What really — truly — happened during those final wind-blown, rain-soaked thirty days of the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s trek to the Pacific? Southwest Washington author and explorer Rex Ziak revolutionized historical scholarship by providing the answers: day by day and week by week. We’re delighted to offer In Full View, and Rex’s other two books, one with an extraordinary fold-out map, as our inaugural offerings from CRR Collectors Club.
Rex Ziak $29.95
A true and accurate account of Lewis and Clark’s arrival at the Pacific Ocean, and their search for a winter camp along the lower Columbia River.
Gabriel Franchére $21.95
The newly edited and annotated by Rex Ziak version of Franchére’s 1820 journal, Narrative of a Voyage to the Northwest Coast of America in the Years 1811, 1812, 1813 and 1814, or The First American Settlement on the Pacific.
Rex Ziak $18.95
A unique fold-out guide mapping day-by-day Lewis and Clark’s journey from the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean and back.
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
11 issues $55. SUBSCRIPTIONS MAKE THOUGHTFUL GIFTS... FOR YOURSELF OR FOR A FRIEND!
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THE TIDEWATER REACH
Field Guide to the Lower Columbia River in Poems and Pictures
By Robert Michael Pyle and Judy VanderMaten. In three editions:
• Boxed Signature Edition
Color and BW $50;
• Collectors Edition,Trade paperback. Color and B/W $35
• Trade paperback B/W $25
DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL
A Layman’s Lewis & Clark
By Michael O. Perry.
• Collectors Edition,Trade paperback. Color and B/W $35
Classic Eggs Benedict consists of split, toasted and buttered English muffins, layered with slices of Canadian bacon and poached eggs and crowned with hollandaise, the “Queen of Sauces.” The combination is a gourmet experience you will remember. This recipe serves 2 or 4, depending on whether you serve one or two poached eggs per person.
Our proofreaders (affectionately known as “proofies”) convened on schedule this month, two days prior to our press date. Due to various Easter weekend festivities, however, we had to adjust our usual schedule and gather on Saturday morning instead of late afternoon. What? Just coffee and donuts? No wine? No group dinner out afterwards? Then an idea was hatched. To celebrate Easter, along with the fact that this issue marks the beginning of CRR’s 20th year, I stepped into our office’s compact, surprisingly well-equipped “Barbie Doll” kitchen, grabbed an apron, and prepared brunch. I whistled (and whisked) while the proofies worked. They liked it!
I learned to make Eggs Benedict years ago from CRR columnist Paul “Man in
the Kitchen” Thompson. It’s not difficult, but I hadn’t made it in a while and had forgotten the proportions and steps.
From the archives, I pulled up Paul’s original story (CRR, April 2008) for reference, and have included a shortened version here.
Eggs Bennie is lovely for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Graduation Day... or for breakfast or brunch or anytime something special suits the occasion or mood.
Twenty years??! Who knew it would be possible? I remain very grateful to the readers, advertisers, writers, proofreaders and supporters who have helped Columbia River Reader continue to perk along. Like a pot of coffee.
So let’s all celebrate with a cup, and Eggs Benedict to go with. And maybe even a splash of champagne? Cheers!
2 English muffins, sliced in half, toasted and buttered 4 eggs, poached 4 slices Canadian bacon or ham
3 egg yolks
1 Tbl. water
1 Tbl. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 C. butter
Poach the eggs first and set them aside. The classic method of poaching eggs is to bring a pan of lightly salted water to a boil, insert a spoon and stir the water vigorously in one direction, creating a vortex. Drop the shelled egg into the vortex and cook it at a gentle simmer until your desired doneness. You can also cook the eggs in specialty multi-egg cooking pans set over boiling water.
While making the sauce, pan fry the Canadian bacon or ham and keep warm. Hollandaise sauce is typically made in the top of a double boiler over simmering water to better control the heat. Too much heat and the egg yolks scramble, a primary reason for most failures. Whisk the egg yolks in the pan,
off heat, until well blended. Add the water and lemon juice and blend well. Place the pan over heat and continue to whisk until the egg mixture thickens enough that you can see stir marks in the bottom of the pan.
Take your time. Pull the pan off the heat frequently while continuing to whisk. There is no hurry. Slow heat is better than a scrambled failure.
Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and dribble small amounts of melted butter into the sauce, while continuing to whisk. Add the butter too fast and the sauce will curdle. As the butter is whisked into the mixture, the sauce will remain thick. Discard the solids at the bottom of the bowl of melted butter. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
Top each muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. Generously spoon sauce over the top. Options: Add a couple of stripes of asparagus for color and flavor, or replace the Canadian bacon with cooked spinach and you have Eggs Florentine.
Hollandaise sauce is heavenly over asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli or fish. Vary it with herbs to enhance other savory foods. Tarragon transforms hollandaise into béarnaise, perfect over lamb or beef. After serving hollandaise or its variations, you will probably find someone in the kitchen licking the saucepan clean.
Publisher/Editor: Susan P. Piper
Columnists and contributors:
Tracy Beard
Hal Calbom
Alice Dietz
Joseph Govednik
Tom Larsen
Michael Perry
Ned Piper
Robert Michael Pyle
Marc Roland
Alan Rose
Alice Slusher
Greg Smith
Andre Stepankowsky
Debra Tweedy
Judy VanderMaten
Editorial/Proofreading Assistants:
Merrilee Bauman, Michael Perry, Marilyn Perry, Tiffany Dickinson, Debra Tweedy
Advertising Manager: Ned Piper, 360-749-2632
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Office Hours: M-W-F • 11–3*
*Other times by chance or appointment
E-mail: publisher@crreader.com
Phone: 360-749-1021
Columbia River Reader is published monthly, with 14,000 copies distributed in the Lower Columbia region. Entire contents copyrighted; No reproduction of any kind allowed without express written permission of Columbia River Reader, LLC. Opinions expressed herein, whether in editorial content or paid ad space, belong to the writers and advertisers and are not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Reader.
Submission guidelines: page 38.
General Ad info: page 4. Ad Manager: Ned Piper 360-749-2632.
CRREADER.COM
Visit our website for the current issue and archive of past issues from 2013.
46 The Spectator: From
46 Plugged In to Cowlitz PUD: 4th Year Recognition as Tree Line Utility
CRR’s spelling team, the Onomotapoeians, for the third time placed second in the Spell-ebration spelling bee. Held at Grant’s at the Monticello Hotel on March 23, the event was a Kelso Rotary-sponsored fundraiser for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which sends a free book every month to children from birth to 5 years old. CRR supporters sat at a discrete distance at a table in the back. Seven Mulligans were not enough for the team to achieve an evasive, long-sought 1st place victory. Misspelled words included mayonnaise, troubadour, and bonhomie
The team name, Onomotapoeians, was suggested by the late Paul Thompson, CRR’s Man in the Kitchen Emeritus, as a play on the word based on a sound associated with what is named, such as hiss, buzz, sizzle or crackle. It is pronounced on-uh-mott-uhpeé-ons.
Teammates have pledged to study the dictionary every night in bed to prepare for next year’s contest. We will (again) be in it to win it! Wish us luck.
While anxious to return home, the Corps spent the first nine days of April 1806 camped near Washougal, across from the Sandy River. Local Indians told them people were starving upstream since the spring run of salmon had not yet arrived. So, the Corps spent the time hunting and stockpiling meat to make the journey to the Nez Perce villages on the Clearwater River, where they had left their horses the previous fall.
Upon resuming their journey, they found it very tough going due to the high water and fast current. Rapids they had easily passed through in October 1805 were now impossible to traverse. They had to unload all their baggage and carry it around the rapids while the men tried to pull the five empty canoes upstream with ropes. One canoe got crosswise and was swept away. The four remaining canoes were unable to carry all the baggage, so Lewis bought two more from the Indians.
Doggone!
On April 11th, some Indians stole Seaman, Captain Lewis’s black Newfoundland dog. Lewis wrote, “I… sent three men in pursuit of the thieves with orders if they made the least resistence or difficulty in surrendering the dog to fire on them.” He got his dog back. Lewis described this particular band of Indians as “the greates thieves and scoundrels we have met with.”
By April 15th, it was evident they would need horses to continue upstream. Attempts to buy some from three Indian villages failed because the Corps had nothing of value that they were willing to trade. Finally, Clark crossed the river and obtained 12 horses, and another six two days later. On April 18th, they reached a point where the two largest canoes could go no further, so the canoes were cut up for firewood. They needed more horses and, reluctantly, traded two large kettles for four more horses. Lewis was furious when one of the horses wandered away that night after one of the men failed to picket it.
The Indians caught the first salmon of the long-awaited spring run on April 19th. However, it would be a while before the Indians had enough to sell to the Corps of Discovery. Meanwhile, Lewis was becoming very mad at the Indians for the daily loss of goods. Six tomahawks, a knife, and two spoons were stolen on April 20th. And horses started to disappear. Charbonneau lost three horses in two days. Three more were purchased, and one was found and returned by an honest Indian.
On April 28th, Clark traded his sword for a “very elegant” white horse. He was also told about an overland shortcut they could take from Pasco to Lewiston. Food was becoming a real problem, but since their supply
cont page 6
The Newfoundland Dog was the first animal to be commemorated on a postage stamp by any country. In 1894, Newfoundland issued a half-cent stamp showing the head of a Newfoundland dog. In 1930, they issued a 14-cent stamp honoring their namesake dog.
While preparing for the expedition in 1803, Meriwether Lewis paid $20 for a “dogg of the newfoundland breed.” Lewis failed to write about his reasons for buying this particular breed of dog, but I believe it was no accident. Lewis knew his men would be traveling on water most of the journey, and that many were not good swimmers. They needed a lifeguard.
Newfoundland dogs are web-footed and have natural life-saving instincts, so Lewis may have bought his dog with the idea it might save someone who fell overboard. Fishermen on the island of Newfoundland used them as water rescue dogs more than 1,000 years ago. They are big – over two feet tall and weigh up to 150 pounds. They are larger than a St. Bernard and share a tendency to slobber profusely. They were used for draft work, such as helping pull in fishermen’s nets. Newfoundland dogs almost became extinct, and today the breed owes its existence to a single stud dog that lived 100 years ago.
Scannon, Seamon, or Seaman?
Until 1987, every book about Lewis and Clark referred to Lewis’s dog as “Scannon.” In 1984, while examining one of Clark’s maps, a historian noticed that a creek near today’s Missoula, Montana was named “Seaman’s Creek.” Since there was nobody associated with the Corps of Discovery named Seaman, and since they were 700 miles from any ocean, it seemed odd. Whenever the Corps named a geographical feature, they usually picked a name of someone involved with the Expedition (such as Sacajawea’s River) or that reflected the particular landmark (such as Milk River). It turned out historians had mistakenly interpreted the dog’s name in the hard-to-decipher journals as “Scannon” while, in fact, the name on the map was correct: “Seaman.” Sgt. John Ordway’s journal also verified the dog was named Seaman — Ordway wrote it as “Seamon.”
No official records exist as to the fate of Seaman. He was last mentioned in the journals on July 15, 1806, two months before the journey ended in St. Louis. Some people have speculated that the men got so desperately hungry they ate him, but that seems very unlikely. Others think he may have died or wandered off, never to be found. If anything like that had happened to Seaman, it seems almost certain one of the men would have recorded it in their journal. In all probability, Seaman returned to St. Louis and stayed with Lewis until either he or Lewis died (more on that in a future Dispatch). Newfoundland dogs typically live only 8–10 years, and very few of them walk 4,000 miles across the continent!
Michael Perry enjoys local history and travel. His popular 33-installment Lewis & Clark series appeared in Columbia River Reader’s early years and helped shape its identity and zeitgeist. After two encores, the series has been expanded and published in a book. Details, pages 2, 43.
In AprIl 2021 we Introduced A revIsed versIon of Michael Perry’s popular series which was expanded In the new book, Dispatches from the Discovery Trail, edited by Hal Calbom and published by CRRPress. It includes an in-depth author interview and new illustrations and commentary.
from page 5 of trade goods was almost gone, the Indians would not give them any food. Clark started trading medical treatments for food. His reputation was well known from his having provided similar treatments on the journey down the river the previous fall.
Abandon ship
On April 30th, they sold their remaining canoes and set off overland with 23 horses. A Walula Indian caught up with them and delivered a steel trap he had found near his village that one of the men had forgotten. The steel trap was
a very valuable item, and based on all the other things that had been stolen from the Corps, it was remarkable that it was returned.
By May 4th, the Corps had reached the Snake River and a Nez Perce village. A day later, they reached the Clearwater River. A Nez Perce man brought two lead powder canisters his dog dug up from one of the supply caches the Corps had dug the previous year. The Indians had dug another cache to store the remaining material, but some saddles and other things were missing.
cont page 7
On May 7th, the Indians told the Corps the Rocky Mountains would be impassible until June. That was not something they wanted to believe. Everyone wanted to get back to St. Louis! They found Chief Twisted Hair and arranged to get their horses back. Then, on May 10th, they awoke to find eight inches of fresh snow on the ground. Maybe the Indians were right after all? On May 15th, they decided to build camps and wait for the snow in the passes to melt. The men were encouraged to partake in contests of strength with the Indians to keep from getting too out of shape. The upcoming
journey over the Rockies would be a real hardship, especially if the men sat around very long doing nothing.
With their supply of meat exhausted, they had a choice – eat roots and dried fish provided by the Indians, or eat horses. Everyone remembered how sick the party had become when eating roots and fish the previous year, so horse sounded pretty good. Even though the Nez Perce were appalled, they provided the horses the men needed. Some men ate the roots, but several got sick again. Some men cut the buttons off their uniforms to trade for food.
Big Medicine
In addition, Clark continued his practice of trading medical treatment for food. On May 24th, a Nez Perce chief who had not had the use of his arms or legs for three years was brought to Captain Clark. He had no idea what was wrong, but gave the Indian a painkiller and tried to give him a sweat bath. The man was too stove up to sit upright inside the sweat house, so Clark had
Each year the Lewis and Clark Historical National Park features “Seaman’s Day,” a popular event and convocation of these lovable, huge, and inevitably slobbering Newfoundlands and their owners.
… the fate of Seaman …
All the books I’ve every read, they all talk about nobody knew what happened to Seaman. Some people even think they ate him! You know, they did eat over 200 dogs on the trip….but with all of Lewis’s troubles, getting accidentally shot, and ending up dying in Tennessee at age 35, we never found out about the dog. So I followed the newspaper accounts and heard about a museum that had a dog collar. And the dog collar said, ‘My name is Seaman. I traveled to the Pacific Ocean and back,’ or something to that effect. And the museum burned down some hundred years ago, but the newspaper account still exists.”
the Indians dig out the floor so he could get inside. Four days later, the Indian could move his arms and sit up unaided. On May 30th, he could move his legs and on June 8th he was able to stand up. No wonder the Indians thought Clark was big medicine!
Hit the road, Jack
By May 31st, the Corps had 65 horses and were anxious to leave. The Nez Perce recently had sent messengers across the mountains to visit the Flat Heads in Montana. When they returned on June 3rd, they said the passes were still full of snow and the Corps should wait another two weeks. The men decided to wait another week, but ended up waiting until June 15th to begin their assault on the Rockies. Surely, the passes would be clear of snow by then? We shall see.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: While at my in-laws’ house with my husband, his mother privately presented him with a necklace to give to me. Once we were home, he gave me the necklace, and I thanked him. It is lovely. Should I also thank his mother? I was there at the time and she did not give the necklace directly to me.
GENTLE READER: No, she did something even more gracious by letting her son pass it along as a family treasure. Miss Manners is stunned that you are citing a technicality as justification to ignore that. You probably needn’t expect to get the earrings to go with it.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: When serving cake to guests, my wife insists on giving each person two slices, “because serving one slice is stingy.” I contend that with many people looking to control their weight, one slice should be served initially, with the option of offering a second slice later. What do you suggest?
GENTLE READER: Thicker slices?
DEAR MISS MANNERS: The other day, I took a package to the local post office. It was early, the line was very short, and I noticed the woman in front of me couldn’t get a handle on the three packages she was trying to take out to her car.
