Columbia River Reader 0726

CRREADER.COM Vol. XXIII, No. 256 • July 15, 2026 • COMPLIMENTARY Helping you discover and enjoy the good life in the Columbia River region at home and on the road

page 25

Growing Strong page 37

page 17–20

CLATSKANIE FOOD HUB DIRECTOR JASMINE LILLICH

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COLUMBIA RIVER

dining guide

COLUMBIA RIVER READER PRESS • BOOK BOUTIQUE Giving Berth

• COMPLIMENTARY 176 • March 15 – April 15, 2020 CRREADER.COM • Vol. XVI, No. road River region at home and on the the good life in the Columbia

Helping you discover and enjoy

Helping you discover

25 Holiday 2024 • COMPLIMENTARY XXI, No. 237 • Nov. CRREADER.COM Vol. and on the road River region at home life in the Columbia MOSS IN and enjoy the good

YOUR LAWN? What to do page 15

WASHINGTON’S POET LAUREATE COMES TO WAHKIAKUM COUNTY page 14

GIFT BOOK EXTRAVAGANZA

People+Place

page

Cutting Edge

People+ Place

HOME FOR ALL-THE-DAYS

page 27

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

page 37

page 38

glad tidings

CRREADER.CO M Vol. XXI, er and enjoy No. 232 • June the good 15, 2024 life in the • COMP Columbia LIMENTARY River region at home and on the road

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The indispens tugboat able

ONE RIVER, MANY VOICES

COLUMBIA RIVER READER’S HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE 3

Helping

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IA RIVER

dining guide

People+

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Place

The art of the woodcut

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COLUMBIA RIVER

dining guide

ESCAPE TO BARCELONA • “FEATURED

CHEF” RETURNS

A GORGE

HIKE WITH

DOGS •

MAKE YOU

R OWN

WINE •

LEWIS &

CLARK’S

Snowy Path

by Gregory Gorham See page 21

COLUMBIA RIVER

dining guide

THE TIDEWATER REACH

By Robert Michael Pyle and Judy VanderMaten.

A LIFETIME OF ART 230 pages, vibrant color Author original manuscript Gift-boxed with easel $100 WORDS AND WOOD

In three editions:

• Boxed Signature Edition, with color $50 • Collectors Edition, with color $35 • Trade paperback B/W $25

Debby Neely is a Northwest artist and poet. This is her first book combining words and woodcuts.

Pacific Northwest Woodcuts and Haiku

by Debby Neely •Boxed, Gift Edition with tasseled bookmark $35 This work is astonishing. The variety of moods and nuances Debby evokes in simple black and white — delicacy writ with a knife and gouge — testifies to her craftsmanship and to her love for her subjects.

Adding haiku to these dramatic images pins them in moments and memories and heightens our attention and interest.

We’re proud to present Debby’s Words and Wood to the people of the Pacific Northwest and to lovers of art and the natural world everywhere.

– The Editors

“Pines and Birches,” acrylic on canvas 30” x 40,” fourth in the series. Sold to Mike and Joy Kidd of Long Beach, Washington.

Baker sBay is the waterway that hugs against the landmass on the north, or Washington, side of the Columbia River. To the south, across Bakers Bay is Astoria, Oregon. After leaving Astoria and driving north over the Megler Bridge, the road heads west towards Ilwaco. The first small village you’ll come to is Chinook. Traveling further you’ll come to the fishing village at the base of the Long Beach Peninsula named Ilwaco. At the only intersection in Ilwaco turn north towards Long Beach. Further north you will first pass through the small Seaview community, the first community developed after Ilwaco on the Peninsula. Then the road heads into Long Beach, Washington, the largest city on the Peninsula, still heading north on Washington State Route 103 into Ocean Park.

COLUMBIA RIVER READER PRESS

pacific northwest woodcuts and haiku debby neely

COLUMBIA RIVER READER PRESS

MIchael o. Perry is a retired environmental technician, avid collector and conservator, and student of Pacific Northwest history. He lives in Kelso, Washington.

“Michael Perry gets it right!

Good storytelling is key to meaningful learning for all ages, and ‘Dispatches’ informs us in a relaxed, enjoyable way, perfect for anyone wishing to explore with the explorers.”

“‘Dispatches’ is a great read, well researched and documented, and presented in an appealing format.

The perfect place to start learning more about the Corps of Discovery.” — ALLEN BENNETT President, Lower Columbia Chapter Traditional Small Craft Association

— DANIELLE ROBBINS Education & Public Programs Coordinator, Cowlitz County Historical Museum

“Meadowlark” On the cover: “Whispering”

DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL M I C H A E L O. P E R R Y

M I C H A E L O. P E R R Y

Featuring the work of woodcut artist Debby Neely

dispatches from the Discovery trail with HAL CALBOM woodcut art by dEbby NEELy

A Layman’s Lewis & Clark

by Michael O. Perry.

•BW Edition $35

A LAYMAN’S LEWIS & CLARK $35.00 ISBN 978-1-7346725-6-5

53500>

www.crreader.com/crrpress

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Collectors Edition

ISBN 978-1-7346725-4-1 9 781734 672565

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dispatches from the discovery trail

Michael Perry has a collector’s eye, a scientist’s curiosity, and the Pacific Northwest in his heart.

In thIs engagIng new book author Michael Perry takes a fresh look at the Lewis and Clark Expedition — what they set out to do, what they experienced, and where they failed and succeeded — from the layman’s point of view. Compiled from a popular monthly magazine series, and adding new notes and commentary, Perry’s Dispatches adds to the lore and legacy of the famous Expedition the insights, quirks, and wry observations of a gifted amateur historian.

2 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

Gregory L. Gorham

Above: “The Blynman Bridge House Detail,” Acrylic

words and wood

I sign my name with the red chops. The top chop is my name in Chinese. The bottom chop says, “I draw birds and animals.”

Debby Neely From Words and Wood

IN FULL VIEW Rex Ziak • $29.95 Southwest Washington author and explorer Rex Ziak revolutionized historical scholarship by documenting minute-by-minute the Corps’ dangerous days at the mouth of the Columbia.

Top left: “Bright Morning at Lydia Cove” Top right: “Chatham Sunrise Over Lydia Co Bottom left: “Old and New Provincetown” Bottom right “Red Bow Tie Down” In these four images I used warm red to compliment the blue and darker hues in each composition. The blue areas are a mix of cooler aqua blue and a warmer blue ultramarin “Red Tie Down“ is an interesting approach to making a simple subject more enticing by blurring the background and sharply focusing on the red iron tie-down bollard in the immediate foreground, giving an impression of depth. Next are four very different oil paintings, contrasting from what is seen in the imagery above.

Large format exhibition edition

Photo by hal Calbom

EYEWITNESS TO ASTORIA Gabriel Franchére $21.95 Rex Ziak’s edited and annotated edition of Franchére’s 1820 journal, The First American Settlement on the Pacific.

A Lifetime of Art

“Reflections at Wellfleet”

by Gregory L. Gorham

words and wood • debby neely

Field Guide to the Lower Columbia River in Poems and Pictures

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Below are four oil paintings using bright red, some orange and yellow, complemented by blues, especially ultramarine blue.

EMPIRE OF TREES

America’s Planned City and the Last Frontier

by Hal Calbom •220 historic photos •Boxed, signed. $50.

All book mail orders include shipping and handling charge. All book and subscription orders mailed to Washington include State sales tax.

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Eyewitness to Astoria

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Words and Wood Boxed Gift Edition

A Lifetime of Art Boxed Gift Edition, easel included

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Sue’s

ordinary people coming together on a summer day, following community traditions...simply being Americans.

Views

This same effect seems prevalent at outdoor concerts, at the county fairs, and at events and gatherings of all sorts, especially in the summer.

Unity and a cheerful spirit

A

s people assembled for the Fourth of July parade in downtown Longview, I was touched by the cheerful spirit of the crowd. I’m talking about the people in the parade — the ones who decorated floats and trucks with balloons and banners, who would ride or walk along, smiling and waving as they handed out candy and other freebies to spectators along the parade route.

Organizers divided the parade into chunks and the f loats lined up in block-long segments on the streets perpendicular to Broadway, and waited.

In due time, they would merge into the parade as it proceeded around the Civic Circle and on to Lake Sacajawea.

One segment lined up in front of CRR’s office, along the 1300 block of 14th Avenue. Sandy B. McNutt (the Squirrel Fest mascot) suited up in our back room, and people dropped in to get coffee or use the rest room.

I stepped outside to observe the festivities and was struck by the happy murmuring. Nobody was talking about politics, gas prices, or “the war,” Coming Soon and certainly nobody was arguing.

Courtesy, community spirit, and good cheer prevailed.

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

Submission Guidelines and contact info, page 24.

AD DEADLINES. Aug 15 issue: July 25 Sept 15 issue: Aug 25

Columbia County: July 15–18 columbiacountyfairgrounds.com Kalama: July 16–18 kalamafair.com Castle Rock: July 16–18 castlerockfair.com Bald Eagle Days July 17–18 wahkiakum.us/wah-events/bald-eagle-days Cowlitz County: July 22–25 cowlitzcountyfair.com

Publisher/Editor: Susan P. Piper Columnists and contributors: Kim Bowcutt Hal Calbom Alice Dietz Joseph Govednik Jim MacLeod Michael Perry Ned Piper Robert Michael Pyle Marc Roland Alan Rose Steve Routon Greg Smith Andre Stepankowsky Jim Tejcka Judy VanderMaten Dennis Weber Editorial/Proofreading Assistants: Merrilee Bauman, Michael Perry, Marilyn Perry, Susan Nordin, Tiffany Dickinson, Ned Piper Advertising Manager: Ned Piper, 360-749-2632

Clatskanie Farmer Collective Director Jasmine Lillich in the Clatskanie Food Hub. Inset photos, clockwise from top left: Garlic shoppers Raenel Stafford and Sandy Makela; Food Hub Operations Manager Candy Uskoski and Food Hub Co-Founder Brandon Schilling; Donna Bell and Jennifer Bolar with art they created in a Paint & Sip class; Stumptown Fungi owner Ty Lesch.

Photos by Hal Calbom See story, page 17-21 Columbia River Reader is published monthly, with 13,000 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 and Advertising info: page 10, 24.

Ad Mgr: Ned Piper 360-749-2632 St. Helens ad contact: Mitzi Ponce: 252-675-3423

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

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

Happy 250th, America!

United we stand.

Sue Piper

Friends, neighbors, volunteers, coworkers were simply gathering to celebrate our country’s birthday,

ON THE COVER

Go to your local fair, watch a parade or rodeo, stroll a farmers market, enjoy an outdoor concert, or invite your neighbor over for lemonade.

Welcome to the July issue, where you’ll find (or be reminded of) abundant opportunities for fun things to do, including cooking out, wine tasting, looking up in wonder at the night sky, and even things so simple as noticing hummingbirds in your backyard.

LOCAL FAIRS

Since April 2004

We live in a great country, with a rich history and many blessings. Let’s hope a renewed spirit of unity will continue to emerge through summer celebrations — and beyond — with grace, gratitude, generosity, and joy.

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In this Issue 4

Letters to the Editor

5

Civilized Living: Miss Manners

6

Astronomy / Night Sky Report

7

Roland on Wine: News from Oregon wine country

7

Andre Stepankowsky: Miracles come in small packages

7

Mt. St. Helens Club Hikes

9

Dispatch from the Discovery Trail • Episode 27

12

Biz Buzz

15

Museum Magic: Science Learning Center at Mt. St. Helens

16

Glimpses of History: George Flavel

17–20

People + Place: Growing Strong – Clatskanie’s Farmer Collective

21

Garlic Festival in Clatskanie

22

Northwest Gardening: Become a Master Gardener

24–25

Outings & Events / Performances / Exhibits

25

In the Spotlight: The Perseid Meteor Showers

26

Where to Find the Reader (24/7 and even in your bathrobe)

28

Quips & Quotes / Besides CRR What Are You Reading?

29

Cover to Cover / Bestsellers List / Book Review

30

Columbia River Dining Guide

31

A Different Way of Seeing: CRRPress Book Excerpts

33

Where Do You Read the Reader?

34

The Spectator:

35

Plugged In to Cowlitz PUD: The Warm Neighbor Fund

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 3

Letter to the Editor Editor’s note: the CRR Deer Island –Scappoose loop distribution team drops off some prior--month leftovers for starting fires in Mike’s shop woodstove. When he is not around and the garage door is up, a copy of the new issue is left in what Mike calls his “Elner Fudd boots.”

Re-booting by his woodstove

Longview: A special place

I got a chuckle out of the current Reader edition delivered to my Elmer Fudd boot...!

Good issue of the CRR. Marc Roland’s piece was especially thought-provoking, summing up well the character of Longview and why it is such a special place.

You know, I never really read the Reader much before. I might pick one up if we went to one of the restaurants, but just did a quick browse. But now that I’ve had some time with the Reader, there is quite a lot to like about it. I especially like your column (and I’m not just saying that!), the Lewis and Clark piece, the quotes and book reviews, many of the articles, and the travel section [Where Do You Read the Reader?]. We were in Tallin a few years ago but not in February...brrrr, and I almost went to Vietnam in 1970, but not as a tourist. Anyway, it’s a great publication and I think overlooked by many, as I’ve noted.

Photo by Mike Vanderahe

Mike Vonderahe Warren, Oregon

Delores Rodman Seattle, Wash.

Editor’s note: Delores Rodman spent many years in the Longview area before retiring to Scottsdale, Arizona. She and her husband, Dale Suran, love the desert scene, but wilt in the summer so spend the warmest months in Seattle, usually venturing to Longview at least once each year to renew old acquaintances.

