pants and long sleeves are suggested. The event is on, rain or shine. Meet at city’s water treatment facility across from park at 1pm.

There is plenty of easy parking across from the park’s main entrance. A plant list is available by request by calling trip leader, Caroline Skinner at 503-248-9719. Info: Call 503-3498586. All are welcome.

Volunteer Work Party at Nob Hill Nature Park Sat, April 7, 1–4pm

The Scappoose Bay Watershed Council and Friends of Nob Hill Nature Park invite you to join the semi-annual volunteer work party and help remove lunaria and blackberry from the city’s property below the bluff at Nob Hill Nature Park, an oak woodland overlooking the Columbia River. The Friends of NHNP have been restoring the site since 2004.

Wear long-sleeve tops, long pants and work boots because there is poison oak at the park. Dress for the weather and bring water and snack items. This work party takes place rain or shine.

Meet at the city’s water treatment plant, 451 Plymouth Street, in St Helens. Volunteers are welcome.

Pre-registration is requested by Friday, April 6 by calling Scappoose Bay Watershed Council at 503397-7904. Or e-mail to pat@ scappoosebay-wc.org.

Directions: From Hwy 30 in St Helens, take Gable Rd going toward the river.

Bear right onto Plymouth Street and keep bearing right to parking on right.

(Some GPS information may be incorrect.)

Literary Event

CELEBRATE THE ARTS

Author Jamie Ford to speak at free event at Longview Public Library

N

“I Love Creating Pottery for Everyday Life” Horse Hair Pottery by Trudy Woods Gallery Member

Every First Thursday New Art, Music and Nibbles

the-broadway-gallery.com 1418 Commerce Longview, WA Mon - Fri 10 - 5:30 • Sat 10-4

360-577-0544

In Historic Downtown Longview

Your Local SW Washington Artist Co-op since 1982

ationally acclaimed author, Jamie Ford, will be the featured speaker on Sunday, April 8, from 2-4 pm at a “Celebrate the Arts” event planned by the Longview Library Foundation.

The event will be held in the Reading Room at the Longview Public Library.

IF YOU GO

Ford’s first book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, is an historical novel set in Seattle during and after World War II. Hotel, a love story about two twelve-year-old friends, a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl, delves into the ethnic tensions of that time and Japanese internment.

Open to the public; Free admission.

Published in 2009, Hotel quickly drew national attention and received numerous prestigious awards. It became a New York Times Bestseller and was the #1 Book Club Pick by the American Booksellers Association in winter, 2009/10.

“Celebrate the Arts” with Jamie Ford Sunday, April 8, 2–4pm Longview Public Library, 1600 Louisiana St., Longview, Wash.

In addition to the author’s presentation, the event will include light refreshments, and time with the author for questions and answers, book signing, and photos.

More info: Call Chris Skaugset, Longview Public Library Director, 360-442-5309.

Jamie Ford

Ford’s presentation will include what is happening now with Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, including a film update, the stage musical, and how Hotel has found its way into schools across the nation. He’ll share good, bad, and hilariously honest tweets from actual high school students. There are definite hazards in “becoming homework,” he reports.

He’ll also share the story-behindthe-story of his most recent book.

Published in 2017, Love and Other Consolation Prizes, tells the story of Ernest, a Chinese child immigrant, smuggled into America and later auctioned off as a “prize” at Seattle’s 1909 World’s Fair. Love and Other Consolation Prizes was named among the Best Books of 2017 in Library Journal’s historical fiction category.

Jamie Ford was born on July 9, 1968, in Eureka, California, but grew up in Ashland, Oregon, and Port

Orchard and Seattle, Washington.

He graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle in 1988. He currently lives in Montana with his wife and their blended family of nine children.

Ford’s interest and deep understanding of immigrant experiences in America grows from his own family’s history.

His father, a Seattle native, is of Chinese ancestry, while Ford’s mother is of European descent. His Western last name “Ford” comes from his great-grandfather, Min Chung, who immigrated from Kaiping, China, to Nevada in 1865, and later changed his name to Ford. His great-grandmother, Loy Lee Ford, was the first Chinese woman to own property in Nevada.

The Longview Library Foundation exists solely to support the Longview Public Library’s special needs. Occasionally, the Foundation offers a Celebrate the Arts event as a way to thank the community for its generous support of the Longview Public Library.

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Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 13

Sports Medicine Care Available at Longview Ortho Longview Ortho has answers

The area’s most experienced and best-trained sports medicine team is at Longview Orthopedic Associates.

Whether you’re a college, prep, club, or recreational athlete, you can count on Bill Turner, Jon Kretzler, Peter Kung, A.J. Lauder, Jake McLeod, and Tony Lin to diagnose your condition, provide the appropriate treatment, and get you back in the action as quickly as possible.

LOA features rapid appointment scheduling and MRI and physical therapy services available on site for your convenience.

Dr. Turner, MD

Dr. Kretzler, MD

Kaiser patients with a referral are always welcome at LOA. Call 360.501.3400 to schedule an appointment.

Longview Orthopedic Associates is located at Pacific Surgical Institute at 625 9th Avenue.

www.longvieworthopedics.com

360.501.3400

14 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Dr. Lauder, MD

Dr. McLeod, DPM

Dr. Kung, MD

Dr. Lin, MD

A Report from Paradise

Basho Bash on the Beach

10th Anniversary festivities draw crowds Story by Gary Meyers • Photos by Perry Piper

A

s mentioned inCRR’s February edition, a post-HaikuFest 2018 gala dinner to which all readers were invited was held on February 20th in Honolulu.

This photo (near right, courtesy of Perry Piper), which we assume was taken outside Yanagi Sushi, a popular Japanese restaurant in Honolulu where we all eventually gathered, tells the whole story, or rather ALMOST the whole story. And it has a bittersweet ending.

Here are the facts as we state them: We had anticipated a huge response from readers to join us in Hawaii for our special dinner. Accordingly, we selected several potential local venues depending on what the final head count might be. Our plan was to assign numbers to the guests as they arrived in the assembly area so we could keep track of the food requirements. We could shift the group to whichever-sized venue would meet our needs.

Early in the afternoon of February 20th, the flow of guests which began as a trickle quickly cascaded into a tsunami. We were in danger of being overwhelmed.

But now comes the sad part: when it came time to match the assigned numbers to the names on our guest list, we discovered to our dismay that none of the people shown in the photo had notified us in advance that they would be attending the dinner. Sadly, we had to turn everyone away. Tears were shed, hearts were broken, and epithets were hurled but rules are rules – “no advance tickee; no sushi.”

But there was some consolation. Since the group clamoring in the assembly area already had numbers assigned, hungry and dejected as they might have been, they were still able to join in the Great Aloha Run which was occurring nearby.

We also wrote a special haiku for those turned away: “We need new system For dinner reservations But sushi was good!

HaikuFest Chief Judge Gary Meyers escorted the Pipers on a sightseeing tour of Oahu, including stops at the Arizona Memorial, filming locations from “Lost” (with Sue Piper at the plane crash site, Perry posing in a Dharma Initative photo set-up at “The Others” camp, the Byodo-In Temple (a smaller-scale replica of the 950-year-old Byodo-In Temple in Lui, Japan), with multiple food and beverage stops.

Lower right, from left: Associate judges Linda and Mike Ryan and Creighton Goldsmith arrive at the restaurant. Debra Kim was on hiatus. A haiku hiatus.

HaikuFest

2018

In all seriousness, the haiku judges were very appreciative that Sue and Ned Piper traveled to Hawaii specifically to host a dinner to thank everyone for their dedication and continued enthusiasm. The HaikuFests continue to be a labor love for all concerned. But the fact remains that their success is due to the readers who continue to participate in the fun competition. We look forward to seeing old haiku friends in future competitions as well as new poets who want to give it a shot.

We close with a note of congratulations to a special person. Lois Brudi has been a loyal CRR reader for many years and a repeated winner in our haikufests.

She recently notified us that after exchanging a series of haiku over an extended period, she has finally accepted a marriage proposal from Jim Conrod, the founding pastor of Northlake Baptist Church in Longview native Gary Meyers is CRR’s HaikuFest founder/ chief judge. He lives in Honolulu but visits SW Washington regularly, always bringing a sweater.

Longview. Lois and Pastor Jim have known each other for more than 60 years and plan to tie the knot in July.

While I’m not a marriage counselor, I would think that 60 years is probably sufficient time to get to know your prospective spouse. We choose to think that it was the haiku that brought these two together and we will take credit for their union. We send our warmest wishes to the couple with the hope that they will enjoy their golden years together...and keep writing haiku!

Lois: Two lonely people Not well and in their eighties.

Is there time for love?

Jim: Yes, there really is.

Because love never grows old.

Just accept it now!

•••

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 15

Dr. Bob on Movies

THREE FOR THE SHOW

Red Sparrow: Love it or liquidate it!

By Dr. Bob Blackwood

It travels through Europe. Though a bit longer than “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,” the audience stays awake.

Some people will like this film; some people will hate it. Jennifer

Lawrence’s character made us feel sympathetic toward her. She is a good actress. Both my wife and I enjoyed the film.

•••

Jennifer Lawrence as a Russian spy in “Red Sparrow.”

20th Century Fox

D

irector Francis Lawrence, who did very well in the three “Hunger Games” films with Jennifer Lawrence (no family relationship), has returned in a tale of Russian espionage. Instead of the usual polished British espionage film, such as “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” with Gary Oldman, or the more glamorous James Bond films with their heavy dose of male sexuality, Lawrence and Lawrence bring a nuanced spy story from a female point of view.

definitely on the program. And, of course, Ms. Lawrence is seen in almost every nude pose.

In “Red Sparrow,” we certainly have a hot sexual context—“R” rated, thanks to Jennifer Lawrence’s talents as Dominika Egorova and her director.

Why is there heat from some critics about the sexual content of this film?

Usually, these days, critics rarely mention sexuality extensively. I guess they noted it because it is done so well.

The film is based on a book by a former CIA agent. It does have a feeling of reality about it. Jeremy Irons is very believable as a Russian manipulator of his agents. The film is heavy with suspense. It flashes back to England.

The film opens with Jennifer Lawrence playing a ballet dancer at the Bolshoi, who damages her leg onstage. Well, there goes that career. What can she do? What career can a beautiful Russian woman take up? Clothing model? No, not enough action for this woman, how about international spy? Sounds like a lot more fun and perhaps profitable with an option to travel abroad.