Not being in a hurry, I offered to help, and took one package out for her. She thanked me, I said something about being happy to help, and went back in.
The man who had been in line right behind me thanked me four or five times, while also apologizing profusely for being waited on while I was gone. I certainly didn’t expect the whole place to pause while I went outside!
The woman behind him insisted I cut in front of her and thanked me several times, as did two other people.
I found it quite embarrassing and really didn’t know how to respond. I think I muttered something about needing all the brownie points in heaven I could get, and tried to just shrug it off.
What I could really use is a more polished “Oh shucks, ‘tweren’t nothin’” response that doesn’t call out anyone else for not offering to help, but rather shows that this is something I do as a matter of course. It is not anything special, and I don’t need to be praised. Or excessively thanked.
Any suggestions on how to be humbly classy — or classily humble? Or how to elegantly deflect unnecessary praise?
GENTLE READER: “Any of you would have done the same.” True, this is a wildly optimistic statement. Miss Manners has been inundated with stories from people who are victims of fights in lines, and from tirades by those who believe attacks are justified for such minor infractions as standing too close or leaving the line momentarily. Typically, these fights take place in grocery lines, so perhaps the aggressors
cont page 9
from page 9 are just hungry — whereas everyone in the post office had had a good breakfast before you met them.
But Miss Manners is increasingly alarmed that people are so antagonistic. So she is grateful not only to you, but to the others in that line.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: When I had a friend over for dinner some months ago, we had a great time. Since then, she has said many times that she would like to invite me over for dinner at her home.
And that is the end of it. Although I have replied every time that I would be delighted to visit, the actual invitation is never issued. I am left to conclude that she is merely being polite, at least to her way of thinking, and does not wish to have me over.
I am weary of the tease. How may I put a stop to it?
GENTLE READER: If you are curious about your friend’s intent, Miss Manners would allow you to offer a general time frame that would work for you and then to see what happens. Or you can keep saying, “That would be lovely.”
DEAR MISS MANNERS: My nickname is a shortened version of my name. My family and closest friends have always called me by that nickname, which is fine. I think of it as a term of endearment.
The problem is that other people hear me respond to that nickname and then start using it, too. I really don’t like it. It seems much too familiar. How can I let it be known, without hurting feelings, that I prefer my unabbreviated name?
GENTLE READER: “Oh, Chrys is just a family nickname. Please call me Chrysanthemum.”
DEAR MISS MANNERS: For seven years, I’ve owned something I’ve wanted most of my adult life: an antique convertible. My wife and I have always loved antique cars.
Weather permitting, I drive it daily with the top down, and I look for others driving their own antique cars. (Don’t worry: I’m also very safe and keep my eyes on the road.) I smile, honk and wave when I see such drivers. They respond in kind.
Longview
Outdoor Gallery
Unique sculptures along the sidewalks of Downtown Longview, both sides of Commerce Ave.
cont page 13
Columbia River Reader
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See ad, page 42 See ad, page 14 WORKSHOPS 1309 Hudson Street 10–5:30 M-F 10–3 Sat 360.636.0712 Paint Everything! Accessories and Art to Go! Our readers are: Lifelong learners Appreciative Curious Often caught smiling Thanks for reading CRR!
It’s a teenage memory that has haunted me for 50 years.
Fatal wrecks often occurred on the rural Northern New Jersey highway that fronted my parents’ business. Back then, the drinking age in New Jersey was 21, but just across the border in New York State it was 18.Young people would drive up to Greenwood Lake, N.Y., get hammered, and often wipe out on high-speed journeys home.
One night on this road, a muscle car loaded with four intoxicated young boys hit a concrete bridge railing at more than 100 mph. The force of the collision drove the engine into the trunk. Three of the boys died on impact, while the fourth, who had lost most of his limbs, mercifully died a day or two later.
A one-car accident. Four lives lost. Four families shattered.
I’m recounting this story for three reasons:
First, I just watched a video demonstration of what happens to passenger car when it hits a solid, unmovable object at high speed. It’s a gruesome sight, and there are many such hazards along all roadways.
Second, summer will soon be here — that time of year with the highest number of fatal accidents. And rural highways — which we have aplenty in the Lower Columbia Region — are especially notable for fatal high-speed crashes, according to the National Transportation Safety Commission. No
one — not even an Indy car professional — is a safe driver at excessive speed on rural highways or county roads. Finally, during this season of proms, graduation parties and other youthful revelry, I want to give parents and grandparents a different kind of strategy for warning young members of their families about the hazards of reckless driving.
Youth, of course, believes it is immortal and invincible. Teens typically blow off warnings that they can be killed or maimed. “Yeah, but it won’t happen to me,” they think. Or, the other retort: “Don’t worry. I’m a good driver.”
So how to break through this perception of invulnerability? Young people need to be reminded that their lives are not totally their own. They have family responsibilities, financial obligations and a duty, as human beings, to do what they can to better the human condition and not squander this precious thing we call life.
I have told my daughter, now 30, from a young age: “Please, Anastasia, don’t
put yourself or your friends at risk. I couldn’t bear losing you. I would die, too.”
I remind her that she will have obligations to care for her disabled younger brother. That she is a chemist and cancer researcher, and that I hope that she has a long career and contributes more to eradicating this disease. That she has a long-time boyfriend. That her needless death would be a loss beyond endurance.
All drivers need to remember that it is not just they who get into a car. Your parents, your friends, your family and your community are riding with you in absentia. They all have a stake in your life. And the same goes for people in any other car you encounter.
Don’t risk your life to save five or 10 minutes. No time savings can justify a premature trip into eternity — and the loss of you to the people you love.
So please, remember that when you get into a car, we’re all riding with you.
Award winning journalist Andre Stepankowsky is a former reporter and editor for The Daily News in Longview.. His CRR column springs from his many interests, including hiking, rose gardening, music, and woodworking. More of his writing is available through his online newsletter on substack.com by searching for “Lower Columbia Currents.”
Poem by Robert Michael Pyle • Photograph by Judy VanderMaten
From the blue table at Mo’s she watches the pilot boat lights creep into the docks. Yellow lights on the bridge span glimmer, red ones flash, reflect off the river below. Travelers’ lights flicker past the guardrails. Green navigational lights show where to go, where not. Lights on the ships at anchor seem unbearably sad, while lights up in town speak of ways to spend an evening, a life, in restaurants, night spots, theaters, before the blue hearth of the television.
She sits at the blue table at Mo’s, thinking of all the lights, all the lives, all the ways she might have followed this fickle river. And how regret could equal happenstance minus foresight, and remorse could just be content filtered through oinks and rude breath of sea lions.
Commercial and sports fisheries on the Columbia River have been in decline since the late 1800s. Canneries established in the 1860s rapidly depleted the supply of fish, and in the early 1900s laws were passed to try to preserve the fishery. The Columbia River dams, beginning with Bonneville Dam in 1938, hastened the decline of anadromous fish, such as salmon — which are spawned in fresh water, live their lives in saltwater, then return to fresh water to spawn and die.
She doesn’t care. There is a blue glass dolphin on a bouncy spring stuck in a sparkly chunk of coral on the windowsill, and a blue glass crab with a sticker that says “I glow,” both of them for sale. And there is the glossy blue table. And there is the river, which might be blue in certain lights. And there is the night ahead.
She takes a sip from the blue plastic water glass that says “Mo’s” on the side, pays her bill, steps out into the many lights of the Columbian night. Keeps an eye out for the green ones, the navigational aids, with no clear idea at all of what comes next.
On this page we excerpt poems, pictures and field notes from our own “Field Guide to the Lower Columbia River in Poems and Pictures,” The Tidewater Reach, by Gray’s River resident and renowned naturalist Robert Michael Pyle, and Cathlamet photographer Judy VanderMaten. The two dreamed for years of a collaborative project, finally realized when Columbia River Reader Press published color and black and white editions of The Tidewater Reach in 2020, and a third, hybrid edition in 2021, all presenting “a different way of seeing” our beloved Columbia River.
from page 9
me know, I need to show my appreciation somehow -- maybe smiling, waving and tooting my horn. To ignore them is rude. How do I behave while driving so that I don’t seem to be looking for how many people notice me, yet acknowledge those who like the car?
GENTLE READER: You are overthinking this. For all anyone knows, you could just as easily be honking and smiling at an old friend. Sure, Miss Manners agrees that nobody likes a showoff, but also: Who cares? As long as you are not causing accidents, she sees nothing wrong with a little car preening. Enjoy it.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: If a man marries a woman whose children are grown and married, does he become their stepfather, or just their mother’s husband?
GENTLE READER: It depends how much the children like him.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: What should a host do when guests fall asleep, but insist they aren’t tired?
In the first instance, a friend came over for dinner after work. Our chatting continued with me in the kitchen and her in the living room, a few feet away. When she stopped answering, I found her fast asleep.
After waking her, I said we’d get together another time when she wasn’t so tired, and that I would even send the dinner home with her. She declined, but later fell asleep again -- at the dinner table!
Commentary by Andre Stepankowsky
In the second case, a contractor fell asleep -- three times! -- at my kitchen table while discussing a project. Again I said we should reschedule, but he then said he had all the information he needed.
I expressed concern about him getting behind the wheel of his truck while so drowsy. I offered him a cold drink and said that he was welcome to sit for 10 or 15 minutes until he felt more alert, but he declined and left. I never heard back from him with an estimate. While I appreciate that my friend wanted to spend time with me, and that the contractor was working hard, what would Miss Manners say in these awkward situations?
GENTLE READER: Frankly, she is starting to wonder what is in your water. You cannot force other adults to rest, but your following up and finding out if they reached home safely would be kind. As would a reminder to get more sleep before the next time they come around.
•••
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
It’s delivered all around the River by the 15th of each month. Here’s the list of handy, regularly-refilled sidewalk box and rack locations where you can pick up a copy any time of day and even in your bathrobe:
LONGVIEW
U.S. Bank
Post Office
Bob’s (rack, main check-out)
In front of 1232 Commerce Ave
In front of 1323 Commerce Ave
YMCA
Fred Meyer (rack, service desk)
Teri’s Grocery Outlet
Gifted Kitchen (711 Vandercook Way)
Fibre Fed’l CU - Commerce Ave
Monticello Hotel (front entrance)
Kaiser Permanente
St. John Medical Center
(rack, Park Lake Café)
LCC Student Center
Indy Way Diner
Columbia River Reader Office
1333 14th Ave. (box at door)
Omelettes & More (entry rack)
Stuffy’s II (entry rack)
KELSO
Visitors’ Center / Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce
KALAMA
Fibre Fed’l CU
Kalama Shopping Center corner of First & Fir
McMenamin’s Harbor Lodge (rack)
WOODLAND
The Oak Tree
Visitors’ Center
Grocery Outlet
Luckman Coffee
Antidote (rack)
CASTLE ROCK
Lacie Rha’s Cafe (32 Cowlitz W.)
Parker’s Restaurant (box, entry)
Visitors’ Center 890 Huntington Ave.
N., Exit 49, west side of I-5
Cascade Select Market
RYDERWOOD
Café porch
TOUTLE
Drew’s Grocery & Service
CLATSKANIE
Post Office
Mobil / Mini-Mart
Fultano’s Pizza
WESTPORT
Berry Patch (entry rack)
RAINIER
Post Office
Cornerstone Café
Rainier Hardware (rack, entry)
Earth ‘n’ Sun (on Hwy 30)
El Tapatio (entry rack)
Grocery Outlet
Senior Center (rack at front door)
DEER ISLAND
Deer Island Store
COLUMBIA CITY - Post Office
WARREN
Warren Country Inn
ST HELENS
Chamber of Commerce
Sunshine Pizza
St. Helens Market Fresh
Olde Town:
Wild Currant, Tap into Wine, Molly’s Market
Safeway
SCAPPOOSE Post Office
Road Runner
Fultano’s
Ace Hardware
WARRENTON, OR
Fred Meyer
CATHLAMET
Cathlamet Pharmacy
Tsuga Gallery
Realty West
Puget Island Ferry Landing
SKAMOKAWA
Skamokawa General Store
NASELLE
Appelo Archives & Café
Johnson’s One-Stop
Summer is just around the corner, and everyone is itching to get outside and explore after a cold, wet winter. Whether you, your family, or your friends enjoy rafting, tubing, kayaking, or horseback riding, excellent companies are waiting to help you explore the Pacific Northwest. Book your adventures early to secure desired dates and fill your late spring and summer days with outdoor fun.
Adventure in Toutle, Washington, offers whitewater rafting from mid-April to late May and tubing from May through early September. James Fratello and his cousin Pete run the show. Last year, Rapid Rides was open Friday through Sunday, but James hopes to operate on weekdays this summer. Extend your adventure and bring a tent to camp on the riverfront before or after your experience. Single tubes, inflatable kayaks, and larger tubes for four are available. Run the rapids alone or hire James or Pete to guide you along the river.
Rapid Rides provides a shuttle service, so you do not have to paddle back upstream on this four-mile adventure. When my daughter Brittney and I checked out this company, Brittney floated with Pete, and I rode with James. We tubed the north fork of the Toutle River, which was moving quickly with one- and two-level rapids along the way. The views along the river are gorgeous, and sometimes deer and beavers are spotted along the route. The journey is fun for families, with nothing too scary, but with enough white water to get a little wet.
Floating down the river on tubes is fun for kids and adults. Life jackets are required, and helmets are encouraged. James provides this equipment and has wetsuit booties for those who want them. The trip takes 1-1/2 – 2-1/2 hours from start to finish, allowing people enough time to enjoy the river without taking up the entire day. Call 360-463-3830 to make your reservation.
The Columbia River Gorge is an incredible place to explore on foot, by boat, by car, and on horseback. Margo Vankat and her team at Double Mountain Horse Ranch, based out of Hood River, Oregon, supply horses for all different level riders. Double Mountain Horse Ranch provides unforgettable horseback rides through local orchards and vineyards, up to cascading waterfalls, and to peaks overlooking spectacular views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams.
Margo took me on a back road out of Cascade Locks on my ride. The temperature was in the 60s, perfect weather for a day of riding. Margo saddled the steeds, and soon we were en route to Dry Creek Falls. Margo has all the necessary permits with
cont page 15
Kellerfrom page 14
the U.S. Forest Service, allowing her to take people out into areas not otherwise available to the public.
We wandered off the trail and through the forest. We crossed rocky creeks and fallen logs, finally stopping to savor a delicious lunch while sitting in front of Dry Creek Falls. The horses patiently waited as we chatted and watched the waters cascade down the falls into a majestic pool that continued down the mountain as a babbling brook that the horses willingly crossed. Margo pointed out where a scene took place in the movie “Wild,” with Reese Witherspoon. Margo’s herd is a combination of horses she has selected along with ones she has rescued. She regularly scouts for additions to add to her team of steeds. Double Mountain Horse Ranch offers a variety of tours, lessons, and a kids’ riding camp. Riders on the two-ormore-hour trips are encouraged to bring water, snacks, a camera, sunscreen, and a sack lunch to savor while experiencing the great outdoors. Each trip, led by experienced guides, lasts at least 90 minutes, and riders should wear closedtoed shoes and long pants. Hats, boots, and helmets are available for use during the ride. Participants can choose from one of the following preplanned trips, customize their trip with Margo, or sign up for lessons or camp.
“Wild Adventure” takes riders to a waterfall near the Pacific Crest Trail running from Mexico to Canada.
“Columbia River Gorge” begins in a meadow on the west side of the Hood River Valley. The trail climbs through the forest
along fern grottoes and cascading streams. Weather permitting, riders will journey to the Teepee Trail, a private pathway traveled by early Native Americans. It boasts views of the Columbia River Gorge, where Lewis and Clark came out to the Wild West and highlights a spectacular view at Mitchell Point Overlook.
“Oregon” whisks riders to a viewpoint overlooking five awe-inspiring peaks: Mount Defiance, Mount Hood, Mount Adams, Mount St Helens, and Mount Rainier. This ride is weather dependent due to the elevations.
“Fruit Loop/Sunset” takes place later in the day, and the route meanders through orchards and vineyards. Riders can view the sunset and evening stars from a new angle via horseback.