Port of Kalama news • LAMINATE brief provided by Dan • CARPET Polacek, Port of Kalama Legislative • VINYL/ Public Relations Administrator.

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4 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

Sales & Design Residential & Commercial

360.575.8055

Civilized Living

Dictating guests’ apparel; feet on the furniture, etc DEAR MISS MANNERS: I attended a

bridal shower for my friend’s future daughter-in-law. Little did I know that I was going to be raked over the coals by my daughter and her friends for wearing a casual white dress.

My daughter called me selfish, and her friends stated that if it was their shower, they would purposefully spill red wine on my dress.

When was it decided that Gen Z and millennials can tell someone 30 years their senior what to wear?

I am clearly not the bride, nor will I outshine the bride. This “rule” did not exist when I was married in the 1990s. I would have never told someone what they could wear unless it was a rule from the event venue. Please let me know how you feel about this behavior and rule.

GENTLE READER: Well, it wouldn’t take much to outshine this bride as a human being. Or her supporters ­— including your daughter, unfortunately.

They are doing what etiquette is falsely accused of doing: insisting on the letter of the law without regard to extenuating circumstances, much less to human decency.

And of course they are going a step beyond by suggesting that this supposed infraction be punished not by the snobbish, withering looks they attribute to etiquette, but by violence.

To make the situation even more ludicrous, they are doing this in ignorance of the rule they seek to enforce. In fact, etiquette has not extended the bridal white convention to cover any events other than the wedding itself. Nor does it allow dictating specific dress instructions, other than establishing a general standard of formality.

More importantly, it does not suspend the need for decent behavior for bridal couples and their cohorts. The popular concept that “it is their day and they can do whatever they want” is responsible for a lot of atrocious behavior, of which you have given an example.

Miss Manners is sorry to say that you will now have to explain all this to your daughter.

D E A R M I S S M A N N E R S : I had a good friend who had these lavish dinner parties in her perfect house. I reciprocated often, but started to feel intimidated because we had to move to smaller places and are just not able to be fancy with parties anymore.

I think people who go all out giving perfect dinner parties intimidate friends who cannot do the same. That’s why they don’t reciprocate.

GENTLE READER: And that’s the thanks they get for going to a lot of trouble to give you a splendid dinner?

You say this was a good friend, so presumably the main attraction at these dinner parties was enjoying her company, not competing over the format of the gathering.

What your friend deserves is evidence that you like being with her enough to initiate an occasional gathering. Miss Manners assures you that not doing so plants the idea that while you are willing to dine out, you are not interested in more contact.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I would like to explain why some people put their feet on the furniture, or tuck their feet under and sit on them.

The women in my family are short.

Most furniture is designed for people taller than us. Our feet do not reach the floor, nor do they reach the stools or ottomans that are usually placed a long-legged length away. Our backs hurt after (properly) sitting on most furniture. One hour of dangling feet equals three days of back pain. cont page 26

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 5

Looking UP SKY REPORT

Astronomy

July 17th – August 17th

By Greg Smith MOON PHASES:

The Evening Sky

A clear sky is needed.

The great Summer constellations are now up and in full bloom.

Cygnus the swan, Vega the harp, Aquila the eagle, which make up the Summer Triangle. Pegasus is mostly up by 10pm along with the Andromeda Galaxy M31, in the feet of Pegasus or the body of Andromeda, whichever makes it easier for you to locate. Next month will be the Perseid Meteor shower (more on that below). Hercules the hero is high overhead, with its two globular clusters of stars, M13 and M92.

The Morning Sky A cloudless eastern horizon sky is required.

New Moon: Tues, July 14th First Qtr: Tues,, July 21st Full Moon: Wed, July 29th Last Qtr: Wed., Aug 5th New Moon: Wed, Aug 12th END OF TWILIGHT

When the brightest stars start to come out. Allow about an hour more to see a lot of stars.

Wed., July 15th • 9:36pm Wed., July 22nd • 9:29pm Wed, July 29th • 9:20pm Wed., Aug 5th • 9:09pm Wed., Aug 12th • 8:58pm SUNSET

Wed., July 15th • 8:59pm Wed., June 22nd • 8:53pm Wed., July 29th • 8:45pm Wed.,Aug 5th • 8:35pm Wed.,Aug 12th • 8:25pm

In the hour or so (4am) before sunrise in the east and southeast, you will find Saturn and Mars.

Mars is low in the east, while Saturn is somewhat higher in the southeast.

The planet Uranus is not too far from Mars, in the two o’clock position and just under the Pleiades. Uranus is halfway between Mars and the Pleiades — better have good big binoculars in order to see it, as it is very faint. The blue-green color should make it stand out from the other stars.

Night Sky Spectacle: The Perseid Meteor Showers

A clear dark sky is a must.

Toward the end of the time period of this issue, August 12th and 13th will be the peak of the Perseid Meteor Showers. To see them, just get a warm blanket and a lounge chair. Get comfortable and look to the northeast, no equipment is needed at all. The naked eye is the best way to see them, as they appear over a large section of the sky, from down low streaking to the northeastern horizon, and overhead flying all which ways.

Actually, the meteors are visible from mid-July through the end of August.

The peak of the shower is what gets everyone excited. But any clear night now through the end of August you can see them . Have a fun night out with your family. Have a campout in your own backyard and stay up way too late to watch the streaks of light fly through the night sky.

This year should be really good viewing, as there will be no moon to overwhelm with light the shower of sand-to-pea-sized bits of rock, as they slam into the earth’s atmosphere at 130,000 mph. Even in the city you could see up to 50 meteors an hour. If you’re out in the country (at your favorite stargazing place) away from city lights, you may see up to 100 meteors per hour. The later you stay up the more you will see. Best time is between midnight and 3 to 4am. This is when the night side of the Earth is plowing through the rocky debris of Comet 109P/ Swift-Tuttle. This comet, with an orbit of 133 years, was last here in 1992 and won’t be back ‘til 2126, a hundred years from now. So every 133 years the trail of debris is renewed. Be wary of the single bright flash while watching the meteors, as that bright flash is a meteor coming straight at you.

See related story, “In the Spotlight,” page 25.

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.

6 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

TOUCHING HISTORY

By Greg Smith

CRR’s resident astronomer visits William Herschel’s Home in Bath, England

M

any CRR readers are travelers, and I assume some have been to Bath, England. I wonder how many of you visited the Herschel Museum of Astronomy.

It is located on a side street off the road that leads to the lovely Jane Austen Center, where I’m sure many of you have visited and had tea under the gaze of Mr. Darcy.

But I digress. I accidentally found the Herschel Museum when my wife, Margaret, and I were walking around the neighborhood of our hotel while we were there in June. I saw a street marker directing us to a small, unassuming house on New Kings Street #19.

The next day I said, “I want to go and see it.”

So we walked up the street, a normal residential neighborhood. We entered and were warmly greeted by the staff, members of the local Bath astronomy community. They were pleased to learn I was a member of an astronomy club back in the States and wrote for the Columbia River Reader.

It was fascinating to see the five-story house, an attic (probably servants’ quarters), three f loors for living, and a basement with Herschel’s workshop. What was new to me was that William Herschel was a noted and respected musician at the time (1760s–70s) and a composer of numerous musical works, including 24 symphonies. He was a very accomplished musician and teacher of music.

Herschel and his sister, Caroline, were amateur astronomers and had a small garden in their backyard. It was in this cramped little backyard that Herschel discovered the planet we call Uranus with a six-inch Newtonian telescope of his own making.

Caroline took notes as Herschel called out the coordinates and descriptions of the stars he was viewing. He was mainly interested in multiple star systems. So he called out his descriptions and positions of the double

and triple star systems he was viewing.

You can actually go into the room with a window overlooking the garden and stand at the desk Caroline sat at, listening through the open window, and writing down his descriptions.

He cont acted other well-known professional astronomers with his findings on the object that was a distinct disk shape and not a point of light. He took months of observations before he agreed with his contacts that this object was planetary. It was the first planet to be found in thousands of years. For me, standing in the spot that he found Uranus (that’s not the name he gave it) was like touching history. His name for it was Georgium sidus or “Georgian Star,” after King George III. This gained the attention of the King, who made Herschel the King’s Astronomer.

Caroline Herschel was known as a distinguished astronomer, as well. She was the first salaried woman astronomer, £50 a year, paid by the King. She was honored for her discoveries of eight comets and many nebulae. She discovered what is known as M110, a satellite galaxy of the Andromeda Galaxy.

What was interesting to see was all the political cartoons making fun of the two and their astronomical discoveries.

They were as cutting and satirical as any modern political cartoon ­— maybe even more so.

If you ever visit or make a return visit to Bath, make your way to #19 New Kings Street, on your way to have tea at the Jane Austen Center, and visit this quaint little museum about a very remarkable man and his sister.

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Fruit of the Vine

ROLAND ON WINE

by Marc Roland

NOTES FROM MY LIVES

By Andre Stepankowsky

News! ‘Oregon Method’ emerges as world-class sparkling wine

N

ancy and I celebrated the Fourth of July with a “25+0.” We toasted America’s 250th birthday with a $25 bottle of Oregon sparkling wine from Argyle and spent $0 on the tasting fee. It would be hard to separate Oregon’s identity from Haystack Rock, Columbia Sportswear, and Pinot Noir. For nearly 50 years, the Willamette Valley has been synonymous with world class Pinot Noir. But a new chapter is unfolding.

A quiet revolution has been taking place in Oregon vineyards as more winemakers bet that the Willamette Valley can become America’s premier region for traditional method sparkling wine.

The quality is already here. The reputation is still catching up.

The same cool climate and terroir that made Oregon Pinot Noir famous are ideal for sparkling wine. Long summer days, cool nights, and naturally high acidity create the freshness, balance, and elegance that great sparkling wines require. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Champagne’s classic grapes, thrive here.

The movement began in 1987 when Argyle released one of Oregon’s first successful traditional method sparkling wines. We have long admired Argyle for its Oregon roots and outstanding value.

But producing sparkling wine requires cont page 8

sketch by the late Deena Martinson.

Mount St. Helens Club

HIKES

BRUNCH FAVE

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

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

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

Call leader to join outing or for more info. Non-members welcome.

Driving distances are from Longview, Wash.

(SS) – Snow Shoe (XC) – Cross Country Ski RT - round trip e.g. - elevation gain July 15 - Wed North Head Discovery Trail (B) (E) Drive 140 miles RT. Bike 14.5 miles RT with 400’ e.g. Beautiful ride on a wellmaintained path with views of the Pacific Ocean and interesting artwork/history along the way.

Leader: Dory N. 213-820-1014 July 17 - Fri Hardy Ridge Loop (M) Drive 148 mile RT. Hike a 7.1-mile loop with 1817’ e.g. on a forested trail with beautiful views at the top. Be aware of some overgrowth and steep sections. DISCOVER PASS REQUIRED FOR EACH VEHICLE. Leader: Mary Jane M. 360-430-7905

July 22 - 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: Ingrid S. 408-890-0439

July 25 - Sat • Julia Butler Hansen Wildlife Refuge (B) (E) Drive 60 miles RT. Bike 12 miles RT on mostly paved access road. Excellent views of Columbia River and adjacent wet lands.

Leaders: Bruce M. 360-425-0256, Karen P. 360-460-9923

July 31 - Fri

Cape Horn (S)

Drive 126 miles RT. Hike 6.7 miles with 1348’ e.g. along the north shore of the Columbia River. Duck behind a waterfall as the trail winds under a mainly forested canopy and some meadows.

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Miracles come in little packages

(K) – Kayak

(B) – Bicycle

Aug 1 - 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

Aug 5 - Wed Coldwater Lake - Lakes Trail (E) Drive 130 miles RT. Hike 4.5+ miles out and back with a gentle 400’ e.g. on a beautiful lakeside trail turning at the waterfall crossing. Alternatively choose to hike the Lakes Trail for up to 9 miles RT Leader: Mel F. 907-351-8741

Aug 12 - Wed • Tualatin River Natl Wildlife Refuge (E) Drive 125 miles RT. Hike a 4 mile flat loop starting from the interesting/educational visitor center. The refuge is home to nearly 200 species of birds, more than 50 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles and amphibians, and a wide variety of insects, fish, and plants. Leader: Dory N. 213-820-1014

Aug 14 - Fri June Lake and Chocolate Falls (S) Drive 122 miles RT Hike 6.3 miles out and back with a lollipop loop to June Lake with 1364’ e.g. Stunning scenery and diverse terrain with sections of the trail through rock beds. Be aware this hike entails a 3.1 mile climb, navigating boulders, trail visibility and heat if temperatures are high!

Leader: John M. 360-508-0878

T

he hummers have arrived, and joy has winged into my garden with them.

I’m speaking of the avian hummers, not the motorized monsters that are as brutal as hummingbirds are dainty.

Hummers start showing up in my perennial garden as soon as they see red. Red as in the scarlet flowers of Crocosmia “Lucifer.”

I grow the plant just to attract hummers, which have beaks long enough to slurp nectar from the deep, tubular blooms.

O n e o f t h e m o st c o m m o n hummers in these parts is called Anna’s Hummingbird, which has shiny green plumage and a rosepink throat and head.

A pair of them kept me company the other day while I watered the garden. When not nectaring, they bulleted around the garden like out-of-control Kamikazes. Then they’d stop in midair to hover a few feet in front of me (No other birds can hover, as hummers do, and can beat their wings several dozens times a second.)

This type of behavior is apparently common among hummingbirds.