Sure enough, she is off to Russian spy school for men and women, the Sparrow School. And who is the principal? She is played by Charlotte Rampling of Luchino Visconti’s “The Damned” and John Boorman’s “Zardoz.” This older woman is no sissy. She lets these tentative spy cadets know just what they will have to do to capture the heart and privates of any man or woman. I don’t suggest bringing any small youngsters to this film. Nudity and sexuality are

But, it is not a sex for the sake of sex film. Instead, it shows how the state can control its members, can determine their future regardless of the individual’s concerns. Ms. Lawrence’s character is tied to her ailing mother.

Very soon, she is off to capture the attentions of Joel Edgerton’s CIA agent. There are some nude shots with a good deal of violence as well.

Dr. Bob Blackwood, professor emeritus of the City Colleges of Chicago, coauthored with Dr. John Flynn the book, Everything I Know about Life I Learned from James Bond. Mr. Blackwood lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Don’t stay home to clean house!

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16 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

(A Russian spy) Jennifer Lawrence and (an American agent) Joel Edgerton have a moment together in “Red Sparrow.”

We’ve got the equipment to fill your needs and restore your peace of mind.

WATER. FIRE. SMOKE. MOLD

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PRESTIGE SENIOR LIVING MONTICELLO PARK

Lucky Day Specials at Monticello Park

Stop by this month to take advantage of our Dash and Dine tours with move-in specials served each day! Take a quick tour with us to see all the amenities our apartments have to offer and receive a complimentary meal to go.

For more information, please call (360) 575-1778 or stop by and take a tour today. (Must schedule in advance for Dine & Dash promotion) Prestige Senior Living Monticello Park 605 Broadway St. Longview, WA 98632 www.PrestigeCare.com

OUT • AND • ABOUT

FORT CLATSOP

Bid “Adieu!” to winter

Lewis & Clark trail run set for March 31

ewis and Clark National Historical Park hosts its first trail run of the year on Saturday, March 31, to “bid adieu” to winter at Fort Clatsop and greet the arrival of spring. The Lewis & Clark Trail Series includes exhilarating events along beautiful trails through forest landscapes, complete with a welcoming and friendly race atmosphere.

These events are open to walkers and runners of all ages to experience the northwest coast the way people have for thousands of years – on footpaths.

L

some long, steep sections. The start/finish line will be at the Fort to Sea Trail trailhead off Fort Clatsop Road. Allow time to park at one of the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center parking lots, register at the visitor center, and then enjoy a half-mile warm-up hike on the Fort to Sea Trail to the start line prior to the 10 am start. Please, no pets on the course during the event (pets leashed to people are welcome on the park trails at other times).

Come for either an approximately 5k or a 10k course that features the Kwis Kwis Trail. The 10k run will include

Register that morning from 9:00 to 9:30, at the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center. The cost to participate is

Runners at Fort Clatsop’s 2017 run. Courtesy photo.

the purchase of a $20 Annual Park Pass that grants entry into all of the 2018 Lewis & Clark Trail Series Events. Registration is free with any pass that allows entry into all of our nation’s National Parks.

Participants younger than 18 also need their parent or guardian to sign the registration form. All 5k/10k participants will get a finisher’s medal. A prize drawing will be held afterwards.

The Lewis & Clark Trail Series is sponsored by the Lewis & Clark National Park Association, which supports park education and interpretative activities.

For more information, call the park at 503-861-2471, visit the park’s web site at www.nps.gov/lewi or Facebook at LewisandClarkNationalHistoricalPark.

•••

To: Centralia, Olympia Mt. Rainier Yakima (north, then east) Tacoma/Seattle

Raymond/ South Bend

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Chinook

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101

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101

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• Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce Kelso Visitor Center I-5 Exit 39 105 Minor Road, Kelso • 360-577-8058 • Woodland Tourist Center I-5 Exit 21 Park & Ride lot, 900 Goerig St., 360-225-9552

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for

Points o mation f In Recre terest Special ation Dinin Events Arts & Eg ~ Lodging ntertain ment

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

Col Gorge Interp Ctr Skamania Lodge Bonneville Dam

Troutdale Crown Point

97

Goldendale

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

•Yacolt

Vernonia

Oregon

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Kalama

• 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 10–2.

Maryhill Museum

Stevenson Hood River Cascade Locks Bridge of the Gods

The Dalles

To: Walla Walla Kennewick, WA Lewiston, ID

Map suggests only approximate positions and relative distances. Consult a real map for more precise details. We are not cartographers.

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 17

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18 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

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OUT • AND • ABOUT

Eye candy and good food

Story and photos by Gary Meyers

Visitors to Toledo enjoy culinary cornucopia and art

W

henever I think of Toledo, Washington, I see a sleepy little Lewis County town on the Cowlitz where riverboats used to tie up. It’s as far from my home in Honolulu as I can imagine. Toledo is a friendly and historic place of around 800 residents, known mainly as the Gateway to Mt. Saint Helens and also famous for its wildly popular Cheese Days each July. The cheese industry may be long gone but the annual celebration that resurrects its memory continues to grow. The event, which began in 1920 as a meeting and social gathering of co-op dairy farmers and their families, draws huge numbers of folks wanting to be a part of the fun-filled long weekend. But that’s another story.

Dining diversity

Toledo is a placid setting for churches, gas stations, a bank and post office, barber shop/hair salon, library, senior center, general store, well-stocked grocery, and assorted other small businesses.

But what I discovered on my most recent visit is perhaps the town’s most unpublicized asset — its dining diversity.

A visitor will find, within a one-mile radius, five restaurants, each specializing in a different ethnic cuisine. A sixth, Gateway Pizza, is closed temporarily. The town is a gastronome’s delight.

I’m not talking sparkling china, violins and candlelight here.

I’m talking stick-to-your-ribs’ food that fills the belly and brings you back for second helpings.

Want to grab a hamburger, fries, and a shake? You can enter a time warp at Betty’s Place, a tiny drive-in reminiscent of the 50s on the north edge of town. Betty is no longer there but her daughter, Kay Pratt, and her hard-working staff have been serving up their award-winning burgers and other fast food favorites since Betty opened her doors in 1983.

Head down the hill from Betty’s to Dan and Chris Gorton’s Bonanza BBQ & Catering. Look for the life-size copper longhorn steer and BBQ smoker on wheels near the entrance.

If your taste is for barbeque with all the fixin’s (cole slaw, potato salad, smoked baked beans, and cornbread), Bonanza BBQ is the place. That’s the good news. The bad news is that they are only open to the public on Fridays! According to the Gortons, the rest of their week is taken up with catering and special events at their restaurant where up to 70 guests can chow down!

Proceeding deeper into town, you will spot “Donna’s Place.”

The ambiance in Donna’s is classic rustic tavern without smoke, pool, or shuffleboard. It’s a spotless place where the beer is cold, the food is good, and “…everybody knows your name.” When I met them, Donna and her assistant manager, Kaylee, touted their specialties as prime rib on Fridays and Saturdays and Taco Tuesdays: “Two huge soft or hard-shelled tacos for five bucks!”

For those with other tastes, Donna’s menu offers dishes from garden, land, and sea.

Visitors craving Mexican fare can opt for lunch or dinner at “Chimis.” In Mexican restaurants, my first impression is always based on the quality of the chips (warm and thin) and the salsa (chunky and zesty). “Chimis” cleared the first hurdle with room to spare. Chimis menu as I pleasantly discovered offers every dish I have ever seen listed on any Mexican menu anywhere! Unfortunately, time and stomach capacity prevented me from going beyond my long-time favorites, chili relleno and enchilada. My brother, Ron, chose his personal favorite, taco salad. If all their selections are as good as ours were, we will be returning to Chimis often. It’s the restaurant we left “…south of the border down Mexico way.” P.S. If you’re not

Mural on an abandoned gas station at the end of Cowlitz Street, Toledo’s main drag, was an Eagle Scout project led by John Morgan.

It is an example of trompe l’oeil (a style which, in paintings and architecture, fools the eye).

The license plate on the car is JHB-894, representing Morgan’s initials and the mural’s completion date of Aug 1994.

Water tank on north edge of town on Hwy 505 South sports a mural by Spokane artist Peter Goetzinger, depicting local historic riverboat and log train activities and a portrait of Simon Plomondon, the first white pioneer fur trader to settle in Lewis County. “Welcome to Toledo” sign greets visitors arriving in Toledo on Hwy 505 South.

driving, leave room for a world class margarita! Chimis’ concoctions will numb every nerve ending in the judgment sector of your brain.

What? No Ethiopian cuisine here?

Our final visit was to a place I never expected to see in Southwest Washington, much less in Toledo—a Filipino restaurant! The Big Chief Deli and Filipino Food is indeed for real and apparently is making its mark in the area. The Big Chief is a family business, owned and operated by sisters, Janet Hill and Rosalina Caywood. Their sister-in-law, Liz Hill, is also involved. Liz was the former owner/operator of Mary’s Corner Deli on Jackson Highway. She brings her café experience and sandwich-making skills to the deli side of the operation. The closest competition to the north appears to be in Olympia and to the south in Portland. While I’m not a marketing analyst I’d say the Big Chief pretty much has a lock on the local Filipino food concession. Their specialties are the heart of Filipino cuisine everywhere: lumpia (sliced vegetables with minced meat sometimes added, then deep fried); pancit (fried noodles with vegetables and meat); and adobo (chicken marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and peppercorns, then browned in oil and simmered). Add to those selections, “Philippine steak” and fried rice. And, of course, diners can always choose one of Liz’s deli sandwiches.

So if you are out and about seeking a new place to visit (or an old place to re-visit) and a fresh dining experience in a cozy setting — and a “drive by tour” of outdoor art, add Toledo to your list of options.

Driving directions: North on I-5; take the Toledo Vader Rd exit, EXIT 60. Total distance from Longview: approx. 26 miles.

Dining Out in Toledo Betty’s Place 601 N. 5th Street, Toledo 360.864.4867 Hours: Daily 10:30am – 9:00pm Bonanza BBQ and Catering 102 Kellogg Way, Toledo 360.864.2277 (C) 253.579.6243 Fridays only for dining – Noon– 7pm Donna’s Place 112 Ramsey Way, Toledo 360.864.2700 Hours: Sun-Mon closed Tue-Thur 11am-8/9pm (doors lock 9pm) Fri-Sat 11am-–Close (Doors may close early if business is slow) Chimis 115 Cowlitz Street, Toledo 360.864.8882 Mon-Th 11am–9pm; Fri-Sat 11am– 10pm; Sun 11am–9pm Big Chief 100 Ramsey Way, Toledo 360.864.8444 Sun-Mon Closed, Tue-Thu 10am–6pm, Fri-Sat 10:00am–7pm

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 19

Spring Vegetable Platter From Tracy Beard’s personal collection of favorite spring appetizers

Italian Stuffed Artichokes

Serves 4 2 globe artichokes (trim the tips, a small amount off the stem, and leave most of the stem intact) 2 tablespoons Italian herbs 4 ounces melted butter 3 cups fresh white or wheat bread crumbs (grind in a food processor or blender to a fine crumb) 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese 2 ounces water 2 tablespoons vinegar (white or apple cider) Water to boil artichokes Fork or wooden skewer

The First Bite Fill a large stock pot ¾ full with water and add vinegar, bring to a boil. Trim artichokes and drop them into boiling water. Cook on medium high until you can pierce with a wooden skewer or fork. Drain and let cool.