“Orchards” explores vineyards and fruit orchards with views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams. Riders 21+ may do a little local wine tasting along the way (extra fees apply).
Private lessons are available from 1.5 hours and up for all ages and skill levels, and the kids’ program is available for a week or just a day. Call Double
By Tracy BeardShrimp, Mango, and Avocado Salad
¾ lbs cleaned, deveined, cooked shrimp, diced
2 ripe avocados - diced
2 ripe mangos – diced
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1teaspoon sweet pickle
relish
2 tablespoons red bell pepper - minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable chips
Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, red pepper, salt, and pepper to make your “thousand island” dressing. Toss the shrimp in the dressing. Divide and arrange the avocado artistically on four plates. Top with the mango, and then top with the dressed shrimp. Serve with or without chips.
Winter Blossom
A drink like one discovered at The Allison Inn and Spa
1 ½ ounces Botanist gin
½ ounce Cointreau
1 ½ ounces cranberry juice
¼ ounce lime juice
Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and then strain into a whisky glass over ice.
Mountain Horse Ranch at 541-5131152 or make your reservation at www. ridinginhoodriver.com
Columbia River Kayaking, LLC. Look no further if you want to spend a few hours or a few days enjoying a kayaking adventure. Columbia River Kayaking, LLC. offers a variety of excursions for every level of kayaker. Kyleen, the owner/guide, gave me a short talk about safety before we geared up and dragged the kayaks down to the dock. Warm and toasty in my wet suit, I found the rain did not bother me; however,
getting into the kayaks in deep water was trickier than loading up from the shore. Lying on my side while gripping the dock, I put my feet in the kayak and slowly lowered myself into the kayak without tipping over.
Safely inside, I settled in and began paddling up the slough. We traveled along Price Island on the right. The island is part of the Julia Butler Hanson National Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer. This sanctuary and the nearby Lewis and Clark Wildlife Refuge provide an ideal habitat for local animals and a variety of birds.
During our excursion, we spotted an eagle, and a friendly seal followed us up the slough. Once we reached where this trip turns into the Columbia River, we discovered that the water was rough.
Kyleen decided to veer into a small waterway where juvenile salmon hang out. Paddling up the gentle waters, she pointed out various birds.
Upon our return, the river had calmed, so we headed out into the shipping channel. The waters here move fast, forcing you to remain aware of your surroundings and any ships nearby, but this route put us on the fast track back to the dock. Kyleen calculated that we went four times faster on the return trip than on the initial paddle up the slough. Book your trip now at 360-747-1044.
After all this outdoor fun, try this delicious and refreshing salad and cocktail (above).
This month I invite our readers to take a road trip to the Olympic Flight Museum. The museum is located at the Olympia Regional Airport, in Tumwater, about an hour drive north of Longview. I have always enjoyed visiting the museum with its displays of working aircraft, extensive model collection, and aviation-themed art. Most of the aircraft at the museum are operational and you may see them fly during the annual Olympic Air Show, held every Father’s Day weekend (June 17-18 this year). The displays at the Olympic Flight Museum center predominately on WW2 through Cold War era military aircraft. Models of civilian commercial aviation and NASA spacecraft are also shown.
What makes the Olympic Flight Museum a unique experience is the ability to actually get into some of the aircraft, such as a vintage army helicopter or navy jet fighter. Children especially will enjoy being able to touch the controls, and adults will be fascinated to see how small the space is for the pilot on these aircraft. As the museum is located at an airport, visitors may be able to go out back to see aircraft on display outdoors on the tarmac. From within the designated outdoor displays there are opportunities to see airplanes and helicopters coming and going to the airport, adding to the authenticity of an aviation experience.
The Olympic Flight Museum
7637-A Old Highway 99 SE, Tumwater, Wash. Easy to access from I-5.
Admission $7 adults, $6 military/first responder/seniors, $5 children 6-12 and kids under 6 free. Hours of operation: 10am-4pm Saturdays and Sundays. For more info: Please visit the museum’s website at www.olympicflightmuseum.com and don’t forget to mark your calendar for the annual air show this Father’s Day weekend (June 17-18)!
•••
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• South Columbia County Chamber Columbia Blvd/Hwy 30, St. Helens, OR • 503-397-0685
• Seaside, OR 989 Broadway, 503-738-3097; 888-306-2326
• Astoria-Warrenton Chamber/Ore Welcome Ctr 111 W. Marine Dr., Astoria 503-325-6311 or 800-875-6807
For information about sponsorship opportunities: publisher@crreader.com or Ned Piper, 360-740-2632.
A Year of Journalism in Columbia River Reader • June 2022 through June 2023 Commemorative Book • Gala Book Launch / Variety Show at LCC’s Rose Center
As a Christian athlete I seek to glorify God through my actions and words. I work hard to be a good teammate and build others up. Knowing that my identity is in Jesus Christ allows me to play free, experiencing joy and peace when I compete. I aspire to stay humble and remember that my opportunity to play and compete comes from Him.”
Weatherguard supports the FCA vision: To see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.
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Prohibition, the legal prevention of the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. from 1920 to 1933, was in effect during Longview’s early years. It ended with the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment.
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Richelle Gall
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I stuck my head out the window this morning and Spring kissed me bang in the face.
--Langston Hughes, American poet and social activist, 1901-1967
Health is the thing that makes you feel like now is the the best time of the year.
--Franklin Pierce Adams, American columnist, 1881-1960
Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.
--Sir Michael Caine, English actor, 1933-
I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.
--Eleanor Roosevelt, American First Lady, diplomat, activist, and writer, 1884-1962 Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother’s secret hope outlives them all.
--Oliver Wendell Holmes, American physician, poet, polymath, 1809-1894
Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.
--Alex Haley, American writer, 1921-1992
I believe that dreams—day dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing—are likely to lead to the betterment of the world. The imaginative child will become the imaginative man or woman most apt to create, to invent, and therefore to foster civilization.
--L. Frank Baum, American author, 18561919
Let’s be cheerful! We have no more right to steal the brightness out of the day for our own family than we have to steal the purse of a stranger. Let us be as careful that our homes are furnished with pleasant and happy thoughts as we are that the rugs are the right color and texture and the furniture comfortable and beautiful.
--Laura Ingalls Wilder, American writer and teacher, 1867-1957
Longview native Debra Tweedy has lived on four continents. She and her husband decided to return to her hometown and bought a house facing Lake Sacajawea.“We came back because of the Lake and the Longview Public Library,” she says.
They couldn’t, but we MUST... CHEERS!
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by Joe Fischer painting 16 x 20 inches acrylic paint on canvas
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A year-long feature series written and photographed by Southwest Washington native and Emmy Award-winning journalist
Hal Calbom
A bove A ll things R.A. Long and the founders wanted to build a “good” place to live and work. This echoes through their letters, speeches and conversations.
It seems a simple distinction, good versus bad. It’s not. Every generation, we think we’ve figured it out. And then a few years later, time and change give us pause. We revise, reconsider, reconstruct.
Such is the case now, as Longview celebrates its centennial. The country is rife with grievance and grudges. Zealots are raking over our history, tearing down statues, or fighting change and enlightenment with their heads in the sand and middle fingers extended.
In writing the story of Longview, you run head-on into a startling paradox: Our high-minded group of conservative Christian businessmen would set up a system of blatant racial segregation. All in the name of the “good” as they perceived it in the 1920s. They’d extend those biases to other ethnic groups even into the late 50s and 60s.
Now, it’s our chance to judge their actions, and who protested them or accommodated them. But, as we suggested in a previous essay in this series, if we are to be fair ourselves, we must try to judge events and behavior considering the context of their own time. Grafting our modern morals and standards on history can be arbitrary, inflammatory, smug and simply stupid.
And it further poisons the atmosphere of grievance.
Longview’s founders struggled, with fits and starts, to achieve their “good.” Economic prejudice and social segregation were both shameful and harmful. But note also that no buildings burned, no violence erupted, and there seems to have been little physical harm or danger visited on individuals. Longview’s citizens of all colors lived, civilly, in step with the times themselves.
It’s far from a perfect chronicle of the good. But it’s not horrifically bad, either. And to everyone’s credit, unlike today’s culture wars, it never became truly ugly. ,
The Long View project pairs history with modern context. To celebrate Longview’s 100th
birthday, Columbia River Reader is expanding its monthly “People+Place” feature to contrast the historical “Then” with the contemporary “Now.”
“It’s important to look back and celebrate the past,” said publisher Susan Piper, “but equally important to track the changes that make us what we are today. How close are we to the founders’ vision? What remains? What’s entirely new?”
Thanks to tremendous community support (see Partner Spotlights, page 28), the Reader is presenting 12 months of “People+Place Then and Now” reportage, then will combine and expand these features into a commemorative book. Empire of Trees: America’s Planned City
and the Last Frontier, written by Hal Calbom, with a foreword by John M. McClelland, III.
The Reader is coordinating with the Longview Centennial Committee, led by Reed Hadley, to publicize civic activities and celebrations (see Centennial Countdown, page 29) and will host a Book Launch Gala June 30, 2023.
1. Developing Dreams
2. Empire of Trees
3. Heavy Lifting
4. Work Force
5. Waste Not, Want Not
6. Telling Stories
7. Transport and Trade
8. Darkness and Light
Photos:
Below: Longview Community Church congregation, opening Sunday, April 1926.
Opposite page: The YMCA on 15th Avenue, formerly Community House.
It was harder to build a functioning community of engaged citizens in Longview than it had been to lay out and build streets, sewers, buildings and starter homes. Especially as the Depression sucked at the spirit and the energy of Longview’s people. Yes, the town rallied volunteers, provided aid, stimulated generosity. But it needed the institutions of community as well, casting its civics and its civility in concrete. Just as with the physical infrastructure, the binding forces — the places to gather, the rites and rituals of socialization — needed to be established and nurtured.
R.A. Long was not at all unaware of this. It was a constant theme. But he preached from the mountaintop, and his Christian faith was gilded like his ornate personal railroad car. Longview badly needed spiritual sustenance, these binding forces, not just coming down from the hilltop, but arising from its muddy streets, too.
The Depression probably hamstrung Longview’s community growth as much or more than its core businesses and industry. Long-Bell would struggle mightily to maintain even modest production, and keep as many men employed as it could. But it couldn’t stretch so far as to keep up with the host of social and human challenges that, in the dreamy days of the early 20s, the founders had thought would simply take care of themselves. The planning for Longview was confined mainly to tangibles — land uses, housing , utilities, buildings. Some, but not much, thought was given to how the new city was to be given life — the societal aspects of community planning. It was to be a model city, everyone agreed. But model in terms of appearance. The assumptions seemed to be that life in a city that was designed in an orderly way would automatically also be orderly and pleasant.
John M. McClelland, Jr. R.A. Long’s Planned City
cont page 21
In the 1930 census, the city projected by this time to have as many as 50,000 souls, and certainly a minimum of 25,000, counted a population of 10,700. And they were mostly miserable, many of them hanging on for dear life.
Magnificent Distances
The old adage that misery loves company didn’t provide much comfort in what by this time might be dubbed the “Over-Planned City.” John McClelland remarks that because Longview had been laid out to accommodate 50,000 people, but housed only 10,000, the city would appear from the air to be small hamlets of population separated by vast tracts of vacant land.
Because these vacant lots were often perfectly squared off and their boulevards paved, he called it a city of “magnificent distances.” All this vacancy created more problems than simply longer walks to town. McClelland continues:
The several undeveloped blocks north of Kessler School were virtually a jungle of vine maple, tall cottonwood trees and vines. Children walked along it on the way to school and in later years a girl was dragged into this mid-city forest and raped. Another time, a fleeing robber escaped capture for several hours by hiding there.
One early solution was better bus service. Morris, the man on the ground, immediately recognized the need and began expanding the early two-bus service by ordering four more. Buses would leave their Kelso depot every 20 minutes, cross the Cowlitz, head out Ocean Beach Highway to 15th Avenue, which was then a graveled road, and follow it south to the ferry slip which was at the foot of Oregon Way, then returning the same way.
Longview never really solved its “magnificent distances” problem — even with the advent of the automobile the town continued to feel spread out, disconnected and ultimately car-dependent.
The Community House
Mr. Long was determined that, despite economic challenges and disappointing population growth, Longview would not end up an “open town” like most northwest towns were in the 1920s. Especially mill towns.
If there had to be sin in Cowlitz County, it could be confined to Kelso. And for the most part, as it turned out, that is the way it was.
John McClelland, Jr. R.A. Long’s Planned City
And one wonders why Kelso resented the high-toned interlopers across the river! The founders knew from their history in southern mill towns that to accomplish this they needed to provide a certain amount of what they called “welfare work” in the towns where they had mills. To maintain a force of reliable, honest and loyal workers they would need to show some concern for their personal lives. Mill managers were responsible for this to some extent, but workers needed the ear of someone who was not mill management, and who could act as liaison in between.
In Longview the epicenter of this welfare work was to be the Community House, the name given to a low frame structure built on the corner of Baltimore Street and Oregon Way in Longview, opened in early 1924 and still standing today. Mr. Long pointedly instructed its first director, U.S. Duncan, hired from Billings Montana at a salary of $2,600 a year, which Mr. Long considered excessive:
We are particularly anxious to impress the citizens with the thought that we are strong believers in the spiritual welfare of men and that we want to lend a helping hand in this direction. I take it your thought will be to introduce such religious programs as you feel the situation requires as soon as opportunity offers.
R.A. Long to U.S. Duncan, 1924
Northwest hydropower produces no carbon emissions, thereby significantly reducing the total carbon footprint of the region’s energy production.
MR. LONG WAS DETERMINED THAT LONGVIEW WOULD NOT END UP AN “OPEN TOWN”
Since McClelland describes the Community House as a “combination pool parlor, confectionery, church, movie house and lounge” Mr. Duncan had his work cut out for him. And when he ran up $10,000 in debt in his first year he was summarily replaced. To suggest another man for the job, the founders consulted the national YMCA, and they recommended one of their own. Charles Nutter was given departing instructions to try to convert Community House to a YMCA if at all possible. He started his campaign by ringing a sensitive chord:
To many radicals and many others in labor ranks, any community house when built and operated by a company, is looked upon in the light of a ‘sop’ to the workman…The YMCA, on the contrary, is looked upon generally as an independent ‘stand on its own legs’ organization in which workmen themselves have a voice through committee services. Charles Nutter letter, 1924 Nutter, it seems, succeeded without much effort, and by the end of 1924 Community House was deeded to the YMCA. The Y’s “independence” from Long-Bell, like so much in the fledgling town, was largely symbolic. In 1924 the company contributed $1,200 a month to its livelihood, and by 1925 its total investment in the Y had grown to $171,000.
It seems appropriate that the first and largest fraternal organization in the new city was the Men’s Brotherhood Bible Class, which met at Kessler School on Sunday mornings. In early 1924, in the absence of any formal city government or even incorporation, the town was still run by Long-Bell managers S.M. Morris and J.D. Tennant. Tennant
made class attendance compulsory for virtually everyone in leadership in the company. When Longview got around to electing a city council, Long Bell’s ticket for the election was drawn almost entirely from the Bible class. But the event that really boosted Longview’s spiritual life was Mr. Long’s visit in December 1924. Newly elected Mayor, A.L. Gibbs, quipped that, “It’s wonderful to have Mr. Long and Santa Claus come in the same month,” as Mr. Long pledged to help the city not only build a library, but also to launch a community church.
cont page 23
IT’S WONDERFUL TO HAVE MR. LONG AND SANTA CLAUS COME IN THE SAME MONTH
Speaking before the Men’s Bible Class that December he pledged $25,000 to help its members get a loan and challenged them to raise the rest of the money themselves. He also pledged $10,000 for a set of chimes for the church tower.
At the time, Methodist services were being conducted at the Community House by a young minister from Tacoma, Edward Gebert. When approached about the new church project he wasn’t sure the construction camp that was Longview really represented a Christian calling: But when he said so to one of his lumbermen friends in Tacoma, that friend urged him to reconsider. After all, he was asked, where was there a greater need for church than in a city that had no churches? The Reverend Gebert thought it over and decided his friend was right.