Biologists say they are smart and recognize humans who put out food for them. So perhaps this pair recognized me as the hand that feeds them?

I’ve had other close encounters with hummers that bordered on the miraculous.

About 10 years ago, I was tiling a floor for some relatives on Whidbey Island when I heard a tapping and flickering noise against one of the big picture windows that overlooks Admiralty Inlet and Puget Sound.

It was a hummer. It had flown in through an open door and was trying to get out.

Slowly, I approached the little bird, gently telling it I was going to help it, and carefully closed my hands around it. The little bird didn’t

object or peck at my palm while I carried it outside. When I opened my hands, it flew off toward a Douglas fir and the water, then disappeared below a bluff.

I’d been treated to a wonderful little epiphany. There was an undeniable mental or spiritual connection there.

Yet, there was another miraculous aspect to the experience. Hummers — and all birds — are believed to be descended from a branch of meat-eating dinosaurs known as theropods, a branch that included the dreaded T. Rex. So I got to hold about 160 million of years of species evolution in my hands when I briefly captured that little accidental visitor to my job site.

Like most people, I marvel at the hummers’ amazing flight ability and exotic feathering. To me, the greater wonder is for the masterpiece of natural bioengineering it represents.

Humans are manipulating DNA. But they still cannot create a horse fly, to say nothing as gorgeous as a hummer.

Hummingbirds start their lives in eggs the size of coffee beans. Their nests are smaller than walnuts. Yet they prove that miracles sometimes come in little packages.

••• Awa rd - w i n n i n g j o u r n a l i st A n d re Stepankowsky is a former reporter and editor for The Daily News in Longview.

His Columbia River Reader 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.

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 7

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specialized equipment, years of aging, and significant investment, keeping many smaller wineries out of the market.

That changed as Oregon’s collaborative spirit took hold. Shared production facilities and specialized sparkling wine services lowered the barriers, allowing boutique wineries to focus on crafting exceptional wines rather than investing millions in equipment.

Oregon: Becoming a world benchmark region

That same spirit led to the creation of Method Oregon, a certification that rivals the standards of the world’s finest sparkling wine regions. To earn the designation, wines must be produced entirely in Oregon using the traditional bottle-fermented method and aged on 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.

the lees for at least 24 months. The goal isn’t simply to make sparkling wine; it’s to establish Oregon as one of the world’s benchmark regions.

The momentum is real. Producers such as Corollary, Domaine Willamette, Gran Moraine, Sokol Blosser, ROCO, Trisaetum, and Lytle-Barnett continue to raise the bar.

What makes Oregon sparkling exciting: It isn’t trying to copy Champagne

O r e g o n ’ s vo l c a n i c a n d m a r i n e sedimentary soils, combined with its Pacific Northwest climate, produce wines with bright citrus, crisp green apple, floral notes, vibrant minerality, and a freshness that is unmistakably Oregon.

Critics have noticed. Oregon sparkling wines continue to earn national recognition, including ROCO’s #1 ranking in Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Wines in recent years.

For CRR travelers, there has never been a better time to explore Oregon’s sparkling wine scene. You’ll be visiting a region that is defining its next great wine story.

One note of caution: expect to pay about $50 per person for most sparkling wine tastings. It isn’t inexpensive, but neither is the craftsmanship behind every bottle.

•••

Lewis & Clark

DISPATCHES FROM THE DISCOVERY TRAIL

Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery returned to St. Louis on September 23, 1806, officially ending their 29-month exploration of the West. Located on the Missouri shore of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, the Gateway Arch is an elegant monument to the westward expansion that followed. There was a nationwide competition in 1948 to design a monument in St. Louis honoring western pioneers.

Construction of the arch began in 1963, and it was finished in1965. The 630-foot tall stainless steel arch cost about $13 million to build and was opened to the public on July 24, 1967. Elevators carry people to the top and its viewing windows.

EPISODE 27

The Home Stretch

By Michael O. Perry

T

he last episode told about the accidental shooting of Captain Lewis by one of his own men on August 11, 1806. A day later, with Lewis lying on his stomach in the bottom of a canoe, his party caught up with Captain Clark in western North Dakota. It had been five weeks since the Corps of Discovery split up after crossing the Rocky Mountains, and somehow the entire party found their way to the meeting point at the junction of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers at the border of North Dakota and Montana, and was together once again and anxious to get to St. Louis.

to a “lonely” life in the civilized world.

The captains agreed and, as Sgt. Ordway wrote in his journal, “Settled with him and fitted him out with powder lead and a great number of articles which completed him for a trapping voyage of two years.” Colter would soon discover the geysers and steam vents that today are part of Yellowstone National Park; however, when people heard about what he had seen, they thought he was crazy.

Goodbye to Sacajawea

At Fort Mandan, Clark wrote, “we took our leave of T. Charbono, his Snake Indian wife and their son child, who had accompanied us on our rout to the pacific ocean in the capacity of interpreter and interpretess.” Charbonneau was given a voucher for $500.33 for his services, but Sacajawea received nothing. Clark “offered to take his little son, a butifull promising child who is about 19 months old” to raise and provide the best education available. Clark wrote, “They observed that in one year the boy would be Sufficiently old to leave his mother… if I would be so friendly as to raise the child in Such manner as I thought proper, to which I agreed.” However, it wasn’t until 1811, when Charbonneau went to St. Louis to redeem his voucher, that he and Sacajawea would leave Pomp with Clark.

Back at Fort Mandan

Two days later, they arrived at Fort Mandan where they had spent the winter of 1804. Clark wrote, “Those people were extreamly pleased to See us.” Sadly, their fort had burned while they were gone.

However, Capt. Lewis had something he needed to do there. Before starting the journey in 1803, President Jefferson had told Lewis to bring some Indians with him when he returned to Washington, D.C. Lewis convinced Big White, a Mandan chief, to make the trip with his family and a French fur trapper who would serve as an interpreter.

Checking out Early

It’s Downhill all the Way

Private John Colter requested a discharge so he could join a couple of fur trappers who were heading up the Missouri. Colter had no desire to return

St. Louis was 1,500 miles downriver from Fort Mandan. On August 20th, Clark wrote they “only” traveled 81 miles that

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On September 6th they met another trading party and Captain Clark bought a gallon of whiskey, “the first Spititous licquor which had been tasted by any of them Since the 4 of July 1805” at Great Falls, Montana. Some of the men traded to get linen shirts to replace their buckskin clothing. A few days later, Lewis had healed enough to walk with ease and could even run a little. cont page 10

e discover

Michael Perr y 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. the work of Featuring ly t Debby Nee woodcut artis “Meadowlark” ing” r: “Whisper cove the On

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On September 4th, the men stopped at the grave of Sgt. Floyd who had died of a burst appendix on the journey up the Missouri in 1804. They discovered the grave had been opened by Indians, so they refilled it.

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day; in 1804, while rowing upstream, they were lucky to travel a tenth of that distance in a day. On August 29th, Clark reported seeing a herd of at least 20,000 buffalo. Meat was once again plentiful and, with wild fruit such as pawpaws found along the river, everyone had enough to eat.

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Lewis & Clark

from page 9

Another group of traders told Lewis that Jefferson had sent out two more expeditions to explore the Louisiana Purchase: Zebulon Pike explored the Rockies in what is now Colorado, and the Freeman-Custis expedition went up the Arkansas and Red Rivers. They also learned that the Arikara chief who had gone to visit President Jefferson in 1805 had died in Washington, D.C. Breaking News

The party passed several Indian villages and met dozens of trappers and traders heading upstream. They stopped to obtain news from the United States, in exchange for information about what was upstream. They learned that Thomas Jefferson had been re-elected president, that Aaron Burr had killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804, that war had been declared, waged, and won against Tripoli, and that relations with England and Spain were strained and war seemed possible. They also learned the Spanish army had been looking for them during the last two years, and that many people thought they had been captured. “We had been long Since given up by the people of the U.S. and almost forgotton.” But Clark was told, “the President of the U. States had yet hopes for us.”

Approaching civilization

On September 20th, the men let out a cheer when they saw cattle in a field – a sure sign they were approaching civilization. Clark wrote that the men “Sprung upon their ores” as they approached a village, and fired a salute that was answered by boats at the dock. “Every person, both French and Americans, Seem to express great pleasure at our return, and acknowledged themselves much astonished in Seeing us return. They informed us that we were Supposed to have been long lost Since.” A day later they arrived in St. Charles and again were greeted by people who were surprised

to see them alive. The men saw women walking along the river, and with “great dexterity” they rowed to shore for a closer view of the first white women they had seen in more than two years.

Home at Last!

After traveling 8,000 miles in 28 months, they arrived back in St. Louis on September 23, 1806. A messenger from St. Charles had informed the thousand citizens of St. Louis that the Corps of Discovery was coming.

John Ordway wrote the men, “Fired three Rounds as we approached,” and “The people gathered on the Shore and Huzzared three cheers.” After landing, Lewis immediately asked when the next mail dispatch was scheduled and was told it had already left.

He sent a messenger to hold the mail until the next day so he could write a letter to President Jefferson. Dear Tom… Lewis spent most of the night writing. He opened his long letter by saying, “It is with pleasure that I announce to you the safe arrival of myself and party at 12 OClk. today… In obedience to your orders we have penetrated the Continent of North America to the Pacific Ocean… and sufficiently explored the interior of the country to affirm with confidence that we have discovered the most practicable rout which dose exist across the continent by means of the navigable branches of the Misouri and Columbia Rivers.” He went on to explain that there was no all-water route; Jefferson’s vision of a Northwest Passage had been put to rest.

It would take a full month for his letter to reach Jefferson.

The men had succeeded in their mission and the Expedition was over. There was still a lot of work to be done to study all the information and all the plant, animal, and geological samples they brought back. And, there would be a book to write.

Even though Spain had officially given the Louisiana Territory to France in 1800, and France had sold the land to the United States in 1803, Spanish officials were not at all happy when they learned about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Two months before the Corps set out from St. Louis in 1804, the Spanish military governor of Louisiana had given orders to arrest “Mr. Merry Weather Lewis, Captain of the Army of the United States.”

Four different Spanish expeditions set out from Santa Fe in search of the Americans over a two-year period. The first, in August 1804, made it to the Platte River in central Nebraska, but Lewis and his party were already well north of there.

A second effort in October 1805 ended almost as soon as it began when Indians attacked. In April 1806, a third effort failed due to mass desertions.

The final Spanish expedition set out in the summer of 1806, just as the Corps was heading down the Missouri from Fort Mandan. This time there were 105 Spanish soldiers, 400 New Mexico milita men, and 100 Indians. By September 1st, they had made it to a Pawnee village on the Republican River in south-central Nebraska. If they had continued on for another week, they most likely would have met the Corps of Discovery at the junction of the Missouri and Platte Rivers. However, the Pawnees objected to the Spanish expedition; rather than push the issue, the Spaniards turned around and went back to Santa Fe. Who knows how the Lewis and Clark story might have ended if the Pawnees had let the Spanish forces proceed.

••• The next episode will examine what happened to the men after the Expedition’s return to St. Louis.

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Biz Buzz What’s Happening Around the River Biz Buzz notes news in local business and professional circles. As space allows, we include announcements and news of improvements, new ventures and significant employee milestones. Please email to publisher@crreader.com

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Building permit applications have been filed with the City of Kelso by Californiabased Anand, LLC, for a new, threestory Holiday Inn and a new, two-story La Quinta Inn & Suites, both to be located on the 5.8-acre site formerly occupied by the Red Lion Hotel until a two-alarm fire destroyed it in March.

Parking and landscaping will be updated, and the existing swimming pool is expected to remain on the property.

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10, 8am–3pm. Day of Caring brings together individuals, businesses, civic groups, and organizations for one powerful day of service that suppor ts local nonprofits and community programs. To sign up, visit cowlitzunitedway.org. Projects may include painting, yard work, organizing donations, beautification, trail maintenance, or other community improvements.

Professional Advisors from the America in Bloom program will visit Castle Rock, Wash., on July 16-17, evaluating efforts in the areas of community vitality, floral impact, landscaped areas, urban forestry, environmental initiatives, celebrating heritage, overall impression, and community involvement. Castle Rock is one of the many proud and passionate communities across America working on local revitalization programs. Communities that are more welcoming and vibrant have a competitive advantage in stimulating economic development and creating a thriving place for people to live, work, and play. America in Bloom communities often experience better cooperation among municipal, commercial, and residential sectors because everyone works toward a common goal.

To date, more than 400 communities from 44 states have participated in the program and more than 22 million people have been touched by it. Awards will be announced September 24-26 at America in Bloom’s National Symposium & Awards Celebration in Washington, DC.

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Cowlitz County Fair’s Thunder Mountain Rodeo celebrates 50 years

The project came together through the dedicated vision of Port staff and commissioners, supported by generous donors, including Cowlitz Count y, t he Por t of K alama, Rotschy, Inc., JH Kelly, RSG Forest Products, and several large private contributions. A heartfelt $5,000 gift came from a Kalama Gold Star family in honor of their son who was tragically killed in a line-of-duty accident.

By Kim Bowcutt, Event Center Director

F

or 50 years, Thunder Mountain Pro Rodeo has been a treasured summer tradition in Cowlitz County, bringing together professional rodeo, community pride, and the spirit of the West.

The story began in 1975 as the Cowlitz County Fair & Rodeo, built through the dedication of local volunteers who wanted to bring professional rodeo competition to the Lower Columbia region. The original committee included

Speakers included Port Commissioner Troy Stariha, Cowlitz Count y Commissioner Steve Rader, Kalama Cit y Councilman Bruce Rader, retired veterans, and local Eagle Scouts.