Once cool to the touch, slice lengthwise in half through the stem. Scoop out and discard the choke.

Toss breadcrumbs, herbs, and Parmesan in a small bowl. Add melted butter and water until you have a moist dressing consistency. Gently spread the artichoke leaves and place a bit of the stuffing in between each leaf and some in the center.

Place in a greased glass dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and then place under the broiler for 5 minutes until toasty brown in color. Serve with Dijon dip.

Longview-Kelso 2018-2019 Community Concert Association Two on Tap

Sat, March 24, 2018 - 7:30 pm

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Five Sax

Sun, Oct 28, 2018 - 3:00 pm

A modern-style international saxophone quintet performing a repertoire rooted in classical music, venturing into American jazz, South American Latin styles and European folk music.

The Gothard Sisters Sun, Nov 18, 2018 - 3:00 pm

The Gothard Sisters are a dynamic group of three sisters, whose impressive array of talents have set them apart as one of the most refreshing and compelling acts in Celtic music today.

Sergei Teleshev

Fri, April 12, 2019 - 7:30 pm

Internationally-acclaimed Sergei Teleshev, performs works by Bach, Piazzolla, Tchaikovsky and more. Sergei will be performing with world-renowned violinist, singer, actress and dancer Veronika Shabashova.

Performances at Lower Columbia College Rose Center for the Arts Tickets Available Online or at the Door Order by April 27 to receive the Early Bird discount: Season subscription prices: Adults $70 • Students $30 • Family $160 Prices after April 27: $85 Adult • $40 Student • $190 Family Single tickets $25 Adults; $10 Students For Information: Susie Kirkpatrick 360-636-2211

www.lkcca.org

20 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Vegetable platter of stuffed artichokes, fresh asparagus and spinach. Photo by Tracy Beard

Dijon Dip

1 cup mayonnaise 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon Kosher salt Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Chill and serve in an attractive bowl with vegetables.

Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

1 bunch medium thickness fresh asparagus 1 package sliced prosciutto (my favorite is prosciutto di Parma) 2 tablespoons Kosher salt Bowl with water and 12 ice cubes Snap the bottom off one stem of asparagus where it breaks easiest. Line up remaining bunch and trim all stems to the same length. Rinse asparagus with water. Boil a big pot of water with 2 tablespoons Kosher salt. Drop asparagus into boiling salted

water blanching for 30-45 seconds or until crisp tender and bright green. You should be able to pierce easily with a fork; be sure not to overcook.

Drain immediately and place asparagus into icy water bowl. Allow stems to cool and pat dry with a paper towel.

Cut each slice of prosciutto lengthwise down the middle. Gentle wrap each asparagus spear with a ½ piece of prosciutto. Serve with Dijon dip and artichokes.

Feel free to put together your own spring appetizer platter adding additional vegetables like snap peas, lettuces, spinach, carrots, radishes, or anything else you enjoy.

•••

The First Bite

World-class appetizers

Travel & food writer shares favorites

T

Story and photos by Tracy Beard

he first bite at any restaurant, diner, or even in your own home sets the tone for an enticing dining experience. On my travels over the past year I have enjoyed a variety of stunning, delicious, and adventurous first courses. Whether it’s called an aperitif, aperitivo, hors d’oeuvre, or just a simple appetizer, I want to share some of my favorites with you.

#1 Ultimate Favorite The Shrimp and Crab Stack, created by Chef Ronald St. Pierre at Locals Restaurant in Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, Canada, received my all-time favorite award for 2017 first courses. I was fortunate to try this stunning and amazing dish the first time while attending the BC Shellfish Festival. It was so light, clean, and intense that I chose it a second time with my daughter, Brittney, while traveling to the same area to write a story about a Girls’ Wellness Getaway at Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa. Chef Ronald uses fresh local seafood, sprout greens from the local farmers’ market, and short-grain sticky rice. He layers the ingredients and decorates the plate with wasabi aïoli created in-house, pickled ginger, and toasted sesame seeds. #1 Best Setting with Unique Bites Part of any dining experience is where you eat. The atmosphere can enhance or detract from any great meal. Traveling up the St. Lawrence River on an adventure expedition with Adventure Canada, cruisers, including myself, savored an outdoor hors d’oeuvre extravaganza prepared by local chef Jean-Sébastien Sicard from Chez Mathilde Restaurant in Tadoussac, Quebec.

Warming myself by the blazing bonfire, I dined on pork pâté with a confit of onions, gravlax (a Scandinavian dish of dry-cured salmon) studded with pine needles and fresh thyme and glazed with sour cream, truffle-dotted deviled eggs, and a sweet croissant filled with blueberries and chocolate. #1 Richest, Creamiest, and Most Artistically Designed I spent a good deal of time in Sonoma Country during the summer months prior to the horrific fires. While on assignment writing stories about luxurious dining in the area, I feasted at Valette in Healdsburg, California. Chef Dustin Valette uses Asian flavors to enhance some of the best seafood and produce in his Hawaiian Ahi Poke.

The fresh ahi tuna, tossed in a soy kombu emulsion, rests on top of a seaweed salad with crispy fried avocados.

The fresh clean taste of the seafood blends perfectly with the crunchy avocado, creating luxurious textures in the mouth. To intensify the beauty of the plate, an edible flower and thinly sliced watermelon radishes adorn the dish. #1 Easy to Assemble and Perfect for a Crowd Festivals are a great place to experience new foods and get fresh ideas. I attended Feast Portland and met numerous talented local chefs and discovered an assortment of new culinary ideas.

Chef Alan Maniscalco from Rally Pizza i n Va n c o u v e r, Washington, fashioned a delectable bite just right for serving large groups. His Cheesy Bites made with hand-pulled mozzarella was crafted from an especially creamy curd from Rhode Island.

The luscious cheese arrived sliced and topped with a black raspberry puree made from blackcap raspberries grown in the Midwest and Oregon. These extra-sweet berries pureed with sugar and a bit of vinegar made for a tangy twist on top of the succulent cheese. Each bite came adorned with pickled banana peppers and fennel pollen. To add some crunch to the appetizer, Alan grinds and then cooks prosciutto ends until crispy and adds shallot and smoked Spanish paprika oils to flavor the crumbles and then garnish the dish.

Now it’s your turn to use your imagination and creativity to design some new eats. On the facing page (page 20), read about one of my favorite spring aperitivos, Italian Stuffed Artichokes and Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto.

Photos, clockwise from top: Appetizers served at a Canadian bonfire; Hawaiian Ahi Poke; Cheesy Bites; Shrimp and Crab Stack.

The work of freelance writer and photographer Tracy Beard has been published in many regional, national, and international magazines. Her stories focus on luxury and adventure travel, outdoor activities, spas, fine dining, and traditional and trendy libations. She attended culinary school in San Francisco, and owned a catering company, adding to her enjoyment and authoritative understanding of food. Formerly of Longview, she now lives in Vancouver, Wash.

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 21

the Lower Columbia

Informer

Photos, from top: Cosplay competition; recreation of the TARDIS from Doctor Who; Kylar Richmond and Krystopher Richmond impersonating S t a r Wa r s characters at a previous NanoCon event.

by Perry Piper

Danger, Will Robinson!

College students host sci fi event March 23-24

S

cience fiction usually gets a bad rap. Most people much prefer watching comedy or romance for entertainment, seeing sci fi as overly complex and nerdy. The truth, though, is that science fiction centers around the question of what it means to be human and explores this through endless scenarios of what might be possible in our future. Literature and even some films like “2001” or “Blade Runner” are notoriously tough to understand. The 20th century classics often require readers to not only keep pace at an upper college level with punishingly obscure vocabulary, but also with abstract and often philosophically controversial ideas.

At first glance, many might think sci fi is only for young people today, but it has been a long lasting and classic subject, going back to at least the 17th century after the scientific revolution. However, some would argue the Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh was the true spark of the medium. Sci fi exploded into its own during the 20th century.

The weekend of March 23-24, Lower Columbia College’s sci fi club is throwing their fifth annual festival called NanoCon Mk. V to celebrate the genre. The word “nano” evokes

IF YOU GO NanoCon Mk. V March 23-24 (Fri 5–9:30pm, ages 17+ or with guardian; Sat 10am–10pm) Lower Columbia College Health & Sciences Bldg.

1600 Maple St., Longview, Wash.

Tickets online or at the door. Prices $5–50, depending on the event and package choice. Check website for more details: nanocon.co/

a small scale event, but one that grows out of control like the popular concept of nanotechnology — atomic sized robots that can replicate or do anything, similar to Mickey Mouse in the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and his ever-multiplying broom automatons.

Friday’s events include a film festival, a concert by Stovokor (Star Trek Klingon metal band) and, for those purchasing upper tier tickets, a special dinner with guest authors like Greg

22 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Bear, of Halo novel fame, a popular Microsoft Xbox video game from 2001.

Saturday is the main event, including many things like cosplay aka costume contests, panels, board and video games including virtual reality, which I’ll be running. There will also be merchandise to purchase, a murder mystery game and youth specific films.

Everything will be clearly marked for varying age levels and the event is family friendly. Anyone who wants to meet fellow fans of sci fi can attend the event purely to socialize and meet

new friends. Younger attendees might want to know that Tadd Galusha is one of this year’s guests. He is working on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Ghostbusters crossover comic and Munchkin board game expansion. In past years, classic author descendant James Wells was there, as was Poul Anderson.

I hope to see some of you there this year and it will be a great event to take kids to and expose them to science fiction if they’re not already fans. Like Elon Musk says, we can’t just solve one problem after another in life, we need a vision to be inspired by to get out of bed in the morning. Many of the gizmos of today were built by kids growing up loving “Star Trek” and other classic sci fi works.

••• Perry Piper’s newest interest is daytrading of digital currencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. He spends the majority of his time as CRR’s graphic designer and tech consultant...and, of course, planning his next trip. Read his report on the new Amazon Go store in Seattle, page 17.