J.M. McClelland, Jr.R.A. Long’s Planned City
Gebert committed to help build Longview’s Community Church, and after the new building was erected at the corner of Kessler Boulevard and Washington Way in Longview, would preach from its pulpit for more than 30 years.
The proposal to build an interdenominational church was hotly debated, with the belief that the “community” part of its name was as crucial as “church,” and that the last thing the young town needed was a rivalry among denominations. Longview Community Church it would be.
Education for All
Like housing, the logistics of education challenged the new city. The “mill towns” that Mr. Long and his colleagues disdained didn’t present these type of problems. Roughhouse villages full of seedy hotels, saloons, brothels and card rooms — and populated by 90 percent single (or available) men — had other preoccupations.
Mr. Long’s idealism once again strained company resources and energy. Creating a real city, a family city, a progressive city — cost time, money and resources. They had to endure, through the formative years, not the hardships of the original pioneers who came to the West and started with nothing, but the painful though often satisfying process of creating the institutions that make living together possible. These included self-government — taxation, laws and the choosing of leaders — schools, church congregations, and ways for the young and the mature to find enjoyment in what few leisure hours were left in workweeks made necessarily long by the immensity of the workload that had to be assumed.
R.A. Long 1925 letter to S.M Morris
Longview’s first school kids shuttled all over the place. They started off in temporary quarters in Kelso, then moved to converted bunkhouses in Longview, previously used by mill builders before the St. Helens Inns were ready. The opening of Kessler School, a two-story stucco “palace” according to Virginia Urrutia, liberated the students in early 1924. But high schoolers soon outgrew that place, too, and R.A. Long High School, a crown jewel in any city, opened to meet that demand in 1928. Always, the schools struggled to catch up.
cont page 24
A Century of service to our communities
from page 23
A more complicated problem emerged as Longview began putting its children in school. Mr. Long’s progressive views on universal education conflicted with the ingrained racial biases of Long-Bell Lumber Company and society at large.
“The Long-Bell people were Southerners, used to seeing blacks,” explains McClelland. The lion’s share of workers in the company’s southern mills were black, and the founders assumed there’d be a large-scale migration of able and willing African-American workers eager to man the new mills.
They would live by 1920s community standards:
In the South, the blacks lived apart from the whites. Their children attended black schools. It occurred to no one that any different condition would prevail in the new model city on the Columbia.
J.M.
R.A. Long’s
With what they took to be the best of intentions, but wearing these cultural and historical blinders, the founders set aside 16 blocks in Longview as the “Negro section” and assumed it would provide for nearly 500 black families. When few Blacks actually arrived, the “section” was moved nearer to the mills, reduced in size, and still segregated a half-mile from the nearest white neighborhood.
Eventually two or three black families did come to town, and they had children. Thus, according to the thinking of the time, and however few in number, it would be necessary to provide for them a separate school. McClelland:
The little black children could not be sent to the new Kessler School. That was the white school. And public money couldn’t be spent on a black school. So an attempt was made to set up a private school.
Since there were only three students “eligible” for this elite private schooling, and the parents of two of them were so disgusted they sent them to another town to live with relatives and attend regular school, the problem seemed to be solving itself. Until a courageous woman named Victoria Freeman had simply had enough.
In 1924 Mrs. Freeman took her two sons, Oliver and Calvin Smith, to the newly opened Kessler School. When she and Oliver entered a classroom she was told there were no seats, that the class was full. In fact, she could see there were seats, and told Oliver to sit down. He did. At which point the teacher rushed out to seek help from the principal. John McClelland, Jr. continues the story:
The teacher….didn’t know that Mrs. Freeman had gone first to see J.H. Secrest, Long-Bell attorney and chairman of the school board, and explained her problem. Secrest had told her to take the boys to school, and if any difficulties arose, to call him. Meanwhile, he called the principal and explained the law, and so the teacher let Oliver keep his seat.
For many years Oliver and Calvin where the only blacks in the Longview schools. Just as in the nation at large, racial justice was painfully slow, and traditional prejudices prevailed. Blacks were relegated to menial jobs and were denied better-paying mill jobs. Longview Fibre only hired its first black millworker in 1950. Theaters, restaurants and even the town’s symbolic centerpiece — the Hotel Monticello — denied them admission.
Longview’s story of racial intolerance and ultimate integration was not especially worse than, or better than, that of the country at large. The other significant minority — brought to Longview especially to do the toughest job in the mill, the green chain — was the Japanese. They were segregated, as well. And, with the onset of World War II, quickly herded together and sent to internment camps.
As time neared for their departure, a diversity of reactions is found among the Japanese ‘guests of America,’ but the deepest, most pained resentment, seems to be among those boys and girls who have tasted the American way of life through education in the public schools. For the most part they are taking their plight in good spirits, mildly protesting that they are loyal to the American government.
Longview Daily News, April 3, 1942
The building of a cohesive community, with rights and privileges shared among all its citizens, would prove to be one of the Planned City’s ongoing challenges. As in the country that spawned it, “liberty and justice for all” — the struggle between assertive individuality and collective conformity — would remain Longview’s imperfect ideal.
•••
AI is pulling a full “Sorcerer’s apprentice” move lately. It seems there’s another major innovation every month! There were text-to-image generators a year ago, but they weren’t very good, just an amusing novelty. But now? Suddenly, they are replacing real artists — able to make compelling album artwork, architectural variations, photo-realistic people that don’t exist, or putting your face into any imaginable circumstance or character. The same is now happening with text to video, music and even video games! While so far only producing dream-like sequences or low resolution content, it’s likely that within 6-12 months, anyone will be able to create any imaginable movie with anyone playing any role.
Wilbur and Winston rest on a bench in Downtown Longview with a smiling Robert A. Long, who’s been reading Columbia River Reader’s ‘ People+Place Then and Now’ series.
“My town has definitely NOT gone to the dogs!” he said.
Wilbur and Winston agree.
SHE COULD SEE THERE WERE SEATS, AND TOLD OLIVER TO SIT DOWN
Fifty years ago, celebrating a half century, the Longview Daily News headlined the city’s ideal: “Longview, advertised far and wide as a ‘clean, moral city’ tried to live up to that claim.” Among the metrics cited by reporter Agnes Staggs was the fact that in 1973 Longview had 29 churches to 11 taverns.
Those first 50 years Longview relied largely on institutions and organizations — houses of worship, houses of beer — for its communal sustenance. Especially in the 1940s and 1950s, people were joiners. There were clubs and associations on virtually every street corner. Folks were churchgoers and conveners. “Correct” behavior and conformity were expected, whether sitting in a pew or sitting at a bar.
Today Longview’s ideas of both individual liberty and of shared community have shifted. People are, for better or worse, more self-sufficient. Women have now entered the workplace in large numbers and family dynamics have changed as a result. People are more independent and transport themselves most places — it’s a town of automobiles — and tailor their own social lives accordingly. Church attendance is down. Divorce rates are up. And Longview’s citizens experience the downside of a more freewheeling, permissive society — addiction, abuse and crime.
This place still tries to be good and to do good. But it’s a changed world with fewer certainties, greater risks, and relentless, disruptive change.
At the corner of Broadway and Commerce in Longview, site of the old Korten’s music store, sits a remarkable new gathering place serving contemporary Longview kids. It’s called Ascent, and it represents both an opportunity and a challenge for the community.
The city and county benefit hugely from its teenfriendly recreational spaces, state-of-the-art climbing wall, art studios, and (tucked in discrete office spaces for one-on-one mentoring and counseling) an inspired staff with a relentless spirit of optimism and fellowship. However, the young people and families are here in the first place because they struggle with addiction, domestic violence, mental instability, and disrupted lives.
“We see around 700 kids a month,” said Frank Morrison, a big, burly man on a first-name basis with virtually everyone in sight. “This isn’t clinical — we have another office for the medical side. This is a youth center — we do everything we can to provide them with relationships in a completely natural environment.”
Morrison saw a need for mental health and substance use services to help address the root causes of homelessness and social dysfunction. Two-thirds of those served by Community House on Broadway, where Morrison is director, were coming from families struggling with addiction.
cont page 26
In 2015 he founded and now runs CORE Health, an acronym for Community, Opportunity, Resourcefulness, and Empowerment. It’s more than simply a slogan.
Core Health defines itself as a “mental health collective,” providing therapy, medication management, emotional counseling and peer counseling. They’re strict in emphasizing a clean and sober approach and have zero tolerance for continued substance abuse while under care.
“We base this on relationships,” said Morrison. “We want to meet our clients where they are at. A lot of it is just convenience and comfort. We attract people who want to get rid of barriers to their getting well.” As we toured the facility we were struck by the diversity of clients and activities — in one day care room, four babies napped while their mothers met with counselors.
Core Health employs 185 people and has a remarkable success rate, estimating that around 75 percent of those treated for addiction stay recovered and clean. “We talk about calling up people not calling them out,” said Morrison. “When you make therapy convenient, in a positive atmosphere, and reduce the barriers for the clients, you can call people up to live a better life.”
Morrison urges schools, churches and law enforcement
— all sources for referrals
— to get more creative in their approaches to helping troubled youth and families. Their problems are usually deeper than just symptoms, and the CORE Health results speak for themselves.
•••
Transit Manager Jim Seeks is a realist. Unlike his counterparts in Seattle or Portland, he’s not measuring success by numbers served, percent occupancy,or cars kept off the road.
“We have a simple mission: providing the ability for people to get to places they need to go.” Seeks and River Cities Transit are in the service business, pure and simple. Although they’d be happy to transport standing-room-only loads of commuters, they’re in business for the solitary senior getting to a crucial doctor’s appointment, the student doing a night class at LCC, those without the luxury of an automobile at their service.
For those critics who see sparse ridership on the big new buses, the answer is simple: what’s the alternative? And isn’t public transportation as vital a public service as water lines, sewers, and electricity? “We have a whole bunch of wonderful services here in Longview. But it’s a big place and it’s not going to do you any good if you can’t get there,” said Seeks.
As Transit manager he’s responsible to a five-member Transit Authority Board, made up of both Kelso and Longview members. Citizens created the Authority by voting a tax on themselves in 1987. A pleasant building in Kelso and sophisticated communications system are vital to their success and their user experience.
Seeks and the Board are continually looking at new ways to perform their public service function, including ondemand service, curbto-curb service, and ride share services that could dispatch smaller vehicles. Seeks, who’s himself driven cabs and buses, knows the vital interdependence between the rides and their riders. “It’s a quality of life issue. Simple as that.”
IT’S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE. SIMPLE AS THAT.
Longview has changed substantially since Victoria Freemen directed her son Oliver to take a seat at Kessler School.
The past two generations have seen a remarkable transformation of the American population. The 2020 census hints at this change; the demographics of the Longview Public Schools illustrate it dramatically.
The racial/ethnic breakdown of Longview’s 2020 population is approximately 80 percent white and 20 percent collective minorities (with Hispanic and Latino the largest segment at 10 percent). Now consider the Longview Public Schools enrollment of 6,327 students: Minority enrollment 40 percent, white enrollment 60 percent. And the number of students with free or reduced lunch (one measurement of economic need) is 43.7 percent.
The significance? Like the U.S. population at large (where it is predicted that by 2050 the country will be comprised of more than 50 percent people of color), Longview’s future generations will look considerably different from their forebears.
As in other parts of the country, the “change agents” are our children. The State of Washington school system already has passed 50 percent in minority enrollment. It’s Longview’s education system, charged with shaping that future, that will bear the responsibility to adjust, diversify, and guarantee essential opportunities to all, regardless of differences in origin, economic status, or culture.
The lead pastor at the historic Longview Community Church doesn’t play to type. “I think of my service here more as a missionary might, not an establishment pastor,” said Dave Hendrickson.
This magnificent artifact of Longview’s founding cries out tradition, history, cultural continuity. How many people have worshiped in its pews, married at its altar, sung communal hymns, bowed their heads and prayed together?
Searching for a new pastor took the congregation three years, not nine months as they’d expected.
“We needed a leader who was strong but not overpowering,” said church elder Randy Sundberg, who chaired the search committee. “Someone to lead us into the future.”
It turned out everything the Community Church had going for it — its cavernous sanctuary, its institutional weight, its layers of tradition and nostalgia — suddenly was working against it. “Today God and the church are just not as much part of the culture here — and that’s true all over the place.” said Hendrickson. Church attendance is cratering. Budgets are being slashed. Worst of all, for an institution that feeds the spirit, the life was simply going out of the place. The church was dying, said Hendrickson. “There are people in this city who’ve never even heard of Jesus.” People know very little about what goes on inside church buildings, he added. “With fewer people coming in, we need to reverse that trend, we need more people reaching out.”
Mainstream churches feel these pressures all over the country. In hopes of attracting younger worshipers, some have turned from traditional liturgy to staging Christian rock concerts, complete with booming guitars and amps. The pandemic forced many churchgoers to scale back to stay-at-home zoom services. And many community good works that used to run through the church and its membership —- services to the poor and disadvantaged — are today run by secular non-profits and government agencies.
We can experience God in many ways and places, including traditional pipe organs and choirs, said Hendrickson. He’s an affable man in his mid-forties who’s traveled the path of a multi-cultural missionary, born in Western Pennsylvania, with stops in St. Petersburg, Russia, Charleston, South Carolina, and Sheffield, England, among others. “I don’t consider this building a liability,”he said. “It’s one of many places we can experience the presence of God.”
As Longview Community Church celebrates its own centennial, many of its changes reflect those gaining traction in the society at large: developing a team leadership approach to replace a command and control culture; looking outward at their potential congregants not simply inward serving those already on board; and raising up leaders from within the congregation itself. “Jesus said ‘go and make disciples,’” said Hendrickson, “and there are many, many ways to do that.”
As their centennial slogan suggests, Dave Hendrickson and his staff and elders hope to have it both ways: “Celebrating the Past, Pursuing the Future.”
Hal Calbom is a third generation Longview native and R.A.Long High School graduate. He works in public affairs television and educational publishing. This month he begins his sixth year photographing and writing Columbia River Reader’s People+Place feature. He is co-founder of Columbia River Reader Press. Reach him at hal@halcalbom.com.
PEOPLE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT WHAT GOES ON INSIDE CHURCH BUILDINGSPhotos: Longview Community Church is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding in 2023. Pastor Dave Hendrickson in the sanctuary. Magnificent stained glass windows were a later project and campaign by parishioners, representing a substantial investment and architectural improvement.
The Long View Project would be impossible without the financial and creative support of our sponsor partners. During the coming year the Reader will feature brief profiles of these partners — highlighting their relationship to Longview and interest in its history.
Weatherguard celebrates its quarter-century along with Longview’s Centennial
You mean my properties are being managed by a 19-year-old?” a long-time client thundered at Don Rodman. At least that’s the way the 19 year-old — Rodman Realty’s current owner and lifelong team member-cheerleader-employee Sabrina “Sam” Ellis — tells it.
“Pat (Rodman) was my mom’s best friend, like a second mother to me,” said Ellis, recalling her childhood in Longview, “and I’d been filling in when the agency needed help since I was 16.” Pat’s father-in-law, Bruce Rodman, one of the giants of the Longview real estate market, had joined Longview Agency immediately after World War II and became manager of the real estate division. Later he separated his share of the entity and operated as Longview Agency for many years, specializing in commercial real estate and property management. Later, son Don (Pat’s husband) joined the firm and eventually took over full ownership.
“I’d always liked the property management side of the business,” said Ellis, “I was good with people and I enjoyed that part of it. So when the the property manager left they offered me the job.”
Rodman Realty has specialized in commercial real estate and property management, dipping in and out of the residential market occasionally. Today it’s best known as a property management firm, with more than 900 units under its oversight.
“I think it’s so incredible that this town is 100 years old,” said Ellis, explaining
After Bruce retired from Longview Agency, his wife Delores Rodman opened Rodman Realty and operated it until the late 1980s. In 1992, Don Rodman changed Longview Agency’s name to Rodman Realty. Prior to his death in 2021, Don and Pat Rodman sold the business to Sabrina “Sam” Ellis and her husband, Zachary
her sponsorship commitment. “I’m so grateful I found my calling at such a young age and have been lucky enough to be a part of it.” Like her predecessors, she relishes the people side of the business. “It’s about relationships with people and with the community,” she said.