Ron McCoy, Cal Christensen, Vern Eaton, Wayne Gossett, Bill Merz, George Moore, Les Nelson, and Jan Searing.

In those early years, volunteers assembled a borrowed portable arena each summer before the Cowlitz County Fair and dismantled it afterward. The Christensen Brothers served as the original stock contractor, helping establish a tradition of quality rodeo competition.

Following the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, committee member George Moore proposed the name “Thunder Mountain Pro Rodeo,” honoring the strength of the mountain and the resilience of the surrounding communities.

Over the decades, the rodeo has grown from its grassroots beginnings into a respected professional event. In 2014, Thunder Mountain Pro Rodeo transitioned from PRCA sanctioning to the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association (NPRA), continuing its commitment to professional rodeo in the Pacific Northwest.

Today, an 11-member board carries forward the legacy of those original volunteers. Founding committee member Bill Merz continues to serve on the board, while Ron McCoy remained actively involved until his passing in December 2025. Their dedication represents the generations of volunteers who have made Thunder Mountain Pro Rodeo a lasting community tradition.

The 50th anniversary celebrates not only five decades of rodeo, but the people and passion behind it. *** See Cowlitz County Fair and Rodeo details, page 23.

The Kalama Eagle now stands as both an enduring local landmark and a proud beacon on the Kalama waterfront.

Kalama Eagle takes flight

•••

A Soaring Tribute on America’s 250th

O

n a festive Fourth of July, the Port of Kalama waterfront was awash in a sea of red, white, and blue as thousands gathered to celebrate America’s 250th birthday and witness the grand unveiling of the magnificent new Kalama Eagle sculpture.

Crafted by Las Vegas-based artist Kevin Stone — known for massive-scale projects such as a similar 50-foot steel eagle at the Dollywood theme park in Tennessee and the world’s tallest metal dragon (70’) installed at a resort in Wisconsin earlier this year—the stunning piece features a dramatic 30-foot wingspan.

Brilliant stainless steel on the head, tail, and talons beautifully contrasts with its intricate rust-colored body plumage. Rising proudly above the Columbia River, the Kalama Eagle was commissioned and completed in just six months to mark this historic milestone.

The celebration drew 9,500 visitors to the Port waterfront.

Despite cloud cover that hid the view, the roar of the Oregon Air Guard’s F-15EX Eagle II flyover thundered overhead.

Port of Kalama news briefs provided by Dan Polacek, Legislative/Public Relations Administrator

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14 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

Mt. St. Helens

MUSEUM MAGIC

As Close as it Gets!

Visit the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater

By Joseph Govednik, Director, Cowlitz County Historical Museum

W

e are blessed to live surrounded by abundant beauty in the Lower Columbia. Most of you reading this may, in less than 90 minutes, find yourself at the coast, a mountain, the forests, rivers, or a metropolitan city — the options are plentiful.

Summer is here and I encourage you to make the 42-mile journey up Spirit Lake Highway (from Castle Rock, I-5 Exit 49, follow SR-504) to visit the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater — currently the facility located up the highway as far as you can travel to due to bridge construction, although you may continue a little farther to the Hummocks Trailhead.

The Science Learning Center offers breathtaking views of Mt. St. Helens and numerous trails to explore at your leisure, and is the home of the Mt. St. Helens Institute, which presents hands-on educational programming. The US Forest Service maintains the facility and USFS staff is on hand to assist visitors with inquiries about the mountain and surrounding areas.

wall-mounted relief showing the lahar path down the Toutle River and into the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers enlightens lookers.

One small, but interesting exercise in scat (animal droppings) identification, is near the front desk.

Inside the spacious facility is an observation area with outdoor seating to enjoy panoramic views of the mountain and Toutle River Valley below.

Inside, you’ll find numerous exhibits about the natural environment and ecology of the mountain

The “skins and skulls” exhibit focuses on elk, another exhibit focuses on the evolution of the mountain through time with geologic samples, and an impressive

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• Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce / Visitors Center 422 NE 4th Ave, Camas, Wash. • 360-834-2472. M-F 10:30am–3pm • Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce Kelso Visitor Center I-5 Exit 39. 105 Minor Road, Kelso,Wash. • 360-577-8058 • Wahkiakum Chamber 102 Main St, Cathlamet • 360-795-9996 • Castle Rock Visitor Center Exit 49, west side of I-5, 890 Huntington Ave. N. Open M-F 11–3.

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

Local in • Pacific County Museum & Visitor Center for Hwy 101, South Bend, Wash. 360-875-5224 Points o mation f In Recreat terest • Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau ion S p e cia 3914 Pacific Way (corner Hwy 101/Hwy 103) Dining l Events Long Beach, Wash. 360-642-2400 • 800-451-2542 Arts & E ~ Lodging ntertain • Ocean Park Area Chamber of Commerce ment 1715 Bay Ave., #1, Ocean Park, Wash.

• South Columbia County Chamber Columbia Blvd/Hwy 30, St. Helens, Ore • 503-397-0685 • Seaside, Ore 989 Broadway, 503-738-3097; 888-306-2326 • Astoria-Warrenton Chamber/Ore Welcome Center Maryhill 111 W. Marine Dr., Astoria 503-325-6311 or 800-875-6807 Museum

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

Raymond/ South Bend

For more information and to confirm hours of operation,

•••

Oysterville •

Make sure to visit the Science and Learning Center this summer, and don’t forget to stop by the Forest Learning Center and State Parks Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center on the way down for an enhanced day of learning and adventure.

Sauvie Island

Skamania son Lodge Steven Col. Gorge Interp.Ctr as •Cam Bonneville Dam Cascade

Vancouver

14

Portland

Troutdale

Crown Point

Locks Bridge of the Gods

Hood River

The Dalles

To: Walla Walla Kennewick, WA Lewiston, ID

Map suggests only approximate positions and relative distances. Consult a real map for more precise details.

We are not cartographers.

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 15

GLIMPSES

OF HISTORY

By Dennis Weber

George Flavel: More Astorian than Astor himself By 1854 Flavel was appointed Port of Astoria Harbor Master and continued that near-monopoly for the next 30 years. In 1868 he was instrumental in introducing steam-powered tugboats to facilitate river pilotage and soon was able to begin investing in real estate in the now prosperous Astoria.

CELEBRATING LIFE IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER REGION SUPPORTING LOCAL JOURNALISM SPOTLIGHTING COMMUNITY CAUSES

people+ place We appreciate our sponsors: The Evans Kelly Family • Columbia Steel Services, Inc Weatherguard, Inc • Cowlitz PUD • Joe Fischer Wilcox+Flegel • George and Holly Roe Special Thanks to Friends of Longview For information about becoming a sponsor, please contact publisher@crreader.com or call 360-749-1021.

Also, in 1854 George married the almost 15-year-old Mary Christina Boelling, daughter of an Astoria hotelier. They had three children, George, Nellie, and Katie.

O

n our frequent drives through Astoria, my wife and I always notice an During the 1870s and historic building called the 80s Flavel won election Flavel House, a grand structure to Astoria’s City Council, with Victorian gingerbread, the Astoria School Board, plus another distinctive feature county treasurer and ­— a tower with a pointed roof finally county commissioner. line, what architects refer to as His mansion was built Queen Anne style. Today it serves George Flavel 1884–1886. He passed courtesy of Clatsop County as Flavel House Museum. Nearby Historical Society away there in 1893 is the Clatsop Heritage Museum. just short of his 70th Both are in the care and custody of the birthday, leaving an estate of $1.9 Clatsop County Historical Society and million. are well worth visiting.

Drury’s 2020 book, Captain George I recently attended a lecture by Vancouver Flavel, can be ordered from local or historian Jon Drury about the original online booksellers. owner. Jon was quite clear: “George ••• Flavel was more important to Astoria

A Park Family Company A Longview Pioneer Family Proud Sponsor of

People+Place

than even John Jacob Astor!”

IF YOU GO:

But who is George Flavel?

Flavel House Museum 714 Exchange St, Astoria, Ore. Open Mon-Fri, 10am–5pm Admission: Adults $7; Seniors 65+ $6; Youth 6–17 $2

And what did he do to earn what it took to build this house right in the middle of town?

George Flavel first saw the little ramshackle settlement called Astoria in the fall of 1849 from his brig, the John Petty out of Norfolk, Virginia, originally loaded with supplies for the goldminers in California.

But word on the street was that the new city of Portland, up in Oregon, was desperate for supplies, and so off he went, spending the next several years making runs between Portland and San Francisco.

Flavel mastered the treacherous routes, tricky tides, and tragic winds necessary to safely escort ships over the much-feared river bar where the Columbia collides with the Pacific. Within a few years he had assembled a team of river pilots second to none.

Info: astoriamuseum.org Phone: 503-325-2203 Nearby: Heritage Museum 1618 Exchange St., M-F 10am–5pm Admission Adults/Srs $5. Youth $2 Phone: 503-338-4849

Dennis Weber, retired Longview mayor, is an award-winning writer of local history, and works through Friends of Longview, and the Rainier Oregon historical Museum, both 501(c)(3) non-profits, to enhance appreciation for local history and development. He serves on the boards of both organizations.º

16 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

“Jennifer with Picasso & Samantha” 16 x 20 inches acrylic paint on canvas by Joe Fischer

Our world is full of ART! JOE FISCHER Proud Sponsor of People+Place

People + Place

A monthly feature written and photographed

by Southwest Washington native and

people+ place

Emmy Award-winning journalist

Hal Calbom

Production Notes

Growing strong Feeding the family farm

Back to the Garden We are stardust We are golden And we’ve got to get ourselves Back to the garden

B

Photos and story

by Hal Calbom

-- Joni Mitchell, “Woodstock”

oth sets of my grandparents had vegetable gardens, just down the rutted, weedy alley from each other between Fir and Field Streets in 1950s and 1960s Longview.

In fact, they had no “backyards” per se: The spaces not teeming with flowers and vegetables hosted a picnic table, lawn chairs, and clotheslines full of laundry getting that pre-Maytag sun and air drying treatment which has never been excelled by man or machine.

It seems the ability to grow one’s own food was a vital and necessary aspect of home ownership in those days.

When researching Empire of Trees, I interviewed Skip Metzger, whose dad was charged by the early founders with “demonstration farming” — showing potential settlers the ability to grow melons, beans, corn and livestock, not just Douglas Fir.

Jasmine Lillich

We’ve known for a while that family farms are in trouble.

Willie Nelson and Neil Young and a whole bunch of other folks remind us of this perennially, with passion and conviction, through Farm Aid and other outreaches.

The problem has been, and remains, what to do about it.

We live in a collectivist age, of mergers and consolidations, of absorption of smaller entities into big ones. It’s easy to condemn “Corporate Agriculture” for sweeping in and mopping up family farms.

But the challenge is not so simple.

Family farms themselves are on life support, thanks to inefficiencies, government tariffs, inconsistent subsidies, lack of advocacy, and the usual vagaries of markets. According to a recent exposé in The New Yorker, farm bankruptcies jumped 50 percent in the last year.

In a recent public letter beseeching Congress for help, a group of public and private advocates foretold “the widespread collapse of American agriculture.” When farmers suffer, they wrote, “The entire rural economy is impacted — from schools to churches, to main street businesses.”

It’s this dire state of affairs that took us to Clatskanie, Oregon, and a visit with Food Hub Director Jasmine Lillich.

T

he no-nonsense 33- year old Jasmine, with the help of her husband, Brandon Schilling, and a host of volunteers, runs the Clatskanie Farmer Collective, and manages a summer farmers market and year-round food hub.

A fertile garden plot out back was as crucial to survival as indoor plumbing.

“I build community, she said. “I support businesses.

I connect the dots.”

In summers we ate out in the grandparents’ gardens, too. In retrospect it seems those backyards must have been some kind of oxygen concentrators, pure natural spaces, our table for seven just footsteps removed, a haven between plants and plates — cukes, carrots, corn.

“Brandon and I had a dream of starting this food hub. We knew that a farmers market was only a piece of a good system.

And if we wanted this

This month’s People+Place takes Mitchell’s urging to heart. I think “Back to the garden” is more than a metaphor for an Edenic, lost life. I think like the rest of us, she probably experienced the family farm and backyard garden in the wilds of eastern Canada just as we did in Southwest Washington.

system to be robust and for farmers to actually make a living wage, and for the community’s health, there needed to be year-round access.”

A Business Management Structure

Today there are more than 400 food hubs in the United States. In defining food hubs, the USDA stresses that they offer “a business management structure” that facilitates the “aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and/or marketing of locally/regionally produced food products.”

The Clatskanie Food Hub includes a fully-equipped demonstration kitchen that supports local grower-producers like Brenda Vassau, pictured above, and supplements the weekly summer farmers market, below.

Getting back to the garden is probably shorthand for a host of healing activities, from working vigorously with one’s hands to simple contemplation.

cont page 18

Maryhill’s flagship tasting room and winery overlook the spectacular Columbia Gorge and share the neighborhood with nearby Maryhill Museum, Goldendale Observatory, and Stonehenge Monument.

Our friends in Clatskanie know the score: Right now it’s a good place to be.

•••

WE KNEW THAT A FARMERS MARKET WAS ONLY A PIECE OF A GOOD SYSTEM

cont page 18 July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 17

Lazy Daisy Farms

People + Place from page 17

What that fancy language means to food hubbers is simply a system that shortens supply chains, provides local sourcing, and brokers fair prices for producers and consumers.

To do this successfully, Jasmine supplements her hands-on experience as a fifth-generation farmer with a degree in Business Administration.

