Columbia River Reader September 2024

COLUMBIA RIVER READER PRESS BOOK BOUTIQUE

LEWIS AND CLARK REVOLUTIONIZED

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

IN FULL VIEW

Rex Ziak

$29.95

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

EYEWITNESS TO ASTORIA

Gabriel Franchére

$21.95

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

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

In three editions:

• Boxed Signature Edition, with color $50

• Collectors Edition, with color $35

• Trade paperback B/W $25

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

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

Welcome to the September issue.

In this month’s People+Place, we shine the spotlight on Longview’s Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. It’s about to launch its Centennial season, led by Managing Director Kelly Ragsdale. The celebration will peak in April 2025, likely sparking memories for many as we marvel at the magic of this theater. (See Hal’s story, page 19.)

My own Columbia Theatre memories Quite a few years ago, I experienced a dark period sitting in my chair for long spells with jittery nerves, and thinking about the past.

But I was far from depressed.

I was actually sitting in the orchestra pit at the Columbia Theatre, buoyed by the chance to reminisce in these exquisite surroundings. We are so fortunate to have this treasure in our community!

Sue’s Views

Magic, memories, and our Columbia Theatre

My son Perry, then 11 years old, had a part in “Annie,” the musical production of the Columbia’s three-week-long theatre camp for kids. Knowing I’d want to see all four performances, I volunteered to play my clarinet — rusty though I was — in the orchestra. Consequently, I spent a lot of time in the theatre.

Publisher/Editor: Susan P. Piper

Columnists and contributors:

Hal Calbom

Nancy Chennault

Alice Dietz

Joseph Govednik

Susie Kirkpatrick

Michael Perry

Ned Piper

Philip Portwood

Robert Michael Pyle

Marc Roland

Alan Rose

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

Columbia River Reader, llc 1333 14th Ave, Longview, WA 98632

P.O. Box 1643 • Rainier, OR 97048

Office Hours: M-W-F • 11–3*

*Other times by chance or appointment

E-mail: publisher@crreader.com

Phone: 360-749-1021

See story, page 19.

Photo by hal Calbom

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 34.

General Ad info: page 9.

Ad Manager: Ned Piper 360-749-2632.

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

The chance to look around the oldmade-new interior — the gleaming brass door hardware, amber mica chandeliers, and fancy wrought iron grillwork — brought back memories. And in a new way, made we realize what a rare treasure this theater is.

Growing up in Longview, I spent many Saturday afternoons at the Columbia Theatre. It was very entertaining for a kid, and you got a lot for your money at the Saturday matinee. For 50 cents you could have a wonderful time. Admission was 35 cents and the show included two feature films, plus cartons and “short subject” films. The remaining 15 cents would pay for three 5-cent candy bars, such as Milk Duds, Junior Mints, Walnettos, and Big Hunk.

Built in 1925, the Italian Renaissancestyle Columbia Theatre was huge for a town Longview’s size, its capacity nearly a quarter of the new city’s population. With its leaded stained-glass in the box office, the ornate proscenium arch, and the seats — upholstered in dark blue Spanish leather trimmed in velour, with hardwood scroll-shaped armrests — the Columbia was a firstrate, luxury theater.

Over the years, however, vaudeville died and the Columbia became a movie theatre, its condition gradually declining as television, drive-in movies and finally, multi-screen cineplexes pulled audiences away.

The building was scheduled to be torn down in May 1980, but the eruption of Mount St. Helens (the day before!) caused the on-site equipment to suddenly be needed elsewhere. The theater’s planned demolition was delayed long enough for Virginia Rubin, a local interior designer and former radio actress, to rally support to save it. (Note: The Plaza in front of the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts is named in honor of Virginia Rubin.)

Over the years since the re-opening as a performing arts venue in November 1983 — when the Southwest Washington Symphony was the first group to appear at the “new” theater — some great shows have been staged at the Columbia.

For me, singer Don McLean’s and Arlo Guthrie’s concerts, and Ed Asher’s and the Smothers Brothers’ shows have been highlights. I still remember the feeling of energy and excitements as audiences cont page 6

Sue Piper

Letter to the Editor

Monthly anticipation

CRR’s August issue extends a long string of excellence. From your words to Ned’s and especially everything in between, readers are offered so much!

Hal’s feature article shares an important piece of our salmon story. And his sidebar introducing it includes his encouragement for us to seek the middle ground, some balance and a chance to close the divide that separates us... I hope he continues to beat that drum.

Michael’s “Dispatches” are interesting and well written. The Martins [Miss Manners] offer good advice. Nancy’s column is both timely and offers a floral perspective that few people have. Marc gives us what to know about wine and more. Andre looks back on life in thoughtful ways. Debra finds great quotes to think about. Greg tells us to look up and describes what we’ll see if we do. Alan and Dennis [August’s ‘What Else Are You Reading’ contributor] find and review books that are worth knowing about even if we don’t read all of them. And of course, Robert and Judy ‘anchor’ each issue with words and images that pique our nautical senses.

Woven throughout, are all of the events, locations and dates that we should be aware of. I know you don’t do it alone, but I heartily applaud the wonderful result of your efforts.

Thank you for what has become an anticipated part of my every month.

Brian Davern Longview, Wash.

Editor’s note: Mr. Davern is Board Chairman, Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group. He is correct, I don’t produce CRR alone...it takes a village! We all appreciate Mr. Davern’s interest and support (and his compliments!)

Financial strategies built just for

EXPERIENCED RELIABLE LOCAL LICENSED BONDED

Member SIPC

Nick Lemiere CFP®

CASTLE ROCK TOUR OF BLOOMS

Annual celebration features displays, garden walks and tours

Story & photos by Nancy Chennault

Give Summer 2024 a proper send off! Celebrate the tenth Castle Rock Tour of Blooms September 20-21 .The popular, self-guided tour of flowers, gardens and parks is just a few days away.

Shop the Proven Winners Flowering Shrub sale at Castle Rock High School greenhouses. Saturday only, assorted late summer containers will be for sale at my garden. Teresa, of Cowlitz River Dahlia, will take orders for next spring tubers.

Friday only, savor Hubbard Gardens’ fresh organic vegetables and edible flowers. Relax with Ellie Stillmeadows Gardens & Retreat off Tower Road.

Take a walk about downtown, visit the businesses uptown and be sure to have a bite to eat before you head out on the road to admire, charming private gardens hosted by the homeowners themselves.

EVENTS/SCHEDULE

Times and Contacts on Facebook:

Castle Rock Tour of Blooms and CastleRockBlooms will have the times/contact/addresses for the stops and the events of the two days. At press time, two private gardens and Cowlitz River Dahlias, Castle Rock Blooms, Stillmeadows Gardens and Retreat, and Hubbard Gardens are signed up.

CRHS-FFA Plant Sale, at Castle Rock High School Greenhouses, both days, Friday, Sept. 20, 10–4, and Sat., Sept. 21, 10–1.

Hydrangea/Begonia

Classes by Nancy I'll teach a class about hydrangeas at the Castle Rock Visitor Center on Friday at 2pm, and will have The Gardens @ Sandy Bend open on Saturday, 10-4 with a class on overwintering begonias at 11.

Golden Retriever 'Walk About Town' on Sept 21st. Enjoy the flowers and the beautiful Goldens. 10am-4pm. Be sure to have a photo op with a friendly, furry face.

Nancy Chennault is a member of “Castle Rock Blooms” team of volunteers. She and her husband, Jim, operated a landscaping business and independent nursery/garden center for 20+ years. She wrote CRR’s Northwest Gardener column from 2006 until early 2017. After a seven-year hiatus she came out of “retirement” to reconnect us with some of her favorite gardening topics.

The most photographed corner in Castle Rock.

cont from page 3 packed the house, proud to think that big name entertainers were visiting our town. And our Columbia Theatre.

Sitting in the orchestra pit was for me a curious combination of nostalgia, discovery, and joy. I still could play my high school clarinet and managed to hit most of the notes. And where else would an ordinary person like me have the chance to play in a Broadway musical, while watching her own son perform on the stage of a world-class theater?

And there was another thing At the dress rehearsal of “Annie,” the star of the show, Joan Mankin (sister of the Columbia’s then-manager Dan Mankin), playing the flightly Miss Hannigan, appeared on stage wearing a vintage black and roseflowered, flounced crepe dress. I recognized it immediately.

It was the dress I’d donated about 10 years prior to R.A.Long High School’s drama department, where my friend Marty Freeman was in charge of costumes. Even my old dress made it into the spotlight!

Congratulations, Columbia Theatre, for making magic and memories over these 100 years (so far)! And thank you to everyone who has helped (and continues to help) make it all happen. Let the celebration begin!

Candidate Debates

Aseries of candidate forums continues on Wednesday evenings in the Rose Center for the Arts at Lower Columbia College, Longview, 7–9pm.

Candidates for the positions of Cowlitz County Commissioner, Washington 19th District Senator, and the U.S. Congressional 3rd District Representative will respond to questions addressing issues of local concern.

The debates will be moderated by retired Superior Court Judge Stephen Warning and Melanee Green Evans, Lower Columbia College Head Start Public Relations.

Submitted by Alan Rose, Civil Dialogue Project spokesman

The community is invited to submit questions beforehand at cowlitzcivildialogue@gmail.com. All debates will be two hours, with a 10-minute break at the midpoint, on the following days:

Sept. 18: Cowlitz County Commissioner, Position 2: Amy Norquist (D), Steve Ferrell (R)

Sept. 25: Washington State Senator, 19th District: Jeff Wilson (R), Andi Day (D)

Oct. 2: U.S. Congressional Representative, 3rd District: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D), Joe Kent (R).

The series, in partnership with Lower Columbia College, is hosted by the Civil Dialogue Project, a nonpartisan group of local citizens committed to fostering respectful civil discourse on issues important to our community. Find more information at https:// www.cowlitzcivildialogue.com. The forums are free and open to the public. They will also be broadcast live by KLTV and can be viewed afterward on the KLTV website.

DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL

EPISODE 6

Bluff and Bluster and Winter Weather Worries

By Michael O. Perry

Not all members of the Corp of Discovery were great hunters. George Shannon came close to starving to death when he got lost at the end of August in 1804 while looking for missing horses. In his attempt to return to the boats, Shannon followed an Indian trail; he thought he was behind the party, but he was actually ahead of them. After two weeks, he decided he was never going to catch up with the Expedition and stopped.

On Sept. 11th, his crewmates found him sitting on the riverbank, hoping to catch a ride back to St. Louis with a French trapper. Shannon must have been a poor marksman, for Clark wrote “thus a man had the like to have Starved to death in a land of Plenty for the want of Bullitts.” Shannon had gone “12 days without any thing to eate but Grapes & one Rabit, which he Killed by shooting a piece of hard Stick in place of a ball.”

Lewis and Clark had no way of knowing what lay ahead when the Expedition traveled through what is now South Dakota. But, worries about the approaching winter weather and interactions with the Indians were undoubtedly on their mind. Some of you may have driven across the Dakotas and feared being caught by a winter storm. Today, with reliable weather forecasts and motels along the way, few people actually get stranded. But, for Lewis and Clark, it was a real possibility.

On September 15, 1804, Clark wrote “this evening is verry Cold… the wind is hard from the N W.” Three days later, Lewis wrote “this day saw the first brandt on their return from the north.” Birds flying south was not a welcome

sight since they were hoping to get to the Mandan Indian villages in present day North Dakota before winter snows set in.

The weather was changing. On September 19th, they began recording temperatures each morning and again at 4pm each day.

On September 23rd Clark wrote “aire remarkably dry – in 36 hours two Spoonfuls of water aveporated in a sauser.” Over the next month, morning temperatures ranged from 38 to 58 degrees, and the afternoon highs ranged between 40 and 86. By mid-October, Clark wrote “the leaves of all the trees as ash, elm &c except the cottonwood is now fallen.” The men awoke to frost on the ground several times in early October. Clearly, winter was near.