“The excitement of putting good people together in a relationship that benefits them and the rest of us, too.”
When Lisa and Bill Brill founded Weatherguard, Inc. in March 1998, they decided to keep the company small and manageable. Sometimes the best laid plans of mice and roofers go astray, however. The seven-employee crew they started with has grown to 140. The company counts 65 bright red trucks in their fleet and does work as far north as the Puget Sound region and down into the Portland-Vancouver area. The business’s growth has been gradual, but steady. There were some lean years that caused the couple some concern, but they weathered those rough days by watching their pennies. “Lisa was good at keeping the spending under control,” Bill recalled.
Thinking back to the Covid years, Bill said, “Actually Weatherguard showed amazing growth during those years. Companies like Amazon realized, with all the online ordering, that their warehouses were way too small. Larger warehouses require massive roofs. Yeah, we did very well in the Covid years.”
When John Coleman, the company’s general manager, was hired in 2004, Bill found that he could hand over the day-today management to John. This freed Bill to tackle the more complicated aspects of running a larger business. “We’re a good team, John and I,” Bill said. ”We’ve operated the business with the concept of ‘Say what you’re going to do, then do it, and do it well.’”
Why do they keep their headquarters in Longview when the majority of their business is in larger metropolitan cities?
“Because Longview is our home,” Bill said. “Longview is where our families live. I grew up in Longview, and I see no reason to leave.”
Lisa and Bill take pride in the fact that during the prosperous years, they have been able, through the company’s good fortune, to support a number of charities in the area.
“It feels good to be able to give back to our community,” Bill said, “especially to benefit the kids who are growing up here.”
A large part of Weatherguard’s success can be summed up in Bill’s belief that their business is all about relationships. “Just selling” won’t get one as far as “just helping,” he says.
As with any business, Weatherguard’s true success comes from its crews, management, and support staff. Their commitment, loyalty, and dedication to hard work is the foundation of Weatherguard.
“I’m a firm believer that surrounding yourself with people you can trust and who have the same drive and goals that you do is the only way to make it happen,” Bill said. “Lisa and I are very fortunate to have these folks!”
2023
Monthly The Long View* CRR’s “People+Place Then and Now”
Special Centennial Feature Series (thru June)
June 24 Centennial Car Show 9–3 - Vintage 1920s-1950s Reg. fee $25
June 25 Trinity Lutheran Church Open House 1–4pm 10:30am Joint Worship Service followed by 1920s-themed Picnic RSVP
June 30 CRR’s “From Page to Stage”
Book Launch & Gala Variety Show Rose Center, Lower Columbia College
Sept 8-9 Centennial Celebration: Banquet, Drone Shows, Parade, Street Dances & MORE
* The Long View is an independent Columbia River Reader project. CRR also collaborates with and supports the goals and events organized by the Longview Centennial Committee, headed by Reed Hadley.
The Longview Public Library’s Podcast Your Shelf or Mine is celebrating Longview’s Centennial with historical episodes, including
• Longview’s ‘23 Club, with Cal Fowler and Abe Ott
• Empire of Trees: America’s Planned City and the Last Frontier, with Hal Calbom and Sue Piper
To listen, visit longview100.org, click on “Events” and then the Your Shelf or Mine icon (shown here).
To volunteer:
Please contact: Reed Hadley longviewcentury@gmail. com
or Arleen Hubble ahubble61@gmail.com
Students: For ways to earn volunteer hours for school, contact Danielle Robbins.
Email: RobbinsD@co.cowlitz.wa.us
U.S. MAIL: P.O. Box 1035, Longview, WA 98632
Historic Calendars $5, Official Centennial
Coins $10, lapel pins $3 (2 for $5); T-shirts $1518, Pens $1, Stainless steel drink tumblers, etc
Now available at Kelso Longview Chamber Visitor Center next to I-5 in Kelso, and Longview YMCA.
Calendars also available at Paperbacks Galore and Cowlitz County Historical Museum
300 drones with multi-colored lights will launch into the September night sky and from high overhead, form images and animations highlighting Longview’s creation and accomplishments, while inspiring future progress.
NEW EXHIBIT
OPENING IN LATE APRIL AT COWLITZ COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM
May 7 Spring Tea Party, Sunday 2–4 pm
A dress-up party for granddaughters over 3 years, moms and/or grandmothers. Tea, finger foods, musical entertainment. Ticket good for up to 3 people, $20. Only 40 tickets will be sold.
June 3 Healthy Kids Day, Saturday1–3pm
Free event with lots of fun and activities for families.
Sept 30 YMCA Ice Cream Social and
Ol’ Time Music, 2–5 pm
Ice cream treats, music, dancing. $5 Adults, $3 kids.
Nov 11
First Ever YMCA Military Ball, Saturday 6–10pm
Black tie or dress uniform event with dinner and dancing for all active military personnel, veterans and their spouses or dates. AWPPW Hall adjacent to the YMCA. Child care, silent auction, other activities at the YMCA.
Info 360-423-4770 • longviewymca.org
APRIL 15
Centennial Pub Crawl in Longview. Pick up passport at Triangle Bowl, visit 9 local pubs. Prize drawing and fun. More details at longview100.org
Use your imagination to develop a storyboard, images, and sounds for an inspiring, emotional, memorable tribute to the founders and builders who made Longview a super home for all of us. Check page 46 for more details, and visit longview100.org for specifications, entry forms, and links to other drone presentations. More details, page 46.
Fri-Sat-Sun
July 28th-30th
Loggers Breakfast, Quilt Show, Sculptor Wade Lapp, Parade, Boat Races, Live Music by Bruce Maier Band. Details, www.ryderwood.org
“1920: The Year that Changed Cowlitz County”
Fultano’s Pizza
770 E. Columbia River Hwy
Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more!
Dine-in,Take-out and Home Delivery. Visit Fultanos.com for streamlined menu. 503-728-2922
The Corner Cafe
796 Commerce Ave.
Breakfast & Lunch. Daily Soup & Sandwich, breakfast specials. Tues-Sat 7am-3pm. Closed Sun-Mon. 360-353-5420.
Email: sndcoffeeshop@comcast.net
Eclipse Coffee & Tea
Fultano’s Pizza
Ixtapa Fine Mexican Restaurant
640 E. Columbia River Hwy
Fine Mexican cuisine. Daily specials.
The best margarita in town. Daily drink specials. Dine-in, curbside pickup. M-Th 11am–9:30pm; Fri & Sat 11am–11:30pm; Sun 11am–9pm. 503-728-3344
102 East “A” Street
Microbrews, wines & spirits 7am–8pm Daily. Inside dining.
Interstate Tavern
119 E. “B” St., (Hwy 30)
Crab Louie/Crab cocktails, crab-stuffed avocados. 17 hot and cold sandwiches. Amazing crab sandwiches. Full bar service. Catering for groups.
503-556-5023. interstatetavern@yahoo.com
503-556-5023
El Tapatio
117 W. ‘A’ Street Mexican Family Restaurant. Open Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, rest of week 11am-10pm. Full bar. Karaoke Fri-Sat 8-11pm. Patio seating. 503556-8323.
1335 14th Avenue
18 rotating craft brews, pub fare.
M-Th 11am–8pm. Fri-Sat 11am–10pm; Sunday 11am–6pm. Local music coming soon. 360-232-8283. Inside dining
See ad, page 10. Follow us on Untappd.
1133 Broadway
Family friendly tap house and eatery. 18 taps local craft beverages, hand-crafted soups, sandwiches, flatbread and desserts.
Live music on Thursdays. Hours: Tues-Sat 11am–10pm. 360-353-4295. Sun & Mon available for special events.
Bruno’s Pizza 1108 Washington Way. Pizza, breadsticks, wings, salads, fish & chips. WE
DELIVER. Four beers on tap. 360-636-4970 or 360-425-5220,
Restaurant & Lounge
The Carriage Restaurant & Lounge
1334 12th Ave. Open 8am–9pm (sometimes later, call to check). Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Full bar, banquet room available for groups, special events. Happy hours daily 9–11am, 5–7pm. 360-425-8545.
In the Merk (1339 Commerce Ave., #113) 360-998-2139. Mon-Fri 8am–4pm. Specialty coffees, teas, bubble teas and pastries....drinks with a smile. Takeout and on-site.
Freddy’s Just for the Halibut
1110 Commerce Ave. Cod, Alaskan halibut fish and chips, award-winning clam chowder. Burgers, steaks, pasta. Beer and wine. M-Sat 10am–8pm, Sunday 11am–8pm. Inside dining, Drive-thru, outdoor seating. 360-414-3288. See ad, page 34.
The Gifted Kitchen
711 Vandercook Way, Longview
“Celebrate, create, inspire.” Soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, entrees, sides, pot pies, quiche, grazing boxes & more. M-F 11–6; Sat special events only; Sun closed. 360-261-7697.
Hop N Grape
924 15th Ave., Longview
Tues–Thurs 11am–7pm; Fri & Sat 11am–8pm. BBQ meat slow-cooked on site. Pulled pork, chicken, brisket, ribs, turkey, salmon. Worldfamous mac & cheese. 360-577-1541.
Kyoto Sushi Steakhouse
760 Ocean Beach Hwy, Suite J 360-425-9696.
Japanese food, i.e. hibachi, Bento boxes, Teppanyaki; Sushi (half-price Wednesdays); Kids Meal 50% Off Sundays. Mon-Th 11-2:30, 4:30-9:30. Fri-Sat 11am10pm. Sun 11am-9pm.
Lynn’s Deli & Catering
1133 14th Ave.
Soups & sandwiches, specializing in paninis, box lunches, deli sandwiches and party platters. Mon-Fri 8-3, Saturday 10-2. 360-577-5656
Roland Wines 1106 Florida St., Longview. Authentic Italian wood-fired pizza, wine, and beer. Casual ambience. 5–9pm Wed-Fri, Sat. 1–9. 360-8467304. See ad, page 10.
Scythe Brewing Company 1217 3rd Avenue #150
360-353-3851
Sun, Tue,Wed, Th 12noon -8pm; Fri-Sat 12noon -10pm Closed Mondays
Family-friendly brewery/restaurant with upscale, casual dining, lunch and dinner.
Stuffy’s 804 Ocean Beach Hwy
360-423-6356
8am–8pm. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. American style food. Free giant cinnamon roll with meal purchase on your birthday with proof of ID.
Facebook: Stuffy’s II Restaurant, or Instagram @ stuffys2.
Teri’s, 3225 Ocean Beach Hwy, Longview. Lunch and dinner. Burgers, steak, seafood, pasta, specials, fresh NW cuisine. Full bar. Tues–Fri, 12Noon–8pm. Sat 5:30–8:30pm.. Curbside pickup. Inside dining. 360-577-0717.
Luckman’s Coffee Company
239 Huntington Ave. North, Drive-thru. Pastries, sandwiches, salads, quiche. See ad, page 32.
Parker’s Steak House & Brewery
1300 Mt. St. Helens Way. I-5 Exit 49. Lunch, Dinner. Burgers, hand-cut steak; seafood and pasta. Restaurant open 1-8pm Tue-Th, 1-9pm, F-Sat. Lounge Happy Hours 4pm. 360-967-2333. Call for status/options.
Vault Books & Brew 20 Cowlitz Street West, Castle Rock. Coffee and specialty drinks, quick eats & sweet treats. See ad, page 36
215 N. Hendrickson Dr., Port of Kalama. A Northwest pub and unique bars serving breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. Info & reservations, bar hours at mcmenamins.com. 8am–midnight daily. 360- 673-9210. Indoor dining, covered outdoor seating, curbside take-out.
Sunshine Pizza & Catering
2124 Columbia Blvd. Hot pizza, cool salad bar. Beer & wine. Limited inside seating, curbside pickup and delivery. 503-397-3211 See ad, page 16.
Big River Tap Room
313 Strand Street on the Riverfront. Lunch/Dinner Tue-Thurs 12–8pm; Fri-Sat 12–9pm. Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef, pastrami. Weekend Burrito Breakfast, Sat 8-11, Sun 8am3pm.
Plymouth Pub 298 S. 1st Street, St. Helens, Ore. Family friendly, food, 14 tap handles. Open daily 11am-10pm.
51511 SE 2nd. Family style with unique pizza offerings, hot grill items & more! “Best pizza around!” Sun–Th 11am–9pm; Fri-Sat 11am–10pm. Full bar service ‘til 10pm Fri & Sat. Deliveries in Scappoose. 503-543-5100. Inside Dining.
Ixtapa Fine Mexican Restaurant
33452 Havlik Rd. Fine Mexican cuisine. Daily specials. The best margarita in town. Daily drink specials. M-Th 11am–9:30pm; Fri & Sat 11am–11:30pm; Sun 11am–9pm. 503-543-3017
Warren Country Inn
56575 Columbia River Hwy. Fine family dining. Breakfast, lunch & dinner. Full bar. Call for hours.503-410-5479. Check Facebook for updates. Dine-in.
DREW’S GROCERY & SERVICE
5304 Spirit Lake Hwy (10 mi. fr Exit 49) 24-hour fueling (gas & diesel, card at pump, cash at Jule’s Snack Shack (when open). Red Leaf Organic Coffee. See ad, page 16.
1350 Atlantic Ave. Rotating craft brews, pub fare. Open M-Th 11am–6pm; Fri–Sat 11am–10pm; Sunday 11am–6pm. 360-841-8941. See ad, page 10.
Luckman Coffee Company
1230 Lewis River Rd. Small batch on-site roasted coffee, breakfast, lunch. Inside seating. M-F 5:30am–6pm, Sat 6am–5pm, Sun 7am–3pm. See ad, page 32.
THE OAK TREE
1020 Atlantic Ave. Breakfast served all day. Famous Bankruptcy Stew, Oak Tree Salad, desserts baked in-house. Full bar. Happy Hours 1-3, 7-9pm. Live music. 360--841-5292. See ad, page 32.
Restaurant operators: To advertise in Columbia River Dining Guide, call 360-749-2632
Deborah and Dean Takko in Sydney, Austrailia, whre they enjoyed the opera “Adriana Lecouvreur.”
Send your photo reading the Reader to Publisher@CRReader.com. Include names and cities of residence. We strive to promptly acknowledge photos received; if you don’t hear from us within 5 days, please re-send. For cell phone photo, choose the largest file size up to 2 MB. Please pose people near the camera; the background scene will still show in the frame behind.
Early in the morning Longview resident Lesley Bombardier at the Main Station in Zurich, Switzerland. Oct 2022. Note: Lesley’s name is pronounced bom-bar-dear in US, Bom bar dee ay in Europe. Photo by Hans Schaufus.
Down Mexico way Castle Rock resident Robert Buchman fly fishing for baby tarpon at Hoebox Island, north of Cancun, Mexico. Getting there was a mere hop skip and jump via a 6-hour flight from Seattle
What is Occam’s Razor? It is a logical thought process that basically says, “Whatever is the simplest answer is most likely the right one.” It means that “other things being equal, simpler explanations are generally better than more complex one. Complex explanations get harder and harder to prove the more complex they get.
A weather balloon is a simpler answer than a spy balloon, unless you find evidence to the contrary, and a UFO (alien craft) is way harder to prove than a spy or weather balloon, unless there is incontestable evidence to back it up. An extreme conclusion takes extreme evidence to prove the extreme conclusion. It has been simplified to a phrase of, “When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.”
For example, the meteor/comet theory that ended the dinosaurs took an extreme amount of geological physical evidence gathered from all over the world to convince the scientific world that a meteor/comet was the cause of the end of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
To quickly say that what is at first identified as a UFO is an alien spacecraft rather than a weather balloon is to jump to a complex conclusion with no evidence. So, let’s go with the weather balloon answer, till we have incontestable evidence to the contrary.
The big green comet that zipped by us did not live up to the expectations of being a naked eye comet. What a surprise, most comets do not live up to the hype the scientific media and regular media promise. The last comet to live up to the hype was Comet Neowise in
The Evening Sky
the summer of 2020. It was a naked eye comet even here in Longview. We now wait for the next glorious comet to come our way.
What is the next big astronomical event being talked about?