She and her fellow members of the Clatskanie Farmer Collective are working, and re-working, a complex system that’s at once both colossal and fragile.

“All these programs take a lot of administration,” she said. “It takes reporting, it takes grant writing, it takes a lot of legwork to serve the farming community, but I do it because I believe they are the community that should have access; that the farmers should be getting 80-90 percent of the money. They should be getting paid fairly.”

edibles and basic staples, and an exotic stop for those on the way to highfalutin’ beach picnics and barbecues.

“We’re a natural pit stop between Portland and Astoria,” she said, “as well as people traveling from Canada and Seattle and Olympia. They come over the bridge and head to the coast for their big Oregon Coast Road Trip and then we’re their first taste of Oregon.”

Serving both local customers and tourists extends producers’ reach, their prices competitive with grocery stores along the route, while still allowing local people affordability.

The Third Space

Farmer Wendy Schmidt’s blueberries turn the heads and tickle the senses of both locals

Putting Farmers First

Food Hub operations manager Candy Uskoski places fresh produce.

The fruits of all this effort are manifest on and in the ground. The Collective provides both outreach and headquarters — a busy weekly farmers market all summer; monthly festivals saluting crop groups like garlic, honey, apples; and classes in food prep and preservation.

“And the center of this is our year-round Food Hub and marketplace, what you see here,” said Jasmine, “cafe, food processing kitchen, classroom, and a volunteerled 100-mile distribution route that we run weekly.

Oh, and also a community garden!”

This is not a food bank, although ample produce goes to those in need at a substantial discount. The Collective serves as both a central marketplace for fresh

A FOOD HUB SHORTENS SUPPLY CHAINS, PROVIDES LOCAL SOURCING, AND BROKERS FAIR PRICES

Above: Wendy Schmidt, of Lazy Daisy Farms. delivers fresh-picked blueberries to the food hub.

YOUR’RE INVITED! Cowlitz FCA All-Abilities Camp A modified sports experience for All-Abilities campers, with a focus on valuing every athlete the way Jesus does.

Aug 15 • Free • Ages 5+ Kelso High Football Stadium 1904 Allen St Kelso, Wash. Registration and info: www.pdxfca/all-abilities-camp

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Weatherguard supports the FCA vision: To see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.

the world transformed

by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.

George and Holly Roe We thank The Boeing Company for matching its retirees’ gifts.

360-577-7200

Proud Sponsor of People+Place 18 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

W

e appreciate that Columbia River Reader helps us understand both the places and the people of the Columbia River region. The breadth of CRR’s reporting highlights the interconnections among us — past, present and future.

Proud Sponsor of People+Place

People + Place and day trippers. Schmidt joins dozens of other providers dropping their produce and products weekly at the food hub, including canned and preserved veggies, exotic mushrooms, imaginative sauces, and farmgrown pork and beef.

It’s much more than a clearing house. The hub is a vital gathering place, too.

“There used to be a lot of ‘third spaces’ in these communities,” said Jasmine, “and then with the dot coms and the internet all these vacant buildings showed up in these rural communities, and people lost the ability to gather.”

Besides commerce and camaraderie, the Collective and Food Hub serve up information: news, techniques, innovations, good old gossip. As we speak, chef Brandon is frying up a savory panful of garlic “scapes,” an entirely new piece of the blessed bulb I’d never even heard of.

“I’ll use them in virtually everything I cook this weekend,” he said, “milder than garlic Brandon Schilling cooks garlic scapes (shoots). Below, right: Dimidy and Kanan Kjellang enjoy a snack at the Food Hub with their sons Banner (in front) and Rocco.

itself but great in pesto and other sauces.” Scapes are in fact the flowering shoots that emerge from the top of the hard garlic bulb, and used to be considered simply roughage or by-product.

Now they’re officially a “darling” of the food hub crowd. I looked it up on the internet.

Added Jasmine, “Most of what happens in this building doesn’t get run through the point of sale. It’s all these transactions that are made and all these connections just for people getting together around their shared interest, which is food.”

She said we’d be surprised at the breadth of interests and topics: “People are talking about how to prune their apple trees; who has a good farmhand that they could lend and trade and borrow; ‘how much should I charge for my black walnuts this year?’ It’s endless.”

Back to the Source

Wendy, the blueberry lady, invites us to visit her own Lazy Daisy Farms, a few miles out of town.

The country is rich bottomland, close to river level — the Columbia and Clatskanie Rivers merge only a few miles away — and seems to section itself naturally into acreages, not square miles. Call them ranches, spreads, “farmlets,” or even “farmettes,” the term “family farm” has come to mean just what it says, but must produce enough to be more than a farm “residence.”

THE FAMILY MAKES THE DECISIONS, PROVIDES THE LABOR, AND ASSUMES ALL THE RISK

As one farm-aid group puts it, the criteria are who assumes the responsibility and does the work: “A family farm is one where the family unit makes the majority of the decisions for the farm, provides the majority of the labor and assumes all the risk.”

We are warmly welcomed at Lazy Daisy by at least 30 roosters and chickens, the former glistening with resplendent feathers and strutting “cock of the walk” style. Wendy catches and cradles a favorite hen. She will begin pie-bakng later this afternoon, preparing around 200 mini-pies for sale at this weekend’s farmer’s market, while the blueberries are at their best.

Schmidt, a former cinematographer and lighting director in southern California, and other family farmers are doing more than simply getting away from it all or going back to the land. According to Jasmine Lillich, there is more at stake. cont page 20

WE CAN MAKE TWICE THE IMPACT!

HELP DOUBLE A $25,000 MATCHING GRANT DONATE TODAY AND HELP THE GARDENS & THE KIDS KEEP GROWING! Gifts this summer will be matched, up to $25,000, by the Health Care Foundation.

Donate online at lcschoolgardens.org or mail check to PO Box 785, Longview, WA 98632.

Cultivating the values of lifelong learning, sustainability, health, and community.

20 school gardens • 4,600 students Free Farm Stands share fresh produce with neighbors in need

The Evans Kelly Family

One of Longview’s pioneer families Proud Sponsor of People+Place

Proud Sponsor of People+Place July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 19

People + Place

Food Hub from page 19

“We are rebuilding back rural America,” she said. “Look what happened during COVID. We saw how long our supply chains are for our food. Grocery stores got hit really hard.”

Working the System

“That’s our whole goal here, to shorten those supply chains,” she said, “so that if there is an emergency we have well-stocked pantries.”

The genius of the food hub system is its practicality — its basis in historical best practices. Some of us have simply forgotten how to can, how to ferment, even how to cook.

“We’ve done canning classes, we’ve taught people these skills that have been kind of lost. Part of that begins just with resiliency in your own family.”

Batch cooking, for instance. “Think about how great-grandma cooked: Make something at the beginning of the week and eat it all week long,” Jasmine said.

“Every community should have a food hub, even urban areas, and know how a food hub operates.

It’s a beautiful process to start this and know how much abundance there is around us.”

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL PROCESS TO START THIS AND KNOW HOW MUCH ABUNDANCE THERE IS AROUND US IF YOU GO

Year-Round Food Hub Thurs, 2–6pm, Fri-Mon 10am–6pm 80 Steele Street, Clatskanie, Ore Farmers Market June–Sept, Saturdays, 10am–2pm Copes Park, Clatskanie For info on Festivals, Classes, Events, and more, visit clatskaniefarmercollective.org

For us consumers, who are trying mightily to eat better and stay more fit, the food hub model appeals to both practice and practicality: The farmers we talked to stress the importance of “nutrient-dense food” and learning from the land itself.

Interviews are edited for clarity and length.

“There’s enough work here for five lifetimes,” said Jasmine, “I dearly hope that farmers, local farmers, can get paid for their nutrient-dense food. That’s the model I truly believe in.”

Food hubs clearly strive to do more than just save the family farm. They aim to improve what feeds and nurtures our bodies, our brains, and our communities.

•••

Turn off Hwy 30 at stop light, follow signs

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

CELEBRATING LIFE IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER REGION SUPPORTING LOCAL JOURNALISM SPOTLIGHTING COMMUNITY CAUSES

people+ place We appreciate our sponsors: The Evans Kelly Family • Columbia Steel Services, Inc Weatherguard, Inc • Cowlitz PUD • Joe Fischer Wilcox+Flegel • George and Holly Roe Special Thanks to Friends of Longview Proud Sponsor of

People+Place 20 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

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

Clatskanie Garlic Festival

Here’s to the stinking rose!

Clatskanie Festival set for August 15th Story and photos by Steve Routon

W

All Things

e think this celebration of all things garlic is the longest running, most viable true-garlic festival in the state of Oregon. What an 11 years it’s been!

GARLIC

This year’s festival will kick off with “Pasta Palooza” on Friday night, August 14th, anticipating the main events Saturday.

Pasta Palooza will showcase garlic-informed sauces and fresh, hand-made heritage grain pastas. The Clatskanie Farmer Collective, hosts of the Garlic Festival, will serve you at their newly-expanded Food Hub, the local, seasonal grocery store, from-scratch kitchen, and learning laboratory located on the corner of NE Art Steele and NE Conyers Streets in Clatskanie.

Weather permitting on Friday, Cope’s Park will host picnic-style dining and a lively, eclectic folk performance by the Skamokawa Swamp Opera just across the street. The Food Hub will also be open for shopping during the Palooza.

Festival day (Saturday) will find you surrounded in costumes and gaiety, arts and crafts, and mountains of seasonal produce to enjoy with

2026 Clatskanie Garlic Festival • Saturday, Aug 15 • 10am–3pm To learn more about the Food Hub and to purchase tickets for “Pasta Palooza” visit: clatskaniefarmercollective.org/garlicfest

your garlic. The younger set can visit a kids’ booth with activities to engage their curiosity (for at least a while), enabling parents to make the rounds to a diverse cast of vendors.

Last year’s Festival boasted more than 80 craftspeople, farmers, and artists, friends and neighbors.

Be prepared, garlic geeks! One of the hallmarks of this festival is also one of its most challenging aspects: the enormous number of different types of garlic. Choosing the right garlic for your own taste can be daunting. So, to assist in difficult decisions, the Tasting Tent will feature many of the most popular strains as well as some of the more exotic, hard-to-find garlics.

Last year, the flavor sensation from this culinary oasis was a Rocambole known here as “Spanish Roja.” A few growers had these bulbs, but thanks to the wizardry of Chef Brandon Schilling, they rapidly disappeared. Rumor has it there will be more of the Rojas this year as Chef Brandon delights you with

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360-577-0544 1418 Commerce, Longview, Wash. Ceramic art by July Guest Artist Janine Littrell Watercolor by Broadway Gallery Artist Carol Boudreau Tues-Sat 11–4 In Historic Downtown Longview

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Gifts, Artisan Cards, Books & Treasures

chimichurri, pesto, gazpacho, salsas, roasted garlic relish, fermented garlic scapes and pickled green garlic, all served on artisan breads and crackers.

There is no better place to stock up on heirloom, gourmet garlic for your kitchen than right here in Clatskanie! You’ll also find the absolute best and biggest seed stock here (and you’ll never pay for shipping or questionable quality).

This Garlic Festival is unabashedly about garlic, but there is much more going on with each successive year. The food court, featuring locallyprepared lunch fare, and the “Libations Garden,” pouring locally-brewed beer, wine, and ciders, will fuel the festival fun again this year to the tune of two exquisite musical performances.

Here’s to the stinking rose! And Oregon’s best garlic celebration!

••• Steve Routon and his wife, Darro Breshears-Routon, co--founded the garlic festival. Pictured above: Brandon Schilling and Jasmine Lillich, co-founders of the Clatskanie Food Hub, in full garlic regalia.

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July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 21

Northwest Gardening

Would you like to

GARDEN SMARTER? WSU Extension

“Green School” enrollment opens this summer

W

hy do tomatoes develop blossomend rot? Which insects are beneficial and which are pests? How can gardeners conserve water while maintaining healthy landscapes?

Gardeners seeking answers to these questions and more are invited to enroll in Washington State University Extension’s Washington Green School, a comprehensive horticulture education program designed specifically for Washington gardeners.

Green School provides research-based training in gardening, environmental stewardship, plant health, soils, insects, sustainable landscaping, and other topics important to successful gardening in the Pacific Northwest.

The online course runs from October

through February and is taught by WSU faculty, specialists, and educators.

Participants can choose between two learning pathways. The Washington Gardener Certificate track is designed for individuals who want to expand their gardening knowledge for personal enrichment.

Those interested in sharing their knowledge with others may apply for the WSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Track, which includes local training and volunteer service opportunities.

“No previous gardening experience is required,” said Karyn Schimmels, WSU

Northwest Gardener Nancy Chennault is busy this month with the Castle Rock Bloom City project.

Her regular column will return next month.

Extension Master Gardener Coordinator for Cowlitz County.

“We’re looking for people who are curious, eager to learn, and interested in becoming better gardeners. Whether your goal is growing healthier vegetables, creating a pollinator-friendly landscape, or helping others solve gardening challenges, Green School can help you get there.”

The program combines flexible online learning with practical, science-based information tailored to the Pacific Northwest.

Participants should plan to spend approximately 6–8 hours per week on coursework and learning activities.

Those pursuing the Master Gardener Volunteer Track will also participate in local training activities and volunteer alongside experienced Master Gardeners, helping educate the public through plant clinics, demonstration gardens, workshops, community events, and other outreach programs.

Applications for the 2026–2027 Green School class will be accepted during July.

Training begins in October 2026.