In Fond Memory

It’s a Guy Thing

Chicken Livers & Onions tradition helped keep father and son connected

By Patrick L. Kubin First published in Columbia River Reader, June 2007.

Local liver lovers magnet

M L

ongview resident Patrick L. Kubin died in a skiing accident at Mt. Hood on Feb. 22. CRR extends sincere condolences, especially to Pat’s wife, Jill Johansen, and their four children. An attorney and community leader and volunteer, Pat brought a loving and thoughtful zaniness to his family, neighborhood and community.

He enjoyed photography and writing and, while a student at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, was editor of “The Lawyer,” its law school newspaper, although at the memorial service it was revealed that Pat actually hijacked the publication. He was a driving force in Longview’s annual Squirrel Fest and an occasional contributor to CRR on topics such as skiing, longstemmed roses, boating, and attending rock concerts “later in life.’ His warm spirit and dry wit will be greatly missed.

Pat’s story about cooking for his father ran as a Father’s Day story in CRR, June 2007. We present it again Patrick L. Kubin here as a tribute 1959–2018 to Pat.

aybe it’s a guy thing. You know — organ meats, odd crustaceans, barbecuing everything in sight. Guys love this kind of stuff. As Father’s Day approaches, I have another opportunity to indulge in “guy food.”

Pat Kubin and his dad in 1980, with summer steelhead caught ocean fishing out of Ilwaco, Wash.

Below: Carl Kubin enjoys a glass of wine while

Some years ago I developed a tradition awaiting a special dinner prepared by his son. of treating my bachelor father to a good home-cooked meal of “guy food” twice a year. On his birthday in December and again on Father’s Day, I travel to Portland with all my cooking supplies and whip up a tasty treat for him, a treat that is hard to find on most restaurant menus: Chicken Livers and Onions.

Restaurants versus home-cooked

My dad is in his late 70s and lives alone in an apartment. He never learned to cook, as he always had his mom, then my mom and, finally, his recently-departed companion of many years to cook for him. Consequently, he now eats in restaurants nearly every night. That’s why a home-cooked meal is such a treat. And home-cooked meals like real Liver and Onions are hard to come by in restaurants. Sure, you can get calves’ liver and onions . . . a large slab of frozen calves liver grilled and served with fried onions.

It’s . . . okay . . . but not like Grandma used to cook. And not “salivate-justthinking-about-it” good. To achieve that level of culinary worthiness requires something different.

Making traditions

When I was young, I always thought traditions were things that were passed down for generations, and many of them are. But I have learned in my advancing years that it is incumbent upon us, as parents and as children of parents in their golden years, to make our own traditions. For if we make no new traditions, what will we

Pat Kubin’s Chicken Livers & Onions 2 or 3 large yellow onions 2 – 2-1/2 lbs chicken livers Salt 2 – 3 chicken boullion cubes 3/4 tsp paprika Olive or vegetable oil 1/4 tsp marjoram 2 tsp corn starch 1/2 – 3/4 cup water Slice onions in medium thin strips.

Fry in 3-4 Tbl hot oil (medium high heat) until browned nicely. Turn often to avoid burning. They must be a little browned, not just cooked.

Don’t overcook or cook them down to mush. They will cook more later when covered with liquid. You want a little crunch left in them at this stage.

Set onions aside.

Slice livers into large, bite sized pieces, removing and discarding connective tissues and soft, discolored, or mushy livers. There are two lobes to each liver.

Usually I cut each lobe in half, unless they are small.

Fry livers in 2 Tbl oil. Brown nicely. Start with a fairly hot pan. You want the livers partially brown, not gray. Don’t worry about cooking them fully; they will cook more when water is added, but get them brown on at least one side. Turn once or twice. When you cut one open it should be pinkish inside.

Add 1/2 cup water, then 3/4 tsp paprika (more if you like it spicier), and two chicken boullion cubes, and stir very

have left? What will our children have as traditions when our grandparents and parents are gone? No chicken livers and onions? Perish the thought!

I usually invite at least one of my four children, ranging in age from 13 – 17, to assist me in the preparation of this dish, in the hope that something will “stick,” and I will enjoy my own elder years supping on delicacies like this.

gently. Add onions and stir. Cover and cook on low for 3 minutes. It should be bubbling gently.

Sprinkle in 1/4 tsp marjoram, crushed very finely. Stir gently. Salt to taste or add another bullion cube. If there is not enough sauce for your taste (I like lots of sauce) add another 1/4 cup water, and another teaspoon of paprika. Cook a moment, covered.

Mix 2 tsp corn starch with 1 – 2 oz. cold water, then add to sauce and stir quickly, but very gently, cover and cook 1-2 minutes until thickened. Don’t overstir, as cooked livers are very delicate and will crumble to mush.

Serves 3-4.

Over the years, I developed a recipe for Chicken Livers and Onions that I have honed to a fine delicacy. It has developed somewhat of a reputation, and draws all the local liver eaters out of the woodwork. I share it with you here because I think liver is greatly under-rated. In restaurants it is usually cooked too dry, with onions on the side. In my childhood, my Austrian grandmother cooked liver in many different ways, including as leber suppe (liver soup) and in a creamy paprika sauce. I never even knew liver was “supposed” to be dry.

Cornucopia of foods

My recipe is an amalgam of the flavors and textures I recall as a child, which endeared the nutritious little morsels to me. It’s not my favorite food, but for those who like the flavor of liver without the unappetizing dryness, it is a nice addition to the cornucopia of great foods available to open-minded diners. My favorite foods include Dungeness crab, barbecued rib steak and lamb. Fortunately, those are foods my entire family enjoys and my son Josh is already learning the kitchen skills necessary to keep me well fed in my dotage.

The keys to cooking liver properly are to prepare it in advance -- cutting away all the connective tissues and cutting it into large, bite-sized pieces — and, most importantly, not over-cooking it.

I like to serve Chicken Liver and Onions with steamed broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or other green vegetable. It is best served with egg noodles, or spaetzle (German noodles) or other starch. This gives you something to pour the sauce over. Serve with a dry white wine and a Glad-to-see-youDad attitude, and I think you will find that liver is far tastier than you remember it.

Now when I visit my dad on Father’s Day, I don’t find nearly as many old neckties still in boxes. Instead, I find companionship, anticipation of a great meal, and the satisfaction of a job well done.

•••

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 23

Wildlife & the Outdoors

Fun family activity benefits the birds

Build a birdhouse

W

hether you build one birdhouse or 100, they are fun to construct, fun to install, and fun to watch being used by wild birds. And they are more than just backyard ornaments. Birds need them.

Story and Photos by John L. Perry

A nest to call home

only 16 square inches to barn owls needing 180 square inches, they have similar nesting requirements differing only in overall size. But without a suitable, enclosed nesting site, these birds can’t reproduce.

Many bird species in the Lower Columbia River area are cavity nesters, building nests and laying their eggs only in hollow trees or other enclosed, protected spaces.

From the tiny chickadee requiring

Older forests, once offering large dead trees (snags) and abundant n e s t i n g cavities, have been replaced with younger, second-growth forests containing fewer snags. As a result, populations of cavitydependent birds are limited. Likewise, urbanization and suburban sprawl have eliminated many of the old trees and younger replacement yard trees offer fewer nesting spots for birds. What can we humans do to help with this “avian housing shortage?”

Easing the housing crunch

The solution is to provide artificial cavities – birdhouses – for our feathered friends. Besides helping the birds, building and putting up birdhouses is a fun activity for kids of all ages.

The design is simple and construction requires only basic carpentry tools, a few nails and screws and a supply of low-cost lumber.

Split level, townhouse or ranch?

Deciding what size birdhouse to build and where to place it, depending on the species of bird you hope uses it leads to a learning opportunity for youngsters beginning to understand the natural world (See sidebar with nest box specs and dimensions).

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AD EXPIRES MARCH 31, 2018 24 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Longview native John Perry, pictured with his black lab Crater, is a retired forester.

He lives in Brownsville, Oregon, on his 66-acre farm.

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Re-used, weathered, rough-sawn (un-planed) lumber makes the best birdhouse. Don’t use treated wood products. The inside of the front of the house, below the entrance hole, should be roughened up, if necessary, so the fledglings can climb up and out. There is no need for an outside perching post below the hole. They may look cute but, in fact, those little pegs actually hinder some birds from using birdhouses. Attractive, smaller birdhouses can be constructed from old recycled western red cedar shakes with the box components glued and tacked together.

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backwater, the better, but I’ve had success in attracting nesting wood ducks to a box placed on a forested ridgetop nearly half a mile up the hill from the nearest water.

Wall-to-wall wood chips

This simple design will work for all cavity nesting species. The overall size and, importantly, the size of the opening will influence which bird species use a particular nest box. To make annual cleaning easy, the roof should be hinged or one of the sides made easily removable. US EPA image.

Don’t let ‘em bake

The nest box need not be airtight.

In fact, it is a good idea to drill a few small holes in the sides near the top to allow hot air to escape and also to make a few holes in the floor to let water drain. The roof should overlap the back and sides enough to prevent leakage and should overhang the front entrance hole a couple of inches to shield it from rain.

Paint isn’t necessary except for birdhouses that will be placed in direct, full sunlight. Then, white or light-toned paint, outside only, is a good idea. Most birds will more readily use a nest box that blends with its surroundings.

Cleared to land

For best results, birdhouses should be securely mounted on a post, pole, the side of a building or a tree trunk. Some birds will use nest boxes suspended from a wire so they can move with the wind, but many species won’t. The best placement depends on the species you hope uses your nest box. Generally, try to locate the birdhouse in partial shade, facing away from prevailing storm winds, and with the approach flight path free of limbs and obstructions.

Keep in mind that house cats are major predators of nesting songbirds, so plan accordingly to keep cats away.

In old barns or large outbuildings, barn owls will readily use artificial nest boxes properly constructed and placed high inside the structure, provided they have an adequate in/out route.

A wood duck box should blend in with the forested surroundings, should be mounted on a tree allowing enough open flying space for a duck to fly in and out, and should not be placed in an obvious or readily visible location.

Don’t worry, the wood ducks will find it. The closer to a pond or slow river

Place an inch or two of clean wood chips on the floor of nest boxes for larger species such as flickers, barn owls and wood ducks. Most smaller birds will provide their own nesting material.

How many birdhouses should you build and how far apart should they be placed? That depends on the species.

Some birds, such as purple martins and swallows, don’t mind company.

Others, however, do. House wrens will harass bluebirds using nest boxes near theirs. If they can’t drive the bluebirds away, they fill their nest box (and any other possible nesting cavities on the surrounding half acre) with twigs.