Meanwhile, Lewis and Clark were worried about the Teton Sioux Indians. They knew a Teton war party had recently raided the Omahas, killing more than 70 people and capturing dozens more as slaves.

The Teton Sioux were a large and aggressive tribe who controlled the land on both sides of the river and had prevented small groups of traders from passing without paying tribute. Lewis and Clark knew they had to deal with them since the Omaha survivors reported the Teton Sioux intended to prevent the Expedition from continuing up the river. President Jefferson had specifically instructed Lewis to make friends with the Teton Sioux; however, if Lewis recalled that order, he ignored it.

September 24th was the first of several tense days. First, the Teton Sioux stole the Expedition’s last

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

“

The

...

the

weather was changing ...

going had been slow, but they’d been in what Clark called The Garden of Eden, rich American grasslands full of game and forage. Suddenly, as the fall approached, the members began to worry about three things: the Indians — chiefly the fierce Teton Sioux they’d heard warnings about — the weather, and the availability of game for food.”

horse. Efforts to get the horse back failed when three chiefs met with Lewis and Clark to hear the standard speech promoting peace and trading. Unimpressed by the medals and presents they received, the chiefs were invited aboard the keelboat for some whiskey. The chiefs were “exceedingly fond of it, they took up an empty bottle, Smelted it, and made many Simple jestures and Soon began to be troublesome.”

The chiefs resisted efforts to be put ashore; when a warrior grabbed the line holding the pirogue and one of the chiefs demanded a canoe load of presents before allowing the expedition to go on, Clark drew his sword and Lewis called all the men to arms. The swivel cannon was aimed at shore and the men loaded their rifles. The Indians strung their bows and took arrows from their quivers. Lewis held a lighted taper over the cannon and refused to back down. Disaster was averted when the warriors began to back off. Clark offered to shake hands with the few who remained, but they refused. Two of the three chiefs stepped forward and offered to stay on the keelboat that night to insure peace. The next morning, they asked Lewis to stay another night.

That evening, the Teton Sioux put on a grand pageant and feast. A scalp dance was performed (the scalps were from a recent raid against the neighboring Omaha Indians). Clark described it as “A large fire made in the Center, about 10 misitions playing on tamberins made of hoops & skin stretched, long sticks with Deer & Goats Hoofs tied So as to make a gingling noise and many others of a similar kind, those men began to Sing & Beet on the Tamboren, the women Came forward highly Deckerated in their way, with the Scalps an Trofies of war of ther father Husbands Brothers or near Connection & proceeded to Dance the war Dance.” While returning from the pageant, Clark’s pirogue crashed into the keelboat and broke its anchor line. Clark ordered “all hands up & at their ores” to keep the loose boat from slipping into the swift current. The Indians became alarmed by the commotion and thought they were being attacked.

In no time, there were 200 warriors lined up on the bank, while the men on board had their guns loaded and aimed. Interestingly, as was the case the previous day, the Indians did not notch their arrows – doing so might have been enough to cause the crew

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

15,

to begin shooting. The confusion was soon resolved. Clark wrote “All prepared on board for any thing which might happen, we kept a Strong guard all night in the boat. No sleep.”

When the crew attempted to leave the next morning, the Indians once again created a tense showdown. They demanded some more tobacco before allowing the expedition to proceed. Lewis lost his temper and refused. As they tried to cast off, a warrior grabbed the rope. Clark was not ready to repeat the previous standoffs, so he threw some tobacco to the chief while lighting the cannon’s firing taper to show he was prepared to shoot if necessary. A few more pieces of tobacco and the confrontation was over and they were once again moving up river.

Although the Indians vastly outnumbered the expeditionary force, many would have been killed if fighting had occurred. Such a loss was too big a price to pay even for control of trade and travel on the

river. Indians would not attack a wellarmed and determined force. The French and Spanish traders who had preceded Lewis and Clark had been willing to pay whatever price the Indians demanded and were thus deemed to be weak.

Knowing the Corps clearly was fearless and prepared to fight, the Teton Sioux were not willing to fight when their bluffs and bluster failed. Lewis and Clark were fortunate since the entire crew would almost certainly have been killed if fighting had broken out. Such a victory would have made the Teton Sioux even more feared and would undoubtedly have changed history. The United States could not have sent trading parties up the river for years afterwards, and the westward expansion would have been slowed.

... make friends with the Teton Sioux ...

“These were the most aggressive Indians they’d run into yet. But they’d been warned ‚ both parties. Everywhere the Expedition went, the Indians knew they were coming because other Indians passed the word. The fur trappers had told the Expedition members they should anticipate trouble getting by and might have to pay the Indians.”

On October 8th, the expedition reached the Arikara Nation in present-day South Dakota. Word of the Corp’s near-disasterous encounter with the Teton Sioux had already reached the Arikaras.

... fearless and prepared to fight ...

The Teton Sioux occupied two villages near present-day Pierre, South Dakota. Among French and Canadian traders, as well as among other neighboring and competing tribes, the Tetons were known for their fighting spirit and aggressiveness. They often demanded gifts or tribute for passage up or down the river.

At the first council with the leaders of the Teton tribe, the Expedition’s leaders went through their regular routine used when meeting Indians, dressing in their parade uniforms and demonstrating their weapons. The Tetons were notably unimpressed. They saw the Americans as potential trade rivals and grew fractious as their council meetings went on. During the Corps’ stay, Clark made detailed notes on Teton culture. In his journal, the Tetons are described as thin, small and generally ill-looking. The Teton men wore hawk feathers about their heads and robes over their bodies, while women dressed in buffalo skins and robes. During the Expedition’s stay, the Tetons held a number of celebrations — scalp dances — of a recent war victory over the rival Omahas.

Things went much better when the two sides met, and Lewis gave them gifts. As usual, the keelboat cannon was fired to impress the Indians, and Lewis “astonished them much” when he fired his air rifle. But, the Indians were even more amazed by one of the men in the Expedition. Next episode we will learn about the only Black man in the Corps of Discovery, and encounter the first snow as the Corps travels to the Mandan village in North Dakota where the group will spend the winter.

Sioux Chief Running Antelope is the only American Indian ever depicted on U.S. currency. Unfortunately, the Chief is pictured — to the distress of many historians and tribal leaders — wearing a Pawnee headdress, as his traditional Sioux headdress was too tall for the engraving.

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I entertained two guests on separate occasions: One was a guest for the weekend, and the other just for dinner. Each one put their feet on my coffee table as they were sitting on the couch. (One was barefoot and the other was shod.)

Astounded as I was, I said nothing. What would have been the appropriate response?

GENTLE READER: “Sorry, I don’t have a footstool, but I can get you a pillow. Meanwhile, let me move this coffee table out of your way.”

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My wife and I were meeting another couple at a restaurant for dinner, and we arrived 15 minutes before our reservation time. The other couple was not in the waiting area. After my wife and I sat for a while, we checked with the hostess and were informed that our dinner companions were already seated.

When we located them in the dining room, they had already ordered drinks. Though we didn’t say anything, I felt it was rude for them to have proceeded without us. I thought it was common courtesy to wait until the entire dining party could be seated at the same time.

I know that many restaurants insist that all members of a party be

present before they are seated, but this obviously was not the case here. Am I missing something?

GENTLE READER: Restaurants refuse to seat incomplete parties to maximize revenue, not manners. But as the practice is not uniformly applied, Miss Manners recommends that polite diners share their whereabouts directly with one another upon arrival -- a practice made relatively easy by ubiquitous cellular telephones.

This does not preclude proceeding to a ready table, though she agrees that ordering before everyone is present should be kept to a minimum.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My old college roommate and I were at school together about 40 years ago. Over the years, we have lost touch, but I still enjoy seeing her family in online posts.

In her most recent posts, her husband is not in any of the family pictures. I don’t know if they have divorced, if he was out of town, if he has passed away, or if maybe he was just having a bad hair day. As I haven’t said anything to her for many years beyond an annual birthday message, is there a delicate way to inquire about his absence?

GENTLE READER: Well, no. “Where’s your husband?” is not likely to be received well, whether he died or ran off with the other college

roommate during the reunion you missed. But if you reconnect with this friend, Miss Manners is confident that a little patience will eventually be rewarded.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a CPA who will be retiring in 2025 after 36 years with my employer’s firm. Over the years, I have acquired several tops, sweaters and jackets imprinted with my firm’s logo. They are all in good condition and I enjoy wearing them.

After my retirement, is it appropriate for me to continue wearing these items, as I believe I have earned the right to do? Or should I offer them to other women in the firm when I leave?

GENTLE READER: Military establishments, airlines and other institutions in which the clothing confers authority are fussy about donning the uniform when you no longer work there. But companies usually issue sweatshirts to promote the brand — not to terrify the enemy -- so Miss Manners sees little reason not to wear them into retirement if you wish.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I love to throw dinner parties, but often our guests stay late into the evening. My husband loves to continue to entertain guests after dessert, but I am more of an introvert and would prefer that they head home.

To that end, I often will do dishes and clean up while my guests are still present, but after the meal is over. I’d much rather have all the dishes done that night than leave them until the next morning.

May I clean up a dinner party while my guests are entertained by my spouse? Sometimes my friends will complain that I should be entertaining them instead.

GENTLE READER: Well, it does convey the message you intend: that although you would like your guests to wrap it up, you will tolerate their presence if your husband does the entertaining.

Miss Manners suggests a compromise, but only for your more intimate friends: Ask one or two of them to keep you company while you put a few things away. Of course, they will likely insist that they help, but you can politely refuse or accept as you see fit.

Again, this is for close friends only. Should you entertain business acquaintances or heads of state, you must stay in the living room until they leave.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is it considered necessary to write notes of sympathy about a death on cards specially designed for the purpose? I have given up on finding cards that are acceptable and instead use cards with flowers printed on the front, writing my message inside.

I will be interested in your thoughts. I can even imagine that you may have a suggestion on how I could comfortably change my practice.

GENTLE READER: Not only comfortably, but while also saving money and effort.

Letters of condolence are serious letters that do not require printed embellishments of any kind. It is peculiar to think that a mass stamped expression — “Sympathy,” or in the case of letters of thanks, “Thank you”— is better than the personal, handwritten word. Rather, it looks a bit cheesy, as if one merely reached for the standard response instead of writing from the heart.

So Miss Manners suggests you save yourself a search for pre-printed

Summer: Not Quite Over Yet

MAN IN THE KITCHEN CLASSICS

TOpen the tailgate!

Easy dish for patio potlucks or picnics-on-the-go

by Paul thomPsoN • for columbia rivEr rEadEr

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

wice during our recent hot spells, I’ve joined my neighbors for an impromptu patio potluck. My Tangy Tomato Tart, adapted from a recipe that caught my eye in one of my cooking magazines, has been a hit both times. Is it too soon to say it’s now part of my regular repertoire, along with my “famous” garlic bread, Tandoori Chicken or Gaucamole? Time will tell.

Over the years, I’ve used frozen puff pastry from time to time and found it to be quite good . It’s quick to thaw, much lighter than ordinary pastry or pizza dough and easily enhanced to make many different appetizers or desserts.

With tomatoes in great abundance this time of year, you’re sure to find this tart an easy-to-make, tasty treat with a refreshing tanginess. It’s versatile, too, offering many possibilities for variations and would also be good served room temperature at a tailgate picnic.

Man in the Kitchen’s Tangy Tomato Tart

Ingredients

1 thawed sheet frozen puff pastry

2 Tbl. olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 lb. tomatoes (3 med. thinly sliced; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; or a mixture)

1 large lemon, sliced into thin rounds, seeds removed

1– 2 cups fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces (Editor’s note: Baby spinach works well, too, when fresh basil is hard to find.