For more information about Washington Green School and the WSU Extension

Master Gardener Program, contact the WSU Extension Cowlitz County office at 360-577-3014 or karyn.schimmels@wsu.edu If you are ready to jump in and apply, the application can be found at:

https://cowlitz.mastergardenerfoundation.org/home/join-us/

Three Rivers

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Culturally Relevant

22 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

Joyfully Christian

Chamber Music Festival comes full circle with Bach this summer

T CORE MEMORIES LOADING

JOIN US AT FAIR! WEDNESDAY, JULY 22SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2026

12:0OPM 11:00PM EACH DAY!

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22 GATES @ 6:00PM SHOW @ 7:00PM

THUNDER MOUNTAIN PRO RODEO SCAN FOR TIX!

SCAN FOR TIX!

THURSDAY, JULY 23 FRIDAY, JULY 24 SATURDAY, JULY 25 GATES @ 5:00PM SHOW @ 7:00PM

Sat, Aug 15, 7pm Majestic Baroque

Familiar classics by Albinoni, Vivaldi, and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. Soloists: Grant Mack, Organ; Maria Sampen, Violin; Selina Greso, Oboe; Franziska Brech, Flute. Concert in St. Stephen’s sanctuary – Sarah Viens consider bringing a cushion or blanket for the wooden pews COLUMBIA RIVER CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL SUMMER CONCERTS

SCAN FOR TIX! SCAN FOR TIX!

CLAY WALKER

his August, the Columbia River Chamber Music Festival will complete the cycle of performances of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, with the unforgettable Concerto No. 2. Featuring Sarah Viens on Piccolo Trumpet, the work is an iconic baroque masterpiece that is also the first track on NASA’s Voyager Golden Record.

All concerts will be held at St. Stephen’s Church, Louisiana Street and 22nd Ave, Longview, Wash. Locally- grown musicians Don Kirkpatrick, Clark Potter, Grant Mack, Steve Meharg and Tom Walworth will be performing along with flutist Franzischa Brech and various string players from the local region.

Thur, Aug 13, 7pm • Through the Ages

Works for Flute, Strings, and Piano by Haydn, Gluck, and late Longview resident Tibor Serly.

Fri, Aug 14, 7pm • From the City of Light

Masterworks from Paris, including the sensational Piano Trio by Ravel.

Sun, Aug 16, 2pm The Bard and the Buffoon

The first half features music inspired

by Shakespeare with selected readings from his plays.

Concerts are free and open to the public. Donations welcomed.

Please visit columbiarivermusic. org for more information about the programs and to learn about the organization. Columbia River Chamber Music festival is a local nonprofit arts organization dedicated to bringing outstanding chamber music performances to Longview.

OUR STAFF

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 23

Outings & Events Mount St. Helens Club

HIKES

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 previouslypublished articles, may be printed at the discretion of the publisher and subject to editing and space limitations.

See schedule, page 7.

Watercolorized sketch by the late Deena Martinsen,

Submitted items 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 receive listing priority. Fundraisers must be sanctioned/ sponsored by the benefiting non-profit o r g a n i z a t i o n . C o m m e rc i a l p ro j e c t s , businesses and organizations wishing to promote their products or services are invited to purchase advertising.

THE MINTHORN COLLECTION

OF INTERNATIONAL ART A gift to the community from Dr. and Mrs. H. Minthorn 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 Forsberg Gallery in LCC’s Rose Center, open M-Th 10–3.

Free.

Three Bandits and a Baby Stageworks Northwest’s comic melodrama for all ages. Continues July 17–19, 24–26.

1433 Commerce Ave., Longview, Wash.

Curtain times 7:30pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun. Tickets $25 gen’l, $18 seniors/students/ vets, $12 children. stageworksnorthwest. com. Phone 360-636-4488.

Poker Run July 18, sponsored by Kelso/Longview Elks #1482 to benefit Wash. State Children’s Therapy Program. Drivers $25, passengers $10.

Registration at 900 Ash St., Kelso, Wash., opens 8:30am, kickstands up 9:30am. All street legal vehicle types welcome. Ages 21-plus. No pets. Food available for purchase at designated lunch stop spot. Info: markmasseyelks1482@yahoo.com.

Astoria Column Centennial Celebration Sat., July 18, 11am–4pm.

Multicultural music, food, arts & crafts.

Heritage Square (between Duane & Exchange and 11th and 12th Streets, Astoria, Ore. 2-3pm re-dedication at the Astoria Column with Oregon governor, dignitaries, poet laureate, North Coast Symphonic Band concert, etc. Info:www.astoriacolumn100.org.

American Made, County Raised

Cowlitz County Fair celebrates America’s 250th Birthday. Cowlitz County Expo Center, 1900 7th Ave, Longview, Wash.. Wed, July 22–Sat, July 25, 12 Noon–11pm. Carnival (5-10pm Wed-Th, noon–10pm Fri-Sat), exhibits,

ADVERTISING Deadlines, see page 10 Ned Piper, Manager 360-749-2632 nedpiper@gmail.com General inquiries: 360-749-1021 publisher@crreader.com Mitzi Ponce - St. Helens, Ore Ad Rep: mitzi@mdponce.com 252-675-3423

HOW TO PUBLICIZE YOUR NON-PROFIT EVENT IN CRR Send your non-commercial community event info (incl name of event, non-profit 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 98632 Submission Deadlines Events occurring: Aug 17 – Sept 20, 2026

by July 25 for August 15 issue.

Sept 17 – Oct 20, 2026

by Sept 25 for October 15 issue.

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

See Submission Guidelines above.

24 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

rodeo, fair food, exhibits, music, reptile show, vendors. Parking pre-sale available online for both General and Accessible lots: www.cowlitzfair.com. See story, page 15; ad, page 23, What’s in a Name? Program of viola, flute and narration by Clark Potter and Franziska Brech. Aug. 12, 2pm, Longview Public Library. Aimed toward young children but enjoyable for all ages. Part of the Columbia River Chamber Festival (see page 23) Crafter Beer & Food Festival Sat.,

Aug 15, 12noon–8pm. Longview’s Civic Circle/R.A.Long Park. Local craft beers and regional food speciilties, live music.

Fundraiser presented by Longvioew Rotary.

Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart. Cascadia Chamber Opera, Friday Aug 21, 3pm.

Charlene Larsen Center for the performing Arts, 588 16th St., Astoria, Ore. Squirrel Fest Sat., Aug. 22. Free, all-day

event with kids’ activities, vendor booths. squirrel bridge tours. Lower Columbia College campus, Longview, Wash..

Presented by Longview Rotary.

Cosi Fan Tutte by Mozart. The Met Live in

HD broadcasts to regional cinemas Sat., Oct 3. live performance from New York City. A treat for opera buffs or newbies: See it in Astoria (above) and again in October. Mark your calendars and make plans!

Parkinson’s Caregiver Support Group

Every third Thursday, 1:30–3pm. Delaware Plaza, 926 Delaware St., Longview, Wash.

RSVP and questions: Shawna Crook, 360-423-3333 or email delawareed@ koelschsenior.com

AMERICA’S

250TH

IN COWLITZ COUNTY Commemorating 250 Years of the United States

CAR SHOWS THIS SUMMER MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Show and Shine Car Show

Washington State Museum Day August 8, 2026 Museums across the state offer free or reduced admission.

Visit the QR code for participating locations.

Learning about our history, sharing our stories, and preserving our history for future generations is a key component of our approach to the semiquincentennial.

Here in Washington, we are doing that by connecting with local communities, local histories, and local voices.

Be a Part of History | America250WA.org | @America250WA

Saturday, Aug 8, 2000 2nd St., Columbia City, Ore. $25 registration at show. All vehicles welcome. Dash plaques, awards, live music, food available. In conjunction with Columbia City Celebration. Info Facebook.com/ col.city.celebration, Gordon 503396-5658 Untouchables Car Club Sunday, Aug. 16, Reg. 7am, Awards 3pm, Kalama.see ad, page 34) Cruizin’ to the Delaware Friday, Aug 27, 3–7:30pm.926 Delaware St., Longview, Wash. Live music, local food trucks, face painting and photo booth. Free to stroll.

To register car, contact Delaware Plaza, 360-423-3333

Outings & Events

FREE SUMMER CONCERTS 13 Nights on the River Columbia View Park, St. Helens, Ore Thursdays thru Aug. Festivities 4–8pm. Music 5-6:30pm Vendors, food trucks.

July 16: Rock & Roll Cowboys July 23: The Horn Dawgs July 30: The Snapshot Band Aug 6: Sweetwater Band Aug 13: Bottleneck Blues sthelensoregon.gov Watch for updates next month

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 July Carol Boudreau

(watercolors), guest artist Guest artist Janine Littrell (ceramics) August Community Art Show “Connections.”

Waikiki Beach Concerts, 7-8:30pm. Free.

Saturday, July 25 No Soap, Radio Aug 8 Awal Alhassan & SohoyiniCape Disappointment State Park, Ilwaco, Wash.

Discover Pass required to park.

McMenamins Harbor Lodge, Port of Kalama, Wash.

Free concerts 6–9pm, Wed-Thurs thru Aug. Schedule: mcmenamins.com Concerts at the Lake Lake Sacajawea, Longview Thurs. 6pm thru Aug, Martin Dock July 16 Rumor 6 July 23 Trent Beaver & the Damage July 30 Cloud Cover Aug 6 13 Til Midnight Aug 13 Queen Mother

Info: mylongview.com

FIRST THURSDAY Aug 6th• 5:30–7pm Join us for refreshments and live music by John S. Crocker For details on Summer Classes, Teachers & Work-shops visit our gallery or website.

August Fundraising Sale: Bargains on art supplies & MORE! Proceeds go to our non-profit Gallery.

CALL TO ARTISTS: Annual August Community Art Show CONNECTIONS” Bring your original artwork to the gallery by 4pm, Thurs, July 30th. Entry forms & all info on our website and in the gallery. Open to all Pacific Northwest artists. one of OPEN Tues - Sat 11–4 Voted top 3 Galleries Free Gift Wrap on request.

in SW Wash.

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

See ad, page XX

in the spotlight It’s the greatest show not on Earth Admission is free It’s the Perseid Meteor Shower ...

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

by Hal Calbom

Tuning in to the cosmic show

Meteor Rites

I

t’s midsummer. Time to escape the theater and go on the road. Or over and above the road. Or, actually, a few zillion miles from any road at all.

Call it the ultimate road trip.

The Perseid Meteor Shower, a yearly flaming out of cosmic debris which fills night skies with arcs and strings and tracks of fire, is coming to a lonely glen or cozy hilltop near you.

Groundlight — and we live amidst a lot of it — is the spoiler that keeps us from seeing a yearly spectacle which could perhaps be one of the longest-lived entertainments the world has known or seen. So the trick is, and half the fun of it, finding a quiet, isolated and blessedly dark hilltop, field or backyard facing the northeast sky.

Timing: the optimum viewing time for this shower — which is actually particles of dust trailing the comet Swift-Tuttle and incinerating in the atmosphere — will be the nights of August 12th and 13th this year, luckily moonless, a Wednesday and s Thursday, between midnight and 4am.

The “shower” gets its name because it appears to emerge from the constellation Perseus. In fact, the potential Perseids are a floating debris cloud following the comet in its 133 year-long orbit.

Though the display is thought to be greatest when the comet is near — as it was last in the early 1990s — close observers in most years report anywhere from 50 to100 distinct meteor streaks an hour.

The night sky provided perhaps the earliest canvas for the imagination and the figurings out we came to call the Hal Calbom is associate publisher with CRRPress, and produces CRR’s monthly “People+Place” feature, see page 17.

natural sciences. Besides setting our clocks and calendars by the planets and stars, we set our imaginations to work, peopling the heavens with mythological figures, historical personages, tales and stories.

The shower is a magnificent evocation of the power of myth and imagination, as well as the very human desire to chart our own evolution.

Since “In the Spotlight” is a monthly entertainment column, I can’t think of a better summer diversion than seeking out, settling in, and savoring one of the sky’s great bestowals.

Isn’t that what we’ve always asked of entertainment? Take time and space and light and darkness, reconfigure and reconsider them, and celebrate a different way of seeing?

•••

IF YOU WATCH: Aug 12-13 • Meteor watchers (also known as ‘showerheads’) are in luck this year. The moon will be dark, which will enhance viewing.

• Find a spot away from city lights if possible, with a clear view toward the northeastern sky.

• Related story: See CRR astronomy columnist Greg Smith’s “Night Sky Spectacle,” page 6.

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 25

Where to pick up YOUR copy of Columbia River Reader

It’s delivered all around the River by the 15th of each month (except the Holiday edition, which comes out Nov. 25th). Here’s the handy, regularly-refilled box and rack locations where you can pick up a copy.

LONGVIEW

Post Office Forever Fit - 1211 18th Ave Bob’s (rack, main check-out) In front of 1232 Commerce Ave In front of 1323 Commerce Ave In front of Stash Records 1420 Commerce Teri’s on Broadway (side entry) In front of Freddy’s 1110 Commerce YMCA Fred Meyer (rack, service desk) Grocery Outlet, OB Hwy Fibre Fed’l CU - Commerce Ave Monticello Hotel (front entrance) Kaiser Permanente St. John Medical Center (rack, Park Lake Café) LCC Student Center Columbia River Reader Office 1333 14th Ave (box at door) Omelettes & More (entry rack) KELSO

Visitors’ Center / Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce KALAMA

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 (rack by front door) Senior Center (rack at front door)

Café porch

from page 5 In our homes, we each have a small chair for our own comfort. When we spend time in public, at friends’ houses or at each other’s places, we find ourselves tucking at least one foot under, or sitting sideways in the corner of a couch with crossed legs. My daughters and I frequently fight over the corners.