House wrens have been known to kill nesting violet-green swallows by entombing them inside the nest box, covering them with sticks and twigs jammed so tightly they cannot escape.

So, it’s a good idea not to crowd too many birdhouses into a small area.

Starlings pose another problem. The non-native European-origin birds now infest virtually all areas of human habitation in America from coast to coast. They are pretty enough, but that’s the only good thing I can think to say about them. They are unpleasantly noisy, they poop on my car, and also exclude other cavity nesters in the vicinity by filling all

Build it and they will come Species Floor Size Depth Height of Entrance Ht.above

of Box Entrance Diameter Ground Chickadee 4”x4” 8”-10” 6”-8” 1-1/8” 6’-15’ Titmouse 4”x4” 8”-10” 6”-8” 1-1/4” 6’-15’ House Wren 4”x4” 6”-8” 4”-6” 1-1/4” 6’-10’ Downy Woodpecker 4”x4” 8”-10” 6”-8” 1-1/4” 6’-20’ Bluebird 5”x5” 8” 6” 1-1/2” 5’-10’ Violet-Green Swallow 5”x5” 6” 1”-5” 1-1/2” * 10’-15’ HouseFinch 6”x6” 6” 4” 2” 8’-12’ PurpleMartin 6”x6” 6” 1” 2-1/2” 15’-20’ Hairy Woodpecker 6”x6” 12”-15” 9”-12” 1-1/2” 12’-20’ Saw-whet Owl 6”x6” 10”-12” 8”-10” 2-1/2” 12’-20’ Flicker 7”x7” 16”-18” 14”-16” 2-1/2” 6’-20’ Screech Owl 8”x8” 12”-15” 9”-12” 3” 10’-30’ American Kestrel 8”x8” 12”-15” 9”-12” 3” 10’-30’ Barn Owl 10”x18” 15”-18” 4” 6” 12’-18’ Wood Duck 10”x18” 10”-24” 12”-16”.

4” 10’-20’ *Entry hole should be roughly triangular (wider at the top), not round, for violet-green swallows

potential competing nest sites with twigs and debris. They prefer nests with 2” diameter entry holes and will displace and drive away desirable species to eliminate competition for nests and food. If starlings are a problem where you live, try birdhouses with smaller entry holes. If necessary, a garden hose directed inside a starling nest will drive off the unwanted pests.

Spring cleaning for birds

It’s a goo d idea to do annual (wintertime) birdhouse cleaning but don’t take the nesting boxes inside for the winter. Many resident birds that do not migrate will use birdhouses in winter as roosting places. Sometimes a dozen or more birds will gather inside a nest box for mutual warmth on a cold winter night.

A good reference book, such as the Audubon Society’s Field Guide to North American Birds, Western Region, is useful in learning more about local cavity-nesting birds, their food and habitat requirements.

Build birdhouses. It’s a low-cost family activity that everyone can enjoy and it benefits wild birds, and they need all the help they can get.

•••

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Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 25

Outings & Events

Performing & Fine Arts Music, Art, Theatre, Literary 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 different 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. Businesses and organizations wishing to promote their particular products or services are invited to purchase advertising (contact info, page 3).

HOW TO PUBLICIZE YOUR NON-PROFIT EVENT IN CRR

FIRST THURSDAY • April 5 Broadway Gallery Enjoy refreshments and meet the artists! Gallery Member Debbie Lee, acrylic on canvas and stone pet portraits.

Reception, 5:30-7:30pm.

Music by John Crocker www.the-broadway-gallery.com 1418 Commerce Ave. Downtown Longview, Wash.

Call to New Artists for Gallery Membership Across the River: Cowlitz County Historical Museum 405 Allen St.,Kelso, Wash 7pm Boating along the Cowlitz.

CALL TO ARTISTS:

Original 2-D artwork for Longview Public Library’s 2018 Juried Show, “Bridges.” Submission deadline: April 6. No entry fee; one submission limit per artist. The grand prize is a purchase award of $500 (work will become part of the Longview Public Library permanent collection). Visit http:// www.longviewlibrary.org/cfe.php for the complete entry rules and show details. Info: Daniel, 360-442-5307.

THE PET DEPT.

Send your non-commercial community event’s basic info (name of event, 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 Ave Longview, WA 98632 Submission Deadlines Events occurring April 15–May 20:

by Mar. 25 for April 15 issue.

Events occurring May 15 – June 20:

by April 25 for May15 issue.

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

“I see the Broadway Gallery is having a pet-themed art show in June.”

Ginger aka Gretchen Victoria Findlay’s dog

“We should let them know we are available as models for those unfortunates without their own pets. Our hourly rates are very fair.”

~Smokey Man in the Kitchen’s cat

26 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Broadway Gallery Artists co-op. Classes for all ages, workshops and paint parties.

March Featured Artist: John S. Crocker (photography), Trudy Woods (pottery); April: Debbie Lee (acrylic on canvas and stone pet portraits). Gallery hours: MonFri 10-5:30, Sat 10–4. 1418 Commerce, Longview, Wash. 360-577-0544. www.thebroadway-gallery.com. Currently calling for to New Artists for Gallery Membership. Call to all artists for a Community Show with a pet theme coming in June (see website).

Tsuga Gallery Fine arts and crafts by area artists. Thurs-Sat 11–5. 70 Main Street, Cathlamet, Wash. 360-795-0725.

Redmen Hall History and art. 1394 SR-4, Skamokawa, Wash. Thurs-Sun, 12-4pm.

Info: 360-795-3007 or email fos1894@gmail. com.

Koth Gallery, Longview Public Library March: Jane Fromherz; April, Ron Walker.

1600 Louisiana Street, Longview, Wash.

Mon-Wed 10am-8pm, Thurs-Sat 10am-5pm.

Info: Daniel, 360-442-5307.

Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts 2017-18 season now underway. Tickets: CTPA box office, 1231 Vandercook Way, Longview, Wash. 360-575-8499. columbiatheatre.com.See ad, page 20.

Columbian Artists Association’s 42nd Annual Juried Spring Art Show Through Mar 25. Three Rivers Mall, Kelso, Wash. (I-5 Exit 39). Open to the public; Free admission.

The Art Gallery at LCC April 4–26: Exhibit

by Pei Pei Wallace. Opening Reception April 3, 4-6pm. Rose Center for the Arts, 1600 Maple St., Longview, Wash. Gallery hours: Mon-Tues 10–6, Wed-Thurs 10–4). Info: 360-442-2510 or lowercolumbia.edu/gallery.

National Theatre Live, “Young Marx,” April 6; “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” April 28; “Follies,” May 4. Showings 7pm. $15; Seniors, students, LCC staff/faculty $10 plus $2 per ticket processing fee. Lower Columbia College Rose Center for the Art, 1600 Maple St., Longview, Wash.

Kiwanis Club of Kelso-Longview “Got Talent” April 15, 3pm, Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts, 1231 Vandercook Way, Longview, Wash. Admission to the talent show $10 per person, under age 3 free.

Drawing for diamond earrings, raffle prizes.

Talent show: Cash prizes awarded, entry fee $25, limited to 16 applicants. Deadline to apply: March 20, limited to first 16 applicants.

For application or details: 360-751-8568 or email the kelsolongviewkiwanis@yahoo.com Fundraiser for local charitable programs.

Celebrate the Arts with Jamie Ford, nationally-acclaimed author. Sunday, April 8, 2–4pm, Longview Public Library, 1600 Louisiana St., Longview, Wash. Free admission. Presented by Longview Library Foundation. See story, page 13.

Return to the Forbidden Planet April 27–May 20 Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm see ad, page 22

stageworksnorthwest.org

360-636-4488

1433 Commerce Ave., Longview.

Outings & Events

Recreation, Outdoors Gardening, History, Pets, Self-Help Cowlitz County Museum New exhibit: “The Great War: A Cowlitz County Centennial Reflection,” exploring how the Lower Columbia region supported the war effort (WW1). Open Tues-Sat 10am–4pm. 405 Allen St, Kelso, Wash. www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/ museum. Info: 360-577-3119.

Wahkiakum County Historical Society Museum Logging, fishing and cultural displays. Open 1-4pm, Th-Sun. 65 River St, Cathlamet, Wash. For info 360-795-3954.

Appelo Archives Center Historic exhibits, Naselle-Grays River area. 1056 State Route 4, Naselle. T-Fri 10–4, Sat 10–2, or by appt.

360-484-7103. appeloarchives.org.

In their Footsteps “From the Great Lakes to the Lower Columbia: French Canadians and Metissage on Our Evolving Frontier,” by Robert Foxcurran. Sunday, March 18, 1pm.

Free lecture series. Fort Clatsop Visitor Center (near Astoria, Ore.) Netul Room. Series presented by Lewis and Clark National Park Assn and Fort Clatsop. Info: 503-861-2471.

See story, page 28.

Heart Healthy Clinic Learn about several programs for seniors to stay heart healthy and happy in 2018! Thurs, March 22, 2 pm.

Prestige Senior Living - Monticello Park, 605 Broadway, Longview, Wash. Call 360-5751778 to register.

Quincy Grange 42nd Annual Chicken Dinner April 9, 12–3pm. Grange Hall, 78314 Rutters Rd, Clatskanie, Ore (follow signs 3.5 miles) $12 adults, $5 children, under age 6 free. Traditional fried dinner with all the trimmings, incl. dessert. All homemade and yummy. Proceeds benefit youth programs, scholarships, and community services. We are wheelchair accessible. More info: Find them on Facebook; call 503-728-4579 or email quincygrange321@outlook.com.

TAKE A

Longview Bridge Club Weekly duplicate bridge games Mon 10:30am, Thurs 6:30pm, Kelso Senior Center, 106 NW 8th Ave. New players welcome. For info or help finding a partner: Rich Carle, 360-425-0981 or rhcarle@msn.com.

R Square D Dance Club Dances on 2nd Friday, 4th Saturday. Plus: 7– 8pm, Mainstream with rounds: 8–10pm. Craig Abercrombie, caller; Lonnie Sycks, cuer.

Kelso Senior Center, 106 NW 8th Ave, Kelso, Wash. More info: www.r-square-d. info. or 360-414-5855.

Lake Sacajawea Kids’ Fish-In Sat, April 28.

Youth ages 5–14. Sponsored by Longview Parks & Rec and Early Edition Rotary. Preregister (required) and pay $10 fee online www.mylongview.com/registration or visit 2920 Douglas St., Longview. Choose from seven 45-min sessions, on the hour starting 8am. Final session starts 2pm. Volunteers on hand to assist. Rod/reel combos and terminal tackle provided from prior years’ donated funds and donations from local merchants, organizations and individuals. No personal equipment allowed. Participants may keep equipment or donate it back for following years. Fish cleaning, gift bag with meal ticket redeemable at Pioneer Lions food wagon for each participant. Limited to 420 youth; sign up early for preferred time slot.