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional add-ons for a heartier dish: Sardines, oysters, anchovies, sliced mushrooms, olives, Parmesan cheese, etc.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375º. Roll out puff pastry to approx. 10”x15”on a lightly floured surface; prick pastry all over with a fork, leaving a one-inch border. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Combine 1 Tbl. olive oil and the finely grated garlic clove in a small bowl, then spread with a brush over the pastry (within the borders).

Arrange lemons in a single layer on the pastry; scatter with basil leaves. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer, followed by a generous sprinkle of kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper.

Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbl. olive oil and bake at 375º for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Cool slightly on a rack, then cut into squares to serve, hot or at room temperature.

‘Come over for some Sangria!’ Prolong the sense of summer with a pre-fall neighborhood gathering

Agreat way to savor a summer day is by sipping sangria, a concoction of dry red wine and fruit juices that will add smiles to the faces of your guests. It’s a perfect thirst-quencher for a warm afternoon, or anytime you desire a quench. I have tasted pre-mixed sangrias available, bottled, in some markets. Don’t bother. Fresh squeezed fruit juices make all the difference, and adding the rind to the mix only increases its flavor.

Served in a punch bowl or large pitcher, sangria proudly displays its fruity components. A few of them may decorate a freshly poured glass.

If you want to beef up the alcohol content, add vodka or rum, making it a heavier mixed drink. Designate a driver. Wherever it’s served, your guests will appreciate your raising mixed drinks to a higher level.

One More Advantage

Any leftover fruit and flavored wine can be saved for another time, enhanced further by soaking together. The fruit can make a wonderful breakfast treat, and the wine imbibed later, or as a “hair of the dog” treat with breakfast.

Sangria

1 bottle dry red wine, 750 ml. 1/4 cup sugar

2 cups sparkling water or club soda (chilled)

1/4 cup brandy or orange liqueur

1 lemon

1 lime

1 orange

1 banana

A few strawberries.

You don’t stop there. Add a peach, an apple, a mango, your favorite berries.

In a large pitcher or bowl, dissolve the sugar in the red wine and add the brandy. Wash the orange, lemon and lime. Slice and squeeze them into the wine mixture, rind included. Slice the banana and strawberries, and squeeze them into the pitcher. Add other fruits and berries as you choose. Refrigerate, covered, for a couple of hours or overnight. Before serving, mix in the sparkling water.

This authentic Sangria ranks far above any of the pre-mixes I’ve tasted. This is great by the pitcher or in a punch bowl.

Longview Outdoor Gallery

Unique sculptures along the sidewalks of Downtown Longview, both sides of Commerce Ave.

Nice crinkly paper

Hold it in your hands

Never needs re-charging Doesn’t break if you drop it And it’s all local

Made with love

Thanks for reading

Teri’s Café on Broadway

Mount St. Helens Hiking Club

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

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

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

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

Sept 18 – Wed  Kalama Waterfront Park (E)

Drive 20 miles RT. We’ll walk through town to the Waterfront Park and back. Walk 3+ miles up and back on flat paved trail. The only elevation is the stairs up and over the railroad tracks. Leader: Art M. 360-270-9991

Sept 21 - Sat  Klahhane Ridge – Olympic National Park (S) Drive to Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center parking lot. Hike 7 miles RT with 1200’ e.g. past Mt. Angeles to meadow-top views of Mt. Olympus in one direction and San Juan Islands in another. Warning: Mountain Goats rule this area! Leader: Bruce M. 360425-0256

Sept 24 - Tues   Indian Heaven Thomas Lake to Blue Lake (S) Drive 185 miles r.t. Hike 9+ miles with 900’ e.g. Hike past 10 lakes and enjoy the flaming fall colors at the peaceful meadows of Indian Heaven. Leader: Pat R. 360-225-7232 or 360-560-9554 cell

Sept 25 - Wed    Capitol Lake (E)

Drive 140 miles RT. Hike 4.6 miles on a level path around the lake. Leader: Julie L. 360-747-1415

Sept 27 - Fri    Astoria Riverfront & Column (E) Drive 100 miles RT. Hike 4.5 to 5 miles with 700’ e.g. along the riverfront heading to the Astoria Column via Cathedral Tree Trail and city streets. Leader: Leslie P. 360-520-4592

Oct 2 - Wed   Julia Butler Hansen Wildlife Refuge (B) (E) Drive 50 miles RT. Walk or bike following the road west to the path across mid-field turning left until the road ends. View an eagles nest along the way. Walkers can turn around and walk back to cars. Bikers can continue biking Steamboat Slough to the highway (great views). Watch for Colombian white tail deer, eagles and osprey along the way. Approx. 23 miles on bikes. Leader: MJ R. 360-355-5220

Oct. 5 – Sat  Lake Sacajawea (E)   Walk 4 miles on flat ground around the whole lake or any portion for a shorter walk. *This walk is designed for super seniors and/or people with physical limitations at a slow pace. Leader: Susan S. (360) 430-9914

Oct 5 – Sat   Bertha May Lake – Cora Lake (S) Drive 195 miles RT to Teeley Creek Trail #251. Hike 9.5 miles RT with 1800’ e.g. through old-growth forest past numerous alpine lakes underneath the vertical cliffs of Sawtooth Ridge. Leader: Bruce M. 360-4250256

Oct 9 - Wed  Lake Sacajawea (E)  Walk a 4+ mile loop around the entire lake or walk any segment of the lake trail for a shorter distance. There is very little e.g. Leader: Barbara R. 360-431-1131

Oct 11 - Fri   Siouxon Creek (S)  Drive 105 miles RT. Hike 8 miles with 1,000’ e.g. The lower trailhead is opened and the gate is gone. Hike down to Siouxon Falls on a soft duff trail in a beautiful forest along a stunning creek, view cliffs, rocks, and burned trees (from the recent fires). Uphill hike back to the trailhead. Leader: Pat R. 360-225-7232 or 360-560-9554 cell

Looking UP Astronomy

SKY REPORT Sept. 17 – Oct. 17, 2024

By Greg Smith

The Evening Sky

A clear sky is needed.

SATURN is at opposition this month (Sept. 8th) meaning it is visible all night long. It rises in the east shortly after sunset at about 5 degrees above the eastern horizon and is high in the southern sky at midnight. VENUS is visible in the west for up to an hour after sunset. So be watching for this bright planet, as well. We are now in the season when Andromeda arises in the east with the beautiful galaxy M31. The galaxy will be visible around 9:00pm. Jupiter rises in the east by 11:15pm.

The Morning Sky

A cloudless eastern horizon sky is required.

On September 17th at 3am, JUPITER is high above Orion in the morning sky. Just 10 degrees

lower and to the left of Jupiter is reddish MARS. By 6:30am, if you are wondering about that bright star low in the southeastern sky, it is Sirius.

Night Sky Spectacle

A clear sky is a must. Should the forecasted nova of T-Corona Borealis show up in our night sky, it will be in the western sky now. I realize that astronomers have been saying that this has blown up on an approximate 80-year cycle, but as they say it is approximately 80 years. It may not show up until next year on our calendar.

T-CrB (abbreviation for T-Corona Borealis) has its own ticking clock. Betelgeuse is on its own clock, as well; it is showing signs of odd behavior such as the great dimming of a few years ago and changes in its size and color.

All times are Pacific Daylight Savings Time

MOON PHASES:

Full: Tues, Sept 17th

Last Quarter: Tues, Sept 24th

New Moon: Thurs ,Oct 3rd

First Quarter: Thurs,Oct 10th

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

Tues, Sept 17th, 7:48pm Wed, Sept 25th, 7:32pm Wed, Oct 2nd, 7:18pm Wed, Oct 9th, 7:11pm

Watch for the Moon’s eclipsing of Saturn at about 1:50am on the 17th. We should be in position and will see Saturn pass behind the full Moon. Sorry, it’s a school night. Stay tuned and keep looking to the sky.

Waiting for T-Corona Borealis nova’s first light

By Greg Smith

Astronomers are still awaiting the arrival of the first light of the T-Corona Borealis nova. It has always been an educated guess as to when we would see it. Based on the last few times it was seen, it averaged out at 80 years. We still may see it this year or we may have to wait until next year. It will show up eventually.

This pulse of light from T-CrB (abbreviation for T-Corona Borealis]) is just the next pulse of light of its novas in the past 3,000 years. As T-CrB is more than 3,000 light years away, there must be some 35-plus novas that have happened in those 3000+ years. Imagine if you drew a line between

Earth and T-CrB and on that line were a number of, shall we say, pulses of light traveling along that line.

It looks sort of like a seismogram for earthquakes. (The above picture is a real seismogram). Just use the two large blobs for our purpose, especially on the top and bottom lines. We are at the point just before the blob in the top line. Use your imagination to put the two lines together end to end to make a single line

The one we are anticipating is just the first in the top line of those 35 pulses on its way to us. The big blob in the bottom line is the one 80 years from now. Remember the spacing is in years.

Just think, a one-year-old child may live to see the next nova of T-CrB that blew up some 2,920-plus years ago.

Kind of mind boggling isn’t it?

We trim, but do not

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

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

Biz Buzz

What’s Happening Around the River

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

PeaceHealth St. John Foundation Board member Jordan Burns is offering a dollar-for-dollar match — up to $5,000 — from his business Diamond Showcase during the month of November, for gifts made by the community for the Linear Accelerator Replacement Project at St. John Medical Center in Longview.

A Medical Linear Accelerator (LINAC) is a treatment unit used in Radiation Oncology to treat cancer. It customizes high energy x-rays or electrons to conform to a tumor’s shape and destroys cancer cells while sparing surrounding normal tissue.

To install the state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam and continue to provide Radiation Oncology Services to the community, extensive renovations to a current vault will need to be done. The goal is that the current Linear Accelerator will remain in use during the renovation so service to cancer patients will not be disrupted.

St. John Lower Columbia Radiation Oncology is the only provider of radiation oncology treatments to Cowlitz, Columbia, and Wahkiakum Counties. The installation of a new TrueBeam Linear Accelerator would maintain their ability to continue to deliver state-of-the-art Radiation Oncology to our communities. The new TrueBeam delivers the power and performance patients deserve, shorter treatment times, more accurate imaging, fully integrated respiratory gating and all delivery techniques.

•25-30 patients are treated a day with the current Linear Accelerator; treatment courses can be as long as 40 days.

•The project is estimated to take two full years to complete.

•The project will cost $7M: the Linear Accelerator, $3M; the renovations, $4M Gifts may be made online at PeaceHealth. com/Donate to St. John Medical Center Foundation. or mailed to the PeaceHealth St. John Foundation, 1615 Delaware St., Longview, WA 98632 , with “Linear Accelerator” on the memo line.

Elizabeth Marrs Branch Manager

Sandy Fromm Escrow Officer-LPO

Port of Kalama breaks ground at long-planned business park

Port anticipates jobs, high tech

The Port of Kalama has dramatically expanded its footprint beyond the riverfront by breaking ground Aug. 29th on its longpromised Spencer Creek business park off Kalama River Road.

“It’s not a sprint, not a marathon,” said Port of Kalama Commissioner Randy Sweet at the groundbreaking, addressing a crowd of a hundred friends of the project, “It’s more like a distance relay. We’re at the halfway point and keep passing the torch ahead.”

The Port has been buying up properties in the area for more than 25 years, including the historic Conradi and Haydu farms (now namesake of its nearby Haydu Park, dedicated in 2015). It worked with the City to incorporate Spencer Creek into Kalama’s city limits, sharing potential tax benefits. “And we invested $6 million in sewer, fiber, pipe and infrastructure to get it shovel-ready,” said Sweet. “We worked with the City to incorporate this into Kalama’s city limits. It was a boost to the Port and a boost to the City at the same time.”