We don’t stay long in places where sitting properly means that we will be in pain. We usually ask our host(ess) if we can tuck up our impeccably clean feet after we explain the pain of being short.

GENTLE READER: “The pain of being short”?

Miss Manners herself suffers from that affliction.

And yet somehow she has managed never to have put her bare feet on other people’s furniture. So forgive her if she remains steadfast in requiring that the rest of the population behave similarly. However, in the game of “I get an exception for medical reasons,” she applauds your effort and originality.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: One of my neighbors, a semi-sweet lady, has a Pomeranian that barks at everything and oftentimes nothing at all. This neighbor invited me to pet her dog and was offended when I declined.

Deer Island Store

What’s a good way to let pet owners know I am not a kindred spirit?

COLUMBIA CITY

GENTLE READER: Lest your neighbor deem you

DEER ISLAND

Post Office ST HELENS

Chamber of Commerce Sunshine Pizza St. Helens Market Fresh Olde Town (near 2-Cs Vendor Mall) Big River Tap Room Safeway

Etc Mercantile WARREN Fibre Fed’l CU Warren Country Inn Kalama Shopping Center SCAPPOOSE corner of First & Fir Post Office Columbia Inn McMenamin’s Harbor Lodge (rack) Road Runner Luckmans Coffee, Mountain Fultano’s Timber Market, Port of Kalama Ace Hardware WARRENTON WOODLAND Fred Meyer Grocery Outlet Luckman Coffee CATHLAMET Park &Ride lot (former Vis. Ctr) Cathlamet Pharmacy Tsuga Gallery (entry rack) CASTLE ROCK Puget Island Ferry Landing In front of CR Blooms Center Cowlitz St. W., SKAMOKAWA near Vault Books & Brew Skamokawa General Store Visitors’ Ctr, 890 Huntington NASELLE Ave N., Exit 49, west side of I-5 Appelo Archives & Café Cascade Select Market Johnson’s One-Stop Fibre Fed’l CU Oakie’s (Box outside) VADER ILWACO Little Crane Café Time Enough Books (entry table) RYDERWOOD

Miss Manners

OCEAN PARK

TOUTLE

Ocean Park Chamber of Commerce, 1715 Bay Ave.

Drew’s Grocery & Service

FORT CLATSOP VISITOR CENTER

CLATSKANIE, ORE

Rack in lobby

Post Office Mobil / Mini-Mart Fultano’s Pizza 26 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

“unsweetened,” Miss Manners suggests you come up with a viable excuse. Perhaps, “Oh, thank you, but my hands are dirty,” which all hands not freshly washed may be assumed to be. (Note that saying, “I just washed them, so I’d better not,” would not have the same effect.)

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A friend of ours is in a dire

financial situation. She is presently in foreclosure of her home.

She sent us a $50 check as a gift for our new baby. I told her I would not deposit it, knowing her situation. She insists I do.

I am still holding on to it. What is the proper thing to do?

There are some things he can do, like wear a respirator and take medication immediately after the exposure, but his doctor recommends against doing this. My husband also hates using the respirator and will rarely wear it.

My mother said that it’s all right to leave right after our son plays his piece.

I would feel like it would be very rude for us to do that. Isn’t it proper etiquette to stay for all the children’s pieces at a recital? If my husband’s medical exception would somehow exempt him from that rule of etiquette, how should we indicate to others present why we have to leave before the other performances?

GENTLE READER: Long-term inflammation is as good an excuse as Miss Manners has heard for making a swift exit from a children’s concert.

If your husband can safely leave on his own, allowing you to stay longer, that would be ideal. If not, tell the other parents that you are afraid you will have to exit right after Eli’s piece, but you have a medical issue to which you have to attend.

Presumably your parents can fill you in.

Just do not be surprised if the other parents start stealing the excuse. .••• (Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, gentlereader@missmanners.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McNeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

Mt. St. Helens Gifts Souvenirs • T-Shirts • Hoodies Ash Glass & Hellenite Jewelry

GENTLE READER: Deposit it. She insisted; she is

already embarrassed enough about her situation, and this is no time to confuse her about what she has left in the bank.

Miss Manners suggests you then come up with a tactful and similarly face-saving gesture to help her. Providing meals, groceries or some accounting assistance might be more useful to her than $50.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband is extremely

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medically sensitive, to the point that he cannot be inside most buildings for more than about 15 minutes. The indoor air quality of all but the most hyper-clean buildings causes him longterm inflammation.

Our fourth grader has his first piano recital coming up. My parents were the ones to sign him up for lessons and have been driving him. My husband and I would like to support our son, but can’t afford to compromise my husband’s health over it.

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Q T

Cover to Cover

BESIDES COLUMBIA RIVER READER...

UIPS & QUOTES

What are you reading?

Collected by Jim Tejcka

he cause of violence is not ignorance.

It is self-interest.

The Reverend William Sloane Coffin Junior, American Christian clergyman and peace activist, also an athlete, pianist, C.I.A. officer, and chaplain of Yale University, 1924-2006

D

isobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.

Henry David Thoreau, philosopher, naturalist, author of Civil Disobedience, an essay advocating for individual resistance to unjust governments, surveyor, and a fish petter, 1817-1862

N

o man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.

Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States, 1861-1865, until his assassination. He led the United States through the Civil War, and played a major part in the abolition of slavery, 1809-1865

T

he lands of the Americas were all deserts, swamps, or mountains, filled with poisonous fogs and deathdealing sun; monstrous insects grew to prodigious size and multiplied beyond imagining.

Cornelius Franciscus de Pauw, Dutch geographer, philosopher, and diplomat at the court of Frederick the Great of Prussia, commenting after his visit to the Americas in 1768, 1739-1799

T

The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America

Review by Jim MacLeod

ATTENTION READERS

O

ver three days in June 2022, the Supreme C o u r t ove r t u r n e d t h e constitutional right to abortion, sharply limited the EPA’s ability to combat climate change, and radically loosened long-standing curbs on guns. It was the high court’s most turbulent term in recent memory. The new supermajority ignored well-established legal precedents and applied novel legal theories to sweep aside a half-century of cultural progress.

Their breath-taking rulings were payback for conservative grievances that had been simmering for decades, social changes that prompted conservatives to mount a strategic and well-financed campaign to exert their influence through the courts.

Landmark 1960s rulings spawned civil rights legislation that many sectors of society were unprepared to accept. Environmental regulations increasingly frustrated industry desires to exploit fossil fuels. Attempts to

he pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

William Arthur Ward, an American motivational writer who wrote over 4,000 epigrams (positive sayings). He was a frequently quoted writer in Quote, an international weekly digest for public speakers

A

n eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.

Mahatma Gandhi, anti-colonial nationalist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the movement for civil rights to free India from British rule, 1869-1948 Jim Tejcka is a retired civil engineer, most recently working for Bonneville Power Administration. He enjoys playing guitar and ukulele and lives outside of Woodland, Wash., overlooking the Lewis River.

We welcome him to CRR’s elite fellowship of quote wranglers.

28 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

Monthly feature coordinated

by Alan Rose

impose restrictions on firearms were met with withering opposition.

Michael Waldman’s engaging narrative details the intricate steps taken to finance and propel t h e c o n s e r v a t i ve s ’ agenda. He delves into American history to explain other times the Court veered from the popular will, provoking outrage and political backlash. When the 1857 Dred Scott decision denied Congress the power to ban slavery in any territory, it emboldened the newly constituted Republican Party and led to Lincoln’s rise to the presidency three years later.

Waldman concedes that conservatives could remain in control of the Supreme Court for years to come. However, state and federal legislatures can lessen some of the impacts, and state courts’ decisions may be used to influence future rulings. Also, the power of the people was evident in later elections that secured access to abortion in staunchly conservative states. There are alternatives.

•••

Kalama, Wash. resident Jim MacLeod writes as JJ MacLeod, the author of seven books in the Harry & Company Mystery series.

Read a good book lately?

Share your impressions and thoughts with other CRR readers. Email alan@alan-rose. com or publisher@crreader. com for info. Writers and nonwriters welcome, editing services provided, and can be based on phone miniinter view if preferred.

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SECOND

Cover to Cover Brought to you by Book Sense and Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, dated June 28, 2026, 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

HARDCOVER FICTION

HARDCOVER NON-FICTION

1. A Walk in the Park Kevin Fedarko, Scribner, $22.

2. Dungeon Crawler 2. Is a River Alive?

Carl Robert Macfarlane, W. W. Matt Dinniman, Ace, $20.

Norton & Company, 3. Theo of Golden $19.99.

Allen Levi, Atria Books, 3. Murderland $20.

Caroline Fraser, Penguin 4. Remarkably Bright Books, $21.

Creatures Shelby Van Pelt, Ecco, 4. Braiding Sweetgrasss $19.99.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, 5. Atmosphere: A Love Milkweed Editions, $22.

Story 5. The Reverse Centaur’s Taylor Jenkins Reid, Guide to Life After AI Ballantine Books, $20.

Cory Doctorow, MCD, 6. Red Rising $18.

Pierce Brown, Del Rey, 6. Body Keeps the Score $18.

Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., 7. I Who Have Never Penguin Books, $19.

Known Men Jacqueline Harpman, 7. Raising Hare: A Memoir Transit Books, $16.95, Chloe Dalton, Vintage, 8. Angel Down $21.

Daniel Kraus, Atria Books, 8. The Demon of Unrest $18.

Erik Larson, Crown, $22.

9. So Far Gone 9. The Hidden Life of Trees Jess Walter, Harper Perennial, $18.99.

Peter Wohlleben, Greystone Books, $18.95.

10. The God of the Woods 10. On Island Time Liz Moore, Riverhead Chandler O’Leary, Books, $19.

Sasquatch Books, $24.95

1. Yesteryear (Indies Introduce)

1. Regime Change

2. Whistler

2. The Land and Its People: Essays

PAPERBACK FICTION

1. Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir, Ballantine Books, $22.

BOOK REVIEW Th Boundless Deep: Young Tennyson, Science, and the Crisis of Belief Richard Holmes Pantheon

P

oets take the mystery, majesty and mundanity of human experience and translate it into words; the greatest poets even capture the spirit of their times. It was through his poetry that Alfred, Lord Tennyson captured the tenor and spirit of the Victorian age.

Alan’s haunting novel of the AIDS epidemic, As If Death Summoned, won the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award (LGBT category). He organizes the monthly Word Fest gathering (info on facing page). Reach him at www.alan-rose.com.

Caro Claire Burke, Knopf, $30.

Ann Patchett, Harper, $30.

3. Land

Maggie O’Farrell, Knopf, $32.

4. The Calamity Club Kathryn Stockett, Spiegel & Grau, $35.

5. Carl’s Doomsday Scenario

Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan, Simon & Schuster, $34.

David Sedaris, Little, Brown and Company, $30.

3. The Book of Birds

Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris, W. W. Norton & Company, $35.

4. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This

Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30.

Omar El Akkad, Knopf, $28.

6. The Correspondent

Lena Dunham, Random House, $32.

Virginia Evans, Crown, $28.

7. The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30.

8. Between Two Fires

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9. Gate of the Feral Gods

5. Famesick

6. Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage

Belle Burden, The Dial Press, $30.

7. London Falling

Patrick Radden Keefe, Doubleday, $35.

8. A World Appears

Michael Pollan, Penguin Press, $32.

Matt Dinniman, Ace, $30.

9. The U.S. Constitution

10. Midnight Train

10. Everything Is Tuberculosis

Matt Haig, Viking, $30.

Melissa Murray, 37 Ink, $30.

John Green, Crash Course Books, $28.

Playing in the deep end You may remember Tennyson from high school English, probably the galloping, thundering verse of “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (Half a league, half a league, /Half a league onward,/ All in the valley of Death/ Rode the six hundred…) but in a new biography, Richard Holmes (The Age of Wonder) presents Tennyson as a young poet struggling to come to terms with a rapidly changing world.

He was born in 1809— significantly, the same year as Charles Darwin, who would play a major role in birthing that new world. It was a time, not unlike ours, where knowledge was expanding at an exponential rate. Over preceding decades, radical, new ideas, girded with empirical evidence, had been fermenting and then fomenting, gaining a critical mass in the public’s imagination. Charles Lyell popularized the idea of deep time in his Principles of Geology (1830), that the earth was much older than previously thought and the home to great extinctions that had occurred over millions of years.

Through his explorations of deep space, the astronomer William Herschel glimpsed the universe’s vastness,

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CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATED

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By Alan Rose

of a new scientific paradigm where “Man” no longer occupied the starring role in creation.

The prospect of historic extinction [of homo sapiens, as happened to the dinosaurs] was new and

His age was also in the throes of the industrial revolution with its social upheavals—the shift from rural to urban life, harsh labor conditions, and growing political instability leading to the revolutions of 1848.

horrifying to young Victorians in a way difficult to recapture now, except perhaps by comparison with the modern discovery of disastrous climate change threatening the whole planet; or the destructive impact of humankind’s recent activities upon so many other species and natural environments.

In other words, a similar kind of deep and existential terror.

-- from The Boundless Deep

extending far beyond the human mind’s medieval grasp. His son, John Herschel, published On the Study of Natural Philosophy (1830), making recent discoveries in astronomy, geology and physics accessible to the general reader, and thereby “transforming the whole notion of the material universe.”

Tennyson was witnessing the emergence

This book will appeal particularly to readers who enjoy biography, poetry, and science equally. Readers may also find it resonating with our contemporary moment. Like Tennyson, we too are standing on the brink of a new paradigm that’s rapidly eclipsing the old. The information revolution, most notably characterized now by the rush to Ar tif icial Intelligence (AI), may very well disrupt our world as the emergence of natural science and the industrial revolution did Tennyson’s. Like him, we live in a time that is daunting and uncertain, at once threatening and thrilling.