PEO Mother’s Day Garden Sale May 10(4–7pm), May 11 (9am–6pm), May 12 (9am–4pm. Cowlitz Expo Floral Building, 1900 7th Ave.,Longview, Wash. Large hanging baskets, unique planters, birdhouses, vegetable/herb gardens, shabby chic, painted furniture and more. Cash, check, credit card.; no early sales. Proceeds for scholarships for future education of women. Info: Terri, 360431-6156.

HIKE

Wed, Mar 28 • Willapa Hills Trail (E).

Drive 90 miles RT. Hike 3–8 m on gravel portion of Willapa Hills Trail from Adna trailhead to west. Discover Pass required.

Leader: Mary H. 360-577-6676.

Sat, April 3 • Steigerwald Lake Nature Trail (E) Drive 110 mi. RT. Hike 3-mile loop with 39ft. e.g. (with an option to extend 5 miles).

Gravel path with great views of many bird species and wildlife. Leaders: Marcia 360846-7827, Pat D 360-259-0570.

GOSPEL MUSIC

Plans for arts and crafts fair underway in Ryderwood

Nashville group to perform at Longview church

C

G

reators of fine hand-crafted arts and crafts are invited to participate in Ryderwood’s Spring 2018 Arts & Crafts Fair on May 18 & 19.

Community Hall (305 Morse St.) will host about 30 vendors in its two large rooms. “Grandma’s Kitchen” bake sale, the fundraiser for the Ryderwood Women’s Christian Service, will be in the kitchen of Community Hall and the Women’s Club will serve lunch from 11-2 at the Café.

The cost is $30 for a 6 ft. space for both days. Tables are available. Applications are posted at ryderwood.org/“What’s Happening?” or contact Sharon at 360749-3702. Learn more about Ryderwood at ryderwood.org.

Q

UIPS & QUOTES

Selected by Gordon Sondker

•Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s party!’ ~ Robin Williams

with

Mt. St. Helens Club

This friendly club welcomes newcomers.

For more info please call the hike leader or visit mtsthelensclub.org.

RT(round trip) distances are from Longview.E=easy, M=moderate, S=strenuous, e.g.=elevation gain.

Wed, Mar 21 • Lake Sacajawea (E) Walk around the whole lake (3+ mi.) or walk half the lake (1+ mi.) with little e.g.. Leaders: Trudy & Ed 360-414-1160.

CALL FOR VENDORS

Wed, April 11 • Julia Butler Hansen R e f u g e fo r W h i t e - t a i l e d D e e r Skamokawa (E) Drive 82 mi. RT. Hike up to 5 miles with no e.g. on Refuge roads/trails. If you’re alert, you may see deer, otter, geese, eagles, hawks and other wildlife. Leaders: Kim 360-431-5530, Art 360-425-3140.

• Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.

~Lewis Grizzard • Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. ~ Dave Larson • In spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. ~ Margaret Atwood •You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” ~ Pablo Neruda

Sun, April 14 • Dalles Mountain Ranch (M) Drive 250 mi. RT. Hike 7 miles with 1,000 ft. e.g. Rolling hills, oak ravines, wildflowers and views of the Columbia.

Leader: George W 360-562-0001.

• Spring is the time of plans and projects. ~ Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Wed, April 18 • Lake Sacajawea (E) Walk around the whole lake (3+ mi.) or walk half the lake (1+ mi.) with little e.g.. Leaders: Trudy & Ed 360-414-1160.

•Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world

~ Victor Kraft

race Lutheran Church invites the public to join them for a memorable evening of live music, fellowship and fun on Wednesday, March 21 at 7pm. The five-man band, New Legacy Project (formerly the Blackwood Legacy) blend the best of country, gospel, traditional and “edgy newer southern gospel” with today’s popular worship music, while staying true to the Gospel message, event organizers say.

This Nashville-based group is known for their “flawless harmonies, comedy and homespun humor.” Admission is free and a love offering will be received.

Listen for their new radio single, “God of the Empty Grave,” and/or visit them on Facebook or at www.

NewLegacyProject.com. For more information, contact the curch, 360414-4147.

•But only a person in the depths of despair neglected to look beyond winter to the spring that inevitably followed, bringing back color and life and hope. ~ Mary Balogh •Spring is the fountain of love for thirsty winter. ~ Mhunia Khan • The air is like a butterfly With frail blue wings.

The happy earth looks at the sky And sings.

~ Joyce Kilmer •If anyone or anything tries to curse or kill the Goodness at the Center of all things, it will just keep coming back to life. Forever Easter.

~ David Housholder Longview resident Gordon Sondker, 90, continues to recuperate from a serious bout of pneumonia but is up and around; If you see him out and about be sure to say “Hello.”

Watch what else you say, however; he might quote you here!

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 27

French connections Mar. 18 Fort Clatsop program sheds light on local history

L

ewis and Clark National Historical Park, Fort Clatsop is pleased to announce the next In Their Footsteps free speaker series event. From the Great Lakes to the Lower Columbia: French Canadians and Metissage on Our Evolving Frontier by Robert Foxcurran will be on Sunday, March 18, at 1pm.

Pacific Northwest history was heavily influenced by French-speaking people.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition included George Drouillard, Toussaint Charbonneau, Francois Labiche, Jean Baptiste Lapage and Pierre Cruzatte in the permanent party that wintered at Fort Clatsop.

More French Canadian engagés were employed on this voyage’s earlier Missouri River segment.

Later, many French speakers came to the Pacific Northwest with the fur trade and Catholic missions. Today, an abundance of French geographic names can be seen on Oregon and Washington maps.

Robert Foxcurran’s presentation will talk about some of this saga that is often overlooked as, “nations are created through the burial of inconvenient history.”

book titled Songs Upon the Rivers: The Buried History of the FrenchSpeaking Canadiens and Métis from the Great Lakes and the Mississippi across to the Pacific. Foxcurran is a retired Boeing historian whose research interest includes the lesserknown demographics associated with the North American fur trade. His book, Songs Upon the Rivers, will be available for purchase at this event which will include a book-signing afterwards.

In Their Footsteps is a monthly Sunday forum sponsored by the Lewis & Clark National Park Association and the park. These programs are held in the Netul River Room of Fort Clatsop’s visitor center and are free of charge.

For more information, call the park at 503-861-2471, visit www.nps.gov/lewi, or Lewis and Clark National Historical Park on Facebook.

Robert Foxcurran co-authored a 2016 Washington Territory Cowlitz Rangers Militia unit

Astronomy

LOOKING UP/FRIENDS OF GALILEO

Sky Report: Mar 15 – mid-April

By Ted Gruber EVENING SKY If you picked up your copy of the CRR when it was hot off the press this month, treat yourself to some great views of Mercury. On March 15, the innermost planet reaches 12° above the horizon in the western sky about 30 minutes after sunset. Although it dips a bit lower each evening, mid- to late March offers the best viewing of the planet in 2018.

Venus is also visible in the western sky for about an hour after sunset.

The bright planet is still rather low to the horizon, but unlike Mercury, Venus climbs higher each day. On March 17, a crescent moon, Venus, and Mercury line up from left to right in the western sky about 30 minutes past sunset.

OVERNIGHT SKY Jupiter rises in the east-southeast sky about 11:30pm on March 15.

It rises earlier each evening, so by April 15 it appears around 10:30pm.

The giant planet climbs high into the southern skies, reaching 30° or more above the horizon during the

overnight hours by early April, and remains visible until fading into the morning sunlight.

Mars and Saturn appear in the southeastern sky during the overnight hours. Mars rises first through the end of March, but by April 1 the two planets essentially rise together about 2:30am. On April 2, Mars appears about 1° south of (below) Saturn for a nice planetary conjunction in the early morning hours. From then, Saturn rises before Mars, and like Jupiter, both planets remain visible through the overnight hours.

Lyrid Meteor Shower

The Lyrid meteor shower is active from April 14-30, peaking before dawn on April 22 with a rate of 15 to 20 meteors per hour. The early morning hours of April 21, 22, and 23 will offer the best viewing if skies are clear. Considered a medium strength shower, it is so named because the meteors appear to radiate from a point in the constellation Lyra high in the eastnortheast sky.

•••

Kelso resident Ted Gruber makes a regular report to fellow members of Friends of Galileo, a family-friendly astronomy club which meets monthly in Longview. For info about FOG, call Chuck Ring, 360636-2294.

Jessica Baker Real Estate Broker

Cowlitz County 4th generation

(360) 431-6744 jessicabaker@cbbain.com 796 Commerce Ave Longview, Wa 98632 28 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Clatskanie Fultano’s Pizza 770 E. Columbia River Hwy Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more!

M-Sat 11am–10pm; Sun 11am–9pm.

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. Sports bar.

M-Th 11am–9:30pm; Fri & Sat 11am–11:30pm; Sun 11am–9pm. 503-728-3344

Rainier

COLUMBIA RIVER

dining guide

Longview 716 Triangle Shopping Center. 18 rotating craft brews, pub fare. M-W 12 noon –9pm, Th-Sat 12 noon-11pm, Sun 12 Noon-8pm.

360-232-8283. Follow us on Untappd See ad, page 10.

1329 Commerce Ave., Longview (alley entrance). Fine dining, happy hour specials. wine tastings. Fridays only, open 5pm. 360-425-2837.

Alston Pub & Grub 25196 Alston Rd., Rainier 503-556-4213 11 beers on tap, cocktails.

Open daily 11am.

503-556-9753 See ad, page 9.

Conestoga Pub Cornerstone Café 102 East “A” Street Microbrews, wines & spirits Prime rib Friday & Sat. Open M-F 6am–8pm; Sat-Sun 7am–8pm.

503-556-8772. See ad, page 9.

Evergreen Pub & Café 115-117 East 1st Street Burgers, halibut, prime rib, full bar.

503-556-9935. See ad, page 9.

Goble Tavern 70255 Columbia River Hwy. (Milepost 31, Hwy. 30) Food, beer & wine + full bar, Live entertainment. 503-556-4090.

See ad page 9.

Luigi’s Pizza 117 East 1st Street, Rainier 503-556-4213 Pizza, spaghetti, burgers, beer & wine.

See ad, page 9.

Castle Rock

Homestyle cooking from the 1960s-1970. All natural ingredients. Beer and wine available. Open Wed. thru Sun, 7am–8pm. 1140 15th Ave., Longview. See ad, page 12.