Under a hot summer afternoon sun, those ready shovels were put to work, with good natured catcalls from the crowd: “You sure you’ve got a digging permit for those things?” The Port is on a roll, drawing praise for its attractive mix of commerce, recreation and community engagement on the riverfront. Of the 7,000 people in the District itself, 1,400 of them have jobs directly connected to the Port of Kalama.

“We need this business park for the future,” said Cowlitz County Commissioner Arne Mortensen “What you have here plays into the long-range view.” Acknowledging the Port’s board and staff, he said, “They do this without reaching into your pockets for taxes. It’ll be classy, something we can be proud of and the community can be proud of.”

Spencer Creek’s first building will be 43,000 square feet, with 16 flexible suites, aimed at start

CREEK STATION

ups, entrepreneurial and light manufacturing businesses. Officials made no secret of their desire to attract high tech businesses and entrepreneurs.

“We have tourism, light and heavy manufacturing, transportation,” said Mortensen. “There’s no reason our future here shouldn’t include some of that business that’s tended to locate upriver.”

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

Where do you read THE READER?

Father & son at the track

Reading the Reader at 230 miles an hour, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indy 500 - Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Bob Koenig, Longview and son Joe Koenig, Lacey,Wash., attended this year’s Memorial Day weekend race.

Old Friends

Reunited by CRR!

Rainmar Bartle, now retired Land Planner for Cannon Beach, was a long-lost friend of Vince (far right) and Karen Penta, after he moved away 51 years ago. He reached out when by chance he picked up a copy of the Reader in Astoria, and noticed Vince’s photo. The two enjoyed a reunion at his Cannon Beach home in June.

WHERE DO YOU READ THE READER?

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

A missing link? Reading about

Columbia River Reader: “Don’t leave home without it!” says world traveler Dean Takko, pictured here with his wife, Debra, in Budapest, Hungary.

Tracey Humbird, left, of St Helens, and Rose Riojas of Columbia City, Oregon, read the Reader on a cruise ship off the coast of Dubrovnik, Croatia, while on a group trip with Cruise Planners. Photo by Becki Bozart.

Bigfoot WITH Bigfoot! Larry & Bev Hanks of Kelso, along with cousins Kathy & Patty (from the “other” side of the family; but interested in Larry’s great-uncle Fred Beck, whose story“The Great Ape Hunt of 1924” was told by another of Larry’s cousins, Michael Perry in the July CRR). The Bigfoot Legend continues to grow! Photo by Larry Hanks’s cousin, Ron Hanks, taken east of Kelso with Bigfoot.

EMUSEUM MAGIC

By Joseph Govednik, Cowlitz County Historical Museum Director

Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center

Making Way for New Exhibits: Part 1

xciting changes are coming to the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center (MSHVC), operated by Washington State Parks. The interpretive center is the ideal place for visitors to to get oriented about the National Monument and its significance to local history, geology, and a continued story of destruction and rebirth.

After many years of development, the MSHVC is ready to install new exhibits to replace the existing ones on display since 1986. We now have the opportunity to visit these exhibits one last time before the Center closes at the end of September for the new installation. The re-opening is set for May, 2025, and will be covered in a “Part 2” of this article later in the spring.

Sunday, September 29 will mark the last day the MSHVC will be open to the public, and special events and programming are scheduled for the day. All-day events to include the Junior Geologist book and badge program, craft table for families, and ranger talks in the plaza.

360.425.2950 www.cascade-title.com

Center Hwy 101, South Bend, WA 360-875-5224

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

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

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

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

Diane Kenneway Escrow Closer / Assistant

Celinda Northrup Escrow Officer / LPO

Alison Peters Escrow Officer / LPO

people + place

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

from page 17

From noon4pm educational outreach tables from local organizations will be available, offering plenty of time for guests to reminisce about the mountain, share their stories, learn something new, tour the facility and watch the film at their own pace. If you can’t make this special event, the MSHVC is open from 9am-5pm every day through September 29 this year, so you may visit as your schedule permits to get one more peek at these exhibits before they are gone!

IF YOU GO

The Mount St. Helens Visitor Center is conveniently located just 5 miles up Spirit Lake Highway (WA504 East) from Castle Rock, across from Seaquest State Park. For more information, please visit https://parks.wa.gov/mount-st-helens-visitor-center or call 360-274-0962.

If you can’t attend the event but would like to donate, please mail your check payable to: Mark Morris High School Foundation, P.O. Box 1674, Longview, WA 98632 Or donate online at mmhsfoundation.org

Pompous Ass Succeeds at Last

There’s noThing like live TheaTer. Truly, nothing. I learned that personally, first. Then I learned it again professionally. I realize now you could even say it changed my life.

During my senior year of high school I was strongarmed by R.A. Long’s two drama teachers into joining the cast of the Senior Play. (Theater people defy the “delicate artist” stereotype, most of them are tough as nails and spend their days making dozens of fateful decisions.)

I played a retired British Army Colonel in the classic farce, “Charlie’s Aunt.” I suspect this may have been typecasting — the character is one the English routinely refer to as a “pompous ass.”

I admit to enjoying the rehearsals and costuming, hanging with non-jocks, hearing words on paper translated into words as speech, but I had no idea what awaited in our four performances. Nerves, for sure. What I didn’t expect was the audience.

The comedian Bob Hope, aged 90, was asked once why he continued to perform at humble venues like State Fairs instead of spending his time fishing. He replied, “Because the fish don’t applaud.”

Such was, and is, the engaged, electrifying, empathetic affect of a live audience. When the farce took over (the play’s conceit was that I was declaring romantic love to a man disguised as a woman) I was hooked for life.

They laughed. They even belly laughed, at something I’d said. The joke was on me. All the better.

No slam dunk, no last-second winning jumper, had ever elated me like the sound of that laugh. Intoxicating. Life changing.

So I didn’t end up playing professional basketball. I became a professional performer, in the guise of a journalist, instead — news anchor and reporter, film and television host, keynote speaker, professor and writer — even getting a few laughs along the way. Playing to an audience and, I confess, seeking its applause.

In this issue of the Reader we debut my new column — “In the Spotlight” — bringing my love for performers and performance to the forefront each month. Thanks to CRR publisher/editor Susan Piper — and those two stubborn R.A. Long drama teachers — for recognizing this passion in me and allowing me to share it with you.

And continuing to remind me the best cure for pomposity is laughter.

people+place

Leading Role

The Columbia Theatre’s Second Century

Before the lights go down and the curtain goes up at Longview’s extraordinary Columbia Theatre you’re likely to meet Susan Spain.

“Twenty-nine years ago I answered an ad for ushers. And I’m still here,” she said. “I’m so proud of this theater. We’ve had so many ups and downs but we just keep going.”

Spain and her fellow volunteers epitomize the spunk and spirit of this community

““

Kelly Ragsdale

resource, greeting every visitor like a welcome neighbor. “We’re just average housewives, we’re workers, we are volunteers. And visitors feel our love for the theater — they just get excited — and of course if they haven’t seen the theater I make it my business to take them around the place.”

“When you come here you are coming to our home,” said Kelly Ragsdale, the Theatre’s managing director. “You’re coming to our house, and we want to make you welcome.”

Do You Believe in Magic?

“There’s something magical about this theater...”

Besides its remarkable longevity — this is Columbia Theatre’s hundredth year — somehow this seems an institution with a personality, besides a past. It invokes superlatives and even the supernatural, from jaded performers to first-time patrons. Over and over we hear the building, and its good works, described as “magical,” with an “aura,” even as a holy place, “transformative.”

“The relationship between the artist and the audience, and the artist and the technicians, is so important,” said Ragsdale. “If they feel that this is a special place to them, they perform better. If the energy is better, they perform better. And so the relationship is symbiotic.”

Portland-based performer and local favorite LaRhonda Steele feels the same synergy in front of the lights. “I’m lucky to have been here several times,” she told us. “There’s something magical about this theater. The beauty of it. The stage. It’s very different.” Steele, who grew up singing gospel in a small Oklahoma church and never set foot in a theater until her 20s, recognizes the distance one often travels to enter these sacred confines. “It’s empowering for the community. It makes connection,” she said, urging supporters to double down on their commitment. “Having a community theater, and people from the community even getting up on that stage, and you seeing other community members on that stage. It makes you feel like you’re a part of something beautiful.”

cont page 20

Managing Director Kelly Ragsdale discusses details with light/sound technician Mikail Nordquist.

cont from page 19

Community Connections

Officially known as the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts (CTPA), its Vision Statement is broader than simply opening the doors and turning on the lights: “To be a gathering place that builds community by providing diverse programming, arts education, and a venue for artists.”

Ragsdale, 56, oversees a formidable schedule that includes recitals, camps, film presentations,

smaller “Stage Door” productions, and of course, The Centennial Season. She says that without the support of the Theatre’s owners — the city and citizens of Longview — these diverse aspirations would fall well short. “It’s every theater’s challenge. I don’t know of any theater that makes it on ticket sales. The Met, even, relies on subscribers and donors, their grants and foundation giving.”

Hers is a delicate balance — providing diverse programming, educating students and audiences, honoring the old

Photos, above: Nine-year-old Siah Figueroa says the Theatre “celebrates kids and promotes what they’re doing.” Above right: Allison Williams attended her first Theatre camp at age 8: “I got to do technical stuff!” Bottom right: Kelly Ragsdale campaigns to put the Arts in STEM education — STEAM. Opposite page: Veteran usher Susan Spain will offer you a tour of the Theatre at the drop of a hat: “You are so fortunate to have a theater such as this”

and introducing the new — while keeping the “shareholders”, the people of Longview, southwestern Washington and northern Oregon, continually in mind.

“We spend a lot of time asking what the community wants to see,” she said, and acknowledges that the stewardship alone could be a full time job: “You could literally spend forty hours a week just taking care of the building.”

Steps to the Stage Four of the CTPA’s Core Values are admirable, but still standard stuff — Enrichment, Engagement, Preservation, and Stewardship. The fifth, however — Lifelong Learning — opens hearts and minds, and may be the elixir that fuels all this other magic.

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” said Allison Williams, now age 19, who attended Columbia Theatre summer camps from age 8 on. “Acting is really fun. It’s so expressive. Even when playing a character you learn a lot about yourself through it.”

Siah Figueroa, a confident and energetic 9-yearold, has her heart set on becoming an airline pilot. What better reinforcement for her dreams than the Theatre’s “Space Camp” last summer, part of CTPA’s mission to add an “A” to STEM education for young people — for “Arts.”

Siah told us, “It’s been a really good experience here and it’s been really fun. You can do crafts and make stuff. You can dance. There were drones that you could fly while you were here.”

“We’re passionate about that ‘A,’” said Kelly Ragsdale, arguing that STEAM completes STEM, adding the vital creativity and imagination often missing in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. “When you talk to the artists backstage they have the same feeling,” she said, referring to the experiential imprinting of great performances. “That this was incredible ... This was a memory... This is something I’m taking with me... It will always remain in my lifetime, in my heart and my head... This occurred... This happened.”

Allison Williams, who spent one of her camp days shadowing the House Manage said, “I struggle a lot with social anxiety, and being able to perform and be here and be in a group of such accepting people, it’s just amazing. Makes me feel accepted and safe. I can’t tell you how great this place is.”

Lifelong Learning, indeed.

Behind the Curtain

Theaters are, of course, in the business of illusion. Effects are their stock in trade: sleight of hand, conjuring, magic. In fact, before we are admitted into the transformative world of the theatrical we are urged to “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.”

A day (not a night) at the theater — house lights up, technicians bustling, deadlines looming, logistics galore — dispels most of the

of

illusions. It’s not all pixie dust and ecstatic experiences. Those transcendent moments are fruits of talent, time, money, technical savvy, sophisticated equipment and the courage to dream and succeed. And as much perspiration as inspiration.