How about an annular eclipse on October 14th, 2023 (a Saturday morning). In an annular eclipse, the moon crosses in front of the sun just like a full eclipse, but the Moon is at its far point in its orbit of the Earth. So the image of the moon is not quite as big as it is when you have a full eclipse. The moon goes in front of the sun and leaves a “ring of fire” (see above). It will be visible across the Southwestern U.S. starting on the Central Oregon coast down to Texas. Eugene, Oregon will see the annular eclipse beginning at 8:06am with full annularity at 9:16am, lasting for four minutes.
Here in CRR territory, we are not in the path of the annular eclipse, but we are close; we will get an 85 percent bite of the sun taken out in Longview. So get out your solar viewing glasses from the last eclipse, because you WILL NEED THEM. The sun’s 15 percent showing will still be too bright and will damage your eyes if you look without these glasses.
Or, use a pin hole projector to display an image of the sun onto a blank sheet of white paper. The Longview Public Library will be holding an informational talk in mid-September on what an annular eclipse is and how to view it.
Friends of Galileo, will be involved in this program and sharing how to view it with demonstrations on making a pin hole projector. They will also let you view the sun with solar protected telescopes and binoculars. Be on the watch for the announcements about this event.
Moon Phases:
New: April 19th
1st Quarter: April 27th
Full: May 5th
3rd Quarter: May 12th
End of twilight - when the stars start to come out:
Sat., April 15th, 8:29pm
Mon., April 26th, 8:45pm
Sat., May 6th, 9pm
A clear open low western horizon is needed. Mars, Venus and Mercury are visible. April 20th Mars will be traveling up the center of Gemini. Venus will be very close to the horns of the bull Taurus. Just the week before, Venus was very near the star cluster known as the Pleiades. On April 20th, Mercury will be just three fingers’ width above the western horizon halfway between west and northwest. Thus, you will have seen three of the five planets visible this month. You may need binoculars to pull Mercury out of the glare of the setting sun, and the first sliver of a growing crescent one day old moon. Mercury will be gone by the end of April. The other two (Jupiter and Saturn) are morning planets.
The Morning Sky (cloudless eastern horizon sky required)
On April 20th, Saturn will be rising about 5:15 in the morning in the southeast. May 20th in the east Jupiter will be rising about 5:10 a.m., along with the on- day-old moon. Jupiter will be eclipsed by the last bit of the moon at moon rise. The next day (the 18th), Jupiter will be free of the moon and be rising at 5:00 a.m. A surprise will await the diligent as Jupiter rises. Mercury returns to the sky low on the horizon near Jupiter.
Night Sky Spectacle: M13 Hercules Globular Cluster. A cloud-free evening is a must.
This is one of the easiest globular clusters to see. A pair of binoculars will be useful. On April 18 just around 9:30 p.m. the cluster will be rising in the east, on the top side of the trapezoid shape of the body of Hercules. When looking through binoculars it will be a bright fuzzy ball of stars. This is a fun object to view especially if you have even a small telescope. Aim it at this cluster and you will see a mass of stars. Enjoy this wonderful object of the night sky. Maybe you’ll wonder what it would be like to be on a planet orbiting a star in a cluster like this. You will be able to observe this cluster all summer and into October as well.
April 22nd – 23rd will be the peak of the Lyrids meteor shower. They will appear to be coming from just below the constellation Hercules in the constellation Lyra and its brilliant star Vega around 2-3a.m. Lyra will be about halfway up in the eastern sky at 2 a.m.
All of these plus M13 will make a great night out if it is clear.
The 13th Tenor Guitar Gathering will be held in Astoria, Oregon on June 2 –4 and includes workshops, jam sessions, two evening concerts, and the always-popular ride on the waterfront trolley while playing and singing.
The event will see a mix of familiar performers and teachers, along with new ones. The four performers integral in the history of the event include John Lawlor from Philadelphia; Grant Flick from Bowling Green, Ohio; Tim May from Nashville; and Tyler Jackson, who now calls Oklahoma home. These four are well known and respected as mainstay performers, top notch soloists who make magic when they play together.
Returning performers include Pat MacSwyney of California; Paul Gabrielson, a bassist from Washington; Gerry Carthy of New Mexico; and Alison Helzer, a Gerry Carthy prodigy, from Oregon.
A new performer this year is August Watters, a part-time resident of Astoria. He is described as a multi-stylistic, improvising mandolinist. An arranger, he is a former professor of ear training at Berklee College of Music, Boston. The Tenor Guitar Gathering, sponsored by Tenor Guitar Foundation, fosters musicianship four strings at a time. Performers and teachers will utilize the
mandolin, tenor guitar, banjo, violin and embrace multiple ways of tuning and varied genres of music.
Daytime Jam sessions, Workshops and Concerts will be held in the Charlene Larsen Center for Performing Arts and the host lodging is the Astoria Riverwalk Inn.
Ticket information, performer biographies, workshop descriptions and more information may be found on the website: TenorGuitar.org For additional information, please contact President, Harriott Balmer at 253-9884036 or hbalmer@comcast.net
By Marc Roland
As members of a wine community, it is our responsibility to learn about the bad and the good of alcohol consumption because our health depends on it. Unfortunately, folks pick and choose what they want to believe, usually to justify their behavior and relationship to booze. It can get confusing out there when it comes to health information.
I can’t give you all the facts, but I do want to encourage you to stay informed. But fads abound, and sometimes we just pay attention to the headlines. Remember when we all thought eggs
were bad for the heart? It turns out that heart disease is more complex than that.
Regarding alcohol, it is not as easy as just going dry, because we may miss out on growing evidence of positive benefits of alcohol. Besides, who wants to go without wine? You maybe should just cash it in right now because there is nothing in this world better than the fruit of the vine. Life without wine is like life without the NFL!
There are risks in alcohol consumption, but there is also growing scientific evidence that wine can be a part of a healthy lifestyle. ‘Can be’ is the key. If all you do is sit in front of the computer
or television for countless hours, spend very little time outside, worry about everything, and eat and drink thoughtlessly, wine is not going to be your friend. That’s the bad news. But let’s talk about the good news. Recent studies have shown a correlation between light to moderate wine drinking with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes,
Longview resident and former Kelso teacher Marc Roland started making wine in 2008 in his garage. He and his wife, Nancy, now operate Roland Wines at 1106 Florida Street in Longview’s new “barrel district.” For wine tasting hours, call 360-846-7304.
Alzheimer’s, dementia, and respiratory illness. You can check it out for yourself. However, this model assumes you are also eating healthful food and getting plenty of exercise.
One thing that is clear, all bets are off if we over-drink. What is moderation when it comes to drinking? It is generally defined as two drinks per day for men and one drink for women. Heart health and consumption of certain foods have been an ongoing area of promising research. It revolves around polyphenols, including resveratrol found naturally in plants. In wine these are found in grape skins. Polyphenols give plants their pigments that protect them from ultraviolet radiation. The main cardiovascular benefit of wine is increasing HDL cholesterol for its ability to lower LDH cholesterol. Keeping your pipes clear is the goal. Also, moderate intake of alcohol was found to inhibit thrombosis, the formation of of large blood clots that cause strokes and heart attack. Brain research lately has found beautiful links between alcohol and health. As far as the brain is concerned, those who eat a varied diet and have an active life, along with drinking in moderation, have a greater chance of avoiding dementia, stroke, and depression.
Researchers have shown a strong link to the polyphenols found in grapes, olive oil, vegetables, and fruits. In fact, people between 60 and 100 years old who consume 15mg per day of flavonols found in wine experience a 32% decrease in cognitive decline. To our health...Cheers!
•••
Monthly feature coordinated by Alan
Rose
By Tom Larsen
This second novel from bestselling author Amor Towles‚ A Gentleman in Moscow — relates the history of Russia from the beginning of the twentieth century to the 1950s, from Stalin to Khruschev, through the experiences of the fictional Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov.
He begins his life of wealth and ease in 1899, near St. Petersburg. Orphaned in his early teens, he and his sister Helena are taken in by their father’s friend, Grand Duke Demidov, who sees to their education. After a few years living in Paris, the count returns to Moscow and takes up residence at the luxurious Hotel Metropol.
Following the Bolshevik Revolution, the count is tried by a tribunal as a “parasite” and sentenced to life under house arrest. Expelled from his lavish suite of rooms, he is given servant quarters on the sixth floor. The only reason he is allowed to stay at the Metropol is that he once penned a poem in praise of the revolution. Rostov settles into a comfortable existence. He befriends an eclectic group of people, including a seamstress, a Russian chef, a French maître d’, a poet, an actress, an orchestra conductor, a prince, a former army colonel, and an American diplomat. Most intriguing of his friends is Nina, an inquisitive nine-year-old girl. Years later, Nina shows up with a small daughter of her own. Fearing for her life, she leaves her daughter Sofia with the count and never returns. Despite not being allowed to leave the Metropol, Rostov stays true to his promise to Nina, and raises the girl, with the help of his friends.
Towles writes in the grand tradition of Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Gogol, but with ample humor to offset the darkness of Russian life.
•••
Now in its fifth year, a residency sponsored jointly by Writer’s Guild of Astoria and Astoria Visual Arts affords both established and emerging writers the time, space, and solitude needed to work uninterrupted on a project of their choosing.
One selected writer-in-residence will spend a week in meaningful pursuit of creative work — time and space in an idyllic setting to make substantial progress on a significant writing project. Writers of novels, short stories, nonfiction, plays, memoir, poetry, screenplays, and hybrid manuscripts will be considered.
The week of the residency will be determined by the program hosts and chosen writer. Lodging and a stipend of $250 are provided. A reception and public reading will be held at the end of the residency at
the Astoria Visual Arts Gallery. Residents are expected to arrange for their round-trip transportation and meals.
HOW TO APPLY Applications
must be received by April 30, 2023. Applications consist of 1) a one-page cover letter describing your experience and interests as a writer, your connection with the Pacific Northwest, and what you hope to accomplish during your residency; 2) a one-page description of your writing project, its scope, and current state; 3) a five-page writing sample, and 4) a resume or CV, including any publications, if applicable.
Email complete application packet to: info@thewritersguild.org.
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas, Bloomsbury Publishing, $19
2. Daisy Jones & The Six Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ballantine, $17
3. Sea of Tranquility Emily St. John Mandel, Vintage, $17
4. Legends & Lattes Travis Baldree, Tor, $17.99
5. Circe Madeline Miller, Back Bay, $16.99
6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Taylor Jenkins Reid, Washington Square Press, $17
7. The Song of Achilles Madeline Miller, Ecco, $17.99
8. The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles, Penguin, $19
9. The Candy House Jennifer Egan, Scribner, $17.99
10. The Maid Nita Prose, Ballantine, $18
1. Crying in H Mart Michelle Zauner, Vintage, $17
2. Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer, Milkweed Editions, $20
3. The Body Keeps the Score Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., Penguin, $19
4. All About Love bell hooks, Morrow, $16.99
5. The Anthropocene Reviewed John Green, Dutton, $18
6. What My Bones Know Stephanie Foo, Ballantine, $18
7. Cascadia Field Guide Cmarie Fuhrman (Ed.), Mountaineers Books, $29.95
8. These Precious Days Ann Patchett, Harper Perennial, $18
9. South to America Imani Perry, Ecco, $19.99
10. Dopamine Nation
Brought to you by Book Sense and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, for week ending April 2, 2023, based on reporting from the independent bookstores of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
For the Book Sense store nearest you, visit www.booksense.com
1. Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Garmus, Doubleday, $29
2. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Gabrielle Zevin, Knopf, $28
3. Demon Copperhead Barbara Kingsolver, Harper, $32.50
4. Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt, Ecco, $29.99
5. Old Babes in the Wood Margaret Atwood, Doubleday, $30
6. Hang the Moon Jeannette Walls, Scribner, $28
7. A Day of Fallen Night Samantha Shannon, Bloomsbury Publishing, $35
8. I Have Some Questions for You
Rebecca Makkai, Viking, $28,
9. Stone Blind Natalie Haynes, Harper, $30
10. The White Lady
Jacqueline Winspear, Harper, $30
1. Poverty, by America Matthew Desmond, Crown, $28
2. I’m Glad My Mom Died Jennette McCurdy, Simon & Schuster, $27.99
3. Enchantment Katherine May, Riverhead Books, $26
4. The Creative Act Rick Rubin, Penguin Press, $32
5. Sweet Enough Alison Roman, Clarkson Potter, $35
6. Atomic Habits James Clear, Avery, $27
7. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Charlie Mackesy, HarperOne, $22.99
8. Outlive Peter Attia, M.D., Bill Gifford, Harmony, $32
9. Crying in H Mart Michelle Zauner, Knopf, $26.95
10. The Light We Carry Michelle Obama, Crown, $32.50
1. Remember Joy Harjo, Michaela Goade (Illus.), Random House Studio, $18.99
2. Moo, Baa, La La La! Sandra Boynton, Boynton Bookworks, $6.99
3. Party Hearty Kitty-Corn Shannon Hale, LeUyen Pham (Illus.), Abrams Books for Young Readers, $18.99
4. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak, Harper, $19.95
5. Knight Owl Christopher Denise, Christy Ottaviano Books, $17.99
6. Goodnight Moon
Margaret Wise Brown, Clement Hurd (Illus.), Harper, $8.99
7. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Bill Martin, Jr., John Archambault, Lois Ehlert (Illus.), Little Simon, $7.99
8. Happy Easter, Little Pookie Sandra Boynton, Boynton Bookworks, $6.99
9. Bluey: Mum School Penguin Young Readers, $6.99
10. Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn Shannon Hale, LeUyen Pham (Illus.), Abrams Books for Young Readers, $18.99
to Environmental Studies. What she learned shocked and frightened her and set the course for her life.
Brianna Craft graduated valedictorian of her Kelso High School class. Today she lives in London, a senior researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development. Her journey is the subject of Everything That Rises.
Her awareness of climate change began as a freshman at the University of Washington. Required to take a science course, she signed up for Introduction
Alan’s haunting novel of the AIDS epidemic, As If Death Summoned, won the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award (LGBT category.) He can be reached at www.alan-rose.com.
Graduating from Brown University with a Masters in Environmental Studies, she participated as an intern in the 2011 COP (Conference of Parties) in Durbin, South Africa, working with staff from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group. There she saw the almost impossible challenge facing the world, but also recalled the words of Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”
Craft takes us ground level through the interminable discussions, hearings, and negotiations as nations struggled to seek some consensus on how to avert world-wide catastrophe. This is followed by an internship at the UN climate change headquarters in Bonn.
(“Another great, unpaid opportunity.”)
Running parallel to her professional development is the story of the turbulent and complicated relationship with her father that brought her to the brink of suicide as a teenager. At times, she feels overwhelmed, unable to solve either these global or personal problems. Yet her memoir
The people I worked for had polluted the least, suffered the most, and lacked the resources to deal with the consequences of the crisis. The fortyeight Least Developed Countries had contributed less than 1 percent to the world’s cumulative greenhouse gas emissions. Less than 1 percent. On average, the billion people living in these countries emitted 0.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The average American, meanwhile, emitted 16 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. So those who polluted the most suffered the least and used their resources to keep the worst impacts at bay. Climate change was such an unjust mess.
-- from Everything that Rises
also offers moments of hope and humor. A vegetarian partly for climate change reasons, she tells one of her carnivorous colleagues over lunch, “Just think of all those greenhouse gas emissions.” (Global livestock account for about 15 percent of emissions.) “I am,” he responds. “That cow will never emit again.”
1. The Moth Keeper
K. O’Neill, Random House Graphic, $13.99
2. Bea Wolf Zach Weinersmith, Boulet (Illus.), First Second, $19.99
3. Squished Megan Wagner Lloyd, Michelle Mee Nutter (Illus.), Graphix, $12.99
4. When You Trap a Tiger Tae Keller, Yearling, $8.99
5. Allergic Megan Wagner Lloyd, Michelle Mee Nutter (Illus.), Graphix, $12.99
6. Swim Team Johnnie Christmas, HarperAlley, $12.99
7. Hoops Matt Tavares, Candlewick, $12.99
8. Finally Seen Kelly Yang, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99
9. The Girl Who Drank the Moon Kelly Barnhill, Algonquin Young Readers, $9.95
10. Super Extra Deluxe Essential Handbook (Pokémon) Scholastic, $14.99
By Alan RoseThe climate crisis becomes personal when a negotiator from the Philippines, addressing a plenary session, suddenly breaks down and begins weeping. Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest tropical storm to ever make landfall, with winds reaching 235 miles per hour, has just devastated his nation: an estimated 8000 dead, millions homeless, twothirds of the country in ruins, his own family among the missing.