The Carriage Restaurant & Lounge

Full breakfast, lunch and dinner 6am– 9pm. Full bar in lounge, open 6am.

Three happy hours daily (8–10am, 12– 2pm, 5–7pm). Group meeting room, free use with $150 food/drink purchases.

1334 12th Ave. 360-425-8545.

Country Folks Deli 1329 Commerce Ave., Longview. Serving lunch and dinner. Sandwiches, soups, salads. Open M-Sat 11am. 360-425-2837.

See ad, page 11.

Freddy’s Just for the Halibut. Cod, halibut & tuna fish and chips, oysters & clams., award-winning clam chowder. Prime rib every Thurs. Beer and wine. M-W 10–8, Th-Sat 10–9, Sun 11–8.

1110 Commerce 360-414-3288.

See ad, page 18.

Hop N Grape 924 15th Ave., Longview M–Th 11am–8pm; Fri & Sat 11am–9pm; Sun 11am–7pm. BBQ meat slow-cooked on site. Pulled pork, chicken brisket, ribs, turkey, salmon. World-famous mac & cheese. 360-577-1541 See ad page 10.

1260 Commerce Ave. Serving lunch & dinner Mon–Sat 11am–10pm. Full bar, banquet space, American comfort food. 360-703-3904. www.millcitygrill.com. See ad, page 11.

Parker’s Restaurant & Brewery 1300 Mt. St. Helens Way. I-5 Exit 49.

Lunch, Dinner. Burgers, hand-cut steak; seafood and pasta. Restaurant opens 11am, Lounge 12 Noon. Closed Monday.

360-967-2333

St. Helens, Oregon

My Thai Kitchen

421 20th Ave., Authentic Thai food, i.e. Drunken Noodles, Pad Thai, Green Curry. Tues–Sat 11:30– 2:30pm, 4:30–7:30pm. 360560-3779.

The Original Pietrio’s Pizzeria

614 Commerce Ave., Longview. 18 varieties of pizza. Salad bar, Lunch buffet all-you-can-eat. Beer & wine.

Mon-Fri open 11am, Sat-Sun 12 Noon.

360-353-3512.

Porky’s Public House 561 Industrial Way, Longview Slow-roasted prime rib Fri & Sat, flat iron steaks, 1/3-lb burgers, fish & chips.

33 draft beers. Full bar. Family-friendly, weekly jazz and acoustic dinner hour sets on Weds. 360-636-1616. See ad, page 5.

Red Kitchen 848 15th Ave., Longview. Cocktails, taps, vino. Traditional diner fare, breakfast, lunch, dinner. Sandwiches, burgers, funky comfort food, incl. Bacon Gouda Mac n Cheese, shepherd’s pie, healthy options. Full service bar, incl 12 taps. 7am–10pm, M-F, 8am–10pm SatSun. See ad, page 13.

Roland Wines 1106 Florida St., Longview Authentic Italian wood-fired pizza, wine, and beer.

Casual ambience. 5–9pm Wed-Sat. See ad, page 10.

Teri’s 3225 Ocean Beach Hwy, Longview.

Lunch and dinner. Fine dining, with specials, fresh NW cuisine. Happy Hour.

Full bar. Mon–Sat open 11am. Closed Sundays. 360-577-0717.

Fresh-roasted coffee, snack and pastries. 1335 14th Ave., M-F 7am–4pm, Sat-Sun 9am–4pm.

360-232-8642 See ad, page 11.

Sunshine Pizza & Catering 2124 Columbia Blvd.

Hot pizza, cool salad bar. Beer & wine.

503-397-3211 See ad, page 30.

Scappoose Fultano’s Pizza 51511 SE 2nd.

Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more! “Best pizza around!”

Sun–Th 11am–9pm; Fri-Sat 11am– 10pm; Sun 11am–9pm. Full bar service ‘til 10pm Fri & Sat. Deliveries in Scappoose. 503-543-5100.

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 Warren Country Inn 56575 Columbia River Hwy. Fine family dining. Breakfast, lunch & dinner. Fri Prime Rib special, Taco Tuesday. Full bar. M-Th 8am–9:30pm, Fri-Sat 8am–10:30pm, Sun 9am–9pm.

Karaoke Fri & Sat.503-410-5479.

Woodland The Oak Tree 1020 Atlantic Ave., Woodland. Full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. Fresh from scratch cooking. Great happy hour menu. Sun 7am–9pm, M-Th 8am–9pm, Fri-Sat 7am–10pm. 360-841-8567

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

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 29

Miss Manners cont from page 12

you. Rather, she bemoans the casual way invitations are treated in general -and how much they have fallen victim to people’s natural affinity for laziness.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a new friend, though we are not close.

Her mother’s house burned down, and the friend has decided to throw a party, asking for donations from friends and acquaintances to attend, and to donate items to be auctioned.

She is a stay-at-home mom, and has recently talked of going back to work to help with expenses, but has not done so. Her kids are older; she could do it. She has not taken her mother into their home to live. She and her husband still have their membership at the country club, where the auction will be held.

I freely give what I can to a few charities each year, but I am having a really hard time with this. I feel it is inappropriate to ask friends and acquaintances to support a family member that you have not done everything possible to help yourself first. She even sent invites to my friends that are not her friends.

My husband and I have a few family members who could use help right now. And years ago, my aunt’s house burned down, and she never asked anyone for anything.

Am I crazy? I could never imagine doing what she and her husband are doing. I’d have my mom sleeping on the floor in my house if there was little room, and I’d help her as much as possible before I would ask friends and acquaintances to give money and donate items.

CATERING

GENTLE READER: Indeed, selffundraising, or what we used to call begging, has become widespread. Of course you should not be shamed into complying when you believe that your charity can be better directed.

made me tell the person “thank you” for what they had sent, not just a “generic” thank-you.

But you raise an issue that Miss Manners believes should discourage people who do this. Ordinarily it would be none of your business how your friend lives her life -- whether she works, retains her country club membership or takes in her mother.

But she has made it your business. And when donating to a cause, you are only being responsible by looking into how the charity is managed.

GENTLE READER: Always a pleasure.

However, while we are being nosy, allow Miss Manners to suggest that you meant that YOU would sleep on the floor while giving your mother your bed.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband says that any thank-you note is fine. I think that a thank-you note should specifically detail the gift given. When I was a kid, my mom

Spring

Please help me prove my husband wrong.

If all that it took was a generic thankyou note, then you would merely have to sign your name on the inside of those horrid pre-printed ones.

Which is exactly why Miss Manners disapproves of them: too much of a temptation to do exactly that and be done with it.

If recipients of presents cannot be bothered to write out the words “thank you” by hand, let alone specify for what they are thankful, they are hardly worthy of the effort that it took to procure the present in the first place. A likely consequence if the practice continues.

basket supplies

Gifts, Cards Home Décor Party

Serving the Columbia River region, including Longview-Kelso.

503-366-9099 800-330-9099 201 S. 1st Street St. Helens OR

wildcurrantcatering.com

“

Do not regret growing older.

It is a privilege denied to many."

IN ST HELENS 2124 Columbia Blvd.

toys

Clatskanie Town Center

640 E Columbia River Hwy. Suite B • Clatskanie, OR 503-728-3300 • M-Sat 10-6 • Closed Sun

503-397-3211

It’s tax season! You can count on

Scappoose Business & Tax Service Open all year ~ Call or stop by for a FREE consultation

Be a guest at your next event!

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.)

THE BEST AROUND!

favors

Candles •

GENTLE READER: “Actually, that does sound like a better idea.” (And Miss Manners has toned that down from “Actually, that does sound like more fun for us all.”)

•••

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is here!

We have what you need

Easter

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the correct response when someone answers your invitation with “We prefer to be alone that evening”?

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We’ll make sure you get the full refund you’re due. If you owe, we’ll make sure you don’t overpay.

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OTB00973 Hours starting Jan. 29: Mon – Thurs 9 – 6 • Fri 9– 5 • Sat 9 – 5 • After-hours by arrangement www.scaptax.com

30 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Northwest Gardener

Longer days encourage us to venture outdoors

How will you spend your daylight savings?

Story and photos by Nancy Chennault

support a healthy lifestyle. You can be confident in the quality of the food you are eating when you walk no farther than your own back yard to harvest.

O

n Sunday, March 11, we set our clocks forward one hour and began observing “Day Light Savings” time. This simple action takes away a precious hour that first day. We miss that hour, especially in the early morning. However, by late afternoon we celebrate the extended hour of daylight. Our late winter days, already light almost past 6pm will now extend until 7pm before sunlight begins to wane. The longer days, combined with mild temperatures on an intermittent sunny day will encourage us to venture outdoors.

Take a sun shower

Subtle clues that winter is ending and spring is on the way become more evident each day. Treat yourself to a “sun shower” by spending a little bit of each day outdoors. You deserve it!

Natural daylight, even on a cloudy day, is beneficial to your physical and mental health. Any activity that gets you moving, even to just walk around your garden or neighborhood, will strengthen winter-weary muscles and joints. Breathe deeply and inhale the fragrance of warming soil and opening blossoms. Did you know that yellow pansies, violas and primroses

have a sweet scent like no other? Hear the frog’s swelling love song and the twitter of happy birds. Mother Nature’s “tweets” are music to the ears.

With tool of choice in hand and plenty of layers of assorted protective clothing, you are ready to: DIG into spring cleaning ~ garden style

Continue to rake leaves and debris scattered by winter winds. It is important to remove them from lawns. Compost these or place as mulch at the base of trees and shrubs. Improve poor drainage to help reduce moss next winter. Moss in the lawn is caused by our dark, damp winter days. There are moss-killing lawn products containing Ferrous Sulfate that will turn the moss black. Dead moss can be removed by raking, before applying lime and organic lawn fertilizer.

Select a sunny, well-drained area and prepare a spot for a vegetable garden.

Even the smallest yard can be home to a raised bed or assorted containers that grow fresh produce. Your garden will not only reduce the grocery bill but also

Once your garden spot is prepared, you can transplant and/or sow lettuces, cabbage, peas, onions, broccoli and cauliflower. Imagine the savory meals in just a few weeks!

Pull weeds while they are young and tender before they have bloomed and gone to seed. They will pull easily from moist soil and can be composted if collected without seed. Some weeds, such as “Chickweed” and Little Bittercress (Shotweed) will bloom all winter in the Pacific Northwest. Be diligent in pulling or cultivating these pesky weeds before they have a chance to scatter seed.

Hydrangeas and roses can be pruned now. Cut stems to a healthy bud.

Both can be cut back severely and still reward you with large blooms over the summer. Grind the stems for compost if free of disease.