“We need technicians,” said Mikail Nordquist, technical director extraordinaire, “the arts really struggled during COVID and I personally know a lot of people who bowed out of the industry.”

That said, he told us, justifiably proud, “The number of times I have heard the talent come in and say, ‘we just weren’t expecting you guys to be as prepared or as good as you are,’ is incredible.”

Kelly Ragsdale, admittedly understaffed and overworked, said, “I think what they’re shocked about is the fact that they couldn’t tell the difference between us and the Kennedy Center! So we have a lot of pride.”

“Theater is almost silent collaboration,” Mikail said. “We have dance groups that come in and I am silently collaborating with every single dancer, every single choreographer, and we’ve never had a conversation.”

If ever a collaborative process illustrated the maxim that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, it’s live theater.

“They

“Instead I get to create the light that envelops them as they dance,” said Mikail, “and it’s beautiful. They inspire me, I inspire them, and it’s a beautiful back and forth.”

The Never-ending Story

It’s been a rough couple of years. If the arts, especially local arts groups, weren’t already destined to run on fumes perpetually, the COVID era virtually emptied the tank. Already beholden to volunteers, donors, subscribers, grants and foundation

page 22

Listen to the Voice of the Columbia...

PAST

“I opened on April 4, 1925, to great acclaim. Designed by George Purvis, I was an architectural triumph. I was a showcase for modern engineering and craftsmanship and am one of the few remaining theaters of the Vaudeville era.

I attracted the leading artists of the day and presented silent films with live music accompaniment.

I have survived the demise of Vaudeville, the Great Depression, bankruptcies and Covid. My greatest threat was my own demolition, to be replaced by a multiplex!! The eruption of Mount St. Helens helped save me. The eruption delayed my demolition, allowing a group of citizens led by Virginia Rubin to reach a deal with the City of Longview, preserving me as a cultural landmark.”

PRESENT

“Today I am Southwest Washington’s premier non-profit performing arts center! I feature a Main Stage Series, Stagedoor Concert Series, Rainy Months Series, Film Series, and a year-round Arts Education Program. I’m home to many local arts groups and dance companies, whose performances take place on my stage. The Centennial Season includes a stellar lineup of artists and a week-long Centennial Celebration that kicks off with a Re-dedication April 4, 2025, which I hope you will attend.”

FUTURE

“My future will be written by YOU! To thrive throughout my second century, I need the community’s support, both financially and through your active engagement, by introducing each new generation to my magic.”

-- by Managing Director Kelly Ragsdale

Among Columbia Theatre’s Past Performers

Clark Gable • WC Fields • John Philip Sousa • Kingston Trio

Waylon Jennings • Don McLean • Merle Haggard • The Judds The Temptations • Smothers Brothers • Jim Messina • Pink Martini

Mark O’Connor • Asleep at the Wheel • Arlo Guthrie Ed Asner • Bob Newhart • Judy Collins • Rich Little

COLUMBIA

THEATRE NOTABLE MILESTONES

1925 Columbia Theater opens

1970s Cinema Theater

1980 Slated for demolition

1980 St. Helens eruption "saves" theater

1981 Task Force created

1982 Theater sold to City of Longview

Nov 1983 SWW Symphony performs in revived theater

2010 $1.2 million remodel completed

2019 Air conditioning enables "year round" capability

2025 Centennial Celebration

Providing Clean Power

Since 1936

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

Proud Sponsor of People+Place

from page 21

support, arts groups slowly found their lifeblood ebbing — not just the diminishing ticket revenue, but the acts, the staff and the sales and marketing that held it all together.

“It’s always a challenge when you’re in a small community, and you have an 800-seat theater,” said Managing Director Ragsdale, pointing out that most of the competitors in regional theaters have 400 to 600 seats to fill. She has worked her way up to CTPA’s top spot over 22 years with the Theatre. “I started playing violin and piano at a young age, clarinet, growing up in Alaska,” she told me. “I got a degree in composing and arranging in LA, and worked there in music publishing, did backup singing and violin with different bands.”

Ragsdale seems uniquely qualified to practice the alchemy needed to attempt the impossible, to please all the people all the time — P.T. Barnum’s fabled goal. “First of all, we all know that if your child is in a performance, we’ve just sold the house,” she said, laughing. “It’s really a tricky balance. You can even divide your own audience,” she said, citing the example of booking two similar acts back-to-back. “We have a responsibility to produce both diverse programming and to cater to our own special audiences. It’s a constant balancing act.”

“Right now our biggest job is to be a steward of our own venue,” she said. Besides its Centennial Season, CTPA this spring will be embarking on a substantial fund raising campaign, much of it aimed at maintenance and improvement of the physical plant. “We have major repair and renovation that need to be done. Not very sexy things but completely necessary.”

The Best Seat in the House

At Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts, the best seat in the house is wherever you are. For Susan Spain, volunteer usher, it’s the lobby on the threshold of an anticipated show: “When you walk in here you change. Something happens, you can just really drift, be who you are.”

For Mikail Nordquist, behind the light board, “There is money to be made in theater, but only at the tippy top. Otherwise everybody else you meet in theater is doing it for the love of the craft.”

For LaRhonda Steele, center stage in the spotlight: “It’s a dream come true. Where I can come in under my own name, in beautiful theaters like this, and I can have people stop and say, ‘Oh, LaRhonda’s going to be here.’”

For Kelly Ragsdale, “I always stay in touch with the magical side. I’ll come over when there’s no one here and just sit in the seat and just look on the stage and listen and hear who’s been here before, and imagine who’s coming.”

“When you walk in here you change, something happens.“

And from LaRhonda again (who’s accustomed to encores): “It’s a must. If we don’t have the arts, if we don’t have the opportunity to participate or to witness the arts, we have lost so much of our humanity. I love the relationship I have with this theater.

“It has broadened my horizons. It’s amazing that this community has supported this theater all this time.”

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

Editor’s note: This month the Reader inaugurates Hal’s new column, “In the Spotlight,” featuring performers around the region. He is a fivetime Emmy Award winner for writing film and theatrical productions and creator of two albums of original music. He is pictured here with me at CRR’s “From Page to Stage” Gala Book Launch, June 2023. See page 35.

Interviews are edited for clarity and length.

Top: CTPA continues to attract nationally-known acts, including legendary performers like Ray Benson’s Asleep at the Wheel.

Above: Mikail at the light board, “It’s a fascinating, palpable experience.” For information about becoming a sponsor, please contact

or call 360-749-1021.

Photos: Above left: Popular headliner LaRhonda Steele will perform during the Theatre’s Centennial Week, April 4–11, 2025.

QUILTS OF MANY COLORS

Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild present annual show

Come and enjoy the largest Quilt Show in Cowlitz County when Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild of Longview presents “Quilts of Many Colors” on October 4–5. Details, ad, page 34.

150 beautiful and delightful quilts will be displayed in 20 different categories, including Youth, Traditional Pieced, Mixed Media, Applique, Art, Wearable, and more. They will be arranged so visitors can be inspired and enjoy the quilts’ beauty at a leisurely pace. Guild Block of the Month and Challenge quilts, including those from other years, will also be shown

A special display, “Giving Back to the Community,” will feature quilts made by guild members to be donated to various local organizations. An additional 100 quilts are expected in this display alone, usually in lap or baby sizes.

A variety of free short demonstrations/ workshops will be held throughout both days and include bed turning of Vintage Quilts — a crowd favorite over the years. Antique quilts are gently laid out on a bed, one covering the other, and a regional researcher tells the story of each quilt as she turns it back.

Local 4-H and Scout groups will join on Saturday for a short workshop on Utility Sewing. Youngsters are encouraged to learn the essential skill of

sewing to kindle an interest in the art of quilting. As many quilt shops and guilds have disappeared in the Northwest, organizers say it is imperative to work with youth organizations to foster a new generation of quilt artists.

Both days will include a special presentation of quilts to the local high schools’ foreign exchange students. Quilts made by members of the Guild will be presented to each student to welcome them to the USA.

A variety of vendors will be present, including Tastefully Simple, Castle Rock Wood Works (quilt racks, wooden quilting notions, etc.), and a scissor/ knife/blade sharpener on site. He will sharpen scissors, kitchen and hunting knives, and even lawn mower blades.

A Quilter’s Boutique will sell items handmade by Guild members, gently used books, patterns and quilting accessories to help offset the quilt show costs.

A raffle will feature small quilts made by Guild members and a gift basket. The drawings will be held on Saturday at 3pm after the show. You need not be present to win. Raffle tickets are $1 each. Proceeds of the quilt show will be donated to “Beth’s Place,” a new shelter for homeless youth, operated by Community House on Broadway.

Quilt Show hours are 10am to 5pm on Friday and 10 am to 3pm on Saturday.

cont page 27

From day one, I will bring the same strong, sensible leadership to Cowlitz County as commissioner that I brought to Kalama as mayor for the last seven years. With two brand new Commissioners, and the third

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Nearly 60 million Americans suffer from arthritis, with the economic impact of medical care and lost earnings totalling more than $300 billion annually.

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“Dr. Kung is very caring and has helped me in many ways. I highly recommend him to anyone having shoulder problems.”

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Ladies of the Lake from page 25

Admission is $5 per day. The Youth and Family Link building is located at 907 Douglas Street., Longview. Located in southwest Washington an hour north of Portland, Longview is just a fewminutes from I-5. Its historic downtown has lots of shops including boutiques, antique and resale shops plus a variety of great eating establishments. A 10% discount is offered at Quality Inn for Quilt Show visitors.

Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild’s mission is to provide members of the community with a vibrant, supportive, and creative group to encourage others to learn and appreciate the art of quilting. Meetings are held at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Fellowship Hall, 2218 E. Kessler Blvd, Longview on the third Monday of the month except for August, December, and July. For more information, find us on Facebook at Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild of Longview, WA, or email lolquiltguild@yahoo.com.

Where to find the new Reader

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

LONGVIEW

U.S. Bank

Post Office

Bob’s (rack, main check-out)

In front of 1232 Commerce Ave

In front of 1323 Commerce Ave

In front of Elam’s 1413 Commerce

In front of Freddy’s 1110 Comm.

YMCA

Fred Meyer (rack, service desk)

Grocery Outlet, OB Hwy

Fibre Fed’l CU - Commerce Ave

Monticello Hotel (front entrance)

Kaiser Permanente

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

LCC Student Center

Indy Way Diner

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

Omelettes & More (entry rack)

Stuffy’s II (entry rack)

KELSO

Visitors’ Center / Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce

KALAMA

Etc Mercantile

Fibre Fed’l CU

Kalama Shopping Center corner of First & Fir

Columbia Inn

McMenamin’s Harbor Lodge (rack)

Luckmans Coffee, Mountain Timber Market, Port of Kalama

WOODLAND

The Oak Tree

Visitors’ Center

Grocery Outlet

Luckman Coffee

CASTLE ROCK

Parking lot near Post Office

Parker’s Restaurant (box, entry)

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

Cascade Select Market

VADER

Little Crane Café

RYDERWOOD

Café porch

TOUTLE

Drew’s Grocery & Service

CLATSKANIE

Post Office

Mobil / Mini-Mart

Fultano’s Pizza

WESTPORT

Berry Patch (entry rack)

RAINIER

Post Office

Cornerstone Café

Rainier Hardware (rack, entry)

Earth ‘n’ Sun (on Hwy 30)

El Tapatio (entry rack)

Grocery Outlet

Senior Center (rack at front door)

DEER ISLAND

Deer Island Store

COLUMBIA CITY

Post Office

WARREN

Warren Country Inn

ST HELENS

Chamber of Commerce

Sunshine Pizza

St. Helens Market Fresh

Big River Tap Room

Safeway

SCAPPOOSE

Post Office

Road Runner

Fultano’s

Ace Hardware

WARRENTON

Fred Meyer

CATHLAMET

Cathlamet Pharmacy

Tsuga Gallery

Realty West

Puget Island Ferry Landing

Little Island Creamery

SKAMOKAWA

Skamokawa General Store

NASELLE

Appelo Archives & Café

Johnson’s One-Stop

ILWACO

Time Enough Books (entry table)

IROLAND ON WINE

Wine = Poetry in a Bottle

Marc pours out his thoughts in verse

by Marc Roland

thought I would give a whirl at a poem as my yearly tribute to the season of Fall and what it means to those who grow wine, and those who enjoy it. For all the people who work in the wine industry, there is no one who doesn’t realize the hand of nature in shaping the vintage to come. All of our fates depend on its outcome. And we don’t have anything to say that will change it! Whether you are wine drinker or a beer drinker, or a person who realizes where your food comes from, we all depend on those who work the harvest, and love every minute of it, despite the hard work.