Finally, the years of working through the complex maze of competing national interests results in the Paris Agreement of 2015. For the first time in history, the nations of the world had agreed to act on climate change in a legally binding treaty. “In and of itself, the Paris Agreement would not solve the climate crisis,” she writes, “but without it, we didn’t have a prayer.”
And then, in June 2017, the US, the largest contributor to greenhouse gases, announced it would withdraw from the agreement. It is crushing to read and once again relive that moment.
But the work goes on. And Craft remains part of it, attempting the impossible because we face the unthinkable.
Send your non-commercial community event info (name of event, beneficiary, sponsor, date & time, location, brief description and contact info) to publisher@crreader.com
Or mail or hand-deliver (in person or via mail slot) to:
Columbia River Reader
1333-14th Ave
Longview, WA 98632
Submission Deadlines
Events occurring:
May 15–June 20 by April 25 for May 15 issue
June 15–July 20 April 15–May 20 by Mar 25 for April 15 issue. by May 25 for June 15 issue.
Calendar submissions are considered for inclusion, subject to lead time, relevance to readers, and space limitations.
See Submission Guidelines below.
Letters to the Editor (up to 200 words) relevant to the publication’s purpose — helping readers discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region, at home and on the road — are welcome. Longer pieces, or excerpts thereof, in response to previously-published articles, may be printed at the discretion of the publisher and subject to editing and space limitations.
Items sent to CRR will be considered for publication unless the writer specifies otherwise. Writer’s name and phone number must be included; anonymous submissions will not be considered.
Political Endorsements CRR is a monthly publication serving readers in several towns, three counties, two states and beyond and does not publish Letters to the Editor that are endorsements or criticisms of political candidates or controversial issues. (Paid ad space is available.)
Unsolicited submissions may be considered, provided they are consistent with the publication’s purpose. Advance contact with the editor is recommended. Information of general interest submitted by readers may be used as background or incorporated in future articles.
Outings & Events calendar (free listing): Events must be open to the public. Non-profit organizations and the arts, entertainment, educational and recreational opportunities and community cultural events will receive listing priority. Fundraisers must be sanctioned/sponsored by the benefiting non-profit organization. Businesses and organizations wishing to promote their particular products or services are invited to purchase advertising.
Fundraising Breakfast Hosted by Cowlitz Valley VFW Auxiliary #1045. 9–10:30am. May 13, and the second Saturday every month at the VFW Hall, 4311 Ocean Beach Hwy, Longview. Eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, French toast, toast, coffee, orange juice and water. $7 per person. Proceeds support Veterans programs. Public welcome.
North Coast Symphonic Band
Goes “Pop” Sun., April 23, 2pm. Featuring jazz, pop, rock & roll. Liberty Theatre,12th and Commercial, Astoria, Ore. Local sax quartet prelude 1:30pm. $15. Free to high school students and younger students with an adult. www. libvertyastoria.showare.com
Oregon Symphonic Band Sun., April 23. 3pm. Clatskanie Mid/High School, $15 adults, seniors/students $13, kids free. Clatskanie Arts Commission. clatskaniearts.org.
An Evening of Hope April 25, 5:30-8:30pm, Cowlitz County Expo Center. Community House ion Broadway 13th Annual Cares Campaign. $50 individual, $350 for 8-spot table. Dinner, dessert dash, silent auction, live music, inspiring stories. Info 360-560-6722 or leahp@chob.org. “Dedicated to responsible, resilient and resourceful living.”
Quiting for the Art of It Quilt show, April 28-29. Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild. See ad, page 44.
53rd Coin Show April 29, AWPPW Hall, 724 15th Ave., Longview, Wash. 10–4. Free parking, admission and appraisals. Sponsored by Cowlitz Coin Club of Longview-Kelso. Public may buy, sell, trade coins, currency, tokens and medals from numerous Pacific Northwest dealers. Raffles, incl half-oz American Gold Eagle and five 1-oz. American Silver Eagle coins. Annual Kids’ Fish-In April 29, starting at 8:00am. Nine sessions of 45 kids with the last one ending at 4:45pm. Sponsored by Longview Early Edition Rotary. Register at Longview Parks & Recreation asap; the event typically fills up. Registration fee $10 per child. Limited to 1 adult per child inside the fishing area. Visit mylongview.com. or call 360- 4425400 or stop by the office at 2920 Douglas Street, Longview.
The revived Raymond Carver Writing Festival is back for its second year with an emphasis on poetry. Anis Mahgani, Oregon’s Poet Laureate, will be an honored guest.
The Festival will kick off on Friday, May 19 in Clatskanie
Beginning at 1pm: Visit the pop-up booth for information about the festival, hear readings of Raymond Carver poems, receive a map for a self-guided walking tour of Raymond Carver birthplace, mural and sculpture; visit the Clatskanie Historical Museum at “The Castle” and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.. Purchase a keepsake poster and/or T-shirt (as supplies last)
4 pm: Free showing of the movie, “Short Cuts,” based on Carver works, at the Clatskanie Cultural Center. Free popcorn.
Enjoy dinner on your own
6–9pm: Evening Reception, Cultural Center Ballroom. “Who is Raymond Carver and why does Clatskanie honor him?” Presentation by Oregon’s Poet Laureate, Anis Majgani
Local writer groups will host tables with information about their organizations.
Light Refreshments as you enjoy connecting with others Commemorative bookmarks may be made in collaboration with the C.C. Stern Foundry Saturday, May 20 in the Clatskanie Cultural Center Workshops will include:
•Presentation by Oregon’s Poet Laureate, Anis Maigani
•“Carver: Beyond Short Fiction” by Michael Mills, host of the Raymond Carver Podcast
•Finding Your Voice as a Writer;
•Mini Zines for Beginning Writers; How to Get Published;
•Beginning Haiku
Winners of the youth Poetry contest will present their poems in the Birkenfeld Theatre at 4:30 Dinner (no host) will be held in the Ballroom at 5:30. Reservations required.
Poetry Jam will follow the dinner from 7 to 9 p.m. Winners of the adult Poetry contest will kick off the evening.
Mark your calendars and plan to visit Clatskanie for this amazing celebration of Raymond Carver and writing/ poetry. Visit raymondcarverwritingfestival.org for more information and updates.
Kelso Garden Club Spring Plant Sale
May 6, 9am–4pm. 2715 Northlake Ave., Longview. Houseplants, annuals, perennials, herbs, fruit and vegetables, trees and shrubs, yard art, gift items and planters. All sales CASH. Proceeds support Lower Columbia School Gardens, Arbor Day tree planting, Cowlitz County Fair exhibits and special gardening projects in the community. Info: sarahkoss@comcast.net.
Friends of the Library at Kalama Book Sale May 12th, 9am to 4pm and May 14th, 9am to 2pm. Haydu Park (new venue), 253 Kalama River Rd, Kalama, Wash. Basket sales at Kalama Public Library, 10am – 4pm. All proceeds benefit the Kalama Public Library .Info: Gayla Marple, Friends of the Library at Kalama, 36-0-607-8745
Rose Valley Grange
Spring Bazaar May 6, 9am–2pm. Rose Valley Gym, 1437 Rose Valley Rd., Kelso, Wash. Info: Nicole, 360-431-3175.
Spring Bazaar Sat., May
6, 9am–2pm, Kelso Methodist Presbyterian Church, 206 Cowlitz Way, Kelso, Wash. A variety of newly made items, candy, baked books, jewelry and more. Enjoy coffee while shopping for Mother’s Day, Graduation, Father’s Day, Fourth of July and other special occasions. Proceeds to church and community projects.
Call to Artists Annual Show St Helens, Ore Sat, May 20, 5–8pm. St. Helens Community Center, 2625 Gable Road, St Helens. Look for signs. Sponsor: Columbia Arts Guild, St. Helens. Open to artists showing original art, limit 10 original pieces. Entry fee per piece by CAG members $3, non-members $5. Entries accepted on May 20, 9-11am at the Center. Info; Joan Youngberg, text/phone 503-369-1081. columbiaartsguild.com
Lower Columbia Genealogical Society Public Zoom meetings 2nd Thurs, 6pm. Visitors welcome, instructions, announcements. Program with guest speaker 7pm. For a Zoom link: lcgsgen@ yahoo.com.
Longview-Kelso Bridge Club Plays weekly, Monday 10:30am, Thurs 6:30pm. Kelso Senior Center, 106 NW 89th Ave., Kelso, near Rotary Spray Park. Free, open to everyone, adults of all ages welcome. Come play, or come watch and see if it looks like fun. Info: Jan, 360-425-0713.
Stella Historical Society Museum reopens the weekend after July 4, 2023, 11–4. Watch for news about annual “Kid’s Day” celebration. Located at 8530 Ocean Beach Highway (10 miles west of Longview), Free admission; donations always welcome. For museum tours in the off season, call 360-423-3860 or 360-423-8663. Also available for Scouting tours, Eagle Scout projects and high school “community service” hours. For more info check Facebook.
more info, page 40
HOPE of Rainier needs the community’s financial help to provide those in need, with food boxes, firewood, thrift store vouchers, backpack food programs for school-age kids, housing assistance for families, and more. To donate, visit www. hopeofrainier.com, or mail check to HOPE, PO Box 448, Rainier OR 97048. Info: 503-556-0701.
in Clatskanie is fundraising for building improvements, the “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” program, and also needs donations of canned fruits and vegetables, macaroni cheese, spaghetti sauce, brown rice, produce, canned meats, and shelfstable meats.
Mail checks to PO Box 773, Clatskanie, OR 97016. Drop donations at Turning Point, 220 E. Col. River Hwy, Clatskanie, M-T-Thurs, 10–4. Volunteer opportunities always available. Info: 503-728-3126.
Longview-Kelso Community Concert Association
2023-24 Season, see page 40
Mount St. Helens Hiking Club
Schedule page 40
Women’s Club and TOWN YARD SALE
Great Pricing on everything you could need!
April 28-29 • 8am–4pm
Approx 30-mile drive from Longview: I-5 N, Exit 59. Or West Side Hwy (411) to Vader, west on 506.
Spring Young Artist
Concert
Saturday, April 15, 2023
7:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 16, 2023
3:00 p.m.
Wollenberg Auditorium
LCC Rose Center for the Arts
1600 Maple Street, Longview, WA
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Manuel de Falla
Ludwig van Beethoven
A gift from Dr. and Mrs. H. Minthorn to the community via Lower Columbia College Foundation, The Minthorn Collection of Chinese Art encompasses a wide range of styles and is displayed in the upper level of the art gallery in LCC’s Rose Center, open Tues-Thurs, 10–3. Free.
Join
Academic Festival
Overture
Piano Concerto No. 2 Sam Miller, Young Artist
Suite No. 1 from The Three Cornered Hat
Symphony No. 7
Dr. Robert Davis Conductor
FREE admission, Donations accepted Find out more at swwsymphony.org or by calling 360-430-0960
Saturday, May 20 • Noon – 9pm
Grand Entries 1pm and 7pm FREE Admission • Open to the Public
Native American Dancing, Drumming
Arts & Crafts Vendors • Adult & Children’s Raffles
All Drums & Dancers Welcome
First 5 Drums Paid (paid drums must stay both sessions)
Kelso High School
1904 Allen St, Kelso, Wash.
I-5 Exit 39, east on Allen St, approx. 1/4 mile
General Info: Mike & Sue Brock 360.703-5892 or 360.703-5907 Linda Bonahoom 360.751-0484
Vendor Info: Sandra Gaskill 360.846-0117
https://kelsochildrenpowwow.wixsite.com/my-site
Presented by the Kelso Powwow Committee, Inc., PO Box 445, Kelso, WA 98626
1418 Commerce Avenue, Longview Mon thru Sat, 11–4. Visit the Gallery to see new work. For event updates check our website: the-broadwaygallery.com, at Broadway Gallery on Facebook, and broadway gallery longview on Instagram.
Featured Artists: April: Guest Artists Leon Lowman, acrylic painting; Member Richard Britschgi, lapidary sculptures.
May: Guest Artist Eileen Eddleman, painting; Member Noel McDonald, ceramics.
May 4• 5:30–7pm
Join us for Nibbles & Bites!
Music by John S. Crocker
HOURS Tues - Sat 11–4
Classes and Workshops are Back! Check our website or come into the Gallery. We are a great place to buy gifts!
Voted one of top 3 Galleries in SW Washington. Free Gift wrapping plus Layaway!
Find a unique gift! We have beautiful artisan cards, jewelry, books by local authors, wearable art, original paintings, pottery, sculpture, photographs and so much more
FREE Admission
No alcohol or drugs. Patrolled by on-site security. Sponsors not responsible for theft, injury, damage or vandalism both on and off premises. Any animals brought on site are the responsibility of the owners
El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), commonly known as Día, is a celebration of children, families, and reading. Join the Longview Public Library for our celebration on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 2:30 PM at the library. for book giveaways, read-alouds with special guests, and fun take-home crafts!
¡Celebre a los niños, las familias y la lectura con la biblioteca! Tendremos obsequios de libros, lecturas en voz alta con invitados especiales y manualidades divertidas para llevar a casa el sábado 29 de abril, 2:30 pm.
Día is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for children from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages, and cultures.
The common goals of all Día programming are to:
•Celebrate children and connect them to the world of learning through books, stories, and libraries.
•Nurture cognitive and literacy development in ways that honor and embrace a child’s home language and culture.
•Introduce families to community resources that provide opportunities for learning through multiple literacies.
•Recognize and respect culture, heritage, and language as powerful tools for strengthening families and communities. Día is sponsored by the Junior League of Lower Columbia and the Friends of the Longview Library. All events are free and open to the public. For more information call 360.442.5300, visit longviewlibrary.org, or Facebook. com/Longview PublicLibraryWA or follow on Instagram at Instagram.com/ longviewlibrarywa
Call leader to join outing or for more info. Non-members welcome.
(E) - Easier: Usually on relatively flat ground (up to 5 miles and/or less than 500 ft. e.g.)
(M) - Moderate: Longer and more elevation gain (over 5 miles and/or over 500 ft. e.g.)
(S) - Strenuous: Long hikes and/or elevation gain (over 8 miles and/or over 1200 ft. e.g.)
Apr 15 - Sat •Angels Rest / Devils Rest (S)
Drive 130 miles RT to Bridal Veil in the Columbia Gorge. Hike 4.4 miles RT with 1500’ e.g. to Angel’s Rest viewpoint. Continue up a remote trail 3 extra miles RT with 800’ e.g. to Devil’s Rest. Return through a “ghost” forest to Angel’s Rest, then back down to the trailhead. Leader: Bruce 360-425-0256
Apr 19 - Wed • Whipple Creek Park (E)
Drive 66 miles RT to North Vancouver. Hike a 4-mile loop with 190’ e.g. though forest farm land. Leader: John R. 360-431-1122
Apr 21 - Friday • Tumwater Historical Park (E)
Drive 134 miles RT. Hike 5-6 miles.
Leader: Leslie P. (360) 520-4592
Apr 26 - Wed • Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (M) Drive 96 miles RT. Hike up trail to Audubon Visitor Center continue hiking on the Founders North Collins Loop then the Jay Woodpecker Loop. Total distance 4.5 miles with 600’ e.g.