Spray Prunus cultivars, such as cherry, plum and peach with lime sulphur to prevent shot hole fungus and brown rot. This timely spray is an eco-friendly solution to a common disease problem in our area. Consult your garden center professionals for the correct application rates and timing.

Daylight Savings Time (called “Summer Time” in many countries) was originally established to make better use of daylight. U.S. government studies show that Daylight Savings Time also reduces the entire country’s usage of electricity by 1%. Not a large percentage, but as a nation, our reduction of electricity during these months is significant.

Invest your extra daylight hours in your garden this summer. It will not only make your own little place in the world beautiful, but environmentally friendly, as well.

For a more in-depth look at Daylight Savings time visit www.webexhibits. org/daylightsaving ••• Longtime local gardener Nancy Chennault wrote the monthly “Northwest Gardener” column for many years and now contributes occasionally. She and her husband, Jim Chennault, operate The Gardens @ Sandy Bend in Castle Rock.

They grow veggies to feed the body and flowers to feed the soul.

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 31

Dr. Jeffrey Tack

Dr. Kristi Poe Dr. Terence Tack

Your Vision – Our Mission.

LONGVIEW 820 Ocean Beach Hwy, #100 • 360-636-2020 WOODLAND 500 Columbia Street, Suite A • 360-225-1010 CATHLAMET 180 3rd Ave • 360-795-3223

32 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Where do you read

THE READER?

Dana Pierson and five 40-year friends at unnamed ruins

Unfortunately due to a technical glitch, we lost the electronic file with all the names, cities of residence, and name of the ruins they are standing in front of. ..this, after having tossed the handwritten note with the original info. Ladies: If one of you will contact us we will re-run the photo with proper identification...how else will modeling agencies be able to find you?

Greetings form Palm Springs Air Museum “We read the Reader here and so does everyone else! The weather is warm and the warplanes are beautiful,” wrote Longview resident Frank Buck in an email. “Come on down.” Photo by Mary Buck.

Don’t leave home without it Pat Trapp, of Deer Island, Ore., enjoying the Reader over the majestic views around him at Arches National Park in Utah, Summer 2017.

WHERE DO YOU READ THE READER? Send your photo reading the Reader (high-resolution JPEG) to Publisher@CRReader.com.

If sending a cell phone photo, choose the largest file size up to 2 MB. Include names and cities of residence. Thank you for your participation and patience, as we usually have a small backlog. Keep those photos coming!

Member SIPC

Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 33

PLUGGED IN to

the spectator by ned piper

COWLITZ PUD

Writer’s block and a full schedule

By Alice Dietz

I

envy my son Perry. His column in the Reader generally has something to do with technology and, as you know, advancements in technology occur every few hours, so he has a wealth of subjects from which to choose.

When Sue purchased the Reader fifteen years ago, she asked if I would write a monthly 500-word column.

I jumped at the chance. Writing is a favorite pastime of mine. I sat down at my laptop and wrote a short piece of fiction based on a news story I’d heard on National Public Radio.

I emailed it to my longtime friend Lee Quarnstrom, a columnist for the San Jose Mercury News in California.

Thinking that the story was pretty good, I hoped Lee would agree. I had (and still have) complete trust in Lee’s instincts as a writer.

Lee didn’t say whether he liked the story or not. He wrote back and said in words similar to these, “Don’t give the readers fiction. They can read fiction anywhere. Write about your experiences, your time growing up, about what excites you; your passions, your ideas. Write about people and places that get your pulse racing.” This was, as it turned out, great advice.

A couple of years ago, a woman approached me at Fred Meyer. She said, “Oh, I’m so glad I ran into you.

I want you to know that your column in last month’s Reader touched me so deeply. I had tears in my eyes halfway through it and…” At that point she stopped abruptly and said, “What was it about, again?”

I told her it was about how my mother loved sports. She said, “Oh, that’s right. My mother was the same way.

Thank you for the memory.”

SPRING SALE

Savings up to 50– 70% on everything we sell

1 Year No Interest Financing Bring your room measurements or call ahead to schedule a noobligation premeasurement.

MANNINGTON

Sheet Vinyl Benchmark $.79 sqft

Admiralty Laminate Flooring Gingerwood $1.89 sqft

Sue and I live busy lives. In addition to working on the Reader, we try to attend as many local Southwest Washington Symphony and Lower Columbia College Symphonic Band concerts as possible. The Community Concerts Association has announced their upcoming season. Always classy entertainment. We enjoy plays and musicals at Stageworks Northwest and the variety of events at the Columbia Theatre. And not just on the Washington side of the Columbia. We find a lot to do in Clatskanie and St. Helens, as well.

I feel sad for the people who whine that, “There’s nothing to do around here.”

I could fill my column with stories about the events that we enjoyed, but we’d rather talk about things that haven’t happened yet. Our readers would rather read about a performance, or an art exhibit that is upcoming, I think you’ll agree that is more useful.

You may think I spend too much time at Fred Meyer, because yesterday I encountered our friends, Jim and Deanna Wellcome. They stopped to tell me how much they enjoy the Reader. I said I’d pass their kind words on to Sue. Jim said, “When friends from out of town come for a visit, we give them a copy of the Reader. We want them to know about all the great things we have to do here in the area.”

Hmmm. I still can’t think of anything to write about. Writer’s block, I guess.

But take a look at the ads, articles and calendar listings in this issue... there’s great stuff going on. Maybe I’ll see you at the Quincy Grange Annual Chicken Dinner, or the Nob Hill Nature Park Clean-up, a National Theatre Live screening at Lower Columbia College, or any one of many opportunities on the horizon..

•••

Hours: 9–5:30 pm • Sat 9–4pm WA LIC. COLUMR529 LQN, OR: 145 www.Carpetone.com 105 B. Street West Rainier, OR Phone: 503-556-0171 Toll Free: 800-886-0171 34 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader

Longview native Ned Piper enjoys reading, writing, watching basketball, feeding his backyard birds and schmoozing with CRR advertisers and readers.

OspreyCam season begins

I

n April 2000 an osprey pair attempted to build a nest on a Cowlitz PUD distribution pole. Because nests can cause power outages and fires when sticks interfere with electrical equipment, our line crews deemed this a safety risk for the public and for the osprey.

We designed and built an alternate higher nesting platform near the same pole where they originally tried to build a nest. The ospreys accepted the alternate nesting platform and for 17 years, a pair has been returning to their summer home in Cowlitz County.

In 2016, thanks to Brian Magnuson and the team at Cascade Networks, Cowlitz PUD was able to launch our OspreyCam. Spring is coming and our 2018 osprey should be arriving anytime. It is always exciting to get the first views of their arrival and phone up our partners to squeal over the birds’ successful migration. We are excited that our third OspreyCam season should begin shortly!

Our camera is in the process of being updated and we should be back live soon. Be sure to tune in for, hopefully, their return to their summer home here in Cowlitz County. https://www. cowlitzpud.org/osprey-cam Our Manager of Environment Compliance, Amanda Froberg, spearheads projects like these. In 2015, Amanda developed and implemented Cowlitz PUD’s Avian Protection Plan (APP) to improve electrical reliability to customer-owners and ensure compliance with state and federal laws and rules and regulations protecting wild migratory birds. An Avian Protection Plan is a voluntary utility specific program designed to protect and conserve wild migratory birds, by reducing the risks that result from avian contact with utility electric facilities.

••• Alice Dietz is Communications and Public Relations Manager at Cowlitz PUD. Reach her at adietz@cowlitzpud.org or 360-5019146.

Music lasts a lifetime!

Piano Lessons A great investment in yourself or as a gift

Martin E. Kauble Longview, WA

Internal Medicine & Preventative Care Open Every Day for Your Convenience Holidays & Weekends Included

360-423-3072

(www.kaublepianostudio.com)

Introducing

technique • theory • performance

Rachel Roylance, PA-C

State of Education Quarterly Luncheon

Thurs., March 29, 2018 | 11:45 am - 1:30 pm Cowlitz Regional Conference Center, 1900 7th Ave., Longview

Please join us for our first 2018 Quarterly! Hear from Longview and Kelso School Superintendents on what the February Ballot approvals mean to our schools and our local students. $25 in advance / $35 at the door

✓ ■

McCleary fixed???

✓ ■ ✓ ■

$98.6 M Bond passed

David B. Kirkpatrick, Dara M. Newberry, Stephen J. Ahearn, RN, MSN, DNP MSN, ARNP MA, MMSc, PA-C

Richard A. Kirkpatrick, M.D., FACP

Britta C. Fischer, BS, PA-C

Kelso School District Replacement Levy Passed

Longview School District Kelso Schools Superintendent Glenn Gelbrich

✓ ■

Replacement Levy Passed

Longview Schools Superintendent Dan Zorn

Register at: www.kelsolongviewchamber.org

2018 Small Business

BOOT CAMP 2018 Series begins Friday, March 9

Friday Mornings ★ Lower Columbia College

7:30 am - 9 am ★ Heritage Room at LCC - Admin. Bldg.

BOARDMANSHIP SIX PACK

March 9 Role of the Board vs the CEO Facilitator: Gary Healea, PNE Corp.

March 16 Succession Planning Facilitator: Chris Bailey, President, LCC March 23 Handling Conflict (colors of the board) Facilitator: Jennifer Leach, WSU Extension Faculty March 30 Financial Accountability Facilitator: Scott Davis, CPA, Davis and Associates, CPAs April 6 Facilitating and Leading Meetings (Roberts Rules) Facilitator: Jennifer Leach, WSU Extension Faculty April 13 Working as a Team Facilitator: Frank McShane, Square Peg Consulting

$

100 Members

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Sponsored by:

Bev Search, RN, FNP, MA, ARNP

Karen L. Joiner, RN, MSN, ARNP

Carol Sayles, RN, MSN, ARNP

Vlad Bogin, MD, FACP

Neal R.Kirkpatrick, Emeritus

We Accept Most Insurance Plans Extended clinic hours: Mon-Fri, 8am to 8pm Sat, 9am to 1pm Sun, Noon to 4pm

360-423-9580

1706 Washington Way, Longview

ON THE CIVIC CENTER www.kirkpatrickfamilycare.com

Kirkpatrick Foot & Ankle • American Board of Podiatric Surgery • Diabetic Foot Care • Ingrown Toenails • Heel & Arch Pain • Foot Surgery

Human ResouRce six Pack starts May 4

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BOTH BUSINESSES UNDER SAME OWNERSHIP Columbia River Reader / March 15 – April 14, 2018 / 35

36 / March15 – April 14, 2018 / Columbia River Reader