NOTES FROM MY LIVES

by Andre Stepankowsky

Daylily Digout

Gardening as a portal to evaluating life, character

perspectives and conditions make a plant I once considered unsuitable desirable today — the kind of evolution that many of us have undergone in our views of gay marriage and other social issues?

For many years I looked for any excuse to plant more roses. My collection once numbered nearly 90. The roses perfumed my entire lot, and the abundant early summer color would cheer even a determined misanthrope.

In the cool breath of autumn’s quiet sigh, Where the Cascade peaks hug the endless sky, The valleys awake with a rustling song, As rows of vines, steadfast and strong, Bear fruit of the earth, smacked by the sun. The grape harvest begins—its journey by the ton . In Yakima’s heart, where the rivers run clear, The pickers rise early, the season draws near, With baskets and Felcos, they greet the dawn. Their hands, like the earth, weathered and worn, Whispering prayers to the vines they have grown, For the bounty of eons the soil has sown. Each cluster is heavy with stories untold, Of toil and joy under heat and winter’s cold, Of winds that dance through verdant leaves, And rains that bless in the harvest eves. The grapes, like gems, glisten with grace, Held in the hands of this sacred place. Oh, Washington’s hills, your vineyards are wide, Stretching out to the horizon’s delight— From Walla Walla to Columbia’s flow, In every bottle, your spirit grows.

The land gives its soul in the beauty of wine, In each drop, the echoes of harvest shine. So here’s to the labor, the love, and the lore, To the vines that return, giving once more, To the winds that carry the whiff of the earth, And to the soil, where life finds its birth. May every season, in its rotation so true, Bring forth the fruit and the life anew. Raise your glass to the harvest that’s here, To the workers, the vines, and another year. In Washington’s vineyards, none to surpass, The future and past in each grape are cast.

Conflicting feelings stabbed at me as I thrust a long and heavy crowbar into a clump of daylilies on one hot afternoon last month.

The large, canary yellow flowers it produced in abundance had been a fixture near the center of my perennial garden for five or six summers. The roots tenaciously clenched the soil, and for the whole 90-minute ordeal I felt like a traitor as I pried them out. The plant had brought me beauty.

But it had spread way out of bounds. And if you know anything about daylilies you know their sword-like leaves turn brown in midsummer. The plants then look like clumps of dead grass. So it was time for this clump to go and make way for something tidier and longer-lasting.

Still, it was a hard decision.

This little episode shows how gardening can be a metaphor for self-assessment, a reminder to often reevaluate our character, attitudes and preoccupations. It’s also a reminder of how painful and arduous that can be. The oldest and longest-held beliefs are always the hardest to change or discard.

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.

I rarely walk through my garden without evaluating every plant and every grouping of flowering plants. The garden changes every year due to these wanderings with a critical and admiring eye. What is beyond its prime? Is there too much yellow or not enough texture? Why are the dahlias struggling? How could the design be more natural looking? How can I find a way to wedge in some cosmos, those frilly, colorful flowers that I love and my wife dislikes? How can I add even more color? Can I do more to attract bees and other pollinators?

Gardening can be a reminder that we need to occasionally plow the packed earth of our thinking, to be willing to change or cast out dearly held but antiquated beliefs and be receptive to new ideas.

How can we add spontaneity and some serendipity to our oh-too-structured-and regimented lives? What do my gardening practices say about my attitude towards nature? What virtues am I overlooking in a plant — or in a fellow human being? Do changing tastes,

But it was too much. The roses owned me. So over time I culled the collection. I learned that you can’t enjoy life if you put too much on your plate, that you will become surly and end up hating the thing you love. I’m happier now with just 60 or so. Roses are a passion under control.

Any gardener knows, of course, that his or her labor still depends on many factors, such as pests, weather, and soil condition. One August several years ago, a week of record rain rotted what had promised to become an abundant third cycle of rose blooms. I swore at the rain. I swore at the clouds. I swore I was going to build a retractable roof over the rose garden. I even drew up plans for one before realizing the absurdity of the idea. Such a structure would ruin the charm of the plantings. If such a drastic step was necessary it’s better to not plant roses in the first place. It was a hard lesson in humility — to accept the things you cannot change — even though I admit to still quietly grumbling when May showers inevitably sprinkle the year’s first blossoms.

Finally, perhaps the most important lesson gardening teaches is that our most critical mission on earth is to cultivate the best in our children, families, community and culture — and to create beauty wherever our paths take us.

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

UIPS & QUOTES Q

Selected by Debra Tweedy

Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary. --Jim Rohn, American author and motivational speaker, 1930-2009

The more intelligent a person is, the more he discovers kindness in others. --Leo Tolstoy, Russian writer and Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1828-1910

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. --Thomas Aquinas, Italian philosopher and theologian, 1225-1274

When the country goes temporarily to the dogs, cats must learn to be circumspect, walk on fences, sleep in trees, and have faith that all this woofing is not the last word. --Garrison Keillor, American author, humorist and radio personality, 1942-

Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. --Oscar Wilde, Irish poet and playwright, 1854-1900

Education isn’t something you can finish. --Isaac Asimov, Russian-born American writer and professor, 1920-1992

I am still convinced to the idea that the ability to think for oneself depends upon one’s mastery of the language. --Joan Didion, American writer and journalist, 1934-2021

Mix a little foolishness with your prudence; it’s good to be silly at the right moment. --Horace, ancient Roman poet, 65 BC-8 BC

When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear. --Thomas Sowell, American economist and writer, 1930-

More the knowledge, lesser the ego; lesser the knowledge, more the ego. --Albert Einstein, German-born theoretical physicist, 1879-1955

AWhat are you reading?

Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad

by Philip Portwood

friend who is battling cancer loaned me this memoir written by Suleika Jaouad, who in her early 20s was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. The title comes from Susan Sontag’s phrase “The kingdom of the well and the kingdom of the sick.”

The book is separated into two parts: Jaouad’s life when she is diagnosed and her life when she is in remission. She has her first serious relationship when she is diagnosed. Along with her parents, he’s a big support. However, cancer’s strain

on the relationship will eventually pull them apart, and the memoir becomes a record of many hospital stays, of many experimental treatments, and the experience of always being sick. One of the benefits of this experience is the new friends she makes during the hospital stays who are themselves battling cancer.

Jaouad has a passion for writing and she keeps a blog of her experience,

LOWER COLUMBIA CURRENTS

receiving many responses from readers who are also living between the two kingdoms. In the second part of the book, she travels around the country meeting her readers, learning in the process how to drive a car and pitch a camping tent. Through this experience, she finds a new boyfriend, Jon, with whom she will live in Brooklyn and eventually marry. In time, we learn Jon is Jon Batiste, the famous musician.

I enjoyed how Jaouad shared her cancer journey with others and I’d recommend this book to any who are battling cancer or who know someone who is. This book can offer hope.

Longview resident Philip Portwood (top) worked for Weyerhaeuser for 30 years. An organist and pianist at several local churches, he also tutored for Project Read for 15 years prior to the Covid pandemic.

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

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

Monthly feature coordinated by Alan Rose

1. Demon Copperhead

Barbara Kingsolver, Harper Perennial, $21.99

2. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Gabrielle Zevin, Vintage, $19

3. A Court of Thorns and Roses

Sarah J. Maas, Bloomsbury Publishing, $19

4. Never Whistle at Night

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

5. Daydream

Hannah Grace, Atria, $19.99

6. The Pairing

Casey McQuiston, St. Martin’s Griffin, $20

7. The Last Devil to Die Richard Osman, Penguin, $18

8. Just for the Summer

Abby Jimenez, Forever, $17.99

9. The Thursday Murder Club

Richard Osman, Penguin, $18,

10. The Mountain in the Sea Ray Nayler, Picador, $19

Brought to you by Book Sense and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, for week ending Sept. 1, 2024, based on reporting from the independent bookstores of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. For the Book Sense store nearest you, visit www.booksense.com

PAPERBACK NON-FICTION

1. The Backyard Bird Chronicles

Amy Tan, Knopf, $35

2. The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine

Rashid Khalidi, Metropolitan Books, $19.99

3. Braiding Sweetgrass

Robin Wall Kimmerer, Milkweed Editions, $20

4. The Art Thief

Michael Finkel, Vintage, $18,

5. The Body Keeps the Score

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

6. A Fever in the Heartland

Timothy Egan, Penguin, $18

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

8. What an Owl Knows

Jennifer Ackerman, Penguin, $19

9. All About Love bell hooks, Morrow, $16.99

10. The 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac Old Farmer’s Almanac, $10.95

1. The God of the Woods

Liz Moore, Riverhead Books, $30

2. The Women Kristin Hannah, St. Martin’s Press

3. James Percival Everett, Doubleday, $28

4. All Fours

Miranda July, Riverhead Books, $29

5. Remarkably Bright Creatures

Shelby Van Pelt, Ecco, $29.99

6. The Ministry of Time

Kaliane Bradley, Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, $28.99

7. By Any Other Name

Jodi Picoult, Ballantine Books, $30

8. The Full Moon Coffee Shop

Mai Mochizuki, Jesse Kirkwood (Transl.), Ballantine Books, $23

9. Lady Macbeth

Ava Reid, Del Rey, $28.99

10. The Spellshop

Sarah Beth Durst, Bramble, $29.99

Top 10 Bestsellers

1. The Demon of Unrest Erik Larson, Crown, $35

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

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

4. The Art of Power Nancy Pelosi, Simon & Schuster, $30

5. Atomic Habits James Clear, Avery, $27

6. A Walk in the Park Kevin Fedarko, Scribner, $32.50

7. Embracing Hope Viktor E. Frankl, Beacon Press, $21.95

8. The Wager David Grann, Doubleday, $30

9. I Heard There Was a Secret Chord

Daniel J. Levitin, W. W. Norton & Company, $32.50

10. Autocracy, Inc. Anne Applebaum, Doubleday, $27

BOOK REVIEW The Once and Future Quest

AThe Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur Lev Grossman Viking $35 Kindle $14.99

children’s version of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table was the first chapter book I ever read. It was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with the Arthurian legend. The Bright Sword is the latest iteration of that legend.

As Lev Grossman explains in a historical note: “Arthur didn’t spring to life fully formed, he was deposited in layers, slowly, over centuries, like

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.

the geological strata of a landscape. It’s one of the things that makes him so rich and compelling. It also makes him, from a historical point of view, a complete mess.”

There is no historical proof that King Arthur ever existed. He may have been “an indigenous Celt,” living in Britain in the late 5th and early 6th centuries, probably after the Romans left and before the Anglo-Saxons arrived. He may have been a local chieftain fighting the Germanic invaders. But the legend, whatever its origins, grew.