Leader: Bruce: 360-425-0256
April 29 - Sat • Hummocks to Johnston Ridge
Observatory (M) Drive 120 miles RT. Hike 10 miles out and back with 1,714’ e.g. on the Boundary Trail up to the observatory. Great views of the Toutle River drainage on the north side of Mt St Helens. Leader: Bruce: Bill D. 503260-6712
May 3 - Wed • Camassia Nature Park (E)
Drive 125 miles RT. Walk 5 miles with little e.g. though wilderness park in West Linn to the 27 acre preserve for a view of spectacular wildflowers. Camassia supports over 400 species of native plants and animals. After this walk we will also walk the promenade in Oregon City to see the Willamette Falls. Leader: Linda J. 360-431-3321
Friday, April 21, 2023 - 7:30 pm
2023-2024 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT PLUS ‘DIVAS 3’ BONUS
Sunday, Sept. 24 - 3:00 pm
This 17-piece jazz band comprised of professional musicians, local music teachers, and advanced amateur musicians perform your favorites of the jazz era.
May 6 - Sat • Lake Sacajawea (E) Walk 4 miles on flat ground around the whole lake or any loop/portion for a shorter walk. Total hike length will be decided by the group at the time. The group will hike all together. Note: This walk is designed for Super Seniors and/or people with physical limitations at a slow pace. Leaders: Susan S. 360-430-9914
May 10 - Wed • Steigerwald Wildlife Refuge (E) Drive 129 miles RT to Washougal. Hike 4.5 – 7.6mile loop trail with little e.g. on level gravel and paved path near the Columbia River.
Leader: Barbara 360-431-1131
May 12 - Fri • Cape Horn (M) Drive 120 miles RT. Hike 7 miles with 1,300’ e.g. out and back to the top of a landmark bluff on the Wash. side of Columbia River Gorge. Great views of the Columbia River. Leader: Bill D. 503-260-6712
May 13 - Sat • Council Crest (M)
Drive 98 miles RT to Portland’s Terwilliger Blvd. Hike 4.7 miles with 800’ e.g. up the Marquam Trail to Council Crest Park. Return on Shelter Loop Trail. Excellent view of Portland’s Metro area and surrounding Cascade Mountains. Leader: Bruce 360-425-0256
May 17 - Wed • Millersylvania State Park (E) Drive 120 miles RT. Hike 5 miles with little e.g. around the perimeter trail.
Leader: John R. 360-431-1122
May 20 - Sat • Dry Creek Falls via PCT (M) Drive 168 miles RT. Hike 4.4 miles out and back with 885’ e.g. Enjoyable forest hike. The hike can be extended for those who want a longer hike. Leader: Mary Jane M. 360-430-7905
Above: watercolorized sketch by the late Deena Martinson
Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023 - 3:00 pm
A piano and cello duo who weave classical, gospel, jazz, ragtime and boogie woogie together with anecdotes and humor that bring performances to life.
Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 - 7:30 pm
Performing vocals from nearly every era and genre, Vox Fortura adds an exciting twist to classical crossover and pop music.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 - 7:30 pm
David Shannon’s powerful vocals are incorporated with violin, Irish bodhran and multi-media in a mix of classic Irish songs and selections from his starring roles on Broadway and London’s West End.
Performances at The Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts
Tickets Available Online or at the Door
Early Bird Season subscription prices: Adults $110 • Students $45
Season prices after April 21: Adults $125 Adult • Students $55 For Information: Susie Kirkpatrick 360-636-2211
www.lkcca.org
I love those old theaters,” said Jim Messina by phone from his ranch outside Nashville. “They tend to have great stages and great sound.” Messina and his band will play the Columbia Theatre in Longview Friday, May 19th.
Messina ought to know. In Los Angeles in the mid-1960s, emigrated from Harlingen, Texas, he started poking around doing arrangements, engineering and eventually playing bass for a ragged group of musicians pioneering the sound later dubbed country rock.
“Neil and Stephen were both really serious about the music. There may have been some friction going on but I didn’t catch wind of it.” That fledgling group was called Buffalo Springfield, and along with their contemporaries the Byrds, they were founding princes of the LA 60s sound. Neil and Stephen were, of course, Young and Stills, respectively.
One of the last songs recorded by the Springfield was the classic “Kind Woman,” written by another Springfield member, singer-songwriter Richie Furay. “I wanted to bring a little more country sound to it,” said Messina. He and Furay brought in a steel guitar prodigy from Denver named Rusty Young, and the nucleus of Jim’s next band, Poco, was born. “We’d been talking about forming our own band, and Rusty was a perfect fit.”
Many credit Poco, especially after adding bassist Timothy B. Schmidt (later bass player for Eagles), as being the prototypical countryrock band. One critic called their live disc Deliverin’ recorded in Boston and New York in 1970, “among the finest live albums ever laid down.” Glenn Frey and Don Henley, playing with Linda Ronstadt at the time, admired the Poco sound. “We just wanted to be like Poco,” said Frey, and they emulated it in forming Eagles a few months later.
“For me it’s all about the audiences,” Messina said. “I’m amazed that at age 75 I can still play my music and there are people out there singing along with the words.” Messina is as much craftsman as performer, and rests his reputation on producing records as well as performing on them. “These are very much arrangements, not jams,” he said. “I come up with a set for each tour, which we rehearse
By Hal Calbomahead of time, and we play that same set. It can be complicated stuff and I want it right.”
Despite its strong critical reception and revered status in the music business, Poco never broke through with Eagleslike visibility or stardom. Messina left the band after producing Deliverin ’, looking for new musical direction, and was hired as an in-house producer by Columbia Records and assigned a “project” by Columbia president Clive Davis. The “project” was a lanky songwriter with braces on his teeth and virtually no studio experience named Kenny Loggins.
The first time Loggins sang for a skeptical Messina, out popped “Danny’s Song” and “House at Pooh Corner,” genredefying classics still played today. “I was playing a bigger and bigger part of the arrangements with Kenny,” said Messina, “and we came up with the idea of an album called Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin’ In.”
Sittin’ In sold more than 16 million copies, and the duo, now formally Loggins and Messina, rocketed to the top of the charts with later hits like “Angry Eyes” and “Watching the River Run,” (both of which will be in Jim’s Columbia Theatre set) and jukebox staples like “Your Momma Don’t Dance.”
Messina’s career is a name dropper’s dream. He credits Stephen Spielberg with a key musical inspiration. Asking the director how he came up with music for his movie scores, he was told it depended entirely on the script. “I got the message that the words of a song are very much like a script, like a chapter in a book, and I try to shape the music to fit it,” said Messina. His general knowledge of music is impressive — he spoke of adding “baroque” touches to Loggins’s “Pooh Corner” that reinforced the deeper resonances in the song.
Today he works out of a home studio at his ranch in Franklin, Tennessee. I began my interview by asking
Friday, May 19, 7:30pm
Tickets $22.50 – $60
Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts 1231 Vandercook Way, Longview, Wash. Box Office 360-575-8499 • www,columbiatheatre.com
him what was outside his window. “Two jackasses, a horse, chickens, donkeys…should I go on?” he laughed. “My wife is sort of like Snow White, animals love her, they show up at the door. We’re very blessed with where we live.”
Jim Messina is a genuine legend, who brings the same passion and commitment to the stage he demonstrated years ago trying to get “Neil and Stephen” to show up for work on time. We’re in for a treat. See you at the Columbia.
In 2013, the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington launched the annual 24-hour online fundraiser GiveMore24! to help non-profits in Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania Counties nonprofits raise awareness, develop donors and provide an easy means of online giving.
Effective this year, Give More 24! is being phased out and replaced by GiveBIG, a statewide fundraising campaign where individuals and organizations across Washington come together to invest in their communities.
The nonprofit 501 Commons manages the website “Washington Gives” at www.wagives.org and hosts two primary fundraisers each year — GiveBIG, set for May 2 and 3, and GivingTuesday, on Nov. 29.
Numerous local non-profit organizations have registered with GiveBIG. For the compete list, visit cfsww.org
Nearly 60 million Americans suffer from arthritis. Of those, more than half report that joint pain limits their mobility and quality of life. For that reason, arthritis is the leading cause of work disability.
Arthritis will not go away by itself. The good news is that the skilled staff at Longview Orthopedic Associates can provide the help you need.
Bill Turner, Jon Kretzler, Peter Kung, A. J. Lauder, Jake McLeod, and Tony Lin specialize in treating knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, wrist, and hand problems.
Don’t let joint pain prevent you from living your best life. Call today to schedule an appointment with the area’s best-trained and most experienced orthopedic team.
Northwest
Story by Alice SlusherThe buzz these days is all about protecting our pollinators. How can you help these insect helpers that are so vital to our food supply and pest control in our gardens?
Plant more flowers, trees and shrubs
To make your landscape appealing to a broad range of pollinators, including bees and the pest-fighting squad (insect predators and parasitoids), plant more flowers, trees, and shrubs — a mix with native plants is best. Make sure you grow them in places that suit their requirements. Large groupings are better than many small planting areas and try to have at least three species of plants that are in continuous bloom continuously from spring through fall to create an all-season buffet. Jerry Garcia probably did this You can also deadhead some flowers to rebloom, too. Black-eyed Susan, Shasta Daisy, Cosmos, gayfeather, sunflowers, candytuft, catnip, anise hyssop, and flat-topped flowers like yarrow and cilantro are good choices for pollinators. My absolute favorite, sweet alyssum, attracts the tiny, non-stinging
Kalama resident Alice Slusher volunteers with WSU Extension Service Plant & Insect Clinic. Call 360-5773014, ext. 1, or send question via cowlitzmastergardener@ gmail.com.
parasitoid wasps that are great aphid-killers and blooms from early summer through frost. While those fancy hybrid flowers with double and triple petals are gorgeous, they are an empty plate for the pollinators, who waste too much time and energy trying to find the pollen! They need water, too, and a pebble-filled shallow bowl is perfect. Make sure you add water on those hot, dry summer days. Have some messy spaces around your gardens?
Now you have an excuse for those leaves you didn’t rake up and the pile of branches in the back of your property! Patches of bare soil or areas with sparsely planted native clump grasses are great places for ground-nesting bees to live. Mason bees need mud to create their nesting rooms; our wet clay mud is perfect. Mason, leafcutter, and carpenter bees all like to make nests in hollow or pithy stems. So, when you’re doing your fall cleanup, leave about 6-18 inches of stems in the garden. Raspberries, grape vines, elderberry, milkweed, and Sedum Autumn Joy are good examples.
The most essential part of creating a place where our pollinators will be welcome is limiting or eliminating the use of pesticides. The good news is that these good insects can control pests. I haven’t had to use even a “safe” pesticide in my garden since I upgraded their habitat space. Remember, pesticides kill beneficial insects along with pests!
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Here are some basic rules—go into your planting beds daily and catch problems early. Squishing pests, drowning them in a bucket of water, or knocking them off the plant with a strong spray of water will often do the job. If a plant consistently attracts pests, consider removing it. Don’t spray if you don’t have to; never spray anything, including fungicides, when plants are in bloom. Never use a pesticide labeled “systemic” because the entire plant becomes an insect killer, including the flowers. Learn to tolerate some cosmetic blemishes, as no garden is perfect! If you’ve weighed your decision carefully and chosen to use a pesticide, use the gentlest, least toxic choice, and spot spray only. BT products for caterpillar pests and insecticidal soap are good choices. Lots of folks like neem oil, but be sure to choose one that does not contain azadirachtin as the active ingredient—it will kill insects but also acts as a repellant. Most important — read the label. It includes application directions to minimize harm to humans, pollinators, and the environment.
If you’d like more information and inspiration, including plant lists, bloom times, and landscape designs, OSU has an amazing free publication—search for Enhancing Urban and Suburban Landscapes to Protect Pollinators. Have a buzzy growing season this year!!
The Reader’s feature writer, Hal Calbom, and its publisher Sue, were invited recently to discuss their work-in-progress Longview Centennial book, Empire of Trees for the Longview Public Library’s “Your Shelf or Mine” podcast.
Over the past year, I have been present for dozens of meetings in which Sue and Hal discussed “The Long View.” with CRR readers and advertisers, service clubs and prospective partners and sponsors of CRR’s Centennial project, They always do a good job outlining the plans, but, in my opinion, they have never told the story better than in this
interview. I encourage everyone to listen to it; I guarantee it will be 44 minutes well spent.
Besides Empire of Trees , you may like another Longview history-relevant podast, this one based on Becky’s and Angela’s (Library staff) conversation with Cal Fowler and Abe Ott, representatives of the Longview ’23 Club.
You can access both podcasts via the longview100.org website and the Longview Public Library’s website, www.longviewlibrary.org. Simply click the icon (shown below), put your feet up and enjoy listening.
The Longview Public Library’s Podcast
Your Shelf or Mine is celebrating Longview’s Centennial with historical episodes. To listen, visit longvew100. org, click on “Events” and then the image shown here. Or go directly to the Library’s website.
Longview resident Ned Piper coordinates advertising and distribution of CRR, and enjoys the opportunities to meet and greet friends, both old and new.
The Longview Centennial Committee is inviting submissions of original designs for the Longview Centennial Drone Show. Help tell the story of Longview’s founding, building, growth, and future via the modern media of lighted drones flying in formation over the celebrants. Three hundred drones with multi-colored lights will launch into the September night and from up to 300 feet in the air form images and animations that will highlight our city’s creation and accomplishments while inspiring future progress.
DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
The show will be similar to a movie or storybook with illustrations. Each image will use 300 drones/comprised of 300 dots
Image may be 2D, 3D, or animation
Image should reflect historical people, buildings, parks, arches, events, the uniqueness of Longview to create a story
OTHER INFO
The drone show will be limited to 12 minutes from launch to landing Music and narration may be added
Standard formats accepted, email will be sent to acknowledge receipt and verify the format is valid
Looking for inspiration? Visit Cowlitz County Historical Museum and look through historic photos of Longview. The Museum is open Tues-Sat, 10am-4pm.
SUBMISSION INFO
Email submissions to: longview.drone.show@gmail.com
For more information about Longview Centennial events, please visit: www. longview100.org
Cowlitz PUD’s dedication of delivering safe and reliable electricity while maintaining healthy community trees has earned us the title of Tree Line Utility in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. We will continue to strive to maintain our title by doing the following:
• Training our employees in quality tree-care practices and
• Educating the public about planting trees for energy conservation and helping homeowners’ plant appropriate trees near utility lines, which provides beautiful trees for the future and also yields long-term savings for our customers.
In celebration of Arbor Day we are giving away 20 powerline safe trees, which have a mature height of less than 25 feet. In partnership with Tsugawa’s Nursery we will be giving away Paperback Maples and Smoke Trees. Enter at: cowlitzpud.org
• Plant your new tree in the right place to conserve energy and reduce your energy bills.
• Properly placed trees save energy by providing summer shade, winter warmth and winter windbreaks. For more information visit https://www.cowlitzpud. org/outages/vegetation-management/
SPRING PROJECTS? PLAN AHEAD!
If you are planning to do some landscaping, or even plant a tree, we ask that you keep some things in mind:
• Call 811 before you dig
• Trees and shrubs can be a problem for overhead and underground facilities.
• Look up to see if there are overhead lines above or near your planting site.
• Trees planted directly under or within 20 feet of the power lines should have a mature height less than 25 feet
• Trees that mature to 25 to 45 feet should be planted 20 to 50 feet away
• Trees greater than 45 feet at maturity should be planted more than 50 feet away
• Look around to see if there are green metal or fiberglass boxes that should not be planted near due to underground facilities.
•••
Alice Dietz is Cowlitz PUD’s Communications/Public Relations Manager. Reach her at adietz@cowlitzpud.org, or 360-501-9146.
Also available at:
• Columbia Gorge Interpretive Museum Stevenson
• Vintage Books 6613 E. Mill Plain, Vancouver
• Broadway Gallery Longview
• Cowlitz County Historical Museum Shop Kelso
• Vault Books & Brew Castle Rock
• Morgan Arts Center Toledo
• Mount St. Helens Gift Shop Castle Rock, I-5 Exit 49
• Tsuga Gallery
• Wahkiakum Eagle
• Redmen Hall
• Skamokawa Store
• Appelo Archives
• Time Enough Books
• Beach Books
• Fort Clatsop
• Godfathers Books
• RiverSea Gallery Astoria,Ore.
• Columbia River Maritime Museum Store Astoria, Ore.
• Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum The Dalles, Ore.
Please support our local booksellers & galleries
By Robert Michael Pyle and Judy VanderMaten