May we find poets to help us understand and express it.

•••

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 29

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.

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. 360425-8680.

The Corner Cafe

796 Commerce Ave. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Daily Soup & Sandwich, breakfast specials. Tues-Fri, 7am-8pm. Sat 7am-3pm.

Closed Sun-Mon. 360-353-5420.

Email: sndcoffeeshop@comcast.net

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.

COLUMBIA RIVER

Scappoose, Ore.

dining guide

Freddy’s Just for the Halibut 1110 Commerce Ave. Cod, Alaskan halibut fish and chips, awardwinning 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. 360-4143288. See ad, page 9.

Castle Rock, Wash

L

uckman’s Coffee Company 239 Huntington Ave. North, Drive-thru.

Pastries, sandwiches, salads, quiche.

Vault Books & Brew 20 Cowlitz Street West, Castle Rock. Coffee and specialty drinks, quick eats & sweets.

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.

World-famous mac & cheese. 360-5771541.

See ad, page 28

Kalama, Wash.

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.

Kyoto Sushi Steakhouse 760 Ocean Beach Hwy, Suite J 360-425-9696.

Japanese food, i.e. Hibachi, Bento boxes, Teppanyaki; Sushi.

Mon-Th 11-2:30, 4:30-9:30. Fri-Sat 11am10pm. Sun 11am-9pm. 360-425-9696.

LUCKMAN’S COFFEE Mountain

Lynn’s Deli & Catering

215 N. Hendrickson Dr., Port of Kalama.

A Northwest pub and unique bars serving DREW’S GROCERY & SERVICE breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. daily.

5304inside Spiritout Lake Info & reservations, bar hours at Ned Piper7am–8pm assists with CRR, andHwy (10 mi. fr Exit 49) 24-hour fueling (gas & mcmenamins.com. 8am–midnight daily. 360all around the edges. diesel), card at pump, Red Leaf Organic 673-9210. Indoor dining, covered outdoor Coffee. See ad, page 32. seating.

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

OMELETTES & MORE 3120 Washington Way Open M-F 7am – 1:30pm, Sat and Sun til 2pm. Home-cooked comfort foods.

Breakfast & lunch classics. Dine in or order online at omelettesandmore.com. 10% Senior Discount everyday.

360-425-9260.

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, page 21.

Scythe Brewing Company 1217 3rd Avenue #150 360-353-3851 Mon-Fri 11:30am -8pm; Brunch Sat-Sun 11:30am -10am–1pm.

Family-friendly brewery/restaurant, lunch and dinner.

Teri’s on Broadway

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

Live music on Wednesday pms.

360-577-0717

Timber Market, Port of Kalama. Open 8am–7pm. 360-673-4586.

Warren Country Inn 56575 Columbia River Hwy. Fine family dining. Breakfast, lunch & dinner. Full bar. Call for hours. 503-410-5479. Check Facebook for updates. Dine-in. M-Th 9–9;F 9–9:30; Sat 8–9:30; Sun 8am–9pm

Toutle, Wash.

Antique Deli

413N. First. M-F, 10–3.

Call for daily sandwich special.

360-673-3310.

Woodland, Wash.

L

uckman

FIRESIDE CAFE 5055 Meeker Dr., Kalama.

Open Wed-Sun, 9–4. 360-673-3473.

Coffee Company 1230 Lewis River Rd. Small batch on-site roasted coffee, breakfast, lunch. Inside seating.

M-F 5:30am–4:30pm, Sat 6am–4:30pm, Sun 7am–3pm. 360-841-8699.

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 11.

Big River Tap Room 313 Strand Street on the Riverfront.

Lunch/Dinner Tue-Thurs 12–8pm; Fri-Sat 12–9pm. Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef, pastrami. Weekend Burrito Breakfast, Sat 8-11, Sun 8am-3pm.

The Klondike

The Klondike

71 Cowlitz St, Historic “The Finest Fare in the County” Riverfront District.

Steaks, seafood, burgers. Daily specials M-Th. Catering.

Visit klondiketavern.com and explore: Full bar. klondiketavern.com. 503-396-5036.

•New Winter Menu! •New Catering Offers!

•Daily Monday-Thursday Value Specials!

•Online takeout, reservations, giftcards and more!

30 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

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.

Restaurant operators: To advertise in Columbia River Dining Guide, call Ned Piper

360-749-2632

A Different Way of Seeing

THE TIDEWATER REACH

FIELD GUIDE TO THE LOWER COLUMBIA IN POEMS AND PICTURES

WORDS AND WOOD PACIFIC NORTHWEST WOODCUTS AND HAIKU

by Debby Neely

Poem by Robert Michael Pyle Photograph by Judy VanderMaten

Kingfisher Little bird, big voice Checking his stretch of river Swoops from limb to limb The rattle of the kingfisher!

Wants danger to follow him Keeping the nest safe

EMPIRE OF TREES

by Hal Calbom

A River and Its Mountains

AMERICA’S PLANNED CITY AND THE LAST FRONTIER

Just because they got here when they did

THE GOLDEN HANDCUFFS: How do we govern?

Vancouver and the others "named" these snow-cones

The founders wrestled with their self-perpetuating dilemma: How do you control, own, and dictate virtually everything, yet build the empowerment and wealth that can free your citizens from the golden handcuffs of The Company Town?

as if they didn't have perfectly good names already.

PahTo became Adams, for a president. LooWit transfigured to St. Helens, for a British baron.

Her other lover across the river, Wy'east, morphed into Mt. Hood, for an English admiral.

But now, when you're coming down the river or watching from Stonehenge at Maryhill or gazing back up-gorge from Crown Point, and all these cones and humps assert their ashen presences high above the flood, it doesn't really matter what we call them, as if they — or their river — ever cared.

This page and pg. 9 feature excerpts from CRRPress books.

Who governs? Who rules?

Who adjudicates? Who sets up the banks, loans the money, builds on the infrastructure? Who levies taxes? Suddenly it would seem like building the largest sawmill in the world was a relatively straightforward endeavor.

Paving with Longview’s famous “hexoctagnal” pattern of expansion joints which still survives today

CRRPRESS was founded in 2020, with the first printing of Tidewater Reach, followed by Dispatches from the Discovery Trail (see current episode, page 9), Empire of Trees, Words and Wood, and A Lifetime of Art. Purchase info, see page 2.

BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS • BOOKS July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 31

NEW STORE Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Weight Loss Medicine Train for the life you want to live!

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Call us today to schedule your fitness assessment or sessions with our personal trainers Jessy and Elizabeth

pay with card at the pump, or by cash inside

Your convenient last stop on the way to the Mountain!

OPEN 7 Days a Week Mon-Fri 5am–8pm Sat-Sun 6am–8pm

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Scott B. Kirkpatrick MD, Cardiology

Serving the local community for 90 Years!

DREW ’S GROCERY & SERVICE, INC

Just 10 miles from I-5 Exit 49

5304 Spirit Lake Hwy • Toutle, WA

Alex Nielson MD, ABFM

Shannon Smith MPAS, PA-C

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Somerset

Retirement & Assisted Living MD, FACP

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

• Foot Surgery • Fungal Conditions • Wound Care

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Dr. Toddrick Tookes DPM, Podiatry

32 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

Exceptional care right in the neighborhood!

2025 Tibbetts Drive • Longview somerset-assisted-living.com

360-423-7392

Where do you read

THE READER?

Kalama, Wash. resident Laurel Murphy with her sister, White Salmon, Wash. resident Joyce Ebbert, in the colorful town of Hoi An in central Vietnam. It is a UNESCO-listed Ancient Town known for its beautiful silk lanterns and willingness to celebrate Christmas into mid-January (photo taken on Jan.10).

GiIRLS’ DAY OUT Toutle,Wash.

residents Judith Hagen and Terri Lawson visit Vault Books & Brew in Castle Rock following their own pedicures, while their dogs were being groomed in nearby Silver Lake.

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.

We usually have a small backlog! Please position the background “landmark” to fill the frame, then bring people to the foreground near the camera, so they will be recognizable.

Under the banyan tree Rainier,Oregon residents Gary and Jackie Schiedler reading Shall we have a pint for good luck? Woodland, Wash. residents Kay Purcell and her husband, Bill Hundley, in Dublin, Ireland.

the Reader on a recent trip to Maui, Hawaii. Here, they are standing under a famous banyan tree on the trail to Waimoku Falls in the Haleakala National Park. The trip was a celebration of the couple’s 46th wedding anniversary.

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 33

the spectator by ned piper Dining out in the summer

O

ne of the benefits of our occasional warm days is backyard barbecues with friends and family.

We had one such evening recently, celebrating the Fourth of July, or was it America’s 250th Birthday?

It was a simple meal of marinated flank steak, using the recipe we got some 40 years ago from Don Brown, then rector of St. Stephen’s

Father Brown’s Heavenly Flank Steak

Church. Sue still refers to her copy of The Episcopal Gourmet, the congregation’s charming, collective cookbook which included parishioners’ favorite recipes.

At our cookout, along with the flank steak, we had assorted side dishes — baked beans, salads, pie — but the surprise hit-

of-the-menu was sweet mini peppers, grilled. You’ll find bags of mini-peppers in the produce section. Next time you fire up the grill, toss on a few of these little sweeties. They’re a nice colorful and tasty accent for any barbecue fare.

•••

VISIT CLATSKANIE! discover local discover local food food Saturday Farmers Market Year-Round Food Hub Festivals & more 80 Steele St. Clatskanie, Oregon

One beef flank steak Marinade: 1/2 C. soy sauce 4 Tbl honey 3 Tbl vinegar 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp ground ginger 1 C. salad oil 1 green onion, chopped

Scan fofor! more in

Thoroughly combine the above in a shallow pan. Marinate flank steak in this mixture 4 hours or more.

Turn meat over at least once. Broil or barbecue the steak to desired doneness and slice the cooked meat on the diagonal to serve.

Grilled Sweet Mini-peppers

Wash and dry peppers. Brush with olive oil and grill over medium-high heat, turning frequently ‘til they begin to char. Season with salt and fresh-ground pepper. Serve whole.

ClatskanieFarmerCollective.org

Traditional Luau • Vendors • Live Music • Cultural Dance + More!

34 / Columbia River Reader / July 15, 2026

PLUGGED IN TO

COWLITZ PUD Cowlitz PUD hosts free community BBQ event to celebrate 90 Years Cowlitz PUD is proud to celebrate its 90th Anniversary with a free community barbecue on Monday, August 3, from 11am–3pm. at its main office at 961 Commerce Ave. in Longview. The public and residents of all ages are invited to join the festivities, which will include complimentary all-beef hot dogs, familyfriendly carnival games, live music, giveaways, and more. The celebration is a way to thank the community for nine decades of support and partnership, while bringing neighbors together for a fun, welcoming afternoon.

For Cowlitz PUD and the Warm Neighbor Fund, the mission remains clear: When the community comes together, everyone benefits.

LOWER COLUMBIA CURRENTS Commentary by

Andre Stepankowsky Former longterm reporter and editor for The Daily News invites you to explore the issues of the day through his free online newsletter.

Every meal purchased and every event attended helps ensure that more families in our county can keep the lights on when they need it most.”

Mark your calendars for this year’s events. By simply ordering a meal kit or taking part in the weekend’s activities, you can directly contribute to helping neighbors in need while supporting local businesses. .

Alice Dietz Cowlitz PUD Communications/ Public Relations Manager

Find it on substack.com Search for “Lower Columbia Currents”

Gearing up for another season of community giving “A Weekend for Warm Neighbor” returns this fall. For more

than 25 years, Cowlitz PUD’s Warm Neighbor Fund has provided a vital safety net for local families struggling to keep up with their electric bills. The program helps households that may not qualify for traditional assistance programs, but still need short-term support during difficult times.

Funded entirely through community donations, special events, and Cowlitz PUD employees contributions, the Warm Neighbor Fund exemplifies the power of neighbors helping neighbors.

Over the years, it has grown into a cornerstone of community care across Cowlitz County.

One of the Fund’s most successful initiatives began in 2017, when we introduced “Eat for Heat,” a meal kit program bringing the community together around locally-sourced food while raising funds for the Warm Neighbor Program. Each kit features offerings from area restaurants, breweries, wineries, and farms, highlighting the best of the region while supporting a meaningful cause.

Significant results since “Eat for Heat” launch

To date, more than 2,000 meals have been served through “Eat for Heat”, helping generate more than $80,000 for the Warm Neighbor Fund. Meanwhile, the initiative has contributed about $70,000 to local food and beverage businesses, reinforcing its dual impact on both families in need and the regional economy.

Online ordering for the popular “Eat for Heat” meal kits will open in August, with convenient pick-up scheduled for September 10.

Building on this success, Cowlitz PUD expanded its outreach efforts in 2024 by launching the first Annual Warm Neighbor Golf Tournament. The event drew strong participation from across the region and further strengthened community involvement in fundraising efforts.

Together, these events now form A Weekend for Warm Neighbor — a multi-day celebration of community, generosity and local partnerships. The combined efforts provide more opportunities for residents and businesses to get involved and make a difference.

••• Alice Dietz may be reached at adietz@cowlitzpud.org, or 360-501-9146.

July 15, 2026 / Columbia River Reader / 35

Providing Clean, Renewable Hydropower Since 1936

36 / Columbia River Reader /• October 15, 2020 July 15, 2026