By the 12th century, Arthur had a royal wizard named Merlin and a nephew named Mordred, promoted to Arthur’s son in later versions. The French medieval poet Chrétien de Troyes added Camelot, the Holy Grail, and Queen Guinevere, along with the tale of her infidelity with Sir Lancelot. The Round Table and its knights appeared in the 14th century.

Over time, the legend continued to evolve through different re-tellings, Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur (1485), Tennyson’s Idylls of the King (published 1859-1885), The Once and Future King by T.H. White (1958), my personal favorite, and notably Marion Zimmer

1. The Yellow Bus

Loren Long, Roaring Brook Press, $19.99

2. The Dictionary Story

Oliver Jeffers, Sam Winston, Candlewick, $18.99

3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eric Carle, World of Eric Carle, $10.99

4. Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak, Harper, $21.99

5. Bluey: Shadowlands Penguin Young Readers, $5.99

6. Hey! Look at You!

Sandra Boynton, Boynton Bookworks, $9.99,

7. Buffalo Fluffalo Bess Kalb, Erin Kraan (Illus.), Random House Studio, $18.99

8. Blueberries for Sal Robert McCloskey, Puffin, $8.99

9. Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden

Christy Mandin, Orchard Books, $18.99

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

1. The Prophecies Begin #1

Erin Hunter, Natalie Riess (Illus.), Sara Goetter (Illus.), HarperAlley, $15.99

2. Super Duper Extra Deluxe Essential Handbook Scholastic, $16.99

3. The New Girl

Cassandra Calin, Graphix, $12.99

4. Swim School

Penguin Young Readers, $5.99

5. The One and Only Family Katherine Applegate, Harper, $19.99

6. A Wolf Called Wander

Rosanne Parry, Mónica Armiño (Illus.), Greenwillow Books, $9.99

7. A Horse Named Sky

Rosanne Parry, Kirbi Fagan (Illus.), Greenwillow Books, $9.99

8. Smile Raina Telgemeier, Graphix, $12.99

9. Orris and Timble

Kate DiCamillo, Carmen Mok (Illus.), Candlewick, $16.99

10. The Moth Keeper K. O’Neill, Random House Graphic, $13.99

By Alan Rose

But of course it wasn’t over. Why would the future be simpler than the past? Stories never really ended, they just rolled on into the next. The past was never wholly lost, and the future was never quite found. We wander forever in a pathless forest, dropping with weariness, as home draws us back, and the grail draws us on, and we never arrive, and the quest never ends. Till the last day, and maybe not even then. Who knows what stories they tell in Heaven.

From The Bright Sword

Bradley’s feminist revision, The Mists of Avalon (1983), as well as in popular culture with the musical “Camelot,” Disney’s “Sword in the Stone,” and Monty Python’s iconic send-up.

Grossman (the Magicians trilogy) is only the latest to adapt the Arthurian legend, reflecting our own

contemporary times — Sir Bedivere has been in love with Arthur since they were youths, another knight is revealed to be a transgendered man, and Grossman’s dialogue frequently has the snarky, irreverent tone of a Netflix streaming series. (Morgan le Fay stood in the doorway… “Morgan!” Collum shouted. “Please! Not now!” “I know, I know,” she said. “Don’t girls just spoil everything?”) The story opens with Collum, a youth traveling to Camelot, aspiring to become a knight worthy of the Round Table. But upon arriving, he learns (Spoiler Alert) Arthur has died in battle, killed by Mordred. The greatest knights have also been vanquished. Only a motley, aged band of knights survive, having lost their will and purpose. “The last battle’s been fought, all the best died, and we’re what’s left,” he’s told.

But in Grossman’s telling, the Arthurian legend doesn’t need King Arthur. It is the quest, whether for the Holy Grail, a noble lady’s hand, or a good and just leader, that remains at the heart of the legend. And legends, unlike mortals, never die.

Clatskanie, Ore.

Fultano’s Pizza

770 E. Columbia River Hwy

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

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

Ixtapa Fine Mexican Restaurant

640 E. Columbia River Hwy

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

Rainier. Ore.

102 East “A” Street

Microbrews, wines & spirits 7am–8pm Daily. Inside dining.

Interstate Tavern

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

El Tapatio

117 W. ‘A’ Street

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

Longview, Wash.

1335 14th Avenue

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

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

Formerly The Carriage Restaurant & Lounge located on 14th Ave.

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

The Corner Cafe

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

Email: sndcoffeeshop@comcast.net

COLUMBIA RIVER dining guide

Carbon Steak House

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

Eclipse Coffee & Tea

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

Freddy’s Just for the Halibut 1110 Commerce Ave. Cod, Alaskan halibut fish and chips, award-winning clam chowder. Burgers, steaks, pasta. Beer and wine. M-Wed 10am–8pm, Th-Sat 10am–9pm, Sunday 11am–8pm. Inside dining, Drive-thru, outdoor seating. 360-414-3288. See ad, page 5.

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

Sept 15–Oct 20 by Aug 25 for Sept 15 issue.

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

Lynn’s Deli & Catering

1133 14th Ave.

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

Castle Rock, Wash

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

Vault Books & Brew 20 Cowlitz Street West, Castle Rock. Coffee and specialty drinks, quick eats & sweet treats. See ad, page 30

Kalama, Wash.

LUCKMAN’S COFFEE Mountain Timber Market, Port of Kalama. Open 8am–7pm. 360-673-4586.See ad, pg 38.

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

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

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

Scappoose, Ore.

Fultano’s Pizza

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

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

Warren, Ore.

Toutle, Wash.

Roland Wines 1106 Florida St., Longview. Authentic Italian wood-fired pizza, wine, beer, specialty cocktails. Casual ambience. 5–9pm Wed-Sat, 360-846-7304 See ad, pg 17.

Scythe Brewing Company 1217 3rd Avenue #150 360-353-3851

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

Stuffy’s

804 Ocean Beach Hwy 360-423-6356 8am–8pm. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. American style food. Free giant cinnamon roll with meal purchase on your birthday with proof of ID. Facebook: Stuffy’s II Restaurant, or Instagram @stuffys2.

Teri’s Café on

Broadway

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

St. Helens, Ore.

Sunshine Pizza & Catering 2124 Columbia Blvd. Hot pizza, cool salad bar. Beer & wine. Limited inside seating, curbside pickup and delivery. 503-397-3211 See ad, page 28.

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

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

THE

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

Poem by Robert Michael Pyle

by Judy VanderMaten

ROOTS

Like river pilings and other man-made features, the natural flora of the Lower Columbia have adapted remarkably to the extremes of tides, river flows, and weather. The Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge and other preserved portions of the river offer access to these rare environments, known as part of the “estuary eco-system.” Natural adaptations include vast swamps of Sitka Spruce which have flourished for centuries in the hybrid environment of fresh and salt water, high and low tides. Dense thickets of coast willow, Sitka willow, twinberry, osier dogwood, and Nootka rose line the channels along with abundant sedges, wildflowers, and bulrushes.

What the Muskrat Saw slipping through the marsh beneath the striders as the beaver, ten times his size, slid through the pond beside the dam where aspen lay akimbo, stripped of bark above the runnel where the rainbow rose to meet the hatch of caddis at the riffle of the kingfisher’s rattle through the willow’s shadow on the river where the cottonwood leaf floated over sandy bottoms scored with crayfish holes and rocks all coated with snails, whose tentacles quivered at the passage of the blennies and the scissor of the heron’s bill which came up empty for a change because the mink disturbed the fish a moment early and they in turn alarmed a frog that leapt upon a fallen log where otter sunned before returning upstream to the marsh where the muskrat, slipping underneath the striders, saw him, and rose into his reedy house.

EMPIRE OF TREES

AMERICA’S PLANNED CITY AND THE LAST FRONTIER

by Hal Calbom

Vision, Generosity, Sacrifice

Mr. Long’s final significant gift to the city was its magnificent high school, which cost him more than money. To afford it he had to mortgage his very own R.A. Long Building in Kansas City, which embittered his heirs — tired of seeing so much money migrate west — for years after.

WORDS AND WOOD

Designed by the same architect who had made the Monticello Hotel and the library beautiful, R.A. Long High School facing a spacious grassy campus looking toward Lake Sacajawea was the pride of the city. Mr. Long himself spoke at its dedication in 1928, but few know that the gift of threequarters of a million dollars came from money he had to borrow.

-- Virginia Urrutia, They Came to Six Rivers

by Debby Neely

PACIFIC NORTHWEST WOODCUTS AND HAIKU

A ballet for two

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

Performed at or near the shore

One dynamic duo Avocets

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

Photograph

Field Note by Hal Calbom

Photo courtEsy of loNgviEw Public library

Submission Guidelines

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

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

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

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

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

HOW TO PUBLICIZE YOUR NON-PROFIT EVENT IN CRR

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

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

Submission Deadlines

Events occurring: Oct 15–Nov 25, 2024 by Sept 25 for Oct 15 issue. Nov 25, 2024–Jan 15, 2025 by Nov 15 for Nov 25 Holiday issue

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

Movies at the Lake Fseries concludes Sept 27 at dusk. “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” Disney film. Lake Sacajawea. Longview. Longview Parks & Rec. Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA Sept 28, 7pm and Sept 29, 3pm. Skyline Concert Hall, 1300 NW 139th Street, Vancouver, Wash. Performing Dvorák’s “Eighth Symphony” and “Brass Quintet Concerto” with Spanish Brass Quartet. Tickets: vancouversymphony.org. Livestream available.

Bipartisan Debates: Cowlitz County, U.S. Dist. 3 Candidates Weekly series hosted by the Civil Dialogue Project, in partnership with Lower Columbia College and Cowlitz Economic Development council. See story and schedule, page 6.

Lower Columbia College 90th Anniversary Oct. 4, 11am–2pm, Rose Center for the Arts. Longview. Details, ad, page 6.

Quilts of Many Colors Ladies of the Lake Annual Quilt Show. Saturday, Oct. 4–5, see story, page 25; ad, below.

Salmon Festival Vernonia 2024 Sat, Oct. 5, 10–5. Trout pond, pumpkin carving, scarecrow stuffing, vendors, live music, more. See ad, page 35.

THE MINTHORN COLLECTION OF CHINESE ART Outings & Events

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

/ Columbia River Reader / September 15, 2024

Male Ensemble Northwest Longview Kelso Community Concerts Assn season opener. Oct. 5. Columbia Theatre for the Performing Atts. See story, facing page. A Midsummer Night’s Dream Kalama Friends of the Library Tea. Sat, Oct 12th, 2–4:00pm, Kalama United Methodist Church, 111 N, 2nd Street, Kalama, Wash. Silent Auction Baskets this year! Sweets, Savories, Fairies, Dreams, and Fun! Proceeds benefit Kalama Public Library. Tickets $20 each. Please call Chris at 619-405-1102.

SWW Symphony Fall Concert SAVE THE DATE Sat-Sun, Oct 19-20. Watch for details, Oct. CRR.

The Empty Bowl Event Thurs, Oct 24, 6–8pm. Music, inspiring testimonials, silent auction, dessert dash. $50 per guest,

BROADWAY GALLERY

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

FEATURED ARTISTS

SEPTEMBER: Guest artists: Dina Warring, photography.

OCTOBER Gallery Artist Lorena Brink, paintings..

includes a one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl crafted by local artists, and a variety of soups from renowned restaurants. The Salvation Army, 1639 10th Ave, Longview, Wash. Info/sponsorship opportunities contact Lawry.smith@usw.salvation.org. Phone: 360-423-3990

FIRST THURSDAY • Oct 3 • 5:30–7pm

Join us for New Art, Nibbles & Music by John S. Crocker

Classes & Workshops are back! Check our website or visit the Gallery for details.

OPEN

Tues - Sat 11–4

Check out our Free Art Drop-in event on our website.

Be sure to Trick-or-Treat with us on Saturday Oct. 26th

Voted one of top 3 Galleries in SW Washington.

Free Gift Wrap on request. 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.

watErcolorizEd

SPREADING JOY THROUGH MUSIC

Male Ensemble Northwest opens Community Concerts season Oct. 5

By Susie Kirkpatrick

This year the Longview Kelso Community Concert Association is bringing Male Ensemble Northwest (MEN), originally started by Longview resident and music professional Howard Meharg, and a couple of his contemporaries. Two of the current singers are still connected to Longview, and the group is fabulous!

Brent LiaBraaten, Kelso High School choral director, is our “local.” Most of the others are themselves choral directors, so the quality is really high. They are seen as serving as role models for males in choral music.

Season subscriptions, purchased before the season begins, allow the Community Concert Association to continue to offer high quality, professional live entertainment locally at a reasonable price. Subscriptions can currently be purchased on the association website (lkcca.org). New subscribers qualify for the Early Bird price of $110 for all 4 concerts! Single tickets for Male

Ensemble Northwest are available on the Columbia Theatre’s website (columbiatheatre.com), at the box office, or at the door on the night of the concert.

Whether singing classic choral literature or popular charts from the current day, this tenor and bass ensemble is on a mission to spread joy through music.

One audience member told ensemble members: “The enthusiasm and energy that you bring to a performance is infectious — a standing “O” from our audienc!.”

Susie Kirkpatrick is a longtime volunteer and supporter of music locally, including the Longview-Kelso Community Concert Assn. She lives in Longview.

Gin the spotlight

by Hal Calbom

The name says it all CelloBop to perform in Clatskanie Sept. 29

ideon Freudmann grew weary of trying to explain his inspired inventions on the cello: “I finally just came up with this name that seemed to fit — CelloBop.”

Freudmann will offer the musical accompaniment to the Buster Keaton silent film classic “Sherlock Jr.” in Clatskanie Sept. 29, besides performing an opening set of his own. He seems to take the same approach to classifying his music as he does to devising it.

“My goal is to play music that’s new and different,” he told me. “I like it fun and accessible, just familiar enough, but with a different take.”

Freudmann has been playing cello for more than 40 years, and now brings two of his passions together — he’s a vocal fan of silent film — in a Northwest performance tour this fall. “If you’re not familiar with silent films,” he said, “this is a great way in. It’s a brilliant, brilliant, movie. And I play a custom soundtrack.”

Keaton is a genius, insists Freudmann, woefully under-appreciated. “‘Sherlock Jr.’ is rich with the visual gags and performance stunts that people love about him.”

CelloBop is more than genre-bending and multiple-media hijinks. Freudmann precedes his Keaton with a set of his own, part of which is devoted to “explaining what I’m about to do and what they’re about to hear.” Using nothing pre-recorded during the entire evening, he lays the groundwork with the first set, and creates anticipation for the main event itself.

“I’ve never been the road warrior type,” he told me, but is excited to play vintage halls like Clatskanie’s Birkenfeld Theater, and other venerable venues in the region.

The fall tour includes gigs in Missoula, Oak Harbor, Port Townsend, Helena, Sandpoint, Ketchum, and others.

“I love driving the beautiful country between these spots, and the performing arts center in these towns,” he said. “My goal is to create intimacy, whether it’s in a 250-seat theater or a house party with 25 guests.”

Even at the end of our conversation what remained was my initial question: “Now, what exactly IS CelloBop?”

IF YOU GO

Sunday, Sept. 29 • 3pm

Clatskanie Cultural Center

75 S. Nehalem, Clatskanie, Ore

Adults $25

Senior/Student $23 • Child $20 Clatskanie Arts Commission clatskaniearts.org

Part of Gideon Freudmann’s talent seems to be inviting us to come find out for ourselves.

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

Miss Manners matter, get out a plain piece of paper (or one with just your name and/or address), and express some personal sympathy to the bereaved.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’m wondering how to address my 10-year-old granddaughter when she says things that are unkind to me. She has a habit of putting down her younger brother (saying he’s stupid, lazy, fat, etc.), for which I’ve admonished her. We’ve always had an excellent relationship, but I notice she’s now directing these types of comments my way, particularly about my innate physical characteristics. (She comes from a family of great beauties, and I’m not overly attractive.)

I’m reluctant to give her the power of knowing she can wound me, but I’m not quite sure how to handle this passive-aggressive behavior. Suggestions?

GENTLE READER: Yes, two. First, that you recognize that this behavior is aggressive-aggressive, not passive-aggressive. And second, that

you dissuade yourself of the idea that the power is hers if she knows she can wound you.

Miss Manners hopes that at 10 years old, this child is not beyond learning empathy — or at the very least, the consequences of damaging relationships. As her grandmother, you have the standing to tell her that this is hurtful and that insulting people is not acceptable.

You may add that others — e.g., her friends — may not give her the second chance that you will.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have never had a good memory, and now, in my 70s, my memory could be classified as poor.

I just invited a friend to see “Dune 2” with me, and he reminded me that he had declined to join me for the original “Dune,” so why would he want to go to the sequel? He did attach a laughing emoji, but it still stung.

At a different friend’s house, I admired some brickwork and asked

who had done the installation, because I need some similar work done. She reminded me — making her annoyance clear — that I had asked before, and that she had told me the person no longer did that kind of work.

In both of these cases, I apologized for my poor memory. But I wonder if there is a way I can remind people that these memory lapses aren’t really my fault, and that the kind thing to do is let them pass.

GENTLE READER: Your second friend was just being rude, and the proper way to acknowledge that is to make your apology perfunctory.

But are we so sure your friend with the emoji was not trying to be funny? Miss Manners suspects he did not really expect you to remember his having turned down an invitation to the original “Dune,” which premiered 40 years ago. Even if he was referring to the more recent film, it might have lightened your own mood to answer, “I thought that after 40 years, your tastes might have changed for the better.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Once in a while, I encounter a former colleague or acquaintance who is obviously undergoing some type of medical treatment. The most common sign is hair loss, but sometimes there has also been a drastic weight loss or pallor.

I am militant in my belief that people have an absolute right to personal privacy in all matters. I wonder, however, if I seem callous in not noting the obvious. I do not wish to be insensitive to others’ struggles, but also don’t want to intrude. Is there anything else besides “How are you?” that I may ask?

GENTLE READER: It is the height of insensitivity to size up people’s looks, and then make assumptions on which to base prying questions. Guessing what might be wrong not only deprives them of control over what to confide, but is only too likely to be wrong. Miss Manners begs you to respect your own declared respect for other people’s privacy. ”

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a good friend who is the polar opposite of me on politics, religion and almost every other subject. We are cognizant of these differences, and refrain from debate or argument on these subjects. Amazingly, we still have things to talk about!

However, she sent me a letter in which she requested that I support a nonprofit organization that she actually started and is running — which I admire, but do not support. What I mean is: I admire that she had the initiative to start the group, fulfill her own desire to help the community and do the work. But it is not an organization that I personally would ever send money to.

While I support a number of charities with money every month or so, I choose them carefully. If I do not send money to her organization, how do I politely explain why not? I wish she had not asked her friends to donate money for this venture; she should know that if I did support it, I could do so on my own. I’m not sure how to deal with my refusal to bend my principles for friendship’s sake.

GENTLE READER: You have already mastered a valuable and increasingly rare skill, in that you can be friends with someone whose beliefs do not exactly align with yours. You have only to extend the subjects on which you need not justify your position.

Miss Manners is aware that some, perhaps many, people contribute to charities to please the people who ask them. But this seems a waste of the opportunity to offer support where one believes it is truly needed.

In any case, and despite those who want their names on buildings, donations can be a private matter. You can merely commend your friend for her effort without getting out a pen to write a check. As she is apparently as discreet as you, that should be the end of it. But if more is necessary, you can say, “I have other causes I support.”

•••

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.

Pthe spectator by

ned piper

Take a last look at Mount St., Helens exhibits set for replacement

roofreading for this issue, I was inspired by Cowlitz Museum Director Joseph Govednik’s column about the Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center. So inspired, I hopped in my car and drove to Castle Rock, then east the 5 miles up the Spirit Lake Hwy to see it for myself. It had dawned on me that in all the years I’ve driven past the center, I’d never stopped to visit.

It was 10:30am on a Saturday, so I figured I’d have the place to myself. Actually, I had a little trouble finding a parking place.

On my way to the front door, with a short stack of Readers under my arm, I encountered a couple and asked if they’d like a copy. The wife responded with a hearty, “Oh yes, please.” I asked where they were from.

“Holland,” she said. I told them about the paper’s “Where Do You Read the Reader” feature. “Well,” she said, “you will be getting a picture from Holland.”

My good impression of the place grew as I entered and looked around. I don’t know what I expected, maybe an emphasis on Sasquatch.

Every exhibit was beautifully presented. I was particularly interested in the large wood carvings wrapped around the base of 16 columns. I learned that they are the work of two young artists, Joe Valasek and Kim Lewis, who met at the Western Woodcarvers Club in Portland. When they heard about the Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center project, they applied for and were awarded the job. They finished the project in seven months in 1986.

By Alice Dietz, Cowlitz PUD Communications/ Public Relations Manager

Hybrid water heaters What’s the big deal?

What’s the big deal about hybrid water heaters?

A hybrid water heater provides the same supply of hot water you’ve grown accustomed to, but with less cost!

I met the center’s Director, Alysa Adams, who said she’d been a resource for Joseph’s article, and was familiar with the Reader, picking up her copy at Drew’s Grocery every month. We agreed that I would put the MSH Visitor Center on my delivery list (starting in the spring).

In his article about the center (see page 17) Joseph informs us that the current exhibits in the center are scheduled to be removed over the winter.

For those interested in viewing them — and I’d say taking one last look at this 40-year “chapter” of local geologic history is well worth it — Sunday, September 29th will be the last day the center will be open to the public. Then, the current exhibits will be removed and the center will re-open in May, 2025, with all NEW exhibits.

Joseph’s “Museum Magic” column will feature Part 2 with details and the precise date prior to the re-opening when the occasion nears.

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

Hybrid water heaters save a lot of money and energy when they are in heat pump mode, which means they need a lot of air to operate properly. Garages are the ideal place, but you can install them in your basement as well. Mechanical closets are not typically going to be good options unless you vent the water heater to get air from outside. Vent kits are available at most hardware stores.

Cowlitz PUD offers many rebate options if you replace a standard electric water heater with a hybrid water heater. We do not require you to have your water heater installed by a licensed contractor. There is a video on our website at www.cowlitzpud.org if you want to see how to install one.

•Save money by ordering from the Cowlitz PUD website

•Free delivery to residents of Cowlitz County •10-year warranty

•Easy to install (or use one of our Courtesy Contractors listed on our website www. cowlitzpud.org )

Make the switch to a new hybrid water heater!

One of 16 pillars in the Center, carved by two -young artists, in 1986.

A Different Way of Seeing...

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

By Robert Michael Pyle and Judy VanderMaten

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

-- Cate Gable, “Coast Chronicles,” Chinook Observer, Long Beach, Wash.

DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL

Michael O. Perry

by Debby Neely

Books also available at:

• Columbia Gorge Interpretive Museum Stevenson

• Broadway Gallery Longview

• Cowlitz County Historical Museum Shop Kelso

• Kelso-Longview Visitor Center

• Vault Books & Brew Castle Rock

• Morgan Arts Center Toledo

• Tsuga Gallery Cathlamet

• Redmen Hall Skamokawa

• Skamokawa Store Skamokawa

• Appelo Archives Naselle

• Time Enough Books Ilwaco

• Godfathers Books Astoria, Ore.

• RiverSea Gallery Astoria,Ore.

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

Please support our local booksellers & galleries